No matter how much I toss and turn, my body refuses to let me go to sleep. Flashes of the reaping, my father, and even the girl from District 1 fly through my mind. I wriggle against the soft satin of the bed sheets as I try to lie comfortably.
After a few hours, I realise it is hopeless. What I really want is some fresh air. So I go out into the corridor and ask a Capitol attendant where I can get some.
"Take the elevator to the twelfth floor, and then take some stairs up to the roof." he answers in a robotic way.
"Thank you." I nod to him.
"You're welcome, sir."
As I walk towards the lift at the end of the corridor, I'm overwhelmed by the manners of the Capitol attendants. I can't remember the last time I was called 'sir'.
The elevator takes me up to the twelfth floor quickly. From there, I find the stairs that the attendant mentioned. The stairs lead to a domed room with a door to the outside.
As I step out into the cool night air, I suddenly become very aware that I'm only wearing shorts. The breeze doesn't help. I walk over to a railing at the edge of the roof.
The street below is surprisingly busy, considering it is the middle of the night. The lights of the city shine bright as ever. Several residents stumble out of pubs or nightclubs, laughing and cheering. Cars still bustle past. The Capitol never sleeps.
I breathe in the fresh air. The noise of the city has a calming effect on me. For a moment, I forget all of my worries. Until I hear the voice from behind me.
"Aren't you cold?"
I spin round at the sound. It came from a boy the same age as me, lounging on the edge of a flowerbed. Even in the shadows, I can see he's very handsome, which leads me to think he's from District 4. As he emerges into better light, I can see he has spiky brown hair. He's slightly taller than me, with an athletic build. He's wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, which again makes me feel very self-conscious of my lack of clothing.
"Not really." I shrug, even though I have to stop my teeth from chattering.
"Stellan." the boy offers his hand to me.
"Jago." I smile, accepting his hand.
"So what brings you up here, Jago?"
"Couldn't sleep. How about you?" I reply.
"The view." Stellan grins, turning back to the railing and looking out at the city. "Isn't it amazing?"
"It is." I agree, looking over at a particularly rowdy building. "It's a lot more exciting than District 7."
"At least you have trees! In District 4, there's only water, water and water."
"So, what skills are you hoping to bring to the arena?" I laughed.
"I'm best with my trident, of course. But I can be pretty handy with knots. What about you?"
"My muscles, of course." I chuckled, flexing my biceps. "Nah, I'm pretty good with an axe."
We stand in silence for a while, admiring the view of the Capitol.
"So, do you want to, like, hang out tomorrow?" I ask him nervously. Allies are always a good idea in the arena, and so far, Stellan is the closest I have to one. The Training Days are the perfect excuse for us to bond.
"Oh, well I'd like to, but y'know..." Stellan mumbles, looking down at the ground.
And then I remember. Stellan is from District 4. He is a Career. He doesn't have to join the Careers, of course, but he could fit in perfectly.
"It's fine, honestly." I laugh it off.
From then on, it's pretty awkward, and we barely talk. I can tell I've ruined Stellan's midnight wandering, and he leaves soon after with a glum farewell. I've also ruined my night, so I take the elevator after him down to the seventh floor, where I fall straight asleep.