Pieces in the game. (The Hunger Games)

Chapter 8: Training scores.

Lilly's POV.
Once I get in the elevator I press the number twelve button. The doors slide together and I zip upwards. Once I make it back to our floor I hear my name being called for the sitting room. I walk in and Haymitch pulls me to the side. "Katniss' room, now!" he says. I get to her room and knock softly. "Kat it's me, let me in," I say as I knock again. Two seconds later I'm being pulled inside her room. "I'm dead, they're gonna kill me! What was I thinking, shooting at the Gamemakers? Of course I wasn't; I was shooting at the apple because I was so angry at being ignored. I wasn't trying to kill one of them. If I were, they'd be dead!" she rants on.  Did she just say she shot at the Gamemakers? Explains their hyper awareness and the extra Peacekeepers. "Slow down, tell me what happened, from the start!" I demand. She launches into her story and now I can see why she was so worried. "Kat, the worst they can do to you now is give you a low score, yes it decreases your chance of sponsors but you can make your own bow in the arena if they don't have one. You'll get through it! It'll be fine!" I reassure her as I give her a hug. "I tried to tell her that but she wouldn't listen to me," Gale says from right behind me and I squeak and spin around kicking him in the knee. "Don't scare me like that you idiot," I laugh as I give him a hug. I stay with them in their room for another while before I run back to my own room to get ready for dinner.

When Effie taps on the door to call me to dinner I had only just finished dressing myself. I step out and see her smile down at me. I freeze when I get to the table, with the exception of Gale and Katniss, everyone is there. Cinna, Portia everyone! I wish the stylists hadn't shown up, that'll just put more pressure on Katniss, not wanting to disappoint everyone. When Gale and Katniss come in and sit down we all begin to eat. I don't say anything to anyone and I keep my head down throughout the entire start of the meal. Then, as they're serving the main course, I hear Haymitch say, "OK enough small talk- just how bad were you today?". Gale straight away snorts. "I had five Peacekeepers snared and dangling from the roof before the Gamemakers even noticed I was there," he said. "And you sweetheart?" he asks Katniss. "I shot an arrow at the Gamemakers," Katniss says too calmly and I wince. The room has stilled. "You what?" you could hear the horror in Effie's voice and I watched Katniss pale. "I shit an arrow at them. Not exactly at them. In their direction. It's like Gale said, I was shooting and they were ignoring me and I just... I just lost my head, so I shot an apple out of their stupid roast pig's mouth!" Katniss says defiantly. "And what did they say?" Cinna asks carefully. "Nothing. Or I don't know. I walked out after that," she says. "Without being dismissed?" Effie's voice has risen to a shrill tone. "I dismissed myself," Katniss said. "Well, that's that," says Haymitch as he butters a roll. "Do you think they'll arrest me?" she asks. "Doubt it. Be a pain to replace you at this stage," says Haymitch. "What about our family?" I ask. "Will they punish them?".

"Don't think so. Wouldn't make much sense. See, they'd have to reveal what happened in the Training Centre for it to have any worthwhile effect on the population. People would need to know what you did. But they can't since it's a secret, so it'd be a waste of effort," he explains. "More likely they'll make your life hell in the arena". "Well, they've already promised to do that to us anyway," Peeta says. "Very true," Haymitch agrees. "Peeta?" Haymitch asks. "There were more Peacekeepers brought in after Katniss but I just threw the weights around until they told me to go," he says. "Lilly, sweetheart?" Haymitch's voice took on a different tone. Odd! "I tied the Peacekeepers to the wall, snuck up onto the Gamemakers platform and scared one of them!" I say. I look up and see everyone staring at me so I quickly look down again. Haymitch then turns the conversation back to Katniss getting her to tell them what the Gamemakers looked like and their reactions. "I'll get a very bad score," Katniss says. "Scores only matter if they're very good; no one pays much attention to the bad or mediocre ones. For all they know, you could be hiding your talents to get s low score on purpose. People use that strategy," Portia tells us all. "I hope that's how people interpret the four I'll probably get," says Peeta. "If that. Really, is anything less impressive than watching a person pick up a heavy ball and throw it a couple of metres? On almost landed on my foot". I snort softly and the rest of the meal goes by without a hitch.

After dinner, we go to the sitting room to watch the scores announced in television. First they show a photo of the tribute, then flash their score below it. Marvel got a nine. Glimmer an eight. Cobalt an eight and Brooke a nine. Cato and clove both got tens and Heath and Belle both got nines. Most of the other players average a five. Surprisingly, little Rue comes up with a seven. I don't know what she showed the judges, but she's so tiny it must have been impressive. District 12 comes up last, as usual. Gale gets a ten, Katniss an eleven. The room erupts after that. Effie lets out a squeal and everyone is congratulating Katniss. I don't think anyone even noticed that Peeta got an eight and I got a seven. "Katniss, the girl who was on fire," says Cinna as he gives Kat a hug. "Oh wait till you see your interview dress". I move over to Peeta and congratulate him, before moving off to my room. I'm super happy for Katniss but this is part of the act. A little while later I wander to the sitting room to have a seat on the ledge. A couple of moment later Haymitch comes over with a steaming mug of hot chocolate for me. "Thanks," I say as I take the cup from him. "A seven, not bad!" he says. I make a noise of agreement. "You need to coach me separately now Haymitch. It needs to look real!" I say solemnly to him. He just nods his head. "Tomorrow there is no training, you will work with Effie early in the morning and then with me through lunch," he says and I nod. "Just so you know, Peeta has asked to be coached separately too!". I gasp quietly! Though it might be for the best for everyone involved.

I head off to bed soon after, because I start work with Effie at dawn. Which means I need to be up an hour before hand to shower and get my breakfast. Which I did, I had it delivered to my room of course and Effie was surprised when she opened my door to announce the arrival of another "big, big, big day!". She comes in and sits in front of me. "Are you sure you want to do this dearie? She is your sister after all," Effie says. I take a deep breath and nod. "I'm sure Effie, this is what I want to do!" I say. She nods and then seems to collect herself. I get the feeling this is going to be a long few hours!

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Hey guys,

You know the drill,

Peace,
~Annacricket