(Remember, italics are thoughts.)

Hollux

The next day started training. All twenty-four tributes were put in this room with a bunch of little stations and were told to train. Hollux looked around and smiled. He got this. He might not have been good in things like archery, but he could throw. I guess those hours of being similar to a Career Tribute and preparing for this pays off in the end.

He followed the Career Tributes around and pretended like he just happened to go the same station as them. By the second day of training, they started talking and grew to like him. He joined their group. Perfect. My plan is going perfectly."Hey, Hollux, right?" District 4's girl tribute asked.

"Yeah that's it," he replied.

"My names Aibileen," she said. "Nice to meet ya'. Looks ya' on our side."

"Guess so."

"So tell us about that girl from your district."

"I think I should know the people I'm talking to better first," he joked. They all nodded.

"This is Sten and Fena. They're District 1 and twins," Aibileen introduced. Hollux smiled at District 1's tributes that both had straight blond hair that hung over their lifeless gray eyes. "Then there's the District 2s: Myla and Coase." Myla had a dyed purple hair color and fake purple eyes to match. Coase was the same except that he had it as the color orange. They look like that holiday people used to celebrate for the dead or something. What was it called? Oh yeah! Halloween! "Lastly, there's me and Lenox." Aibileen had corkscrew curl black hair and eyes like Adrianna's. They were so dark brown that they looked black. Lenox had light brown hair with ends that had been dyed red. His eyes really were red though, and he kept staring at Hollux like he was ready for him to transform into some kind of monster. What's up him?

"Cool," Hollux said. "I'm Hollux. The other District 12 tribute is Adrianna."

"Tell us about her," Myla demanded. She had locked her gaze on him just as Lenox had.

"She doesn't have a family. Adrianna was abandoned at a young age and has lived on the streets her whole life. No one's ever given her even a sideways glance. I guess being on the Hunger Games will be like her fifteen minutes of fame." They laughed. This is terrible. I have to talk bad about her in front of them, but I don't want to hurt her.

"It probably won't even be fifteen minutes!" Coase laughed. I guess I'm in.

"Hey," Fena began, "what's she doin'?" She pointed at the archery station where they all saw Adrianna handling a bow and arrow. She pulled back the string and PEW!

"I-I thought yesterday was just some kind of trick," Myla stuttered. "Or perhaps luck…"

"Yes," Fena agreed.

"She did it yesterday too," Sten said next to his twin.

"She hit the bulls-eye on her first try," they said together. Lenox looked at Hollux.

"I thought you said she'd lived on the streets her whole life," he said glaring.

"I-I did," Hollux muttered. How is she doing that?

"Well," Myla growled, "it seems she might make it just a little over fifteen minutes."

"I agree," Lenox agreed. "Especially if her companion tribute helps her." He and Myla were looking at him as if they wanted to read his mind. They didn't trust him one bit. They can see right through me… I need to be more discreet.

"Why would I?" Hollux smirked. "She just a street rat." They all looked over at Adrianna. She was standing frozen in her spot. It seemed like time had frozen for her until she bent down, picked up an arrow on the floor, closed her eyes, and shot the arrow at the target. It hit the bulls-eye.

"Whoa!" Aibileen gasped. "Looks like we got a big competition ahead of us."

How?

On the third day of training, which was the last before the Gamemakers' judging, Hollux walked up to Adrianna on the way to the training room. "Hey, Adrianna," he greeted. It's okay. It's just Adrianna. Breathe.

"Hello, Hollux," she spat.

"I saw ya' at the archery station. You're really good." She kept her mouth shut. "What?" he asked. She stopped and looked at him.

"You're talking to me," she answered.

"Yeah, I am. What's wrong?"

"Nothing it's just… Nevermind."

"Well, obviously you were gonna say something. So say it." Is she okay?

"Go away, Hollux."

"What? I'm just talking to you." She shook her head and walked away from him. Did I do something?

For that last day of training, Hollux spent more time with the Careers. Although, he kept his eye on Adrianna to try and figure out why she was so upset.

That night at a very late hour, he couldn't sleep. Ugh! I can't sleep. I need to know what's wrong. She has to tell me. He got up and slipped out his door. Walking down the dark hall, he stopped in front of Adrianna's room. He raised his hand to knock but then stopped. What if she's asleep? I don't want to wake her. He took his finger and made a small tap. It seemed to him, that just as soon as he tapped on the door, it opened with a wide swing. Adrianna stood in the doorway, looking around curiously and crankily. He could see the moonlight shining off her hair through the window. She began to close the door. Ah! Wait! He reached out his hand and stopped the door from slamming him in the face.

"What are you doing?" she snarled.

"I-I was just…" he hesitated, "… taking a walk. I couldn't sleep." It's not a total lie.

"Then why'd you tap on my door?"

"I-I didn't…" Ack! Wait! I did!

"Yeah. You did. Goodnight, Hollux," she spat out. Grabbing the edge of the door, she put all the force she could into slamming it against his face. He jumped into the room right as the door closed. "Get out."

"No. What's wrong with you?" he asked. She really isn't okay. I was right. But what's wrong?

"I think the question should be more like 'what's wrong with you?'"

"What're you talking about?" What's she talking about?

"Name-calling," she told him. "That's what's wrong."

"Who's calling you names?" Someone's calling her names?

"What are you oblivious or just plain old stupid?" Huh?

"Um… Adrianna, I seriously don't know what you're saying."

"Get out," she muttered. Out? A-Adrianna?

"B-but-"

"Out," she said louder.

"Okay. Um…" Don't seem like an idiot. Say something. "Don't forget about the judging tomorrow." Ask her what's wrong, Hollux? While you still can. Judging will mess everything up depending on the scores.

"Goodbye." He stepped out of her room and she closed the door behind him. He turned around and leaned on the door.

"But, Adrianna," he said, "I just want to know what's wrong. What's causing you all this pain all of a sudden? That's all I want to know. That and what I can do to help."

He walked back to his room and lay in his bed. 'Just tell me what's wrong.' Say that next time, Hollux. Say that or tell her. You're gonna have to tell her some time or another. Why not now?

Because it'll put too much pressure for her in the games. We have-what? - two days left. The judging tomorrow and then the interviews. After that, we'll be trapped.

If you don't, though, before the games begin, you might not ever get the chance.

Hollux sighed and began to doze off.

I'll sleep on it.

They think alike without thinkin' alike. Interestin'. Now, what that boy talkin' 'bout? What he gotta tell 'er? Sorry I'm having too much fun with the -ing to -in'.

Please review and tell me what ya' thinkin'!