Chapter 1
"You look like a tomato! If I beat you, you'd go great over spaghetti!" Gale says. His posse smirks and laughs. They disgust me.
"With a face like yours, she should be the last thing you should be worried about." Madge pipes up.
"Ooh burn." One of the guys in his posse says.
"Shut up." Gale snaps. The guy backs away.
"Apply cold water to burned area." Another one says.
"Shut your face." Gale snaps. The anger in his voice echoes inside my head. "At least sauce face keeps her mouth shut." He smirks.
"Hey. Cut it out. It's not her fault she burns. How would you like it if we called you mean names?" Peeta says. "I bet you'd cry." "If we called him a name, he'd tell his mom. And then cry." I say. The smirk on his disgusting face disappears.
"If you called me a name, I would tell the head peacekeeper. And then you would be in more trouble you've ever been in, in your pathetic life." Gale says strutting into the cafeteria.
"The head peacekeeper doesn't have time for your shit, Gale." I say. I'm glad he's gone. I stand with Peeta and Madge, who are still laughing about Brian humping the desk during study hall earlier. I don't know what I would do without them. They defend me, and plus, I'd be a mess without them.
The line moves surprisingly quick. I think I smell tacos, or some kind of Mexican food. My nose never fails. Tacos and rice for lunch! Rice is my favorite. I grab a tray, but it is soaking wet, so I grab another one that is less wet and I get my tacos and extra rice. "That'll be $2.50." the lady at the register says. That's awfully expensive. I pay her and go sit down with Madge. Peeta isn't far behind.
"Did you see the 'Special Capitol News Report' last night?" Peeta asked.
"Yeah! I can't believe the new head game maker has already fallen in Snow's deathtrap!" Madge says.
"You mean Denise? It won't take long! Before you know it, she'll be married to him!" Peeta says laughing. I laugh too.
I take a bite of my taco when I hear the blast of a gun. Screams break out. I motion Madge and Peeta to follow me. I run back to the lunch line and head towards the back where the freezer is. Madge and Peeta follow close behind me. I squish behind the freezer when another shot is fired and the lady at the cash register slumps to the ground.
"Is there room for two more back there?" Madge whispers.
"No, you two go in that cabinet over there. I'll be right here." I whisper back. "Try not to make very much noise because this guy is close." I watch them quietly get into the closet and sigh in relief. That's when I see him come into sight. My eyes widen.
He has your classic peacekeeper outfit on; white everything, strange helmet, lethal weapon-except he doesn't fit the picture. He looks too young, and there's a bloodstain where his stomach is, yet he doesn't seem harmed.
He starts searching the kitchen. He must have heard Madge and Peeta in the cabinet. He opens the freezer. I pray that he isn't smart enough to look under the freezer, because then he might see my feet. I am frozen. He walks towards the cabinets. I lose sight of him as he nears the one containing Peeta and Madge. I would try to see, but he might hear me and shoot me. He looks around in the other cabinets for a while when Madge sneezes. That's when he starts to panic. He frantically searches everywhere. He finally comes back to the right cabinet and opens the door.