Chapter 7
~Katniss~
I was asleep when the banging started. I opened my eyes and looked at he clock on the night stand between mine ad Luna's bed. Four in the morning? Training doesn't start until six and I don't have to be up for another hour. But the banging continued and it was coming from the door, an since Luna managed to sleep through it I got up, smoothed out my hair and opened it to reveal a Peacekeeper.
"Spitfire?" he questioned and I nodded. "Brutus requests you." he says firmly. "Now."
"Can I get changed first?" I asked with more attitude than I intended and he nodded. I shut the door, took a five minute shower, brushed me hair, changed into a red tank top, black pants, and my combat boots. I left a small note for Luna on my bed and walked out the door. He lead me to the track outside and as we walked I managed to braid my hair over my shoulder. I saw Brutus standing on the track and I walked towards him as the Peacekeeper left.
"Why am I out here so early?" I asked him. "Training doesn't start for a while."
"Don't complain." he said harshly. "And you are out here because this is the only time it's available today. It's been booked by another Trainer. Now I want five laps. Now." he commanded and I started running. Half way through I started to get tired but I knew that if I stopped I'd be in big trouble. So I pushed through it, remembering why I was here and trying to ignore the pain of the cramps. When I was finally done I stood there in front of him trying to restrain myself from collapsing on the ground.
"That was slow. Did you eat anything this morning?" he questioned.
"No because the cafeteria wasn't open when I was brought here." I replied. He growled and walked to a bag I had just noticed and handed me an apple.
"I told that damn Peacekeeper to bring you some food when he got you." he grumbled as I bit into the apple. "Sit we need to talk." he said and sat on a bench near the side of the track. I sat on the ground and continued eating. "At the end of the month there is a Trainee Dinner. Where Trainers and their students all meet the cafeteria and have this big feast. Students mingle with students and the Teachers keep notes and find out which students meld together better than others."
"So basically its to see which Trainees will be better in an alliance if they go into the games together?" I asked between bites.
"Actually yeah. We have one each month up until the games. And at the last one there are certain students who are chosen to volunteer if they so please. If they are compatible for an alliance in the Career pack."
"Okay. So?" I ask a little confused.
"So I know you want your identity kept a secret and that it going to be hard at this thing. Do not be surprised if other students start to act hostile towards you."
"I've been told that my personality sucks and I wouldn't want to go into the Games by choice. And if I did it would only be for my sister." I say with an edge in my voice.
"Then why are you here?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"In two years my sister will be old enough for the Games and I won't allow her to put her name in extra times. And there is no way I will let her go into the Hunger Games. If she gets Reaped I will volunteer for her and win."
"That's all?"
"No, in my District people die of starvation everyday. I hunt for food to provide for my family. That's how I got here. The Peacekeepers know me an what I can do. Some of them even buy some of the game I get. If I never have to go into the Games then I will be able to hunt that much better." I say and he nods.
"This dinner will be formal. Do you have anything to wear?" he asked and I shook my head no. "Well then you are going to have to go shopping sometime this month. And I know somebody else who will need to as well." he says and I look at him suspiciously.
"Am I going to know who it is?" I say after a few minutes of silence when he doesn't continue.
"Not yet. You'll meet her later today." he says and stands up when he notices that I'm done with my apple. "Now let's get back to training." he says and leads me into the PTR. He has me do the obstacle course five times and has me throwing spears again until I hit the center of the target, which takes me about an hour. And when I finally hit it, he has me throw more until it's consistent. As I was throwing them he spoke to a Peacekeeper who curtly nodded and left the room. And as time grew closer and closer to lunch Brutus finally stopped me.
"Get the spears and put them back on the table." he said I nodded and retrieved them.
"May I ask why you stopped me so early?"
"You're going to meet your shopping partner." he stated and turned to face the door.
"I, uh, okay." I said somewhat at a loss for words. So I stood there, itching to do something, as we waited for this girl to walk through the door. And sure enough, one minute later, she walked through the door and nearly knocked me off my feet.
"Clove?" I asked him.
"Hello to you too Spitfire." she says to me and turns to Brutus. "Why am I here?" she questions with an annoyed glare on her face.
"Enobaria has told me that you aren't allowed to wear dress pants and shirt to the monthly dinners anymore. Which means you'll have to wear a dress." he said pacing between Clove and I.
"Yeah, so? What does that have to do with anything?"
"Well say hello to your shopping partner." he said gesturing to me. Since the one this month will be her first she needs a dress. Enobaria and I figure that you could shop together."
"But why us? I mean no offense Clove but sir we hardly know each other. And I'm sure there's other girls who need a new dress."
"Didn't seem that way when I saw you two talking the other day." he said and both of us girls were prepared to rebut the statement but he stopped us. "It is decided, you will go shopping tonight after training hours and money will be dropped by your rooms as soon as they end.. Now off to lunch." he dismissed us and we walked out, grumbling.
"Why does he think we need partners to go shopping?" I think out loud as soon as the PTR door closes.
"Because he knows that I'll be stubborn as hell when it comes to wearing one. And something tells me that you don't wear one either." she comments.
"It has to be a very special occasion for me to be seen in a dress is I can help it." I reply and we walk into the cafeteria and make our way to the food line. People give us funny looks as we pass them not understanding why the two of us are even speaking to each other.
"Well I guess this has to be special enough." she says and I snort.
"If that's the, let's make sure we turn heads." I say with a sly smile and she returns it. We have reached the end of the food line and have our trays full of food.
"I like the way you think Spitfire." she says as we walk away from the line and towards the tables. "You wanna come sit with us?" she asked nicely gesturing to the table where she, Cato, and that other boy sit. The boy is giving us a confused look while Cato sends me a death glare but I just shrug it off.
"Nah, not really my scene. I'm just gonna eat with my roommate." I say and she nods.
"Okay well see you after hours." she says and walks towards the TTT. As I walk to my usual table and wait for Luna, I feel eyes on my back and I don't have to turn to see that they belonged to Cato. What did I do this time? I thought to myself. Oh right, nothing.
~Cato~
I stared at her as she entered the room with the most unlikely person I could think of. I would've stared at her anyway just to put her on edge but when she came into the cafeteria with Clove now I really had to stare bu for a different reason. They were talking, almost as if they were friends. And when they had their food from the food line I saw a smile on their faces. Clove said something to her and gestured towards Kairo and I, and when Spitfire looked at us I responded with a death glare, she shook her head and they went their separate ways. But I kept my eyes on her and she never looked up, like she knew I was watching her. I was pulled out of my gaze when Clove sat down in front of me.
"So what have I missed?" she asked like nothing happened.
"Why were you talking to her?" I demanded and she smirked.
"Why are you jealous that she actually talks to me and not you?" she asked and I growled in anger. "Okay fine, if you must know Enobaria and Brutus are making the two of us go shopping for a new dress for the feast at the end of the month." she snapped and Kairo chuckled. I know she hates wearing dresses but I let it slide. I wanted to know something else.
"What did you say to her before you girls split?" I asked.
"If she wanted to sit with us."
"And she obviously said no." Kairo said before taking a bite of plain pasta.
"Not only that, she said it wasn't her scene." Clove said and I growled again.
"What is she to be the judge of that?" I thought out loud.
"Maybe Cato's death glare scared her away?" Kairo suggested.
"Doubt it." Clove said and I sent a death glare in her direction and she rolled her eyes.
"Oh come on, Cato you told me she blew you off yesterday when you tried talking to her. What makes anybody think she'd be scared of you now?" she pointed out and I turned back to my food and glancing in Spitfire's direction as she ate with her roommate, whose name I learned is Luna from District 5.
"Why do you have such an interest in her Cato?" Kairo said.
"She's a mystery that I intend to reveal, and a challenge I plan to beat." I state with a hard stare.
"You sure she doesn't just fascinate you Cato?" Clove challenged and I glared at her again.
"Not in the way you're implying." I said, I know she thinks I like this girl, but that is not the case what so ever.
"Maybe you'll change your mind at the feast." she says to herself under her breath as she pokes at her food. I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to hear it but I did anyway. I ignored what it could possibly mean and ate my food, ready to get back to my training.
A/N: sorry it's so short but there's going to be a little drama that happens in the next chapter. Not a lot but a little. Plus this chapter was a bit of a filler. Sorry about that. The next one will be little bit longer so please bare with me because the chapters will be getting longer as they go on.