A.N.: So here's Chapter 3!

TARDISRose: Glad you enjoyed! And yes, it would be unrealistic to say everyone loved the Games, especially Athena, because, well, that'd just be completely out of character, as well as contradictory to "The Lesser of Two Evils". Keep the reviews coming, I love hearing your opinion!

Chapter 3: First Day

Grandfather shakes me awake the next morning. "You have to get down to the Training Center to watch the tributes." I hurriedly get ready and dart out the door. I dash past ridiculously-dressed Capitolites. They all greet me in their shrill accents. I rush a hello back. When I reach the Training Center, I'm out of breath. My long, brown hair is messed up, but I smooth it to the best of my ability. Seneca is waiting for me, and he laughs.

"Did someone oversleep?" he asks in a mock-babyish voice.

I cut him a poisonous look. "Let's just go watch them train."

The Training Room is huge. Several stations for training skills are in it. The box from which the Gamemakers will watch the tributes is above the action. The walls are red, the thick carpet black, with several chairs, tables, and dim lighting. Seneca and I take the front seats, since he's Head Gamemaker and I'm a guest. I'm the only female here, let alone the youngest. The tributes enter at different times. I find it boring until 12 arrives. Then, I get my pen and notepad given to me to take notes ready. When everyone is there, a speech is given by the Head Trainer, Atala. First, Peeta runs the gauntlet. He is a surprisingly fast runner. He falls a couple of times, but it's not too much.

Katniss, however, works on survival skills. She knot-ties and makes fire. I find the hilariously ironic. She watches me. I watch back. I smile to let her know I don't condone the position that I'm in, that I'm not a Gamemaker. She sneers and goes back to her knot-tying. Peeta tries climbing a net that's set up, but it flips around and he falls to the ground, gaining the attention of the Career tributes, the ones from 1, 2, and 4. They smirk and laugh. Katniss says something to him. He gets up and picks up a heavy metal ball. He slings it across the room, showing off his strength. The Careers are taken aback. I sit back in my chair with a satisfied smile.

"So, Athena," Seneca says. "Got any favorites this year?"

I smile. "Oh, I can think of a few."

"Who is it?"

I freeze. I wasn't expecting that question. "District 12," I mutter. There are gasps from our box and it gets quiet. Since they're quiet, the tributes get quiet and look at us. I shift uncomfortably in my seat.

"Carry on," Seneca calls. Heat radiates from my face.

"I'm sorry," I say timidly. "Was that wrong?"

He smiles. "I don't care. It's just that they have contempt for District 12 because they're poor and never win."

I frown and walk over to the refreshment table. There are drinks of all different colors, as well as assorted kinds of cookies, cakes, pastries, brownies, et cetera. I get some punch and a couple of cookies and sit down. I catch Peeta's eye as he camouflages himself. I twirl my hair around my finger nonchalantly. He is distracted when Katniss comes to talk to him. I eat gingerly, to not look like a pig in front of the twenty Gamemakers and twenty-four tributes that may be watching me. I take careful notes, devoting one page in my notebook to each tribute. I take notes depending on how I like them. I take bad notes, for example, for the Careers, who aren't just mean to Peeta, but to everyone. Once, Cato accused the District 6 boy of taking his knife. The boy denied it, and Cato threatened him. It was, in fact, the District 11 girl. She's so small, so she hid in the rafters above. I had to contain my laughter. For Peeta and Katniss, on the other hand, I take good notes, as well as the District 11 girl. I think her name's Rue.

When the tributes leave, the Gamemakers meet to discuss the tributes.

"District 2 seems explicitly strong this year," a man with a ridiculous mustache says. Everyone concurs except me.

"So is the District 11 boy," another man says. The table buzzes with agreements.

"As is the District 12 boy," I say quietly, barely even audible over the din. Nonetheless, the table gets quiet and stares at me.

"Why do you think that?" the first man asks.

"Did you see him throw that weight? He's very strong. I think he has a chance of winning. We should keep an eye on him, as well as the girl from 12." To my surprise, they all concur.

After a while, Seneca says, "Meeting adjourned," and everyone leaves. "Thank you for your help today," he tells me.

"You're welcome. See you tomorrow." I walk outside, and the beautiful orange and pink sky of dusk stares down at me. I run home, anxious to share my stories of the day with my family.