We needed to wake up extra early to make sure our tributes were ready. Last minute tune ups, make sure they know how to act, what to say, how they want to hold themselves.
How to act like the stereotypical 2.
They act the part, but no doubt everyone will pinpoint they look a little different compared to our normal tributes, just smaller.
It's either going to make everyone underestimate us, or know they are good. Dead good despite what they look like.
" So you know what your going to do?" I question again as we were walking out of the training center. We had them meet us there before the Reapings to review.
I could feel Jaspers eye roll behind me. " Yes, act tough, be cocky-"
" Don't be so cocky..straight forward. Good thing we're reviewing you." Cato says giving him a look.
Jasper is one I will not miss if he dies,though it's horrible to say. He's cocky, to cocky for his own good. To the point where you can tell him something but if he thinks he's right what's the point?
Hazel isn't terrible,she's quiet. At least she can take some critism. I will miss her, not to the point where I'll be depressed about it, but still a little sad.
" Hazel?" I question.
" Confident smirk, talk loud and clear."
" Good. At least one listens." I muse looking back at Jasper glaring me.
" Remember first impressions, this is where you spark interest. Good luck."
They make their way to get checked in while me and Cato go sitting on chairs in the front row of the audience.
" I don't think I can stand to be in the same room with that boy for the whole week." I mutter looking straight forward.
" I'll make it very clear to shut up if he keeps this up." Cato agreed.
Though I hate when he gets mad I wouldn't mind Jasper getting some sense knocked into him..Literally.
We waited for a couple minutes before Neffy came clicking onto the stage, her fashion seemed to intensify.
No idea what that represented..at all. I suppose it's better then a meat dress.
This time her hair was silver with sparkly strings in it looked like,her smile still bright as ever.
" Feels like I was just here..Exciting!" She proclaimed scanning the area. " We have a very special video from our Capitol!"
It was the same video, it seemed dated. Maybe if I say something to Neffy she'll make arrangements to have it more modernized, though I know they'll make it more gory.
I totally tuned the whole thing out, thinking about the tributes, hoping they will make a good impression, they will.
" For our mentors this year please welcome back Kaylaya Musak and Cato Hadley!"
Reality hit me, my eyes shot up. Cato already was standing, he gave me his hand to help me stand.
Confidence.
I lifted my head a little higher as we walked up on stage, I smirked out in the crowd as we took our places.
So 'great' to be back up here.
" Look at these two everyone!" Neffy chirped. " I'd be so honored to have some of our BEST victors training me!"
Me and Cato looked at eachother, he was already smiling giving me a wink which the girls loved..screaming.
I rolled my eyes, I didn't try to it just happened. The Capitol will eat that right up. It's well known we're together so it doesn't matter, we just keep it more private from the cameras, we're not even married yet.
I think it's better to keep it from them.
" Without further ado... Let's meet our next tributes!" Neffy yelled into the mic going over the the girls taking a slip, pulling it out.
" As always..ladies first."
She opens it, " Emerald-"
" I Volenteer!" Hazel's tan hand raised in the air coming up to the stage. She looked out in the crowd as she walked smirking..good.
" Look at this cute thing!" Neffy says smiling. I tilt my head ever so slightly eyeing Neffy.
She's not cute... It's already starting.
" What's your name sweetheart?"
Hazel was looking at her like she was going to bite her head off, not impressed by her 'compliment' either.
" Hazel Cullen." She says powerfully directing the aggression towards her.
" Alright! Moving onto the boys!" Neffy hurried off, feeling the tension. We'll need to talk to her after this, never again is she calling us 'cute'.
She took another peice of paper walking to the mic, not even reaching it Jasper was already making his way to the stage. " I volenteer!"
" Look at him!" Neffy squeals. " Your name?"
" Jasper Cassius." He says powerfully into the mic, making it echo nearly.
Neffy smiles, " Your tributes!"
I waste no time grabbing Hazel's hand raising it, Cato does the same with Jasper. Already to a great start.
They shook hands before getting escorted to the justice building for their families to talk to them. Me and Cato made our way to the train with Neffy. All I want to do is just yell at her for saying 'cute' during reapings.
We boarded the train Cato, beating me to it. " Cute?" He questions. " Cute being said in district 2 should never go together." He snipped.
" I'm sorry I didn't think of it as it was coming out." Neffy defended.
" Everyone is going to hang onto that! Do you not understand that?" He yells.
" She was! We can sell cute!"
" No we can't! That makes us look weak. People don't want cute to win, they want blood thirsty."
The two bickered back and fourth, it was annoying. I decide to intervene."You two stop! Neffy... We're not selling cute.I agree, that's opposite of what we're built on. Cato, that's enough-"
" She-" I didn't let him finish.
" CATO. Enough." I say loudly. " It's not being mentioned again, they'll see how they are, they'll rethink cute."
I look out, " Enough, they're coming."
The peacekeepers were escorting the two to the train, you could barley see them all I could see was their curly hair blowing in the wind.
As soon as they stepped in their eyes wondered all around in amazement, or at least until Hazel's eyes met Neffy's.
" Cute? I'll show you what's cute-" She went stomping right up to Neffy lunging at her. " Hey!" I caught her by her shirt pushing her away, " We already talked about it."
" You were worried about us messing up, maybe you should've reviewed with this bobble head." Jasper mocked eyeing Neffy.
" She's the one that will be selling you two, how about a little respect?" Cato warns looking between the two of them. " And,I'm the only one who gets to call her names. I don't disagree with bobble head." He adds making Neffy glare at him.
" How about everyone cools down? Meet back here in an hour to watch the rest of the Reapings. You two go pick a room that's not marked. Take a shower, change, just do something." I say dismissing them.
They agreed, giving Neffy a look when they passed. I let out a sigh watching them as they disappeared down the hall.
She watched them until the door closes." I don't like them." Neffy stated.
" I guess that's the last time you will be using the word cute." I joke. She didn't smile that much-more of a scoff.
" I guess not.. Cato, thanks for defending me.Thpugh it wasn't much of that either."
" Yea, don't mention it." He replied unenthused.
" Well.." Neffy clapped her hands, " They were the best ones you had?"
" I hate to admit, but they are good..very good actually. When training they give us a run." I admit.
She nods, " I'll make sure to point that out to our sponsors. If you excuse me, I want to change into something more appropriate."
" What? Your robot princess outfit isn't comfortable?" Cato jokes.
Neffy pushes past him, " You just wish you had Vutton fashion!" She yells.
" No I'm good!" He yells back, smiling.
I t shake my head." You two are horrible."
He looks at me, " She just makes it to easy."
" Be nice to her, I have a feeling she's going to get enough from those other two."
" I'll think about it."
" Cato.."
" My love."
I scowl at him, " Don't start."
" Start what?" He says so innocently.
I roll my eyes, " Whatever." I to go past him, except he grabs my arm turning me around to face him.
" Wha-" I can't finish my sentence before his lips were on mine. After a couple moment I open my eyes " What was that for?"
He shrugs, " Felt like I haven't done that in forever."
I smile." You just kissed me this morning."
" 5 hours feel like a lifetime."
I chuckle, " I'm going to change."
I go to my room, he goes to his. I opened my door, looks like nothing changed it still smelled like the faint floral scent. My closet and drawers filled with all the new fashions for us " common" people, still with the Capitol spin on it.
I threw on some comfier clothes before going into Cato's room, instantly shivering when I open the door.
" Are all your rooms sub zero?"
He turns around smirking, " Only the ones your in. If your cold I could warm you up?" He suggests winking.
I walk towards him." Again.. don't even start. We need to focus."
He runs his fingers lightly up my arms, " Why? We're not the ones going in the ring."
I take a step away, " Luckily, but I'd rather not be a mentor for multiple years."
He rolls his eyes, " Always so serious. What do you want to talk about?"
I shrug, " Dunno.. Should we have a plan of some sort? Dealing with those two? Tell them anything?"
He thinks for a second, " I don't know what we could tell them, we didn't even see any of the tributes yet. Once we see them we'll have something to say."
" Ok."
" Come on, we have tributes to educate." Cato jokes pecking my lips on the way out, He insisted leading me out his hand locked on mine.
Neff was already by the TV, turning it on when we came back, she was dressed in way 'common' cloths looking like one of us-kinda- it was still very sparkly.
" Oh good! Everyone is starting to come down! I have a good feeling about this year." She chirps still to excited for all of this.
" Let's hope not. I want to retire." I remark sitting on the big sofa, Cato following.
Neffy sighs, " Be optimistic Kaylaya, frowning gives you wrinkles."
" Good thing I'm only 18." I give her a smirk making her roll her eyes in annoyance. " It's a lot year round, it seems you never get a break from all of this."
" Then why don't you switch with the other mentors?"
" Because I never brought home a victor."
" Evie?"
" She was 12, I haven't brought home a victor from our district."
" You will soon." A male's voice spoke out.
We all turn our attention to the doorway, Jasper had a cocky smirk on his face as he strolled in. Hazel looked annoyed following him in. She sits on totally opposite ends of the other chair that was in the main area rolling her eyes.
Their relationship isn't great.
" Why would you want to get away from this? Getting spoiled from the Capitol year after year. You'd be so stupid to do so." He comments popping some small desert in his mouth.
" It's not all glamorous-" Cato grips my hand squeezing it, his eyes me telling me to stop.
Right, we need to make them believe it's all happy and rainbows, never can be to real.
I clear my throat, " You can't have much of a social life, always looking for new prospects it's exhausting."
" For a girl, I bet it is." Jasper smiles.
I think we all nearly choke, did he really just say that?
" Say that again to her, or any girl here and you'll be dead before you even step in that arena, do you hear me?" Cato seethes.
Jasper looks a little taken back, it's a sight to see Cato angry, and terrifying to be the one the anger is coming from.
" Do you understand?" Cato asks again.
All Jasper could do was nod.
" Good."
Thank goodness, Ceasar's annoying voice cut in welcoming everyone back. We all give each other a glance before settling in to look at the screen.
" Welcome to the 77th Hunger games! 77 years...wow! I'm glad to be serving another FABULOUS with you all and look at another group of fresh faces! Without further ado.. District 1!"
It flashes to the fake looking city, I always seem to forget to rich looking it is, and why they are in these games. Their gold banners wave on either side of the stage their Escort all in gold looking around.
They were impressive, both could win this year and that worries me.
The female reminded me of Odessa, that's someone I would rather forget. She seems like she'd act the same.
The boy was typical, tall, huge framed, the only thing that was worth taking notice of was the huge scar running down his face on top of his eye.
He can fight..well I see. No doubt we'll learn where he got that.
Tanzan 1
Serenity 1
" As you already know, they are your allies." Cato says.
" Are you sure? Seems like 2 hasn't been sticking with them the last couple years." Jasper comments looking my way.
" I think you'll fit right in with them." I remark giving a small smile.
" And if they don't want to ally?" Hazel asks her eyes still on the TV.
" They should. Every game needs a career group. We know their mentors well sho it shouldn't be a problem." I comment.
" And 4?" Hazel's eyes were now on me, anticipation in her features. " What is they want to ally with 1?"
I shrug, " Then I guess your having a big career pack. You guys are to good not to have in a group."
" I thought the mentors from 4 hate you?" Jasper says.
" River does."
" Great so we're already targeted." Jasper murmured. " He'll problem tell them to kill us."
" Your not targeted. All tributes don't listen or like their mentors, and most have some brains. They might actually see you as an ally. I'm just saying be smart. It's all strategy, and stay together for as long as you possibly can."
I could see some nervousness from Hazel, She's picking at her fingers. " I wouldn't worry, you'll have allies, and sponsors your from 2."
Our reaping was fine except for the 'Cute' part. I'm sure everyone humored that.
3 seemed smart, really smart. Though they lacked any kind of muscle their heads seemed full.
" They could be a threat."
" How so?" Hazel questioned.
" What they lack is Braun, but they certainly have brain."
" So, we just kill them..easy."
I couldn't help but chuckle, " Their mentor, Beetee he won by electrocuting 3 careers, that's how he won. For the games, it's all strategy you'd be stupid to think otherwise."
" Who wins, kills." Jasper pipes in, again.
" How did Johanna Mason win?" I question.
He just glares.
" She pretended to be weak, not uncommon coming from a poorer district. Finnick, he was young no one ever considered him a threat until they fought him. Ariel Zaks.. she hid until the very end when a career got tangled up with a mutt-"
" And what about Cato?" Jasper questions.
He almost didn' t make it. 12 almost over powered him.
I see him looking at me from the corner of my eye, "He had quick thinking. When he fell, he fought off the mutts and hid behind those boxes. He was always quick. And resourceful."
" What characteristics do you have?" Jasper asks crossing his arms.
" She planned every single thing she did. She also had quick thinking and leadership." Cato defends gripping my thigh.
I couldn't help but smile looking back at Jasper, "Sitting there while her partner died was planned to?" He spit.
My face fell, I liked at his shot sting grin and that was enough for me to get up, this time I was faster then Cato punching him square in the nose.
" Mention him again!" I scream taking the collar of his shirt, slamming him on the floor.
" Kaylaya!" Neffy yells trying to pry my hands off of him.
" Kay.." Cato says grabbing me before I do anything else.
Jasper looks a little dazed wiping the blood trickling from his nose.
" Say sorry!" Neffy squeals at the both of us.
I shake my head, I push out of Cato's grip looking at the kid on the floor. " No.... He's on his own. Since he knows everything." With that I walk to my room.
He's got some nerve, he's on his own, maybe Hazel is to, I haven't decided yet. I felt that stabbing ache, the same ache I felt when I realized he was really gone.
Anger of blaming me, I live with it everyday, the anger knowing I could've done something, the anger knowing it would be me and him here if I didn't listen to him and killed River.
I'll never forgive myself.