𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐄 ▸ HUNGER GAMES [ 1 ]

SEVEN

Sidonia waves me over. "Nice of you to show up, Kentwell." She says as I take my place at the table beside Hadley. I begin to serve myself from the array of dishes, the Avoxes bustling around us to remove plates that are finished with.

Meanwhile, Brutus runs us through the day's agenda, starting with our training session this morning. He hasn't said much at all since we arrived here in the Capitol, and I'm almost surprised to hear his sudden enthusiasm when it comes to us showing off our skills. "The cameras will be running the whole time, so make sure you let the people see how good you are today. If potential allies want to pick up the basics of a new skill, help them out if you know what you're doing. And be wary of the underliers – we don't want another Johanna Mason incident." That was the name of the girl from 7, overlooked as useless until they realised she was deadly. And by that point it was already too late. 

But I'm not so on board with the idea of being a teacher. In truth, I don't really fancy sharing my knives with anybody. Back in 2, I was the only talented knife thrower in the Academy, and anybody who tried to step on my toes eventually ended up moving to a new discipline after they realised my skill level was untouchable. Xavier said himself enough times that I was the first true knife graduate he'd taught in years, and perhaps without them I wouldn't have the chance to be as lethal as I know I am now.

Most of the other girls the Academy teaches are bigger than me, and I struggled badly for the first couple of years, before we were streamlined into individual disciplines. The hand-to-hand battles used to build our strength during the early grades were difficult, because I was far too small and too light to gain any grip on the girls who towered over me, even at eight years old.

By the time I reached nine, I was afraid they were going to throw me out, to tell me that the journey to glory I'd been dreaming of since I was a kid was too far out of reach to ever become a reality. I was mocked and ridiculed for my size and my low rankings, which were always plastered across the noticeboards in the hallways to make everybody push harder in classes. We are a proud lot. And as a District know for its superior strength, any kind of weakness in 2 is frowned upon.

It was Loren who suggested the knives first, in a passing comment during our walk home after the weekly fight. I'd placed so close to the bottom I might as well have quit on the spot as soon as I left the ring, and Loren was only doing her best to try and cheer me up. I never believed her pep talk would actually be the thing to save me.

But, in the year below mine, the girls were still running through their first introductions to arena weaponry, and though my year had barely been offered a few lessons in sword handling, Loren's had been given the chance to try out everything. It was a new strategy, to help single out potential prodigies with certain weapons early on and brought in by a new trainer - Xavier.

In the seven years that followed, I worked through all the blood sweat and tears it took to be the best. And when the annual Academy grading rolled around at the end of last year, I placed first in Short Blades and third overall. I proved all of them wrong.

Just before ten, Sidonia corrals us all into the elevators again and presses the button for the basement. All of a sudden I realise how eager I am to feel a set of blades in my hands again. I wouldn't normally go more than one day without taking a trip to the Academy, but it's been well over two since I had a chance to throw.

The doors open up into a giant training gym, at least four times the size of the weapons studio back home in 2, and with stations for every skill imaginable. Gleaming recurve bows coupled with sheaths of arrows, giant spiked maces, and every type of sword you could possibly think of. Racks of needle-tipped spears line the far wall, and beside them are a collection of glittering silver knives. Just the sight of them brings a triumphant smile to my lips.

A couple of tribute pairs are already gathered in a loose circle around a woman in the centre – Atala, the Head Trainer – and Sidonia abandons Hadley and I to join the mentors in a box above the gym. Opposite them, in a similar balcony suspended above the room, are the Gamemakers. The men and women who control the Hunger Games: who design the arenas, dictate supplies and work to trip us up at every turn. As I watch them laugh and cajole together above us like royals at their feast, I think of how it will be a pleasure to beat them. To bring their crown of battle back to my District.

Until then, I am stuck with the weight of the Hadley family's reputation standing beside me, and a group of terrified looking teenagers clearly confused as to whether or not we're going to join them in the circle. As the two of us approach the group and I cast my eyes around them, up close for the first time, I wonder which one of these boys and girls will be the first to die by my hand.

When the final set of tributes – the girl and boy from 12, much to my displeasure – enter the gym, Atala talks us through the stations and how the day will run. There are experts in each discipline planted throughout the room, on hand to teach and practice. A couple of the more obstacle-based stations are mandatory - each District will be called separately, and their results recorded for the daily updates, but we are free to roam the rest of the gym individually. There are even extra staff on hand for partner disciplines.

It's clear Hadley has entered full golden boy mode the minute I look up at him. The smug and arrogant kid from the Academy, the one who bowls around 2 like a god, is here to show the rest of Panem exactly what he can do. I know it's a necessary evil, meant to intimidate the other tributes, but the sudden demise of the Hadley I've gotten to see so much more of during the past couple of days seems to deflate something in my chest.

I work to school my features into nonchalance at the thought, prepared to act just as superior as him, if only for the cameras. This is our chance to turn the Capitol's attention away from 12 and towards the people who truly have a chance at winning this thing.

Once again, I catch the eye of the blonde girl from 1, only a couple of metres away from me. I'm fairly sure she wasn't this close at the beginning of Atala's speech, and it's clear she's looking to make a beeline for Hadley and me as soon as the Head trainer releases us.

The moment the crowd of tributes disperses, the girl makes her move, stepping forwards with a beaming smile. Her teeth are so white I could probably see my reflection in them. "Hey, I'm Glimmer. Cashmere said you might want to team up."

"Sidonia said the same thing about you and your guy." I say, holding out a hand. "Clove, and this is Hadley - Cato Hadley. Although I doubt you really needed me to tell you that, did you? It's not like he acts as if he's famous or anything." I lean into stage whisper at Hadley's expense, and Glimmer snorts a laugh.

I don't know much about making friends – Loren and I have pretty much stuck to ourselves since we were kids, and somehow Hadley doesn't seem to count, since all we've ever done is mock each other – but something tells me I may have succeeded in forming our first alliance. And when Glimmer beckons me to follow her over to the spear-throwing station, I know it's the truth.

Behind me, my District partner's voice sounds in my ear. "Guess that means it's time to show off, eh Clover."

I spin on my heels, rebuke forming in my mind, but the golden boy is already gone.

AUTHOR'S NOTE -
Sorry this is up so late and that it's totally a filler chapter (I think that's why I struggled so much haha)! I just needed to get this evening and morning over with, but the next one will be the training centre chapter where the careers form their alliances. I'm actually so excited to write this because I will finally get the chance to write Glimmer as a decent human being. Not judging because we all did this back in the day but WOW the Clato fandom hated on Glimmer so much, all because of her portrayal in the movies. But honestly, I don't remember having a problem with her at all in the book, and actually if they have an alliance it seems they'd probably get along ish-okay! Therefore, Glimmer and Clove are actually gonna be friendly in this! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter even if it was a bit filler-ish and boring :') Much love as always - Vee xx