Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games but if I did I would be the happiest person in the world.

A/N: Sorry guys for the late update. I am going to go on holiday so I didn't have a chance to post. Sorry once again. Thanks to all my reviewers and followers. Here is the training scores…read…enjoy!

Chapter 14) Training Scores

Who could've sent me this letter? I don't think this is true. Why would anyone tell me about the arena in advance? What would they gain from this? I ponder about trusting the person. If I believe the person and whatever they said is false, it could cost my life. But if it is true it can save my life. What do I do? I need to talk about this to someone. I know I am not allowed to but since when have I been following rules. But before I do that I need to hide this letter. I get out of bed and pace around the room, observing every corner of the room to find a place to keep the paper out of anyone's sight. Even the open door was an option.

Everywhere I look there is no place that is hidden or enclosed. That is until I glance up. That's when it hits me. I know where to hide. The ceiling fan. At least on top of the blade of the fan. I drag the stool from in front of the dressing table to under the fan. I mount the stool but find out I cannot reach the top of the fan. I tip toe clumsily and somehow manage to reach. I feel my feet tip toe all over the surface of the stool. Then my toes are placed on the edge of the stool and I realise I have lost my footing as I slip off the stool. I close my eyes and wait for the impact. Wait for any sounds of a spine cracking or my skull cracking open.

Instead I feel strong arm grip me under my back and under the bend of my knees. In alarm and fear of falling I wrap my arms around the neck of my rescuer. I keep my eyes firmly closed in fright. I take a couple of deep breaths before I muster up the courage to open my eyes. My eyes flutter open and I see a face right in front of me. Our faces are so close that our noses are inches apart. As the black spots in front of my eyes disappear I lock my eyes with the blue eyes in front of me. The deep, ocean blue eyes of Keeth Ambertson. I look into his eyes as they look at mine. His eyes only show care and compassion. No anger, no hatred towards me. I look at the smile forming on his face as he stares at me. Soon, he starts to lean into me. Oh God. He is going to kiss me. Do I want this? He is inches away until he stops. His smile disappears and he pulls away. He puts me down and runs away. I stand in the same spot for some time, confused. What stopped him? Whatever just happened proves one thing – he still cares about me no matter what he says or does. But we just had a moment. Something best friends don't have. I am not sure whether I want this. Whether I want Keeth more than a friend.

My thoughts are disrupted by Effie calling for dinner. Dinner is awfully quiet with Keeth and I not talking and Mum and Dad clearly disturbed by the Games, with only Haymitch and Effie trying to keep up the chatter. I respond and laugh occasionally but that's all I can do. My thoughts are stopping me from doing everything. My thoughts about Keeth. After dinner is over we all make our way over to the couch to waych our training scores being revealed.

I sit in the corner on the sofa, next to Haymitch, which I regret because he has a large bottle of liquor in hand and the smell is making its way up my nostrils. I don't want to complain because I know Haymitch will not listen and pass a remark, which I don't want to hear. Keeth sits next to Effie who sits next to Haymitch. Mum and Dad sit on a separate couch.

The training scores telecast begins with the Panem anthem and emblem and then a small speech from the very energetic and perky Caesar Flickerman. Caesar does get on my nerves with the pro Hunger Games statements but he is very helpful and supportive with the people he interviews, not making it hard to ace it. The headshots of tributes from the chariot rides start to appear one by one along with their training score. The first one is Chase. He got a 10. Glitta got a 7, which was expected. I watched her during training and she wasn't exactly impressive. I think she will be the lowest scoring Career this time. Next Mason's headshot appears, with the same mischievous but beaming smile. He gets a 10. I clap and then realise Keeth is doing so too. Amelia gets a 9. The District 3 pair, Fuse and Dayta, get a 6 and 4 respectively. Their innocent faces show despair that probably never existed before Aquilo took power. They seem 13 years of age and children that young should be playing, not bothering about having to murder and hurt for survival. All these thoughts bring fury in me but I calm myself down and watch the District 4 pair get 8s. Looking at their scores I make a mental note to stay away from the Careers, at least in the bloodbath.

District 5, 6 and 7 get scores between 4 and 7. The District 8 boy gets an 8, which is very shocking because I could only see him at the survival skills station throughout training. His name is Jute. The threatening District 8 girl gets a 7. I would laugh at her face if she were in front of me. I found out now that her name is Paige. A name that seems so innocent but in reality she is the opposite. During the telecast Mum, Dad and Haymitch advise us on who to watch out for or who isn't a threat, temporarily. The District 9 pair do well, scoring 8s each, despite the boy's young age. He could be underestimated but not by me. Then Angus' face appears on screen. I am not shocked when I see a 9 under his picture. Next up is Mink's sweet face beaming with a smile. She gets an 8. I am so happy that I think about jumping up and clapping but I want to wait for Meadow's score. Durian gets a 10 and Meadow gets an….8. I literally jump out of my seat and scream. I'm so happy for the two lovable girls. They deserve the scores they were given because they are so talented. I sit back down when I see Keeth's face. I quiet down and watch intently. The number spins around for some time and when it finally comes into focus the number makes me jump and dance. 11. He got an eleven. The highest score out of all the tributes. Keeth's grinning at his score but isn't reacting like me. I'm impressed. I sit down again and watch my picture. I take the cushion from behind me and bury my face in it as I pray that I get a decent score. With what I have done I am not sure what I'll get because I didn't look at the Gamemakers to see their reaction. I know they would've been shocked but will shocked get a high score. I lift my face from the cushion and see the big and bold, golden 11 taking up the space on the screen. Keeth and I are congratulated by everyone.

"Wow. District 12, the highest scorers." Squeals Effie.

"Well done." Says Mum.

"I knew you could do it." Dad says.

"Great. Now you two have a bigger target on your backs." Haymitch remarks.

"What do you mean?" Keeth asks.

"A higher score means that you're stronger and then the other tributes would want to take you out first." Haymitch explains.

"What did you do in your session Keeth?" Dad asks. Keeth looks around and then replies that he just showed some combat skills. No one seems convinced by his response but doesn't bother to question him any further.

"Your allies seem to have gotten more than 8. They must be strong. I hope you can trust them. They can be a threat." Mum says.

"Mum we can trust them. I have spent a couple of days with them and I am sure that they are trustworthy." I convince.

"Katniss, sometimes trusting even a stranger is the best option." Haymitch says, looking at me. Trusting a stranger. Is he trying to tell me something? Trust a stranger. The letter. The letter was written by a stranger so is Haymitch secretely referring to it. That I should believe it. I could be wrong. Not everything Haymitch says has a deeper meaning. But then again, if I do follow what's in the letter I cannot lose anything. And if it is true then lives are extended for some time.

"Okay so tomorrow are the interviews. You will be coached by Effie about manners and posture and the rest of us about the actual interview." Mum says.

"You two will need to decide whether you want to be coached together or separately." Dad says.

I turn to look at Keeth. "Separate." I say. I know Keeth would want that too so I don't want to upset or disappoint him by saying that I want to be coached together.

"Is that what you want, Keeth?" Dad asks. Keeth looks around for a while.

"Um. Um. Yeah. Separate." Keeth stammers before walking off.

Effie sends us of to our rooms to sleep. When I enter the room I spot the letter on my bed and realise that I haven't hidden it yet. After glancing all around the room I decide to place it in my chest drawers, tucked in between all my clothing. I hope no one looks through the Capitol provided clothing. If they do then I am in trouble along with whoever sent me the letter. I approach my bed to lie down. While stroking my Mockingjay pin I doze off to sleep.

The serene and peaceful woods of 12. I am standing by the glistening water of the lake in 12. The sun is shining happily over me. I take a seat at the edge of the river putting my feet into the cool water. It brings a calm sensation through me. All of a sudden the sun disappears and the sky turns into a sinister black. I can barely see anything. I stand up and turn around in a panic. From the corner of my eye I see something glowing white. I turn to see Aquilo with the same French beard and snake-like eyes, which are now red. I can see him approaching me but I freeze. My legs have been forced into paralysis as I watch him extend his arm. Then he applies some force as he pushed me back. I fall into the river with my limbs frozen. I cannot swim my way out. I am drowning. I am trapped.

I jolt upright into a sitting position and clutch the bed sheets around me. I begin to take short and small and frequent breaths in distress. I bury my hands in my face before I realise that my throat is dry. I reach my hand out to my side table and pick up the jug to see that it is empty. I groan as I get out of bed and wearily walk out of my room. I fill up my jug with water and I am about to head back when I hear Mum's voice. She is shouting Dad's name. I need to find out what happened. A tense feeling takes over as I approach Mum and Dad's room. The shouting and screaming gets louder as I approach. Subsequently my tension. I place my ear on the door to listen.

"Peeta. How can you be so calm? Our daughter's going into those Games. She could die. Do you not see that?" Mum yells at Dad.

"Katniss. Do you think I don't love Ashlyn? That I don't care. Well, guess what I'm scared too. I care about Ashlyn just as much as you do and I know that there is chance that she could but we shouldn't think about that now." Dad begins shouting but then stops and transforms back into his calm and comforting self.

"We'll need to think about it sometime Peeta." Mum says.

"I know Katniss but I know that Ashlyn will make it out. She'll come back to us Katniss. She will be here with us in two weeks. We will be able to hug her and take her in our arms." Dad says, choking. He's crying. "After all she is just like you." Dad convinces.

"That's the problem. She's just like me. She is stubborn. She gets angry really easy at times. If she does that then she will be in trouble, Peeta. She will be in danger." There is a long pause. "She won't be able to handle it. The deaths. They stay with you forever. The nightmares. They are unbearable. I don't want my daughter to go through the same." Mum cries. "It's all my fault. My life, my past. It has come back for revenge but it is hurting my daughter. It is all my fault Peeta. All mine." I cannot take it anymore. I cannot hear them be so upset. I fling the door open to see Mum's face buried in Dad's chest while Dad stokes her fair gently and speaks words in her ear. They are standing up.

"Mum. Dad." I say, which causes them to turn to me. "Please don't cry." I say, running up to them and bringing them into a hug. "I don't want to see you sad." I say. "Mum it's not your fault. It's not your fault you were brave. That you freed people. You gave people the better." I reassure. "And Dad. I will come back to you. I will be able to hug you. I will be able to talk to you. Don't be scared." I say. They don't say anything back. This is the best I can do for them before I break down myself. Listening to what Mum and Dad were saying, I realised that I am taking the situation better. But now I am feeling like the Games have truly affected me. Because they have now affected my parents and my parents are everything to me. After an extreme breakdown I run to my room and lie on the bed, with a constant flow of tears. I might never see my parents ever again. If I die in these Games, I will never see Rye again. I will never see his dazzling grey eyes. That cheeky and mischievous smile. I may never see Jesse again. I will never spend those times with him in the woods.

I may never see anyone again.

A/N

Sorry for the short chapter guys. The next chapter is the interviews. Wonder what will happen ;). I may not be able to post a chapter for a while because I am going on holiday tomorrow. And for one of my reviewers…I am a girl.

Follow/Favourite/Review….review…review…review…review…review