"Katniss, we need to talk."

Seeing Haymitch up this early sends a shiver down my spine. Something is wrong.

"It's Louisa," he starts.

No. I cannot hear this. This cannot be happening. It's only the eighth day of the Games. It's too early.

"Haymitch, no." I beg.

"The Careers got to her last night. She wasn't strong enough to fight or even run."

I knew this was coming sooner rather than later, but now that it's being told to me I can't handle it. She was a child. We should have done more to help her. I could have done so much more. I just accepted that she was going to die. What is wrong with me? I am turning into one of these Capitol freaks! Then it registers in my mind who killed her. The Careers. Those bloodthirsty, wicked, killing machines. And I've been being nice to one of them! How could I let myself do that? How could I be so stupid? My anger is rising. I can feel my whole body get hot, and then I realize I'm not hot because I'm mad. I'm hot because I'm running. Before I know it I'm in the lobby of the building. From across the atrium I see Cato. My blood is still boiling.

"You! Your little minions killed an innocent girl! Does that make you happy, you sick bastard?"

He looks like he has just seen a ghost. I can feel my hands shaking with anger.

"What the hell are you talking about, Twelve?"

"Your protégées murdered a little fifteen year old girl this morning! I bet that makes you so proud."

That obviously gets to him. His hands form fists and he steps closer to me. He is towering over me, looking down at me with his sapphire eyes staring into mine.

"I'm not in the Arena with them! I don't have any contact with them, little girl. So you tell me how it's my fault your tribute is dead?"

I can't give him an answer. I try to talk but nothing comes out. My mouth turns dry and I feel a lump gathering in my throat. All I can do is look at him.

"Exactly. Do not ever come at me like that again," he says before marching off.

Again, I am left in a room with people starring at me. I don't look at any of them. Instead, I head straight for the elevator. I skip over my floor and go up to the roof. The hours pass by quickly when I'm alone up here because before I know it, it has gotten dark. When I'm sure that everyone is asleep, I sneak back into the apartment and slip into my bed. Usually I lay awake and think before I fall asleep, but the hours I spent on the roof left me with no more thoughts. Soon I am fast asleep, which doesn't offer me much comfort. Nightmares fill my slumber. Everyone dies. I watch my father enter the mine, only for it to explode seconds later. Prim is eaten by mutations while I stand silently watching. Rue gets a spear thrown into her heart and I am too late to stop it. Peacekeepers shoot Gale and all I do is stare. Usually I wake up after my nightmares, but tonight I don't. Tonight, my mind won't wake me up and I watch my loved ones get massacred again and again.

I finally wake up at 7:00 AM. It's quiet in the apartment, but when I open my door I hear voices.

"Oh, dear. I forgot that was tonight. I'm not sure if Katniss can handle that. I didn't even see her yesterday."

Effie's voice isn't the same as it usually is. She doesn't sound joyful, and her voice isn't high-pitched at all. She sounds almost.. Somber

"What can't I handle?"

I ask as I walk into the dining area. Cinna, Haymitch, and Effie are all sitting around the table. Effie sits up straight and plasters a smile on her face.

"Katniss, dear! It's good to see you, I missed you yesterday!"

That's the Effie I'm used to.

"There's a mentor's dinner thing tonight. It's stupid, but we have to go," Haymitch slurs.

It's pretty early for Haymitch to be this drunk. He's probably just compensating for the sleep he lost since it's the second day in a row he's up early. I sit down next to Cinna and fill my plate. Going all yesterday without eating was definitely a mistake. While I'm shoveling food into my mouth Effie explains what the dinner is for. She makes it sound a lot more complicated than it is. From what I gathered by half-listening, it's to thank the old mentors and welcome in the new ones.

"Since you're new, you'll be looking extra stunning," Cinna speaks.

I don't even get to finish my food because my styling team walks in and takes me away. Since I haven't really needed them lately, they have a lot of work to do waxing, plucking, dying, cutting, and painting. It takes five hours just to get me into the condition they want me in, then another five to make me "look perfect". Finally, after ten long hours I'm ready. Before Cinna walks in I hear Effie yelling outside my door. Apparently, she found out about my little encounter with Cato yesterday. Usually it doesn't take her this long to find out news. I press my ear to the door and listen.

"Just calm down, Effie. She is, after all, the girl on fire," Cinna laughs.

They exchange a few more words and then Cinna walks in to see me.

"Effie is not happy with you, girl. I heard about the fight before Effie, and that's why I decided to go with something different for tonight."

I don't understand, and Cinna can tell. Before opening up the dress bag he speaks again.

"Look, you're the girl on fire but sometimes you need to be less sizzling and more soft."

I am not ready for what he pulls out of the dress bag. My eyes widen as I gaze over the dress that is completely different from what I've been wearing. The neckline and straps form a V shape over my chest and shoulders. Lace and black crystals line the neck and shoulders of the dress. The material is the softest thing I have ever touched; Cinna tells me it's called velvet. When I try it on and look in the mirror I see that it comes in at my hips then goes back out and falls down to my ankles. The makeup on my face is dark, except for the bright red lipstick. They've never made me look like this, and I don't know what to think. I turn to Cinna to find the words, but I can't and he knows that.

"You're mentoring, and that's a grown up thing. We had to make you look the part," he grins.

Since I can't find the words to say I simply hug him.

"Katniss! You're going to be late, late, late!" Effie shrieks.

The banquet hall is filled with food and people. An Avox greets me at the doorway with a tray of champagne, to which I decline. I've never had alcohol, and I don't think starting right this second is the best idea. I scan the gathering as I walk down the marble stairs and into the crowd. I'm lost here. I have no idea what to do. After about an hour of walking around aimlessly I find a balcony to stand on. The music and citizens are so loud I don't hear a drunken Haymitch walk up behind me.

"Come on, sweetheart. The festivities are beginning."

I have absolutely no idea what he is talking about. You know, I doubt he even knows what he's talking about. Rather than arguing, though, I oblige and walk back inside. I follow him to a table marked "12" and sit down next to him. A few seconds after sitting down someone walks onto the stage that we're facing. He introduces himself as Fitz Relmer, and that's about the time I stop paying attention. I'm not part of the Capitol, why do I even need to be here?

For some reason I have this lingering feeling like someone is staring at me. I've already scanned the room two times and haven't seen anyone looking my way. Third times the charm, I guess. I look over the tables again, and once I reach the one marked "Two" I see him: Cato. And he's staring right at me. After staring back at him for a few seconds he silently laughs and shakes his head. When he brings his back up he winks at me. What does that even mean? The only other time I've seen someone wink at another person is when my father used to wink at my mom. Maybe it doesn't mean the same thing in District Two. He can tell he's got me confused, because when I look at him again he's back to wearing his cocky smirk.

I pay attention to the speaker just in time to hear him say,

"Let's give a round of applause for our previous victor Katniss Everdeen!"

Since I've gotten pretty used to this, I stand, wave, and smile. Once the applause dies out, I sit back down. My eyes wonder back over to Cato, and I see him look at me and nod his head over towards the door. Honestly, I'm not sure what this means but when I see him get out of his chair and walk out, I assume he wants me to follow him. I will take any excuse I can to get out of here, so I do. Haymitch is too invested in his drink to notice me get up.

"Did you want me to follow because I'm honestly not sure," I admit.

I can't see his face, but I can hear him laugh

"Yeah, fire girl, I did."

Before I can ask why, he asks another question.

"Wait, where did the fire go?"

"Apparently, I need to tone the fire down," I snort.

I don't even have to explain; he knows I'm talking about when I screamed at him. We walk out onto the balcony. The cool breeze feels crisp on my face.

"I like the black," he says under his breath.

I turn my head and smile, because I don't want him to see it. We stand in silence for longer than we both expect. Applause erupts from the ballroom and we see people start to file out. Hurriedly, he speaks.

"Meet in the training center the day after tomorrow."

And then he's gone.

Okay, so I've been writing this for a few hours and right now I'm just not feeling it. Give some feedback, pleaseeeee. Oh, and you can see the dress that I modeled Katniss's after on this story's tumblr.