Hey guys! my first fanfic!! I love reading them, so why not write one? Ok so I've never seen a pre- Hunger Games so I thought I'd do that. In Peeta's POV. Sorry I stole the name Pekar from someone else but I liked it sooo yeah. Ok, so I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer- I don't own the Hunger Games.... :(

What does he have that I don't? Just about everything. He's strong, tall, and he looks just like her. He's talking to her, and she's laughing, glowing as her smile beams across her face. I can't handle just standing here, staring at her like a love-sick schoolboy. Well, I am. But she can't know that. Know that I've been in love with her ever since she sang in my kindergarten class. All conversations had been dropped, and all you could hear was the cool, beautiful sound of her voice. That's when I knew she had to be in my arms someday, instead of his strong, muscular hunters arms as he picks up her books she dropped. I wanted to run over there myself.

"Look how strong that Gale Hawthorne is!"

I see a group of giggling girls across the hall.

"And what is he doing helping her?"

This isn't anything new. Every day I hear snippets of his, and her name as I walk through the halls. Girls love him; he's eighteen, strong, tall, and handsome. Guys my age talk about her too, although I'm not sure they share the same feelings as I do for her. She's kind, talented, and she's a fighter. I've known that ever since I saw her on that horrible day when she was starving, about to give up on life, sitting by my apple tree in the yard. I couldn't stand to see her, my heart not prepared for it, so I looked away and threw her the bread. I don't think I've ever had a worse beating in my life, but it was worth it. Because, I know it's stupid, but I think when she catches me staring at her, she remembers that day. My first and only connection between her and I, forever, probably.

"Peeta, c'mon, let's go."

I awake from my depressing daydream and reply,

"Oh, yeah, sure."

My friend Greg and my brother Pekar know I was staring at Katniss Everdeen, and laugh to each other as they walk ahead of me. Pekar turns to me. Oh god, another love joke.

"Hey Peeta, did Katniss hit you with her arrow? You look frozen! Oh wait, that was Cupid!"

Greg and him laugh, although I have to admit that was the most well thought out joke I've ever heard from his mouth. Usually his jokes are pointless and don't make sense, but my friends continue to laugh. He's the most, in my mother's words, "social" Mellark boy.

Katniss and Gale, ugh, hunt daily with a bow and arrow, and illegally almost every day in the outskirts of District 12 in the woods. I know it's bad and all, but I can't help but admiring that. Risking your life to provide for your family. It's also somewhat of a rebellion, too, disobeying the Capitol rules. The Capitol knows they have complete control, and show it in the most horrifying way possible. They keep the 12 districts in line every summer by sending one girl and boy between 12 and 18 to compete in the Hunger Games, in other words, pure torture. It's a fight to the death on live TV, in a huge arena filled with surprises at every turn. And what's worse, they make us treat it like a celebration. You can now understand how much I despise the Capitol.

Every year since I've turned 12, I've stood in the boys line, palms sweaty and I'm shaking so much I feel like I'm going to die. That's ironic. But it's not me I'm concerned for, it's her. Her beautiful, olive toned face with her black, sleek braid running down her back. I almost faint when I see her piercing grey eyes looking at me across the hall. I feel like I'm in love with her, and it's funny, not really- I bet she doesn't even know my name. To her, I'm just the weird blue-eyed blonde kid who stares at her across the hall. And I bet that's how it will always be.

Gale, to her, well, I don't know, and I don't want to know. When the girls ask her, she shakes her head proudly and says firmly, "He's my friend." I can tell they don't buy it, and just roll their eyes. I really hope she's right. But watch, ten years from now they'll be married with children and I'll be standing right where I am now, staring at this beautiful woman that I'll always love, but will never have. And that's too much to think about right now, so I disappear from the hall, from her, and melt into my school life, learning about the coal mines and the future I'll have.

Where I should be.

Ok so please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!! Tell me if I should post another chapter or anything. KK thanks!!