Authors note- Hey anyone reading! This is my first fanfic so sorry if it's horrible. Im not sure if im gonna continue this story, but if I get some of your reviews then I probably will. So enjoy or not and review!
Peeta's POV
I walk into district twelve's square, its reaping day. Not once do I take my blue eyes off Katniss's gorgeous grey ones. She is in a beautiful green dress above her knees with her hair in its usual messy braid down her back; it hangs all the way down to her waist. Effie started droning on and on about the dark days and why we have the hunger games, so I tuned out. Then she finally says, "Ladies first!" in her ridiculous capitol accent. Not her, not her, not her, I think to myself. She pulls out a small piece of paper and reads the name that makes my heart drop, "Katniss Everdeen!" Oh no, I can't breathe, but I manage to let out a scream and yell, "NO!" When I look at her she speaks, but not in her usual voice, and says, "Are you alright?"
Then I open my eyes and see my older brother Garret is shaking me and telling me to wake up, while my other older brother Cliff is staring at me with wide eyes and a worried expression. I become conscious that I am gasping for air and am sweating bullets. After a few minutes, I finally calm down and tell them I am alright. After they leave the room and head downstairs to the bakery, I realize that today truly is reaping day and I start hyperventilating again. "My nightmares won't come true, my nightmares won't come true," I keep telling myself and calm down again. When I finally get downstairs, cleaned up and ready for the reaping, my dad stares at me with a concerned expression and my heartless mother looks at me indifferently. When my dad looks as though he is about to say something, I just give him a half smile and wave him off. I go frost cakes in the back where no one can see me. When I frost cakes, I get into a tranquil state of mind. It's so peaceful, I almost forget that it's reaping day. Almost. When I go to put the cake on display in the front, I stop in my tracks, and just in time too because my dad and Gale Hawthorne are talking. I decide to eavesdrop. I am so envious of Gale; he gets to go hunting with Katniss everyday. The two things I could never do- sneak into the woods, disobeying the law, and talk to Katniss, the love of my life. It's obvious that he loves her too and I am starting to believe that Katniss loves him back. The green eyed monster is coming out just thinking about it, so its a good thing I am not talking to Gale because who knows what I would say.
"I got fresh squirrel for trade," he states. I realize that Katniss had shot the squirrel before Gale says it because she always hits her squirrels right in the eye, she has perfect aim.
"Thanks Gale, here I will trade a loaf of bread," Dad says. Gale's eyes light up and I am confused at first but realize that he almost never gets a delicacy such as bread. District 12 being the poorest district of all, we are happy to even have one piece of bread a day.
"Are you sure?" Gale asks, "It's just a small squirrel."
"Yes of course I am sure!" My dad chuckles and then his tone is more serious when he says, "Good luck today."
Gale's name is in there forty two times because he gets tesserae to feed his family, he is head of his household since his father died of a mining accident, just like Katniss's father, and takes care of a mother, two brothers, and a sister. I finally can't stand it any longer and bring the frosted cake to the front. Gale sees me.
"Thanks," He says to my dad. "And good luck Peeta."
"You too." I reply trying to sound friendly and he leaves the bakery. I sigh as I walk over to the counter and take last minute orders. Then I see Katniss and her lovable younger sister, 12 year old prim walking outside the shop, staring into the window, admiring the cakes I had just frosted. Oh how I wish Katniss would walk into the store and talk to me, but they just continue walking. After a humdrum hour of frosting and selling, frosting and selling, I make my way to district twelve's square. It's already 1:45, 15 minutes until the dreaded reaping. I check in and walk over to stand next to my best friend Birch in the 16 year old section. Then I see Katniss. She looks so beautiful that she nearly takes my breathe away. She is wearing a pretty blue dress that falls below her knees, her grey seam eyes light up, and her hazelnut brown hair is pulled up into a bun. She looks distraught because Prim is obviously nervous, it's Prim's first reaping. I keep staring at her until Birch brings me back to reality and I realize Effie, our pink, eccentric, capitol escort is already onstage. Was I really out for 15 minutes?
Then Birch says, "Man she's not gonna get picked just calm down!"
"Okay but-" I am interrupted by Haymitch, our only living victor, as he makes his way to the stage, obviously drunk. He gives Effie a sloppy kiss on the cheek, leaving her very distraught. At least he gives us some entertainment. That's when Effie says her famous speech and then, "Ladies First!" My heart is pumping out of my chest so loud I think Birch can hear it. She is in there 20 times! The odds are definitely not in her favor. Please don't let it be her, please don't let it be her. Effie pulls out the small, white paper. No, she doesn't call Katniss's name, but possibly the next worse thing, "Primrose Everdeen!"