The world seemed brighter at the Capitol. Almost like the spark in the embers of the fires we used to have when I was a kid and District XII wasn't a piece of crap. We were together and healthy. We weren't miserable like in the days of rebellion so many years ago.

The train ride had taken us a couple of days, and I stared out my window most of the time.

"Dinner!" cried Trina, ugh, would she ever shut up?! "This is your trainer for the upcoming Hunger Games!" she giggled in excitement…

"Peeta Mellark?!" Noah cried out, quite surprised I'd imagine.

"That's me and I'm quite old, so would you please keep it down?" Peeta softly smiled. I wanted to be like Peeta. Grow old, have a few kids, live healthy – if I live at all afterwards..

"How's your grand-daughter? Off and married I suppose?" my smile cracks at Noah's words. Peeta's grand-daughter… What a pain in the ass! The girl could take at a hundred miles per hour and not get tired. The girl could sleep with as many boys as she wanted and never get caught or reported! I was seriously sick of her… Andrea Mellark…

"Well, they pronounced her sick in the hospital.." Peeta began.

"Now, now, let's focus on the main event here! The Hunger Games training! Peeta, be a dear, and tell them first had what to do, please? I'll be in back getting ready, we'll be arriving shortly." She smiled the world's most plastic smile ever and trotted into the other car.

Peeta stared and laughed. I looked at him curiously, his blue-green eyes lit up with laughter that made his face look years younger. "Get in. Avoid others. Stick together. Get people to like you. Retain water. Get out." I cracked a smirk because that was my plan exactly.

"We're not exactly.. Weight lifters like you.. Sharp shots like Katniss.." I said quietly. Noah's neon green eyes lowered for a second, and then lit back up to put a giant first class District I lightbulb sign to shame. "No, Noah, you're not serious." I pouted and turned my eyebrows up.

"Oh, I'm quite serious, Alex. No denying it. We have to be staging this, so people will love us! We can fight in the beginning and then slowly, very slowly start to 'love'. People will sink their teeth into it and we'll come out victors because we'll have so many sponsors!" Noah gave out the details. Did I mention not only was Noah a genius art wise, his I.Q. is around 180.. Yeah, I have a strategist on my hands who is suggesting we do exactly what Peeta and Katniss did.

"Noah has a point, Alex. No denying, you'll be better off like that." He gave Noah the "boys only info" look and stared at them. Did I mention during the war, Peeta also became a master strategist? Yeah, now I've got two. Oh, joy.

*Time skip to interviews*

"Hello, and welcome back as we introduce our last contestants! I'm Flynn Fira and this is….. Noah Marine from District XII!" Flynn waved over Noah.

"So, Noah, back home – what activities did you participate in?" Flynn's nearly blinding white teeth bared themselves into a wicked smile.

"Well, I'm an artist. I do lots of paintings and sketches." The ladies in the crowd sighed and I turned red with anger. No girl was ever going to touch my Noah… Like, ever.

"Sounds like a real lady-killer on our hands, huh, ladies?" The girls squealed and giggled and cried out for Noah who weakly waved back.

"Well, Flynn, as beautiful as these girls are… There's only one that has my heart. Alex." Noah stared at Flynn who gave a sad look to the crowd.

"That's the girl with you, huh?" Flynn said, almost sad looking. "Let's bring her out here!" Flynn beckoned me to him. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you… Ms. Alex!" Did he just almost forget my name? I think he did. "Alex, you look stunning."

"O-oh, th-thank you." I shyly responded while sitting down ungainly next to Noah.

"It's really cute when you stutter, Alex." I knew Noah did this mainly for appearance, but he's told me countless times before that he loves it when I stutter and become flustered. With just that, my entire face became red like a tomato.

The crowd "aww'd" and cheered, while Noah took my hand. I smiled and kissed him on the cheek. His own tan skin and dark eyes flashed in surprise, he wasn't going to get away with the stunt he just pulled. Oh, hell, naw. It's on.