"Get out of here! Look for scraps somewhere else!" I heard my mother yell, I turn out the fire and run to the window to see who it is this time. People from all over the district come here looking for food all the time, just to be yelled at and chased away from my mother.

The people are always from the Seam, the poor part of District 12.

When I see who the hungry person is I frown, I know this girl. I've had a huge crush on her since kindergarten. I watched her come to school every day and sit down and listen. You can tell when she is interested in what anybody is saying, and when she would rather be home and watch her mother sit on her small couch and stare off into space all day long.

You can't not feel sorry for Katniss and her sister, Prim. Prim is only eight, and Katniss is only twelve, yet they are forced to fend for themselves because both of their parents died. Not both, but her mother isn't really here. She is so depressed in her love's death that she no longer has the will to live or something.

I come back to the scene in the present time. My mother is working with a customer and Katniss is under a tree, looking lost and hopeless. I think of something that I can do to help. And I think fast. I look at the fire and at the bread.

I take the bread, light the fire higher, and throw the bread into the flames. I wait five a couple seconds and then turn out the flames, I look at the bread, and it's burnt. Perfect. My mom comes up behind me and then I feel a sharp pain on my left cheek.

It's not as worse as other times, but it still stung. "Now why don't you go feed that to the pigs! No decent person is going to buy burnt bread!" My mother yells at me, and inside I am smiling like an idiot. Outside I just nod my head and pick up the bread. There are two loafs. I begin to tear small pieces off and give a little bit to the pigs that are outside. Then I look back at my house/bakery and watch my mother move away from the window.

I quickly run to the tree Katniss is at and give the bread to the eldest Everdeen sister. She looks up at the sound and I smile and run back to the house.

I watch her run with the bread and smile.

I just helped a girl find dinner tonight. And not any girl. This girl. Katniss Everdeen.

~3 YEARS LATER~

"Here you go, Gale." I hear my father say.

Gale Hawthorne, Katniss' best friend. They say that Gale and Katniss met when they were both hunting illegally in the woods. First they were hunting partners, now best friends, and people say they will end up deeply in love with each other. I go along with that, knowing I would never have a chance with Katniss Everdeen, anyways. She probably will end up with Gale, and I will just deal with that.

I just wish I could tell her before it happens.

"Thank you, Mr. Mellark." Gale says. "You are welcome, thank you for the trade." I get up out of my bed and walk to the kitchen, and pour myself some water out of the family pitcher.

"Welcome." I hear Gale say. "And good luck today." My father says and smiles "We could all need some of that. Luck." He says. "Good luck with your boys." Gale says and smiles. "And pass that down to Katniss for me…you are going to see her? Correct?" my father asks and I close my eyes and frown. I reopen them and see Gale smiling. "Yes, sir." He says and laughs a little. "I'll let her know." He says and grabs a bag with bread in it, and his hunting bag.

He spots me and says good luck. I return the comment and finish my water.

I then get to work on the bread for tonight.

Tonight is the Reaping anyways. There is going to be a celebration. Well, besides two families. Who will be in their homes, praying, crying, weeping. For their children will be on their way to the Capitol. On their way to death.

74 years ago District 13 went against the Capitol, and they lost in a battle. Leaving us, all of the other twelve districts, to deal with the punishment.

The punishment was the Hunger Games. A brutal game that happens once every year. The Capitol sends one boy and one girl from each of the districts and they are sent into the arena to fight to the death. Last one standing wins fame and fortune. The whole package deal.

"Morning, Peeta." My older brother says. "Morning, Petrie." Petrie always looked after me, Him and my father and I are kind of all together. My younger Brother, Mel, and my Mother, are in another group. They are more strict then us. It's kinda sad. You can tell my parents marriage was not of love. I don't really know the story. I don't really want to.

All I know, me and my dad have a thing for Everdeen's. (wink, wink!)

My father loved, and still loves, Katniss' mother. I…I love Katniss.