Author's Note: Look at me! Updating all quickly and such. You have no idea how proud of myself I am right now. Thanks for reading!

-CA

Peeta's POV

The arena is nothing, yet everything, I expected it to be. I thought it would be scary, violent, and intimidating. What I didn't expect, was the anger that came with being here. Constantly, I was infuriated with the people who put me here and the utter savagery of this situation. I couldn't handle it.

The first day passed in the arena with little event for me. Luckily, I avoided the blood bath at the cornucopia. Most of the day, I was walking, getting as far away from other people as I could. And now, as the sun begins to rise, I start packing up my things again getting ready to move once more.

Haymitch's words bounce around my head: "Find water, anywhere you can. If you don't, you're hopeless." I can't help but hope I don't run in to anyone, because I still haven't figured out how I'll be able to kill anyone. Besides, there's nothing I have to kill with. So I settle for finding a river, to hide a best I can and simply survive. I walk as quietly as I can, trying to imitate how I think Katniss would stalk her prey. The result is a complete failure and I laugh silently to myself, feeling a small grin slip on my face. Katniss must think this is tragic. But I keep turning and listening for sounds of someone behind me, and I don't hear a sound. I assume the careers with do what they normally do, hunt at night. So I only have 9 others to worry about, assuming Ayanna won't kill me.

At the thought of her, I sigh with exasperation. I have no idea what to do with her. I can only hope she dies before I do. The cruel thought sends shivers down my spine. Death isn't what I wish for anyone.. Normally. But these circumstances are incredibly twisted. Maybe I can find her, I think. If I do, it would only mean more sponsors. Everyone in the Capitol loves a good love story. But I can't shake the feeling that I'm using her, and what I'm doing is incredibly wrong.

As I continue on, the sun travels over my head quickly and my tongue begins to feel dry. I only have half of my water left and my search for that supposed river becomes increasingly desperate. Climbing the hill makes my calves scream in protest. Sure I could lift heavy weights, but hike for a full day? Maybe not. Suddenly, I hear a distant boom, which means the death is nowhere close and I release my breath. Soon after, two more follow it. And I cringe. It must have been a bigger fight, and I can only wonder who is gone.

The sun begins to set again, ending the second day. As I look up, the sky is streaked with beautiful shades of red, pink, and a gorgeous, bright orange. Funny how it can be so beautiful amidst such chaos. I begin to search for somewhere to sleep for the night, maybe a tree again, it seemed pretty secure. But soon, I hear a faint gurgling sound and I hold my breath. I start chasing the sound up the hill and soon the land levels out and I see a small river stretching a fair distance in each direction. I let out my breath in relief and kneel down to the clear water's surface. Cupping my hands, I scoop some of the icy water and splash it on my face, removing the dirt and cooling me off. I wish I could rinse off entirely, but it's getting to late. Soon, the cold will inevitably set in, and a wet body would not agree with that weather. I look around more and finally see a crack in the rocks that looks like a big enough opening to be a cave. I glance around again to make sure nobody sees me, then I step inside, but I was not alone.

"Ayanna?" I whisper cautiously. The figure is sleeping and my words haven't woken her. I move to the other side and see it is her, and she's shaking in her sleep. I can see her skin is raised from the growing cold so I gently shake her shoulders.

"Ayanna," I mutter, "It's me, get up." She opens her eyes slowly, batting her long eyelashes and revealing the green, piercing irises underneath. She smiles at me, and quickly jumps up to wrap me in her arms.

"I'm so glad you found me," she whispers in my ear. Instantly, I feel uncomfortable, deceiving her like this. But I swallow my guilt.

"Me too," I reply with the best smile I can manage. She recaps what happened to her the first day and how she came across this little cave. It feels good that I'm back with her, after all she is my friend, but this alliance could lead to difficulty later. For now, I push that thought of my troubled mind.

"Are you hungry?" She inquires excitedly, "I have food from the backpack I swiped on my way from the platform." It's incredible how proud she looks.

I don't have a chance to reply, before she hands me some dried meat, which I take thankfully. Slowly, Ayanna inches toward me.

"It's getting cold" she mutters. In a panicked moment I take off my jacket and hand it to her, to avoid an embrace. She ignores the gesture, and nuzzles into my side. It takes nearly all that I have not to tell her to get up. But, I can't hurt her like that, and I can't lose sponsors. So I let it happen, and slowly her lips find mine, and I can't stop her.

Ayanna's POV

"It's getting cold," I say, looking at him expectantly. He hands me his jacket, but that's not what I'm looking for. So I scoot closer and snuggle into his side. Soon, I turn to face him and lean in. He moves his lips to match mine, and I move my hands to wrap behind him and into his messy blond curls. I'm so lucky, I think. Then laugh at my own words. Sitting here in the middle of what will surely be my place of death, kissing the most wonderful boy in the world.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, he puts his arms behind my back, crawling lower by the second, I shiver and the sudden warmth in the cave overwhelms me. Our kisses grow frantic, searching for each other in the dark. I want him so badly, to be mine forever. Suddenly, the breath in my chest hitches, and I let out a weak sob.

Peeta draws back and says, "What's wrong?" "We can't both make it out of here," I say. Another sob comes racking my chest, and hot tears are pouring down my face. Lately, ever since the interview really, Peeta's been a little distant, looking like his mind is somewhere else. Out of nowhere, his perfectly crystal blue eyes look suddenly clear. And their writ with something that's crossed between guilt and despair. But before I know it, he's far away again. I fall into his lap and he starts to stroke my hair.

"Don't worry, Ayanna, it will be alright.. Somehow." He says. I think of how quickly I fell for him once I got to know him on our journey to the games. However, my curiousity was piqued earlier, seeing him in school all the time and hearing girls whispering about him left and right. But now? Practically loving him? How could I be so foolish. It's a mistake that could be the end of me. But I believe his words. And I trust them more than anything, because right now, that's all I can do.