Chapter 1

Reaping Day. The first thing that I thought of when I opened my eyes. It was reaping day the worst day of the year. The Hunger Games; is the capitols idea of fun, watching 24 tributes 12 from each district kill each other until only one is alive, the victor. On reaping day the tributes are picked from two glass bowls by Effie Trinket a mad bat from the Capitol. Once a person is 12 years old their name gets put up for reaping, each year it's one more. So at 13 it will be twice and so on. At the age of 16 my name is in there 5 times. It's not as much as some of the other members of district 12, so the odds that it will be me are small but fate has a funny way of deciding things so I have to prepare myself just in case.

Peeta Mellark that's me, I am 16 years old. Living in district 12 my mother and father own the bakery. It's no use to the district really, only the richer people come to buy their food from us. The Mayor, the people who actually have money which is not many. My childhood has been rough growing up in the district. My father is kindest person that I know, my mother on the other hand she is different story. If my two brothers or I make any kind of mistake in the bakery we pay for it, she hits us with the rolling pin or anything that she can get her hands on. Her form of discipline to make us do things better, it doesn't work though, the mistakes are often mistakes which cannot be changed by the ability that we have they simply are an accident. This doesn't matter to her though, she doesn't care whether we meant to do it or not, it's all the same to her. You learn to live with the beatings get on with the day, and ignore the bruising. Once I did try to hide them, got some plants and soil from outside, mixed it all together. It didn't work though; I could not get it to be the right colour, so I never tried it again. The people at school do talk and ask how I get the bruises I just make up excuses like I bashed into the oven. They seem to go for it; no one would suspect that my Father would do anything like that. And no one ever suspects that it's the woman that beats on her kids, it's unheard of.

I know that I should go and help with the mornings cakes, but today it doesn't feel right. I just want to sleep in and have this day over. It's not like anyone is going to come to the bakery today, well not until after reaping anyway. When everyone is supposed to be celebrating the fact their kids aren't going to die, well not this year anyway. Apart from the two families who's kids might actually die they tend to stay in a grieve for the loss of their children. I debate on whether to go help or not, I decide that I would in a bit I am just going to pretend that I am still asleep. I stand and look out of the window in the room which I share with one of my brothers. Then I see her, Katniss Everdeen walking past the bakery with a tall brown haired man. She walks past every day either in the morning on the weekends or after school. Its common knowledge that her and the guy I think his name is Gale go hunting in the woods just outside the district boarder. They sell their meat in the Hobb, and sometimes to my Father if my mother isn't there or isn't watching he will exchange some for bread. Her hair is perfectly braided and she looks as normal beautiful especially with the smile that she has on her face. Of course she never notices that I watch her walk past everyday she never notices me at school either. I've had a crush on her since I was a mere five years old, the first day I saw her was the first day of school. My father pointed her out; told me that he wanted to marry her mother when they were younger, but she married a coal miner who later died in a mining accident. I didn't really understand why she married a coal miner instead of my Father but he told me that when Katniss's Father sang all the birds would stop and listen to him. She sang in our music class a few months later, I have never heard such a beautiful sound in all my life. That was the moment that I fell completely in love with Katniss, and haven't stopped since. We have never spoken, I watch from a distance I doubt she even knows who I am or remembers me from one night when I tossed 2 loafs of bread which I was supposed to give to the pigs but I could see that she was desperate and weakened. I saw her out the window she looked on the verge of death it was only a few months after the mine accident which her Father died in. I burnt two loafs of bread to give her, there was no way that I was going to get away with just giving her normal bread so I had to burn it to give me a chance to actually go outside with them. I paid for it that day, the worst beating that my mother ever gave me was that day but I had to save her from starvation I wasn't going to let her die, not after losing someone that meant a lot to her.

I end up spending most of the day in bed, reaping is at two o'clock its now one. My mother is going to be angry at me for not helping her but I don't want to help her anymore. I used to be a fun thing to do; now it feels more like a chore. I would rather be painting which is something that I love. I don't know what I can do in district 12 if I am not working in the bakery, but I guess will sort that out tomorrow, all that that is on my mind today is the reaping. The odds that I am going to get picked are slim, but I still feel like there is a chance it might be me today. If it is, I will be able to show Katniss who I really am. She will notice me, how can she not if I am on the screen in district twelve every night when they are watching the highlights of the day. I will be able to show her how strong I am, might even admit my love for her on screen. Then she would have to take me, she won't be able to resist. I pick up my reaping clothes simple white top, with darker trousers. Getting ready doesn't take long, only a few minutes. I'm sure that it takes longer for the girls and women in the district.

My mother has already left with my two brothers; I guess she didn't want to be seen with the failure to the family. My Father was waiting downstairs for me, he looked at me concerned. I could tell that he was worried about me, but he didn't want to say anything.

"They have gone then?" I knew that they have gone, but I just wanted to make conversation with him.

"Yes they left 5 minutes ago"

We set off for the town square as soon as we get there I am separated from him. I have to go and get my blood taken for sample. It's the capitols way of monitoring who is here, and who lives in the district. Then we have to line up in the square, parents are around the edge behind rope barriers. Girls on one side, boys on the other; I'm stood next to some of my friends from school all in a bunch of 16 year olds. The clock strikes two just as I get to my space, the Mayor steps up to the podium and begins to read the boring story that he does every year. The history of Panem, which I don't need to hear we had to study it at school so I practically know it all by heart anyway. Then he starts talking about The Hunger Games how it first came about. He then has to read all two of the victors from District twelve. 74 years of the Hunger Games and only two victors that have one are from our district, only one of which is alive. It shows that are district really aren't put out for this. Haymitch Abernathy is his name; I don't recall that I have ever seen him not drinking. He staggers onto the stage, falling into one of the chairs. Some people around the edge start the applause which gradually gets louder. He is pathetic, he tries to hug Effie Trinket the woman from the capitol that doesn't want to be here but always states every year how much of an honor it is to be in district twelve.

"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds ever be in your favor!" she says that line every year, all the capitol representatives will in all the districts. I just hope that the odds are in mine and Katniss's favor. I don't want either of use to be chosen, although she would win. She is tough, strong and can hunt she would win the games hands down. I however do not stand a chance. I went off into a day dream didn't even realised that she had put her hand in the bowl when the name was called "Primrose Everdeen"

Katniss's little sister, she is one of the most loved girls in the seam. She is or was only 12 years old, she cannot possibly be chosen. Then I hear Katniss screaming, screaming Primrose's name, there's a big commotion over the far side. I can't see because there people all around me.

"I volunteer, I volunteer as tribute" No she cant, is she stupid. She cannot possibly go into The Hunger Games. She is amazing, she can do everything obviously but that isn't good enough. Not for the careers anyway. They are going to kill her straight away, when they see what she can do in training she is going to be the first target that they set themselves. I cannot stand here and watch her die in that arena. I have to do something, I cannot think of what to do. Sheer panic is running through my head. I cannot loose her; she never even knew how I felt about her. I never had the guts to tell her yet. I wasn't even listening to Effie anymore, I knew that her mouth was moving but I couldn't hear the words that she was saying. Not until she said the male tributes name that is.

"Peeta Mellark"

Shit.