Chapter 3 Training

Told you it would be up in like two minutes! :) Here it is!

I wake up to the feeling of someone stroking my hair. My eyes flutter open to see Cato smiling down at me.

"Morning, beautiful," he whispers, kissing me on the forehead. I don't say anything, I just press my lips firmly against his. I can feel him smile, and then the kiss changes. It becomes more heated and passionate. I've been kissed before, but never like this.

A knock on the door causes us to break apart.

"Faye," Albany's voice floats through the closed door. "Have you seen Cato?" We look at each other with the same nervous expression. If she finds him in here, we are going to be in big trouble. Tributes aren't supposed to be in such good relationships because, hey, you're going to have to kill them. The sound of the doorknob jiggling sends us jumping out of bed in a frenzy. I push him into the bathroom and shut the door, just before Albany walks in.

"Have you seen Cato?" She repeats.

"Cato? Nope, haven't seen him, why?" My words come out in a rush and I stumble through the sentence. She gives me a quizzical look.

"Okay. You really need to brush your hair, let me do it," she says. She makes her way to the bathroom door and grasps the handle.

"No, Albany-" I try to protest, but she pulls open the door before I can stop her. And there's Cato, standing guiltily in my bathroom, obviously hiding. Albany turns to me with a furious look on her face. I chuckle nervously.

"Found him...?"

She doesn't say anything. She just pulls us both out to the living room where Brutus and Enaboria are eating breakfast.

"Well, I found him!" Snaps Albany. "And you'll never guess where he was! In Faye's room. He slept in there last night!"

I'll spare you the details, but let's just say, Brutus and Enaboria no less than furious. They yelled at us for half an hour before they let us go to training.

"Geez," I say to Cato, as we stand just the two of us in the elevator. "They didn't need to freak out. We only slept in the same bed. We spent the night together at each other's houses all the time back home."

"I know," says Cato, turning to me with a smirk on his face. "Imagine if they found out we were doing this."

I don't have time to ask because his lips crash into mine. I could really get used to this. Too bad I won't get too.

Training feels just like training back home. I throw knives and shoot arrows and the other Careers watch me intently. I can feel Finnick Odiar's eyes burning a hole in my back, but I ignore it. It's not until later in the day that he finally approaches me.

"I'll teach you how to use a trident if you teach me how to throw knives." He has dropped his seductive tone and actually sound normal.

"And why would I want to do that?" I look at him quizzically.

"Because we're allies," he says smiling. It's not the flirty smirk from yesterday, but a genuine smile.

I agree and we start with knives. He throws his first one at the dummy and it hits it in the foot. All I can do is laugh because he needs some serious work. I give him instructions as he throws. He is a quick learner and gets the hang of it fast. By the end of the day he is almost as good as me.

In that one day of training, I learned a lot about Finnick that I'm pretty sure not many people knew. He told me about his life in district 4 before he got reaped into the 65th hunger games. He told me about how all the capitol girls loved him but he really had no interest in any of them. He told me about mentoring his best friend Annie in the 70th hunger games and how hard it was to watch her go through it all. I could tell, just by the way he talked about her, she was very special to him.

I told him a lot about myself, too. I told him about training at the academy and about being best friends with Cato for as long as I could remember. I told him how hard it was after ny parents died and that Cato was the only one who kept me from losing it. I told him I almost died last year watching Cato in the games and how excited I was when he came home.

By the end of the first day, I knew I hadn't just found an ally, but a knew friend as well.

Cato is quiet all through dinner and the rest of the evening. He doesn't say much even when we are cuddled up in his bed that night. Finally, he spits out what's been irritating him.

"Why are you spending so much time with Finnick Odiar?" He asks gently and quietly, but I can tell he's miffed.

"He's really not as bad as you think," I say. "Hell makes a great ally and he's actually very nice."

"I think he's got his eyes on you," he mumbles.

"Even if he does, it doesn't matter. I'm yours." He smiles. "Just give him a chance okay?"

"Only for you."

The next day at training I see the little blonde girl from district 12 at the fire station. My curiosity takes over and I make my way to her. I sit down and begin. She doesn't acknowledge me at first so after a few minutes I speak.

"You look really familiar." She looks up and stares at me. "I don't think we've met before but I swear I know you."

For a moment I think she's not going to speak but she does. "You probably saw me on last year's reaping. My sister volunteered for me." And then it hits me. This is Katniss Everdeen's little sister.

"You know," I sat with a smile. "I rooted for your sister."

This is somewhat true. I actually kind of liked the Girl On Fire. If Cato hadn't won, it was her I wanted to go home.

"Really?" The little girl asks and I nod. "Thanks, I'm Primrose by the way. You can call me Prim."

"I'm Faye." I introduce myself and her smiles widens. This is definitely the cutest kid I've ever seen.

"Faye," comes Finnick's vioce. "Want to learn how to use a trident like we said?"

"I have to go. I'll see you later, Prim."

Finnick teaches me how to use a trident, fight people and defend myself. Half way through the day I'm petty skilled at it and Finnick is impressed. A new fighting skill can always come in handy. I'm not sure why, but I have decided to put all of my trust in Finnick. I can tell he has done the same. I don't know what it is, but something about Finnick feels very secure. He is nothing like the Capitol portrays him and is a true friend.

I spend the next day and a half trying to get Cato and Finnick to be friends, but they are having none of it. Cato is not as harsh as usual, but it's obvious he doesn't like him. At the end of the third training day I sit them down and tell them that I'm allying up with both of them and they just need to get along. They agree, but look extremely unhappy. Well, I have my two friends in my pack and that's all that matters.

I sit in between a scowling Cato and Finnick waiting to go in for the Gamemakers to evaluate me. The district one girl is in right now which means Cato has to go and then its my turn.

"Make sure to show them your trident skills," says Finnick. "You're really good."

"Thanks, Fin."

The district 1 girl comes out and it's Cato's turn.

"Good luck," I tell him. "You'll do great." He nods, smiles, and walk into the elevator. The next few minutes are agonizing. I'm so nervous my hands begin to shake. Finnick looks at me and puts his hand on mine to stop the shaking.

"You'll do great," he says with a smile. Cato reappears from the elevator and comes over to me.

"Good luck," he says. Finnick nods and I walk into the elevator.

It goes down fast and then opens up into the training room. I take a deep breath and make my way inside.

"Faye Evans," I introduce myself and the head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane nods. I'm on the clock. I start with knives. I through ten and hit the dummies right in the hearts. Feeling satisfies, I move onto a bow. Each arrow I shoot hit the dummy in the head or the heart. Then I move to trident. I skewer dummies and show them everything Finnick taught me. When I'm finished the Gamemakers all look impressed. I leave, feeling very confident.

When I get back up Cato and Finnick both stare me down until I give them a thumbs up. The beam with satisfaction.

Cato and I sit snuggled up on the couch waiting for the scores to come on. I'm shaking again and Cato's protective arms wrapped around me somehow aren't helping. When Ceaser Flickerman comes on, my heart begins to race. He greets us all, banters on for a few minutes, then gets to the score. Gloss gets a ten and the district 1 girl gets a nine. Then Cato's face shows an eleven flashes on the screen. Everyone jumps for joy and excitement and when we all calm down my face appears on the screen. An eleven flashes on the screen and my heart practically stops. I got an eleven! Cato got an eleven! It's almost too good to be true. Cato engulfs me in a huge hug and I couldn't feel happier. Finnick gets an eleven also! that makes me realize something. Three elevens? The only eleven in history was Katniss and this year there are three. Something has to be wrong. I push the thought away and continue to watch. Johanna Mason gets a ten and Haymitch gets an eight. My heart drops when I see Prim's score, six. That's not very good. I can't help worry for her, even though I try not to.

The next morning I feel peaceful as ever waking up in Cato's arms, until I remember that interviews are tonight.

Next chapter will be up soon. PLEASE REVIEW! I never get reviews :( The frowny face is guilting you into it! Hehe :D

Love'

Audrey :D