The Girl From The Ocean

The Careers

We quickly collect up our stuff and shimmy up the tree,freezing again when they come into hearing range. I recognize Jaephin's voice straight away. Then Diamena's, Ruben's and Sayha from 3. I know the two from 6 are already dead, but I'm still suprised how small the pack is this year. From here I can see Jaephin's floppy mess of hair. Before I know it I'm shouting out to him. From the trees I see him whiz around and all four of them automatically raise their weapons.

The outcome is me and Raych scrambling down from the tree without getting killed and joining the careers. It's not the best decision and Raych ignores me for the rest of the day. I can't tell her I'm trying to protect Jaephin though, so later on I tell her something my father told me when a bunch of kids were picking on me at school. "If you can't beat them, then join them."

She gives me a sour look. "We can beat them though." She says, but she's more friendly after that. Jaephin however is another story. He's too friendly for my liking. As soon as we hopped out the tree, to my embarassment he gave me a big hug. I've tried to avoid being by his side since.

Naturally as a group of careers we get sent lots of parachutes. In fact we don't have to scavenge any food at atll, it all gets sent. Pumpkin stew, chicken and rice, apples, more sugar cubes and even some cookies that make Raych smile. We don't have any fights on the first day and we spend a peaceful night in the Cornucopia. In the morning I wake up and find that somehow in the night Jaephin's arms snaked themselves around me. First of all I welcome the warmth, until I remember he's not Finnick. That's when I spring up. He stirs, but doesn't wake up. It's still early morning, and I'm about to try to sleep again...far away from Jaephin this time, when I see the silhouette outside and I go to join Diamena in the bitter cold.

Her spear is raised in a casually defensive way and she looks nowhere in particular, a sullen look in her eyes. I envy how beautiful she is, even fatigued.

"I can take over if you want." I say as I approach her.

 "No thanks 4. Why don't you go snuggle up to Odair?" She says, and I'm suprised at her hostility, then I remember, she is from 1 after all.

"There's nothing going on between me and Jaephin." I say smoothly.

  "Oh really? That's not how you played it at the interviews." She raises a perfect eyebrow. I want to smack her in her smug little face.

 "I don't remember at all, maybe I was too busy retching at your disgusting attempts to flirt with Caesar Flickerman." I retort and she narrows her eyes.

 "I could easily kill you right now." She says raising her spear.  "That'll be one less tribute." An evil smile plays on her lips and I clench my sword.

 "I'd like to see you try Diamena." I say, baring my teeth.

"Maybe I will. And your little boyfriend won't be able to save you, because he's asleep." She says laughing, but suddenly a parachute floats down between us. She snaps it up immediately and we discover two bread rolls. One is green and tinted with seaweed...the traditional roll from back home, the other a plain white thing, similar to what we got served in the Capitol. It's obviously from Diamena's district. She bites into hers straight away, but I pocket mine. Not to share with Jaephin, but because it's my only thing in this vast arena that vaguely reminds me of the beautiful place I once called home. The tension between us fades away, and we don't talk but she let's me join her on watch. It's the closest a distict 1 and a district 4 girl are going to get to friendship.