Preparation

  AMARA WAS DREADING PREPARING FOR THE interviews that would be taking place. Yet, here she was, on her way to meet Twinkle for "training" when she should have been preparing for the games. She was sucking it up though, if the sponsors didn't like her she would basically be screwed and would die early on.

The girl couldn't help but think how much better Basil would be at all of this.

"Amaranth! Honey, you are late." The Hightower woman walked over, her tall heels clicking on the ground.

"How—" the girl shook her head slightly, putting on a smile. "I'm sorry."

"Hm, don't worry. Just remember we can't be late to the interviews." Twinkle walked over with a pair of heels in her hand, handing it to the girl. "All the women from the districts need to learn to walk in heels."

"This will be useful when I die." Amara took them out of the woman's hand, walking over to a sleek white couch and taking a seat.

"Now, don't pout. The games helps us all." The Hightower woman put her hands together, wrapping one set of fingers around the other.

"I don't pout, I observe." The Reed girl shrugged, sliding each heel on their respective feet. She had seen a pair of them before but had never worn them, or walked on them.

"Now all you have to do is get up, and walk." Twinkle smiled expectantly as Amara got up, the girl immediately falling to her feet making the red haired woman frown.

"Well, I guess i'm going to be doing this for awhile." Amaranth placed her hands on the floor to push herself up, if she received help she would never learn and well, she kind of needed to learn this.

"It's okay, dear. I didn't learn how to walk in a pair of these until well after my infant years." The Hightower woman crossed her arms over her chest. "It's all about the experience."

"Thanks for the wonderful advice." The Reed girl mumbled underneath her breath, shaking her head slightly as she lifted herself up from the floor.

Wearing heels was gonna suck.

  AFTER HOURS OF PRACTICING, AMARA WAS finally kind of walking on her own. Her feet were beginning to swell, and a scab formed on the back of her ankle making her wince. She wasn't amazing at it but it was good enough for the amount of time they had, especially since Lennox was knocking impatiently at the door.

Until he burst in because well, that was just him.

"I've been out there for ages. How hard could it be to walk in those things?" The man asked, a brow raised expectantly as he looked between the two women.

"You want to give it a try?" Amara challenged as she held herself up on the nearby wall.

"See, that's lesson number one. Those fiery comebacks is going to get you killed." The Blaise man took a seat in a chair that looked like it was made for him, his body sinking perfectly into the middle of it.

"Hmph, i'll be on my way, have to show Basil how to properly wear a tie." Twinkle put her hands together, placing them in front of her as she walked off.

"Now that she's gone I can do my job." Lennox pointed at the seat across from him. "Sit."

"Yes master." Amara subtly rolled her eyes, walking slowly towards the chair so she wouldn't fall on her face.

"What did I say about the attitude? They already have a victor with attitude." Blaise crossed his arms. "What the capital wants is a star. Someone who stands out, then they'll help you more. Basil already has the sweetheart down pact."

"What kind of star are you?" Amaranth narrowed her eyes at the man, trying to get some sort of read on him.

"Everyone knows me as the bad boy tribute, there is Beetee Latier, the brains, Finnick Odair, the flirt." Lennox looked into the girl before hims eyes. "So who are you?"

"Amaranth Reed." The girl responded. "I'm not changing for them or anyone else."

The Blaise man simply laughed, sitting back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest.

"Amaranth Reed, the firecracker tribute from district eleven. I can work with that." He spoke.

Maybe it would be easier to get her sponsors
than he thought.

  AS AMARA ENTERED THE TRAINING CENTER, SHE immediately locked eyes with Creed Sparrow. He had just completed the knot tying station and began to walk directly toward her. Apparently the two underdog districts were now partners in crime, something she never expected to happen.

"I was talking to my mentor today." He said in a low voice, ushering the girl over to the corner of the training area were the climbing section was. "He said the audience loves relationships."

"How does that help us?" The Reed girl scanned the area and seen the other tributes looking in her general direction.

"It helps us if you agree to be my girlfriend." Creed wore a slight smile, folding his arms over his chest. "You know, for audience purposes."

"Who is going to believe we fell in love after knowing each other three days?" Amara didn't mind the plan, she just didn't want to be caught in a lie and really didn't just want to be known as the girl who dated another tribute.

"Easy, I was in district eleven when I was little until my dad became a peacekeeper and they moved us all to twelve. The games helped us rekindle our long lost love." The Sparrow man looked upward towards the ladder before him. "And to make it more believable, i'll catch you."

"Seriously—"

"Just trust me." Creed said sincerely, looking upward. "I'm going to do anything I can for the four of us to survive as long as we can."

"How can I just trust you? If I do, i'll be putting my life and Basil's life on the line." Amara said, biting her inner lip nervously. She had been in life or death situations but, she had never been asked out before.

"You can't but I trust you, and Basil, and Mercy." The Sparrow man sighed. "If I die, I need one of the three of you to win."

The Reed girl looked at the boy in front of her for a few seconds before sighing and beginning to climb up the long ladder. She had to trust someone, she needed alliances in a game like this, her and Basil both. So, as she reached to the top, the girl let her foot slip just enough for her to fall.

...and on her way down, she figured if she wasn't caught, this would be a peaceful way to die.

AUTHORS NOTE—
So this chapter was probably the least depressing of the whole entire book, so enjoy that while it lasts

So, How do you feel about Creed?

Hope you enjoyed!