Thunk. I grinned as another one of my knives hit the target board, producing a rewarding noise. My fingers automatically closed around the hilt of another knife, but let go once I recalled Luke's advice from this morning.
"Don't let them see which weapon you're best with. Trust me, they will remember and won't make it easy for you to get your hand on it." He had said through a mouthful of bacon. I wasn't about to ignore his wishes; I realized he was one hundred percent right. Besides, how was two days of practice going to help me? Most of the other tributes who were good with weapons had been training for years. I doubt I could reach their skill level that quickly.
Bending down at the plant station, I tried my hand at sorting berries based on their deathliness. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a flash of light brown hair slicked into a high pony tail. A girl was crouched next to me, sorting through her own pile of berries. At a quick glance I noticed how bad she was at identifying the berries. After taking a longer look, I realized it was because she wasn't even paying attention to her work. She was too busy watching mine.
It was the girl from Ten.
"Alright, I want to know what kind of game you're playing. Are you stalking me or something?" I hissed quietly at the girl, putting enough venom in my voice to show her I meant business, but quietly enough as to not alert the trainers.
She turned her quirky face toward me, her full lips twisting into a grin. I was sure I was going to punch her right there, but I contained myself.
"You know, you should really watch what you say to the other tributes. A little feistiness might get you into some trouble in the arena, am I right?" Her surprisingly quiet voice held a trace of humor, as if she thought it was enjoyable to see me get worked up.
She held up a hand, a sign to let her continue speaking.
"Before you get your panties in a twist, my district partner, Hank, and I are looking for an alliance. Your knife skills aren't too bad, and you seem like you've got fire." Her eyes flickered with enthusiasm. I could immediately tell that she was the more outspoken one of the two, while Hank was the quieter, more observant partner.
"Plus, Hank can tell there's something you're hiding. He says you keep looking over at the obstacle course." She waves her hand dismissively, acting as if she doesn't know what he was talking about. This confirmed my suspicions of Hank's observation skills, and I looked over my shoulder to see him staring intently at the career pack before flicking his gaze over to the weaker tributes, paying equal attention to each tribute.
"Um, I..." My voice came out weak and surprised. I cleared my throat and prepared to give her my final answer, but she stood up quickly.
"Think about it." She gave me a quick wink and sauntered back over to her partner, pulling him closer to her and whispering something into his ear. I openly stared at them, my mind turning.
As I continued my work at the survival stations, I thought about District 10's offer of an alliance. What would Luke say? I found myself asking that a lot, recently. Would Luke tell me to form an alliance? Would he tell me to stay by myself and trust no one, or would he tell me to partner up with someone else?
Deciding something as basic as this should have been done earlier. Why do I have to wait until the last second to make these decisions by myself? I know it was Luke's first year as a mentor, but he was doing worse than Barrick. At least Atlas seemed to have a solid plan, all thanks to Barrick. I could tell which District 9 tribute was preferred to win, and it definitely wasn't me.
I would need someone in the arena to watch my back, no question about that. But who could I trust? District 10 seemed reliable and capable, but I wasn't sure how legitimate their offer was.
The lunch bell rang, and I had made my decision.
I could feel Hank's eyes following me as I entered the cafeteria. Evading the harsh glances of the Careers, I made my way over to the food, grabbing a tray and throwing a few things onto my plate. I passed Moe on my way to my seat, returning her tiny smile she offered as I walked by.
"I'm in." I announced as I placed my tray next to my new alliance. Hank looked up at me with a knowing expression, as if he knew what I would say all along. Meanwhile, his district partner let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Awesome. I'm Laurette, and as you already know, this is Hank." As she introduced herself I had just realized that I didn't even know her name. I didn't even know the Careers' names, let alone any of the other tributes. The last thing I wanted was to get to know people before I had to fight against them, but I felt guilty for not even knowing the names of those who would need to die in order for me to survive. Suddenly, the thought of an alliance didn't seem as appealing as it originally had.
Hank smiled fondly at Laurette as she launched into a dramatic story of her first run in with the careers on the elevator. Apparently, she made quite the impression on them with her 'amazing wit' and 'intelligent sarcasm'.
"I'm surprised they didn't slit her throat then and there." Hank cut in, offering up the first sentence I had ever heard him speak. "In fact, if she made one more remark about their lack of brains or their idiotic tendencies, I would have done it myself." He teased her, lightly nudging her shoulder.
Laurette frowned in response, then began to launch into another story about Hank on the train.
"Did you two know each other before the Reapings?" I interrupted Laurette's story. I wasn't even paying attention, and I was genuinely curious about their past. Between the ways the District 10 tributes were acting, they definitely seemed comfortable with each other. Hank wasn't the only one who could observe.
As soon as the question left my mouth, I instantly regretted it. Both Laurette and Hank stiffened immediately and shifted an inch or two away from each other. Subtle, but enough that I noticed it.
"No, we just met on the train. Why do you ask?" Laurette asked harshly, narrowing her eyes and leaning forward toward me in a menacing manner.
"I was just asking. Why so defensive?" I retorted, throwing her attitude right back at her. Hank placed a large hand on her shoulder, pulling her back.
"I think lunch is almost over. We'll talk strategy tomorrow." Hank firmly stated, guiding Laurette away from our table and back into the training room.
--
"You what!?" Luke yelled, pacing back and forth, hands in his hair. I had finally worked up the nerve to tell him about my alliance with District 10, and he wasn't taking it too well. I had expected him to be a bit angry about the fact that I went ahead and formed an alliance without consulting him, but I hadn't expected him to get this worked up. He never had a temper before. He used to be the calm and collected one, while I was the one with the short fuse. Unfortunately, the more time I spent with him the more I picked up on the countless ways the Games had changed him.
"You can't do things like this without talking to me, Juliet!" His eyes met mine with an angry glare, using my full name and throwing down his glass cup in exaggeration. It shattered on the floor, causing Hilda to squeal and quickly back out of the room. "Not only am I your mentor, but I'm also your friend! I'm here to help you and guide you, but you're too stubborn to realize that."
My temper flared at his intense reaction. He claimed he was there for me, and I had tried to see things from his perspective, but I was getting sick of his hot and cold attitude.
"Obviously you don't understand, Luke! I think I know what is best for myself. I trust these people. They won't stab me in the back, literally or figuratively." I argued, stomping my foot.
"Do you even hear yourself right now? You have absolutely no way of knowing that! If I were as trusting and naïve as you're being right now, I wouldn't have made it out of that arena alive." His voice cracked, but I wasn't about to back down so easily.
Luke slammed his fist into the wall beside him, not fazed one bit as it cracked and split under the weight of his punch. My anger built up even more at his dig, enraged that he had the guts to call me naïve after everything I was going through.
"I can do what I want! It's my decision that matters!" Grabbing the nearest picture frame on the table beside me, I chucked it at his head, using pure force and no aim. To my surprise, the corner of the wooden frame collided into his forehead, right above his eyebrow. Luke stared me down, too furious to notice or care about the cut that appeared above his eye. A thin line of blood made its way down his face, and he wiped away, breathing heavily.
"You're my tribute! As your mentor, I can't just give up on you and let you do as you please. I'm the one with the experience here, and I think you need to remember that."
"As my mentor? As my mentor? I wish you weren't my mentor! I don't want a mentor! I want a friend. But you're too worried about yourself. Your selfish, and you're ignoring me to protect yourself. And now, suddenly you're acting like you control me, because you're too scared to let me handle anything on my own." I spat, my gaze boring into his in an intense stare down.
Luke turned away from me, storming off to his room and slamming the door behind him. As the sound of his door slamming shut echoed through the hallway on our floor, it was like a slap in the face. I immediately felt guilty. It wasn't fair of me to go out of my way to trust an alliance when Luke's first alliance actually did turn on him in the arena. I pushed him too far, but I still didn't feel any remorse about making my own decisions. I was too stubborn to let go of my pride and say sorry, so I did the only thing I could think of: stomp over to my room and slam the door as well.
I heard murmurs coming from the kitchen, and I immediately knew Hilda, Barrick, and Atlas had been listening. I don't know why Luke and I suddenly seemed to disagree about everything. We were both stubborn in our own way, and after 10 years of friendship, we knew that all too well. But here, in the Capital, it seemed as if every argument was a million times worse than our subtle spats we used to get in. I didn't understand why he couldn't see that I needed him to be there for me and support me, not direct me.
I though back to our lives before we were affected by the Hunger Games. I wasn't exactly popular in District 9, but I wasn't hated. It was no secret that I wasn't a girly-girl. I was always dressed in lose, comfortable clothing and played sports with the boys. The few female friends I had constantly told I was pretty and could be beautiful if I tried, but things like makeup and dresses didn't interest me. I preferred to be covered in dirt than covered in glitter.
People became way more interested in me when my best friend came back as a victor. Luke and I had always been closer than any of our other friends, but it was hard for me to approach him when he returned. I was getting to the age where I realized I couldn't stay one of the guys forever. I had always thought that I would grow up, fall in love, and live a comfortable life, whether it was with Luke or someone else.
I never thought Luke would be reaped. And when he was, I never thought he would make it through one of the toughest games of all time, killing 7 people. It wasn't as if he had sought out tributes to kill, he was just constantly put in life or death situations. Kill, or be killed. I didn't want to see him become a murderer, but I would never judge him for doing what he had to do.
When he first came back, I thought he had changed completely, and I hated him for it. In his interviews, he had changed from the sweet, childish boy I used to know to an arrogant, self-centered man. I found out later he was acting, but it didn't make me hate him any less. Part of me had held onto hope that when he game back, things would return to normal.
It wasn't until after his victory tour that he finally worked up the nerve to knock on my door. After an extremely awkward reunion, it seemed as if things were changing back to the way they used to be between us.
Luke was right, I was naïve.
With a heavy heart, I dragged my body toward the shower and hoped I would get a few hours of sleep.
--
Breakfast was awkward. Everyone pretended as if nothing had happened the night before, but Luke and I remained mostly silent. Although I tried not to look at Luke, I couldn't help but notice the bandage above his eye. It definitely didn't help that Atlas continued to stare me down, a disgusting smirk portraying his amusement at my discomfort.
I quickly scarfed down my breakfast, much to Hilda's discontent, and prepared for my third and final day of training. Glancing at my watch, I entered the elevator ten minutes early, going up one floor instead of down nine.
"Right on time, I see. I guess we made a good choice, right Hank?" Laurette teased, stepping into the elevator. If she had hostility toward me about yesterday, she didn't show it. Hank followed behind her, flashing me a quick smile. Thankfully, we didn't encounter any other tributes on the way down and were able to talk strategy. It was decided that we would all run as close to the Cornucopia as we could get, hopefully each snagging a bag. I didn't think it was the best plan to run straight into danger, but it was worth the risk. If we didn't get any supplies, we wouldn't survive very long. I was hoping I could discuss the strategy with Luke, but after his reaction to my alliance and our fight there was no way I would bother to bring it up.
My allies and I entered the training room, prepared to practice a few things before our sessions with the game makers. Laurette, Hank, and I prepared to go to the first aid station, but we were stopped by a group of muscular tributes.
"What District are you from, District 12?" The tan, dark-haired female at the head of the pack sneered toward the other tributes in my alliance, barely noticing me standing beside them.
"What's it to you, Essie?" Laurette sasses back, twisting her face into an equally menacing expression.
"Don't use my name, Bloodbath. See you in the arena." She pushes past our group, motioning for the other Careers to follow. I noticed the giant Four etched on her back and was immediately surprised. Usually the Careers from District 4 were the weakest tributes, but this girl seemed cunning and as if she had equal amount of brains and brawn. She wasn't the muscle of the group, that appeared to be District 2, but she seemed twice as deadly.
"We really need to watch out for her." Hank let out a low whistle, speaking what was on everyone's minds. I was glad she hadn't noticed me, as it just made me less of a target. It still stung a bit that she deemed me so pathetic that I wasn't even worth her attention. Laurette and I let out murmurs of agreement as we began our work at the first age station.
I was the first to back out. I knew I wouldn't be able to be of any help with wounds in the arena considering I was extremely bad with blood. That fact alone would probably end up getting me killed, which is why I was glad I had Laurette and Hank watching my back. Laurette wasn't too shabby at stitching up wounds, and Hank was handy with natural remedies and poisons.
I actually did trust them. I felt close enough to them in the short amount of time we had known each other, and they didn't seem like the type to stab me in the back. Of course, looks can be deceiving, but I didn't understand why I would be asked into an alliance if they were planning on betraying me. Between the two of them, they had everything covered, and I'm pretty sure they just wanted safety in numbers and someone they could trust without putting a target on their backs. And obviously, I wasn't a target.
There was one thing that bothered me, and that was their secrets. They were constantly giving each other glances, as if they knew something I didn't. They certainly seemed as if they knew each other, and it bugged me that they wouldn't let me in on whatever they were doing. I hoped they weren't plotting something against me, but I didn't want to portray any distrust by accusing them.
"Alright Tributes, it's time for your private training sessions. Please exit to the room toward the north exit, and take a seat on the bench marked with your number." The head trainer spoke firmly over the microphone, causing my stomach to do a complete flip. I needed to show everyone, including Luke, my alliance, and Atlas, that I wasn't weak.
"Good luck, Juliet. Do your best." Laurette whispered to me as we walked into the waiting room. The District 10 tributes sat down on their bench, and I noticed Laurette was shaking. Hank placed his hand in hers, and began talking to her in a hushed voice. I looked away, knowing it wasn't my place to listen in on their conversation.
"Hey, Julsey. You ready to do some pretty little flips for the Gamemakers?" Atlas teased, his condescending tone making me tense up.
"You don't know what I'm going to do, Atlas." I replied with indifference, attempting to turn away and ignore him.
Atlas stared ahead, a smirk playing on his lips as he continued the conversation in a casual tone. "Oh, but I do. You don't think I know what you can do? I know your strengths and your weaknesses, although there is definitely more of the latter."
I rolled my eyes so hard I was sure they would pop out of my sockets, but on the inside, I felt sick.
"You and Luke aren't the only ones on our floor, you know. I hear everything you talk about, and I know what plans you have." He continued, relaxed and confident as ever.
"We never discussed what I'm showing the Gamemakers." I hissed back, giving him the reaction he was waiting for.
"There isn't much else you can do besides swinging on a few tree branches and landing on your feet." He snickered at his own remark. I stayed quiet, but I was silently fuming. We may not have spoken to each other at home, but my favorite pastime hadn't exactly been a secret and I wasn't surprised by his knowledge.
The District 1 male was finally called in, and the room grew silent. All conversations ended and the tributes sat in silence, each contemplating their own sessions.
The District 1 female was called next. She flipped her shimmering red hair over her shoulders and crept into the room. I was surprised she wasn't blonde, but she still had the same overly perky and seductive personality as most of District 1.
As the tributes from District 2 were called in, I couldn't help but shudder. Both the girl, Aida, I think her name was, and the boy, Al, were tall, thick boned, and extremely muscular. They both carried themselves in the same way: strong yet slow, ruthless but unintelligent.
After the weird, skinny kid from District 3 stumbled out of the room, Moe was next. She glanced back on her way into the room, her eyes meeting mine. I was caught off guard by the amount of determination in her eyes, and more importantly, by the lack of fear.
I paid special attention to the District 4 tributes. The male seemed nervous and was pacing back and forth before he was ushered into the room. Essie sat still, watching the other tributes with a cold and calculating eye before she walked calmly into the room once her name was called. I kept my head down and managed to avoid direct eye contact.
I pitied District 5. Usually they had the sneakiest tributes, but this year they had some of the youngest ones. A scrawny 14-year old on tripped his way over toward the door, while the poor 12-year old girl was full on sobbing. She sniffled her way into the hearts of some of the non-career tributes including mine. Still, there was a gleam in her eye and I couldn't tell if it was her fear, or if it was something else. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. Now I was just being paranoid. I couldn't believe I was suspicious of a poor, twelve-year-old blood bath tribute.
District 6 passed by in a blur, and I didn't even pay attention to its tributes. A poor mistake on my part, but I was too worried about my own life to worry about theirs.
Before I knew it, Atlas stood up, and I glanced up surprised. I didn't even hear them call his name. He gave me a wink before confidently striding over to the Avox who was waiting to lead him to the room. I looked down at my hands, and waited what was possibly the longest fifteen minutes of my life.
"Juliet Breyer, District 9." A smooth voice announced over the speakers. I shakily stood up, returned Hank's nod, and entered the room that would most likely hold the key to my life or death.