"You're sure?"

"Yes, this is safe, I promise." 

Cinna tells me for the fifth time. We are due to start The Tribute Parade at any minute and I'm still wary about the costumes Cinna has given Peeta and I. We are wearing simple black unitards complete with small black headdresses that I wasn't particularly fond of.  The thing that bothered me though was that Cinna had told us that he had placed something inside our outfits to make them catch fire. And I for one, wasn't really a fan of the idea of burning to death in front of millions of people across Panem. 

"They're synthetic flames, they won't hurt you." Cinna promises once again. I bite my lip but nod and decide to trust him. I glance around at some of the other tributes, spotting the ones with the more flamboyant costumes and resolve to just look ahead until we have to go. Cinna tells us to get on our chariot. It is black like our costumes and pulled by two large black stallions. 

"Try to be friendly. Smile, wave." Cinna says. "Remember, you want these people to like you you. It may seem tedious and unnecessary but try to act like you like them, are fond of them even." 

I snort. That's a challenge in its self. There is a faint hum of music outside the doors, which have just swung open. Before I know it, District one's chariot is already pulling out. Being from 12 we are due to enter last. As District 11's chariot pulls out just in front of us, I square my shoulders and hold my head high. We start to move forward and I hear Cinna yell something indistinct from behind us. 

"What did he say?" I ask Peeta. 

"I think he said to hold hands." Peeta responds. I frown slightly, but quickly wipe the look off my face and do my best to smile as we roll through the doors. Peeta's hand is gripping mine tightly as I get my first look around.

Hundreds of thousands of people are crowded together hooting and hollering as they get their first look at this year's batch of tributes. As soon as they set eyes on us a hushed silence falls. Well, for about two seconds.

When the audience gets over their initial shock they start screaming Peeta and I's names so desperately it becomes unnerving. I notice that there are large screens around the humongous room and I can't help but glance up at the ones displaying us. What I see shocks me and satisfies me.

Peeta and I look dangerous and bold. Flames billowing off of us that look so real I almost think I feel actual heat for a second. I feel a jerk and my hand goes upward. Peeta had raised our interlocked hands into the air, and crowd goes absolutely nuts. It's a miracle none of the  have lost their voices yet. I noticed that roses have landed inside and out of our chariot. I begin to feel a small blossom of hope make its way through my chest. 

Maybe we will get sponsors after all. Maybe this whole thing isn't a lost cause I think to myself. We reach the other end of the space, where the rest of the tributes are gathered. Our flames go out and I rapidly let go of Peeta's hand. I look up at a balcony and see that President Snow has begun to speak. I don't really listen. He's probably just blabbering the same crap as he does every year; about how fortunate we are to represent our districts, and how we should be ever so grateful for the opportunity or whatever. 

***

"That was amazing!" Cinna congratulates us once we have made our way back to where we started, away from the crowd. The rest of the tributes are gathered around us, talking to their own stylists or simply glaring at us. We outshone them, and it appears as if they aren't exactly happy about it. 

"We are all anyone is going to be talking about!" Effie says excitedly, patting me on the shoulder.

"So brave." Haymitch slurs for behind her. I take in his usual drunken state and snort.

"Are you sure you should be near an open flame?" I ask innocently.

"Fake flame." he says grumpily. "Are you sure. . ." he trails off. I frown, he's looking over my shoulder at something. I glance behind me and see two other tributes. They are wearing a gold armour type thing, like something out of roman times. I believe they are from district two, there is a small girl with dark hair and a cruel sort of air about her. She is glaring full force at Peeta and I, as if trying to light us on fire. Well, literally. 

Beside her is a much larger boy. He looks to be scraping six feet tall and has spiky blond hair that resembles Peeta's in colour. I expect him to be glaring at us like his district partner, but rather, he seems to be enjoying the view. Not of Peeta so much, but of me. It makes me rather uncomfortable the way he keeps looking me up and down, but I hold my head high. Finally I bring myself to look into his eyes. They are a striking ice blue that look like they could see into the soul, and figure out what exactly would make youth most uncomfortable; just what he was doing now. 

As I meet his eyes he smirks. He shoots a wink my way and my face flushes red, but I don't exactly dislike it. 

"Let's um. . .let's go upstairs." Haymitch says, obviously a little confused by my little exchange with the male tribute. 

Effie leads us through a door and to a large hallway with a glass elevator at the end of it. Effie leads us inside and past a few guards.

"So, each district gets their own floor. And because you're from 12, you get the pent house!" she says eagerly. She hits the 12 painted on the elevator buttons and we shoot up much faster than I anticipated.

We step out onto 12's level and I gasp. I believe we have arrived in the living room, and it's even nicer than the train. I guess The Capital spares no expense. 

"Come on!" Effie says, herding us all inside. "So this is the living room." she announces. All the chairs and couches are made out of plush velvet. The table is made of polished marble, and there's even a large fully operational tv. Back home you can either watch the games in the square on a proper screen, or the glitchy fuzzy box in your home that fails more than it works.

"Woah," I breathe out.

"I know, I know!" Effie responds. "Now, your rooms are right over here." She says, leading us down a hallway. 

Peeta and I's rooms are right beside one other. "Why don't you both clean yourselves up a little before dinner?" Effie advises. 

I enter my room and am a little sad that's it probably about double the size of my mother and I's rooms combined. There is a green velvet bedspread on a way too big bed. I notice another door and push it open. Turns out there is a bathroom connected to my room. My eyes widen, there are so many nobs and buttons and soaps that I don't know where to look first. I turn on the water and sure enough, it's hot. 

Hot water is something I never got to experience in 12. Either you had cold water to bathe, or none at all. 

I turn on the cold water too, so that I don't boil or anything and remove the black unitard from my body, throwing it on my bed. I return to the bathroom and climb in to the warm water. Having it surround me feels like a warm hug, so relaxing and comforting. If I didn't have to be at dinner soon I could have stayed in there for hours. 

I ended up washing myself with the lemon scented soap and merely having to hit a button to dry my hair and body. I dressed in an oversized plain black t-shirt with a slightly low V-neck and black tights. An outfit I'm sure Effie wouldn't approve of, but one I was sure I didn't care about. I walked down the hall to dinner to find everyone but Haymitch present. 

Probably gone to find another bottle of scotch I think. 

"So, tomorrow you both start at the training centre." Effie says. "I'll go get Haymitch, you three should probably talk strategy."

"If he isn't too drunk to talk." I mutter. Peeta laughs and shoots me a smile. I send a small one back and we await the arrival of Haymitch. About ten minutes later, Effie is hauling him into the dining room by the ear, while he is in fact holding the bottle of scotch I predicted he would. 

Effie lets go of him and he settles himself in a chair. "So I hear you two want to talk strategy for the training centre." Haymitch says. Peeta nods. "What are you two good at exactly?" 

Peeta speaks before I can. "Y/n's amazing with an axe. I've seen her and Katniss's kills that they bring into my family's bakery. Katniss takes down the smaller animals like squirrels, and Y/n takes down larger ones like pheasants or turkeys. Always gets them clean through the head, same spot every time. Never misses as far as I'm aware."

I shift awkwardly in my seat. I had no idea Peeta paid such careful attention to the way Katniss and I hunt. 

"Good, good." Haymitch says.

"Peeta's strong." I blurt.

"What?" Peeta asks.

"He can throw a hundred pound sack of flour right over his head. I've seen it."

"Okay, well I'm not gonna kill anybody with a sack of flour."

"No, but you might have a better chance of winning if somebody comes after you with a knife." I say back sharply. 

"I have no change of winning, alright? None!" Peeta yells. I am startled. I didn't peg him as someone who did a lot of yelling, though I guess awaiting your "imminent death" as Haymitch calls it, stirs something inside you. Peeta sees the look on my face and his shoulders slump.

"It's true. Everybody knows it." he sighs. I guess I did know it. I promised Prim, Katniss, my mother and Gale that I would win for them, and intended to keep that promise. I was just sort of hoping someone would kill Peeta and get the job done for me. Peeta and I weren't friends or anything, but it would be hard to kill him.

"You know what my mother said?" Peeta looks me in the eyes. "She said District 12 might finally have a winner. But I realized she wasn't talking about me, she was talking about you."

Wow, way to work the guilt factor Peeta. Thanks for that.

"I'm not very hungry." Peeta announces, getting up and walking to his room. And suddenly, I don't really feel like eating either. 

"I'm done too." I excuse myself, walking off to my own room.

For a while I pace around and just think about my fate. When that becomes too depressing to handle, I begin to take a better look around my room. On the bedside table there is a small remote. I wonder what it could be for, there isn't a tv here like there is in the living room. I pick it up and examine it. It only has one button.

I press the button and what used to be a window displays Capita citizens walking around outside. I press the button again and it turns into a desert. I press it one more time and this time I gasp. 

I am now surveying a forest. I can hear birds chirping, and imagine a small animal scuttling around in the undergrowth. I walk closer and imagine Katniss, Gale and I back in our spot. Just like old times. Talking about everything and nothing. I know that even if I do make it out of the games alive things will never be that simple again. The thought saddens me and I continue to click the button until the window reappears and the screen turns off.

I flop on my bed, wishing I was back home in district 12 and that life wasn't nearly so complicated.

A/N Annnnnd, cut! That's a wrap on chapter four! You know, it's weird. I go and I write about two paragraphs of a new chapter after I publish the other one and then I don't write for like three days. Then I do what I just did and write really long chapter in two pr three hours. Yay me I guess. In any case, I hope you enjoyed! Next chapter there will be more Cato! I promise! Not just Cato being a flirt! (I mean, a little of that, but also dialogue!)

 Peace out, homies.

-Mystical Mockingjay