Opposites Attract (Prim/Cato) *On Hold*

Chapter 2 - The Train

Prim's POV

As Effie leads us onto the train, I look around. The plush compartment is lavished with soft, velvet carpet and smooth velvet sofas. The walls are a dark blue with a fancy pattern printed on them. I then notice the trays of food laid on the counters, enough to feed the whole of the people living in the seam.

I open my mouth and sheepishly ask Effie, "Are we allowed to eat all this food?"                                             
"Why of course! We wouldn't want you to starve now would we? She replies.                                               

I mentally roll my eyes again. It's not like almost everyone in District 12 is on the brink of starvation. Effie then sits Peeta and I down on a comfy dark purple sofa. I run my fingers along the velvet. I've only ever seen velvet sold at the market place for the richer part of District 12.

"Now, I'm going to find Haymitch, he's probably in the bar car.." Effie says through gritted teeth, distracting me. Effie then leaves and Peeta and I are sat in an awkward silence. Haymitch comes in holding  a flask, taking swigs of whatever alcohol he has. He makes his way over the the cart with all the alcohol, picks up a glass with some ice and pours some liquor into the glass.

"So, when we get into the arena, what should we do? How do we find water and shelter.
"How do we..." Peeta starts off before being interrupted by Haymitch.                                                                                   "Wow, so eager. Most of you aren't usually in such a rush." Haymitch slurs, while sitting down on the sofa opposite us, putting his bare feet up right next to me.

I scoot over a little bit to Peeta as Haymitch laughs and takes another swig from his glass.

"Well of course we're eager, after all we want to live." I say narrowing my eyes at him. 
"We'll talk tomorrow." Haymitch mumbles. He then stands up to leave but then throws up all over the expensive carpet. Effie comes in and turns ever paler then she already is under all her makeup and struts back into the hallway.

"I'll clean him up." Says Peeta.                                                                                                                                        
"Just call one of the Capitol people to do it." I say, feeling bad for him.                                                             
"I'll do it myself." He replies while dragging a passed out Haymitch to his compartment.

When Peeta and Haymitch are gone, Effie comes back in and then leads me to my own compartment. I flop down onto the soft fluffy mattress and look around. My whole compartment is almost bigger than my entire house back home. I decide to take a shower and refresh myself after the stress of today. I step into the bathroom and gasp. There is a huge shower and and bath. I strip and step into the shower looking at all the buttons on the side of the wall. After being blasted with ice cold water and then almost burning my skin off with boiling hot water, I finally get the right temperature and I chose some rose scented foam that covers me head to toe. When I step out of the shower I look for something to dry myself with, but I see nothing. Then suddenly a big gust of wind nearly knocks me over. It drys my hair and body and then dies back down. Weird. I pick up a weird tablet thing next The me and make and outfit for myself to wear.

I then I hear Effie in her annoying voice. "Primrose darling, time to watch to reapings!"

I put my simple yellow ruffled shirt and black skirt on then rush to the main compartment. I sit down next to Effie on the plush sofas as she switches on the television. A blonde bombshell from District 1 catches my eye. She'll no doubt get tons of sponsors. Then comes District 2. A girl who is no doubt a career looking fierce and ready to fight. Then when they call out the male from District 2, Cato Hadley, a monstrous looking boy volunteers. I get a good look at him and then it hits me. It's the boy from my dream. But then I can't help but think about how good looking he is. Emerald green eyes, bulging muscles, messy blonde hair.... I then shiver. He probably will be the one the kill me. The rest of the reaping is a blur until a girl about 12 from District 11 is drawn. I can't help but feel sorry for her. She's only 12. Maybe we can be allies. Then I watch me being drawn. I watch Katniss pushing through the peacekeepers like they aren't even there. I watch Peeta and I shake hands. I won't have a chance against the other tributes. I'll be picked off in an instant. I can't even hunt, I don't know how to fight. I lose my appetite as Effie announces dinner.

But when I see all the food on the table I become hungry again. I'm gonna die soon, might as well enjoy everything while I can right? For dinner we have roast chicken with a gravy that melts in your mouth with mashed potatoes and peas. There's also a dish of wild rice with dried plums that I eat 3 servings of until I decide I'm to stuffed to eat another spoonful. I look over to Peeta who looks sick too. Then dessert comes. So much for not eating another spoonful. There's a chocolate cake with cream and raspberries on top. I've only ever have chocolate once, when Katniss traded two turkeys and a squirrel for a square of chocolate for me. I'm thankful when Effie lets us go before I have time to regurgitate everything I just ate. I take a glass of water and hurry back to my room just in case I have to throw up. Luckily I don't so I brush my teeth and change into a shirt and sweatpants and try to go the sleep. But when I do get to sleep my dreams are filled with nightmares. The boy from District 2 again. Me being chased by wolf mutts. Me bleeding to death at the cornucopia. I wake up and look at the time. Four in the morning. Great.

I decide it's not worth going back to sleep so I get up and I wonder around the train I run into the chef who I end up being very fond of as he offers me a glass of warm milk with honey and spices. I accept the offer thankfully and get out a book on 'How to win the Hunger Games'. I flip through it not bothering to read it. As the chef comes back with my milk, we end up chatting. He tells me about his life. We talk until the sun comes up and I hear Effie yelling at my door, "Wake up! It's going to be a big, big, day!"

I burst out laughing along with the chef, and when Effie hears us she opens her mouth to say something but shuts it instead and sits down to read a magazine. After mooching around for a while, breakfast is ready. Peeta comes out from his compartment and we sit down to eat. Haymitch also walk in, most likely nursing a hangover. I look at all the food in front of me. There's so much food I want to eat everything but also don't know what to eat. I settle on some waffles and fresh fruit with some hot chocolate which I dip bread into, copying Peeta.

"So, you said we would talk today?" Peeta says breaking the silence of the noise of chewing and forks scraping.

"Pass the jam." Says Haymitch not bothering to look at Peeta or I.
"You said we would talk today." Peeta says through gritted teeth.

"Give me a chance to wake up!" Haymitch retorts angrily.
"Right then, Rosie and Pete isn't it?"

"It's Prim." I say simply scared of Haymitch.
"Well, let me tell you, if you're like this in the arena, you'll be picked off in instant." Haymitch mumbles. I suddenly get mad and I find myself picking up a butter knife and throwing it at Haymitch, narrowly avoiding his eye before he catches it. Oops.

"Fine, if you do what I say, I'll stay sober enough to help you."

I nod as Haymitch tells Peeta and I to line up.

"Maybe you'll get some sponsors, if you look good enough." Well that totally helps.
"You might not like what the stylist do to you, but don't resist." Haymitch continues while buttering his toast.

"What about strategies? How do we survive?" I ask him.

He opens his mouth to speak, but then I notice Peeta at the window as we pull into the Capitol. I join in to look too. The buildings are colourful, like the candy from the candy shop back in district 12 that hardly anyone can afford. The people are freakish looking too, with tiger prints and blue faces.

"We're here!" Effie squeals.

As we get out of the train the noise of shouting is deafening. There are people screaming our names, left right and center. I look to my right and see the boy from District 2. Cato. I stare until he looks my way and smirks as I quickly turn my head. I follow Peeta out into the crowd as I think about Cato.

***

So how was it? I do appreciate feedback and I would appreciate it a lot if you could share this story. Sorry for the late update, I'm a master procrastinator 😝. By the way Prim is 15 and Cato is 17, because it would be weird if Prim was 12 and Cato was 18. Does that make Cato a pedo? Anyway, Cato's POV next? Can I get 2 votes and a comment for the next chapter?

Until next time,

Flx