Katniss POV:

"Gale, I really don't want to go. No one there likes me and I'd rather stay home!" I say as I run down the stairs.

"Just one night Kat, we can have a few drinks, hang out a bit" he says running after me. I slump down on the couch in defeat.

"Fine!"

"Good girl, go and start getting ready then, okay?"

God I hate it when he acts like this. I scowl at him and go upstairs to get dressed. I walk into my room and sit on my bed. I really don't want to go to this party. First of all its Glimmer's. She's the head cheerleader and she hates me. Her boyfriend Cato has always had a thing for me though. Secondly, I hate parties. I hate the people and the loud music and the constant smell of vomit. I would much rather be in the woods with my bow. Third, I'm only seventeen. I'm pretty sure everyone else that will be there is older than me. I was moved up a year when I was in 3rd grade, so I've always been the youngest. The only other person I know in my grade that's in the same age as me is Caera. She moved here from Australia and she's really smart. She was moved into my class in 9th grade. I could go on about reasons on why I shouldn't go tonight but I told Gale I would so there's no point. I get up off my bed and walk towards my wardrobe. I pull out a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and put them on. I do my hair in its usual braid and go down stairs to Gale.

As I walk into the lounge room I'm surprised to see Madge standing there chatting with Gale.

"I'm ready" I announce as I walk into the room. Madge is a lovely girl. She's about the same height as me and her blonde hair is always in curls down her back. She is wearing a black dress the ties up around her neck and flows straight down to her ankles. She turns around to look at me and as she sees me her eyes open wide.

"Honey, I love you, but I'm not going with you looking like that" she says to me. I can't help but smile when she says it. Not because she wants me to change but that she cares so much about how I dress. I find it a bit funny. She walks over to me and looks me up and down. "Nope, this won't do." I let out a small giggle as she grabs my wrist and pulls me back up to my room. When we get there she sits me on my bed and starts rummaging through my clothes. "Why don't you own any dresses!?"

"They're uncomfortable and… girly" I say. She seems so flustered about all of this.

"We're going to have to go to my house." She says as she grabs my hand and takes me with her.

"What about this one?" she asks me as I sit on her bed bored out of my mind. I don't even bother looking at the dress.

"No" I say to her as I run my fingers through her soft fluffy bed sheets. Her whole room is filled with pinks and purples. She has butterflies stuck to the walls and a chandelier hanging above her bed.

"Perfect!" I hear her say as she pulls me out of my thoughts. "Go and try this on!" I look up and see her holding a red dress that is plain but has a strip of material wrapping around the waist. I take the dress and walk towards her bathroom.

Madge is the Mayors daughter so her house is huge. Especially compared to mine.

Since my father died my mother hasn't been able to work. My sister, Prim, and I went from having two incomes coming into the house to none. My mother was a nurse. I would have gone out and gotten a job straight away but I was only 12 when it happened. No one would hire a twelve year old. So that's when I started hunting. I kept my family from starvation.

I walk out of the bathroom and back into Madge's room. It looks as though she's gotten her make up kit out. Great. As I come into her view, I smile spreads across her face. "I am a miracle worker!" she exclaims. "Come sit down".

I sit there as she puts various kinds of liquids and powders on my face and twirls my hair into curls. "Done" she says to me with a grin. I am not looking forward to seeing myself. I get up out of my chair and walk towards her full length mirror. I take in who I've become in the last 20 minutes. My hair is bouncing with curls that come to my bust, my eyes are smokey black and the red dress hugs to my curves. I am amazed at how well Madge has managed to bring out the silver in my eyes. "Just so you know we're meeting up with Delly and a few others before we go." She says to me.

Peeta POV

As Delly and I drive to the party she tells me last minute. "Madge is meeting up with us at the diner." I just nod my head. I don't really want to go to this party, but Delly insisted. She said that it was my birthday in a week and because I didn't want to do anything this could kind of be my party. That and she wants me to get a girlfriend. I don't want a girlfriend. Well I do but not just anyone. Katniss Everdeen is the girl I want. I've had the biggest crush on her since... well… since forever I guess. But she doesn't even know I exist.

A few years ago just after her father died, her mom was forced to leave her job. They had no money. I had to find some way to help her. It was pouring down rain and I could see how thin she'd gotten. I got beaten pretty badly for what I did, but it was worth it.

My thoughts were stopped when the car came to a halt. I hear Delly say to me "We're here, the girls are inside" I get out of the car and follow Delly into the diner. She walks over to the booth were Madge is sitting. I sit next to Delly and think to myself 'I thought Delly said girls. As in more than one' but just let it go. The girls order a few drinks and talk about things that I don't hear because I'm zoned out.

I wish someone entertaining was here. After what seems like hours but according to the clock above the duke box, has only been about 5 minutes I start to wonder if I left whether or not they would notice. I look around for my exits and figure out my get away plan. When I turn around I see two silver eyes staring at me. My heart skips a beat as I realise who it is standing across the room. Katniss Everdeen.

Katniss POV

As I walk out of the bathroom, I look for the booth were Madge is. I glance over and see a blonde haired boy looking around the room. I stand there just looking at him for a while, trying to figure out where I know him. I see him around school all the time but I can't place where I know him from. Suddenly his blue eyes lock on mine and I look at the ground. I walk over to the table and sit across from him. I don't look at him once. I'm so embarrassed that he caught me staring at him.

As soon as we get to the party I look over to Madge. "I'm going to go find Gale" I say to her as I walk off. I find Gale pretty fast and he gets me a drink. We wonder around talking to various people that Gale knows. I don't care about any of them. As I look around the room I can see nearly every football player I know. Cato, the quarterback, is talking to Glimmer. Marvel is with Clove, I don't know why they're hanging out, they're brother and sister. I can see Thresh in the far corner making out with Caera. To be honest I didn't even know they knew each other. As I continue to scan the room I catch a pair of bright blue eyes on me. I quickly look away. Why was he watching me? Probably thinking about how I was staring at him earlier.

It's almost midnight when I hear sirens. Shit. I hope that they aren't on their way here. I don't know how many minors are here but I know I'm one of them. People start running all over the place. I cling to Gale's arm and my heart begins to beat faster and faster. Most people have cleared the house by the time the police walk in. Gale said it would look more suspicious if we ran. What would he know, he's 18! Slowly the police circle the room. One officer stops directly in front of me.

"How old are you?" he says to me as he puts his face uncomfortably close to mine. I swallow hard and try to act natural. I'm used to breaking the law. This time seems different though.

"18" I say to him with confidence. At least I hope it sounded like it. He stands there looking at me for a moment as if he's trying to decide something.

"Got any ID?" he asks me. Shit. No. I stand there looking at him silently. "That's what I thought. What's your name?"

"Katniss Everdeen" I say quietly.

"Katniss Everdeen, you are under arrest for the use of alcohol while being a minor." Shit. This is my second arrest this year.