Chapter 5

That night, Alex is sitting at the table eating dinner with Coin, Boggs, Cinna, Peeta, Katniss, Haymitch, Effie, Serenity and Damien.

Alex glares at her dinner in front of her and stabs the chicken.

"What's the matter Alex?" Boggs asks Alex. Alex looks up glaring at him.

"It's none of your fucking business!" Alex stands up and storms out of the eating area and slams the door of her room.

Katniss and Peeta sigh sadly.

"Maybe we should have told her..." Peeta whispers.

Katniss looks at Peeta like he is stupid.

"You JUST realised that? If I wasn't sworn to secrecy, I would have told her in a blink of an eye." Katniss glares at Peeta before getting up and walking to Alex's room.

"KATNISS!" Peeta, Effie and Haymitch calls after her.

"WHAT?" Katniss snaps turning to them.

"You cannot tell her!" Effie tells her.

"You know what Effie? Screw you!" Katniss opens the door to Alex's room and slams it close after her.

~K&A~

Katniss locks the door and turns to face Alex's bed. There is Alex crying.

"Alex..." Katniss whispers gently. She walks to Alex's bed and crawls onto the bed. She lies down next to Alex on her side.

"What do you want Katniss Everdeen?" Alex asks harshly. Alex keeps her face hidden in her pillow.

"I need to tell you something important."

"What is more important than finding out that you, my EX-best friend, are pregnant with my EX-boyfriend's baby?"

Katniss sighs already knowing Alex wouldn't take lightly to this.

"I was sworn to secrecy and I am willing to break it if you listen to what I have to say." Katniss watches Alex closely to see her moving so she is sitting up. Alex sits Indian style and faces Katniss.

"I'm listening." Alex sniffles, wiping her eyes.

"I'm not pregnant. It's to keep up that image of star-crossed lovers. Haymitch and Effie know Peeta loves you and I love Justin. They know that. We are just keeping that image to stay alive. To keep our supporters. They will support you because you mean the world to me. But the pregnancy is a lie Alex. Peeta is loyal to you. I'm loyal to Justin. I'm sorry I didn't tell you ahead of time. I was going to, trust me on that. I was, but I wasn't allowed. I just got mad at dinner, and told Effie to screw off."

Katniss looks at Alex closely to see a small smile growing but her eyes shows hurt, anger but happiness.

Alex takes a deep breath and just hugs Katniss, not saying anything. Alex hides her face in Katniss' neck; just laying there knowing Katniss would have told her if she could.

"Was Peeta going to tell me?" Alex asks quietly. Katniss bites her lip debating to lie or just tell the truth.

Truth.

"No. I think he is more afraid of Effie's and Haymitch's wrath, but for me, I just don't care." Katniss feels Alex nod.

"Effie is scary when she's mad." Katniss snorts and begins to laugh.

"Oh I know. But Coin and Boggs are worse."

"Hell ya. That's kind of obvious." Alex rolls her eyes. It is true, Coin and Boggs make Haymitch and Effie look like well behaved kittens.

~A&K~

Katniss and Alex walks out of Alex's room and to the eating area. They sit down again and begin to finish off their dinner.

When they walked in, everyone went silent.

Cinna smiles knowing that by Alex's relaxed stance and Katniss' protective older sister stance, Katniss filled Alex in on the fake pregnancy.

"Hey Cinna!" Alex smiles.

"Hey Alex!" Cinna copies Alex's happiness.

"I loved that dress. Can I take it home after the Games?" Cinna chuckles and nods.

"Of course you may. Are you excited to start the training?"

"Oh of course. I'm excited to climb the net."

Cinna chuckles remembering how Alex ran to him last year, talking all about the net.

"How do you get excited over the stupidest of things?" Serenity snarls. Alex looks at Serenity like she grew an extra head.

"I'm 13 years old and still a kid?" Alex questions. Cinna clears his throat loudly knowing Alex would snap soon.

"So Alex..." Cinna starts making Alex look at him, "how are Max, Justin and your dad?"

"They're good!" Alex smiles immediately, "Max is 10, Justin is 18 and dad is 53. None of them are happy I'm back here again, but at least dad and Max don't have to worry about me AND Justin like last year."

Cinna nods remembering how Alex told him that her father, Jerry, was still depressed over Theresa's murder. He knows Alex is just putting on a happy face, just to make their moods happy instead of upset and scared.

~K&A~

The next day, Alex, Serenity, Damien, Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch are in the training center.

Alex's hair is in a ponytail and wearing the same training outfit like last year, but obviously bigger. The number 13 is on her left shoulder of the jacket.

The 29 tributes are standing in a line, with Alex behind Haymitch. Haymitch's left hand is holding Alex's secretly, knowing this is where she begins to get a little bit scared.

Besides, she and Rue are the youngest here. Will Alex is younger then Rue by 3 months.

"Now today tributes..." The new gamemaker starts. Alex gives the new head gamemaker, Plutarch Heavensbee, and raised eyebrow.

"May I ask a question?" Alex asks raising her hand.

"I guess you may Miss Russo." Plutarch answers, nodding.

"Where is Seneca Crane?"

"He passed away a few weeks after the games ended. President Snow appointed me as the new head gamemaker."

"I recognize you from last year. Were you that guy that had fallen off stage?"

12 year old Alex Russo is standing in a room full of judges that will be appointing who will be a big threat, and who will not be.

Alex walks over to the bow and arrow that the gamemakers took notice that Alex is best at using.

"Excuse me?" Alex calls. The judges go silent, "My name is Alex Russo."

"Nice to meet you Miss Russo. My name is Seneca Crane and this is my 2nd best, Plutarch Heavensbee." Crane smiles.

"May I begin?"

"Yes you may." Alex picks up the bow and arrow. She turns to the target and fires. It misses the target.

Plutarch begins to laugh while Crane rolls his eyes at his 2nd best. He knows for a fact that Alex wasn't trying.

An arrow flies passed Crane's nose and hits the pig's nose, right next to Plutarch. Plutarch falls back and hits the ground that Alex is standing on.

Alex begins to laugh amused that Plutarch fell off the stage.

"Thank you for your time you little puppets." Alex runs out hoping she didn't piss anyone off.

"I... I..." Plutarch blushes.

"YOU ARE! Man that was so COOL!" Haymitch squeezes Alex's hand, secretly telling her to be quiet, "Anyway, as you were saying."

"Uhh... yes, all of you will train for the next 2 weeks. You will learn how to start a small fire, lean how to use weapons, disguise yourselves to match your surroundings and how to climb trees." Plutarch informs this, "Now let's begin."

Everyone splits up and begins to learn what they need to know. Alex quickly heads to the disguising area, and sees a man and woman from the same District... 6.

"Hello Alex." The woman greets.

"Uhh... hi?" Alex raises an eyebrow.

"You were very brave last year for a 12 year old." Alex smiles softly.

"Thank you. What are your names?"

"Just call us the Morphling siblings."

"You two are brother and sister?"

"Yes we are. Just like you and your brother Justin."

Alex nods.

"Are you both going to work together?" Alex questions as the three of them begins to do something they all find fun to do.

Everyone said Alex is a master when it comes to training, the reason why? Katniss and Gale taught Alex how to hunt; Jerry and Justin took Alex camping and taught her how to start a fire, find herbs and how to disguise yourself into your surroundings.

The one thing Alex hates... killing people.

"Yes we are." The male morphling answers.

"It's a good move. Always make an alliance beforehand." The female morphling smiles at Alex.

"Mostly when it's siblings." Alex puts in.

"Like you, Katniss, Rue, Haymitch and Peeta." The two morphlings gives Alex a knowing look.

"Katniss and I are best friends like Rue and I are. Peeta is..."

"Your secret boyfriend." The siblings smirks.

"How...?"

"We saw you two kiss a few days ago." The male morphling smiles.

"Oh..." Alex looks down blushing. The two morphlings begins to laugh, "Uhm... well, I better move on. See you later." Alex gets up and quickly moves to the spear throwing.

Is it possible to trust them? Is it possible that they won't kill Kat, Peeta, Rue, Haymitch or me?

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