| " P R O T E C T I V E . " |

___♔___

By the time that everyone arrived in the training center, I was feeling sick.

Could it really abandon Cato- ignore him? The answer still wasn't clear to me, even if I did tell Ceneca I would. But he's the gamemaker. Gamemakers know what they're doing.

Don't they?

"What's wrong, Tay?" Clove asks, standing in front of me. With our height being the same, I was able to look right into her eyes without having to look up or down.

"Nothing. Just thinking about the private sessions." I lie.

"Don't worry. You'll probably get the highest score, no need to worry." She sooths.

If only she really knew what is going on in my mind . . .

"Thanks." I decide to change the subject. "So who's on your kill list?"

As Clove rambles on about the people she wants to kill and how she wants to kill them, I find myself staring at Cato. I feel like I can't not talk to him, if that makes sense. I mean- he understands me. Am I really ready to just give up?

"... hopefully by then, she'll be dead." Clove finishes. "I just want to rip her to shreds right now." She hisses, staring at the girl from District eight.

"She looks pretty intimidating, but I'm sure you can take her on." I nod. "No way she has a chance against you."

"I know, right? I'll make sure she begs for me to end her life by the time I'm through with her." She twirls a knife around her fingers. "I can't wait for my knife to sink into her forehead."

I almost gag as I imagine it, the blood pouring from that girl's head. She doesn't deserve to die. None of these people do.

"Yeah . . . " I trail off.

"Why is he looking over here?" Clove growls, looking behind me. I furrow my eyebrows as I turn. To see Peeta.

"He's my friend." I say. He gives me a polite and warm smile before he looks at Clove, then looks away.

"You can't be friends with him, Taylor. He could turn on you in the games, and you wouldn't even have a second thought before he stabs you in the back. Literally." She says. I sigh, and answer, not wanting to argue.

"Okay. You're right." I say. She nods, and starts to talk about non-imporant topics as I act like I listen to her.

Tristan is across the room with Tamora and the guy from District seven, learning about edible foods. Cato along with the other careers and Zach are competing at who can throw a spear the best. Peeta is with Katniss, in a line to climb the ropes that are layed across the ceiling.

As I notice it, everyone gathers in a line to get to the ropes, as Atala tells us to. I huff, and step into the line, but somehow end up at the end. One at a time, each tribute tries to accomplish the task of climbing across the ropes, and getting to the end without falling.

Rue is one of the first tributes, along with the boy from District four. Glimmer, the boy from District nine, and Marvel are in the next few spots.

With seventeen tributes that have already tried the challenge, only the careers and Katniss Everdeen have succeeded. Zach is up next, and I can already tell that he has this in the bag. Back home in three, Zach would train for everything.

He moves quickly and smoothly, going from one rope to the other within seconds. After around two minutes, he's finished. See? I told you he would get it. Eighteen down, six more to go.

As Tamora, starts out on the first rope, I cross my fingers, hoping that she can do it. Behind her are Peeta and Tristan, followed by two more tributes, then me. The girl in front of me is the girl from District seven, and the boy in front of her is from District eleven, Thresh.

One after another, the tributes in front of me make it across the ropes. Until it's my turn. With sweaty hands, I climb onto the stool, and grab hold of the first rope. Zach watches desperately as I start climbing from the second rope, to the third.

I can feel the careers and my other allies, along with a few other tributes, watching me carefully. Damn, this is a lot of pressure. But to my surprise, I finish the course faster than any other tribute that completed the task.

Yay.

No sarcasm intended.

"Nice job." Tristan says.

"You too, I saw you climb without even taking a second guess. You're practically a natural." I wave it off.

"Thanks." He takes a step closer to me. "I think your crew is murdering me with their eyes."

I focus my attention on Cato, Zach, Marvel, Glimmer, and Clove, and see that they aren't very happy. They're furious.

"Don't worry about it. They're just protective." I scoff. "It's stupid."

"I get it." He shrugs.

"It's guess I should get back to them before they get any ideas of actually murdering you." I chuckle, making him grin.

"Same time, same place." He whispers in my ear before walking away.

Same time, same place?

Ohhhhhh . . . okay.

He wants me to meet him on the balcony after dinner.

Ah shit.

"Rain check!" I yell without meaning to. Tristan turns to look at me. "Just meet me on the balcony at ten. I have plans with my stylist." He nods, still smiling, and watches as I get to the careers.

Glimmer begins teaching me how to shoot a bow and arrow, with Marvel right next to me.

"I really don't think hanging out with him is the best decision." Marvel mutters.

"I think it is a good decision." I say, pulling back an arrow. I let it fly, and watch it pierce into the chest of the dummy, mentally fist bumping myself.

"If only you knew . . . "

___♕___

At dinner, pointless conversations are passed around. Why? I'd don't know.

"Now, we need to have a serious talk." Ross says. "Before I drag Taylor out for designing her dress, I think we need to go over important things such as the private sessions in two days."

"Wait, I thought the interviews were two days after the private sessions." I butt in.

"Not this year. They changed it a few years ago." Heredia answers.

"Now, lets get back on topic. It won't be very easy, considering they judge hard. But mostly, it's Ceneca Crane's decision on what score you get. Make him like you, at any cost. You need to show your best skills, and impress them. Give them what they want: a winner."

"That was an award winning speech." I say, clapping as I stand from my chair. Zach rolls his eyes, and pulls me back to my seat. I frown, glaring at him.

"For the interviews, we need to roll play." Stark starts.

"I know, we've already went over this." I say. "Well, with Enobaria and Brutus, anyway. I'm going to be confident and astute. It's something that will get tons of sponsors."

"You need to make yourself a little more vulnerable. Give them a reason to bet on you, show them that you actually have feelings. You can't expect for you to win if you're too overly confident and don't care. Look at Johanna Mason, for example.

"She's a victor because even though she has a running mouth, she kept it shut before she was in the games. When she got into that arena, she took out her rage out on her victims, the other tributes." Elaina rambles.

"Okay, I got it."

"Anything else?" Zach asks.

"Yes. While Taylor is designing her dress with Ross, we'll be having a conversation over what role you'll play at the interviews." Stark answers, sipping his coffee. Why is he drinking coffee at night? I have no idea.

"Lets go, Taylor." Ross says, pulling me from my chair. Without another word, I follow Ross to his designing room. When I walk in, I gasp.

Fabrics of all sorts hang from the walls. Shelves are filled with beads, lace, and diamonds of all kinds. Three sewing machines are placed at the back of the room on a large table with chairs behind it. Shoes line racks, each being a plain color that are ready to be bedazzled.

"What do you think?" He asks, gesturing to the room around him.

"It's amazing." I answer. "Am I even supposed to be helping you with the designs?"

"Nope, but it's going to be our little secret." He says, and walks to a counter. He opens a drawer and pulls out a sculpted stylus that's meant to draw on an electronic board that's located on the wall in front of us.

"Where do we begin?"

"That's all up to you."

___♕___

After about thirty minutes of hard work, my dress is finally designed. I can't wait until the day of the interviews so I can see it on more than just a screen.

I walk to the balcony, hoping that Tristan hadn't already come and gone. But when I get outside, he's waiting at the railing for me.

"Hey." I say, catching his attention. He gives me a warm smile.

"Hey." He shifts his weight onto his other foot. "Where were you?"

"I guess you didn't hear the rain check, huh?" I chuckle. "I was designing my dress for the interviews with my stylist."

"Sounds fun." He says, making me raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah," I pause. "It was."

"What are your strategies for the private sessions?" He asks, changing the subject.

"Its a secret." I smirk. "But it's sure to get me a high score."

"Well, make sure you blow them away."

I walk to the balcony, and lean over the edge with him.

"So what's up with you and Cato?" He questions, staring blankly into space.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean- it's pretty obvious there's something going on between the two of you." He looks over at me.

"No, nothing's going on." I assure him. "We're just allies."

"Are you sure about that?" He asks. "You two have been pretty . . . cozy with each other lately."

"You're crazy." I roll my eyes.

"Then I'm not the only one that's crazy." He taps his temple. "Just think about it."

And with that, he leaves the balcony. I stare at the floor hopelessly.

Why would people think I was more than allies with Cato?

Well, I know that we have been hanging out a little more often lately. But I'm not allowed to be around him, as a request and suggestion from Ceneca Crane.

I grip the railing, and close my eyes.

I still don't get it. All of a sudden, I'm hanging out with Cato and everyone takes it as something different. Can't Cato and I hang out, just as friends? I guess not.

I walk back to my room, and throw myself into the bed, pulling the fluffy blankets over me. But as I drift off to sleep, still thinking of what Tristan said, I start to let my mind wonder.

Do a lot of tributes think there's something going on between Cato and I?

If I did like Cato, could it affect me in the games?

Why would Ceneca Crane warn me to stay away from Cato?

Right as sleep takes over, I have one last question for myself.

Is Tristan right- is there something going on between Cato and I?

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