Author's Note: Hey it's Kath! Opinions on this chapter? Please let me know what you thought! Thanks to those who have already submitted tributes, I appreciate it! I hope the spots fill up quickly, so the games can begin! ;)


Chapter Two: Blueprints

(Three months later)

"What about this?" Verena Blackwell spoke, spreading her blueprints across the table.

It was the closest she had ever been to nervous. Weeks of dedication, restless nights, and painstaking attention to detail had been put in to creating this elaborate blueprint.

It was perfect.

He had to like it, no he had to love it.

The two sat in silence as President Snow looked over the blueprints, his expressions giving no indication to whether he was pleased with what he saw. They never did.

Verona looked over the blueprint as well, remembering when she inked each and every detail that her eyes passed over.

After what felt like hours, Snow finally pulled his eyes away from her newest, and improved arena plan.

"Well?" Verena said, growing impatient. She needed to impress him, needed Snow to love this idea. He had already explained how high the stakes were, how magnificent this arena needed to be. And he had also refused four arena blueprints already.

Snow plucked a rose from the bush that sat beside of his desk. "It's good."

He said nothing more.

Verena couldn't believe it. Good? This arena, her perfect arena, was warranted nothing more than a 'good'?

She lost control. She ripped the blueprint up from the desk and crumpled the large sheet of paper in her hands. The hours she put into this, the days she spent nearly driving herself mad to create the best arena yet… all for nothing.

"Good isn't enough. I can make the perfect arena. I can quell the uprisings. I can do it," Verena began breathing very hard, her hands balling into fists and destroying her blueprint furthermore.

The President inhaled a flower, and smiled. Actually smiled. "I know you can, Verena. That's why you won't disappoint me next time will you? That arena truly was a good one, but for this year's purposes it won't do."

They stood in silence for a few second before Snow spoke again."Then what are you still doing here, you have work to complete, must I remind you? Go."

"Yes," Verena replied, and as she walked out of his office the pressure finally hit her.

The stakes were higher than ever, and this could cost her everything.