"You're not afraid of fire are you Katniss?" Cinna questions, holding the synthetic flame lighter in his hands.
"Not unless it's fake" I say staring down at the lighter that could potentially set me on fire, killing me before I even make it into the arena. Today is the day our stylists will show us off to the capitol dressed up in costumes accordingly to our districts. Peeta is soon by my side, dressed in a similar black leotard with knee high black boots and a black cape. Cinna tells me the black symbolizes District Twelve's coal and the fire will represent it burning.
It's time to board our chariot and I'm staring at Cinna, now my eyes look frantically at the lighter in his hands. "It'll be alright Katniss" Cinna says calmingly. I nod and board the chariot next to Peeta. "Ready to be set on fire?" Peeta asks shakily "As ever" I smirk. Cinna holds the lighter against our capes and before I could even blink my cape is engulfed by red, yellow and orange flames. Peeta and I find ourselves staring at the beautiful flickering colors. The capitol people are now screaming with enthusiasm as the fire burns racing behind us on the chariot. Suddenly I feel a hand attempting to entwine with mine, but not just any hand Peeta's.
"What are you doing?" I ask, bizarrely yanking my hand free. "Come on they'll love it" Peeta convinces "Fine" I mutter. Peeta reaches out taking hold of my hand and I'm about to open my mouth and tell him that it's too weird, but then the loudness of the crowd and everything becomes so overwhelming that holding his hand makes everything seems better. We raise our hands up entwined together and the crowd is throwing roses, hats, and colorful hair extensions. I swiftly catch a red rose from the air and hold it up in my right hand because my other hand is still clutching onto Peeta's. Our chariot pulls into where all the other districts chariots are and the looks I'm getting; mostly from the careers who do not seem so impressed. Right then our capes magically extinguishes our burning flames and Peeta and I exchange startled looks, and then almost embarrassingly lower our hands. But I don't let go of his hand because now I just want to feel safe and that's exactly how I feel knowing he's beside me.
Suddenly President Snow is in view above us, standing on his balcony and is about to give the speech he makes every year to the tributes. "Welcome. Tributes, we welcome you." The crowd applauds and I'm disgusted. No! I'm repulsed – if he welcomes us, then why the hell are we going to go fight for their entertainment in a matter of days! Now I finally understand why Gale would always get so pissed in the woods and rant about the capitol, well I always understood why he would, but I guess I understand better now. President Snow's voice echoes as he says the signature line everyone knows so well. "We wish you…HAPPY HUNGER GAMES AND MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!"
This time the crowd is deranged, excitedly rising up from their seats, beaming their rainbow colored teeth at their president. Then a pair of peacekeepers escorts us off our chariot and into the training center. After a while I notice I'm still holding Peeta's hand, but I don't mind and neither of us let's go. Haymitch, Effie and Cinna soon catch up with us.
"That was absolutely marvelous!" Effie delightfully chants clapping her hands "Good job sweetheart" Haymitch says drunkenly so I glance over at Cinna who gives me a warm smile. Something feels wrong all of a sudden and I feel a pair of eyes staring at me. I turn around only to be staring into the eyes of the district two male. He gives me a cocky arrogant grin and I turn away, "Oh please as if that's going to scare me" I mutter. Peeta looks at me confused and glances back to the district two tributes.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah" I say obliviously. He gives my hand a little squeeze and we walk together to the elevator with Haymitch, Effie, and Cinna following behind. Right before the elevator doors close the district two male gives me yet another murderously sickening smile and then I feel sick to my stomach. Haymitch notices the boy and changes his tone from lazy and drunk to cautious "If I were you sweetheart I'd be careful around him" I nod my head and Peeta looks at me worried, he saw too.
The elevator doors shut tight and with no warning it shoots up, scaring the hell out of me and Peeta. After only being in the elevator for about ten seconds it comes to a gentle stop and I realize I'm tightly clutching on to Peeta's hand, and probably hurting him. I stare into his sparkling light blue eyes. "Oh, sorry" I say releasing my death grip off his hand.
"It's fine, you weren't hurting me" he says, smiling. The elevator doors open and I walk out now standing in a completely capitol furnished room then I see the avoxes, or traitors of the Capitol and I can't help but feel bad for them, knowing what me and Gale do… or what we used to do.
"Alright no dilly-dawdling! Peeta, Katniss your rooms are right down that hallway" she says pointing a finger towards a long hallway "I expect you both to be ready in an hour for lunch!" Peeta and I both walk across the suite and down the hallway, my right hand is on the door knob twisting it to go in when Peeta grabs my left hand. I turn towards him my other hand still on the knob.
"Just to put it out there I liked holding your hand today." I can feel my cheeks turning a bright red "M-m-me t-to" I stutter and before this could get any more embarrassing I quickly open the door and slip inside. Later after I'm done taking a shower I get dressed in a dark green T-shirt and black stretchy pants, back in district twelve this stuff would've probably cost a couple deer's because the cotton is so fine and soft. District twelve… I wonder how Prim's doing. Hopefully Gale's been watching her, knowing my mother to well. Prim… my mockingjay pin! Great, where'd I put it? That was the one thing I promised Prim, that I would wear the pin I gave her originally to keep her safe. Well that and staying alive.
I pick up the black leotard from the floor that I wore for the parade and find the pin attached to it. Cinna he must have known it was my district token and pinned it to my suit, speaking of Cinna I should probably return his design to him. I dust the suit off and fold it neatly and unpin the pin. I quickly pin it to my green T-shirt and then I'm reminded of the woods back home, the birds flying through the trees, hunting with Gale, and the days when I used to go out with my father relaxing in our pond… Oh no! How long has it been? Effie must be furious, knowing she's all about manners they probably haven't even started eating yet! I half run half walk out the room and towards the dining room.
"You're late!" Effie says over dramatically and my eyes dart from Peeta to Haymitch and then Effie "I- umm…" I sputter "its fine sweetheart just sit down, 'cause I'm starving, this control freak wouldn't let me touch a thing!" Effie gives him a glare so foul I think she may throw him into the arena along with us; I take the seat next to Peeta, feeling safer there than sitting next to Haymitch. I stare at the bowl placed before me – it's food I've never seen before. It's a soup with all kinds of things inside it, but not really caring I shove a spoonful of it into my mouth. It's so creamy and delicious that I finish it before anyone else can, then one of the axoxes come to my side and take the bowl away.
After about five minutes everyone else finishes up as well except for Haymitch who pours himself his fifth cup of liquor, "Oh yeah Peeta and Katniss I almost forgot…" his voice drowns in and out "Tomorrow is your first day of training." I'm startled already! Can't we have a day to relax and not think about our certain death, since only one of us will be coming out? It's like Peeta's thinking the exact same thing as me as he grabs my hand from under the table. "SPLAT!" Haymitch just passed out unconscious in his soup "Oh my!" Effie shrieks "Avoxes will you please take care of this monstrosity!" she quickly picks herself up, fixes her dress then leaves the dining room muttering about "no manners" until all you hear is her seven inch heels padding along the glossy black floor.
That's me and Peeta's cue to leave, we let go of each other's hands and walk down the hallway before parting ways into our rooms, but before we're both inside I hear him say "See you tomorrow" "See you…" I say driftingly. Then both our doors shut closed.
PLEASE REVIEW :) I WILL BE ADDING CHAPTER TWO VERY SOON HOPE U LIKE IT!