I walk down the cinder street with my game bag slung over my shoulder. The morning humidity is palpable, the sun's heat will only make the day more unbearable, I'm already exhausted from it. I guess it is fitting that one of the hottest days of the year is reaping day. Nothing happy ever comes out of these days. For some families it is tragedy and others a relief that their children will be spared another year.

This year is one I have been especially dreading. Prim's name is in the pool for the first time. When I was her age I had my name in four times because of tesserae, but now at the age of sixteen I have twenty slips of paper with my name on it. The odds are not in my favor.

I cut through some side streets until I near Gale's house. Strangely, he didn't come out for our hunt this morning. I can't remember the last time he missed without telling me a head of time. I lightly knock on the worn wooden door, but after a while, I don't get answer and head back home.

I am caught up worrying about what happened with Gale this morning that I don't realize I have already made it home. I quietly slide through the front door walking right past my mom and heading to wash up.

Once I have all the coal dust and dirt out from under my fingernails and from behind my ears. I find that my mother has laid out one of her nicer dresses for me to wear. I slip into the blue dress happy that it is lose and very comfortable.

"Let's put your hair up too," she suggests entering the room.

I watch as her hands make quick work of the very technical braid. Once she is finished, I crouch down in front of Prim. "Got to tuck that shirt in little duck," I say and tuck the back of her white blouse in. She giggles as I tickle her side.

"You look very pretty, Katniss," Prim compliments me.

"No where near as pretty as you little duck," I say and stand back up. I look over at the clock and frown at the time. We have to head to the square. "We should go."

Prim and I walk hand in hand to the square, only separating when we have to be check in and head to the right section for our ages. I watch as she gets her blood drawn from her finger and then lose her when it is my turn. The female Peacekeeper pricks my finger, but frowns when a different beeping sound comes from the little scanner. She orders for my other hand and then repeats with the pricking and the scanning. It makes the weird sound again, but she just gives me a pitiful look and waves me on.

I am standing shoulder to shoulder with the other girls trying to spot Prim's blonde braids. I can't see her with all the younger kids, but I do find Gale. He averts his eyes and focuses straight ahead. I don't understand why he would be blowing me off, but I'll have to find out later.

The Mayor gives the same speech as every other year and then Effie Trinket comes out on stage. Effie is as pink and bubbly as ever. She goes through her monologue about the Capitol and then says, "as always, ladies first."

I hold my breath as she clicks over to the large glass bowl in her high heels. She waves her hand around for what seems like hours until she picks one slip and walks back over to the microphone. Effie carefully and clearly reads the name from the small slip.

I let out a breath that it isn't my name, but then I almost faint at the recollection at which the name belongs to.

Prim.

I watched horrified as the crowd slowly splits and I see the tail of her shirt sticking out. I have to do something. I can't have her get up on that stage. My feet won't move, but eventually I make it to the center aisle.

"Prim!" I yell and push my way through two Peacekeepers. They fight back and then I finally get more words out of my mouth. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"

Prim starts to cry and runs towards me. "Katniss you can't," she pleads.

I hold her close to me. "I'm sorry Prim, but you have to find mom. Go Prim."

"No, Katniss you can't. What about the baby," she whispers.

"I'm sorry," I say again just as Gale appears picking Prim up and taking her away towards my mother. I feel the Peacekeepers pulling me towards the stage and I let them lead me. I stand stiffly next to Effie, and barely respond when she ask me my name. I can't process what has just happened. The only thing that is echoing through my mind is what Prim said, "what about the baby." The stupid mistake from the night of the festival that I can't shake off. I really have no luck with odds.

I try to empty all the thoughts from my head and focus on a spot in the distance keeping my face void of all emotions until the next name is announced, "Peeta Mellark!"

There are hundreds of other boys and he is the one who I will be fighting to the death with. It could have been anyone else. I watch him out of the corner of my eye shuffle up on the stage and stand on the other side of Effie.

When Effie asks for a big round of applause, I finally look at the crowd. The only response is the silent salute of everyone bringing their three middle fingers to their lips and then raising them towards us, no clapping. This is something I have only seen in times of death. This is District 12's way of saying good-bye to someone you love.

As we are both lead into the Justice Building I can't help but look at the back of Peeta's head and wonder how I was going to kill the father of my unborn child.

I sit on the red velvet upholstered couch and try to keep my emotions in check. A million thoughts run through my head. Most are about the night Peeta and I took it one-step to far in the meadow, and I ended up pregnant. As I am about to break into hysterics the door creaks open.

Prim rushes over to me and wraps her arms around my waist. I clutch her small frame trying to push the invading thoughts that this might be the last time I will ever see my little sister. I kiss the top of her head and rub her back. She looks up at me with tears clouding her blue eyes. "I'm so sorry," she croaks, and my heartbreaks knowing she feels guilty about this. It wouldn't be as bad if it was just me going to my death sentence, but I'm not just one person.

"Prim, this is not your fault. I love you. Gale will help you while I'm gone. It will be alright Prim," I fade off into a whisper not trusting my voice. Prim nods and I detach myself from her and walk over to my mother. We haven't been on the best terms since my father died, and getting pregnant this young has not helped. I can tell she is disappointed in me, but I don't really care after how she feels after she left us to starve.

"Mom, you have to be there for her. I won't be there. You are all she has left and you have to be there for her," I say and pull her into my arms. She hesitantly hugs me back at first, but then tightens her embrace.

We break apart and she says, "I won't Katniss. I love you."

I nod and turn back to Prim. "Katniss, will you promise you'll try to win. Not just for me, but for the baby."

I take one deep breath. "Prim I will try to win," I reply just as the Peacekeeper opens the door and ushers them out while I yell, "I love you" to the closed door.

Gale comes in next. He barely says anything to me, and never makes eye contact. He makes promises to watch out for Prim and make sure she never starves. I know he will stick to his promise, but I know he is mad at me. I can't imagine why he would have any reason. I haven't told him anything.

Next Madge comes in. She gives me her golden Mockingjay pin and demands that I wear it in the arena. I have no reason to say no and once the Peacekeeper takes her out. Peeta Mellark's father takes her place. He is quiet and sits awkwardly on the chair. He gave me a bag of cookies, but my stomach can't handle anything that sweet at the moment.

I feel the need to tell him that he was going to be a Grandfather. Let him know what might have been, but in the end we sit in silence until the Peacekeeper opens the door one last time. "I'll watch after your sister. I will make sure she is eating," he promises. Another piece of mind that people will take care of her when I'm gone.

We get on the trains and I escape to my compartment before anyone can see me breakdown. I cry and scream into my pillow until my stomach rumbles loud enough for me to seek out some food.

I enter the dining car and find Peeta, Effie, and a drunken Haymitch. At first, I'm assaulted with the smell of delicious food that makes my mouth water, but then something sour catches my nose. I breathe through my mouth and will myself to hold it together. I have learned that morning sickness is not just limited to the morning.

I sit heavily in the empty chair next to Peeta and settle with some bread. The three others have small talk about the Capitol, and I just ignore them and deflect all attention away from me. When I finally start to shut them out completely, Effie brings me into their conversation.

"Darling, why don't you have something else besides bread?" Effie asks me with her strange Capitol accent.

"I'm not feeling well," I answer and I notice Peeta gives me a sideways glance.

"I'm sorry. How about you go back to your room and watch the recaps there," Effie suggests as if I want to watch the recap of the reapings.

I slide my chair away from the table and silently leave, but I can feel Peeta's eyes burning a hole in the back of my head.

I'm not in my room for longer then three minutes when there is a soft knock on the door. I don't move from my the end of my bed. The knocking continues until I finally shuffle over to the door. I only crack it slightly and then walk back towards the bed. I hear the door open wider behind me, and then it clicks shut. I know its Peeta. I don't think Haymitch would actually want to talk to me.

I face him and I can tell he is thinking about something. His eyes also seem to look everywhere, but at me. "Did you want to talk?" I blurt out to break the awkward silence.

"Yeah, I just wanted to apologize," he says and scratches the back of his neck. I don't say anything and he continues, "ever since the night of the festival I have been feeling so guilty. I took advantage of you, and now this makes it even worse. I was going to apologize any way, but plans changed. I'm really sorry Katniss. I never wanted something like that to happen. It wasn't me."

I don't know what to say. I would never think that he would actually feel something about what we did. "Well, I certainly didn't try to stop it," I mumble.

"Katniss, I just want you know that I'm sorry and I'm here to talk about anything," he says and turns towards the door. I about to watch him leave, but instead I get off the bed and grab him by his arm. He spins around with a surprised look on his face.

"Thanks" With this he nods his head and leaves me alone.

Why does he have to be so nice? Even after what happened, I can't be mad at him. I can't tell what his real motives are. I shake my head clearing my thoughts and walk into the adjoining bathroom to my room. I take off the blue dress and try to figure out the shower. There are so many different buttons that I just pick a random one and hope it works.

The setting was the perfect temperature, but I now smell like a flowerily perfume. I use the automatic body dryer and look at myself in the large mirror. I haven't taken note to the changes my body is going through, but I notice everything now.

I am about two months in and what seem like a little weight gain to others looks like a huge difference to me. My breasts are fuller then they have ever been. I see the thickness around my hips that has a slight curve to it in my middle. It's not much, but its there. I walk back to into my room and find the dresser filled with different clothes. I find the simplest shirt and stretchy shorts and climb into the large bed.

I lay on my back thinking everything over. Tomorrow I want to talk to Haymitch. I feel like he should be the only one I tell about my little problem. I know that Peeta can't know and Effie would probably just tell anyone and everyone the exciting news about her pregnant tribute. I toss and turn some more until the swaying of the train lulls me to sleep.