Quick note: Alright, this one is MUCH longer than the other ones so bear with me; I had a lot to write in this one. If you are coming in late, I am rotating the chapter POV's from Mako to Ariel and back and forth. This whole chapter is in Ariel's POV.

Haha, just another quick note, there is some crude humor in this chapter.

"What's wrong with Mako?" asks Aid as she bites down into her sandwich. Lunches are served in a cafeteria right next to the gym where we train. Sapphire, Aid and I are all clustered at one side of the table while Garnet and Scalpel talk amongst themselves. Mako sits alone at a distant table with barely anything on his tray. I am tempted to join him, but I am trying to get him over here, so I stand my ground.

"He is just being weird about making alliances right now," I reply to Aid. She nods and chomps at her sandwich again. She has platinum blonde hair, cut in a bob around her chin, making her face look older than she is. Her bright green eyes flash almost every time she shifts her gaze. Her twin brother, Scalpel looks exactly like her, except his hair sweeps across his forehead with red streaks, probably added by the stylists.

"Your boyfriend is weird," says Sapphire. "He's so quiet. Good thing he's hot." She smiles devilishly. "How is he in bed?"

I almost choke on my food and feel red-hot blush again rush into my cheeks. Sapphire giggles a bit and Aid, now interested, leans in.

"On a scale of one to ten?" she says. "I've only ever had around a six personally."

I gape at her.

"You're thirteen!" I say, horrified.

"Yea, so?" she says, shoving a forkful of salad into her mouth. For someone so small, she certainly eats a lot.

"Um…" I feel so awkward. "I wouldn't know…"

Sapphire spews her drink back into her glass and slams it on the table.

"You mean…" She stares.

"You're a virgin?" both Aid and Sapphire say. Garnet and Scalpel glance over for a moment, but once I nod in response they turn away.

"Oh you poor child," says Sapphire. "You don't know what you're missing."

"You are perfectly fine with discussing this in front of your father?" I ask her. Sapphire raises her eyebrow and nods.

Wow, lenient place, District 1 is.

"You'd better get a move on it, Ariel," says Aid, leaning back in her chair. "You don't have much time left."

"Thanks for the reminder," I mumble. "But I'm pretty sure sex is the last thing on Mako's mind right now." Garnet smirks. "Plus we were going to wait to get married."

Both Sapphire and Aid collapse onto the table laughing. By now the rest of the tributes in the cafeteria are staring at us.

Especially Mako.

I am getting sick of being laughed at. I finish my lunch quickly and go back to the gym to train.

I am starting to get bored with all the weapons. I am learning a lot, but all I know is how to fight. The Gamemakers added a pool after the 84th Games where everyone but the District 4 tributes and those who learned to swim drowned in the murky swamps. There were a select few who figured out their belts could be used as flotation devices, but that was an uneventful Games, needless to say. However, Finnick instructed me to stay away from the pool since I am already an excellent swimmer. Nevertheless, I do not know any way to find food besides fishing. I will be dead in a week if I do not learn some other skills. After training, I decide to confront Finnick.

"Stay on offense," he says. "If you're going to be a career, you can just get your food from other tributes."

"What if they have no food either?" I protest. "What then?"

Finnick thinks for a moment, and then claps his hands together.

"You never know what the arena will be like. It could lack any weapons, or it could lack any food!"

"That is why I should train more than just weapons and combat. I'll last longer if I know how to find food."

I sigh. Of course arguing this certain subject is useless with the man who won the games in matter of days simply by killing the tributes with a net and a trident.

"Fine! He snaps in my face. "Fine, Ariel. Learn to tie a few knots and paint yourself into a rock. But when you're lying on the ground, bleeding because you didn't watch your back or know how to fight back, don't say I didn't warn you."

I don't see Finnick over the next few days of training. I still practice with weapons, but after lunch, I work on defense with Mako. He doesn't say much either. On the last day before our private session, I decide to try one more time to convince Mako to become a career.

"So what will you do for your private session?" I ask him. He shrugs and mumbles something about swords.

"Look, Mako, I know you don't trust any of 1 or 2, but they are skilled and together we all…"

"Together?" he says loudly. "Ariel, there is no 'together' in the Hunger Games, at least with the careers."

"Mako please," I beg. "I don't want to lo…"

"Lose me?" he finishes. "Like it or not, one or neither of us is going home. One way or another, our relationship is doomed."

He is right of course, but every time I think about it, fresh sobs start to well up in my throat. It's true, one of us will die, if not both of us. If anyone is going home, it will probably be Mako. Besides, he actually has a chance of winning, and he has more of a family to go home too.

"At least I am trying to keep us together longer," I say, tears blurring my vision. "What are you doing?"

"The smart thing," Mako replies. "I'm sticking with what I said earlier. I don't trust any of them. Once your back is turned, they will tear you up without another thought."

Well Garnet maybe, but Sapphire? Aid?

"They're all so nice though."

"They're playing you!" Mako cries, causing the tributes at our station to stare at us for a moment. "All they want is to win. And they are more than willing to kill you to get the crown."

I huff our a frustrated sigh and say, "Fine." Tears start to spill over my eyelids as I continue. "Maybe now is a good time to break things off, to prevent anymore pain." Mako stares, completely shocked. "If you keep turning down my effort to keep us together..."

"No, Ariel," he stammers. "I don't- I didn't- Please don't do this, Ariel. I love you."

He grabs my shoulders and stares deep into my eyes.

"I know," is all I can say. I cannot say it back to him, even though I would mean it. My heart is already breaking painfully.

"I don't care anymore," he says, holding me behind the neck and kissing me deeply. I'm not sure, but I think I kiss him back a little, but then I pull away. I search for words, but then a bell goes off, signaling that training is over and that we need to prepare for our private sessions.

"I have to go," I say, my voice breaking. "I have to- I'm sorry."

And I leave him standing there as I run to the elevator, smashing the 4 button. I wait until I am in my room to cry. I don't think I've every cried so hard in my life. I don't even bother to change for my private session. My sweaty clothes cling to my skin as I sob on my bed. The door opens, but I don't see who it is. However, there is not a huge selection to guess from.

"Ariel you need to get ready for-" Finnick halts mid-sentence. "Ariel?"

My back is turned to him, but I know he can tell I am crying because I cannot stop shaking with violent sobs. The bed shifts as Finnick sits down. He places his hand on my side and turns me on my back to face him.

"Good grief!" he says. "What happened?"

I must look like crap. I can't even stop crying to explain. I clamp my hands over my face and start to hiccup with each sob. It takes a while for me to calm down, but even then I am sniffling like a child. Finnick coaxes me out of bed and into the hall. I don't want to see anyone. I don't want any part in the private session. And I don't want to be a part of these damn Games.

"So what are you doing for the session, Ariel?" asks Aid as we sit together with Sapphire as Garnet performs for the Gamemakers. It is obvious that I have been crying, but they seem to avoid that topic of conversation.

"I'm not sure," I answer. I never thought of anything to do.

Sapphire is called in and Aid sits with me. Scalpel joins us before he is called. When Aid is summoned, I sit alone. Mako is not far away, but he is also not close to me at all.

It is awkward. Two other tributes go before us, and the tension is unbearable. Mako is soon called and leaves us without a word. I take a moment to scan the waiting room. The two tributes from District 12 catch my eye. The girl, who looks about sixteen, has long blonde hair that she keeps in a pony tail, unlike the braid her mother styled. The boy, who looks at least eighteen, maybe even older has shaggy black hair. His shocking blue eyes stand out against his tan skin. I have to admit, he is very handsome, but I divert my mind from boys completely, and shortly after, my name is called.

The gymnasium opens before me and dozens of Gamemakers look at me expectedly. I look around the room for something to do until the pool comes to mind. On the wall next to it hangs a variety of harpoons, tridents and fishing spears. I ignore them all. I plunge headfirst into the heated water, effortlessly kicking and pumping my arms. If it is anywhere that I am not a complete klutz, it is in the water. I remain underwater to show the Gamemakers how long I can last. I swim three laps before coming up for air. Then I repeat with different strokes and then in the middle of all this swimming, I feel free. The feeling of water rushing against my body is refreshingly familiar.

Then the bell goes off and my time is up. I take a towel provided by an Avox and depart in silence.

Waiting for our scores, Mako sits quietly. I hear Finnick praise him about his swordsmanship, which he must have seen on a TV or something. Then the Capitol anthem plays and they start posting our scores on the television screen. Garnet receives an 11, Sapphire an 8. Aid and Scalpel both get sevens. The tributes from 3 get a 6 and 7 surprisingly. Mako's score takes me aback.

Twelve!

Whoa, that was unexpected. Finnick and Annie both congratulate him. I feel confident about my score until I see it come up.

Five.

My jaw drops. The lowest score in the history of careers.

"What did you do?" Finnick demands, turning red with frustration. "I strictly said…"

"You strictly said train with the weapons," I retort. "You never said use them in my private session.

"What did you do?" he repeats.

"I swam laps."

"What do you think your chances of being thrust into an arena with any water?"

He's right, but I was good! No, I was great. I did not make one mistake. Why was my given such a low score? Something just isn't right.

"Whatever," I snap. "I swam better than anyone else could! Just ask…" My voice drops. "…Mako."

Finnick and Annie turn to Mako, who is picking at his fingers. Ugh, what an annoying habit he has.

"It's true," he says dully, keeping his eyes downcast. "Not even the adult fishermen can swim faster than she."

"Well that's wonderful," Finnick says, dripping with sarcasm; then he turns to me. "I hope for your sake that there is a damn ocean in the arena!"

He and I stare each other down for a moment. I can see in his eyes a look of release. What those pools of green are saying is, "I am through arguing. You are no longer my problem."

He breathes out heavily through his nose and breaks our stare down, storming out of the room. Annie leaves shortly after him.

"Congratulations on your score," I say to Mako. He nods, still not looking at me.

"Sorry about yours," he mumbles.

Author's Note: Sorry that was so long. Hope I didn't bore you to much. So tell what you think, please. I love to read all of your reviews.