Hey everyone, so this is my version of the Hunger Games in Peeta's POV. I hope you guys like it. I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES. PLEASE REVIEW! I love feedback:]

Chapter 1

I toss and turn in my small bed, attempting to sleep. Frustrated by the lack of progress, I get up and feel my way through my pitch black room, to sit down on my small dresser. I draw the curtains back and open the window. Moonlight pours into my bedroom, allowing me to see the outline of my very few possessions. Tomorrow is the day of the Reaping. My stomach churns at the thought. Who will get picked? Will it be someone I know? Probably, I know everyone in District 12. Will it be me? I really don't think so. I mean, it's defiantly a possibility, but my name is only in there six times, out of thousands of others. No, I'm really worried someone I know well will get picked, and I'll be forced to watch them die a gruesome death they really don't deserve at all.

This whole thing sickens me, to tell you the truth. The Hunger Games is supposed to be a punishment to the districts, because of the revolt against the Capitol, so many years ago. There used to be 13 Districts, but they destroyed District 13, to set an example to the rest of us, I guess. Well, it worked, because every year, each District sends a boy tribute and a girl tribute to fight to their death as entertainment to the Capitol. The first time you're entered into the games is when you turn 12. Then your name is written on a single sheet of paper, and put into a huge glass ball filled with thousands of others. Then each year after that, it's added once more, unless you get "assistance" from the Capitol, like a Tesserae. I've never gotten one, but many people in the Seam live off of them.

My family is pretty fortunate, we live in the good part of District 12 my Dad owns a bakery. We live in a two story house, and my family makes enough money to survive. But that's it, survive. Then again, that's a lot better than most people in the Seam. I very rarely go into the Seam, I've even been into a house there. More like a shack, actually. Half of the people are starving, and most have an eight hour job down in the mines to support their families. That's where me and my older brother Kenny are headed, anyway. My oldest brother, Braydon, will take over the family bakery when our Dad dies.

I breathe in the cool air as I look out at the poor and starving District 12. I can't help but find it beautiful. The way the moon and stars light up the dark streets, and the yellow glow that comes from the lights in my neighbors' houses. Pretty beautiful if you ask me. I crawl back into my bed and bury my head in my pillow, knowing that I really do need to get some sleep. After all, the Reaping doesn't actually start until 2pm. And I need to look my best in case I'm picked as a tribute. No, bags under my eyes just won't do for the glamorous people of the Capitol. And on that happy thought I close my eyes and drift into oblivion.

And what seems like five minutes later I'm awoken in fear. A smell I rarely smell, and a smell that gets my adrenaline pumping fills my nose. The first thought that runs through my groggy mind is Oh my God the house is on fire! But that isn't true. No, the reality is much, much worse.

Someone has burnt bread.

Burning bread probably seems like it would be common in a bakery, but we are extremely careful to avoid it. Burning bread is equivalent to a severe beating from my mother, and your dinner is taken away for an unreasonably long amount of time. I get dressed and quietly go downstairs to see who the victim is. When I reach the end of the stairs I grab my apron hanging on its peg and cross the dining room, through the kitchen door and step into the bakery. It's my father. He's cursing and juggling a black lump with bare hands. As soon as he sees me he tosses it to me. "Feed it to the pig."

I do as I'm told, because today is the Reaping and that's always when we're busiest, what with everyone preparing for their feasts. It's a tradition to celebrate afterwards, we all see it as a victory not to be picked, but it seems wrong. Because two families will go home heartbroken. I go out back and trudge toward the pig pen. As I rip pieces off and throw it onto the muddy floor, I stare at it. The tree. As I watch it sway in the breeze I remember the day like it was yesterday.

Flashback

I stand in the front of the Bakery with my brother Kenny, as we set out some cakes in the display window. Soon we hear our Mother, yet again, screaming her head off about something we did. Kenny looks at me and I roll my eyes. I set down one of the cakes and walk into the back of the kitchen, when I see her with her head out the back door, yelling at someone in the pouring rain. That was a weird sight, because my mother is always so careful to keep her composure in public, for the sake of her reputation. I stand behind her and peer out the door to see who she's yelling at. That's when I see her. Katniss Everdeen. Her grey eyes wide, staring at my mother as she grips our trash can lid. Her drenched hair was plastered against her hollow cheeks and pale skin. She carefully put our lid back on and backed away as my mother threatened to call the Peacekeepers. That's when her eyes locked onto mine, making my head fog up. My mother turns her back to the door and yells at me to get back to work, but I stay and watch the girl as she slumps against an fat old tree, shivering in the rain. I panic, turning around. She looked really skinny, like she should be two grades under me, when in fact we were in the same grade. When my mother left the room looking for Braydon, I ran over and open the stove door. I hadn't been taught how to bake bread yet, but I knew how to burn it. I grab the metal poker and push the two loaves of golden brown bread halfway off the metal shelf and into the open flame. That's when my Mother and Braydon walk in.

"What are you doing?" My Mother shrieks as she grabs the poker from me. "You stupid idiot!" Braydon stands in the corner his hands over his ears. We both know what will happen next.

My Mother tries to save the bread loaves, but it's too late. She shakes them furiously in my face. "Look what you have done!" She slaps me with the burnt end, still extremely hot, leaving my cheek sizzling. I scream in pain and cover the rest of my face but her rage is over for now. She grabs my hand and shoves the bread in it as she pushes me towards the door. I'm running towards the pin, getting drenched, but my face feels better when the rain hits the burn . She screams behind me, "Feed it to the pig you stupid creature! Why not? No one decent will buy burned bread!" I begin to tear off the blackest parts and throw them to the pig when I hear the door close. Careful not to make eye contact with Katniss, I look back at the bakery, making sure no one was watching, and focus on the pig as I throw one of the loaves towards her. Then the other. I Run back towards the bakery and close the door loudly, then open it to a small crack as I watch her stunned face. She looks at the bakery door again, and I get nervous because I think she can see me spying on her, but then she scoops up the bread and stuffs it down her shirt.

The next day I bump shoulders with her in the hallway of the school but pretend not to notice because I was a chicken. My eye had swelled shut and my face was red on that side, but I just tell my friends I fell onto the stove and burned my face up. They don't ask questions, because my brothers and I always make up stories for our bruises and black eyes. Later that day, when my friends and I were in the schoolyard, I saw her in the field. I ignored them as they tried to get my attention and stared at her, when she finally looked up, she looked right into my eyes. Embarrassed, I look away and then look back a couple seconds later, to see her bent down, picking a dandelion.

I smile a little and give the pig the last chunk. I walk back into the bakery, and my Dad is already kneading more dough. I head towards the cookies I hadn't finished frosting the other night. It takes me most of the day to decorate all of them. When I look at the clock, its already time for me to get ready. We close down the bakery and we all go to or rooms and get ready. I put on some black slacks and a white button up shirt. I slick back my hair and shine my loafers, too. When I leave my room, Braydon I waiting there.

"Ready?" He asks. I nod. Braydon is 20, Kenny is 18, and I am 16. I'm really the only one who has to worry. As soon as Kenny joins us we go downstairs and walk with our parents to the town square. Attendance is required unless you're deathly ill. Then, when we get there, we wait another two hours to check in. The line is excruciatingly long, but we finally make it to the front. After all the waiting, all the Capitol people did was prick my finger and smear my blood on a card.

Once we're in my family hugs goodbye and splits apart. Mom, Dad, and Brayden go behind the rope of people over 18 and under 12. Kenny goes to the 18 year olds section, and I make my way to the 16 year olds. I find my friend Brent.

"Hey man." I greet him.

"Hey." Brent has brown hair and is naturally pale, but today he is even whiter, and I know why. Today is his little brother's 12th birthday.

"Dude, listen, your brother's name is only in there once, he'll never be picked." I try to reassure him.

He nods. "Poor guy didn't sleep at all last night."

"First Reaping is always the hardest."

I look around the Town square. There are camera men everywhere. In windows, doorways, roofs. Snapping pictures and making me annoyed. I look at the temporary stage. Two huge glass balls sit on either end one for the boys, and one for the girls, a microphone in the middle, and three chairs set off on the right side. Two are filled, the Mayor sits on the far left and next to him is a small woman with a huge pink wig named Effie Trinket. Just by looking at her hideous attire, you can tell she came right from the Capitol. The third chair should be filled with Haymitch Abernathy, the only living winner of the Games from District 12, but he's always drunk. He'll probably show up whenever he feels like it, even if it's mandatory.

Right when the clock strikes two, the Mayor steps up to the microphone and begins the same speech he said last year. And the year before that, and the year before that. He talks about the history of Panem, then the Dark Days, how District 13 was destroyed, and why we celebrate the Hunger Games. We are reminded of this story so many times, it's drilled into my head. Soon I'm mouthing the words and rolling my eyes as the Mayor spoke them. "It is both a time of repentance and a time of thanks." The Mayor finishes. Haymitch stumble onto the stage then, extremely drunk, and the crowd claps. He looked confused so when he sat down in his chair he practically tackled Effie. I think he was trying to give her a hug. She pushes him off and the Mayor continues to read past District 12 victors, and introduces the bubbly Effie Trinket.

"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds ever be in your favor!" She gushes her famous lines into the microphone.

Oh how desperately I want to punch you in the face, Effie. "Ladies first!" She squeals as she goes to the right side of the stage. She digs her hand down deep into the bowl and pulls out a slip.

Please please please. Please don't let it be Katniss. Please don't let it be Katniss. Is all I can think. And it's not. It's much worse than that. It's Primrose Everdeen. Katniss's little sister.

Sweet little Prim, just a baby. The whole crowd is in distress, because we all know and love this little girl. And she is only 12. She was picked at her first Reaping. I look sympathetically at the little girl as she makes her way to the clear roped off path, leading directly to the stage. Then there is a commotion in the back. I hear someone screaming Prim's name. It's Katniss.

"Prim! She runs to her sister as she's about to get on the stage. She pushes Prim behind her and I know what's about to happen. No no no no no no no no no no! Please don't do this. No no no. I scream in my mind. "I volunteer! I volunteer as a tribute!" She chokes.

"Lovely!" Effie says. "But I believe there's a small matter of introducing the Reaping winner and then asking for volunteers, and if one does not come forth then we, um….." Effie says confused. Even she doesn't know what to do because besides in District 1, 2, 3, and sometimes 4, there are never volunteers.

"What does it matter." Sighs the Mayor gruffly. "What does it matter, let her come forward.

Prim is clinging to Katniss's legs now, screaming and crying. A guy I know as Gale comes from the crowd and removes her. Prim hits him and cries as he turns around and leaves.

"Well, bravo!" Effie laughs, obviously excited because of all this action. "That's the spirit of the Games! What's your name?"

Katniss struggles to keep her composure. She stares far out and says hoarsely, "Katniss Everdeen."

"I bet my buttons that was your sister. Don't want her to steal all the glory, do we? Come on, everybody! Let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!" Effie is the only one clapping. Everyone is silent, until someone does something very risky. A man presses his three middle fingers on his left hand to his lips and then hold it out to Katniss. Then another, and then I join them. Soon everyone is giving this old gesture from our district, it means goodbye, it means, thanks, admiration, and I love you.

Haymitch stumbles up to the front next to Katniss "Look at her, look at this one!" He throws his arm around her and now I'm getting angry. "I like her!" "Lots of…." He trails off until he sees a camera by the stage. "Spunk!" He lets go of her and stumble towards the camera. "More than you!" He looks out at the audience. "More than you!" He points at the camera. Then he proceeds to fall of the stage, and is whisked away by an ambulance.

"What and exciting day!" Effie sighs happily. "But there's more excitement to come! It's time to choose our boy tribute!"

But I'm not even listening, I'm focused on Katniss's beautiful face. How am I going to bare watching her get slaughtered on my television screen? I'm about to puke.

Then, Miss Effie Trinket says the other tributes name, loudly, sternly, and excitedly into the microphone as it bounces around in the air.

"Peeta Mellark!" She squeals. Brent gasps and some people turn around to stare at me. I stand there, utterly shocked, and then somehow force my legs to work because I'm up on the stage and Effie steers me next to Katniss. I try my hardest to keep my face expressionless, and avoid my family's eyes, but they jump out at me. My brothers are both weeping silently and my father looks like he is in agony, his face twisted around in pain. My mother looks like she doesn't approve. I look out towards the mountains, and that's when the numbness sets in. It makes it easier to be calm and expressionless on stage as Effie finishes up her speech. The Mayor comes and says a few words, then motions us to shake hands. I reach out and soon her warm, soft hand is in mine. Small and, if you didn't know her, possibly fragile. But I knew her, she was courageous, fearless, a hunter. My Father used to buy her squirrels. Always shot precisely in the eyes. I look her right in the eyes and give her hand a sort of reassuring squeeze, but it was too fast and jerky, maybe she thought it was a nervous spasm. She let go of my hand, much too fast for my taste. I will have to kill her. I suddenly think. No, no I won't kill her. And at that moment I swore to myself I'd do everything in my power to keep her alive. Even if it costs my own life.

Please let me know if the chapters are to long/short. I'd be happy to make changes. Thanks so much for reading! PLEASE REVIEW!