Seventeen. That is how old I was when I lost everything.
Present
"I am eighteen as of today, May fifth, I have never been more relieved too see a year be forgotten and done with. I should be graduating high school in two weeks, and starting college in three months. Things have changed drastically since 365 days ago. But let me just go back and tell you what happened over the span of the past 365 days."
Past
"Make a wish!" Prim looks at me with a huge grin plastered on her face while holding a plate with a small pink cupcake on it. I see a bubbly '17' on top of the cupcake. I groan and roll over. "Prim it's Sunday let me sleep in for once!" I say almost too harshly. I hear her put the plate down on my side table. I love Prim to death but sometimes she doesn't know when to relax. Prim is my thirteen year old little sister and quite possibly my best friend. "But Katniss you're seventeen today and I want to celebrate! Come on please!" I stay turned toward the wall as Prim jumps up and down on me. "Fine." I say with an exasperated sigh. I roll over knocking her onto the floor, I can't but giggle at the sight of her sitting up slowly with her hair disheveled all around her face. I pick up the plate and blow out my candle and make the one wish I've had since I was thirteen. "Thanks Prim." I look at her with a shy smile. "Well? What'd you wish for!" She jumps up and down with her hands clasped tightly together. "I can't tell you or it won't come true." She frowns and deep lines furrow into her forehead, she really does look like my mother when she makes this face. "Fine but if your wish comes true you better tell me!", she holds out her pinky urging me to promise I'll tell her if it happens. I smirk and take her pinky in mine, "I promise."
The rest of the morning and part of the afternoon is spent with just Prim and I watching movies in my room while my mother continues to sleep off her sadness of six years now. I look at the picture of my father and I on my wall, it's a picture of us at our favorite lake. He passed away when I was only eleven years old and the pain is no less now that I'm seventeen.
"Happy birthday, Catnip." I turn my head ferociously to the side to see Gale standing in my bedroom doorway with a neatly wrapped gift. "Gale!" I immediately spring up and run into his arms. Gale is my best friend. He is almost two years older than I am, but it seems like more. Gale looked like a man at 14 while I never really looked my age. I have known him since a little after my father died, his father died in the same accident. It was during their work in the mines that a bomb exploded and killed 23 men. We don't like to speak much of it. I look into his grey eyes and then down to the present. "And what is this? We never exchange gifts!" I feel giddy as I think of what might be in there. "Open it!" I can tell by the grin on his face that he must be as excited as I am. I quietly sit down on my bed and stare at the gift in my hands. "I'm going to go see if mom needs anything." I glance over at Prim who is looking at Gale with a smirk. He mirrors her look and moves out of the doorway to let her out. "What was that look about?" I ask curiously. "Nothing, just that Prim helped me pick out your gift... Open it already!" I raise my eyebrows a little, this gift is really peaking my interest so I untie the little ribbon that is neatly tied and open the wrapping gently as well. Inside I see a small rectangular velvet box. My eyes widen already knowing what's inside. I open the lid and see the bracelet I've been pining over for three months, it has a small gold charm of an arrow latched onto it. "Oh Gale... You shouldn't have..." I am in complete awe at what this must've cost him. I look up at him to see him beaming with joy. "So you like it?" He sits down next to me. I quickly nod while taking it out of the box and handing it to him so he can put it on my wrist. "This is the most beautiful and thoughtful gift you really could've gotten me. Thank you so much." I twist sideways and wrap my arms around his neck and hug him as tightly as I can. He wraps his arms around my waist and says almost too quietly, "anything for you."
It's Monday morning and nothing could be more painful than waking up at 7:00 A.M. Junior year has really been kicking my ass lately and with my finals around the corner I can't let myself slack. I slide out of bed and walk into the bathroom to shower. I glance in the mirror and feel too lazy to put on makeup or do my hair, so I put my hair in a messy bun and put on my uniform, a white polo shirt and a short plaid skirt.
It's nearly 7:50 when I get to school. It's a good thing it's so close so that I don't have to waste a considerable amount of time commuting. I pull up to Panem High and park in my usual spot. I walk to my first period and get there just as the bell rings.
"Okay class, today we're starting work on the final study guide. I will be putting you in pairs to work on the worksheet together." I look at up at , my English teacher, and feel myself frowning. She's an odd woman with bleach blonde hair and bright pink makeup. She has odd taste in style but I applaud her for pulling it off. I'm lost in thought about her current outfit when I hear. "Miss Everdeen, you'll be paired up with ." My gaze shoots across the room to find Peeta Mellark sitting on his phone. He looks up from it and gives me a small smile to show he heard her. This won't be so bad. I've heard good things about Peeta. He isn't too hard on the eyes either. He is probably 5'10 and has broad shoulders. He looks muscled and strong from what I can see. He has blonde hair that is usually pushed back and out of his face, he also has soft light icy blue eyes that draw you in immediately. After finishes up reading the list I get up and move over to Peeta. "Uhh-hhm-m hi Peeta, uh, I'm Katniss." God I sound like a twelve year old girl. He laughs and motions for me to sit down. "Yeah I figured since you moved over here." He gives me a cocky grin and pulls out his notebook. I feel myself turn bright red and quickly distract myself by opening my notebook to a new page. "Nice bracelet, boyfriend get it for you?" I look up to find him admiring my the bracelet Gale got me yesterday. "Oh uh- no my best friend, Gale Hawthorne, he gave it to me yesterday for my birthday." I don't know why I gave him so much detail, but I assume it's because I babble when I'm nervous. "Gale Hawthorne? He's a grade above us right?" Peeta looks at me while digging out a pencil. "Yeah. He's great." I smile while looking at the bracelet. Peeta seems to be studying my expression because when I look up he jolts his head down very quickly. "So he isn't your boyfriend? I heard he was." He sounds as if he's accusing me of lying about my relationship with Gale. "'Yes. Just friends. Why? Are you interested in Gale?" I smirk at him. I don't know where I got the confidence to make a joke like that but I don't mind. Apparently Peeta thought it was funny because I can see him smiling even though he's bent over his book bag still looking for a pencil. "I'm not interested in Gale per say, but maybe someone else." He makes eye contact for a brief second. "Do you want to just use my pencil?" I quickly try and change the subject so I don't embarrass myself. "Sure, thanks."
The rest of that school day flew by. It's when I get to my car that time seems to slow down. Sitting on the good of my car is Peeta Mellark. "Hey Katniss!" he jumps up and smiles at me. "Oh, um hi Peeta." I'm taken so off guard by him sitting there that I can't even ask why he's there. "I bet you're wondering why I was sitting on the hood of your car." Is he reading my thoughts? "Well, I am sitting here because I need your number." My expression must match what I'm feeling because he quickly laughs and continues talking, "I need it for if I have a question about the study guide. I'm not a stalker don't worry." I smile at him. "Mhm well since we have the rest of the week to work on the study guide, you don't need my number." I slowly walk around him and open my car door. He spins around quickly to look at me. "Are you playing hard to get? With homework?" He slyly smiles at me. "With that and maybe with other things." I don't let him reply and get into the car and back out. I watch him become a tiny dot in the rearview mirror. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Why is Peeta being so friendly? We have never spoken, nevertheless made eye contact. I don't dwell on it too much and just feel happy to have Monday over with.
