Disclaimer: I don't own the hunger games

If anyone is wondering... Finnick will appear in this part of Alexis's story but he doesn't get that much time with Alexis until the next part of the story. Which hopefully I'll get done by the next month. If I'm not locked down by other things.

Also, thank you Irene M. Lane, Lelleg, ZappedOfOriginality and Adricullenhale for following. And thank you Libb23 for favouriting, following and Reviewing!

A couple of minutes ago, I was crying. Crying because I thought I was going to lose, but my friends, Mollie and Tyler convinced me otherwise. I know I can win, if I try.

But I can't try when my eyes are red and puffy from the crying. This gives up off the image of being weak to the Capitol and the other tributes.

Judging from the other years of tributes, I might have to make a persona for myself for when I get on the stage, but I'll think about that later. The peacekeepers are already taking me to the truck that drives you to the train station.

I noticed that Roland hadn't been crying like I was but he still looked sad like he was earlier. Like he wants to cry but he can't.

Baxtin who sat between us, started sprouting off about the capital and how much we would love it. I wondered if other escorts were like this, talkative and annoying.

There's camera's when we get out of the truck. This is what I was talking about, I can still feel that my eyes were red and puffy, and now everyone is going to think I'm weak.

Maybe it's better like that. Being weak and someone who wouldn't win. It would be a surprised for the Capitol if I kill people and win. Yeah, being weak would be a smart move and then kill your way out when it comes to the last eight or something. I don't think I would be able to do that. Maybe I should just suggest that to someone else. Yeah, I'll do that.

I glare at the cameras when I go past. It'll be nice if I had gotten a book on what gestures people make when they are angry at someone. I pretty sure there is but I haven't come across anyone who uses it. Maybe even a sign language book would be nice at the moment, but I just turn away with a sigh and look straight ahead to the train. There's no use showing your disgust with the Capitol, it always ends up bad.

My mouth waters at the amount of different foods on the table.

My family is usually well fed but judging by the colours and richness of this food, I feel like I'm about to go to heaven with all the new food and taste.

I can see Roland is feeling the same as me, we both sat down quickly, but we both ignored the eagerness to eat when we caught Baxtin, who was already sitting down, look at us with a look that can only say that he thinks we're pigs but you can also see the surprise and delight when we don't dig in.

"Oh, this is a good pair!" He states excitedly. I raise my eyebrows, I'm guessing no other tributes besides us haven't given into the food as first sight.

I grinned, speaking for the first time to Baxtin "So you like our table manners?" He nodded enthusiastically.

Then I dig in, stuffing my mouth, and winking at him before swallowing and saying "Don't get used to it"

He frowns while Roland smiles at me but he turns away straight away when I looked at him.

He probably still thinks I hate him. I'll fix that up, if I can later.

When I meet Aurora, she still looks just as tired as she did when she was at the reaping.

I heard she has an addiction to sleeping pills.

"Hi" I say when she comes into the room where me, Baxtin and Roland were still eating. Well Baxtin is, me and Roland have no idea what to do now so we stayed.

She looked at us and slumped on the chair next to Baxtin.

"Hello" she replies, looking at me with her tired brown eyes.

Other than the fact that she has an addiction to sleeping pills. I only know that she won the 41st annual hunger games and she was seventeen when she won.

Despite her age being forty-two or three. She looked like she was thirty.

"Anything we should know before we go into the games that televise our death?" I say with the obvious tint of bitterness to it. I'm still going for the win but I know going into the games with full confidence could blind me to some things.

She sighs and looked at Roland who hasn't spoken at all since he got reaped then to me.

"Don't die at the bloodbath" she says simply.

"That helps a lot" I say sarcastically before Roland finally spoke up.

"How would we survive if we don't get the supplies in the cornucopia?"

That's a good question, most people do die at the cornucopia because they want the supplies, but if they didn't they die quickly from starvation, the environment and the careers.

Aurora considers this as well "Depends on what you can do"

Roland was opening his mouth to reply but Baxtin interrupted him.

"You can talk about this later. We need to watch the reaping's from the other districts".

Oh right, we have competition, I almost forgot that.

We get up from the table, all curious of the other tributes, and sit down on the couches in front of the television in another compartment.

It started from District 1 and 2. Both pair of tributes volunteers for the games. No surprise there. A pretty interesting guy tribute from district 4 who volunteered in place of a younger boy. A masculine guy from 7.

Then it comes to us, it's weird seeing my face, the anger is obvious on if and the commentators had commented on it and said it was pretty interesting.

Aurora glanced at me when she saw it but I didn't see her expression since Roland came up. Looking almost shell shocked. They even zoomed in on my glare. "Ohhh, this girl is seriously angry!" Commented the commentators.

I blushed a little when I felt the stares of everyone.

"I was angry" I confessed and looked at Roland "but not at you. Not anymore" I said slowly so he got my words. He nodded with a mute expression.

They went on to district 11 who produced a tanned boy who looked sixteen or seventeen and fourteen year old dark girl with black curls. The district 12 tributes looked the same as every other year, filthy and skinny, but almost every other year, Haymitch Abernathy made a scene. This time with falling off his chair and spilling his drink everywhere.

If I ever meet him, I really need to become his friend. He seems cool.

After watching the reaping, we all headed off to our own compartments with our beds. Mine and Roland's were next each other, I made this moment, the moment of saying sorry for everything.

We silently walked down the hallway and just as he was about to turn off into his room, I took his wrist.

He looked quizzically at me. I could also see the slight fear in his eyes.

I frowned "I don't blame you" I said, hoping he knew what I was saying and letting go of his wrist "what's the point of blaming you when it wasn't you"

He knew what I was talking about, I could tell by his expression "I'm sorry for your loss" he said back to me "and I forgive you"

He forgives me for glaring him whenever I saw him and making my sister trip him. He is also sorry for my mother's death. I wonder how long he's wanted to say that to me.

I smile

"thank you"

It feels unnatural when I wake up to a metal ceiling and the comfort of a bed that is softer than usual.

It's even more unnatural when I shower myself. It's warmer than the usual.

But to top it all, the clothes I put on is different from the usual.

I look different when I see myself in the mirror. More clean and my long hair doesn't look as dark brown as it used to be, now it's more brunette and lighter.

At least if I die, I'll die knowing how clean I could be.

Everyone is already at the table when I get there.

"Good morning" Baxtin says with his capital flawlessly showing. I resist the urge to mock it.

"Howdy" I say instead. Leaning to the district 10 accent in my voice. Which sounds like a cowboy and a Mexican mixed together.

Baxtin smiles and continues to eat without realising I was teasing him. Aurora and Roland laugh a little when I silently made an innocent face towards their unimpressed faces.

"So what are we talking about?" I say, piling food on my plate.

"She was asking what I can do" Roland says

"What can you do?" I reply and take a bite from a pancake that I smothered in maple syrup.

"That's a secret" Roland says lifting his finger to his lips.

I raise my eyebrows at his friendliness "alright, well I don't mind you knowing what I can do"

"You can do something?" Aurora asks more curiously than anything else.

"Yeah,-" I start

"She butchers for her family" Roland finishes.

I look at him oddly. How come he knows about me but I don't know anything about him. Well except for the fact he takes care of horses.

"How did you know that?" I say

"Secret" he smirked at me.

I smile, I hope by his friendliness, he truly has forgiven me.

"You know, it's bad holding too many secrets, you should share them" I playfully say.

He widely smiles "I'll think about it"

I laugh and turn back to Aurora, who had been silently listening to our conversation.

She looked between us like she was trying to figure something out.

But with a shake with her head, she turned to me.

"I thought only people over eighteen could butcher"

"Desperate measures call for desperate things" I say back.

Usually only people over eighteen could butcher because people of the district thought we shouldn't go through the procedure of killing cows until we're of age.

That's why my siblings and me couldn't witness it until I took that dare and since I was very calm about it. My dad tested me on it.

This was the reason why I wondered how Roland knew, only the Coatrian's and my family know.

"Okay, whatever" Aurora said in understanding "so I'm guessing you're good with a knife?"

"Yeah, I can't throw them but I know where to stab where it hurts" I state with a grin then add "and I'm weirdly alright with blood"

I didn't add that it might not be true with human blood.

Aurora nods, smiling a little "interesting" she comments when she looked between us "you both might have a chance if you don't get killed at the start"

I proudly smile.

"Oh look! We're here!" Baxtin exclaimed looking out of the window of the train which shows the famous mother city of Panem, The Capitol.

It's about to begin.

Hey there, I know I said I would get to the tribute parade.

I'll get there next chapter!

Hopefully.