Day 1 of Everlark Week. Here you go :)
Everlark Week
Day 1: School Days
Peeta watches from the corner of his eye when Katniss comes into the room. She wears her usual expression; you'd never be able to tell that four years ago to the date, her father was blown to bits in a mine explosion. She sinks into her seat without so much as a glance toward everyone else as she slings her backpack onto her chair.
…
He watches her throughout the day. He watches when she redoes her braid, when she starts on her homework during their free period, when she sits with only Madge Undersee at lunch. He watches them make small talk over anything but the mine explosion.
…
History class is the worst class for everyone. Changes are made to the textbooks almost yearly, but the majority of it stays the same. All of the years after the mine explosion, learning about it was throw into the curriculum. The class sits through a presentation on the explosion, and the names of the deceased parents are read. Peeta is the only one to acknowledge Katniss.
A small, insecure glare is sent in response.
…
The next day, Katniss comes into class earlier than usual. Peeta watches her trudge to her desk and toss her backpack onto the back of the chair, like always. It takes Peeta a few seconds to notice the fresh cut running across her forehead. Her long bangs cover most of it, but Peeta still feels a pang of concern.
Her mom is a healer. Her sister is good at healing. She was probably just in the woods again.
…
In math, the teacher decides everyone needs a partner and work with them today. Katniss sits in the back by herself. She doesn't bother to get up or even look around the room for the partner. Soon enough, everybody has grabbed a partner except for Katniss…and Peeta.
"Hey," Peeta says quietly, walking up to her. "You don't have a partner, and, ah…"
Katniss doesn't say anything. Peeta sighs and pulls in a chair.
"Not like we have a choice."
…
"She didn't speak a word to me. She worked all by herself. I tried, Delly."
"Did you really think she would have?"
"I thought since we really didn't have a choice for partners…"
"Peeta, the only person she really makes any sort of contact with is Madge. Madge isn't in your math class. Therefore, Katniss was going to work alone. Sorry."
…
"Primrose Everdeen!"
The crowd falls silent. Peeta's eyes find twelve-year-old Prim as she makes her way slowly through the crowd. He watches while she tucks in her shirt. And then he hears her sister cry out. It was inevitable, wasn't it?
"I volunteer! I volunteer!"
She pushes aside Peacekeepers.
"I volunteer as tribute!"
Peeta watches Katniss reassure her sister everything will be fine, and then walk up onto the stage while Gale Hawthorne brings Prim to Mrs. Everdeen. The Capitol escort, Effie Trinket, makes small comments before moving on to reaping the boys.
"Peeta Mellark!"
Wait a minute…that's me.
All of his friends eye him as he makes his way up the stairs to the stage. He shakes hands with Katniss, and their eyes meet. This is not going to be like any of those school days.