The Hunger Games: Bella's Story

I wake up to the site of the glaring sun shining through my window. It's cold. But that's normal in district 12. I can feel the breeze coming through the window. I don't want this day to continue. Like i think every year, every year of the reaping...of The Hunger Games. Where each year a boy and a girl from each district of the 12 get picked randomly to fight to the death with one another until one can come out alive and the winner gets riches. Well, what we call riches the Capitol call a light meal, the Capitol being our government. I stand up slowly and feel my body waking up, walking as fast as a snail. I look out the window and see Peeta. Like i do everyday, watching him load the bread on the stalls. With his golden hair glowing in the morning sun. I have known Peeta all my life. I see him everyday and try to speak to him but he barely notices me. Pathetic really how i think i can say i know him. He doesn't know me. But, i wish he did. Even though at school we have most of our classes together, but no school today. Maybe i should go and try to speak to him. It couldn't hurt.

I get dressed as quickly as i can, which doesn't take me a couple of seconds. As i walk out of my bedroom door my mother is calling my name.

"Bella,Bella! Can you hurry up please?"

I walk down the stairs slower now just to annoy her.

"Yes mother, what do you want from the hob? I was gonna try and sell some of the eggs from the chickens".

"Yes that's fine Bella, now hurry up! You haven't got long before the reaping".

Oh great, for some weird reason I'd forgotten about that. Maybe i was thinking to much about Peeta.

"Ok bye mum"

I try to walk out the door as fast as i can and then jolt to a stop when i see Peeta. Oh, there he is with his golden locks and his eyes as blue as the sky. No! Stop! I can't think like that if i want to be friends with him. I take one step outside and it must of been the loudest step ever because he turned round and looked at me.

"Oh, hi Bella. You ok?"

I actually have to stop and think about this.

"Um, yes thanks. You?"

He looks directly into my eyes and gives me the sweetest smile i have ever seen.

"Yes very good thanks."

His voice is warm, i like it and want to hear more of it.

"So you worried about the reaping?"

He looks at me and gives me a little chuckle.

"Ha, I'm more nervous then I am worried. Well even if I went in no one would miss me. I never really have any friends".

I don't know why but this hurts me a little bit, for some weird reason I don't know about.

"Well you can consider me a friend Peeta, even though we don't talk a lot. Which is weird cause you live like 20 steps away from me".

We both laugh at this and I think how ridiculous that is. That me and him have lived 20 steps away from each other our whole lives and never really talked.

"Well, thanks. And you can call me your friend to Bell".

There's a slight pause.

"I can call you Bell, can't i?"

I give him the biggest smile i have ever given anyone.

"Yes you can. It's nice"

It is nice. It's nice to know that he even wants to have a nickname for me, It makes me like him even more.

"Well, I've got to go and bake some more bread before the reaping so I'll catch you later. Maybe we could walk to the reaping together"

"Yeah, that would be great".

For some reason he gives me a hug, a tight one. I love it. The feeling of being wrapped up in his warmth and comfort...It's soothing. He gives me a teethy but sweet smile and i do the same. He waves me goodbye.

When I get to the Hob i can see Katniss. Katniss Everdeen, i envy her. She's so great at hunting and she sells to Peeta all the time. No wonder Peeta loves her. I know he didn't tell me but you can see it in his eyes. Every time he looks at her, It's a longing stare. Longing For something more. That's the same look i give Peeta, but he never notices.

I walk over to where she's selling to Greasy Sae. As she's about to leave i see her pick something up, some sort of pin. It looks like a Mockingjay. Mockingjay's are very rare now since they were made into mutation's for the rebellion. Mockinbird's can repeat any human sound so, the Captiol used them to spy on the Districts during the rebellion, but they mated with the Jabberjay's to make Mockingjay's and the Capitol tried to kill them off, but I'm sure they didn't get all of them.

She's Staring at the pin with such curiosity.

"That's a Mockingjay" says Greasy Sae.

"How much?"

"You have it".

"Thank you". As she says that she gives Greasy Sae a really big smile and walks off.

Great, now she's got the most rarest pin in the whole of Panem. What more could she want?

I walk up to one of the Peacekeepers and swap my eggs for a loaf of bread. I know I could get it from Peeta's bakery but it wouldn't of been as big as the one i got off the Peacekeeper.

As I'm walking back to my house i start to admire the sounds of the birds and the magnificent trees. And why i do this? Because today might be the last time i do this here..in District 12. My Home. I walk up to my house and still see Peeta working, putting the loaves out and ordering them in size. He see's me and it's like his face has lit up.

"Oh, hey Bella" says Peeta.

I just freeze and can't stop looking at him. It's like I've gone in a day dream, why am i so stupid? Well i certainly look like that too him.

"Oh, Hi Peeta".

He looks at me confused.

"Is something wrong?"

I take a deep sigh.

"Well maybe the fact then in less then in an hour we might be sent to our death".

I said that like i angry with him. I didn't mean it to sound like that, but it did. He gives me another puzzled look.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound like that. I'm just...so worried".

He walks over to me & stand's right in front of me.

"I know what you feel like Bell. I'm worried to, but if me and you don't get picked then maybe we could work on our friendship. I mean if that's ok with you?"

Yes! Of course that's ok! This is the moment I have been waiting for all of my life!

"Yeah, that's fine. That's great..." I start mumbling like a crazy person.

"Urm, Bell?"

I've gone off in a daze now.

"Oh sorry! I must look like a fool to you!"

He surprisingly gives a laugh and a smile.

"No, not a fool. A beautiful fool".

This confuses me. Why would he call me beautiful if he wanted to be friends? Does he like me more then a friend? No. I'm imagining things.

Now I'm just blushing.

"Aw, you've gone rosy red!" He says teasingly.

"Oh, sh you!"

We start play fighting and then laugh until our throats feel so sore.

"You are beautiful though, that's the truth".

"Peeta, why are you saying this too me?"

"Well, I think that every girl needs to hear it once in a while. Even though I haven't really had much experience with one."

Now this really surprises me. But then I think back over the years I have known Peeta. And then I think of Delly. Delly was Peeta's friend growing up, they use to always play when they were little around the Seam. She had to move to a different part of the Seam because her father got a job mining and they had to live closer, that's how I live near Peeta. I always thought that when they were older they would still be really good friends but, I guess they kind of drifted apart.

"Well, that's kind of hard to believe".

The look on his face shows that he obviously doesn't believe me. And even gives me a little chuckle.

"How is that hard to believe?"

This is it. I could tell him something simple like 'oh It just is' or I could tell him everything. Things I like about him and why but, what would happen? Would he laugh? Be angry? Annoyed? I don't know what could happen but I do it anyway.

"Because Peeta...I like you. Ok? I have all my life and It's real. Not some stupid girl crush".

"Well, what do you like about me?"

"I like your smile, the way you have little creases on the corners of your mouth. And your eyes are deep crystal blue that shine so bright they even put stars to shame. And your funny and so sweet and your are the nicest person I know and I want to be your friend. Even maybe more".

I'm blushing now and I feel like there's fire coming onto my skin, I feel so hot...and embarrassed. There's a long pause.

"Well say something".

He stands up, straight in front of me and takes my hands.

"Bell, I...I don't know how to say this".

A massive shot of doubt rounds through me. Oh no, what have I done? I've made a mistake haven't I? Telling him my feelings. This mistake could of messed up that one chance of having a friendship with him. And I was right. He started explaining to me that he likes someone else and he doesn't want to hurt me. It was obvious who he liked.

Katniss Everdeen.

"It's Katniss? Isn't it?"

He gives me a very puzzled look.

"How did you find that out?"

I'm starting to get angry now.

"No one needs to tell me!" I'm shouting now.

"I can see It In your eyes!" I'm speaking normally now.

"That longing stare. The stare you give someone when you desperately want to talk to them...that's the same look i give you".

There's a silence.

"Bell I-"

"Don't talk! I'm sorry i even said anything."

And I am sorry, I wish I hadn't said a thing.

END OF CHAPTER 1