The Hunger Games: Clove's POV

[7] Training

The bright sun shining through my window awakes me. We're training today, in the training center. I get up, take the training kit that was left in my wardrobe, and go to the bathroom to shower. The Avox probably put my kit there. The shirt red and black, and it says 2 on my sleeves, my district of course. The pants are plain black and fit me perfectly, but the black boots they provide are slightly big. Well, I'll have to deal with it for the next day only, so that's fine.

After I'm done with my bath, I do my hair up with plenty of rubberbands here and there. It's just a hairstyle I invented, that's all. I open my door and approach the dining hall, where the Avox serves us breakfast. A loaf of bread with cheese and something they call 'hot chocolate' here. I find this out from Eustacia, who just seems to care about her make-up, and how she looks. She isn't vain, she just doesn't care about anything else. It's hard to explain. While devouring my meal, Cato comes to have breakfast, too. He takes a seat beside me and casually tries to make a pleasant conversation with me. It's like what happened last night, our confessions, never happened at all.

"So, ready for training today? Ready to threaten the other tributes?" Cato asks, while munching on his bread and cheese. "I know I am," he continues.

"Yeah, so ready," I agree as I take a sip of my hot chocolate. Enobaria and Brutus join us, and brief us on what we have to do, and what we shouldn't do. We head to the elevator and down to the training center.

I see almost all the tributes there, taking a look around and getting used to the place. I see all sorts of amazing equipment, and the knives definitely catch my eyes, they're nothing like the ones I used back in 2. I stare in awe at them, they look extremely shiny, sharp and exciting. I've been waiting to show off my skills, and I finally can! I see all the gamemakers sitting up in a balcony, watching us. A lady, I'm not sure what her name is though, rounds us all up and tells us to stand around her. She briefs us with what we can and can't do, and explains all the statistics of how we'll die in the arena, and gives us survival skills. I get bored listening to her, so I just stand there and keep my eye on that girl from 12, whose name is Katniss, I found out. She looks nervous, and she's looking all around the training center. I wonder what her skills are... what if she was told not to show them? That won't be good, would it?

Everyone lines up behind Marvel, a boy from District 1. Cato and I have already decided to form an alliance with him and the girl, Glimmer, from District 1, too. We're the careers. Marvel is good at spear throwing, while Glimmer is good with a bow and arrows. Cato goes next. He is extremely threatening, just what we intended to portray, his strength is with any kind of sword. I turn my head slightly to the back, observing all the tributes with their terrified faces as they watch Cato slice off each and every dummy's heads and stab them quickly with the sword in the heart and stomach.

It's my turn now. Time to terrorize all the tributes. I make my way to where the knives are placed, and take three in my hands. I feel the smooth, sharp surface of the knife against my fingers. It's amazing. The knives aren't too heavy, but they aren't light either. I get ready in my position, and take one knife, throw. It flies straight into the bullseye. I take another knife, and throw it again. Straight into the dummy's bullyseye, no surprise. I throw the last knife by turning around, and I hit the bullseye yet again. Perfect! I take a look at the tributes' faces. Terrified, they look at me in horror. Goal accomplished. I make my way over to Cato, Glimmer and Marvel. We all give hi-fives to each other. We did well, now the tributes definitely have a few things to be afraid of in the arena.

I try to peek at what Katniss is doing, she's at the knot station now. I can tell she was told not to show her skills. What skills could she possibly have?

The boy from District 12, a blonde boy, takes a shot at climbing the swing ropes. He looks pathetic, and absolutely hopeless. In the blink of an eye, I see him on the floor. Cato, Marvel, Glimmer and I immediately burst out laughing. He looks hopeless , oh my. Katniss approaches him and whispers something in his ear. I wonder what she told him? Whatever it is, the boy, who I somehow conclude's name is Peeta, gets up and makes his way to the heavy weights. He's just going to embarrass himself, what is he doing? I get ready to laugh, but to my surprise, he lifts it up and throws it really hard to the rack of spears. I guess I underestimated him. We all did, the careers. I see Marvel and Glimmer staring at him in disgust, and Cato mouthing 'not bad'.

Training is now officially over, it's been an hour. That was really fun, but I still haven't found out Katniss' real skills. We're having the gamemakers grade us later, in the evening, but for now we rest just for a while. We each have to go in the training center, alone, and show our skills to them. They'll then give us a score out of twelve, and broadcast it to the whole of Panem. I have a feeling I'll be receiving an eleven, but who knows?

I wait with Cato on the bench outside the training room, and hear my name being called by a robotic voice.

"Clove Sevina," There is a long pause. "Clove Sevina."

I get up and start walking towards the training center doors.

"Hey Clove, good luck," Cato says. "Throw straight." Cato is so sweet. I just know I love him, I really do, but it's really hard loving someone when you are supposed to kill them.

I nod, as I walk towards the doors that open automatically. As I enter, they immediately close, and I realize how big the training center is without any trainers or tributes around. I introduce myself to the gamemakers and make my way to the knife station. I take a few knives, and just pretend like I'm back home, throwing knives at deers and birds. I hit the bullseye everytime I throw a knife, and I know I have done well. My time goes on for about half an hour, that's all. I'm finally done, the gamemakers dismiss me and as I make my way out, I wish luck to Cato, hoping that he'll get a twelve, too.

I walk to the elevator and go to our floor. The scores will be announced in a few hours, before dinner. Eustacia calls me, "Clove? The interviews are being postponed to tomorrow! You have nothing to worry about. You can relax now."

I'm pretty sure I found out the interviews were postponed to tomorrow, Eustacia... Oh well. I close the door behind me, in my room and take a shower. I change into simple clothes and lay on my bed, thinking of what score I'll get, what I'm going to do with Cato in the arena, if I protect him or not, thinking about Katniss again. The thoughts flood my brain, and I immediately fall asleep.

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