DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES.
I wake up to the sight of the morning light leaking through my window. As I walk to the bathroom I notice the white blouse and long black skirt sitting precariously on my chair. Anger rises in me as I realize the annual Hunger Games reaping is today. The soft spoken mayors daughter that I pretend to be is not who I really am. My name is Madge Undersee and I HATE THE CAPITOL. Everything they stand for and have caused makes me sick. I swallow the lump in my throat and put my outfit on with my dirty blonde hair in ponytail.
I open the door to my mother's bedroom with a platter of eggs for breakfast. She has been suffering chronic headaches for as long as I can remember. Apparently this started when her sister died in the games. My Dad barely spends any time with either of us, so I am the only one she has left. The drugs she takes for the pain make her confused to the point where she doesn't recognize me. I place the food on a chair and stare at all the pill bottles on her nightstand.
The doorbell interrupts my thoughts. I run downstairs and open the back door to find Katniss and Gale. I smile shyly, "Hi".
"We have your fathers strawberries." she says.
"O-Okay cool ill go get the money", I run into the kitchen almost tripping on the carpet and grab the jar from the refrigerator. I hand Gale the money and our hands touch, and I quickly pull my hand back. My face feels very hot as I take the strawberries from Katniss.
"Pretty dress" Gale says.
I can't hide the disappointment on my face when I realize this comment wasn't genuine. Gesturing to my outfit I say "This is a blouse, and this is a skirt. No dress."
This makes Katniss crack up as I begin to smile while Gale is glaring at me.
"Good luck Katniss." I turn to Gale, "You too Gale". I playfully punch him in the shoulder and close the door.
The reaping starts just like any other, one long speech by my father, Capitol anthem, and this funny Capitol lady reads off the girl name. "Primrose Everdeen."
Shock is the first thing I feel as I process what just happened. Not Prim, I consider her and Katniss my only real family. They befriended me when I had no one, listen to me, respect me, and love me for who I am and not where I come from. Prim's shocked face on screen snaps me out of it. I will my stiff legs to move as fast as they can and soon I'm running to Prim's side. I grab her by the shoulders and turn her around, "Prim go find your sister. Go!" I push her away from the stage and turn, "I volunteer as tribute" Prim is locking her arms around my waist. I turn around and hug her back and begin kissing her hair. Katniss comes, pries her off of me, gives me a sad smile as I walk to the stage.
When I'm onstage I notice my Dads shocked, embarrassed face and I internally smile at this. Effie shoves the microphone in my face and asks me for my name. "My name is Madge Undersee" I look at the crowd in front of me and become shocked at the universal sign they give me with their hands to say goodbye to a loved one. It moves me to tears, I become flustered and tears spill down my face. I put my hands on my heart and smile for them.
Suddenly a drunken man appears out of nowhere and nearly pushes Effie off the stage as he falls off himself. Effie grabs a paper from the boys bowl, " Gale Hawthorne"
Suddenly I am in the sixth grade and all of the Seam kids are in a circle around me shouting obscenities at me. I close my eyes and hid my face under my arms trying to block them out as they get louder and louder. When a hand on my shoulder startles me, I look up to see the young silver eyes of Gale Hawthorne. Concern fills his eyes, apparently he scared them off with a bat that was meant for baseball.
"Are you okay?" he whispers.
I smile, nod, and run away. From that moment on I loved him and never stopped. I always tried to work up the courage to go up to him and say thank you, but never got the chance.
The love of my life is walking down the path up to the stage scowling at the ground. He looks at me for a split second then looks away. Something in me snaps, I start breathing heavily and begin to tremble. Why Gale? It could've been anyone else but it had to have been him, the only thing that would break me. When we shake hands I look away from his eyes, hoping he wouldn't notice my trembling hands.
Next thing I know I'm in a room so I can say goodbye to my loved ones. My Dad comes in first, the nerve he has to start caring about me when it's too late makes me sick. He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "If you have an ounce of dignity you will listen and do what I say."
He nods once. "Take care of my mother, make sure she has someone to talk to her."
He nods once again and I feel a weight off my chest. He stands there staring at me, as I put my hands on my forehead to try to push back the tears. I can't even say goodbye to my own mother, she might not remember the last time she saw me.
My father exits quietly.
Soon afterward Katniss and Prim come in. The sight of both of them breaks my heart, as they run into my arms. We sit there holding each other for a while, until Katniss breaks away. She fits a copper woven bracelet with an a orange tiger charm on my wrist. I smile at my gift, "Madge I can never repay you for what you did today, you gave me my sister back. I got this from the Hob at an old fortune teller, she says whoever wears it has a strong spirit. I was going to wait until your birthday, but I want you to have it now. When you look at it think of me and Prim, and how much we love you." This makes me begin to sob, as I hold them tighter I say, "I love you both, always" Peacekeepers come and take them away from me.
We reach the train station with cameras everywhere. Gale looks almost like a statue while my face is puffy and my eyes are red. I look away from the cameras, this is not a good first impression. Hopefuly they ignore my stunt at the reaping completely, I don't want them to target Katniss or Prim for interviews, but I guess that ship has sailed. When we make it in the train Effie begins scolding me, You have no manners! Always smile when cameras are near and keep your back straight."
I am already getting picked on, I begin to tune her out as we are guided into a sitting room to await Haymitch.