I do not own the Hunger Games, all credit goes to Suzanne Collins
Peeta's POV
It was a cold day in District 12 as I prepare myself for the upcoming reaping. Luckily this is not the Hunger Games reaping but the matrimony choosing for what I think is far worse. It is when somebody from a higher District looks for a bride or groom to marry. The good thing is when somebody is chosen our District gets money which we need desperately. Rumor has it that it is a male from District two. Luckily by law he cannot choose a male but I must attend formally anyways. As I look around I see a small mirror. Though I live in the poorest District, I live better than the rest of them. In the mirror I see a blonde young man, he looks a bit abused, he has a scar on his left eyebrow, so small it's only barely able to see if you pay attention. That's how she did it, so nobody knew. A woman so abusive that the Peacekeepers even refuse to do anything about her, and this abusive woman was my mother. As usual I would apply make-up even though it was already hard to see.
As I walked outside the brisk air wisped at my skin. Since I was in formal wear I couldn't wear a jacket. As I went to the Justice Building I saw flowers out of an old tattered house. They were small white flowers, I instantly recognized them as Katniss. The last reaping a little girl was reaped but then her sister volunteered and a man named Thresh slit her throat as she slept. Now a man named Gale puts the flower she was named after on her family's porch. Personally, I would hate remembering that my daughter was dead, as well as my husband dying in a mine collapse. I continued walking, not looking back. Then I heard the speakers come on with the National Anthem. I jogged to the building, glad that I had a back row seat, just in case if it was a female. The mayor came out with his usual opening.
"Good afternoon my fine citizens. Isn't it a wonderful day?" the mayor asked. Nobody said a word for they knew it was all just a hoax, a script. Even though we need money the mayor has always tried to spare us.
"It is a joyful day for the people of District 12 a young man by the name of Cato Garrote, from district 2, has come looking for a spouse. For this is a special and rare occasion. Cato has special permission from President Snow to choose from either gender, male or female." At this nobody even dared to move, to breath. 'I need to get out of here. I need to sneak away.' I kept repeating to myself. As he glanced down the people I slowly started to move. I moved a little quicker then I fell to the ground knocking the breath out of me. 'Damn it, I'm always so fucking clumsy'. Everyone's eyes stared down at me, so I just gave myself the spot light. Cato looked down at me and our eyes met. He jumped off the platform and walked to me. He gave me a hand and I accepted it. That was a huge mistake. He heaved me up and put me on my feet, and then he picked me up again and started carrying me bridle style. I thrashed and squirmed then felt a sharp pain in my neck. Then the weirdest thing happened, I started to see black dots.
"Why the hell did you do that?" Cato asked angrily.
"He wasn't cooperating, so I did what was necessary." A peacekeeper said. I don't know him, so he probably came with him.
"I didn't want to drug him up when I got him I was planning on talking to him." Cato said as he started to set me down and brush my hair. It strangely relaxed me. The world started to blur and my hearing became muffled. "Father, you deal with the payment. I have to take him to the train and get him in bed." He picked me up gently and the last thing I saw was Cato's mesmerizing brown eyes, then blackness.