Chapter one

''Peeta Mellark! Get up or you will not get lunch for school!'' my mother screamed, which is her way of saying a nice good morning. Only seconds later I felt something wet and cold on my back, which woke me up instantly. ''Are you out of your mind?'' I hissed at Rye, my older brother, after turning on my back and slowly sitting up on the bed.

''You deserved it,'' Rye laughed and waved the now empty bowl in the air. Rye is the younger one of my brothers and he is two years older than me, which makes him 18, although he could as well be 10 and you wouldn't notice a difference. He is always laughing, pranking people and just likes to have fun. My other brother Barley is 19 and more reserved, but he is still loud and when him and Rye gang up on you it can get ugly, trust me. We all look alike. Dirty blonde hair, blue eyes and muscluar body due to wrestling and lifting heavy bags in the bakery.

''Get up or you will not get lunch. You know how she gets when it's not her way,'' he laughs again. Second later he stood up and ran out of my room yelling some inchorent words to Barley.

See what I have to live with? It's only five in the morning and he is already annoying. Don't get me wrong I love my brothers, but they are always in my bussines. Oh, the benefits of being the youngest. After getting dressed in black trousers and simple white T-shirt, I speed walked down to the bakery's kitchen to start with my work. My father owns a bakery, which he inherited from his parents and they fromt theirs and so on. It runs in the family. Of course, we don't live in the bakery and we have a floor meant for living, above the bakery.

''Good morning, son,'' dad greeted me, smiling warmly at me.

''Morning dad,'' I smiled back. ''What's there to do?''

''Start with decorating this cake,'' he pushed a two layer vanilla cake in front of me. ''It's for the Cartwright's. Tommy will be 7 tomorrow.'' The Cartwright's are family friends that live opposite us and they own a candy store. They have a daughter Delly and son Tommy. Delly is the same age as I and we are in the same class. That's how we met and she is my best girl friend ever since. We used to always play together, eat candies from their store or bake some cookies in our bakery. She is a really nice girl with light wavy blonde hair past her shoulders and wouldn't hurt a fly. Even though, I have a good opinion of her and she is pretty, there was never anything more between us than few kisses in the past.

We both thought there could be something between us, but honestly, we were both just confused. She had, or has, a huge crush on my dorky brother Rye, which is just weird and I have liked the same girl since I was five or six years old. Rye is of course blind and doesn't see the way Delly looks at him. I think he is just too carefree and loving his life. He likes to flirt a lot and it's not ashamed of it. Flirting a lot of course also means having many different girlfriends. I'll never understand him. If I finally got the girl of my dreams, I wouldn't waste it for anything. She would be the only one in my life, I'd give her everything and more. If only I had the courage...

After I finised with decorating the cake for Delly's little brother, dad gave me some free time before school. I ran back to my room to get my sketchbook, pencil and schoolbag and ran back down to the kitchen. I sat down on the counter and opened my unfnished sketch. I soon got lost in my thoughts and drawing and I didn't hear my mother stepping into the room.

''Do something productive, stupid,'' she hissed and hit me lightly on the back of my head. Lovely way to start the morning. Hit by my mother. It happens quite often honestly. She is always in a bad mood and I have no idea what. I get the worst part of it. She used to always hit me for stupid reasons or 'mistakes' as she called them, but after growing up and building up some muscels, she is not as agressive physically anymore.

I rolled my eyes and jumped of the counter, putting up my light jacket, since it's fall and slowly made my way to the door. ''Bye!'' I yelled to my dad and party mother, but she just rolled her eyes and stomped upstairs muttering some words to herself. Probably about how unproductive I am. She always hated when I sketched, no idea why. Although it might also be the fact that she saw a picture I did of her. It was a caricature actually, which is like a cartoon-like person. She had big had, steam going out of her ears and a pissed off look on her face. I was only 11 then.

Sketching is my comfort for whenever I'm sad, angry or just need to get my mind of of certain thoughts. I have a collection of few books I already fullfiled with different pictures and sketches.

It was a nice fall day outside with some rays of sun hitting on my face nicely. The warmness made me smile. ''Thinking about that seam chick again, Peet?'' Rye laughed. ''You have that face again.'' I make a face when I'm thinking about her?

''I don't know what you're talking about,'' I shrugged it off.

''Sure you don't,'' he chuckled. ''Look there she is!'' he pointed to a direction somewhere behind me. I quickly turned around following his finger and only saw few older ladies chatting quickly between themselves. Seeing my reaction he laughed loudly, slapped my arm and walked off to his friends, waiting for him at the other side of town square. Stupid. I do not have a certain face when thinking about her.

Her it's a girl from my class, the same age as I and has dark brown hair and gray eyes. Typical seam look. Seam is a poor part of our district, District 12, where people with less money leave. Even some people from town don't have enough money, but the seam is a totally different story. People often die because they don't have food, money for medicine or proper house to live in.

Katniss, the girl I like, am in love with, lives there with her mother and younger sister Primrose. After her father died in a mine explosion she had to provide for her family to survive and often brings the squirrels she shoots to my father for trading. I often watch the exchange, hoping noone would catch me. But, with the luck I have, my brothers caught me one time and started laughing like stupid teenagers they are and didn't leave the case closed untill few days later. Needless to say, I do not want a repeat of that.

Anyways, Katniss Everdeen is the prettiest girl I have ever seen. The first time I saw her was when my father had pointed it out to me on the first school day, many years ago. I was only five years old and I already thought she was the prettiest of the prettiest girls as I explained to my dad. After that I watched her at school everyday, but never had the courage to talk to her.

''Peeta!'' some of my friends called for me. I waved greeting them and we made the short walk to school. At the entrance I saw none other than Katniss Everdeen. My eyes followed her every move. The way she twisted her braid and nodded to her friend with a serious look as if agreeing with something. And the way she squeezed her eyes lightly because of the sun blinding her, but still concentrating on the chat. With a final nod and a light smile his way she turned to little Primrose and lightly patted her hair, kissing her foreheard and wishing her a good day. That's the side of her I love the most. On the outside she comes off as a serious girl, not wanting anyone's closeness and always scowling But seeing her interacting with her twelve year old sister, who brings out another side of her is a beautiful sight to see. She loses the always-imprinted-scowl and smiles constantly, the light look in her gray eyes and just all the gentle moves she makes. It's beautiful. She is.

''Peeta!'' Delly snapped her fingers in front on my face. Something is telling me it wasn't the first time she called my name. Oops.

''Go talk to her, you loser,'' she laughed. ''It's about time you gather the courage and make a move.''

I scratched my neck, something I do when I'm nervous, and furrowed my brows. ''I don't know, Delly. She might not even want to talk to me.''

''Don't be silly!'' she hit my shoulder. ''Any girl would love to talk to you! You are nice, charming and handsome. Come on Peeta, make a move already.'' Make a move already. Should I really? It's been like ten years gathering my courage to make a move already but I'm still not sure. Gosh, what if I mess all up and she will never even want to look my way again.

Not hearing what Delly was saying meanwhile daydreaming, or daynightmaring, I nodded polietly to answer her question.

''Great!'' she clapped her hands and turned around. ''I'll go get her. You stay right here.''

Wait. What? WHAT. JUST. HAPPENED.