The first thing I hear in the morning is my mother screaming for me to make myself presentable. After all, I am going to be seen in front of the entire district. I roll over and pull the covers over my head, trying not to think of the reaping. In a few short hours, I'll be up standing in a large crowd of people, waiting to see whether or not I'll be sent to die in the annual Hunger Games.
Of course, the odds should be in my favor. If anyone in my family has to worry, it should be my brother Anton. He's eighteen so his name in the pool seven times. The odds were in favor of my eldest brother Rogerrik. He managed to make it out of the tribute age bracket without being chosen. Living in town, relatively few people we know have ever actually been chosen in the reaping. Things are less favorable for those living in the Seam, the poorer part of District 12. It's kind of interesting, actually. Most of the people in town have blonde hair and blue eyes like my brothers and I do. But out in the Seam, almost everyone has dark hair and gray eyes.
My reminiscing is interrupted by my mother yet again, but this time she is hurling out obscenities so I reluctantly leave the warmth and safety of my covers and step onto the cold wood floor. When I finally make it downstairs, my family is already eating breakfast.
Meal time conversation in my family is often stilted and awkward when my mother is around. She's a bit of a dragon. Even though she's an unpleasant sort to be around, she's my mother, and I love her. After all, she does love us in her own way. I think.
Most of breakfast today was spent in solemn silence until Anton rolled his eyes and began going on about how we finally got a decent breakfast for once. The warm rolls, barely out of the oven, are an upgrade from our usual fare. Generally we end up eating the stale leftovers that no one bought from my father's bakery. I still get to eat, so I'm not complaining.
However, Anton is rarely satisfied with anything. I think his mood today is partly because of the reaping and partly because he got turned down by Rosemary Pritchett again. As of yesterday, that makes three times this month. Considering her older brother is huge, I would worry for him were he not the school's wrestling champion. Anton can beat just about anyone in a fair fight. Unfortunately, that doesn't help him win over Rosemary. He's been after her for over a year and every time she turns him down he gets surlier.
Personally, I think he should turn his attentions elsewhere. It's pretty obvious she likes this big guy whose name I think is Gale from the Seam. Not that I can blame him. I have almost the exact same problem. Katniss Everdeen, the girl I've been in love with since I was five years old, is seen hanging out with him all the time. With everything that is going on today, I really don't want to worry about my Katniss problems, so I push thoughts of her out of my mind as best I can and get to work.
Out of all my family members, my father entrusts me with decorating all the cakes for the bakery. It's something I actually enjoy. I'm not too bad at it. It's sort of relaxing, painting pictures with frosting, using the cakes as my canvas. I swirl intricate designs with blue and green frosting until Rogerrik hollers that it's nearly time to go to the square.
Washing the thick, crusted frosting off my hands is no simple task. It takes several minutes to scrub all of the gunk from the cracks in my skin. Eventually, I am de-frosted, my face is washed, my hair is combed, and my mother is shuffling all of us out the front door. The square is crowded when we arrive, seeing as everyone is required by law to attend the reaping.
After signing in, my family dissipates. My mother and father end up who knows where, but I catch a glimpse of Rogerrik standing next to his girlfriend, Maeve. I smile a little, knowing that they are planning to be married fairly soon. Looking around, I see Anton in the back with the eighteen-year-olds, not too far from that one guy Gale. Not too far to my right is Katniss.
We've never spoken, but I see her hands clenched into fists and I want to tell her that everything will be okay. I know she has a little sister. Is it her first year being part of the reaping? That would explain it. Katniss is normally so cool and collected. Most of the time she actually seems bored with what's going on. As far as I know, besides Gale, her only friend is another girl in our year named Madge. She's pretty nice, but really quiet, so we've never really talked either. I'd love to hear a little more about Katniss from her.
"Hi Peeta!" a cheerful voice greets from my left. I turn and see my longtime friend, Delly Cartwright. "Isn't it a beautiful day?" I have to chuckle because Delly is the most optimistic person I know. Only she could notice how nice a day it was when the reaping was going on. "Yeah, it is nice out," I tell her quickly because the Peacekeepers are shushing us. The ceremony is about to begin.
Mayor Undersee, Madge's father, intones the history of Panem, like he does every year. I have his speech practically memorized by now, so my eyes scan the crowd to see if there is anything else interesting to look at. I notice that Effie Trinket is wearing a pink wig and I nudge Delly and gesture sharply with my head. She covers her mouth to keep from giggling. I know that the Hunger Games are terrifying, but the way I see it, you can either laugh or cry. Most of the time, I try to laugh.
The mayor finally gets to reading District 12's previous victors, and Haymitch Abernathy, the last living victor, slumps in a chair on the stage. After he is introduced, he attempts to hug Effie Trinket. Delly and I exchange a glance and both try really hard not to burst out laughing from pure nerves.
Undeterred, Effie Trinket strides up to the podium and says, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" like she does every year. She babbles about how honored she is to be here, but honestly, she isn't fooling anyone. District 12 is seen as the least desirable district in Panem. I can almost hear Anton rolling his eyes from several rows behind me. He thinks Effie is the most ridiculous person on the face of the planet. Much as I hate to admit it, I sort of agree with him.
As Effie calls out, "Ladies first!" I can't help but worry about every girl I know. Katniss. Delly. Even Rosemary. No one deserves to have their name called and be forced to fight to the death. No one. My heart nearly stops when I hear the name said, clear as day. Primrose Everdeen.