The next day I gobbled down my breakfast and punched the elevator button, waiting with Iver so we could go through another session at the Training Center.

"Try not to stab another tribute, will you?" I said airily as the elevator emitted a pleasant ding.

"I didn't stab him," Iver protested, stepping in the elevator. I followed. "It was just an accident."

"Yeah. Act like I buy that," I replied as the elevator traveled down to the ground floor. I walked out when the doors opened, not even waiting for Iver to catch up as he hurried after me.

"Okay, maybe I did it on purpose," he concluded slowly, finally catching up to me and slowing his pace to a walk. "But that jerk from District One asked for it."

"Yeah, right, which made them deserve getting stabbed by a skinny boy from District Four," I retorted, opening the doors to the Training Center.

"We're equal with them! We fought besides the Capitol!" Iver exclaimed, but he said the last part a little sourly. Maybe he was just really angry with me for trying to make him feel ashamed for what he did yesterday.

But I couldn't shake off the feeling as I made my way to the throwing knives, trembling, that maybe Iver, too, hated the Capitol for the unnecessary war.

It was finally time for the tributes to show off their skills to the Gamemakers.

I was sitting with all of the other tributes, silently awaiting my turn. First, the boy from District One, the one that Iver "accidentally" stabbed, was called, and with a grunt, he disappeared into the room.

Not too much later I was called just as Iver scampered down the halls like a scared little mouse. As I walked into the room, I studied the weapons the Gamemakers laid out for us.

Bows, spears, swords... Aha! I picked up a throwing knife and glanced at the Gamemakers. Since I was from District Four, I was called quite early, so they were mainly sober (but some were a little tipsy, honestly) and they stared at me with unblinking eyes.

I turned around, and dummies were stationed throughout the room. I smiled to myself and aimed a one's heart. It landed in the neck, but the neck is still a killing blow.

The Gamemakers murmured amongst themselves, and some sounded approving, but my cheeks were heating up anyway, because I missed my original target. I aimed another knife and threw it at another dummy, aiming for the eye. As it flew, I silently willed it to hit its mark and impress everyone.

The eye was a killing blow, but probably the hardest to succeed in doing. Other spots were easier to get, like the heart and the neck.

As it stuck firmly in the dummy's eye, the Gamemakers clapped in approval. I beamed and tried not to jump up and down like a kid on Christmas day.

I went on throwing knives at dummies before my time was up before I got led out, the boy from District Five being ushered in. I smiled to myself and went back to the District Four level, still being ashamed of my first target being a miss.

Tonight we would learn our scores, and maybe what competition we were up against.

"Oh, darling, it's time to show the scores!!" Miranda squealed as I emerged into the living room, my black hair dripping wet. I had just taken a shower, which had basically three hundred different kinds f buttons for this thing and that thing. I grabbed a towel and dried it as I sat down next to Iver on the couch, fixing my gaze on the TV.

The District One boy, Jackson Parsons, was broadcasted on the screen, with a score of 8.

Then the girl, Willow Winterberry, with the score of 7.

I watched until Iver's name and headshot showed up. He also got a score of 7.

We all congratulated and complimented him, but that ended short when I showed up with a 9.

"Dang," Derek whistled. "Only three points for the top score!"

"Maybe throwing knives is my thing!" I pointed out, feeling proud of myself.

The highest score was a 10 from the girl who was the tribute for District Eight. So I ranked second-highest score. I smiled as I got hustled into the kitchen.

"We must celebrate!" Miranda squawked, ruffling my hair. "With a score of nine! Have any selection you want dear, take a glass of wine, even! Today, we must cherish our very first tributes in District Four!"

I took a glass and clinked it against hers before taking a delicate sip. I liked wine, even the burning sensation. People say it was unpleasant because of that, but my parents allowed me to have wine on special occasions, and I loved it.

I snuggled into bed that night, trying to drown in a cascade of sleepiness and never return to the light of day, where I will have to play in the Hunger Games.