Want you to make me feel like I'm the only girl in the world
Like I'm the only one that you'll ever love
Like I'm the only one who knows your heart
Only girl in the world...
Like I'm the only one that's in command
Cuz I'm the only one who understands how to make you feel like a man
Only girl in the world...
-Only Girl by Rihanna

Turns out the girl from Nine's name was Ebony. How do I know this? I found out today in our second-and last-day of Training. She approached me and I could have sworn she would have killed Trixxa if she didn't shut up about how cute she thought Ebony was.

[Flashback]

"Uh, Trix, I think we should get to training." I say, flashing Ebony an apologetic smile. Before I turn to leave with her I lean into the escort and hiss, "Keeping another tribute from training is illegal and punishable by death."

"I wasn't keeping her." Trixxa says curtly. "You should be more worried about yourself and not me, Serenity. Now go see what she wants and remember you are with the Careers not the other young tributes. No Efani, or whatever her name is, and no Trey."

I take a deep breath and nod, stalking away. I make my way over to the edible/poison plant section where Ebony was. Blue was talking with our lovely District Two twins by the shooting arows station was.

"I'm sorry about Knighty." I frown. Knighty was my little nickname for dearest Trixxa. I said it for intimidation. Like I so know exactly everything about how this world is. "Twelve year olds fascinate her."

"Hot seventeen year olds fascinate Ellison. And she's prehistoric." We both laugh, and it lightens up the mood. "I think she sent me to you to get Blue's number."

We crack up some more. "Why did you send yourself?" I ask. "Do you want Blue's number too?" I raise my eyebrow.

She shakes her head. "I'm partially terrified of him." Her tone is semi-serious now.

I'm serious too. "I really want to say that's ridiculous but you should be. Blue's very serious about coming out alive. Intend on him winning."

A loud noise comes from the entrance. We both turn to see the boy from Ten, the insane one, screaming. He looks so fustrated. He looks like he doesn't have a thought in his crazy head. "It's not right." Ebony says in sorrow.

"What? You can't help it if your name is called. But it does suck that no one had the decency to volunteer." I frown.

"That's it. When they offered for volunteers his hand shot up but he had no clue what was going on. They forced him to do it. Didn't you see that part?" She asks.

"I was in the bathroom." I dismiss. "Wow, that is sad."

She nods her head in agreement. "What about you?" She asks. "I mean, about the whole winning thing. Don't you think you have a chance?"

"Not while Blue's in the competition. I can only imagine it's going to be extremely difficult to eliminate him." I don't meet her eyes for the effect. Her district partner is watching us with curiousity. It must be amusing. Two twelve year olds discussing how to stay alive in a battle to the death.

"I see." She says quietly. For a second I have no idea what she's talking about. Does she think I love Blue? Does she think I'm making this a suicide mission? Am I trying too hard? Then it hits me:

She wanted to ally. And now she can't because I'm with Blue and the rest of the Careers. She thought everything I did on camera was a joke. That bit...I'm not even going to say it.

"I'll see you around." My voice has a new eerie sound to it. "Good luck, Ebony." I walk away from her to Blue and the twins. "You'll need it."

"What was that about?" Blue asks me, as I pick up a bow and quiver full of arrows. He shoots at the target and gets the bull-ring.

I wait until he yanks out his arrow. I aim and fire. A bullseye. If I wasn't angry I wouldn't have done that well. "Do you trust my judgement?"

He nods. His eyes are questioning. "Of course I do."

"Promise?"

"I promise, Starr." He rolls his eyes. "Now will you tell me what the hell that was about before I ask her myself."

"It was nothing more than small talk. I think she was lookig for an alliance." I shrug simply, and I'm acting again. But this time it's trying to show him I don't care.

"Geez, Starr. No one will give us a break." He jokes. He wraps his arm around my shoulder, making him duck down. "Starr and Blue, the great pair of District Four.

I know he knows my real name. "Will you ever call me Serenity?" I ask him. "I would really appreciate if if you did."

He opens his mouth, maybe to agree but he quickly shuts it. "No. Where's the fun in that?"

[End of Flashback]

Blue leans against the wall, watching me miserably shoot arrows. "What happened to that bullseye you shot earlier?"

"It left and never came back." I snapped at him.

He chuckled to himself. "Fiesty, are we?" He said lowly, possibly so that I couldn't hear. "You know," He started walking closer to me. "If you want a good aim, arch your shoulders like this." He grabbed me shoulders softly and placed them correctly. Then, by spooning me, he made sure I had the right positions. "Pull back and aim."

Sure enough it landed smack in the middle. "Oh, how cute." A voice behind us sneered. We both turned around to see Jessa and Cristan behind us.

"I'm glad you think so." I say sweetly, keeping my voice steady.

"Er, Jessa, Cristan, this is my district partner, Serenity." Blue introduced. I felt some sort of triumph since he said my name.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." I try to smile but I'm almost positive it comes out as a smirk. "I'm glad I know the whole alliance now."

Jessa tilted her head back and laughed. The sound was cold and shrill. "What alliance?" She looks bewteen us all and even over at Fathom and Faith. "If you mean the Career alliance, then yes you have met everybody you wish you could be with."

From the spear station, the twins were exchanging glances before coming to join us. Fathom look dissapointed and agitated and Faith was frowning sympathetically. I have a bad feeling.

"Excuse me? I'm just checking I heard this right but you said wish to be with. I think you should have said already with." I say menacingly.

"Jessa don't." Faith said sofly.

Jessa held her hand to silence her. "You are not part of the alliance formed by District Two and District One and possibly Blue."

I stared at her with a glare scary enough to kill. "If I remember correctly the original alliance was made by Blue and I and District Two. When did we make you queen?" I asked indingantly.

"Since you made a Career alliance and we're Careers." Jessa glowered.

"That may be so but even if, we were pretty set on either Blue or Fathom being our leader. Not an annoying, loud, arrogant, blonde airhead from the idiotic District of One." I shot at her, my voice so cold it could freeze.

Jessa's eyes widened and I could see that she wanted to do something illegal but restrained herself. She turned to Blue and the twins. "It's your choice. Us, or the twelve year old. Take your pick."

Fathom leaned into his sister's ear and whispered something. Her frown deepened and shook her head 'no' several times. Finally they both looked back at us. Faith looked extremely upset, this was the wierdest District Two tribute I had ever seen.

"I'm sorry, Serenity." Faith says, her voice cracking. "We choose District One."

I nodded. "It's ok, I understand."

"I choose my district partner." Blue said coldly. "And if you don't mind, we'll be at knives, alone."

Jessa looked at him like he was making a mistake, the bbiggest mistake of his life. "Well, if you change your mind, we'll acceot you any time." She said, trying not to giggle.

She has the hots for Blue! Oh my god, I am going to use that against her the immediate second I can. I thought to myself, stifling a snicker.

Some part of me didn't feel right at all. Blue was strong, there was no doubt about that but was he capable against four other well-trained Career tributes? Pre-mature training in District Four is illegal, and while some people do it I know Blue didn't. It was as if I was eliminating his chances of winning. Raising the chances of him dying along with me. And maybe I was alright if I was ensuring my death but I couldn't ensure his. Not when he has an actual chance.

"Blue..." I start of guiltily.

He looks back at me and he's smiling again. "Yes?" He picks up a knife of his own.

I throw first-and it's bullseye. It was just a harmless flick. Like I was reaching out to someone. "I want you to join the Careers." I say quietly, almost inaudible.

"What? You want me to join the Careers? Are you crazy? I'm not going to join the hunt that will attempt to kill you repeatedly until it happens."

I sigh. "Blue, join them. It's obvious that you have a better chance at survival with them than me."

"But-" He starts to protest.

"You have a chance of winning, I don't. You need to win." I say. Now I'm pleading. I just can't-won't, be held responsible for his death.

Something passes over him. Rememberance? Guilt? Sympathy? "But I promised." He whispers. "I said I wouldn't."

"You wouldn't what?" I press. "What did you promise." Suddenly I don't like where this is going.

He sighs, but this is a sound of defeat. "You're sister. I said I would protect you and help you win if I couldn't. Just in case. This is me keeping my promise."

I look at him, being sure to make eye contact. "And you promised to trust my judgement." My voice breaks into a whine. "Just please join them. I'll be fine on my own. I can promise you I won't be any different with or without them."

I'm now just throwing knives now mindlessly, they all land in the same place as the first, and he's watching me. "Make me a promise in return."

"Anything." I swear.

"Anything?"

"Do I have to repeat myself?" I hiss. "Yes, anything, before I change my mind."

His sad eyes twist into amusement. "When the sisxty seconds are up you race to the Cornucopia, grab a few knives and leave. Go as far as you can away from the stupid gold horn and stay there. If you ever see Jessa's face in the sky, return. If you ever see mine in the sky, the alliance is gone and hide."

I closed my eyes. I didn't like that, not an ounce of it. "I promise." I breathed. "Now go! Become a Career."

He gave me a doubtful look and returned to the other four. They welcomed him back in graciously. Jessa shot me death glares to my face. This is how things are supposed to be. If I'm not on their side, I'm hated.

"Are you nervous?" Blue whispered to me, later on that day. We were now being evaluated to get our Training Scores. As much as he probably wants to be with the others it's the rule to stay your place in the line.

"Me? Nah. I'l just throw some knives and then possibly do something with spears. You?" I rattle off as he watches me.

He laughs. "Not at all." Then he winks at me.

The boy from Three walked out of the room and his face looked tear-stained. I slowly rose and walked into the room. An array of Gamemakers were sitting at a long table that stretched across the room. In the center was Ren Bluecreeks and to the sidesof him was his teenage apprentices, Plutarch Heavensbee and Seneca Crane.

They were all watching me eagerly. Obviously waiting for something better after the horrid display of whatever the two Threes did. I gave them a quick sharp smile and began my work of art that would give me a decent seven.

I brought two dummies over and hung them far above my head. I picked up two wickedly curved knives. With my back turned to them I twisted my arms and flung the knives. They both landed in the same place of the heart, the center.

Then I brought another dummy and placed it across their table, carefully so I wouldn't damage anything. I took a spear and tossed it in the air. Ren, Plutarch, and Seneca all moved back out of their chairs but it was unnessecary. The spear wedged itself in the forehead of the dummy.

"You may leave now, Ms. Starr." Ren dissmissed in a monotone of what was that? Awe? Of a twelve year old?

I nodded and walked out of the room trying my hardest not to smile. But a foot away from the door my lips stretched upwards. Blue saw my happy expression as he got up to enter for himself. "Things went well?"

"If Bluecreeks standing up, take it as a yes." I said merrily, other people stared at me. I walled farther away from him and closer to the elevator.

When I reached our floor Mags, Wave, and Trixxa were waiting for me eagerly. They trampled, or should I say Trixxa and Wave, me with tons of questions of what I did. I decided to answer Mags only question first since she was my mentor and I only really gave a damn about her.

"Did you do what I advised you to do?" Mags asked in her rough voice.

I nodded my head. "They didn't expect something like that coming! I swear, I scared the living shit out of Bluescreeks and and his two mini obsessors. And when I was done, he was looking at me in awe! Awe! Can you believe it?" I trilled excitedly.

"I'm glad that you guys have your own little conversation but can you please fill us in? It's our job, you know." Trixxa huffed, annoyed.

I was about to answer when Blue walked through the doors. He seemed perfectly fine, not over upset or giddy. "Well, how did things go?" Wave asked eagerly, forgetting completely about me.

"Fine." He said normally but that was the end of that and the matter was dropped like it was never brought but.

We ate dinner quietly. A conversation was started by Trixxa a few times but it was dropped easily several times. When dessert wheeled around it was time to reveal the scores. Trixxa flipped the channel to the score announcements. Just in time we were joined by Calypso and Amycus, Blue's stylist.

Cristan got an eight and Jessa as well. Fathom got a nine and Faith a seven. Both tributes from Three got an expected five, nothing new there really. Then my picture appeared on the screen.

And in a bold eyepopping red flashed a bright gigantic number ten.