Scarlett's POV

The next morning, I wake up to the sound of knocking. I groggily force myself up, still into my old habits where I have to sleep late and go to bed in the middle of the night. Obviously, that isn't helping me here.

I open the door, half expectin it to be Drew or Owen. But, instead, I get Finnick.

Not that there is anything wrong with that.

"Hey, Scar," he says. "Ready for breakfast?"

I groan. "Do I have to?"

He shrugs. "If you want to be healthy, then you have to."

"Is this appropriate attire?"

He looks me up and down, taking in the Capitol-issue pajamas and all. "As good as any, I suppose. I'm sure no one will care."

I smile. "Then I'm ready."

He laughs and we both head down the hallway, down an elevator, and the then go to breakfast.

The mentors are all sitting at the table in district order, per usual. Big surprise, I think upon sight of our chairs – the only chairs that are unoccupied. We sit, glance at the food on the table and don't hesitate to dig in.

After a few minutes of munching, Finnick takes a piece of salty bread and holds it up for me. "Try it," he says, a smile on his face.

I recognize this as District Four's famous bread, so I take a bite to find out what the fuss is all about. I take a bite and nearly choke on it.

I guess my bland District Three taste buds can't handle it.

I sit it out onto my plate and, despite the nasty glares from the people milling around the room, manage say that I'm fine before anyone asks. "You sure?" Finnick says, concern in his eyes. I nod and sit back in my chair, hoping to overcome sudden nausea.

"That thing is really salty," I finally say, casting a menacing glare at the bread. "I don't know how you stomach it."

"This, my friend," he says as he holds one up to the sky, drawing some attention, "is a delicacy where I come from. Nothing is better than bread!"

"No wonder you're so kooky," I joke. "It's the bread, isn't it?"

He smiles and plays along. "I have a secret stash back home and everything. Can't get enough of my bread!"

We both laugh before resuming our breakfast, choosing to talk about anything but bread. In fact, I avoid any type of bread for the rest of the meal – including my own District's.

"So, what do you think your tributes are doing right about now?" I ask Finnick as we walk aimlessly around the skyscraper.

"Iris is probably painting on herself in front of the Gamemakers and Wiley is probably throwing spears around in his mind, trying to figure out exactly what he is going to do with his specialty," he says without missing a beat. "What about you?"

I shrug. "Drew will be kicking a dummy over and over, and Owen…well, I don't know exactly what Owen would be doing."

Finnick nods. "I've seen him. He's kind of mysterious, don't you think?"

I can't help but agree. Who goes off into the private sessions and doesn't even know what they're doing? That's practically a death sentence on the spot.

I don't know about you, but that seems kind of redundant since he's being sent away with all odds against him anyway.

oOo

Drew's POV

What would a normal District Three girl be doing right now?

She'd be brushing her hair, cleaning her room, or doing her homework.

She would even be sleeping.

I'm the exception to that, I realize as I stand up to go into the private training session with all of the Gamemakers. Owen gives me an encouraging smile as I do, but I can't help but notice fear in his eyes.

No matter how much he wants to be like Wiress and Beetee, being able to hold in all of his emotions and seeming invincible, he just isn't cut out for it. Apparently, I am.

This subject came up earlier at breakfast, when chatting it up with Iris. We decided that one way to revel is to do it mildly, as in switching spots at the lunch table. The District Two boy, the one that Kitanna used to date, have a weird look before Kitanna pushed him out of his seat and was in his place faster than you can say "ouch".

"Between you and me," Iris had whispered, "I think you're coming out if anyone from your district does. Owen just doesn't seem like he could handle it."

I'm sure he would appreciate the compliment.

Kitanna nodded. "He seems too…fragile for the job."

Right about now I'm starting to realize that they might be right. I mean, my dad is a freaking Avox, and I've managed to push it out of my mind.

For the record, I only cried the first night that I knew.

My feet carry me away without notice, and I realize it until I'm in the gym we had been training in for the past days.

Thank you, subconscious.

The Gamemakers eye me suspiciously, as if I'm a stray dog they just let into their house. And, in their eyes at least, I am. I'm a strange person in a strange land.

What was I going to do? I silently think to myself before my eyes land on the dummy I've been using lately. I almost head over to it before one of the Gamemakers asks me, "Your name?"

I stop in my track. "Oh, uh," I start, a little confused. "Drew Russell."

He nods. "Someone decided to switch seats at meals and we just want to make sure that it's actually you. Not some imposter."

I give myself an internal high-five.

I head over to the dummy, adjust its position a bit, and look back at the Gamemakers. They stare at me with no emotion. I gulp.

And then the limbs start flying.

I'm hitting the dummy, kicking it, and occasionally making the unintentional grunting noises that come along with the fighting.

A few minutes later, the Gamemakers tell me that my time is up, and I nod at them and thank them for the opportunity. They dismiss me.

When I'm heading back to my room for some much needed sleep, I spot Kitanna by the elevators, waiting. Her green eyes light up when she sees me. "Oh, Drew! I was waiting for you," she says.

I smile. "How did your session go?"

"Oh, God. Terrible. I really don't want to talk about it," she says stonily.

I shrug. "Have it your way."

"Want to go to lunch?" she asks me as I punch the button to call one of the elevators down.

"In a minute," I say, waiting. I'm going up to my room for a second. Want to come?"

She shrugs. "Sure. If my room is on the way, we can stop by there, too."

The elevator doors open and we both step in. I press the button for my floor and Kitanna stares at it. "That's my floor," she says, smiling. "I guess we're making a stop there, then."

"I guess so," I confirm, trying with all of my might not to have the elevator push me down while in the presence of someone.

I can't exactly call her my friend, since I don't trust her.

Oh, well.

We head down the hallway to my room, which comes first. I open the door and Kitanna takes in the space, not really impressed. "This is nearly the same as my room. Except yours looks a bit bigger."

"Looks can be deceiving," I remind her, kind of feeling a little awkward while saying it. For all I know, this could be true about Kitanna.

I hope not.

"So, what were you going to do?" she asks, looking a little antsy.

Honestly, I don't even know. I just don't want to be the first person at lunch. I'd seem like a mega-dork.

I shrug. "I wanted to go to the bathroom," I improvise. "I don't like the ones downstairs."

She nods with understanding. "That's believable," she says. Like she knows I'm lying.

Watch out for her, Scarlett said. A shiver runs down my spine.

My eyes wander around the room quickly before seeing a small piece of paper on my nightstand. It wasn't there this morning, I think to myself.

"Weren't you going to visit your room?" I ask. "I'm sure you're not going to be enjoying the time that I'm in the bathroom. How about you go to your room and we'll meet by the elevators?"

"Sure," she says, backing up to the door. "I'll see you in a minute!" She then leaves the room, and I heave a sigh, heading over to the table.

I pick up the flimsy paper, reading the small, barely visible print.

Hi, Drew. How are you?

Dad

My insides feel a little warm. He wants to talk to me. After these past few days, he figured out that he can finally talk to his youngest daughter.

God, I miss him.

I find a pencil and turn the paper over to the back, writing back a simple reply.

Hi, Daddy. I'm holding up well. I miss you!

Drew

I place both down in their original spots, feeling a little satisfied with myself and Dad, and leave the room to go meet up with Kitanna.

I'm back!

So, I came back from vacation to find that I have quite a few hits (meaning thousands) for all my stories, which made me super happy. You guys know that I love you all, right?

And, apparently, my most viewed story is Cannons. You remember it, don't you? Good old Nimiane and Remington, battling to the death? Ah, the good old days. I find it weird that a story that I'm no longer writing because, you know, I finished it is still being viewed so much. Talk about hopeful, guys!

Thanks for reading, all you lovely people!