That night, I have my first session with my mentor, Lyme. I don't know Lyme well enough. I've seen her games, as I've studied them over and over again. I've seen every games and took notes and applied myself. Careers have to be as smart as they are lethal. Anyway, Lyme won in the 46th Hunger Games and she is very tall and muscular. Her main weapon was a sword. I knew that ever since I saw her at the market. I can tell everyone's weapon of choice or if they haven't a clue what they are doing.
"I assume you aren't going to need me too much. You probably already have a plan and personality, so I'm not going to fight with you. But, if you have any questions, I'm here," she offers me. We are in the main car all by ourselves and she is sitting across from me.
"Okay. Do you have any guesses on what is going to happen this year?" I ask her.
"Well, it's the year before a quarter quell. You are probably going to have an average arena because they save the fancy ones for the Quarter Quells. They also aren't going to have as many tricks, because they want to pull out of those next year. Other than those guesses, I can't help you," she tells me. It makes a lot of sense and I wonder if that is why they urged me into the arena this year. It will bring some spice to a normally boring Games. I need to be remembered.
Then it's time for dinner. I notice all the desserts have been taken away; I guess so that we will stay lean. That doesn't mean they aren't here though.
All the options are amazing. Platters lay in front of us and when something is gone, more immediately takes its place. I don't want to seem like a pig, but that would probably be impossible considering Cato's appetite. Cato is big, and I mark him as a threat. I'll need him for a while though.
After dinner, I go hang out in my room and watch the only thing on television, recaps of past Hunger Games, the arenas, and their victors. After the recap of the 13th Hunger Games is over, I open the door and sneak back into the kitchen. I'm going to find some sweet substance if it is the last thing I do. I'll burn it all off in the arena anyway. Plus, they are holding me back of the benefits of being on this train. Or so I tell myself. Maybe I just don't want to be trapped in my room.
When I walk into the main car, I see the back of Cato's head. It's too late to turn around because he has probably heard the door open. He gets up out of his chair and walks over to a set of cabinets. He opens one and offers me a plate of brownies. I take them and then go to sit over on the windowsill. He walks over and stands in front of me, giving me a look I'm sure all the girls would fall over him with.
"You can make that face forever but I'm still not going to move," I tell him. I see he has refilled his plate.
"I didn't say you had too," he replies. He's quick. Giving in, I tuck my feet under me and he takes a seat next to me on the bench.
"So…"
"Yeah."
"So I assume we'll be allies? Unless you don't want to," I ask. He nods.
"What do you think tomorrow is going to be like?" He asks this time.
"Busy. We'll probably be something really cool though, so we don't have to worry about looking like dorks in front of the entire population," I tell him. He nods.
"But, all the girls love you at home so you'll do fine." I assure him. He smiles and looks at me.
"Does that include you?" He asks. I raise my eyebrows at him.
"No way. You can take offense to that if you want too," I respond. Actually, thinking about it, how did he even manage to sit next to me?
"Well, I'm going to go now. Maybe get some sleep before tomorrow." He gets up off the bench and puts his plate away. Then, he turns back around, quickly walks back toward me, and kisses me right on the mouth. It's quick and he turns away right after. I get up, placing my plate on the bench, and running after him. I kiss him this time and he wraps his arms around my waist.
When I pull back, we just stare at each other wondering what we have just done. Without saying a word, he leaves and I return back to the bench, spending the rest of the night watching the land zip by.