The Price of Fame and Fortune (Hunger Games)

19

I was the first to wake. I guess having a body clock set to five-thirty has its perks. Liam was asleep but not completely. More a soft slumber. I bet the slightest snap of a twig and he'd shoot up trident raised ready to go. 

I frowned as I watched the pretty boy before me sleep. Perfect, like looking at a sculpture. It should be illegal for men to look this good. It just makes women feel intimidated. Not that I'm intimidated by his beauty. Obviously, I'm beautiful. The whole country thinks so not that I care. Being admired physically and love are two very different things. I only ever dreamed of the latter. Any form of it really. I just want to experience it. 

I frowned even more at my own train of thought. Dreaming about love in the arena made famous for that very thing. I sighed and turned away from Liam to stare at the rising sun. It was peaceful and I was surprised of the comfort Liam provided. I wasn't alone, I'm normally always alone in the forest back home.

But here's this infamous man. Older then me slightly from memory. Maybe only one or two years my senior. And he hadn't killed me in my sleep. Nor have I. And it's built trust. Admittedly I don't trust him completely, I'd have to be stupid to. At some point we'll turn on eachother but for now? For now, we're  all eachother's got while other tributes hide behind a hundred arenas.

These games are so big. It'll take months to hunt tributes down. To search a hundred arenas?...this will be the longest games yet. Maybe it'll be so hard to find each other that the game makers will give up and end it with mutts.

I shivered, pulling my thin jacket around me tightly. I rolled my eyes at Liam's outfit choice. Long trousers, black t-shirt and a waterproof jacket. I tusked it looks insulated too.

I sighed and picked up my axe. It's prettier then the ones I train with back home. I didn't know an axe could be pretty. But this one is. I wonder what would happen if I let slip that I'm not playing?. Would Finnick tell him to kill me?!?.

My eyes lingered on the blood stained blades of Liam's trident. It caused me to shiver agai-

BOOM.

Instantly he was up, and like I guessed his hands were clutching his trident so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. He swallowed and rested back against his tree while his eyes landed on me. I smirked. "Scared, Odair?".

He smirked back. "Nah. Didn't even happen in this arena".

I nodded and went back to admiring my axe that is before Liam cleared his throat. I rose a questioning eyebrow at him and he ran a hand through his hair. "So, how do you want to go about it?".

I tipped my head in confusion. "Go about it?".

He nodded. "Yeah, do you want to hunt them down or...". He shrugged as if that's really our only option.

I bit my lip and sighed down at the weapon in my hands. Nope, I'm not doing that. "Finding Trent. That's what we're doing, remember?".

He all but sniggered. "Right. Trent. What was his score again?".

I shot him a glare. "Doesn't matter he's my ally".

He smirked at me. "Oh yeah sure. You're ally that isn't here and could be anywhere in any arena. You guys make such a great team".

Sarcasm was dripping from his voice and I rolled my eyes at the tanned heartthrob across from me. I shrugged. "If you don't like it you could always go find the twins from Twelve".

Liam frowned. "You think I'd be that stupid to ally myself alone with a brother and sister?".

I shrugged. Not like I know Liam Odair. He could be that stupid, although I have a feeling he's the opposite.

He shook his head in amusement. He then chuckled as if to lighten the mood of the deathly arena. "Plus, I have a suspicion that they're just using us for sponsors".

I snorted. "In your dreams, who'd want to sponsor you?!?".

Complete and utter lie of course. The whole of Panem wants to sponsor him. I'd actually be surprised if a trident doesn't fall magically from the sky anytime soon.

He rose his eyebrows at me as to say 'bitch please'. I shook my head and turned to hide my smile. I could feel him smirking at me before he stood and clicked his tongue to get my attention. "Okay, let's find this Trent".

I smiled and stood, bumping his shoulder as I do so. "Don't act as if you've never heard of Trent Perry before. They have TVs in District Four".

He smiled mockingly at me. "But who could ever think of Trent Perry when Victoria Mason outshines him?".

I frowned but continued to walk in what I hoped is the direction of the door. "I don't outshine him". That's a lie. But it's not my fault I'm more famous then Trent. It's Johanna's. 

Liam raised his eyebrows at me as if to say 'really?'.

To which I ignored. We walked for about hour before Liam broke the once content silence. "What's his deal anyways?".

I turned to him and rose an eyebrow. Liam gave me a pointed look. "Trent. Why didn't you guys stick together?".

I frowned. "We planned to our plan just...". What do I say?. Failed? or sucked because we're idiots?.

Liam stopped walking and leaned on his trident with an expectant face. "Just what?".

I sighed and stared at the sky in frustration. "We told eachother to run to the left if we couldn't find ourselves".

It took him two second before he caught onto why we failed so miserably. Then he was laughing, not at all trying to hide it. I scoffed and started angrily walking away. Shouldn't have said anything. I cringed when I realised I'd not only told Liam that but all of Panem. Now the whole country will think we're idiots. God, our poor district...

Just as I was about to turn around and yell at Odair I stopped. There it is. A white wooden door in the middle of the forest.