Hey guys! So I'm going to try to get one more chapter out to all of you before Wednesday, but if I don't than it's going to be about a week or so till I can put more up because I'm going on a trip. Anyways I'm almost to the games YAY! Hope you guys are still enjoying it!


Today is the day that's the hardest part of my training since I've started. Today I have to learn how to walk in high heels. My stylist puts me in freaking five inch stilettoes and tells me to walk across the room. I put them on and immediately know I'm going to be a laughing stock with my friends back at home. I take one step and already wobble about to fall over. "Um, is there a way I can try smaller heels?" I ask her.

She sighs dramatically and picks up some heels that are about three inches. I sit on my bed and switch the shoes. These ones are still high, but they're easier to walk in. I find that I don't wobble as badly with theses. After my high heel lesson, I have one with Enobaria about my attitude during the interview.

"People like a Career that thinks they are better than everyone else in the games. They don't show love, and they don't show fear or pain. This is what you have to show during your interview," she explains in a harsh tone. I nod not wanting to say anything in fear that I'll lash out. "You got a ten in your private session, people like that. They think that the Careers all are hiding something so that's why you didn't get a twelve. Make them believe that."

"So what, do I choose fierce, charming, sexy, hostile what?" I ask wanting to get this over with.

"Defiantly not sexy, you're nothing close to that. Glimmer from One is sexy, you no." Ouch. It's bad having the boy I've liked for years in love with her, now I'm being compared to her. "You're nowhere near charming. Hostile is always a bad move for everyone and you may look fierce sometimes, but my question is can you actually pull that off through the whole games?"

I'm getting really irritated with my mentor. "Then what do I do?" I growl. "I could always be cuddly and lovable." Enobaria scowls at the tone I say this in. I smile.

"You could never be lovable. Even Cato's chosen someone over you," her voice is filled with venom. I cringe at the fact that she just so bluntly says to my face. "But maybe we could pass you off as desperate."

I scoff at her. "Desperate! I'm not desperate!" I yell.

"Are you sure, Clove? Are you really sure?" Our eyes meet and I know that she's right.

"What about level headed?" I ask quietly. I could possible pull that off. If Cato losses it in the arena, I'm going to be the only one that can stop him. I've always been the level-headed one out of the two of us.

"That will show better for a Career than being desperate," she agrees. "Alright try to act level headed like you would in the interview." She asks me a series of questions and I try to act level headed. Some of the questions are just too awful to act like that though. "Level headed doesn't work for you, girly. I guess nothing will." I look at the floor and try to push back the tears. "You'll be killed in these games right away. Cato's not going to make it either. You're both-"

"Stop," I interrupt.

"What?" her voice is challenging.

"I said stop. Cato will win! I'll get through most of the games just you watch!" The words come out without any thought. I see Enobaria smile slightly. That just makes me angrier. "Even without you and Brutes, Cato and I will get farther than anyone else!"

"And what if you two have to fight each other?"

"Then we'll fight." I surprised by my words and by the look on her face, Enobaria's surprised too.

"There it is. Protectiveness." I look at her confused. "You're protective about your pride, about your district's pride and about your childhood friend's pride. That's what you'll be like tonight protective, and sure of yourself. Just make sure you keep that anger you just aimed at me inside of you and you'll answer every question with ease."

"Really?" I ask quietly. I hadn't even realized that I had just stood up for myself until she said so. She nods, and then gets up. I look at the giant clock and see it's time for dinner. I stand up and walk to the table. I take my seat next to Cato and he smiles at me. I look at him and I realize that I am protective of his pride as well as my own.

I wake up and see my prep team. The moment I open my eyes I'm pulled out of my seat by the man who has bronze hair. They do my hair and makeup. They let my hair flow around my shoulders. They add blood red coloring to the tips of my hair. My makeup is a light red color on my eyes, light eye liner, and big golden eyelashes.

After a few hours, my prep team is done messing with me and my stylist comes in. "You actually managed to make her look presentable, well done you three. My prep team beams at this and I just try to keep my scowl off my face. My stylist waves the team out. She pulls a dress cover from my closet. She unzips it and slips the dress over my head without giving me a chance to look at it. She spins me around and zips up the back. I still haven't seen the dress but I know that it's black with no straps and it's short.

She shoves some black heels into my hands and I sit on my bed and put them on. They were high-heeled boots that went up to my knees. I laced them up and stood. I walk over to the mirror and my jaw drops.

My hair flows perfectly around my face. The black dress is black and lacy over blood red fabric. It's tight around my hips and breasts, showing off my curves by a lot. It ends mid-thigh. The boots fit with the dress perfectly.

My stylist turns me towards her and put on a deep red color on my lips. A few minutes later, she stops fixing things on me and I walk out of my room. My stylist and I meet up with the rest of my district group. Cato looks super hot in a silver tux. His hair hasn't been messed with and he doesn't have any crazy make up on. He looks at me and his eyes go wide. I chuckle at his reaction to me and notice he's not looking at my face. I walk up to him and snap my fingers in his face. He seems to snap out of a trance and he looks me in the face.

"My eyes are up here, buddy," I tell him. He blushes a bright red and I laugh as I enter the elevator. Everyone's silent on the quick ride to the stage. I can feel the lightheadedness start (which is something that happens when I'm nervous). Cato puts his hand on my back to steady me.

"Don't fall over," Enobaria snaps at me. I look at her and nod slightly. The doors open and I walk into the backstage area. I look around and see adorable Rue in a gossamer gown and wings, Fox Face in a sleeveless blue dress, Marvel in a bright shiny blue tux, and Glimmer in a see through golden gown. I look at Cato and see him staring at her. The jealousy immediately kicks in. I watch as Marvel walks over to me.

"Hey," he whispers. I snap my attention from Cato and Glimmer to him.

"Hey," I say with a nervous sigh. He smiles that cute smile of his and I can't help but smile back. "You look . . . shiny," I say. He rolls his eyes and nod.

"And you look vicious in a very sexy way." I blush slightly. No one's called me sexy ever before. "Cato looks shiny too. I'm glad I'm not the only one." I giggle. "So what are you being portrayed as?"

"Protective and proud," I say in a mimicking tone of Enobaria. He nods as if agreeing that it works for me. "What about you?"

"Charming."

"Should work for you," I tell him. He looks at me and opens his mouth to say something when we're called to sit in our seats for the start of the interviews. We line up, Glimmer first, then Marvel, then me, Cato, and so on. I sit in my seat feeling my body tense up with the nervousness. Cato doesn't comfort me this time. I watch as Glimmer stands up and walks over to Caesar Flickerman the interviewer for the games. They have this weird flirtation conversation.

Three minute later, its Marvel's turn. He looks at me quickly and winks. He really can pull of charming and with Caesar's help he can also pull off impish and jokester. I find myself laugh at their conversation so hard that I have to put my hand over my mouth to calm myself down. After his interview I'm in a good enough mood to be able to saunter up to Caesar like I'm proud.

I shake his hand and he looks me up and down. "My that's quite the dress you have there," he says looking me in the eyes. I nod and take the seat across from him. "So, Clove, tell me what it's like having a ten as your point."

"Well, I knew I would get that. I'm strong."

"So why didn't you get a twelve?" I smile mischievously. "Ah, you're holding talents back aren't you?"

"Maybe, maybe not," I reply. He asks me a lot of questions and I quickly answer them. There's things on my friends, family, talents, and district.

"Now, tell us, you said you and Cato have been friends since you were little, so what if one of you die right off the back?" I smile knowing that I can answer this exactly like I did with Enobaria.

"Won't happen. Cato's strong, I'm quick, and we have each other's back. I can through knives, he can use basically any weapon he can get his hands on. I know that one of us will win."

"Yes, well what would happen if you both end up being the last two people?" I look at the big screen above Caesar and see it's on Cato. He looks tough and unfazed, but I can feel his energy and he's fighting not to lose control.

I look back at Caesar. "Then we'll fight no second thought to it. One of us will kill the other and then go home. It's how things work."

"But what about your friendship?" Caesar looks and seems generally confused.

"What's friendship in war? It's just a distraction, a reason why many people lose their lives. Friendship is killed once the battle starts." I fight the urge to scream and run to Cato. All I want is his arms to be wrapped around me in his loving embrace. But I just don't want him because I love him and he's my best friend, I want him because I'm terrified that those words just came out of my mouth. I'm terrified because I'm actually starting to believe them.

"That's quite the statement, Clove." Then the bell rings signaling it's Cato's turn. I stand up and hear Caesar say, "We'll see what Cato thinks about that comment in just a few seconds folks." I walk past Cato and see he doesn't even look at me. I take my seat and listen to Cato's interview. "So, Cato, what do you think of Clove's statement about friendship in war?"

"She's right. Friendship is a distraction. It gets us killed and hurt. In reality, friendship never actually exists, it's just a figure of our imagination to make us feel something good." I look up at my best friend at this. He's looking at me. "It's just a big lie." 'You're just a big lie' is what he was meaning.

I space out on the rest of his and all the other interviews. I only come back down to earth when I hear Caesar ask Peeta about who he likes.

"Well, there is this one girl. I've had a crush on her ever since I can remember. But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I was alive until the reaping." The crowd sighs.

Caesar asks; " She have another fellow?"

"I don't know, but a lot of boys like her."

"So, here's what you do. You win, you go home. She can't turn you down then, eh?" Caesar tells Peeta encouragingly.

"I don't think it's going to work out. Winning . . . won't help in my case."

"Why ever not?"

I see Peeta blush as he starts stammering. "Because . . . because . . ." I know what's coming. "She came here with me." At this the crowd goes wild. I look around and see Cato looking surprised, Marvel's mouth dropped open, and Glimmer wide eyed causing her to look like a super sexy beautiful fish. Katniss is bright red and the most confused out of everyone. I look at Peeta and while I know Cato is thinking he's lying, I know he's not.

I know the pain that you feel when you're in love with your district partner.