Chapter Ten

Cato's POV

Why the hell did I decide to do this? Gale's comment about already being ridiculously whipped came into mind but that was just him being an ass as usual. Plus whatever had happened with Johanna had him seriously confused, and he was ridiculous at the best of times but now it was just, well even more ridiculous.

"Which hormone is commonly referred to as the "love hormone"?" the questioner asked. He had some ridiculous name, Beetee or something. Apparently he was head of some major computing facility or something fancy like that.

"Oxytocin," Clove muttered at the same time as Marvel answered into the microphone. I couldn't stop the look of curiosity that I gave her. "What I know things," she replied to my gaze and fixed her stare on the stage again. Our team was winning but not by much and the margin made me uncomfortable. I liked winning easily, comfortably and the margin was too close for me.

"I didn't doubt you did," I quirked back at her. She'd been acting weird as well. "So you going to continue to be weird with me forever?" I asked her. We were the only two allowed to skip training today. As the two strongest athletes we got away with a lot more than the rest of them. Which only made the silence we were sitting in all the worse.

"I'm not being weird with you," she commented.

"You've barely spoken to me since we got back to the hotel yesterday."

"Because I've not had anything to say to you."

"But you've had plenty to say to everyone else?"

"Why is that your business?"

"No reason."

"Also why are you here?"

"What I can be supportive without you questioning my motives?"

"You're bored senseless and you don't particularly like any of the team. What's your angle?"

"Why can't you accept that you don't know everything about me?"

"And why can't you accept the obvious?"

I paused for a second to take in the fact I had no idea what she meant. What was that meant to mean? What was obvious? And above everything else why the hell was everyone so pissed off? I sighed and got ready to leave the contest thinking there was no point being here just to piss her off but something stopped me.

"What happened with Johanna?" I asked suddenly, well at least it surprised her and that was the most of an emotion I'd managed to get out of her all day.

"Why don't you ask her yourself? You two seem to share everything after all," she muttered. And I am going to kill Johanna.

Finnick's POV

This is a disaster and a half. Firstly Cato and Clove had decided to run off to support the science team. I didn't overly mind that but they'd left in such a mood that I couldn't shake the feeling I should have told them to stay and take out their anger here rather than risk them tearing each other to shreds. And I doubted Haymitch would do anything to break them apart if they did try it. And Johanna and Gale had been at each other's throats all morning; either hissing abusively at each other when they thought no one could hear or obviously avoiding each other as over-dramatically as possible. It was the team from hell.

"Right guys we're going to do ten laps. First side I want sprints, second and third sides recovery and fourth side drills. Drills can be anything you want but I want at least one lap with high knees, heel flicks and crossovers clear?" I asked, knowing they'd all understand anyway. It was more out of courtesy than anything else.

"Coach it's like 30 degrees," Gale pointed out. I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes at him.

"If you can't stand the heat," Johanna muttered and did roll her eyes. Here we go.

"Look I'm just saying we're not used to the heat, it's probably not a good idea to go out there and kill ourselves this close to a competition," he complained a little too loudly.

"And you think the heat's just going to disappear because it doesn't suit you? We have to train in the heat to get used to the heat dumbass," I didn't like the fact I knew she was holding back.

"Guys you can stand here and argue all day I'm not changing my mind. Go!" I yelled. I hated yelling at them, especially with the younger kids around but I was seriously not in the mood to deal with complaining teens. I headed over to the bench and grabbed a couple of water bottles, getting ready to hand them to those who needed them.

"You alright?" I looked up to find Johanna there.

"I could ask you the same thing kid," I pointed out, tossing a few bottles at her. "And I thought I told you to go?"

"And I thought you'd learned I rarely listen?" she replied; now snatching bottles from me.

"You want to explain why I'm having to try and keep you and Gale as far away from each other as possible?"

"Not really."

"You know he does care don't you?"

"Not really," she smiled though and I knew she was thinking the same thing. For someone who seemed to notice so much I'd be surprised if she hadn't clicked on yet. I ruffled her hair with my free hand and watched her squirm slightly.

"Alright that's enough from you Trouble, back to work," I scolded her slightly knowing she probably wouldn't listen anyway.

"Yes coach," again with the eye rolling. I wonder if she'll ever listen to anyone.

"Everdeen! Hawthorne! Less talking more working!" I yelled, before she took off sprinting, I couldn't help but notice Johanna's face change from the carefree smile into the death glare that I was seriously glad wasn't being aimed at me.

Katniss' POV

"What do you mean 'she just started acting crazy'?" I asked, taking advantage of my first recovery by slowing to a light jog. Gale was easily keeping pace beside me.

"As in she went from being all open and honest at the beach to being all irritating and closed off as soon as we got back. She hasn't snapped out of it since and I don't know what I did," he confessed. He was being skimpish on the details and much as I hated it I wasn't about to pry.

"Well she seemed fine when she got back. As in fell right on her ass and started laughing about it," I tried to reassure him but it was tricky while I tried to maintain a steady breathing pace.

"That's what Clove said as well but I got the feeling she knows what set her off but didn't want to tell me."

"What makes you think that?"

"Just the way she seemed really closed off as well to be honest."

"Are you sure you're not just looking into this too much? It wouldn't be the first time."

"I'm sure. Well pretty sure."

"It's not… what it was last time?"

"No I don't think so. I mean she wouldn't think that would she?"

"Everdeen! Hawthorne! Less talking more working!" Coach yelled. I think the heat was getting to him as well.

"Walk later?" I asked Gale, knowing he wasn't quite finished this conversation.

"Of course Catnip," he smiled before jogging off at a pace I could only dream of matching.

Peeta's POV

I watched as Marvel lifted Clove off the ground easily and swung her around in excitement. "We did it!" he yelled as she giggled. I wasn't sure why but I'd never really taken her for the giggling type and the sound surprised me a little. However this did leave me with Cato, since Madge and Suzie had decided to run and get drinks in all the excitement.

"So," I exhaled, hoping to break the tension.

"So," he replied, sounding equally as uncomfortable with the situation as I was. Well at least I wasn't alone. "Congratulations on you know winning."

"Well we've not won yet, we still have finals," I corrected him. "But thanks though," I added in quickly, realizing that he was trying to be nice, which I assumed was difficult for him.

"Any time. So does this happen every year?" he asked, although his eyes were still flicking over my shoulder to where I could hear Clove and Marvel's in depth conversation about the other team that got through.

"Yeah just usually we're not in the same place as you guys. Take it athletics is every year too?"

"No first time. Coach has been trying to get it set up for a few years now but this is the first time it's actually happened."

"Seriously? But you guys go away every year though."

"Yeah usually we just compete against one other school. This is the first time there's been a contest with over 12 different schools from around Europe taking part."

"That's actually kind of impressive."

"Yeah I guess. It was going to happen eventually just some of the other coaches were stubborn about it."

"How come?"

"No idea. I think most of them were just being stubborn for the sake of it to be honest."

"That's not great. At least he managed to get it all sorted out for you guys though."

"Hey you guys up for some drinks?" Marvel came bounding over and ended the slightly less awkward than I expected conversation.

"Yeah why not," I shrugged and we headed to the bar to find Haymitch drunk as expected with a few other not-quite-so-drunk teachers.

"There they are my little superstars! Drinks on the house!" he declared as we joined them. I wondered where Madge and Suzie had disappeared to for a moment but the thought disappeared quickly.

"I think you should wait 'til after you actually win until you start celebrating," an almost seductive voice said from the other end of the bar. I looked to the owner curiously.

Her long firey hair fell gracefully down her back, with some shorter strands grazing the side of her elegant face. Her eyes were wide and shone green with knowledge and determination that would have been almost frightening if it weren't so intriguing. Her ruby lips that contrasted stunningly with her pale skin were cocked into a smirk.

"Spoil sport," Haymitch muttered but continued to order us all drinks that I'm sure weren't created for teacher-student bonding sessions. The girl shook her head, finished whatever she was drinking and turned to walk away.

"See you two in the final boys," she said, looking back at us over her shoulder before continuing with her exit.

"I never thought I'd get competitive over a science contest but please crush her," Clove muttered. Marvel laughed at her and Cato suddenly developed a very evil smile. I wasn't sure I wanted to know what was about to go down.

Author's Note: And enter Foxface! I have been waiting to spring on you guys for a while now :) Anyway thank you all for your fantastic reviews! Seriously make me one of the happiest people on the planet right now (and given the number of people getting gold at the Olympics that is fricking happy!) And please keep reviewing I really love hearing what you guys have to say and it keeps me writing! Plus your ideas are always welcome especially crazy situations you want to see the gang getting in to!

-R