Chapter 1
"Primrose Everdeen"
No it can't be. Prim only put her name in there once. One small slip out of thousands. How could this be possible? My body is working before my head and with out even thinking, I shove my way to Prim, screaming her name.
"I volunteer!" I gasp. There is some murmur and talk. District Twelve never had a volunteer before.
I can hear Prim screaming hysterically behind me. "No, Katniss! You can't go!"
Gale lifts Prim and takes her to my mother. "Wow! Interesting turn of events! You're name is probably Katniss as we heard you're sister shout. Now, I bet my buttons you are her sister!" Effie says. "Let's give Katniss a round of applause"
No one claps but gives the sign of respect. Every member of the crowd touches the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it up to me.
"Look at her. Look at this one!" Haymitch hollers, throwing an arm around my shoulder. "I like her! Lots of...spunk! More than you!" he shouts, pointing at the camera. He is drunk. Only an idiot would say that to the capitol or is he saying that to the audience. Before you know it, he falls of the stage landing on his head. Medics quickly run over and carry him away.
"Now for our male tribute." Effie says with quite an excited tone in her voice. How can she be excited by picking a boy to fight to the death? She puts her hand in the boy's glass and digs her hand in deep. She pulls out a slip.
I'm silently hoping it isn't Gale. No I'm not. I'm silently praying it isn't Gale. If he got picked who would look after our families. They would starve. "Peeta Mellark." It's him. It's the boy with the bread. The boy who gave me hope. The boy who stopped me from starving. He walks to the stage and I see that he isn't making any effort to hide his fear as he walks up to the stage. He will easily be picked out as a weakling.
"So here are your district 12 tributes." Say Effie happily. The national anthem plays and I can see my mother and Prim in the crowd and see that they are crying with Gale standing beside them and he is also trying hard to fight back tears. Gale who I never ever cry is nearly crying today when I got reaped. Am I that important to him that he is destroying his pride by crying in front of the whole district? Of course he is. How did I actually even think that Gale wouldn't care that I got reaped. I'm his best friend and hunting partner and I am about to go straight to my death.
Me and Peeta shake hands and then are taken to the Justice Building by some peacekeepers so we can meet our loved ones for the last time. Once inside, I and Peeta are taken into different rooms. My sister and my mother are the first to come. Prim runs straight into my arms and starts to cry onto my dress. After all her tears are gone I pull away. I accept a hug from my mother but it is very brief.
I start to give Prim the basic art for survival like fuel and trading. I tell she doesn't have to worry and that if I don't make, Gale will keep you alive and provide you with fresh game. After I'm done, I give my mother a very strict lecture saying she can't leave Prim now and that there is no me to keep them alive now.
"You've got to win Katniss. You can hunt. You can win this." Prim says and I know I can't let her down so I promise her that I will win no matter what happens. Peacekeepers come in and start taking Prim and my mother away. This might be the last time I see her so I shout at them I love you.
My next quest is unexpected. Madge walks straight to me. "They let you wear one thing from your district in the arena. One thing to remind you of your home. Wear this." She holds a circular gold pin with a mokingjay on it. "Promise you'll wear it in the arena?" She asks.
"Yes," I say and pin it on my dress. She then leaves without further discussion.
Gale finally comes. I run into his arms. I am quickly met by familiar warmth and I want to stay in his strong arms forever where no one can hurt me but he has different ideas and pulls me away. He looks at me and I'm about to say something but I can't find the words and neither can he but the next thing he does doesn't need words to express what he feels. He leans forward and presses his lips against mine. Warmth spreads across my body. More warmth then I ever felt before. Before I know it I'm kissing Gale back. It's my first kiss. I have no idea how it should be done or how it should feel. But I just press myself harder against his body. My arms wrap around his neck pulling him closer. I want him as close as possible. A first kiss maybe should be gentle and sweet to make it perfect. But Gale is kissing me desperately right now and it's perfect. His lips are so warm and it makes me feel like I cannot breathe without him.
When we finally pull away from each other, I think of what I just done. I kissed my best friend! "I love you Katniss! I love! I love you! I love! I loved you for six month but couldn't find the right moment to tell you. I was going to tell you today when I asked you to run away but you dismissed my idea without hesitation and I lost all the courage I was building up to tell you. I just couldn't face that if you don't get out of the arena that you would never know how I feel for who and I just had to do it for what might be the final time." Gale takes a deep breath and I know that this was one the hardest things he ever done.
I'm speechless. I have no words to what I'm feeling right now but I do know that when our lips connected, it felt like my world was complete so even though I have no words to express my thought, I do have actions. I looks into his grey stormy eyes that are now afraid that I might reject him and I pull him closer to me and throw my lips onto his. He is first surprised but is soon kissing me back. The same feeling is coming back. I don't want to let go and I know neither does he. This is the best feeling I ever felt next to hunting and being with Prim but this is more passionate. Gale opens his mouth and I don't know what to do because I never have done this before but I quickly do the same Gale's done and open my mouth. His tongue instantly runs into mu mouth and is quickly searching for mine. He finally found it and our tongues touch each other. More warmth quickly spreads through my body and we stay like this for a few moments and then he finally pulls away.
"Why did you do that?" Asks Gale. The question takes me by surprise but I am soon asking myself why did I do that? I look up at Gale and see that he wants me to answer by saying I love him but I seriously don't know so I tell him honestly that I don't know. Disappointment quickly spreads through his face and I know that I said something wrong.
"I don't mean that I didn't want to do that. I liked kissing you but I truly don't know my feelings for you yet," I quickly tell him and the disappointment quickly goes away and I know he understands how I feel and nods.
The peacekeepers quickly come in to take him away. He begs them for more time but the peacekeepers take him away. "Don't let them starve Gale!" I cry out clinging to his hand but the peacekeepers pull him away from me.
"I won't! You know I won't Katniss. Remember Katniss that I love you no matter what." And with that the peacekeeper take him away and the door falls shut.