| " C O M P A N Y . " |

___♔___

During the time that I wait for the instructor to stop his rambling, I see that most of the tributes are watching us.

Well, Katniss isn't one of them.

"The rules are simple." Jeclyn, the instructor says. "Don't harm each other too much, save it for the games. No gashes or wounds allowed, only bruises are permitted. Don't get too rough or you'll have trainers escort you to your different stations. Got it?"

"Got it." Tamora and I answer at the same time.

Jeclyn steps out of the ring, and Tamora holds out her hand.

"Friends no matter what?" She asks. I shake her hand and nod.

"Friends no matter what." I confirm.

"Okay, girls. Ready?" Jeclyn asks. After nodding in responce, he blows a whistle.

Tamora wastes no time on throwing a punch at me. I duck, kicking her side. She grunts, but pushes it away as she punches my nose. I can feel the blood running down my nose already, but I ignore it, landing a punch to her cheek.

She spits out blood on the mat, and runs at me. She takes me to the ground, and throws two punches to my jaw, making me cry out. I grab her fist, and twist it, earning a sharp yelp from her. I flip us over, and straddle her, sitting my knees on her arms. She realizes, at that point, that she can't get out of my hold.

"Good job, girls." Jeclyn says, helping us up from the mat.

"I think you broke my nose." I whine to Tamora.

"I think you broke her face." Tristan says, stepping over to us. I let out a heavy breath.

"What the hell, Taylor?!" Zach yells, eyeing my bloody nose. I roll my eyes.

"Can you two give us a minute?" I ask Tamora and Tristan. They nod, and leave me with Zach, as they head to the weapons station.

I grab a wet washcloth from Jeclyn, and wipe the blood from my nose.

"Do you know how dangerous hand-to-hand combat is?" He asks.

"No. It's actually not dangerous at all." I put the washcloth down, sitting in a chair at the corner of the room. Zach sits next to me, not ending his lecture.

"She could have seriously injured you!" He yells.

"Really? How? Broken my nose? It's nothing the Capitol can't fix. I mean, seriously Zach? We're going into an arena with twenty two other kids to fight to the death, just so we can win a crown. And right now, you're worried about me getting injured in a place that can heal a person that's half dead? That's crazy and stupid."

"I understand that we're going into the games. But you need to be more careful, Tay. I can't lose you, and you know it." He says. "I'm just watching out for you."

"Is that what everyone is doing for me now? Looking out for me? WHAT is it with all of you guys, treating me like a freaking three year old? We are in a society that forces 24 kids to slaughter each other every year for entertainment. I sit in my house, watching it happen. Hell, I trained so I could do it myself.

"I'm tired of people thinking I can't handle myself. I lived for nine years without my parents. Nine years. I fed, clothed, and trained myself every single day. And you think don't think that I can live? And that's coming from my best friend.

"I can only imagine what the Capitol people think of me. Maybe all of you are right. Maybe I won't survive, but telling me isn't going to help anything, even if it is the truth." I whisper the last sentence.

I get up, and leave the center, not even taking a second thought.

I guess they're right.

Maybe I won't get home.

___♕___

Later that night, during dinner, I don't speak a word to anyone. Questions are being thrown at me, but I don't think I can reply without snapping at them. Not from what I heard today.

"Taylor, you can tell us what's wrong," Stark says, staring at me.

"You wouldn't understand." I mumble, leaning back in my chair. "None of you would."

"Maybe if you just try-" I cut Elaina off.

"No. I'm done trying. I already fucking understand what every single one of you think of me." I slam my fork to the table, and walk to my room.

I head to the balcony, hoping that I can let some of my steam off.

Will I really die?

Am I that weak?

I let my mind run freely, letting everything go. I'll probably be one of the tributes that end up committing suicide in the games, to get away from everything.

Maybe Zach will win.

Maybe Cato will win.

Maybe Tamora will win.

Maybe Tristan will win.

At this point, I don't know who will win. But the odds are, I won't win.

Noises behind me pull me from my thoughts. At first, I think it's Tristan, but I turn to see someone I didn't expect to see.

Cato.

"I guess I'll have to find a different place to think, huh?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm guessing company isn't your thing." He says, walking to stand beside me. "I just thought-"

"That I'd need to be warned about combat? Or warned about allies? Trust me, I've already had enough lectures on those topics." I chuckle.

"Are you okay?" He asks, looking at me.

The darkness of the outdoors still doesn't stop me from seeing his beautiful ocean- blue eyes staring at me.

His eyes are something I won't forget, even if I do die.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I answer, looking away from him. He grabs my chin, and makes me look up at him.

"You're lying, Taylor." He says softly. "What's wrong?"

I stare into his eyes for a moment, then burst into tears. He looks at me with a sad expression as I sob into my hands.

Then he surprises me.

He pulls me into his arms, holding onto me tightly.

Then I surprise myself.

I wrap my arms around him, and cry into his shoulder.

I'm going to die.

I'm going to die.

I'm going to die.

And no one will care . . .

I sniffle, wiping my tears away with the palms of my hands, and finally pull away from him after a few short seconds.

"I'm sorry about your shirt." I say, eyeing the tear stains on his shoulder.

"It's fine, I have plenty more." He assures me. "Now will you please tell me what's going on?"

"My confidence level is dropping within every hour, and I'm doubting my ability to win. It doesn't help when Zach is constantly reminding me that he needs to protect me from everything." I say.

"Zach loves you, Taylor. You're like a sister to him, the sister he never had. He's only trying to make sure that you don't get hurt, and I understand that. It is truly terrible when people think you can't do anything for yourself, I know the feeling. But you have to prove them wrong. Prove everyone that ever doubted you, wrong."

"But I can't do that, Cato." I state. "I can't win. There are too many people that want to go home. They're desperate, and determined, but I'm not. I have no family to go home to."

"Taylor, look at me." He says clearly, looking into my eyes. "You're different than any person I've ever met, and I believe that you can win these games." He runs his thumb over my cheek slowly.

"I think the exact opposite."

"That's just an opinion." He whispers.

"You're different than I thought you were, Cato Hadley." I smile, letting a stray tear fall down my cheek.

"You're different than I thought you were, Taylor Devada." He smiles back.

I pull him into a hug, and let the moment last as long as it possibly can.

___♕___

It's incredibly weird at how fast I've grown close to Cato. In one night, I saw him a whole new way. It's like in the hour we were talking last night, he changed completely. And now, I think I can say that Cato and I are close friends.

I let out a yawn of complete exhaustion as Ross wakes me the next day. I feel like all the energy in my body, is drained.

Ross hands me my clothes, and nods to the bathroom. I don't say anything as I nod, and walk to the bathroom. After putting my clothes on, and letting Ross french braid my hair, I walk silently to the dining room.

It's then that I realize- every day, I'm getting closer. Closer to the games. As I laugh and fight with the people around me, I sometimes forget that I could never see them again. A pang hits my chest.

If I win, Zach will lose. Cato will lose. Tristan will lose. Clove will lose. Peeta will lose. Tamora will lose. Glimmer will lose. Marvel will lose.

They'll all die.

I shake away my feelings, and concentrate on my breakfast.

"Are you still mad at me?" Zach asks, sitting down next to me.

"No." I say flatly. I spread cream cheese on my bagel, and stuff a strawberry in my mouth. "I got over it, and faced reality."

"Tay, I didn't, mean-"

"I don't care what you meant. It's in the past now, and I'm willing to forgive and forget." I cut him off.

"Thank god." He says.

"So, are we all good for today?" Stark asks, taking a seat at the table with Heredia, Ross, and Elaina following behind him.

"Yep." I say, taking a bite from my bagel.

"I hope you're staying for breakfast with the careers." Ross says. "We have to talk about your dress for the interviews."

"Sorry, Ross, but I have somewhere to be. Do you think we could do it later?" I ask.

"Yes, but it has to be right after dinner. I have to get started on this dress, and I thought that with your cooperation, I could make a unique design."

"Sounds good." I take a sip of my orange juice, and sit my glass back down on the table.

"Where do you go in the mornings?" Zach asks.

"Uh, well I-I just- um." I try to come up with an excuse. Stark and the others look expectantly. "I can't tell you."

"And why not? We're your mentors, you should be able to tell us everything." Elaina says, cutting her pancakes.

"Well, this is the only thing I can't tell you." I state.

"I hope you're making the right decisions." Stark says, drinking his coffee.

"Trust me, this is the best decision I've ever made."

___♕___

When arriving at the training center, Ceneca Crane is already waiting for me on the balcony. Again. I give him a smile, and begin with my normal routine; throwing a few knives and axes, and sometimes I use a spear.

"How well are you with swords?" Ceneca asks out of the blue. I hesitate for a moment before answering.

"I'm okay. Cato's been teaching me."

"And how's that working out?"

"It's really helpful, I've learned a few tricks from him." I say.

"Show me." He says, leaning over the balcony.

"Okay." I pick up a sword, and stab the dummies in the chest, quickly turning as I do so.

"Not bad." Ceneca looks impressed. "But I still think that staying away from Cato is the best thing for you."

"Why?" I question.

"Relationships. You can't be friends with every tribute in the games, Taylor. I already know about Tristan and Tamora. I'm not saying that you can't be allies with them, I just think that distancing yourself from them will give you a lot less pain when they die in the games." He folds his hands, placing them on the rails.

"You mean that I'm not allowed to get to know them- get close with them?" I ask.

"It's for the best."

My heart beats rapidly in my chest.

"I think I can do that." I say.

"Excellent."

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