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The way back to the Training Center was quiet and quick. I was driven back alone. The absurd woman with monochrome dress was left behind after I had shouted at her - to my embarrassment now - in the glass porch.

"Miss Snow," The woman says, "The president has requested that you come see him tomorrow morning to straighten out-"

"No! Tell him he can see me during interviews on the television like everybody else!" I yelled, moving her out of my way. I stomped through his hallways and into the car, slamming the door. The driver dared not ask me anything but three words.

"Training Center, Miss?"

I was crying a bit, and I wiped my eyes. I nodded with a meek response. "Yes."

So when I came back, lunch was over, and everyone was beginning to disperse. Before I could scour a trip to the survival stations, Demetrius and Cybele were beside me, and they moved me with them to the weapons and shooting range. I sighed mentally, remembering this is exactly what Cashmere told me to steer clear of.

"So…" Demetrius says after Cybele is done babbling about how long she's been wanting to use the bow and arrow in the rack, "What happened?"

I don't look at him, but I know my face is angry. My lips are pressed together and I don't answer for a while. Cybele picks up the bow and arrow, and almost drops it because it's too heavy for her.

"Nothing." I answer firmly. Demetrius sighs. Before he can say anything, Garret comes to my side.

"So Ice Girl," He says in my ear, "What weapon do you use?"

I turn my back on Demetrius and look up at Garret. "Huh?"

"Weapon. You know…for attack?"

I consider my answer. I know Cashmere didn't want me working with the knives, but did she want me saying I could use them? Would it be smart to trust the Careers with my probably only good trait? I mean, I could run, but if they knew I could use a knife - and trust me, any knife would do - they could use it against me. I know I had very little time to answer this, so I considered starting my strategy with my own teammates.

"Oh…I don't have one."

His eyes widen in shock. He almost gasped in appall at this, but he simply said, "So…what do you...do?"

I smile slyly. "I run. And no one can catch me."

Cybele interrupts us. "Hey! Are we shootin' stuff or not?"

Garret follows her, watching me a little suspiciously, and I wink at him. He turns to the weapons and grabs a fat sword.

"What was that about?" Demetrius is by my side again. I'm watching Garret slice some dummies on the opposite side of Cybele and her shooting range. I see Korto using an axe, just as Cybele suspected. Anko was playing with knives.

I looked longingly at those knives. He didn't even know how to hold one right, let alone slice right. I wanted to correct him, but I turned to Demetrius, crossing my arms.

"Nothing," I answer again. He sighs.

"You know, allies are supposed to trust each other." He remarks. I smile.

"Oh yeah? Do you trust me?"

He smiles back. "Of course not. Do you trust me?"

I near his face sarcastically, batting my eyes. "My mom always said keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

We're close, and I think he thinks I'm going to kiss him or something because he blushes. He stammers. "I - uh -"

I move away from him swiftly, "So no. I don't trust you."

Walking away from him he calls for me. "Hey! Lillianne! Aren't you going to train?"

I turn to him, shaking my head. "No, I think I'll try some plants."

No one calls for me again, but I know the group of careers thinks I am a strange one, coming from District One and showing no interest in weapons. I shake off their stares and smile at the little girl from Four playing with a spear. She smiles back. I remember her name is Dezzy.

I'm walking towards the edible plants station and I settle down at the beginning where a trainer is just finishing with the girl from Twelve. She scrunches up her nose when she sees me, and she walks away.

"Oh!" The guy says, "Welcome to the Edible Plants Station."

I take in every word he says for the next few minutes, and I actually learn from his crash course. He lets me try it on my own while he goes to some thirteen year old looking kid from Three. He says that if I had any questions, to ask the other tributes working in his station.

Shrugging, I go off into the simulated little forest, and I look at the first bush I find. I see two different berries, one red and ripe and the other black as night. I know this is pretty obvious. Anyone who's seen last year's games will know what it is. I kneel down to it just to make sure-

"It's nightlock."

Before I can answer on my own, a male voice has answered for me. I turn on my knee, looking up at the voice. Then my hear skips a beat.

It's Alex.

"So, Ice Girl," He muses, joining me on the ground, "Come to the easier stations?" He nears my face suspiciously. "What are you hiding?"

His proximity is a little intoxicating, as I can see the little specks of blue in his grey eyes and smell the musky scent of his shampoo. I then wonder why I'm smelling him in the first place.

"It's Lillianne," I say out of habit, not liking being called anything but my name, "And no, I want to learn."

Alex narrows his eyes jokingly. "Hm. I don't believe it."

I stare at him in disbelief. "Are you kidding? So, genius, are you a secret Career or do you watch the Hunger Games religiously? You must do either of the two if you can figure me out."

Then I feel like I said the wrong thing because he scoffs defensively. "I have a good mentor. Katniss Everdeen?"

I tense. He's right. She's one of the greatest victors I've ever watched. Her morals, her strategy-

"She warned me about you, you know."

I snap out of it and see him still close to me. I feel my eyes are wide.

"Why?" I asked, a little breathless. He smiles.

"She thinks you like me."

I press my lips together. Then I try to ease the question. "Pft. You? A guy from Twelve. Please."

He gasps comically. "Do I look that insulting to be in your presence, your highness!"

I look up, a little confused at his name for me. "What?'

"Surely the King of this country's granddaughter must live her life like a princess!" He says in a Capitol accent. I laugh. Genuinely.

"You have no idea…" I mumble. He cocks his head to the side.

"What? Palace life too cool for you?"

I scoff. Then my voice softens. "More like it's too cool for me."

Immediately, I wish I hadn't opened up to him. Even the slightest bit. He looks sincere, but I can't trust him either, my mind tells me. This is a game. It's a game to all of us.

He nudges me. "Hey. Don't say that."

I look to my right and see a mint leaf. I recognize it from last year's game, and know I can chew it as food and use it as an herb.

"Mint leaves," I grumble, feeling them in between my fingers. He looks over.

"Right."

I look back at him and smile. He returns it.

Someone clears their throat behind us. I look up to see the majestic girl from Twelve. Alex rolls his eyes.

"Fern-"

"You know what Katniss told you." She said firmly. Her voice was hard and husky, the sound of an adult. Alex looks at me, then back at her.

"Fern, Peeta said make friends. Hence, I made a friend." He gestures at me, then grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me. I blush.

"She's not a friend," She says with hostility towards me, "She's a Career. She'll kill you when she has the chance."

Fern crosses her arms in front of her chest. Alex sighs.

"Look, I like her. She doesn't look like she'll kill me. " He answers. Then he covers the side of his mouth humorously, even though I can hear his extremely loud whisper. "Besides ...I - think - she - likes - me - too!"

I giggle. Alex was a very comedic guy, I was learning. Fern rolled her eyes at him now.

"Fine. Like each other. Then don't come running to me when one of you gets their head cut off by a one of her friends." She walks away to the rope tying station without another look back.

I feel a cold rushing through my spine. I shiver, and Alex turns to me, laughing.

"Don't listen to her," He said, "She's just mad because my mentor…uh…likes me better."

I smile politely and stand up. He stands with me. I walk to another part of the mini forest. I see intense green plant with weird designs on it. I've seen this one in my backyard.

"Poision Ivy." I say. Alex nods.

"Yup." He answers awkwardly. I rub my shoulder.

Suddenly, I have nothing left to say. I don't know what to say, period. He's making me nervous. I decide not to give him the satisfaction.

"So…um…I think I'm heading to another station." I put out there, trying to end my first real conversation with Alex. I was a bit bummed, but I realized we only had about an hour and a half left here, and I wanted to do as many things as I could. Alex caught on quickly.

"Oh, uh-" He scratches his shag of black curls and I see a bush creep from his tan skin. "I- okay. Good luck?"

I grin. "You too."

I turn and thank the person in charge of my station with a nod. Before I move on to making a fire, however, I feel someone grab my arm.

"Hey."

It's Alex. I turn around and face him. He's still a little pink from his cheeks.

"Yeah?"

"I…nevermind."

"Do you really like me?" I burt out. I curse myself as I freeze in my tracks. Alex turns red.

"Uh - yeah. I mean…you're a very pretty person- I mean, a very nice person- I mean, you are really pretty, but you're nice too- not that you're not nice-"

I chuckle a bit at his answer. He breathes in deeply, then regains his thought. "Yes, Lillianne. I do like you." He pauses, trying to consider his next statement. "….Allies?"

I'm a bit taken aback. Is he strategizing with me? He's aware I'm a Career….but should something go wrong….maybe Alex would be beneficial to me.

And besides. I really did like him.

To answer his question, I grab his hand and squeeze it. "You can call me Lilly."

I walk away quickly, trying not to catch his eye, but when I look back at him in curiosity, he's smiling in my direction while Fern is already by his side, whispering harshly at his side. He shrugs her off.

And when I look away, I see Demetrius staring at Alex with a look that could kill.

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