The Hunger Games

ꜰᴏᴜʀ

"I came to see my best friend." Aspen said. Katniss smiled, and Aspen looked over at Peeta.

"Peeta, right?" Aspen asked the boy. She put her hand out, and he took it.

"Uh, yeah. Are you the girl from District 3?" He asked. Aspen nodded.

"The one and only." She said, glancing over at Katniss, who was making her way to sit back down with Peeta.

"How did you get here?" Katniss asked Aspen.

Aspen thought for a second. She didn't want to tell Katniss anything about Charles in front of Peeta. She didn't fully trust anyone here besides Katniss.

"Um, not important. But who's the chick with the hair?" Aspen asked. She saw Peeta smirk a little.

"Effie Trinket. She's the girl who picks from the bowl and announces the people at the reaping for District 12. She's our escort." Peeta said. Aspen nodded.

"I thought she looked familiar. And who's Haymitch?" She asked. Katniss's eyes got wide.

"How'd you find out about him?" Katniss asked her.

"I was listening." She said. Katniss chuckled.

"Haymitch is supposed to be our mentor. He did win this thing, once." Peeta said, looking over at Katniss.

The mood in the room changed. Neither Katniss or Aspen said anything.

"Look, you know, if you don't wanna talk I understand. But I just don't think there's anything wrong with getting a little bit of help." Peeta told Katniss.

Katniss looked over at him and stared. She stared for a while until Peeta looked away, which made her look away. Aspen just stared at both of them, the room growing awkward.

The compartment doors opened, and a man who Aspen assumed was Haymitch walked in. Aspen sat down next to Katniss quickly, not wanting to seem out of place.

Haymitch had blonde hair and blue eyes. His hair was little longer than Peeta's, but around the same color. His eyes were a piercing blue, and they made him look more attractive. He had a slim but slightly athletic build, and he smelled strongly of alcohol.

"Congratulations." He said, almost sarcastically, to Katniss and Peeta. He then looked over at Aspen and furrowed his eyebrows.

"And you are?" He asked, stumbling slightly.

"Uh, Aspen Blanchard. District 3 tribute." Aspen said.

She didn't think Haymitch was truly listening or truly cared. He picked up a glass and chose a random bottle of alcohol. It wasn't labeled, but Haymitch didn't seem to mind. He poured it into the glass and picked up another bowl. Aspen and Katniss exchanged looks. Katniss and Peeta's mentor was a drunk?

"Where's the ice?" Haymitch asked, holding up the lid to the bowl.

"I don't know." Peeta said, shaking his head.

Annoyed, Haymitch slammed down the lid to the empty ice bowl and picked up the bottle of alcohol, along with the glass he had poured.

"May I?" The drunken man asked, trying to sit down. Peeta shrugged and moved his feet, giving Haymitch room.

"Okay. So, uh, so when do we start?" Peeta asked. Haymitch waved his hands, moving his hair out of his face.

"Woah. Woah, so eager. Most of you aren't in such a hurry." Haymitch went on. Aspen looked over at Peeta, who looked taken back.

"Yeah. I wanna know what the plan is. You're our mentor. You're supposed to-" Peeta started, but Haymitch cut him off by talking over him.

"Mentor?" Haymitch asked. For the second time, Katniss and Aspen exchanged looks.