The 130th Hunger Games

Chapter Seven

“Wake up, Sandi! Today is training!”

Training? I think, confused. Didn’t we already do training? I hesitate. Wait—was that just a dream? Was Jane, Sabrina, and that 7 I got on the Gamemakers’ assessment just something made up in my mind?

“Training for what?” I ask groggily.

“Interviews, of course! I’ve got to get you ready—find out your personality, and what you’re going to say!”

I groan. I’d rather just re-live the Training Center.

I roll out of bed and glance at Cassandra. “I’ll be in a second,” I tell her, fighting off the urge not to just shove her out of my room.

She smiles at me and walks away.

Only then am I reminded of yesterday night, when I saw her in the Hunger Games. That smile she just gave me—she is keeping a secret from me that she really doesn’t want me to know.

As I change my clothes, I narrow my eyes at the wall in deep thought. I will get the secret out of her. I have to find out what it is, because if I die in the Games, then I’ll never, ever know.

I stroll into the dining room, my plan all prepared. Everyone else—Archie, Daniel, his mentor, and Cassandra—are already halfway through breakfast, so I sit down and begin eating quickly.

“So, when are we going to start practicing for my interview?” I ask Cassandra eagerly with a mouthful of pancakes.

Cassandra grins. “Well, aren’t you an excited girl! Just for you, we’ll start a little earlier—right after breakfast.”

I stifle a moan. But I have to go with it. The sooner I get to speaking with Cassandra alone, the better.

I stuff the final pancake into my mouth and look up at Cassandra. “Now?”

“I’m not finished, silly,” Cassandra says, laughing. “Let me eat!”

“Okay,” I reply, still chewing the rest of my pancake as I stand up. “I’ll be in my room.”

I can feel everyone’s eyes on me as I quickly walk to my room and close the door.

Of course they would be staring. It isn’t like me to get along with Cassandra—anyone with sense would know that. But I don’t care. Soon I will be back to my normal self, after I have that talk with going Cassandra.

My thoughts are disrupted by a knock at my door. “Sandi, it’s Cassandra. Are you ready to start training?”

I go to open the door, staring into the annoying cheerfulness of Cassandra’s face. “Yep,” I say. “Where should we go?”

“To my room,” Cassandra answers, smiling.

Once we are inside the room, Cassandra closes the door behind us quietly. “We don’t want anyone to know what you’re planning to do,” she explains.

And we don’t want anyone to know the secret you’ll tell me, I add silently.

I wait while she turns on the lights and comes to sit down next to me on the bed.

“So, let’s start with this—how would you describe yourself, Sandi?”

I hesitate. I feel a bit uncomfortable sharing my answer with Cassandra, since I don’t exactly know her that well. “Um…nice?” I answer after thinking for a while.

Cassandra nods slowly, smiling and me like I’m a complete idiot. I pretende not to notice.

“Okay…well…that’s a good trait,” she says. “What else? Do you have any unique characteristics, which you would say makes you special?”