The Hunger Games - Peeta Mellark (1)

}10{ - Unforeseeable Allies

Compare that with Thresh- his silent, deadly power- and she was forgettable.

No, not entirely forgettable, she still had her eleven in training.

But now Peeta had made her an object of love.

Not just his.

To hear him tell that she had many admirers.

And if the audience really thought they were in love- she remembered how strongly they responded to his confession.

Star-crossed lovers.

Haymitch is right, they ate that stuff up in the Capitol.

"Okay", Livia muttered, thinking for a moment, "I hate it, but okay."

"I told you I knew what I was doing." Peeta jeered as Livia finally stepped out from his grasp.

Haymitch swung his arm around her shoulder, "You're golden, sweetheart. You're going to have sponsors lined up around the block."

In the silence that followed, the delicious smells of whatever they were having for dinner wafted in from the dining room.

"Come on, let's eat." Haymitch said.

Livia ducked from his grasp, "I'm just gonna head out."

"Don't want join the rats from District 12 for dinner, Princess?" Haymitch teased.

"It's not that", Livia assured, "I really should go."

"Oh come on, stay." Peeta said.

"It's fine, really. I don't want to impose." Livia explained.

Only it didn't matter because Peeta was already dragging her to the table.

The people sat around the table had no trouble welcoming another dinner guest.

She met Effie, the escort, who was very friendly with Pluto and Livia's own Prep team.

Then there was Portia- Peeta's stylist- and Cinna- the newest stylist. Both were modest and the more genuine capital people Livia had ever met.

After dinner, they watched the replay in the sitting room.

Livia seemed frilly and shallow, although the others assured her she was charming.

Peeta actually was charming and then utterly winning as the boy in love.

And there she was, blushing and confused, desirable by Peeta's confession, tragic by circumstance- and by all accounts- unforgettable.

When the anthem finished and the screen went dark, a hush fell on the room.

Tomorrow at dawn, they would be roused and prepared for the arena.

The actual Games didn't start until ten because so many of the Capitol residents rose late.

But Peeta and Livia must make an early start.