Invida Aurel, 18

District Two Female, Pair Nine

Partnered with Beckham Knox

It was still dark when I woke up. I had fallen asleep straight after dinner, finding the soft, memory foam mattress easy to sleep on. By five, I had gained all the sleep I needed and found myself awake with the dawn chorus. I was not truly comfortable with sleeping next to Beckham so pulled myself from the bed and made my way to the living area.

To my surprise, as I walked in I found my mentor, Enobaria, slowly filling her long, silver nails, the dawn news chattering away in the background.

I raised a brow. "What are you doing up?" The woman looked up at me, she just smiled absentmindedly.

"Nobody sleeps that well this time of the year...I am surprised you slept as well as you did."

I shrugged at the woman's words. "Why would I be frightened? I have trained for years to compete-"

"So have four other Tributes," Enobaria reminded me.

I puffed my cheeks out with frustration. "I thought you were meant to be positive?"

Enobaria shook her head. "It's called being a realist dear, don't count yourself as victor until you have that crown on your head. I mean, two of the strongest Tributes are paired, you have good old nine over there,"

I glanced over my shoulder with a sigh, making sure Beckham was not close by before turning back to my mentor. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about-"

"You don't want to be allied with an outlier?" Enobaria questioned.

I cocked my head to the side, trying to find the right words. "I just want to know my options."

Enobaria let out a large laugh, throwing her head backward. "So did I turns out, you don't have many."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Ezra is smitten with Paisley, everyone can tell that but them. You are not into women, not that Paisley would be interested and Noelani would backstab you. Nicholas is no more skilled than Beckham, being Reaped and all-"

"What about Stefan?"

"No," Enobaria said bluntly. "One has dropped in popularity because they were paired with each other. Nothing exciting there. Honestly, Beckham is the best you are going to get, he is not even into women-"

"How do you know that?"

Enobaria smiled. "Oh child, I know more than people realize."

Psyche Wells, 16

District 6 Female, Pair Three

Partnered with Rory James

As I rolled over in bed, I found Rory sat upright, his eyes glazed over.

"Did you sleep at all?" I huffed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

Rory shrugged. "I don't think so-"

"Why?"

"I-I just couldn't," Rory grumbled, his body shaking slightly. I didn't press further, hooking my arm underneath myself and pushing my body into a seated position. I couldn't blame the guy, I told myself I wouldn't sleep. However, the long day got the better of me. Could you blame me?

I had gone from a home where I was being forced to marry a man I hardly knew to a place where I might be forced to marry a man I hardly knew. However, at least Rory was around my age and it was life or death for the both of us. The guy twice my age was just for my families benefit.

With a sigh, I looked at Rory, who seemed okay looks wise now he had been styled and correctly dressed. Yet even then, his fluffy black hair had a sense that he didn't care, allowed to stick up in any way it wanted. I had no doubt Rory was the type of guy who cared little for his looks.

"Do you want the bathroom?"

"What?"

"Do you need the toilet, I want a shower," I said a bit more sternly to the zoned-out boy.

"Oh," Rory growled, shaking himself awake again. "Do whatever you want, I went a bit ago." He sounded far more aggressive than you would think, considering I was being polite.

"Right," I snapped, matching his shocking tone to my question. He didn't answer, his eyes once against glazing over as he picked at the skin around his nails. Strange guy.

Andrew Strauss, 17

District Eleven Female, Pair Twelve

Partnered with Chrisjen Dalteir

I pulled the silk dressing gown over my body as I quietly closed the door, no longer able to look at Chrisjen; knowing her life was in my hands. As I moved, the hallway flickered to life, the orange lights on the walls mimicking a flame within a gas lamp.

There wasn't much I could do at five in the morning. I was not permitted to eat until seven when breakfast was served and the television was the only form of entertainment. I had to admit, I was intrigued. We had the technology back home but this only included one channel. About the Games, Victory Tour and the rest of the year, whippings and District punishments. On the train, I was not in the right frame of mind to flick through the multitude of channels.

I flung myself onto the soft leather of the sofa, gripped the control and started to go through the channels, on by one. The first few were reality shows, nothing like the Games. Full of Capitol people answering questions or bickering for views and money. The rest were news channels or reruns of the Chariot Rides. Then, a few channels in, my finger stopped, hovering above the button as my eyes fell on two familiar faces.

Nicholas Davenport and Akhal Breker.

I watched in horror as they talked on a small news network, live. Niko wore a pastel pink shirt, unbuttoned enough to show off his muscular, hairless chest, his blonde hair slicked back. Akahl had her blonde hair curled and thrown over one shoulder and wore a white blouse with a brown blazer thrown over the top.

The colourful, in-your-face interviewer asked the pair question about their "romance" while they held hands tightly. Smiling at each other, saying how in love they were. How could they be in love, they had only known each other for about twenty-four hours.

I felt anger bubbling inside as I watched the interview further. For years we had been told, external interviews were not allowed. Now anyone who followed suit would be dismissed as copying. Chaff was right. The Games were not just about skill, it was a popularity contest. Nicholas and Akhal had just made their first move.

Beckham Knox, 18

District Nine Male, Pair Ten

Partnered with Invida Aurel

I walked into the bedroom after my shower, a towel drying my brown hair, spiking the wet strands up. I flung the towel over the door when I was done, turning to Invida, only to have a shoe narrowly miss my head.

"What-"

"Fuck off you pervert!" Invidia bellowed, backing away from me, holding her nightgown loosely over her breasts and lower parts.

"Sorry," I mumbled, politely turning my head away. However, another shoe flew through the air, this time hitting me in the shoulder.

"What?" I yelled back.

Invida carefully removed one hand, pointing at my body. "Cover yourself up, for god sake!"

I looked down at my naked body, picking up one of the shoes, Invida's right trainer, and covered my privates with it.

"Don't put it in my shoe!" Invida growled as I moved towards the pile of training clothes on the bed.

"Don't throw a shoe at me," I said back, rather bluntly. Invida yanked my towel off the door and wrapped it around herself.

"Well, now you have seen me naked-"

"I didn't see anything, you just overreacted," I pointed out. Invida puffed out her cheeks in reply.

"Whatever, do you like women?" I felt myself freeze up at her words. "Because someone told me you don't. So, is it women or men?"

Neither. That should have been my answer. Violet and Ezra, the best-looking people in the Games, in my opinion, could be standing naked in front of me and I wouldn't feel even a twinge. Sad but it was me. It had always been me. No sexual attraction to anything. The porn industry just erased any chance of it completely. However, Invida was a woman and she was a career. If she thought I was attracted to men or knew I liked no one, she would kill me the second we got into the Arena.

I forced myself to smile. "Of course I am into women, why do you think I walked in on you?"

"How dare you?" Invida growled, her eyes narrowing.

I only laughed in reply. "Nah, I am joking, I honestly didn't see a thing. Then again, if you ever want to show me anything, feel free to ask." I added a wink onto the end, for good measure.

I expected a thousand shoes to be thrown my way but instead, Invida just blushed, stepping into the bathroom. "Just get dressed, Training is in half an hour."

As she shut the bathroom door, my smile vanished and I felt sick. I hoped she would never take me up on the offer. I wouldn't refuse, I had learned to switch off during sex by now. I was just sick of the lies.

For once it would be nice to not be the charming, hot, sexy guy to get me out of situations. To just be who I used to be. Or whatever was left of that person.

Chrisjen Dalteir, 17

District Seven Female, Pair Twelve

Partnered with Andrew Strauss

I, Johanna, and Chaff ate out breakfast in silence as we waited on Andrew. The guy was the first up yet he had taken the longest in the shower. I myself was getting ready to go look for him when he burst into the room, dressed in his tight, black gym gear, the number twelve painted on the back. For pair twelve.

"Ah, you finally decide to join us?" Johanna laughed, picking up a bread roll and dipping it into the hot chocolate.

Andrew didn't answer, taking a seat next to me, his blonde hair dripping down his face. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he took a bread roll and started tearing it into little chunks.

After a few moments of silence, he spoke. "Did you guys see the news?" He glanced around at the three of us, rolling his eyes at our blank faces. "Nicholas and Akhal had an interview this morning."

Johanna stopped eating, looking up at the boy. "Now, that's interesting."

"How?" I asked Andrew. He just shrugged, looking as hurt as me about the situation.

"What District are they?" Chaff asked.

"Four male and Ten female," Johanna sighed, returning back to eating.

"Ah," Chaff gave a nod. "What was the network?"

Andrew was caught off guard but quickly gave a shrug. "RBP News?"

Chaff smiled. "Of course, if Finnick could get his way with any station it's that one. The manager has always had a thing for him-"

"Well, I thought it wasn't allowed," I pointed out, clenching my fists. Andrew nodded in agreement.

Johanna laughed. "Not in other years but then again, as long as they are playing to Snow's agenda by pretending to fall in love, it can't harm anything."

"Well, can me and Andrew do one-"

"Not for the best," Chaff sighed "Every pair will want an interview now, you will just vanish into the background."

I and Andrew fell silent, losing appetite in our breakfasts.

"Look," Johanna sighed, leaning forward. "If it makes you feel better, chances are they have just made themselves Tribute enemy number one as well as furthering their chances with sponsors." I wanted to trust Johanna but I couldn't find it within myself too. I could tell by Andrews red, angered face he didn't either.

If Finnick was the mastermind behind it, he would be smarter than to throw his Tribute to the dogs. He himself had the Capitol wrapped around his little finger, he had a plan, and I knew for a fact it went deeper than a television interview.

Rory James, 18

District Three, Pair Three

Partnered with Psyche Wells

As I tried to hold my coffee cup, I couldn't stop my hand from shaking. So much so, I ended up holding the mug in both my hands, tightly.

Beete watched me over his glasses, glancing over to Hex who looked at me with pitiful eyes. Psyche sat next to me, watching my hand with fear. After a few moments, she looked up at my face and spoke.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly.

I gave a nod, wincing. "Y-yeah, I just have a headache."

Psyche looked down at my hands again and sighed. "Your hand doesn't shake with a headache." I didn't reply. I knew she was right, everyone knew I was bullshitting. None more so than Hex.

"What did you take?" she asked, her own body shaking slightly.

I glanced at my mentors and Psyche before forcing myself to speak. There was no way I could carry on like this. Not in the Arena. "Terex," I said in embarrassment, turning my head away from Psyche.

Hex hummed. "I haven't heard of that one-"

"I have," Beete signed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "It's an offshoot of morphling."

Hex smiled. "Then won't the reversal help?"

"It just may!" Beete said with a smile.

Hex turned back to me, her gaunt face sending chills down my spine. She was what happened if you abused drugs. "I think there is something that can help you, but you will have to wait until tonight to get it." I looked over to Beete who offered a warm smile and agreed.

After that we tried to finish our breakfast as quickly as possible and made a dash for the elevator, hoping to not be the last pair to show up for training.

As we rose from our seats, Psyche pulled me back onto the chair. "What is wrong?"

"None of your business-"

"I think it is-"

"It isn't!" I snapped, pushing past Psyche. I regretted it almost instantly but I guess, deep down, I had too much pride to apologize to the girl. I promised myself she would never be anything to me. Would never know my weakness.

The last pair introduction chapter. Now we can get onto the training where hopefully, the POV's will become longer for all and things will get juicy.

Someone asked me this over PM so I thought I'd answer. I do not have a victor for this story yet. I am waiting to see how everything plays out first.

Question: Have your thoughts on any character and pairs changed? What pairs do you think will fall for each other? Do you ship anyone who isn't in a pair together?

There is also a poll on my profile at the moment for your favorite pair, their submitters will gain ten points each and the characters in the top five will have a POV during a later, important chapter.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, be sure to let me know what you think!