The other Careers are large. I'm fairly sizeable because I've gained a lot of muscle from ten years of training, but I feel overshadowed by the Careers. The boy—or rather, man—from District 1 is over six and a half feet tall and bulging with muscle. His name is Jasper. His female partner, Auriana is tall as well and very curvy. They both have an arrogant look in their eyes, like they think that they're better than everyone else.

I wouldn't be here, standing by the District 1 chariot, if Enobaria hadn't pushed me over. I've learned from previous Games that forming an alliance with the Careers gets a tribute at least to the final ten, but as soon as I saw Jasper and Auriana, I almost ran away and hid. The stable area we're in is buzzing with noise of all twenty-four tributes, their mentors, their stylists, their prep teams, and the horses—two per chariot—but I feel as if they are all watching my every move. Cass and I introduce ourselves now.

"I'm Aster," I say, but my voice comes out as a high-pitched squeak. Cass looks over at me, concerned. Jasper smirks a little, and I almost cower in terror. Then the District 4 tributes walk over to our little group and introduce themselves as Alton and Keto. Alton is big, but not quite as terrifying as Jasper. Keto, however, is tall and stick-thin, and her eyebrows are angled at such a tilt that makes her look perpetually cynical and sarcastic. I'm too afraid to make eye-contact with any of them, so I just stare down at the tips of my boots peeking out from under my dress.

"Aster. Hel-lo, anybody there?" says Auriana. Cass nudges me in the side, and I jerk my eyes up. Auriana must have asked me a question, but I didn't hear her.

"Huh?" I ask.

"I said," repeats Auriana, "what sorts of weapons can you use?"

"Oh, uh, I throw the spear," I reply.

"Me too," says Alton. This is not good. First I've embarrassed myself in front of Auriana and the others, and now we have two spear throwers. The Careers rarely take two members specializing in the same weapon—it's of no advantage, and an extra person is always a burden. While Cass and the Careers talk, I stare about. I don't get how some people can just chatter away for hours to people who they barely know—people who might kill them in a few days. Back at the Academy, August didn't care if I had nothing to say—he didn't have anything to say either. I already feel myself being pushed out of the Careers' circle. Frantically, I look about for something, anything, to talk about.

"Your horses are very pretty," I say. It's true. The horses attached to District 1's chariot are pure white with golden hooves. Auriana and Jasper just stare at me.

"Um, okay," says Auriana. "I don't really care about horses; I'm not from District 10, you know." And I'd blown it. First impressions are always important, and now the Careers think I'm a deaf, stupid, lower-class weakling. My eyes fill with embarrassed tears, so I lower my head to hide them.

"Aster," says Cass, "why don't you go over to our chariot and get ready. They're going to begin soon." Oh great, now even Cass is rejecting me. I thought he was kind, considerate, and pretty similar to me, but I guess I was wrong. He's turning out to be just like the others. But I don't want to stay here either, so I turn my back and quickly walk away.

Back at the District 2 chariot, pulled by two stone-gray horses, I carefully wipe my eyes trying not to smudge my makeup. Claudia Tertia silently hands me a helmet designed to look like those the Quarryworkers wear while laboring and a pick, which they use to break off chunks of rock. The last components of my outfit. I put the helmet over my hair, but I have absolutely no idea how to carry the pick. I've never even seen one up close before.

"Thanks," I say to Claudia Tertia, and she smiles. Her sisters are so nasty to her that even the slightest bit of appreciation must seem remarkable. Then Cass is back, but I avoid eye-contact with him; he made me seem like a baby back there with the Careers. He's putting on a helmet as well and holds an awl in his left hand.

"Hey, Aster," begins Cass, "I'm sorry about—you know. But you were just making it worse." I knew it; he got rid of me to ensure himself a spot in the Career pack. I turn my back even more and don't say a word.

Cass continues, "You honestly made yourself seem very immature." Why does he have to keep rubbing it in? I just want to melt away and disappear right now, until Cass says something that surprises me.

"But I know you better." Confused, I turn around to find his brown eyes staring into mine. Wasn't he just berating me about making a fool of myself in front of the Careers?

"And that's why I secured you a spot. You could have never done it on your own, so I argued with them to let you in. You've been training as long as any of them and deserve a chance at winning, too." Now I see—Cass had stuck up for me after I'd left.

"Why?" I ask. "Why would you do that—what's the point?" Giving me a leg up in the competition just decreases his own chance of winning.

Cass just shrugs. "You're better company than the others."

His comment confuses me, but I have no time to contemplate it because the opening music has started to play, and our horses are moving on their own accord. Our chariot lines up right behind District 1's, and I force myself to smile at Auriana. She gives a small smile in return. Thankfully, she turns around as her horses start to trot forward.

Then the gate opens to reveal the roaring crowd of Capitolites lining the streets. Jasper and Auriana wave to them with huge grins on their faces. The crowd loves them. Dressed in skin-tight leather outfits with inlaid precious gems, they look like gods, and they're definitely being worshipped like gods. About a minute later, my own carriage starts to move. I remember Cass and Claudius's advice: smile, be friendly. So I take a deep breath and force my mouth into a grin.

The Capitolites are cheering as much as they did for District 1. I was afraid they'd see the absurdity of our costumes, but, like Claudius, they are unaware of the different social classes of my district. I'm starting to feel more confident. My dark hair is blowing in the wind, and with all the makeup, I'm pretty sure I look good. Some of the Capitolites are even shouting my name like a chant and waving, so I decide to wave back. However, I'm still holding the pick that's part of my costume, and it's very unwieldy. I raise it up a little and then get a better idea. Smiling wider, I thrust my arm holding the pick high into the air. I look like a Victor.

Cass notices and does the same. We act as if we've already won the Hunger Games: poised and confident. The crowd screams and throws stuff at us in admiration. Countless flowers land in the chariot. I spot roses died unnatural colors, carnations grown to odd proportions, but no asters.

Once all twelve chariots are out, we circle in a parade up and down the streets of the Capitol. Every street—grand avenue or tiny alleyway—is packed with people. Everyone wants to get a glimpse of the tributes, to size us up and decide whom to support. But this first impression I've nailed. The Capitolites are applauding me as much as they are Auriana. Once we reach the city circle, the horses arrange themselves in an arc around the balcony of the presidential mansion. President Snow steps out to give a speech, but it's basically the same speech every year, so I zone out.

I wonder if August is watching this right now. Of course he is; it's mandatory viewing for the whole district. And if he's promised to remember me, even if I die, I want him to have memories of me succeeding. I miss him already, miss sitting with him everyday at lunch, but it's the happy kind of missing. I know that August is missing me, too, and that makes me feel connected with him in a way.

Then President Snow is finished talking, and the chariots head back to the Training Center while the national anthem plays throughout the entire Capitol. When we dismount from the chariots, Auriana strides past me and asks, "See you at training tomorrow?"

I'm surprised, but flattered and say, "Yes, definitely." I wonder what Cass said to the Careers to make them accept me. Maybe I'll never know, but I'm thankful that it worked.

Back in the District 2 quarters, we sit around a table to eat dinner. It's not just dinner, though, it's strategy-planning time. Cass and I are accompanied at the meal by Pinguida, Enobaria, Caldus, a handful of Victors including Brutus and a middle-aged woman named Lyme, Claudius, and Cass's stylist, Vibiana.

"So your alliance with the Careers is all set," assures Enobaria.

"Yes," Cass answers, not mentioning anything about my lack of social skills.

"Great. That helps a lot. Caldus and I have been discussing, and we think that it'd be best if you two stick with them for the first couple of days, maybe over a week. Once two thirds of the tributes are dead the infighting begins, and it's more dangerous to be allied with ruthless killers than to be hiding from them."

"So how do we break up the alliance?" asks Cass. "I don't think Jasper will be happy if I walk up to him and say, 'I'm leaving; have a nice day.'"

"True," replies Enobaria, "so you'll have to create a distraction. I don't know what the arena holds this year, but with some sort of distraction, you two could escape in the confusion. Possibly, they'll think you're dead. Any suggestions, Lyme?"

Lyme answers in a deep, throaty voice, "Fire is always good. As long as the wind's blowing in the other direction."

"Good idea," Enobaria says, "but obviously, you two can't go blabbing around about our plans. You have to act—this is vital—like you two are eternally devoted to the Career pack." Cass and I nod vigorously. This won't be hard on my part—they already think I'm just so grateful to be accepted at all. "And you two have a big day of training tomorrow. Don't be afraid to show off your skills."

After we eat, I head off to my individual room. I scrub off all the gray makeup until my skin is pink and tingly and detach the extensions from my hair. Today was so exhausting—from the reaping in the early morning to the chariot ride in the evening—that I can barely keep my eyes open. I quickly change into a pair of silken, indigo pajamas from the wardrobe the Capitol provides and fall into my bed. The mattress is the softest thing I've ever felt; it's like lying on a cloud. I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.


More name-meanings:

Auriana: derived from aurum, auri, which is Latin for "gold."

Jasper: a type of gemstone.

Keto: an Ancient Greek sea-goddess who bore sea-monster children.

Alton: means "town at the source of a river."