This story takes place between the first book and the second book of the Hunger Games Trilogy.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters. I only own the plot.
Thanks to: Suzanne Collins for making such a beautiful series.
It was a pretty normal day, for District 12 that is. Not for the victors of the yearly Hunger Games wherein they get to celebrate that day that they actually made it through all the challenges and difficulties while inside the arena.
It was just unfortunate that these three victors were giving each other the cold shoulder so it was up to Mrs. Everdeen and Prim to make the lunch and invite their close friends to the small gathering. When something is unfortunate there is also something fortunate. It was Sunday, a day of rest. You, of all people know what that means. Gale will be there by their little gathering.
It was finally time for their little gathering and Gale was pretty late. Katniss was surprised because she thought that Gale wouldn't want to miss this for the world.
Around the round table sat the two other victors, Prim and Katniss' mother. Nobody was making eye contact of course. Nobody was touching the food either when Mrs. Everdeen had made it clear to everyone that no one should eat until everybody was there. Peeta, already irritated because he had to wake up to the nagging of his mother, couldn't take it anymore.
"Why don't we just eat now? It's pretty obvious that he won't show up ,seeing he's not needed here." Peeta commented.
"Why don't we just chuck you out right now or make you beg on your knees to be forgiven by what you've just said?" Katniss snapped at him.
"Why don't you two just chill and relax?" Haymitch said.
At that moment Gale entered the house through the back door so that he was just in the middle of their bickering.
"Why doesn't Gale just change places with me so that Katniss doesn't need to pretend she's in love?" Peeta said pointing an accusing finger at Gale.
"It was all Haymitch's fault that we got into this mess. You blame him. He made that crazy stupid idea about star-crossed lovers!" Katniss declared.
"It got both of you out of the arena alive didn't it? So why stop it now? If the Capitol knew you were both just pretending then they'll clearly have our heads." Haymitch retorted.
Gale and the other two woman Everdeens were positively confused now. They didn't know what the three bickering victor fools were talking about. Although they have some idea as to what it might be, they still couldn't believe their ears.
"You were just pretending to be in love?" Gale asked.
"No. Just forget everything we've said." Haymitch said. "Now, where were we? Oh right. Let's all dig in, shall we?"
They ate in silence for about five minutes until Prim shattered it.
"What were you three fighting about earlier? It was all very confusing. Katniss, did you just pretend to love Peeta?" Prim asked.
"No sweety. It wasn't anything of that sorts. We were just playing a game." Katniss explained.
"A game wherein the loser gets tricked and have a surgery on his heart." Peeta said coolly.
Katniss stood up and walked towards the fridge and got something inside. She held the container over Peeta's head, opened the lid, and poured ice cubes into Peeta's shirt.
"What the hell was that for?" Peeta asked, outraged.
"Nothing." Katniss said indifferently, walking back to her seat and resumed eating.
Peeta stormed out of the house and came back a little later with something he's hiding behind his back. Katniss suddenly grew wary. She was kind of perplexed as to what Peeta might be hiding. Just as she was about to slap him, Peeta threw the thing he'd been hiding. It was the top of wild onions. The plant that Peeta gave Katniss during that day on the train.
Haymitch carried the protesting Peeta over his shoulder and made him sit on the top of the counter. Gale, meanwhile, was picking the plant from the floor. Prim and Mrs. Everdeen were both slightly confused at the turn of events. Katniss was just standing there, looking shocked, face turning to the shade of beet red.
Peeta's face was hidden behind his now long side bangs but you could still know that the voice was coming from him. "I wasn't pretending you know." He said, his voice lacking any kind of emotion. His shoulders were starting to shake now. He made strangled chocking noises but he still refused to show his face.
"What was that you said?" Katniss asked.
"I said I wasn't pretending." Peeta answered, a little bit louder this time.
"Right. And why would I believe that?" Katniss sneered.
"Katniss. Stop this right now." Haymitch said in warning.
"He clearly was just pretending. Who in their right minds would die for me? He obviously was just following you order." Katniss scoffed.
"Katniss, I said stop this nonsense right now!" Haymitch whisper-shouted.
"I said I wasn't pretending, you dummy!" Peeta yelled. His face was now fully seen and tears were running down his crest-fallen face. The neckline of his shirt was already wet from crying. He had his hands balled into fists. "I wasn't pretending. I really wasn't. I thought you really loved me but you only broke my heart during that day on the train! How did you think I felt when I learned that it was Haymitch who told you how to act? How did you think I felt when I found out that you only kissed me because you wanted food? How did you think I felt when I found out that you only kept me alive to keep your sponsors? I felt like dying Katniss! That's how I felt. You're one heartless person Katniss, but I still love you. I really do."
Katniss didn't know how to act. She just stood there, dumbfounded.
"So, it really was all just an act on Katniss' part?" Gale asked. The sound of Gale's voice broke through Katniss' trance like a speeding bullet.
"You were-. You weren't-. I was-. I didn't really-. I'm so-." Katniss didn't really know what to say. She was just so shocked at this confession.
She did what she does best. She ran away from all of it. She ran outside of the house and to some unknown place where she could not be disturbed. She returned late that night. Neither Prim nor her mother talked to her about what happened that day. They kept their mouths shut, and if possible, they even forgot about it. Lives continued on for them. Their days were problem-free, until President Snow made the dreaded announcement about Quarter Quell and Katniss' world shattered like that of the fragile shell of an egg.
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