Family Ties: The 35th Games

Chapter 15: Chapter Fifteen: Scores



I'm hanging on the edge of my seat, desperate to hear how I did, but also dreading it too-- I can't imagine I scored very high at all. The nerves aren't just for me, though-- there are six other tributes near and dear to me that I'm hoping do well, and plenty of others I'm hoping for some extra insight on.

"Without further ado, we'll begin," Caesar announces, and I can almost feel all of us in the room lean in closer to the television, giving it our full and undivided attention. Olivia has a small notebook on her lap, ready to scrawl down any observations she makes.

"Starting with our tributes from District One! Mahogany, with a training score of nine." A headshot of Mahogany, taken sometime before the first training day flashes onscreen, and a few second later, some fancy transitions happen, and a gold number nine shimmers into view, overlaid with his portrait. Nine isn't by any means a bad score, but I was expecting higher. Though, maybe it was just because the Careers had frightened me so much during training; I had a higher opinion of what they could do than what they actually could. 

"Also from District One, we have Satin, with a score of nine as well." Just like with Mahogany, her headshot fades in when her name is called, with her score appearing on the picture moments later. 

"From District Two, now, we have Dane with a score of ten-" he pauses for the graphic- "and Vella, with a score of nine." I frown. Anything above eight was really strong, but for only one of the Career tributes so far to get a ten? Was this year's Career pack lacking? I supposed Kelly still had to get her score, and Jason wasn't technically with them, but it still gave me pause. Both sets of scores give Olivia something to start writing about, and while I'm watching her, both tributes from Three get a score of five. 

"From District Four.... Jason, with a score of ten." I let myself smile a little. That was more like it, though only the fact that he was on my side made me smile. I knew he was strong and capable, but to know just how much was encouraging. That smile slid off my face in record time, though, as Caesar moved on, saying, "And his districtmate, Kelly, with a score of eleven." 

Eleven. Given that a score of twelve was nearly impossible, elevens were pretty damn good. There was always at least one Career that scored an eleven, and I guess in my confusion about all the nines, I hadn't been expecting one this year. My assumption about a weak Career pack was shot, though. Breah had always said Kelly was dangerous, and it's not like I hadn't believe her, but Dane was just so physically imposing. It was easy to forget that there were other people to be scared of, too, and I was definitely a lot more scared of Kelly. I hoped to god I never had the opportunity to figure out just how she'd managed a score that high.

It takes me a moment to reign in my anxiety, the anxiety that's only been getting worse every additional day I stay in the Capitol. I miss the scores for the tributes from Five, and the boy from Six too, but a glance at the faces around me assure me that they weren't anything spectacularly high, at least. I hadn't been expecting them to be, but people could always surprise you. Right as I tune back in, panic smothered for now, I hear Caesar announce that Payla has scored a nine. Fantastic.

"From District Seven!" Caesar continues. "Xavier scored a training score of eight... And Sahra, also from Seven, scored a four." Breah continued to be spot on in her first-day evaluations of who would be competitors. She was certainly proving to be invaluable to us. I still myself, focusing harder on the screen-- Georgie's scores were next. Jason's training score had been a guaranteed high one, but I was curious to see what everyone else would get, and fearful that for some reason, they scored low, and botched their chances at a good sponsor. Part of that was selfish (if we were working together, sponsor gifts would be shared), but I really did want my friends to do well.

"Moving right along, to our friends from District Eight! First up, we have Carter, with a score of five." I snort. I understood why he'd been so standoffish towards us, but it still felt kind of vindicating to see him suck. "And then we have Georgie, with a score of eight." I beam for her, though she isn't here to see it. Eight was career-level scoring. I hoped she was proud of herself.

We hadn't been moving much, but the room stills all the same, in anticipation of the scores coming next. "From District Nine," Caesar announces, and I curl my fists around the fabric of the couch cushion. "First up, we have Nathan, with a score of eight." I gasp, turning to hit Nathan's arm, excited and affectionate. His eyes go wide in shock-- he'd told me at dinner he'd be happy to get a six. Just like Georgie, he was in Career territory. I want to congratulate him and cheer for him, and I very nearly too, but Sean hushes us, suppressing a smile as he points back to the television, and we all still again, Caesar droning on, "And his sister, Zania, with a score of four."

I don't totally know how to feel. It's not a good number. Six was kind of the bare minimum for good. But, I had been expecting so much less; I'd spent the whole afternoon convinced I'd get a two. A four wasn't good, but it was good for me. And so I let myself smile, and when Nathan notices, he pulls me in a little side-hug. "Nice work, Nia," he tells me, ruffling my hair. He'd been waiting to see how I felt about my score before offering any sort of feedback, but I could tell he was proud of me.

"From District Ten," Caesar continues, and now that I know my own score, I watch the rest feeling a little lighter. "Mark, with a training score of six... And Addalie, with a score of five!" I chew the inside of my cheek-- they were average scores, but those two hadn't been the ones in our group we'd been expecting to score big. I hope that they're happy with them; they worked hard too.

"For our tributes from District Eleven," Caesar says. We're in the home stretch, and there's really only one other score I'm itching to see. "Harvey got a score of five... and Breah snagged a training score of seven."

I frown. Seven wasn't a bad score by any means, but to me, Breah deserved more. The gamemakers didn't know how smart she was, and how clever. And rationally, I knew those weren't really the sort of things you could show off in a private session, but it still felt like Breah had been shortchanged.

"Last, and certainly not least, we have our tributes from District Twelve!" Caesar exclaims. "Luca got a score of four... And to round everything out, we have Colleen, with a score of three." 

The split screen retreats, and Caesar takes fullscreen again, putting down his cue cards in a neat pile. "I would like to extend my sincere congratulations too all twenty-four of our formidable tributes, and thank our training staff-- without which, our games would be far less exciting! That is it for our program tonight! Be sure to tune back in tomorrow, where I will be meeting with some analysts, and they will try to break down what all of those scores mean, and what possibly we might be looking forward to! And mark your calendars, because the day after, we get one last glimpse of our tributes before they set off into the Arena-- It's the Interviews, hosted by yours truly! On behalf of all of us here, thank you for tuning in! Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

Goofy theme music starts to play, but it doesn't play for long before Sean turns off the television with a resounding click. He opens his mouth to start talking, but of course, it's Palana that gets the first word in. "Oh, fair play Nathan, I knew you had it in you!" she gabs, beaming at him. "I knew you'd score well; even told Kera yesterday, didn't I!" It's like I don't even exist.

Nathan returns the favor, though, ignoring her completely and turning to me. "A four isn't half bad-- you told me you'd be lucky to get a two," he teases me, grinning. "Good job, Nia."

"Good job, both of you," Olivia pipes up, closing her notebook and securing the pen to the spine. 

"Great showing this year," Sean agrees, still eyeing Palana with aggravation. He didn't take being interrupted too kindly. "A four I can work with, and an eight is above and beyond. All the scores your friends got, too-- their mentors and I will be working together, and you guys just made our jobs a lot easier. Well done." I take note that he only says he will be working with the other mentors. I wonder what Olivia will be doing, or if he unintentionally didn't include her in that.

After another round of congratulations, Nathan and I retreat to bed. I am up far too late, still buzzing. I'm happy about my score, of course, but even happier about Nathan's. When sleep finally claims me, it's delightfully dreamless, and I sleep happily through the whole night for the first time since my Reaping.


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