I am Amaryllis Snow, grandaughter of the late President Snow, President of Panem. The Rebel Games winners had decided to hold the last Hunger Games, but with Capitol children, and, of course, me. I mean, yeah I am related to Snow, but did they honestly think that I liked the guy? For goodness' sake, at least be fair about it!

But no. They'd have none of that. No. I was to go into the arena with the rest of the twenty-three kids, (Not including me) ages twelve to eighteen whom were to go into the arena. I am sixteen.

Normally, if one was to look at me, they would associate me with a wood sprite, maybe, or a pixie. With long, auburn hair that falls to pin straight to my waist and eyes that could be described as deep blue; cerulean. I had the body every girl envied, and because of it I wasn't well liked. I had the shape of an hourglass; pretty well-stocked in all the right places. The sad thing is that I am only about five foot two, so people assume I am naive and to be treated as a baby. I hate my life so much. I really, honest-to-goodness hope that I die in that arena, but I will not just give up; I will not give them that satisfaction.

I stepped out onto the platform, being the first girl to be picked from the Capitol kids. I was wearing a moonbeam colored dress that was made of pure silk and fell down like liquid to my ankles. I was sporting some Ancient Egyptian styled sandals that were moonbeam, just like the dress. My hair was down, a small part pinned at the back with an iridescent butterfly pin. I kept my back straight, and stared into the crowd, willing them to find something bad about me.

Effie Trinket drew another name from the ball. "Talen Collins!" she chirped. So he would be my 'district' partner. He had green eyes and dark brown hair. He was tall and lanky, not too much but he still needed to grow into his body a bit. He wore a bright blue shirt and some black pants. He was seventeen and, when I looked at him, I saw my anger against the Game champions reflected in his own eyes. He came and stood stiffly beside me. I had the urge to grab his hand but, feeling it was not the right situation, I resisted.

Next, from 'District' Two, Azaelia Richardsonne was called. She was really tall, not very pretty; pale, black haired and eyed. She also had black whiskers. I felt pretty bad for anybody who stood in her way. The guy who was called to join her looked exactly like her, he seemed to be her brother. Same hair, eyes, whiskers, everything.

"Andar Richardsonne!" Effie chirped. Okay, I was right. Her brother. Good thing they were letting us team up with our 'district' partner.

The 'district' three girl was short, blonde, cut in a bob, with purple and red dress was lavender and went down to her knees, with bare feet. She had a choker on that matched the dress. Her name was Deviniadru Miles. She was fourteen. Her partner was smaller than her with mousy hair, sad brown eyes and was only twelve . He hadn't dressed up for this event. His name was Niko Goode.

'District' four was pretty boring, two small kids that were going to get killed within the first two minutes, Marii (girl) and Jenavera(guy).

'District' five was interesting, mostly because the guy that was chosen happened to be my longtime enemy. Black hair, blue eyes, pale skin, he was an ass and had always envied me and I wished that he had been me. His partner shied away from him and she was a year older than him, being seventeen. She was red haired, large, green eyed and fairly pretty to look at. Emeretta(girl) and Levi(guy).

The rest of the districts were made up of twelve year olds, that being the most abundant year for kids in the Capitol.

The very last 'District' though was really something. I sat there, somewhat bored, somewhat scared. I had friends out there and they did not deserve to be killed. Effie trinket fished out the last name, the girl being twelve. She read it and squeaked, "Drey Malcom!" I swear I almost fainted then and there. He was the one who I had turned down so many times because he was too much of a friend to me. I liked him as that and nothing more. The one I liked was standing next to me, my partner and hopefully my co-winner. This cannot be happening to me. Not when I have to kill everyone else, other than Talen. No. No this can't be happening this can't be happening...

"So you can win with a partner!" she chirped.

We all boarded the train, and I was sent to my room. It was nice and had plush stuff everywhere, there were so many things that I felt the need to get rid of a beanbag chair and a furry blanket. I placed them in the hall and went and curled up on my bed. I rocked back and forth, not able to sit still. I just couldn't think straight. I just couldn't stand it. I will have to kill Trey or he will do me in. I just can't think of any other way. Never will I kill him though. I will have to go and hide until everyone else has done the offing. Ya.. that's it that'll work... But in my heart I knew that that wasn't going to be what happened.

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I looked out the window of my compartment. It was rainy and gross and I couldn't help thinking, why me? I mean, I've been a good boy, I've never raped or murdered, I never participated in the making or playing of the games. I have tried to love, one person in particular. I always got shot down though. Amaryllis said that she just thought of me too much as a friend but I have never belived that, I know that it's someone else that she's in love with. If Ryll loves him and tells him and he breaks her heart I swear I will break him. I just hope with all my might that it isn't Talen Collins though. That woud just be too much for me. He is a really nice person and he is genuine and it makes me sick. With all that fake optimism I don't know how the hundreds of girls he sees keep their lunches down. My gosh I hate him with a fiery passion. I am going to kill him if it is the last thing I do, and when I do, I'll get to protect Ryll, nobody else.

I clenched my fists and my nails bit into my palms. I hope that they have alot of time for training. I need to intimidate the competition so that they will leave me alone. I will hurt everyone. Especially Talen. My best friend,Levi , is in this and I know how much Ryll hates him but he secretly likes her and I know it. Ryll thinks that she is unliked by everyone but she really isn't Only by the girls, which is why she only has one girl friend, Freida, and thankfully, she's not in the games. Ryll is beautiful in every way humanly possible and I can't help but love her. She is and will always be nobody's but mine. All mine. She will be Mrs. Drey Malcom when this finishes.

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Going to dinner on the second day of the trainride I tried to shrug off the terrible feeling that whhen this is done that I will not be whole. Being the antagonist of the beautiful and lovely Ryll snow is quite hard. Hiding my feelings for her, hurting her feelings and all that is terrible for me and I always feel amazing doing it but when it is over I feel terrible. It's like sex, it is only satisfying if you love the person you are doing tit with and after about twenty times I have just gotten used to it and taken it into my routine. Now, I am not a man-whore, no matter what you've been told or heard about me. I know that there have been 'Levi fucked me last night!' 'That man-whore! he fucked me too!' ers but I really am not. I only have eyes for Ryll and despite Drey's misgiving he is not going to end up with her, she just doesn't like him. He's going all psycopathic about it too, saying 'she loves me, I'll make her' or 'she is mine and I will make sure of it' but he is going way out of proportion with it.

I sat down at the taable being greeted by my mentor. I shared her with Emeretta, the red-haired retard. Ya, I know it's mean but I fucked her once and she couldn't stop talking. My mentor wasn't from my 'District'. She was kind of messed up I think, but that might just have been the effect of the Games on her. She was smallish and she had a hood up, hiding her hair and her face...she was kind of withdrawn.. must be the effect of being in two Games. Her name was Johanna. However, she was a help when she was taking her meds. Today, thankfully, was one of those days.

"Hi there Levi, Emeretta!" she chirped.

I grunted and st down, eating alot like she had told us the first night. I had had four helpings and was on my fifth when a hand stopped me. It was Emeretta's. "Slow down there, you'll get sick." she said concerned.

At least I knew that she'd stick by me in the ring. That was one sure ally. The other would be Drey. Maybe even Ryll, she is friends with Drey after all. We could make a Grande Coalition just like George Brown had, way, way, way, way back when. Me, Emeretta, Drey, Drey's partner Ilinca(IHLIHNKah), Ryll and, sadly, Talen. Six of us. We'd watch each other's backs and be cool about it. I decided to bring it up with Annie and Emeretta, "What would you guys say to a Grande Coalition between us," I gestured between me and Etta, "Amaryllis, Talen, Drey and Ilinca?"

They both sat there, unmoving in shock. Finally Etta regained her composure. "Sure, cool. Are you sure these people are trustworthy?" she asked.

My first and instinctive answer would have been a yes for all but I thought about it and then answered more carefully. "I know for sure that Ryll is and that Talen would be, since he is on her team. I know for sure if Ryll was in then Drey would be and then I'm guessing that his partner would be extremely grateful for that offer since we are basically offering to protect her and anyone else in this arrangement." I said.

"Okay, I'll go and talk to Katniss and Peeta then, they'll be the ones mentoring those teams. Katniss requested Amaryllis specifically... anyways I'll tell you about it after they talk to their contestants." Johanna said.

"Thanks." I said and got up to go to my room. When I got to my compartment I saw a note that had been shoved under my door. I picked it up and opened it. It was short, simple and to the point, not something you'd expect from your best friend:

Levi,

Meet me in the kitchen at 1:30, they are gone for the night then until 3:45. Be there or I'll take that as a decline to my offer.

Drey.

Nice right? I mean, he could have at least said it nicer and told me about his offer, I mean how could I decline without knowing what it was. I was about to throw it away when I caught the Post signature note.

P.S. Bring your partner and I'll bring mine.

So, at 1:26 I stood just outside the kitchen doors with Etta beside me, boh of us shivering from the draft coming in through the bottom of the door to the outside where there was a slight gap. I wondered about something though. Hadn't they, on all the other Hunger Games, taken shuttles to the arena, not the train? That was very unsettling. I shook that from my mind though when I saw Drey sauntering up to us, his brown, wavy hair covering his eyes slightly. His skin was olive and his eyes were brown. That was the face I thought of when asked about my best friend. My blue eyes bore into him, questionningly. He sighed and stood there. Behind him was a small girl behind him. She had long black hair that reached her mid-thigh and she was about five-one. She seemed pretty scared of me. Now that I think about it Etta had seemed pretty scared until about halfway through our first dinner.

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I looked at Levi and smirked. The idiot. If he hadn't figured why or more specifically who we were meeting about then I would just let him be the first to ask. I looked back at Ilinca, who was shaking pretty uncontrollably and not from cold. Her grey eyes, -lighter and less colourful than Levi's though still pretty- were filled with tears. She was pretty freaking scared. I put my hand on her shoulder and she stopped shaking a bit. The rumors about Levi raping girls were completely untrue, made by jealous girls, but I think that this fear thing was good. I didn't want her cozying up with a potential enemy. I hated to think it but I might have to kill my best friend, if it came to him and Ilinca or him and Ryll. I needed the two girls. I don't know why but I think that Ilinca has almost become a sister to me in these few short days and, of course, I love Ryll. Finally, the silence was unbearable.

"Levi, for fuck's sake man, we're here to discuss team one! More importantly, how will we get Ryll to truce without Talen?" I explained, exasperated.

"Impossible." Levi replied. "She wouldn't do that, she is in love with him."

"H-how do you know that?" I asked shocked.

"The way she looks at him, they was she says his name. They things she never does with either of us but does with him." he replied again.

I felt anger burn deep in my gut. I really felt like punching something. "We definately need to off him first then." I growled.

"'Kay sorry to interrupt your little smack-down but that is so not okay with me. We need Talen. And Ryll." Emeretta said.

"Etta is right, we can't off her teammate and love, she'd never join us then. We need to hope that someone else off's Talen." Levi concurred.

"Fine. But we will have rules for this. Got it?" I looked around at everyone else, glaring.

Ilinca nodded quickly and I put a gentle hand back on her shoulder. "Okay. We agree to protect everyone then?" I asked, in a gentler voice.

"Yeah." the others said.

"Perfect. See you guys tomorrow. Peeta was asked by Johanna if we wanted this and we agreed. We asked her to wait off on Katniss and Ryll and Talen until after the four of us had dicussed. We will have Peeta tell her to do it. Katniss, Peeta and Johanna have rooms right beside each other." I turned to go and waved. "Goodnight kiddies!" I said and walked back to my cabin to strip down to my boxers and fall straight to sleep.

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At breakfast onthe third morning of our trip I was pretty tired. Katniss had woken me up extra early using the Effie voice saying 'We've got a big big big day ahead of us!' So, now, I was half asleep drinking orange juice when Johanna came and started whispering to Katniss. After about ten minutes they had stopped talking and Talen had stumbled up to the table.

"Lucky ass." I muttered.

He chuckled. "Nothing, not even water can faze me Little Flower." he murmured right back.

"Talen, Mary(pronounced Mahr-ee) Johanna would like to propose a truce btween you guys, her two, Levi and Emeretta, and Drey and Ilinca. What do you say?"

I looked at Talen, who had a full mouth but managed to nod and I answered, "Yes!"

She and Johanna smiled. "I'll go right back and tell the rest! I'll schedule a meeting to discuss our strategy then?"

"Perfect and..." Katniss started as she followed Johanna out of the room. Slowly their voices faded.

Talen turned to me. "Do you want to make a mini-pact. One that, if something happens to the big one will stay intact? I mean I know team members are supposed to work together and we are team members, but just, you know, in case." he said akwardly.

For someone who was a year older than me he was pretty akward. But he was hot. His green eyes gleamed and his hair was beautiful the way it came down just to his eyes, like Drey's but, for some reason, it looked better on Talen. I smiled at him. "Of course." I held out my pinky finger. He curled his enormous pinky around my own and they carressedeach other for a few seconds and we let go. My pinky still tingled from his touch and as much as I had been trying to dampen my feelings for Talen I just can't. He makes my heart do flips and my stomach flutter. He is lanky and somewhat still maturing a little but so am I and he has such a great personality and hes kind and-

"Mar? Ryll? Liss? Hell-oo-oo! Anybody in there? Earth to Ryll do you read? Command to Ryll I reapeat command to Ryll! Houston, We have a problem!" My goodness he was such a drama queen.

"You are such a drama queen!" I hit him playfully on the arm.

He grabbed it in mock pain, feigning hurt. I laughed and we joked around for awhile and, let me tell you, it felt good. When Katniss told us that we were to be arriving at the training center, the one built just for the Capitol kids, we were both sent back to our rooms, much to our disapointment.

I got dressed into the tight black full-body suit that had been laid on my bed for me. It was really not tha interesting but it made me look good, it was tight but not revealing, just the way I like it. The boots were tight and were zipped up intil my anchles and were the same colour as my body suit. There were also some semi-thick black gloves and a black wool hat. It was quite cute. I came out of my room just as Talen left his and he turned arouns and gasped when he saw me. His eyes romed over my body and drank in the sight of my. I had the wierd urge to run and hide my imperfections from him but I held back the urge.

I took advantage of his distraction to get a proper look at him. He got some black sweats and a tight black under armour shirt with nothing else on top. He had a simple black hat and gloves to match. His shoes were simple sports ones as well.

Finally, I just couldn't help it and I smirked, "See something you like Talen?" I put my hands on my hips and leaned on my left leg.

He shook himself and looked at y face. He blushed beet red and started stammering, "I-I umm.. I-I i-it's just that umm... you know t-that.. outfit... and y-you..and..." he groaned.

I blushed right along with him. He thought I was pretty. That, felt really good too, hearing -ish- that you are pretty. The door opened to reveal a beautiful Katniss Everdeen, clothed in all red. She had probably gotten tired of the black of being the Mockingjay. SHe smiled at us.

"Johanna asked me to get you two. The others are already in the front room. Hurry or we'll be late." Katniss stated.

We followed her into a large white building, much like the one in the Capitol that was for this. There was a rich crimson carpet on the floor. I sunk in to my anchles while I walked. My black stood out in this white hallway. I entered the room with Talen right behind me. They all gaped at me. My design team seemed to be the only one with this specific idea. The girls were all wearing dresses of different shades with the same colour tight suit underneath, but it was sleeveless and legless. It only showed on the ones with low necklines and then it looked like an undershirt. I felt naked and I had this suspicion that I was supposed to wear a dress but my design coordinator had decided not to or just didn't like it or somehting so there I was, standing in the front entrance with more than a few eyes on me.

I looked around the room to find Drey and Levi sitting side by side. Levi had a simple light blue long-sleeved shirt on with light jeans. Drey had an olive green shirt on and some dark jeans. They both had their eyes wide and their mouths gaping open.

"Close your mouthes boys, you'll catch flies." I tried to be as nonchalant as possible. I flipped my hair and walked over to them. Talen followed behind me and, even though I was loathe to sit with Levi, I wanted to talk with Drey so I figured that I'd have to deal. I sat down beside Drey at one of the fourteen circular tables that formed a U shape facing the doors. Across from me was Levi and to my left sat Talen. Just then Emeretta and Ilinca came over and sat down next to their partners so that it went me, Drey, Ilinca, Levi, Emeretta, Talen and me again. I nodded at them and they nodded right back at me.

Drey leaned forward and whispered, "So, will you all truce with us then?" Yeah. That's Drey. Short and to the point.

"Yeah." I said and was echoed by Ilinca, Levi, Emeretta and Talen.

"Perfect." Drey purred, leaning into me.

"Yeah." I pushed him back to his proper position and said, "So, what's our game plan?"

"Well, now that you ask, we'll be -" Katniss pulled up and chair and sat backwards on it, her legs starddleing the back.

"Shh Katniss! Not here!" Peeta whispered and kissed her ear.

Ahh, love. One day I will actually puke. Just.. not in front of Talen.

After lunch, we all got up and went to the room origionally assigned to Katniss's group. It was a fairly tight squeeze but some certain people I could menton * cough * Drey * Cough * Talen * cough * Levi *cough* cough*. The close proximity alloud them to get closer than some people might have allowed. I tried to lean away from Drey but it seemed that I had the luck to end up pressed into the window and him. The window was so cold thought that I started shivering. Drey took that as a ' please oh please put your arm around me Drey' shive so he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. After struggling against his tight grip I just gave up and listned to Katniss.

"So, we have so far Levi with a sword and knots, Drey with camo and nets, Emeretta with plants and berries, Talen with bow and arrows and some climbing, Ilinca with some dagger and knife action and Amaryllis with some... what?" Katniss said.

"Bow and arrows, knots, tree climbing, scouting, daggers, knives, whatever." I answered.

They all stared at me and Katniss broke the awed silence. "So, we have a girl of many talents on our side then have we? I think you will do very well with these ones." she smiled at us all and made me feel better about all of this. There was one thing that I had to bring up though.

"What.. what will happen if we all make it so that we're the only ones left?" I asked.

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it... and if we tumble down into the rapids so be it." Peeta said.

I looked at Johanna and she was biting her lip. She was being uncharacteristicly quiet. "Johanna, are you alright?" I askede.

She blinked out of her reverie. "Wha- Ya, ya I'm alright." she tried to convince us, and though the others seemed to be fooled I wasn't.

When the rest of us got up to leave I pretended like I was tieing my shoelase until everyone except Johanna had gone. When she made for the door I grabbed her arm before she could leave. Not possesively or harmfully but frimly. "Johanna, what's wrong. If it has something to do with us then I have a right to know."

She looked at me and her eyes filled with tears. "I n-never w-w-wanted this t-t-t-to h-happen. I-I.. I just don't know if I can help y-you throught this and, when it comes down to it, help you, or encourage you to kill your friends and allies. I just, don't think that I'll b-b-be a g-good ment-t-t-tor." she sniffled.

I know that she is the one that was supposed to be comforting me about going into the arena and everything but she just looked so pathetic with her eyes watering and her face getting all blotchy and red. I just couldn't bear to see her like this. Which is why I was thankful Katniss entered the room. When she saw Johanna she took her friend's head into her arms and stroked her hair repeating "It's alright, everything is going to be alright Johanna. Don't worry. Everything is going to be alright."

I left the room feeling uneeded and somewhat akward and I set off to go and find the room I was supposed to stay in. When I found it I found none other than Levi standing outside it with his arms crossedd, leaning against the frame in extreme nonchalance.

"What do you want?" I sneered.

He leaned forward and I suddenly had the urge to kiss him. That was completely absurd, I mean, I liked Talen.. right? But he leaned really close to my face so that his lips were only about an inch away. My breathing sped up and my heart beat fast in my chest.

"I want you to know that by the end of this game some of us are going to be dead." he paused.

I waited for the rest and then I realized that he might just be suggesting that I would be one of those who were dead.

He smiled, seeing the panic in my eyes. "And, I just wanted you to know that I'll not let that happen to you... or anyone else." he said.

I was shocked and he turned to go and was already halfway down the hall by the time I found my tongue again. "Levi! Wait!" He turned to face me, his blue eyes gleaming.

"Yes?" his lips curved upwards in a smile.

"Thanks." I said.

Clearly surprised, his eyebrows shot up. "Er, welll.. that is.. you're welcome Ryll. I mean Amaryllis!" He turned and almost ran down the hall to his room and shut the door.

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I shut the door quickly and leaned on it. Nice going you dolt! You slipped up! You became vulnerable! You can't let that happen again! I cursed. Why, oh why did Amaryllis Snow make me feel like this? I hate her for how she makes me feel this way. I hate this feeling, this feeling of uncontrol and vulnerability that I always get when she's around. I know the whole 'You'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar' but it's just so hard. But, how is it possible to hate someone, and love her at the same time?

I shook my head and decided to havea shower, maybe that would cool my nerves. I set it to a hard jet so my back could get a massage from the water and I put it on hot. It made me stop thinking about Ryll and that was a good thing. I didn't need this. Ryll and I, we couldn't win together... could we? What exactly had Effie said again? "You can win with a partner." But she hadn't specified that it had to be from your own 'district'. Maybe, just maybe, I could win this and bring the girl I... am undecided about...ish.

She was beautifull, the gleaming star of perfection. Her long auburn hair and her ready cerulean eyes. Her plump lips that begged to be kissed. Her long legs and her beautiful figure. Her bubbly personality. A spitfire she is, ready to take on anything and everything. I really do with that that was mine, unlike Drey who thinks she is already his and is just trying to take and conquer. She is a beautiful prize that any guy would love to hold for their own.. she just doesn't see it.

I got out and let the air dry me. I sat on my bed in some boxers, just relaxing, reading a book when someone knocked on the door. I closed my book, marking my page and I went to the door. I opened it to find a nervous Ryll. She was wringing her hands and her eyes widened when she saw my boxers. She licked her lips, not in a sexual way but it still was cute.

I smirked. "See something you like Amaryllis?"

She brought her attention to my face. She scowled, her blue eyes flashing. "Actually, I was here to see if you were okay." she looked me up and down again. " Obviously you are." she sneered. She flipped her Oh-so-perfect hair and turned. She walked away, her hips swaying. She was pissed but she was so beautiful when she was. Her beautiful eyes flashed and her hair just helped in every way. Chariots two days from now, I couldn't wait to see what she was going to do.

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Oh my goodness Levi is such a chauvinist prat! Then why do you dream about him every night instead of Talen? Because he scares me. I snapped back at myself. But was that really the truth? I he scared me then why had I gone to see if he was alright? To make sure I hadn't hurt him too badly? I sighed as I got into my bed, wrapping the covers around me and snuggling in. I had to meet up with Johanna tomorrow for my Chariots practice. She wants me to do something special, like what Katniss did. I can act though, so it wont be too hard. What will she make me do though? I drifted off with all those thoughts swirling around my mind.

"Run Ryll run!" Levi screamed.

"I can't! It's too much!" I yelled.

"You are going to make it!" he ran over and picked me up.

He ran with me in his arms and we got to the edge of a cliff, he stopped and turned. All the other contestants were closing in. Talen, Emeretta, Drey and Ilinca were all dead. He looked down at me. He beautiful brown eyes bore into me. He kissed me. "I love you Ryll."

"I love you too Levi." I said. The kissing was getting good. Deepening.

"For goodness' sake Ryll WAKE UP!" Johanna yelled right next to my ear. I jerked awake and groaned.

" Go away!" I covered my head with my pillow.

"We can talk in here but you need to eat." she said and picked me up, tossed me over her shoulder and carried me to the table. I kicked and shreiked all the way there.

"Put me down! Put me down! PUT ME DOWN!" I shreiked and shreiked.

I heard laughing coming from the table and when she put me down Levi was red in the face, tears streaming from his eyes. Drey was laughing just as hard and Talen was rolling on the floor laughing. Emeretta was trying to conceal her laugh and so was Ilinca but they weren't doing a very good job of it. I scowled.

Levi looked up and started laughing even harder when he saw my face. "You...hahaha...are...hahaha...too...hahahah...funny!" he said in between gasps.

I scowled. "I was having a very nice sleep until Johanna woke me up." I growled.

Johanna laughed. "You were really out of it... you were also making out with your pillow." she laughed.

I opened my mouth and blushed deep crimson. "Your so not telling the truth. I-I don't do that." I stuttered once and Johanna noticed.

"So, who were you dreaming about?" she wiggled her eyebrows.

I sighed. I was so not telling them who but I might as well admit that I did. "Noone special." I evaded.

"Oooh! Is he a contestant?" Emeretta squealed.

"No." I said firmly.

"So, it definately is then." Levi smirked.

"The first step to fixing your probleme is admitting that you have one." Drey joked.

"I so do not have a probleme!" I snapped.

"Now she's getting defensive! You're in denial, Ryll. You just need to admit it." Talen advised.

I looked over to Katniss and mouthed 'help' knowing that I wouldn't get any from Johanna. She just grinned and mouthed back 'Sorry, I can't help you get out of this one'. Great. I'm all on my own on this one. There is only one thing I can do.

"W-why d-d-do y-you g-guys always h-have to p-pick on m-m-m-me." I fake sniffled. I even got some tears to stream down my face. I got my reaction right away.

"Oh Ryll! We're sorry! We didn't mean to do that! We were only playing! Oh Ryll forgive us!" Talen said.

"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to upset you." Levi said.

"Come here and let Drey make it all better." Drey said.

I crinckled my nose and said, "N-no it's f-fine. D-d-don't worry ab-b-bout it." I fake sniffled some more.

"No. It's not fine. Let me walk you back to your room and we'll have someone bring you your breakfast there. We'll talk in your room." Johanna said, putting her arm around me and steering me from the table. As I passed Katniss she winked at me and I winked back and grinned, knowing that nobody else could see that with my back turned.

When we got out of earshot Johanna turned to me. "Nice Ryll. You've definately got talent." she smiled approvingly. "If you can get them to believe you and they're your friends, getting the rest of Panem to believe you will be a sinch. That was some pretty creative thinking there."

I grinned. "Thanks. I've got some talent in that area." I said.

"Well, that'll be put to good use during this game. If you can make people do whatever you want or think whatever you want them to think about you you will have so much power. That's how I won my first Hunger Games. Pretending to be weak. Everyone else was targeted and in the end I won." she said proudly.

We came to my door and I opened it. We both walked over to my bed and sat down. "So, what am I going to do for the Chariots?" I asked. This year, since nobody is actually from the districts it was going to be hard to figure out what to do.

"Well, we decided to do either an element or a plant for each group. You are going to be water. I want you to be elegant, and mysterious. I want you to wow them. I want their attention solely focused on you. I want you to emanate mystery and I want you to intruigue them. Can you do that for me? And do that for the interviews as well? We'll practice more for the interviews though."

"Done." I said. It seemed easy enough.

"So how are you going to do this then?" she asked.

I stood up and demonstrated. I quirked my mouth a tiny bit at the corner and I held myself in a way that seemed to change the feel of the air as well.

"Perfect Ryll. You really have a knack for this." she approved.

The next day, my hair stylists came in. They did some really silvery makeup to bring out my cerulean eyes. They plucked my eyebrows a bit and it hurt alot. I flinched every time and I sighed with relief when they finished. After that they decided to just leave my hair the way it was, pin straight all the way down to my waist.

Next my clothes stylist came in. His name was Aster. He had blonde hair and brown eyes. "So. You don't need any waxing so we're just going straight to the dress part."

He took out a long, silvery-blue dress out of a box. He slipped it over my head and it was sleevless. It was sinched at the waist, but you couldn't see where they did it. When I twirled to see myself it looked like water rippling around me. He produced a shawl to go with it, one that actually hooked up to the dress at the back and the front. When he was done it looked like the dress had just started out as a dress with loose sleeves that draped across my shoulders, leaving my collar bones and neck uncovered. when I moved my arms the shawl moved like the dress, looking like water rippling around me. The dress was made of silk and it was so soft. The top bit, just at the very rim of the top had little jewels on it. They shone a silvery colour and they added to the elegance of the dress.

"It's beautiful Aster! Did you make this yourself?" I asked, twirling agian.

He smiled. "None other."

"It is amazing!" I smiled.

"Let's go Ryll!" Johanna called from the hallway.

I smiled. I hugged Aster and went out in the hallway. "What do you think Johanna?" I asked and twirled.

"Beautiful." Levi breathed.

I turned to him and blushed. I looked around to see the rest of my group waiting. My auburn hair flashed against this dress. I wore high heels, but you couldn't see them from under the dress. We had decided on a simple silver necklace and matching earings. I had on a silver bracelet with wave patterns.

"I didn't realize that everyone was going to be here." I said, embarassed.

Ilinca was wearing a bright red dress with flames patterns and Drey was wearing a matching outfit. Emeretta had a green dress, which must have been earth and Levi was wearing a matching outfit. They were all really nice but mine seemed to outdo theirs. Talen was wearing a suit the same colour as mine and it seemed to be the smae material but it didn't have the same effect as mine did.

"Let's go guys!" Katniss said, breaking the silence.

"Ryll and Talen are first! We need to hurry!" Peeta said.

We all hurried down the hall and Talen and I boarded our chariot just in time. It started about a minute after we boarded, not giving us time to do anything other than hold on. I did my mysterious, elegant thing, quirking my lips up in a tiny smile and I just held my head aloft, showing people not only that I didn't care, but that there was much about me that they didn't know, much mysteriousness. The whole time all eyes were on me and the camera was mostly on our chariot. We completely ruled the audience. When the time came for the interviews, everybody would watch if the reaction of the audience of the arena said anything.

We rode around the ring and I kept my apperance just as I was told. I didn't holds hands like Drey and Ilinca did, nor did I grin and wave like Levi and Emeretta. It was a truly amazing experience for me though. All those flashing lightss of the cameras going off and the whole audience gazing at you. It made me feel special, wierd as it was. I was going to win this though and I was going to make this last Games count.

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She rode around the ring. So beautiful, so innocent. Everyone looking at her, watching her. Probably more than one boy found himself infatuated just from the pictures. She's mine. I growled inwardly. Nobody on this planet was going to take her from me. I was supposed to be holding Ilinca's hand and I did, but I only touched her as much as nessessary. I know that Levi is in love with my Ryll though, there's no doubt about that. He will not get her though. If I have to kill him in the arena so that we can be together than so be it. So be it.

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Standing next to the beautiful Amaryllis in the chariot was a new experience unto itself. She was hot, yeah, but she had a good personality too. She was kind and she cared, I heard her attempt at appoligizing to Levi, and he was an ass to her, but it was clear that he loved her. I really think that I just like her though.

Would you even like her at all if she wasn't hot Talen? My mind asked me. No, probably not. I conceded.

I left my heart back at the Capitol with Onna. Onna was my longtime friend, and, though she didn't know it, I had deep feelings for her. I made jokes about sex and stuff with her, and now she wouldn't even let me kiss her without thinking that I just wanted to get into her pants. I guess it's kind of my fault, doing that but I don't know. I think she might just share those feelings for me but I needed to be sure. I really think that if I were to pull a Peeta and declare my undying love for her over the T.V. then she would never speak to me again. Which is why, if I didn't survive I would have someone else tell her. That or tell her over the T.V. as I died.

They chariots finally went in to the enclosed area again and I stopped my devil-may-care attitude. I was getting pretty damn tired of this hiding and faking all for the Games. Games be damned I will do as I please.

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When we pulled in I was glad to rid myself of that ridiculus grin on my face. My face was actually aching from grinning. I scowled and Etta laughed.

"You know, it takes more muscles to frown than to smile." she smiled at me.

"Yeah. It also takes less muscles to pull back and punch the jerk who is making you frown." I snapped.

She laughed. "Wow Levi. I think I'll remeber that the next time you frown near me."

"Well you better get used to it, it is the Hunger Games you know. It wasn't made to be happy." I turned on my heel and stomped off.

I left an utterly bewildered Emeretta behind me. I stomped all the way down the hall and turned and stomped right into Amaryllis. She made a little 'umpf' noise when she collided with me and she fell flat on her petite, delicate, butt. She looked up and scowled at me. "Watch where you're going Bimbo." she growled.

I smirked at her, trying to hide the hurt I was feeling because of her blatent hatred of me. You'd think I'd get used to it but it was just one of those thing where it always felt bad, no matter how many times it happens. "Are you asking for some then?"

She scowled even deeper and her brows were nearly touching. It really was adorable. "No. What use would I ever have for a man-whore?" she smiled sickly-sweet at me.

"Well, I could explain but some things need to be shown thoroughly." I purred, making my voice go all sexy and intruiging, the way that drove the girls crazy.

"You're perverted." she scorned.

"You're loving it." I said right back.

She opened and shut her mouth a few times before retorting a very pathetic, "Am not!" and she stomped away.

When she was a safe enough distance away I laughed and laughed. She was too cute. I felt sort of bad for aggravating her but the regret was short-lived. I went to bed happy that night, knowing that once in the Games, I wasn't going to be very happy much of the time.

Okay so I finally decided to end the chapter. I just couldn't find the perfect spot, so I settled for that. Interviews next! Yay! Review people please!