Chapter 1.
I've lived here my whole life, District 12. The Reaping is today. Effie is announcing the girls first. My name is called. "Please step up here, please," she says. I step cautiously up to the platform. She then announces something that has never been done in the Hunger Games before, "This year the girl tribute is allowed to choose who she wants to enter the arena with. It may be a past victor any other person." I was utterly surprised. Never has this happened before, never. I was allowed to choose, and I already knew who I wanted to go with. "Who do you chooses?" "Peeta Mellark," I said as quietly as possible. "Ah! A past victor! Good choice!" As he walked towards us I could tell he was as shocked as everyone else. He was even more shocked than anyone else actually. We shook hands and then we were both pushed into the building into separate rooms. All I heard was the music playing in the background. What did I just do?
The building was even more amazing then what I had heard. Of course it would be because after the bombing it was renewed. That was the worst thing District 12 experienced. I was so young so I do not remember much from that time, only that we starved and got thinner and thinner.
Not one person came to say goodbye to me. I had no more family after the bombing and never had any friends so it wasn't very surprising. Just then the door opened. Peeta come in slowly. "Hello," he said calmly, obviously trying not to sound upset that I chose him. "H-hello," I stuttered. I wasn't expecting him to talk to me at all. I started blushing. I honestly couldn't help it. I had always had a crush on Peeta. He was so handsome. He looked me straight in the eye. "Why?" "Why what?" "Why did you-" he was interrupted by Effie waltzing in, "Come! Come! We are on a very tight schedule!" She hurried us along. We boarded the train. Peeta waved to everyone as we set off. I was sitting alone of course. We ate dinner while Effie babbled on and on about the Capital. After dinner I was went to the car I was presented with when we first got on the train. A room where I could be alone in. Finally some peace and quiet. When I first entered, I found a painting next to the bed. It was of my cat that had just died this morning. I picked it up carefully and began to tear up. "I thought you might do that," a voice said. I jumped a little when he said that. It was Peeta. He was seeing me cry, I wiped my eyes quickly even though he already saw the tears. The tears kept coming even though I kept wiping them away. He started to stroll towards me. "Do you like it?" he asked. All I could do was nod. "I'm glad," he said with a smile. I sat down on my bed, admiring the painting.
I touched it gently with one finger. The painting was definitely too beautiful for words and I couldn't stop crying. Peeta sat down next to me. "I saw him walking around one day and thought he would be perfect to paint, so I did. He looked like he was the king of the world." "Bear sure did think he owned the whole world." "Bear?" "Yeah, he looked like a tiny bear so that's what I decided to name him," I said. "Well, he seemed like an interesting cat." "He defiantly was." I remember when he used to snuggle next to me when we slept. I started crying harder, remembering was difficult for me. Peeta took the painting out of my tightly clenched hands. He tried to look into my eyes, but I shut them tightly. I could feel his hands sliding around my body, enclosing me into a gentle hug. After a moment, he released me, "It's not very cute to cry," he exclaimed. My eyes opened quickly and I started to blush. Where in the world did that come from? "W-w-what?!" I said nervously. He caressed my cheeks in his hands. "You heard me," Peeta said as he wiped the tears from my eyes. The tears had stopped flowing because I became nervous. "You're all red," he chuckled. "It's your fault," I said. "That is very adorable," he said, smiling. I thought I was going to faint. Peeta was so handsome. He was making me blush profusely. I don't know if he was being serious or toying with my feeling. "And I do mean it. I think you are very cute." I passed out.
I woke up the next morning. I looked around my room and found Peeta sleeping in a chair. "Did he sleep in here the whole night? And in a chair?" It looked painful, so I tried to pick him up and lay him on my bed. I then left my car. I walked slowly to the dining car. The smell of the food hit me quickly. I sat down on one of the couches in the car and inhaled the scent. A door opened, startling me. "Don't worry, it's only me." It was Haymitch. I relaxed a little then. Just a little. I didn't completely trust him yet. He sat next to me and put an arm around my shoulder. He smelled strongly of alcohol. "I thought I smelled alcohol." "Don't sass me, Sweetheart. You're going to need my help and I won't give it to you if you act like that," he said in a somewhat angry voice. "I'm sorry, Haymitch." "It's alright, just watch what you say." I will definitely keep that in mind. I realized that Haymitch only smelled a little bit like alcohol, other than that he smelled clean and nice. I inhaled his scent, trying to make it less obvious. "I can hear you breathing," he practically yelled. The comment startled me. "I see that caught you off guard," he started to laugh as he took out a bottle of beer. "T-that's not funny!" I said, yelling it by accident. He looked angry at me and grabbed my face, pulling it closer to him. Haymitch put the bottle to my lips and started to pour it forcefully into my mouth.
I tried to pull away but Haymitch had a firm grasp on me. I had no choice but to swallow the alcohol. It was bitter and disgusting. When he finally stopped and let me go, I spit the bit of alcohol that was in my mouth onto the floor. "I warned you and you didn't listen. Another shout like that at me again and alcohol won't be the last of what I do to you." He leaned in so our faces were millimeters apart, "Don't you ever yell again, understand?" he asked. I nodded quickly. "Good," Haymitch said, sounding like he achieved something. He kissed my cheek gently then stood up and walked away.
I waited for him to be out of my sight then I dashed towards my car.
When I made it, Peeta was gone. He must have gone to his car. I sat down on my bed. As soon as I did, the door burst open with Peeta standing there, out of breath. I stood up quickly and jolted towards him. "Peeta? Why are you-" he interrupted me with a huge, sweaty hug. It was extremely disgusting and confusing. "I was so worried," he said quietly, sounding extremely out of breath. "Why? And why are you all sweaty?" "I was running around looking for you. I thought something terrible had happened to you." "I'm fine, Peeta. You don't have to worry." "I guess, but why do you smell like alcohol." I started to panic a little. "Um, that's because of Haymitch. I guess his alcohol smell stuck to me." I waited anxiously for his reply. "That makes sense. Haymitch does usually always smell like alcohol. I see you're feeling better also." "Yeah, but you didn't have to sleep in my room with me." "It's alright. I didn't mind it one bit," he said as he held my hand. I started blushing furiously. He smiled. "W-wouldn't Katniss be furious?" "Who cares?" he said. He bent down slightly and kissed me.