All characters belong to Suzanne Collins
"Primrose Everdeen." Said Effie Trinket in her high-pitched annoying Capitol voice. The name of Katniss's little sister, only twelve years old and having to be sent to the Hunger Games. Yes, it's the name of Katniss's sister, the girl who I have been in love with for years.
I see Katniss step out of the group of 16 year-old girls towards her.
"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" she screams. I think my heart stopped when she said that. Now she was going. The only thing that gives me hope is that she may be able to come out alive. She may.
I go over to her and pick up Prim, who is screaming for her sister to not go. I completely agree but I really can't do anything, it's not like I can volunteer for her and I would never put Prim in the Games.
"Up you go, Catnip" I tell her. I set Prim with her mother and head back for my area as Katniss gets on stage.
When Effie asks for a round of applause, everyone lifts up their arm, three fingers extended saying 'I do not like this. I do not condone' it couldn't be more true. I don't want her to go when she might not return. Might.
"Now for the boys." Effie says as she heads over to the boys ball "Gale Hawthorn."
I'm not very shocked but Katniss falls to her knees with her head in her hands and begins to cry. I run up to the stage and wrap my arms around her and pull her up.
"Katniss, Katniss you'll be fine. I promise. It'll be fine. Don't cry you can't cry." I say, stroking her hair
"Well, well, well. Look what we've got here." Says Haymitch, as drunk as ever. He slings an arm over Katniss's shoulder and I feel myself grimace at him. "Looks like we've got a… a interesting couple this year."
"Don't you dare touch her like that." I growl
"Oh really?" he lowers his face directly in front of mine so I can smell the liquor completely "What are you gonna do about it?"
I try to punch him, but two peacekeepers pull me away at the last second and away from Katniss.
"Gale! No!" she screams, thrashing at them trying to get out of the grasp of the peacekeepers holding her "Gale!" her face is filled with tears as she screams my name. I am calling out for her too but the peacekeepers pull us into the justice building and into separate rooms.
The room is filled with velvet chairs and couches. I sit on one of the couches just as my family come rushing in the door.
Posy jumps in my lap and gives me a small yet tight hug. Vick and Rory sit on either side of me and my mother sits in the chair with her head down.
"Come back soon okay Gale." Posy says. She clearly doesn't understand what is happening and I really don't want her to. She is too little to be contaminated by the horror and violence that is The Hunger Games.
"I'll try." I say sheepishly. I have no intention of coming home. Ever since my name was pulled I knew that Katniss would be the one who did. No question. Her family needs her more than mine needs me. I was going to try. I would keep Katniss alive and it WILL be the last thing I do. I don't know if I could come home knowing that I could have saved her. I couldn't live with myself if I had to live without her. She was my life since I was 14. She helped me feed my family by teaching me to use a bow. I taught her how to tie a snare so I helped her too. We were the reason we're alive today. Being sent to die.
All too soon, the peacekeepers tell them it's time to go. I give them all a hug before they leave. They are all crying, aside from Rory who I made promise stay strong for everyone's sake. He needed to go hunt now that I wasn't there. Hopefully Katniss will help him later.
The next people to come in are Katniss's mother and Prim. Prim gives me a shaky hug and I can tell she has been crying. I hug her back as her mother sits in the chair mine was just in and lets out a long, shaky breath.
"Gale," she begins "I want you to protect her. I'm not telling you to just not try to come home, but I want you to try and make sure that, if she goes, that it's not horrible. I don't want her to die, but if she does I want her to die being her… with dignity." I feel tears begin to form behind my eyes but I force them back and reply,
"I promise. I promise I'll try my best to make sure she's the one who comes home." I divulge. They look questionably at me for a moment, and then Prim realizes what I am saying.
"Gale, no!" I know that she loves her sister, but I know that she loves me like a brother as well. "You have to try."
"I know, Prim, and I am going to try but, but I know that Katniss deserves to come home more than I do." Prim starts to cry again and I feel a twinge of guilt because her tears are caused by me. I take her hands in mine and put my lips near her ear "I love her and she will be coming home. I love her." I whisper. It's almost like I'm reassuring myself that I love Katniss.
Prims' eyes are filled with shock but she also looks like she's known all along.
A peacekeeper comes in and tells them their time is up.
"Gale don't let her die! Please, Gale!" she yells after me as she is carried away.
When they are out a peacekeeper tells me that I have no more visitors and to just wait until Katniss is done with hers.
After a few minutes I am led outside and Katniss is already there. I want to run up to her but I know that I won't be able to with all these peacekeepers. Instead I just walk to her and wrap her in a large hug
"I'm so sorry." I tell her quietly so that no one else will hear. I know that she doesn't understand what I really mean by it. That I am sorry that I will do anything to make sure she comes home.
That's the first chapter! Hope you liked it please review so I know how I'm doing, good or bad.