𝙄𝙛 𝙏𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 | 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘆

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚒𝚟𝚎

5; Poppy

"I guess some of us are more built for challenge than others."
-Sapphire Deryndale

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AT THE DINNER table, I take a seat in the squiggly lime green chair I had sat this morning, Peeta following in suite beside me.

He says nothing and the uncomfortable silence continues to get heavier in the air before Effie bursts that bubble with her high pitched squeal. "Look at you two, early birds. I love it!" She smiles, holding her two hands together beside her face cheerfully. "Okay, now tell us everything. How was your first day of training?"

"It was uh, great." Peeta replies for the both of us, the uncertainty in his voice most likely added because of my situation.

"What was the change? They never ended up telling us." Haymitch sits across from Peeta, his eyes fixated on the metallic silver tray of gourmet chicken and turkey.

"They changed the rules so that we aren't training individually anymore. We were assigned partners from other districts."

"Huh, wonder why they'd do that?" He mutters, admiring the steaming plate of gravy drizzled meat.

Peeta is about to respond when my voice replaces his. "It's so we can train each other. Our partners were chosen by what our weaknesses and strengths are."

"Ohh...that's a very Snow thing to do." His face flashes to one of disprovable and somewhat disgust, but doesn't verbally announce that; for obvious reasons. "It's obvious they're trying to make the games more interesting by giving your weaknesses strength to be able to survive longer or have a better chance of it at least."

The blonde haired man places the platter of meat back where it was before, and it begins smoothly levitating to Effie, who sits besides him.

"So, you going to tell us who your mystery partners are?" He asks, curiosity flowing from his voice. I look to Peeta and he decides to speak first.

"Uh, yeah. I got the little girl, Rue, from District 11."

"Oh, what fun! I've heard from a few of the other escorts that she's good at climbing." Effie beams as she shares her finding; her hands clasped at her chest with joy.

"You could benefit from some of that." Haymitch comments with a grin. He lets out a chuckle, Peeta awkwardly chiming in with a airy laugh. "What about you sweetheart? You're awfully quiet over there. Got something to hide?" All eyes are on me as I pick at my food with my spotless silver fork. I place it down beside my plate as I think about what to say.

"Nope, just shocked."

That's one way to put it.

Haymitch gives me a questionable look. "You got stuck with a career didn't you?" He says slowly. I nod.

"Not only is he a career, but one that has an ego larger than the country of Panem itself." I smile in annoyance and drop it quickly.

"Cato?" He guesses and I nod in response. He breathes in sharply with his teeth pressed together, his eyes large as he slices into his course of chicken. "That's not amazing."