Thank you so much our reviews are great! The first part is right after "the circle" then we flash to the training. We really don't want to bore you. Review! Thanks.

Rianne POV:

"Fuck this," I huffed as I stalked towards the elevator. A tree, a fucking tree. I wasted no time getting around the circle. Hell I wouldn't have even gone if they hadn't made me. I yanked Mallard out of the chariot as I jumped down.

"Go back to your room and take off that ridiculous outfit." He nodded his head, weary of my mood, and scurried off. I quickly started to strip as I walked towards the elevator. I was on a rampage; whoever stood in my way was going to get seriously hurt. Damn that stupid stylist. She was so excited to put me in that stupid costume too. I stalked forward, rage emanating from my body I pressed the button down hard with my pointer finger. I tapped my foot impatiently as I waited. Five seconds later the door opened.

"Wait hold the elevator!" A voice shouted as I stepped into it. I couldn't move or think as he stepped into the cramped space next to me. Unfortunately he had Katniss with him but right now that could be overlooked. He was beautiful, like a piece of artwork. God I was turning into a sappy, love sick teenager. He was chocking back laughter evoked by my outfit no doubt. I glared and continued to rip it off. Katniss looked peeved and embarrassed.

I scoffed uncaringly at both of them and pressed the 7 button. I took of my outfit in a hurried manner, eager to be rid of the horrific thing. I was quick, removing the whole thing in less than ten seconds.

"Oh thank God," I breathed in relief, when the whole thing was off (even if it did leave me stark naked.) My exclamation pushed him over the edge and he burst into laughter. God I loved his laugh. I turned around and flashed a smile at him. He immediately sobered, raised an eyebrow and scanned me from top to bottom. His eyes paused significantly on forbidden areas. The elevator dinged signifying its arrival at my floor. I heard someone being smacked just as I stepped out.

"Ow, what the hell?" he asked.

"You were gawking at her!" Katniss hissed.

"Well she's hot." Was his defense. She huffed in irritation and I laughed. He thought I was hot! How ironic, he was the boy on fire but he thought I was hot. News flash for him: he is dead sexy.

Tala POV:

When I stepped into the training center my only reaction was an overwhelming repulsion. So many tributes had spent their last few days here.

The blue capital jumpsuit they'd put me in highlighted my breast in such a way it was hardly tasteful and all I wanted was to go stand in a corner, far away from the wandering eyes surrounding me. I looked desperately for a station that no one had bothered to visit. I had no interest in keeping up my giddy, dumb blonde act. Unfortunately all the stations were occupied. I noticed that the station were you learn to distinguish between edible and inedible bugs had only one person.

With a small grunt of dissatisfaction I sat down next to Thresh. His eyes flashed to the side as I sat and I decided to make him uncomfortable, just like I would have don't if he were my crush back in District 4.

"Like what you see?" I asked him playfully.

"What? A room full of kids destined for death? No, not so much," he responded flatly. This was the first time I'd ever heard his voice. It was low and emotionless at the moment but I could only compare it to slowed music.

"I was actually talking about my tits but whatever," I retorted. I found it surprisingly easy to joke with him and felt like applauding myself when the corners of his lips tugged into a grin.

"Oh. Well that I like," he said back huskily. I smiled and cautiously poked a green bug with six legs.

"Dare you to it," I giggled, plucking it up by one leg and dangling it in front of Thresh's face. The look he shot me clearly relied he'd much rather be eating something else. I felt a familiar blush warm my cheeks and a raked a hand though my hair before putting the foreign insect back down. The sting of embarrassment crept into my system when I realized the bug was, in fact, poisonous.

"I didn't mean to. I didn't know…" I trailed off in the hopes that he would get the point and understand what I was trying to communicate. I wasn't trying to kill him.

"I get you," he said lightly. I met his eyes when he spoke and by the burning intensity I found there, I knew he meant that he understood me as a person.

"Right," I hissed, suddenly angry at the butterflies sprouting in my stomach and the warmth starting in my fingertips and washing through my body as I looked at him. And I could blame no one but myself. I knew what would happen when I sat next to the undeniably sexy tribute from District 11.

"Excuse me?" A new voice appeared meekly. I raised my head to find the trainer staring at me. He had light brown hair, gray eyes, a slim build, and couldn't be older than twenty. If he was actually that age he'd only be three years my senior, not that I was interested.

"Yes?" I asked as he gazed at me in wonder.

"I just wanted t-to tell you how much I … enjoyed your outfit and…uh…performance the other night," he stammered with a boyish grin.

Perv. Why wouldn't he like my sea shell bikini top and exposed mid drift? Even now as he stared at me all he saw was my sparkling mermaid attire and charming fake laugh.

"Aw thanks sweetie," I spat. The pet name made his ears perk up and his mouth begin to salivate. I needed sponsors but did I really need them this much? I began to focus once again on the struggling bugs in front of me. When I was sure the trainer was busy with other things I nudged Thresh with the heel of my foot.

"And what did you think of my little costume?" I asked him, simply unable to resist. As he abruptly stood up and rolled his broad shoulders I felt certain I had offended him.

That was until he leaned down so only I could hear him and whispered—"I thought…you weren't quite wet enough."

~*~

"Hello Channing," I chirped. His menacing black eyes glared at me openly.

"And what the hell are you so happy about?" he spat. Despite his obvious, asshole nature he held the door open for me. Apparently he at least wanted to appeal chivalrous.

"Well…" I began merrily as Thresh snaked out the door behind me. I met his eye and he gave me a small nod of recognition.

"Well what?" Channing demanded.

"I—I don't know." I had no right to be happy. If anything my increased crush on Thresh was a very bad thing.

Rianne POV:

Training, I sighed. Joanna had specifically said we weren't allowed to do anything out of the ordinary while in training, we couldn't excel or do combat, in other words we were to be fucking bored while wearing –you guessed it— green jumpers. I am beginning to see a theme here and I really don't like it. I glared at Joanna and my stupid prep team as I walked out the door towards Mallard. I grabbed his hand softly, me and him had bonded recently when it came time for the Games I wouldn't kill him and even though it would probably be a hindrance I would do my best to protect him. He looked at me unsure of himself and I squeezed his hand in reassurance and love, he was like my kid and I wasn't even maternal but hell the kid had grown on me. Together his hand in mine we walked into the training building a united front, I gave his hand one more squeeze before sending him away. I scanned the room quickly and again the anger and sadness I had felt during the reaping how many kids had spent their last living moments in this room trying to prepare for their untimely death. I felt rage at this but ignored it. I had to find a station to go to. I looked around quickly and saw him he was alone at a station I walked over slowly and sat down trying not to alert him to my presence.

"I know you…" he said not taking his eyes off the knot he was currently tying , knot tying guess I wasn't going to do any combat today just as Joanna had requested.

"Of course you know me I'm a tribute just like you, trying to make sure I don't die in the Games… duh." he laughed and suddenly his whole body was facing me.

"No I meant you're the girl from the elevator the one who stripped down to get out of the tree costume."

"Hey could you blame me I was dressed as a tree."

" You looked good." he smirked and blushed oh dear good the boy who was on fire thought I looked good well I had a news for him I thought he was hot.

"Thanks you're not to bad yourself."

"Yeah well," he shrugged. "You made Katniss uncomfortable." I snorted in a very unwomanly fashion I made her nervous— "ha did she get a glimpse of what the little mermaid over there was wearing in the circle?" I twitched my head toward the tribute from district 11 and his stunning companion.

"Yeah well I think I preferred the tree." I looked at him wide eyed and he laughed.

"Shut up jerk," I playfully pushed him with my shoulder.

"What?" He said innocently. I grinned mischievously at him.

"Well I guess I just know how to work wood." he looked at me and I looked at him and we both burst into abrupt laughter causing everyone in the training center to look at us incredulously. He had tears in his eyes and suddenly I was overcome with sadness due to the fact that I wouldn't have the chance to work his wood. I felt the need to pout like a child but settled for smirking at the gorgeously handsome boy beside me. God I loved his laugh, then like a ton of bricks it hit me. Shit I was falling for Peeta Mallark tribute from district 12.

Tala POV:

(5 days later)

The morning air whipped across my face and threw my hair in every direction. I rubbed my hands together in the hopes that the friction would warm me. It didn't. Despite the fact that it felt like I was slowly freezing to death, I was excited. I had actually walked down to the training center early. My now routine talks with Thresh had been the highlight of my entire stay in the Capitol. Something about his reluctant smile and casual banter made me gravitate towards him, and yes his overwhelming hotness helped.

"Someone's early." I heard the newly familiar voice and suddenly the cold weather was nothing more than a pointless side fact.

"You're early too Thresh," I retorted with a smile. We were the only ones standing outside. The training wasn't even designated to start for another twenty minutes.

"Yeah well I wanted to claim a good station today." I knew what he meant. The Careers had given up hope when it came to recruiting Thresh and the young kids found him much too intimidating. When he chose a station no one bothered him…except maybe me. I can imagine his surprise when I came to sit next to him. He must have been shocked when I talked to him, much less teased him.

"I like your outfit," he confided quietly. His endearing golden brown eyes took in my short, navy blue skirt and slightly conservative top.

"Thanks. Oh and we match!" I squealed. For some reason that remains a mystery even to me this fact evoked true excitement on my part as I held out my sleeve as if to prove it matched his shirt.

Thresh studied me for a moment, his look almost calculating. I watched the wind tousle his hair for a moment before slowly lowering my arm. My eyes darted away, looking anywhere and everywhere but his face. The previous thrill the coincidence had given me disappear only to be replaced by such a strong humiliation I had to firmly plant my feet in the soil to keep from running away.

What must he think of me? A silly, shallow girl who refuses to take anything seriously? I felt like a small child, wilting under the stern stare of an elder.

"That was stupid. Sorry," I was such an idiot for coming down here, waiting for a fellow tribute, and ultimately portraying myself as an eleven year old.

"It wasn't stupid. You just amaze me. We're days away from entering the Games and you can still joke with me as if it's just another day in your district? You can still get excited over something as simple as coordinating colors? I can't decide if you're fearless or merely confident." His words came out in a sort of confused rush as if he'd been thinking about them for a while.

"I… I think it's just something you bring out in me." It was true. The second I leave training sessions the feeling of dread returns and the light hearted air that lingers while I talked to Thresh vanishes. Maybe the fact I make a normally stone faced pessimist laugh had just elated me…?

Oh who was I kidding? I had a crush—and a big one at that.

"Oh…well uh then I guess its good I'm here." He seemed unnerved by my confession as he turned from me and jammed his thumbs in his jean pockets.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable I just said it without thinking…" I muttered. I just couldn't understand how I could be so, impossibly attracted to him, and still be expected to kill him.

"Yeah well the more you talk about that the more awkward it gets. You're…enthralling you really are but it wouldn't work out. We have to kill each other Tala. I know I may come off as a jerk but I'm a realist and in reality we have to go into an arena in less than a week and slaughter children. I don't want to like you but I do and when we get into that damnable arena run from me because I really, really don't want to kill you. Just avoid me okay?"