PEARL WAS ZONING OUT AS CASSANDRA LECTURED HER ABOUT THE TRAINING AREA.
This is pointless. Pearl has lived this nightmare, and had to survive the training sessions. Her rebellious acts unintentionally got her a higher score than the other tributes.
It was her trident throwing that first caught the Careers' attention. That's how she faked her way into their pack.
It was in this room that she met people that changed her life. Apollo had approached her on the third day of training, and she has formed a bond with Opal on the second day.
Two souls who never deserved death.
Two kids who were forced to become bloodthirsty.
Although it's true that Pearl was one of the oldest tributes, it still feels like she lost her childhood. As a young girl, she spent most of her time worrying about dying in the arena.
And she made it. Pearl was selected and she had become a victor. She expected her life after victory to go completely back to normal, and for herself to be revived. She wouldn't have to worry about being reaped again.
Everything just became worse. Pearl feels like an idiot for expressing her negative opinions about Coriolanus. If she didn't, would he even care about her existence?
Pearl made herself stand out, and that was a mistake. She let herself fall for a corrupted man who wants nothing more than for her to obey his every command.
Pearl let Coriolanus's charm blind her, and for moments at a time she would forget that he was president of Panem. She would forget that he is the main reason children are still being sent to die every year.
And for just a second, she forgot that he killed her family.
"You understand that you and the other Gamemakers will have to assess the overall performance of each tribute, correct?" Cassandra asks.
Pearl comes back to life. "Yeah."
Cassandra is talking to one of the other training instructors as Pearl creeps her way around the weapon section. She would rather have a trident, but a dagger is the only thing small enough to easily slip into her pocket.
Pearl's eyes widen when she doesn't see any tridents. They've always been a weapon option, so why isn't there any? Strange.
Pearl blinks as she gets a good look at the other 'training instructor's. He's not who she thought she saw out of the corner of her eye.
James, the solider who shot her, is standing in front of Cassandra. For a second, Pearl thinks she is hallucinating because she knows Coriolanus took care of him.
He was tortured.
But James looks like his skin was never scarred.
She's been staring for too long, and their eyes lock. Pearl can't tell if he feels sinister or terrified. He would have ended her life if Coriolanus wasn't there.
The sad fact is that Pearl's life is almost nothing right now. She is forced to abide to the rules of the Capitol, and always under Coriolanus's watchful eye.
James completely stops his conversation, his lips curling into disgust. "What is she doing here?"
Cassandra is likely unaware of what James did to her. No one in their right mind would have put them in the same room if they knew of their past history.
"She's completing her final training as a Head Gamemaker."
James actually snorts. He's laughing while looking her up and down like a judge. "It completely makes sense to put a rebel as our Head Gamemaker. What the hell was Snow thinking?"
Pearl doesn't exactly support anything about Coriolanus, but she will surely do anything to put someone as awful as James in his place.
He stands much taller than her, but Pearl looks more powerful in every way. "I'm sure you know the extent of Coriolanus and I's relationship, yes?"
James snickers.
"Or did you not notice his concern when you shot me?"
Pearl smirks, her hand colliding with his chest. James stumbles back as Cassandra watches in disbelief.
"I could easily get him to end your life at any moment," Pearl whispers. "I would watch how you speak to me, James."
Cassandra comes in between them. "That's enough." Pearl can tell she's on edge as she looks at James. "You shot her?"
James, who is clearly frightened, says quietly, "It's a long story."
James leaves the training area without another word, and Pearl feels satisfied. He got the scare he needs.
But then again, Pearl feels like the monster the Games made her into. Her voice was threatening, and she looked like she was hunting down her prey.
If Pearl felt guilty talking back to James, how could she go through with killing the man she loves?
This wasn't going to be easy.
DAY ONE OF TRAINING
A hand traces Pearl's arm. The hair on her skin goes up as lips explore her fair skin. Pearl is holding her breath as Coriolanus does what he does every morning.
Everything feels different again. It feels like how it did when she first arrived at the Capitol. Pearl has this nervous tingle in her stomach knowing that she is going to do something terrible to him.
Coriolanus eventually climbs out of the bed and Pearl follows. "I have to go fulfill my duties, and you have to go to training. Want me to bring you there, rose?"
Pearl gulps. "Sure."
It's still a shock to everyone when they walk together through the halls. Everyone's eyes follow the President and Head Gamemaker.
Pearl can hear chatter between the tributes, and she wonders what will lie in front of her once she opens that door.
And when she does, she feels the deja vu come on. It's an identical parallel to where she was one year ago. For a moment, Pearl feels like she is getting ready to train for the games that destroyed her life.
The weapons are sharpened, and children are scurrying around trying to figure out how they are going to survive the hellhole of an arena.
The room goes silent once she walks in, aside from a couple of whispers. Cassandra greets Pearl and bows when she sees Coriolanus.
Pearl receives strange looks as Coriolanus kisses her goodbye.
"I'll see you later, my rose. Don't forget our dinner together."
Pearl nods, and takes a deep breath.
And then of course, she has to make eye contact with someone across the room. Someone with dirty blonde hair and a determined expression. Someone who stands in front of the group of Careers.
Cassandra goes off to work one of the training stations, and Asher must recognize her because he won't stop staring.
Asher Hatchet must be a nightmare coming back to haunt Pearl. There's no other reason why he would be here.
Apollo's dead, and it's her fault.
The entire Hatchet family must hate her. The girl who selfishly took away the victory from their selfless son.
Apollo was never a monster like the rest of the Careers, but he was forced to act like one. He cared for her, and he cared for everyone. He was just fighting to save his life just like everyone else.
But in the end, he chose her. Apollo chose her over victory.
Pearl tries to escape the training room, but it's too late. Asher tells the Careers to wait while he jogs over to her.
"You're Pearl. You knew my brother."
Pearl nods, the tears swirling around like a rainstorm in her eyes. "Apollo."
"But now you're the Head Gamemaker. How could you work with them after you had to experience the games?"
A tear falls down Asher's face, and Pearl forgets thinks for a second that she's talking to Apollo's ghost.
"I'm going to die in that arena. I don't even stand half the chance that Apollo did."
Pearl can see the inflicting pain spread across his face, and she knows that so many tributes must feel like this.
Because she sure did.
It's the fear of going into the arena and never leaving. It's like falling into a dark void and getting lost there for eternity.
Pearl never fully left that void. She may be in a better place than the arena, but she is nowhere near where she used to be.
All alone, except for Coriolanus. Coriolanus Snow, who is supposed to be her significant other. Whether she likes it or not.
"You won't die, Asher. Every night I wake up and wish that someone else left that arena in my place. Sometimes I wish my friend Opal was alive instead, but I think about Apollo the most."
Pearl smiles thinking of him. No matter who it is, it's hard to see the people around you die one by one. But he was special.
"He had so much good in him. As a Career, you're expected to be brutal and merciless. Apollo wasn't a monster, and you aren't either. But you need to try your best to survive."
Asher smiled, but still looks uneasy. "You never answered my question. Why are you helping the Capitol if you know how horrible they are?"
"I don't have a choice. I'm trying to stop," Pearl whispers. She's terrified that someone will hear and report her.
Asher raises an eyebrow. "Because of him?"
Pearl nods. "You should get going before the other Careers get suspicious. Let me know if you need help."
"Thank you." And Pearl can tell Asher means it.
"Good luck, District 2."
Pearl hears the faint voice of Apollo, but knows it's only in her head. "Good luck to you too, District 4."
Pearl tried to shake off the indescribable feeling she got from that encounter. Asher could die, and there's nothing she can do about it.
Just like Apollo. She'll sit and watch as an important life is taken. When will Pearl ever be able to a make a big difference like she wanted to?
She has two days to get rid of Coriolanus. As soon as the games start, she'll have no chance against him. That's when the Capitol is at its craziest point.
After some time in the training room, Pearl knows that it is time for her to go to dinner with Coriolanus.
Should she do it there?
Pearl walks into the dining room that is complete with lit candles and rose petals across the table. Coriolanus is sitting at a chair and turns when he sees her walk in.
Her left hand clutches onto the dagger in the pocket of her dress.