I'D WOKEN UP THE NEXT DAY with the same bitter feeling I fell asleep with. My eyes have barely been open for thirty seconds and I already feel as though there's a hand inside my middle, grabbing my gut and twisting it bare.

I don't want to return to the academy. I don't want to have to explain to my childhood best friend who I am and how I'm going to help her survive, when honestly- I have no clue.

For the last six years, I've lived with the freedom of not having to worry about ever being a tribute in the games. Any and all survival instincts or thoughts my parents have put in my head in my youth have left my mind completely.

I no longer know what I'd do if my name was called on that day, if Sejanus' name was pulled.

If I was put in that arena today, surely I'd be dead within the first ten minutes given my lack of survival skills. The prepared tributes would feed off of my fear and I'd die at the hands of the children turned to monsters by the capitol.

While I was shy and introverted as a child, Mia was always far more outgoing. She'd invite others to play with us on the playground and would laugh the absolute loudest when playing hopscotch on the sidewalk next to the schoolhouse. 

Mia Rowe was an all-american beauty that everyone knew and adored. Her giggle was eternally youthful and her smile was a thing of shining bliss. I remember how the setting sun would reflect off her skin as if she, too, was glowing and golden. The smartest girl I knew would wear her hair differently every day, sometimes in pigtails, a braid, maybe two. 

And now, she'd been the District 2 tribute for the 10th Annual Hunger Games. 

And if I didn't act soon, she could be the only one left without a mentor and as good as dead. 

I SURPRISE MYSELF WHEN I HEAR MY HIGH HEELS CLICKING against the floor of this classroom. 

I wasn't expecting to see so many people staring back at me as I walk in--Sejanus, Festus, Arachne, and Felix. All staring back at me as I slide into my seat.

I bite the side of my cheek, silently praying that Sejanus won't look back and begin speaking to me. 

I've already had a hell of a morning I don't want Sejanus telling me he was proud of me--or some other older brotherly thing--for showing up today.

Pulling out the red-rimmed notebook from my backpack, I place it on my desk as I let a quiet sigh push past my lips, tickling them. 

"Hey, Mari--" a voice says quietly from beside me, and I look up to see Felix leaning over to face me, his hand now on my desk. "Sorry, can I call you Mari?" 

A soft blush creeps upon his cheeks and I almost laugh, but instead am able to tame it with a small (not too harmful) smile. "Yes, you can call me Mari." 

He mirrors my playful expression and nods. "Uh, Arachne, Festus and I were going to trade secrets and advice over lunch if you wanted to sit with us." 

Both Arachne and Festus' heads fly back to face us with panicked expressions. "Felix!" They both exclaim, each sparing him their own warning glares. 

I feel a wicked grin begin to form on my red lips as my brow raises. "Is that right?" 

Felix is no longer smiling, and instead looks conflicted and sad as he switches back and forth from looking at me and his two friends. "Uh..."

Getting to not only tease Arachne and Festus for an hour, but to piss them off sounds like my kind of fun. 

My cold hand lays atop Felix's warm one and I watch his muscles tense just by the brief contact. 

"You know what, Fel--" I pause, my eye glimmering with devious intent. "Can I call you that?" 

He nods, lips still parted in shock. 

"I would love to sit with you at lunch." 

I'D BEEN PICKING THE CRUSTS OFF MY TRIANGULAR cut sandwich when surprisingly enough, Coriolanus sits across from me. "I thought you quit?" he asks with his brows set in the most belittling way they can. 

I avoid his gaze and ignore his comment, continuing with my regular task. "You can't sit there. I'm saving it for Felix." 

A noise similar to a snort comes from him and the anger penting up my neck only intensifies. "You don't like Felix." 

"Yeah? How would you know?" 

He stares over me for a moment and once again, I'm unable to read anything going on in his mind; it's infuriating. He's able to hide his emotions so well and I'm almost like an open book. 

"I know you." he finally says. "You forget that I know you." 

I swallow. Maybe because I wish you hadn't. 

It's silent for another minute as I avert my eyes once again and shake off the chill going down my spine as memories of Year 9 overcome me. The one year I let my guard down and Coriolanus bit me in my ass. 

"This is the first time you've talked to me since the semester began. Why are you here?" My jaw tenses with my words, almost as if they hurt to say.

I feel his eyes linger down my face before he ignores my comment entirely. "You should save your crusts. Your tribute is probably hungry."

I try not to frustrate over him calling Mia my tribute and look up at him. "Is this some sort of trick to get me caught cheating?" 

He almost gives me a smile as he gives a playful yet curt shake of his head. He reaches for the cookie on his tray and places it on the handkerchief laid across his lap. "I won't tell if you won't."

I can't detail whether he's lying or not and it pisses me off. 

"Why do you think so negatively of me?" He asks me a serious question but his expression is entirely playful and I'm not sure I've seen him so carefree and giddy since the day I met him. He's genuinely making an effort to talk to me and maybe if I didn't know better, I'd let him. 

I have two options now that both involve rehashing the past: one, look at him through saddened eyes and tell him he knows why--referencing to year nine. Or two, I can mimick his playfulness and be done sooner. 

I choose the first. "Corionalus, you've been trying to accuse me of cheating since 6th year." 

He shrugs and actually smiles. "Okay, but I'm only trying to help you now. You could use it." 

And there it is. 

I chuckle but there's no humour implied, just anger. "Right." 

He slips up on his act and it's so bizarre to me that I'm shocked. 

"I'm sorry," he says, and maybe if I'd been a fool I'd believe it. "hey, uh, would you want to work together on this? We can really help each other out and win this." 

I put my lips together in a frown. "There's only one winner." 

"Mari--" he starts with a sigh but is soon cut off. 

"Mari!" Someone calls out for me, saving me. I follow the voice to find Felix sitting in the corner table with Arachne and Festus practically face-palming beside him. Felix has an ear-to-ear smile and he's truly happy to be waving me over right now. 

I grab my tray and rise from the table, smiling at Coriolanus. "Duty calls." 

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