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CAT POV

We sat frozen together on the couch, our hands intertwined with one another. Even Jade's rigid pale hand had found its way into mine. Beck's tanned hand held my littler one, his thumb gently stroking my palm.

President Snow was on the Oliver's small, old television, picking the quarter quell event. It was the 50th annual hunger games, the second Quarter Quell.

President Snow reached his hand into the big glass bowl that contained the folded papers that had been written before the first hunger games ever took place. His hand played around in the bowl for a few seconds, and then his pale hand with the little white hairs came out with a single piece of paper. He opened it, reading it silently to himself before raising his eyes to lock with the camera. I tightened my grip on Jade and Beck's hand, and I felt them both squeeze back.

"For the second Quarter Quell, four tributes will be chosen from each district instead of the usual two to remind the rebels that for each Capitol citizen killed, two rebels died. Happy Hunger Games."

The crowd's cheering was cut short by Beck turning off the TV.

"Those bastartds," Jade snarled. She stood up and stomped her way over to the front door.

"Jade-" I started.

"No!" she screamed, throwing open the door and running out of it.

"Jade, wait!" I yelled, starting after her, Beck following.

I ran out the Oliver's front door and looked both ways for Jade. Nothing. But I knew where she had gone. It was the only safe place. For us to want, dream, scream. I walked down the steps of the Oliver's front porch and turned back to face Beck.

"Beck? C'mon, we have to go look for Jade," I told him. He started walking towards me, but stopped and looked at something to the left of me.

I turned to see what he was looking at and saw her running towards us.

"Beck!" she cried out and Beck ran right to her and she fell into his arms.

"Beck, did you hear? They're going to be picking four tributes from each district!" she yelled, holding onto his arms for support. "What if they pick me? What'll I do? I can't, I can't-" she began to cry.

"Tori, they're not gonna pick you, your name's in there, what, five times?" He whispered, pulling her closer and stroking her hair

I started at them, my eyes narrowing. Me, Beck, and Jade were each entered more than twenty times and here was Beck comforting a girl, a merchant girl, who's name couldn't be entered more than five times.

"Beck-" I started, but didn't know what to say. I didn't want to hurt Tori's feelings, but Jade was out somewhere in the forest probably losing her mind. An image of Jade punching multiple tree trunks flashed through my mind.

He locked eyes with me over Tori's shoulder. He whispered I'll meet up with you later. I nodded once, and began walking towards the forest. I dared to look back once and saw Tori holding Beck's face in her hands. I turned away, surprised by how bitter I felt.

I thought about Tori and Beck has I walked to the forest. It wasn't a very long walk, seeing as me, Jade, and Beck all lived on the very edge of the Seam, but many thoughts managed to run through my mind.

I had known there was something between Tori and Beck for a while, even though he would never admit it. I didn't think Beck loved her or anything, because he knew that her parents would never let them be together, but he defiantly felt something towards her. I could see why, she was pretty, and she was really nice. Jade hated her, but I think that was mostly jealousy for how little Tori had to suffer. I liked Tori, but we never really talked much. She would come knock on Beck's door, or wait for him at the edge of the meadow, say a quick hi to us and then they would go off on their own. She never came into the forest, I think she was scared. She lived in a sheltered world, and the forest represented the unknown.

I came to edge of the meadow, coming to the wired fence. The electricity was supposed to be on, but it never was. Still, I always listened to see if I could hear a hum before I climbed underneath. I began running into the forest, the deeper I got in the louder the screaming got. I finally reached the place where we always begun hunting and a knife flew by my head, landing in the tree behind me.

I turned to the direction in which the knife had come from, and saw Jade holding two more knifes. I started walking towards her, but she began screaming, freezing me in my place.

"We're gonna get picked!" she screamed. "I know we are!"

"Jade, there are still other people-"

"Four are getting picked Cat, not two, four!" she screamed. She threw a knife into a tree ten feet away. "We have too many sheets in that stupid bowl, we're gonna get picked!" She screamed one more time before falling to to her knees, her face in her hands, her sobs shaking her whole body.

I ran to her, dropping to my knees, and I pulled her into me, squeezing her tight.

"We won't all get picked, Jadey," I whispered, stroking her hair.

"If you get picked Cat, and you die and I have to watch it on TV, I'm as good as dead," she sobbed, choking on her tears.

"I know Jade, it's the same for me, if you or Beck get picked..." I trailed off.

"Beck," she laughed bitterly. "He'll be too busy worrying that his precious Tori doesn't get picked."

"She actually came to the house, she was crying about potentially being picked," I explained. "Beck was comforting her."

"God, she's pathetic," Jade hissed.

"She's just scared."

"Her name is only in there five times, she has nothing to worry about," Jade spat out. "Compared to us Seam kids."

I said nothing, because Jade was right. It was harsh to belittle Tori's fears, but she really had nothing to worry about. Not like us.

"Maybe we should head back," I whispered. "It'll be getting dark soon."

"Can we just...stay here a little bit longer?" Jade asked gently.

I nodded my head, letting go of my tight grip around her, and placing her head on my lap, and I began to stroke her hair. I know that Jade was strong, but even the strongest people needed to be comforted sometimes.