"Althea, ignoring me won't solve anything," snapped Brutus annoyingly.
"Brutus, you're the one that said you don't want help in there," I shot back, shivering. It was cold, and wintery outside.
"Doesn't mean you can't speak to me, don't be ridiculous!" Brutus said. "I don't want to go around with the Careers. They're too flashy and brave and more likely to get killed."
I swallowed down the urge to scream in my throat as Enobaria came strolling into the room, taking a seat beside me. She started talking right away.
"As you know, it's winter," she said. "A rule breaker to the usual, so stay warm, and form allies." I raised my eyebrows at Brutus. "Be strong, you're Career tributes, you've trained for years for this. Althea, you're sixteen, so you're older and we all know you're capable with knives. Very capable. And Brutus, you are eighteen, a man. You're strong, fast and witty. Use these skills to your advantage."
Just then, the escort bustled into the room. She grinned at us. "My you're well behaved!" she remarked, filling our plates full of posh, warm food. "Enjoy!" she beamed and trotted over to a separate table, where she ate delicately and fussily.
Enobaria went on for hours, answering our questions patiently. Training started as soon as we'd slept our first night in the Capitol and then it was time for the stylists to be unleashed onto us.
The train journey was not long (as we live so close to the Capitol) and we were there within the end of the day. I was gazing out of the train window when the train swerved and jumped, juddering to a halt. Shiny golden buildings blazed before me and cheering, happy people waved at us. I waved back, letting a small smile to flash across my face. Afterall, popularity could be my only friend in this game.
Brutus let out a small whistle at the sight. Enobaria laughed hoarsely and remarked: "What memories this brings back, I was just like you Althea, strong, sixteen and dazed by the fact I'd got picked…" I was tuning out her voice and as the train doors swung open, I batted away crowds and clamoured to get to the warmth of the tower connected to the Training Centre.
I awoke next morning and dressed in my issued training clothes, a tight lycra suit. My heart began to thud in my chest as I strolled into the centre confidently, smiling at the other tributes. There I could see who was strong. I saw the Careers beckoning to me and I ran over willingly.
I learnt that the pretty, blonde District One girl was named Jewell. She told me she was handy with a bow. Her District partner (also blonde) was named Shine and could kill someone with one throw of a spear. The District Four tributes were quiet and never told me their names, but let on that they were going to play a dramatic scene to win themselves a trident and net.
Then there was me. The others obviously asked where Brutus was, and I told them they had no chance of him joining our group.
"His loss," Shine muttered his voice low and grumbling. He was very handsome and very, very tall. "It'll come back to bite him in the end. Ah, well, you seem pretty good, Althea, I'll give you that." He smirked and flashed his beautiful teeth.
Stop it Althea, this is the Hunger Games, it's not a place to fall in love.
Jewell and Shine were laughing at Brutus, and Shine kept draping his arm over my shoulder.
"It'll make him jealous, Althea," he explained. "Go with it."
Oh, quite honestly, Shine, I couldn't care less!
The District Four tributes taught us how to make nets that could trap tributes in order to be stabbed, shot, however you desired them to die, really. How brutal. By the end of the day, Jewell had become a friend and our alliance was stronger, and I'd learnt how to shoot with an arrow.
Every day, Brutus' cold stare bore into the back of my neck and the Careers constantly reminded me how 'he was stupid to not join our alliance'. I still wondered why he wouldn't join me. He was being ridiculous!
When the second day came, we moved on to knife throwing. I was excellent at this and the other Careers cheered, big grins appearing on their faces. The district four tributes, who were before secretive, told me their names. The strong, golden-haired male was fifteen and was named Zale and his district partner was a sixteen-year-old, with mid-length chestnut hair. Her name was Maria.
We ate together at lunch, and on my third day of training, I performed to the Gamemakers, throwing knives and spears, shooting, running at full speed and at the end, performed a bow out of courtesy.
Suddenly, a buzz inside of me says: This is what you've trained for Althea. You've trained for years, and you'll win.
Suddenly, I can't wait for the Games, bring them on.
