I know, its short right. I'm sorry, but I fluffed it up a big as some of you wanted. I thought that since it was short the next one will be longer, plus, there is a bomb just waiting to explode in the next chapter. Like I said, I love getting reviews and hearing all of your thoughts, so please let me know what you think. :)

Chapter Five

Second day of training goes well. We visit the survival stools, learning how to tie simple knots and to know which plants are edible and which aren't. Then Chris had an idea. "I'll visit those three over there and you go to those three over here, then at the apartment we'll brief each other later. That way we'll get round more. What do you think?"

"Deal," I smile and shake his hand on it. I head to the station that has edible-insects and eventually to the fire station. I start a fire easily and smile in triumph, pleased with my effort. A sound of sizzling next to me grabs my attention. Marla sits in front of the biggest fire, smiling smugly at me, then looking at my fire, which seems measly compared to hers. I add some more sticks, trying to make it grow but all I manage is to put it out, smoke rising dangerously. She laughs and walks away, leaving the instructor the job of extinguishing her fire. I sigh in disappointment. She's won already.

A few stools later and my head is buzzing with new information so much so that I can't think straight. I decide that's enough and practice a little with the archery. I've improved a little since the first time I held a bow, but I still can't shoot the dummy first time. I don't mind too much since my weapon choice is defiantly going to be spears, however it can't hurt to give other weapons a go. "If only I could do my swimming," I sigh.

"You'd get a 20 in that," Chris says as he walks past, laughing at my expression. He's referring to the scores. At the end of the training each tribute has fifthteen minutes to show the gamesmakers their stuff and get scored out of twenty. The training is done in secret but the other tributes join up with those who are scored high. I have no hope of scoring high with my skills but I'll try my best anyway.

I continue to shoot until I get it almost get it every time. "No bad, for a girl that isn't actually a career."

I spin round to find myself face to face with Vine. She looks impressed, not intimidating. I look at her warily. "You can talk to me. I'm on your team."

"Careers can't trust one another," I point out.

"You're not a Career though, are you," she counters.

"That's what I thought too but it seems I was wrong. I was trained by my Paps when I was younger but an accident wiped out all my memories of it. I didn't forget what he taught me though. Maybe I'm more of a threat than you thought I was," I say, shooting another dummy for good measure.

"Wow. So you are the dark horse. What about Chris?"

"I wouldn't call him a Career. Careers have no hearts. He defiantly has a heart." I'm not even bothering to look at her now. I know that if I do I'll waver and won't seem as tough.

"Well, I have my eye on you. I like you. I think we should have a proper alliance. I'm not a Career. I pretend to be, but to be honest I'm just a girl with talent. Maybe we could help each other out…"

"We'll see. For now focus on getting Marla and Tiger to like you. They'll be harder to crack that Chris and I."

"I've got that sorted. Butch is kind of like me. That means that there are only three real Careers. That's you, Marla and Tiger, but I guess us other three slot nicely in there somewhere. Tiger is my District partner and Marla is simpler that you think. I'll be fine, and if you pair up with me, you'll be too," she says but I ignore her and continue shooting.

"Like I said, we'll think about it."

Finally training is over so we go back to our floor. We grab some food before telling Finnick we'll be on the roof. I'm aching all over and am so tired, but Chris and I had a promise, so we have work to do. On the roof we order sticks, leaves, flint and steel. Then I show Chris how to build a fire. I make a nice steady fire but his is better so I begin to go through a book of edible insects with him. He's soon deep in concentration to I turn back to the fire. After three attempts I still can't build a fire bigger that before. I sigh and throw the flint down. "You're not going it right. Try this," a voice behind me says and two muscly arms come around me and take the flint, striking it and getting a big flame immediately. He places a kiss on my cheek and comes to sit by me. I look about for any camera's or recorders but I see none. Finnick wraps his arm around me and smiles. "We're safe here."

"How do you know?" I ask.

"Inside information," he smiles mysteriously. In other words it's one of the secrets the women of the capital have given him in exchange for a night with him.

"When I'm here I relax a little and smile. Mags and I come here every year," Finnick begins. "It's one of the few places I feel safe. Even at home I don't feel safe somehow. Here I can finally be myself."

I smile. Chris laughs. "So this is what the two of you are like at home. Honestly, I've never seen you as a couple before despite the fact that you've been together for over three years now. To be honest it's a little strange."

I look at the floor. He's right. We all hang around together, but when people ask who the other is we say "A friend of Chris," so that we don't raise suspicions. Although Chris knows our relationship is serious he doesn't see us together like this often. At home he often said that "your cheeks glow and your eyes sparkle when he's there. I love our weekends just you and me, but when he's there it's like you're complete. You laugh and smile more too." I wonder what it's like for him, to know his two best friends are together. Strange probably, but I don't think he minds.

"You're doing it now," Chris says as if he's read my mind.

"I'm with two of the most important people in the world to me. Why wouldn't I glow," I say gently.

Finnicks fingers intertwine with mine. "I'm really going to miss you," I whisper.

"Me too. The day I met you I found a reason to smile. It didn't matter what I went through, all bad experiences didn't matter anymore, because I had you. Now President Snow has taken even that away. I'm rich, I'm popular, but none of that makes me happy like you do," he says sincerely.

I want to fling my arms around him and tell him its okay. But I can't. So I just rest my head on his shoulder.

"We should get some sleep," Chris eventually says, though I think the night stars and our relaxing surroundings had captured his heart as much as mine.

I nod and untwine my fingers from Finnicks. "See you later," I say and he nods.

In my room later I hear the door creak and I know Finnick has arrived. I roll over. "What took you so long?" I ask.

"I had an errand that President Snow wanted me to see too. Sorry. I've been thinking though, about strategy," he says and he climbs in beside me, wrapping his arms around me.

"And?" I ask.

"Not tonight. Tomorrow maybe. Just get some sleep," he says and I settle down and fall into a deep sleep.