Alex tells me he hasn't spoken to Haymitch but I don't know whether to trust him or not. We sit in the lounge with questions us both need answering.

"How's Haymitch?" He says quietly.

"He is alright; I suppose… How are you?"

"I am fine" He replies. "Are you alright, you seem very quiet lately."

"I, I, I don't know anymore." I finally let my true emotions show. Tears start rolling down my face, so he opens his arms for a hug. I knock him back into his chair at the force of my body crashing into his. I wrap my arms around his neck and he grabs me around the waist and pulls me close as if I was one of those massive teddy bears that the Capitol children own. I feel safe as if nothing could harm me while I am locked in his arms, I think maybe he enjoyed the hug as well but I don't know.

"Thanks for the hug… I felt safe for the first time here, with you-,"

Before I have time to say another word we hear a bell, the bell that tells us we have stopped for fuel. He sits there laughing and I look to him.

"Was it something I said?"

"No it's just anytime we get anywhere in our relationship-"

"Relationship?" I butt in and eye him suspiciously.

"As friends… Now let me continue!" He jokes.

"Sorry!" He nods in reply,

"Any time we get anywhere in our relationship it seems we are disturbed, like when we were talking before the train arrived and when we were waiting to meet Haymitch. We have those little moments and then they are ruined."

I nod back unconvincingly.

"No, really Sweetheart listen…"

"I am" I reply, and then in a moment of not knowing quite what to do I let my fingers intertwine with his as a sign of friendship and belief.

"Come on, let's sneak off and go for a walk." He asks,

"Okay then, at least we can talk for a bit longer." I reply.

We sneak out the lounge through to the dorm's corridor and then to the boarding door, all of this done hand in hand. When we get to the door we see Haymitch standing in front of us, he asks Alex if he was sure that there was nothing going on between him and me. I say that he is just guiding me through in the darkness but Haymitch doesn't believe us and goes to get Effie. While he goes off to look for his beloved Effie, Alex and me see this as an opportunity to get off the train and start walking for a while. We look around for signs to tell us where we are but neither of us know.

I sit down and let Alex walk around. The next thing I know is that I have ended up in someone's lap in the lounge cart with Effie across the room. She seems like she is telling someone off for something but I don't know what for, I decide to open my eyes and see what's happening.

"Hello Sweetheart." Haymitch sings to me, I scream and he nearly drops me.

"What? You've never woken up to see a mans face before?"

"No! She is 16 years old!" Effie answers "Right, come and sit down Alex and don't say anything!"

I get up; staggering around the room, then I suddenly lose my footing and end up on my back. Going to sleep, Alex picks me up and carries me to my room, he lays me down on one side of the double bed and he slips under the covers of the other. Haymitch and Effie burst through the door, but only Haymitch stays to watch over Alex and me.

In the morning I see Haymitch, still with eyes wide open, watching me. I look to my right and see Alex sleeping; while he is sleeping, I see this as the time to ask questions.

"So what happened last night?" I ask.

"He tried to cosy up to you but I told him not to wake you."

"I mean why did I end up in your lap?" I ask again.

"You fell asleep by the train and two mutts came over, meanwhile loverboy was picking flowers!"

"Loverboy?"

"Yes loverboy. I called your father that when your parents were tributes."

"Why was he picking flowers?"

"I don't know, what is this 20 questions… He might have been picking them for you sweetheart."

"Oh, okay" I accept that he won't tell me anymore.

It all falls silent.

"Right, I am going to get ready for meeting the stylists later at the Capitol, see you in a bit." I tell Haymitch.

"Bye"

As I leave, Alex starts to wake up. I look to Haymitch but he shoves his hands towards me, telling me to leave so I do. After I shut the door I hear talking.

"Where's Charley?"

"Your sweetheart?"

"Yes, my sweetheart." He says confidently.

"Well A) that's none of your business where she is and B) I don't think she would call you her sweetheart after what you did last night to her, leaving her in the path of mutts."

"You love trying to rain on my parade don't you?"

"I am only telling you the truth! Don't get too close to her, she doesn't need you messing her around right now." He snarls a warning back as Effie walks in,

"Boys stop the arguing and Alex you need to get ready for the Capitol! We will be there in a few hours!" She chimes happily to them both.