Peeta POV
Todays my first day at school. My father stands behind me as the children line up to go to classes. My name is Peeta Mellark and I am 5 years old. I look around worriedly. I don't know anyone and I'm too shy to make any friends. 'It's alright Peeta. It'll be fine' my father says in a soothing voice. I relax a little but I still have that nervous feeling in my stomach. I will not cry I tell myself I will not cry. Suddenly I see a girl walk past me. She has brown hair in two pretty plaits and dull grey eyes. She is wearing a red plaid dress. I feel my fathers hands on my shoulders stiffen. I look up at my father questionly. 'you see that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner' he says wistfully. I scrunch my nose. 'A coal miner?,' I say, 'Why did she want a coal miner if she could've had you?'. My father laughs. A long sweet melodic laugh. He then says 'Because when he sings ... even the birds stop to listen.' I widen my eyes and perk up as the teacher says 'Please line up'. My father smiles at me and kisses my forehead. 'Have a nice first day Peeta' he exclaims. 'Bye' I say quietly not wanting him to leave.
'Today we have a music assembly' the teacher exclaims clapping her hands together. Music? My father would've loved this. We walk in a line and I see a few boys sneaking glances at the girl from this morning I think her name is Katniss? I admit she is very pretty. We all sit down and the teacher sits on a stool. 'Does anyone know the valley song?' she asks looking around at our group. The Valley Song? I've never heard it. My father would've. I hear a few gasps as a hand shoots up. Katniss. 'Thank you Katniss. now would you like to come up and sing it to everyone' the teacher asks kindly. Katniss blushes and nods shyly. The teacher stands up and Katniss gets up on the stool. I bite my lip. What will she sound like? Katniss opens her mouth and starts singing. I drop my jaw and get lost in her voice. It is soft and melodic and beautiful. The birds that were chirping outside immediately stop. She is that good. I hear the teacher smile and clap proudly. The children clap along. I am frozen as Katniss sings the last note. Katniss blushes and fiddles with her hands shyly. I stare at her wistfully. My father was right. Just like he was to Katniss's mother I am in love with Katniss herself. I know that other boys will probably get to her before me but I don't care. I am only a plain not noticed District 12 boy that is helplessly in love with Katniss Everdeen
6 years later
Its been 6 years since my first encounter with Katniss. I see her everyday now. She wears her brown hair in one plait now and wears jeans and a jacket. Boys give her their attention all the time. I guess you cant stop yourself. I don't even think Katniss notices. I take out a piece of bread and bake it for the rich man. He hands me money and I look at it greedily. No I cant take it for myself even though I want to. I have to keep it for the family. I look out the window. A cloudy and rainy day. Suddenly I hear screaming coming out the back. I go to see what it is. My mother is screaming at a girl who is trembling with fright. Katniss. I peered out from behind my mothers back and see Katniss nodding in understandment and putting the lid back on the bin. She looks horrible. Her skin is pale and you can see her cheekbones poke out. Her eyes are desperate and hungry. She catches my eye and quickly walks away. I watch her leave and her knees buckle. I wince as she sinks down next to the apple tree. Katniss begins smiling as the smell of bread enters her nose. Her family is suffering and out of food that's why she's so skinny and hungry. I walk back in and I know what to do.
I open the tray of bread and pick out 2 breads with fruits and nuts inside them. I shove the tray into the baker and wait so it burns just a bit. I take it out and my mother notices that it is burnt and starts screaming at me. I shrink back. 'YOU USELESS CHILD! NO ONE WILL BUT YOUR BURNT BREAD! YOU IDIOT!' my mother screams taking out a stick. I swallow and flinch as the stick slashes across my cheekbone. I let tears roll down my cheeks as I take the bread out to 'give to the pigs'. I stumble out and Katniss is still under the tree. 'Feed it to the pig, you stupid creature! Why not? No one decent will but the bread!' my mother screams from inside the shop. I rip off a few chunks of the burnt parts of the bread and throw it to the pigs. A customer walks into the shop. Good my mother is distracted. Katniss notices me and looks at me worriedly probably because there is a red slash across my cheek. I turn away and look at the pigs and throw the bread to Katniss without looking. She widens her eyes and looks at it hungrily. Just take it! Just take it!. I take a glance at the shop. My mother is still occupied. I pretend to look at the pigs again and throw the other loaf of bread to Katniss. She scrambles to it and I quickly rush back to the shop before my mother notices what I am doing. I walk in and shut the door tightly behind me. 'Did you feed it to the pig?' my mother asks. I nod and start to go upstairs. I decide to take a glance at Katniss. Through the window I can see that she is shoving the loaves of bread in her jacket and rushing off. I go upstairs and lay in my bed. 'Why isn't there anymore fruit and nut breads?' I hear my father ask my mother from downstairs. I hear my mother sigh 'Peeta burnt the last two and gave it to the pigs' she says. I squeeze my eyes tightly and think If only you knew and then fall asleep.