| " W A T C H   O U T . " |

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After my talk with Tristan last night, I feel like I know him so much more. Well, I do know him a lot more. But i know one thing for sure, when I get into the arena, he's my ally.

I don't care what the careers, my mentors, my escort, or Zach say about Tristan. He's my ally, period. At this point, it's not even up for debate.

I drag myself from my bed, and get dressed in my training outfit. I throw my hair up in a high ponytail, and head for the dining room. Today, I'll probably have to have breakfast with the careers. But in the middle, I'll have to head to the training center.

It doesn't phase me anymore, that Ceneca Crane wants me to win. For all I know, he could be lying. He could put mutts on my trail in the games, and kill me off immediately, that is if I don't die in the bloodbath.

Normally, deaths from a natural occurance is one out of eight. The other seven reasons for the death of tributes are:

1) Slaughter
2) Dehydration
3) Infection
4) Climate change
5) Suicide
6) Mutts
7) Blood Loss

I would personally prefer suicide, so I die quickly.

"Well, I assume you will be staying for breakfast." Heredia says, strutting around in her brand new outfit. She looks like a unicorn threw up on her. She is literally looking like a rainbow right now.

"You assume right." I say, sitting down at the huge dining table. "But I have to leave in the middle of breakfast, I have... somewhere to be." She sighs, sitting in the chair opposite of me.

I stare at her, waiting for a lecture.

"Taylor, these tributes are careers. They're your allies. You can't let that go just because you want freedom. During these games, you'll need them-"

"You think I'm weak, don't you?" I ask, cutting her off. I chuckle half-heartedly. "That's really pathetic, Heredia. I'm just as good with a weapon than they are, if not, better. And with all these negative comments you're giving me, I really think that I shouldn't have allies."

I cross my arms over my chest, and lean back in my chair.

"I mean, come on. Do you have any confidence in me winning?" I question. I scoff when she just stares at me, and opens her mouth to speak, but closes it again, looking at the floor. "That's what I thought." I whisper.

I stand up from my chair, and walk towards the stairs, skipping breakfast.

"Where are you going?" Elaina asks just as she enters the room.

"It doesn't matter." I say, and slam the door behind me, before getting into the elevator. On my way to the training center, I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing I could just go home.

I'm just a girl wanting to go home . . .

I move swiftly from the elevator, and pace myself quickly, trying to get to the training center before anyone can see me.

As I open the doors, and I walk in, I see Ceneca already leaning on the balcony, looking down at me. I smile up at him, earning one back.

"I see you took my advice." He speaks, gesturing to the center.

"I see you waited on me," I raise an eyebrow.

"That I did." He replies. "Now show me your skills with knives. I've heard rumors that you're talented with them."

"That I am." I say, mocking his words, much to hide amusement. He smirks.

I pick up five knives, slipping three into my belt.

Clearing my mind, I throw the knives as quick as I can, each landing in the chest of a seperate dummy. When I'm finished, I look up to see Ceneca with his eyebrows raised.

"Wow. You definitely have a talent with knives." He pauses. "But I think you're holding back."

"What?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Did something happen this morning? A fight? The breaking of allies?" He questions carefully.

"A fight," I answer, sighing. "Heredia doesn't think that I have enough potential to even get through the first five minutes in the arena. I stormed out of quarters this morning."

Ceneca walks off of the balcony, and into a room, emerging in a door not too far from me. He stands in front of me, looking down at me.

"Heredia hasn't saw you like I've saw you. You have major skills and talents with weapons.  She has never truly been put in the situation to guess who's going to win. And because you're a sixteen year old girl, she doesn't believe that you can make it on your own.

"But I know otherwise. I think that you can win- in fact I know you can win. You just have to play your cards right." He says.

"And if I don't?" I ask softly.

"You could lose the game," He says. "So I'd expect for you to do what you have to do. It doesn't matter who your allies are anymore. It's about staying alive... surviving."

"I still don't think I can do that. If I do win, I won't have anyone. Zach will be gone, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"Winning always comes with the price of losing." He smiles sympathetically.

"I don't know what I'll do when I lose Zach. It's not helping that I'm getting closer to Tristan."

"Then don't get close to him. Let him go before anything happens- before you can't live without him. It's happened before. The tributes become best friends, and kill themselves after their allies are dead.

"It's hard to watch, but I understand why they'd do it." He finishes.

"Should I do that?" I ask.

"It's the best option. I might be able to get you and Zach out of the games, to win. But I would have to convince President Snow."

"Is that possible?"

"Of course it is. I'm the head game maker, and in this job you learn that anything is possible." He answers. "Is think it's time you get back to your quarters. Stark might as questions that you won't be able to answer."

"Okay. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then." I give him one last smile before turning, and walking towards the door. Ceneca stays in his place, watching me exit.

"Oh, and Taylor?"

"Yes?" I ask, turning back to him, pausing in my place.

"Watch out for Cato." With that, he walks through the back door, leaving me alone.

What does that mean?

Watch out for Cato?

Why?

___♕___

When I get back to my quarters, I am greeted by Cato, Clove, Glimmer, Marvel, and Zach.

"I guess skipping breakfast is a new tradition for you, isn't it?" Zach asks. I roll my eyes.

"Where is everyone?" I ask, looking around the room.

"They're talking in the back room. Game plans." He answers, getting a nod from me.

"We should get to the training center. We don't want to let those other tributes to steal our weapons, do we?" Glimmer questions, smirking.

"When we walk in, they'll just throw the weapons down and run. We're careers, we're intimidating to them." Clove says to Glimmer. "So it doesn't matter when we get there. We'll get our weapons no matter what."

"Lets go anyway. I need to learn a few things about edible foods. I have yet to understand the difference between night lock and a blueberry." Marvel laughs.

After gathering into the elevator, and getting in the training center, I look for a place to train.

"Having trouble?" Peeta asks from behind me.

"Yeah, I don't know what to do. I know practically everything for the games already. I don't think I can prepare much more."

"You can learn a few more tricks." He says. He pulls me towards the painting section of the room, and sits me down in a chair.

"What are we doing?" I ask.

"I'm going to teach you how to paint camouflage." He smiles.

"Why?"

"So you can use it in the games." He replies, and starts to paint his hand with green and brown paints.

"No, I mean why are you helping me?" I question him. He looks at me for a moment, then goes back to painting.

"You're the only friend I have here. You actually talk to me while other people want to kill me." He answers. As I watch him paint, his hand starts to look more and more like bark on a tree

"That's amazing." I mutter as he finishes. He places his hand on a tree behind him, his hand blending in. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"Back home in twelve." He says. "My parents are bakers. I used to decorate the cakes and pastries with icing."

"Wow." I say.

"Taylor!" Cato yells from the other side of the center, grabbing my attention. He motions for me to go over to him, but I look at Peeta hesitantly.

"Is it okay if I . . . ?" I trail off, nodding in Cato's direction. He nods.

"It's fine." He waves it off.

"It's promise I'll spend the day with you tomorrow." I say. He smiles again, and I return it. I jog to Cato, wondering why he'd need me.

"What is it?" I ask as I reach him.

"Don't hang out with twelve." He warns, scowling at Peeta. Katniss walks over to Peeta, and looks at his hand as he continues to paint. He places it on the tree, like he did earlier when he showed me.

"Why not?"

"They're the enemy, Taylor. You don't conspire with the enemy." He says.

"He's not the 'ememy,' Cato. We're all just in here, trying to get home."

"He could kill you in the games while you have your back turned." He points out.

"So could you. So could Clove. So could Marvel and Glimmer. Hell, Zach could even kill me while my head is turned." I retort. "It's not like it matters, anyway. If my chances are based upon what people say, I'll be the first one dead."

"You can trust me, Taylor. I promise that." He says softly. "It's him you can't trust. And Katniss."

"I'll be fine, you guys just have to trust me," I say. "I know what I'm doing."

"I hope so." He mutters, and walks away.

I sigh heavily, and watch him as he joins Clove, Glimmer, Marvel, and Zach at the spears station.

Why is everyone so against me?

As I spot Tristan, I smile to myself. He's next to Tamora, his District partner, watching the boy from District nine and the girl from District five, fight in hand-to-hand combat.

I sprint over to him, and jump onto his back. He chuckles, knowing it's me, and wraps his arms around my thighs, keeping me on his back. I giggle as Tamora turns to us, with raised eyebrows.

"Hello." I chime.

"Hello." She answers. "I'm Tamora."

"Taylor." I reply, nodding at her. "Are you guys having fun?"

"Not really. Waiting for a certain death that's to come in an arena filled with children, isn't a very fun thing." She shakes her head.

"I never really thought about that." I say, earning a laugh from her.

"I see you two are going to be friends." Tristan says, still keeping me on his back.

"Yep." I say, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. "You're strong, ya know? I can't believe you can actually hold me on your back."

"Are you saying that I'm weak?" He questions.

"Yes. Well- I used to think you were weak. But know that I know you can pick me up, you aren't a weakling anymore."

I pat him on the head, and jump down from his back.

"This is boring." I whine.

"You want to fight?" Tamora asks, a twinkle in her eye.

"Combat? Sure." I say as the District nine boy and the District five leave the combat station.

"Are you sure about this, Tay?" Tristan asks hesitantly. "Tamora is strong."

"I'm positive. The worst that could happen is my ass getting beat."

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