I entered our floor with a smile on my face, tiptoeing to not to wake anyone up, from meeting Cato. It was night already and everyone was asleep. I cradled bowls from ice cream in my hands, careful not to drop them. I headed to kitchen to put them away. I was few steps away when I heard hushed giggles coming from there.
My brow furrowed. Who could be up there at this hour?
"Not now."Said a feminine voice.
'"Why?" Someone whined. I heard rustling of fabric and red shirt was thrown to my feet. Female giggled but protested again.
"What if someone walks in?"
"No one will. I already checked Morris and Coreen and they were asleep." Voice promised.
I raised eyebrow at said lie. I didn't know I am asleep.
"I will be quiet." Voiced hushed her. Smooching noises drifted from kitchen and I scrunched up my nose in distaste. Those people are going to have sex in there? A second of not paying attention made me move my hands and spoons to clatter against the rim of bowls. I clenched my eyes shut hoping they didn't notice it.
"You heard that?" Female asked alerted. She did notice.
"No, I didn't. Stop being so paranoid." The other voice mumbled.
"Are starting again Darby?" Female sighed agitated. What the..? Darby?
"No I am not. But you are Elma."
Okay. This is weird. Darby and Elma are together? As in really together?
"We are not doing anything until you will check it out." Elma said. I could imagine her with arms crossed and Darby throwing his hands in the air, mumbling angrily under his breath.
I have to get out of here. Fast.
I looked around for a place where I could put bowls. I spotted a small table few steps away from me, when I heard someone walking to me.
I dashed through the corridor looking for my room in the darkness. I took spoons in my free hand, knowing that they will cause more harm than good. Thankfully I found my room rather quickly. I quietly closed the door behind me and put bowls on a cabinet.
Who would have thought that Elma and Darby were together, the ever-arguing mentors?
This time I woke up at a reasonable time. I lay in my bed for a while and then got up. I showered and put on a fresh pair of training clothes. It was still early for training to start, but that is called saving time, you know?
When I walked to the dining room, I passed kitchen and remembered what happened last night. Well, I don't actually know if anything really happened and I don't even want to know. I entered dining room and put scrambled eggs with mushrooms on plate and then I went to living room to watch some Capitol show.
I was surprised to find Darby sprawled on a couch, lazily sipping coffee with television on. I sat on armchair next to the couch and greeted him.
His eyes flickered to me, but then returned back on the screen.
"Morning."He greeted back in a gruff voice.
I started eating my eggs, to some extent watching show that was on. It was some mindless drama about a violet girl cheating on a blue boy with red tiger stripes. I saw Darby looking at me from corner of his eyes.
"So.." I started to talk to him.
"Yes?" he ran his hand through his black hair, messing it up even more than usual.
"Actually nothing."
He mumbled something to himself, shaking his head. He reached for his coffee, bringing the cup to his lips.
"How long are you dating Elma?" I grinned in satisfaction to see him splattering coffee all around himself.
"I'm not dating her." He said after he composed himself. He patted droplets on his face dry and smeared a small puddle of coffee that formed on crème colored couch creating a big dark brown smudge. It was that couch, that Morris and me jumped on earlier.
"Oh, yes you are."
"No I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I am not."
"Yes."
"NO."
Out of blue, Elma walked into the living room yawning and stretching her arms above her head.
"Are you dating him?" I asked her, pointing my finger at Darby's head.
Elma looked taken back but answered me anyway. "Yes."
"NO." Darby hissed at her, making some weird hand gestures.
She bulged her brown eyes out and covered her mouth with her hand.
"No." She corrected herself.
I smiled at them, picking up my plate and walked away.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night even if what you do may not be sleeping." I called over my shoulder.
Morris woke up a while later. He was eating breakfast and I was sitting beside him, flipping through some fashion magazine. Elma and Darby resorted to staying in living room avoiding me.
"Did you miss me my little friends?" Francine called when she saw us sitting in dining room.
"You have no idea how much." Morris confessed with his mouth full. Francine neglected his poor manners and gushed about him being a sweet boy.
She kissed him on head and went to greet mentors.
"OH MY FINNICK!" She screeched.
"Is that what I think it is? A smudge?!" She asked in a horrified voice. She rushed by us and disappeared for a moment behind a door leading to a room, where I yet wasn't. She came out holding some bottles and sprays, which were probably cleaning products. She kept at arms length and hurried to the living room.
Morris and I looked at each other laughing our asses off.
We were still in joyous mood when we got to the training center. We had to wait for everyone else to come and when they did, Atala dismissed us.
Peeta and me were left alone by Morris, who went to join Rue, so we decided to try our luck the snares station.
"If I won't be better than you, I will hang myself on one of these ropes." I said scrunching my forehead in concentration. I resolved myself to beat Peeta at this station no matter what.
"Sure, sure." Said Peeta.
When I got the first snare right, I did a small victory dance.
"Nice dance moves." Said Marvel, District 1 tribute, walking close by. I was surprised that he was talking to me.
"Nice ass." I said back, words leaving my mouth faster than I could think about them. Peeta looked at me shocked.
Marvel laughed and walked away, purposefully wiggling his butt. When he got to the weapon station, he stopped next to his fellow careers. He said something to Cato, who was looking at a wide display of swords. At his words, they both looked at me.
"Was it good enough?"Marvel mouthed to me, gesturing to his butt.
"Perfect."I mouthed back. Marvel and Cato both grinned and got back to work.
I went to restroom after that and when I came back, Peeta was no longer at the snares station. I scanned the hall and found him at bars with Katniss. He looked happy to be with her even though Katniss wasn't very cheerful.
I sighed and went to the plant identification station. I leaned on the screen and stated touching images of eatable plants. I was doing so far pretty good and I was proud of myself.
"Marvel likes you." A voice startled me from left and red X appeared on screen.
"Hey! You made me make a mistake."I said turning to face him.
Cato stood there, arms crossed on his broad chest his muscles bulging out under his training shirt.
"Like what you see?" He asked, smug grin on his face.
"I have seen better." I said picking on my nails.
His body was suddenly on mine, screen uncomfortably digging into my lower back. His face was inches from mine.
"Take it back."
"No."
"Really?" He asked tauntingly, before moving his hand and placing it on my waist.
"I won't."
"We'll see about that."And he tickled me. Before I could react his hand was clamped across my mouth, stifling my giggles so that no one will hear us. Thankfully, this station was located in the corner of the hall. Otherwise everyone would be staring at us now.
I was afraid I would pee my pants, so I licked his hand. He let go of my mouth immediately.
"I'm taking it back." I said while catching my breath. I was worried, that my bladder would not survive another tickle attack.
"I don't like the way that creep starts at you." He said said after a while, referring to Vale.
"I don't like it either. I'm afraid of what he will do in the arena." I admitted.
"He won't touch you. I promise." Cato said with determination in his blue eyes.
"Thank you." I hugged him, my head resting comfortably on his chest. He wrapped his strong arms around me, bringing me closer to him.
I was tall enough to be able to peer over his shoulder. I glanced around the hall, when my eyes met with grey ones.
Oh no. I thought, when I realized that Katniss was looking at us with stony face.
After lunch, all tributes had to go through an obstacle course. We stood in a line in the order of the districts.
Thankfully, it was not on time, so I wasn't so worried. Morris stood behind me sneaking glances at Rue, who was hiding bashfully behind a boy from 10. The queue was shortening and suddenly I was the one to go next.
"Ready?"Asked the instructor. I gave him a curt nod and he pushed a button that was counting my time. I panicked because I thought that it wasn't measured.
I bolted and jumped on blocks, that were few feet apart from each other. They rose higher and higher making me nervous. In front of me was a big jump. I hesitated, took a step back, took off and leaped into the air. I landed on the other side with a small 'thud'.
Next was a track where robotic arms were supposed to hit you with batons so that the tribute will fall.
I was dodging them, trying to quickly get on the end of this course.
I was just few steps from the end when a baton flew in my direction. I leaned far back, hoping in won't hit me in the chest. It didn't and I quickly ended the trace.
I went to Peeta, who was looking at me with mouth open.
"How did you do that?"
"Did what?" I asked, wiping my forehead with hand.
"When you bended! I swear it was an acute angle." He gestured wildly with his hands, trying to imitate my movements.
"You mean this?" I asked an did it again, this time bending even more, making a bridge. I felt my spine crack a bit and then I straightened.
Peeta was openly staring at me now.
"I'm flexible."
"I can see that."
I patted his arm and wished him good luck. When I was leaving, I noticed Katniss staring at me coldy.
I ventured over to the weapon station with hands behind my back, trying to look as unsuspicious as possible. I stood in front of dummies wondering what they were for, when a spear lodged itself in it's chest, few inches from my hand.
I retracted my hand and put it over my chest, to calm my beating heart. I turned around looking at the culprit.
Marvel was acting innocently, whistling a catchy tune.
"Why did you do that?" I asked when I stomped over to him.
"Want to try it out?" He asked ignoring my question completely. He held out a spear for me and I took it in my hand.
"Feet shoulder apart but put your left leg forward. Lean back, spear straight in your hand and throw it with your torso moving in the direction of your target."
I tried to do as he said, leaned backwards and threw spear into the air. It made a soft noise as it fell on the floor thanks to mats on the floor.
"Well, that didn't go great. Try it again." Marvel suggested, chuckling at my failed attempt.
I narrowed my eyes at him, taking a stance and throwing spear once again. It hit the target into thigh area. The second I saw this, I threw my fist in the air and did small victory dance. Marvel began laughing but joined me anyway. We looked crazy because our dance consisted of flailing arms, shaking heads and butt wiggling.
"Nice dance moves, Marvel."
"Nice ass." He retorted back.
I was in the elevator with Marvel, Clove and Katniss. When the door closed after Clove left, Katniss wasted no time and pushed me into the wall, with her forearm under my neck preventing me from moving.
"I saw what you were doing. Don't think I didn't notice." She spit in my face. I was watching her with wide eyes, speechless. I looked on the screen on which floor we were and saw number 4.
Still too much time left till we reach 9.
"Stay away from Peeta." Katniss pushed her forearm higher to my neck, slightly pressing against my windpipe to stress her point.
"He is my best friend. You can't tell me to stay away from him." I said defiantly.
"I can't. But I am sure you wouldn't want to hurt his feelings. Being his best friend."She spit those last two words as if they burned her tongue.
"Why?" I croaked out, confused.
"Because you are toying with his feelings and mingling with Careers behind his back."
Elevator dinged, signaling that we were on 9th floor.
"Why do you care?"
"I don't." She said too quickly for it to be truth.
"I just can't stand traitors."She put away her arm and I hurried away from her.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Hunger Games.
Today I was thinking about rewriting my story a bit, but then I let go of this idea. Btw, I am not THAT flexible at all.
Thanks for reading. Lia