"Melia, come on! Hurry up, we've been waiting for nearly half an hour for you. Training starts in fifteen minutes." Acacia hammers on my door, shouting for me to wake.

"Wha – fifteen minutes!" I throw myself out of bed and run around the room, hastily dressing and scraping back my hair with my fingers.

Everything's cleaned up now. There's not a shard of glass left on the carpet, nor a scrap of clothing out of place from my temper tantrum last night. I wonder who was the poor soul who tidied everything away.

I lace my boots and hurry down the hall to the dining area. I must look a real sight. Matted hair, dark circles under my eyes, creased clothing. Maximus shakes his head at me and I have to restrain myself from snapping at him.

Bailey gives me a small smile, and that's when I notice Ember sits beside Acacia, not in his usual spot across from Maximus. He catches my gaze and I quickly look away, a pang of guilt hitting me like a train. I should never have shouted at him like that last night. He was the only person I was certain I could count on in the Games, and now I've gone and blown it.

I slide into the only free chair left, and I can't help noticing it's the one furthest away from my brother. Is he really that angry with me? A servant scoops a spoonful of hot grain and a roll onto my plate, and I tuck in straight away. As I chew, I remember the hurtful things I said to him.

You think you're so helpful, but you're just a pain.

Maybe Kaitlynn and Burnet were right when they said you were just a stupid kid trying to act grown-up.

Acacia puts her spoon down and leans across the table, her fingers laced together. "You four know what today's about. Survival skills. Edible plants, starting fires, tying ropes and setting snares. Perhaps tomorrow before your private sessions I'll let you choose what you brush up on, but you have priorities today. You did wonderfully yesterday, but today is about working on things that the others won't think of. Today is the day that will give you an edge in the arena. Melia, I don't want any more reports of coming to blows with another tribute." I stuff another handful of bread into my mouth to stop myself from having a go at her. Yesterday wasn't my fault. "Ember, I know you and Melia stuck together like glue yesterday. But you need to split up and work separately. I can almost guarantee there'll be a point in the Games, probably near the beginning, where you two will be alone. You need to know how to work without each other. Understood?"

Ember snorts. "I'm sure Melia won't have a problem with that. I'm just a pain, aren't I?"

Haymitch stands and goes to put his plate up on the table, despite the servants being around to do the job for him. He's probably getting himself out of the way in case anything happens. Bailey coughs awkwardly, and I just sit there, clenching my fingers around my cutlery.

Eventually, once everyone's plates are empty, Maximus rearranges his features into a somewhat convincing grin and says, "Come on, everyone. We're almost late for training."

We're one of the last districts to arrive in the gymnasium. I glance over at the knife station and smile to myself. I can't wait to see the look on Rouge's – or any of the Careers' – face when she sees how I'm faring with them now.

She looks at me now, then tilts her head to the boy next to her and rubs her finger under her eye. "Probably stayed awake all night, absolutely terrified," I hear her mutter, then she snickers.

Ugh. I stand up straighter, throw her my filthiest glare, and fold my arms. You're fierce, I tell myself. You'll show her.

Ember does his very best to avoid me all day. Whenever I move around the stations and sidle over to his, he either ignores me completely or puts down whatever he's working on and walks away. At lunch, I hear his loud, unmistakable laugh from across the room. Bailey looks past me, her eyes widening, and mutters something that sounds like an awful lot of swears. I turn. My blood boils.

My brother sits with the Careers. He's laughing and joking around, acting as though it's perfectly all right to sit with the Career tributes. As though they're not completely arrogant, spoilt brats who will have no qualms about slicing him open and watching his blood run across the ground with sadistic smiles on their faces.

I take several deep breaths, forcing myself to keep calm. He's just doing this to get back at you because of last night, I think. But his voice carries and I'm certain he knows I'm watching him, because he suddenly seems louder.

"So when we were little, she had this fascination with a tree in the Meadow behind our house. It's stupid, it's such a mangy, gnarled little thing with barely any height to it, but she insisted that I take her out there every day so she could pretend she was flying. I had to stand there for hours while she leaped into my arms, over and over again. I got sick of it so quickly. But you know what kids are like."

My fingers clench. Haymitch tenses beside me, anticipating what I'm about to do. He grabs my arm before I can stand up. "Don't, for goodness' sake. You'll just encourage him."

"Oh my God, are you serious? She sounds so dumb."

"Why did you play along? She seems really childish. I stopped doing that when I was three."

"Yeah, but she's never been quite right. When my youngest sister, Posy was born, I was twelve and Melia was nine. She was supposed to give Posy her doll because she was too grown-up for them by that stage but she threw a tantrum because she wanted to keep her doll. I mean, she should have left behind her doll long before Posy was born, but she sometimes acts like a child," says Ember.

That's it. I wrench my arm from Haymitch's grasp and storm over to the Careers' table.

"And sometimes you act like a huge jerk, you know that?" I snap.

The Careers, all twelve of the repulsive creatures, stare at me. Several cover their mouths as though trying to hide the fact that they're laughing.

"What?" Ember says. "Don't you like it when I tell the truth?"

"I don't like it when you tell things like this to Careers! We're from District Twelve! Back home they'd be appalled to know that you've been... you've been..."

"That I've been, what, daring to speak to other people? Not everything's about you, Melia. Like you said of yourself last night, I don't have to agree with your every whim and want. You need to grow up, we're not going to sit around while you play with dolls. We're in a fight to the death, Melia."

They laugh at me and a small, indignant sound escapes my lips. My cheeks burn, and before I can stop myself, I reach out and tip Ember's lunch onto his lap.

"Good luck cleaning that up. You won't mind if you miss training, I'm sure the Careers will help you catch up," I hiss.

The room is deathly quiet. Not even Ember speaks. Everyone seems to be frozen, only their eyes following me as I calmly walk back to my seat. I sit there, waiting until the chatter begins again. I hear the door open and close.

"You've got guts doing that," Haymitch whispers. "Everyone knows what you're like now, they're going to be a lot more wary of you."

"But I proved a point, didn't I?" I reply, picking up a roll and turning it over in my hands. "Just because I'm smaller than nearly everyone here, that doesn't mean I'm not going to put up a fight."

He sighs, and for once I see a look of worry cross his face. "Yes, I know that. It just makes you more of a target."

"What do you care though? You've got a chance at getting home. I'm just another irritating person in the way of you winning."

He puts down his cutlery and groans, rubbing his face. "Listen, sweetheart. I know your brother. Saw him at school. He thinks the world of you. If I even dared trying to lay a finger on you, he wouldn't hesitate before knocking me out. He's only doing this to get back at you, and you know that."

Bailey speaks through a mouthful of food, pointing her fork at me. "He's right, Melia."

I bite my lip. He is right. Deep down I know we're acting immature and quite probably losing potential allies by behaving in such a manner, but I'm too angry at Ember.

The next day, all forty-eight tributes are taken to a room just outside the gymnasium. Bailey sits next to one of the boys from Two, speaking animatedly to him about life in District Twelve.

"Oh, yeah, I guess you know now, but we've got the Meadow. It's massive, stretching along the fence as far as you can see. Next to that's the Seam, the poorest part of our district. It's where I live. It's run-down, but it's nice. Very close."

"We've got these villages, all spread across the district around a mountain. They're called Zones, and I live in Zone 4."

I tune out their conversation as a voice announces the next tribute to go in for their private session with the Gamemakers.

Artemis Parry, District Two.

Slowly, surely, more tributes begin to trickle from the room. A knot forms in my stomach and grows with each moment until I feel like I'm going to be sick. I chew my lip to keep myself calm, but I feel my hands grow clammy. When the boy Bailey was talking to – whose name I learned is Odius – leaves, she just sits back and picks at her nails.

Eventually it's just Ember and I. We don't say anything. I cross my legs and rest my chin on my palm.

What am I going to do when I enter the gym? They'll have seen dozens of tributes showing off their knife skills. I could camouflage or start a fire...

Ember Cressview, District Twelve.

My brother stands but I still don't look up. Something clinks and then slides across the bench to me. Just as he reaches the door, I whisper, "Good luck."

I pick up the thing he threw to me. It's a small silver flower hanging on a chain. I turn it over to see tiny writing etched into the pendant. Laurel Harroway. My mother's maiden name.

I look back to the door in disbelief, but Ember is already gone. Tears prick my eyes as I close my fingers over the necklace.

She must have given it to him as his district token, a parting gift. For the both of us. Something to hold on to. Something to give us strength in the final moments.

I loop the chain around my neck, vowing to keep the necklace with me at all times. I suddenly feel stronger, as though my mother is watching over me. And, if I squeeze my eyes shut and concentrate enough, I can hear her whispering "You're my big brave girl, Melia. You'll always make me proud."

When my name is called, I stand. My back straight, my shoulders back, my jaw set, I make my way into the gym.

I look up at the Gamemakers. They're on a balcony some fifteen feet above the gymnasium floor, sitting around a large banquet table. Only one seems to be particularly interested in me, the rest are all drinking and laughing.

I clear my throat and stand a little taller. "Melia Cressview. District Twelve."

Several turn to look at me, and I notice one of the Gamemakers – a particularly young-looking one – smile. Once I'm certain they're focused on me, I turn and walk over to the knife station. I select several and choose a target.

Remember, step forward. Arm up, elbow bent... flick your arm forward and follow through. I practise a few times, a smile crossing my face. No bull's-eyes yet, but none of my knives missed the target. I look up to see a few Gamemakers nodding in approval.

I'm a little surprised they aren't bored yet, having watched forty-seven other tributes before me, but I wonder if they're specifically watching out for Panem's favourite siblings. That's good, it means I'm being judged fairly.

I hit the target a couple more times, just to show that I can actually throw knives, then I put them back and move over to the fire-making station. I gather the supplies I need and head over to the trees set up for climbing and camouflage.

I start by making a little nest of twigs and leaves, then I scatter some towards and around one of the trees. The training dummies are still set up and I grab one and haul it back over to the tree, where I hoist it onto one of the branches.

The Gamemakers are more interested now, watching curiously to see what I'm doing. I smile to myself as I grab two sticks and sit down beside the tinder. I start humming as I rub the sticks together, back and forth, back and forth. I'm not even exactly sure if this is going to work, but at least the Gamemakers are paying attention to me. After a few minutes, a spark ignites and flicks onto the tinder. I carefully arrange the sticks over the ember and gently blow until a thick cloud of smoke emits from the tinder bundle.

Soon enough, the wood bursts into flames. I make a small noise of satisfaction, but I'm not done yet. Crouching beside the fire, I blow again so it drifts in the direction of the tree. Slowly but surely the line of leaves catches fire and it's like watching a line of gunpowder burn. Then without warning – at least to the Gamemakers – the tree starts to smoulder.

The dummy is like a tribute, trapped as I've just set fire to the one place they thought they were safe. I've just demonstrated starting a forest fire. I turn back to the Gamemakers. They look back at me, some nodding, some smiling, some looking incredibly surprised.

"Melia Cressview, District Twelve. Coal. I'm accustomed to starting fires," I say.

Laurentum Clearheart, the Head Gamemaker, folds his arms and gives me an amused smile. "Thank you, Melia. You may go now."

I bow slightly, then turn and leave. As I step into the elevator, I see the overhead sprinklers extinguishing my creation. Perhaps I did well. Perhaps.