I twirl in front of the mirror, I absolutely adore my new dress; let's see Gale ignore me in this. I adjustemy Mockingjay pin that once belonged to my aunt, Maysilee, who had died in the Second Quarter Quell of The Hunger Games, I sigh and imagine what it would've been like if she hadn't of been picked, maybe she could've taken me out and talked to me about girl things while mother was having one of her bad days. Maybe mother wouldn't have bad days at all; I heard the doctors and fathers say something about emotional trauma once but father ushered me out of the room.
I snap out of my daydreaming as I hear a knock at the door and hear father shouting for me to get it from his study. I wonder who it is, we don't have any expected visitors today, not that I know about anyway, most people are at home spending time with their families as they don't have school or work today, not on the reaping day.
I head down the stairs and open the door to find Katniss and Gale standing in front of me. Oh shit, it's Gale act normal I could feel a blush creep into my cheeks, Oh God, do not stand there like a little kid and not saying anything, what can I say? What should I say?
"Pretty dress" I hear Gale say, What? Was he talking to me? Of course he's talking to me Katniss isn't wearing a dress. Was he being serious or not? Should I thank him? Well I need to say something or he's going to think I have something wrong with me.
"Well, if I end up going to the Capitol I want to look nice, don't I?" Okay, that's okay, I didn't like shout a Thank you in his face like I was tempted to, he might even laugh.
He didn't he was just staring at me trying to figure out if I was serious, then his face turned cold "You won't be going to the Capitol." He sounded angry and as his eyes went down to my pin his face just grew icier, "What can you have? Five entries? I had six when I was just twelve years old."
Well, I definitely did not know how to respond to that, luckily Katniss saves me by saying "That's not her fault." I shoot her a grateful smile that she misses. I still didn't know how to respond so I just tried to stop any emotion showing on my face.
"No, it's no one's fault. Just the way it is." Certainly sounds like you think it's my fault, Jesus, the first actual conversation I have with the boy and he hates me, great. I still don't know what to say so I pay for the strawberries and wish Katniss good luck, God knows she needs it more than me, Gale even more, but I can't seem to find the nerve.
Okay, calm, you know you're not going to get picked, stop freaking out, calm, deep breaths, deeper breaths… To deep! To deep! You sound like a dying whale. Not that I've ever heard a whale, but I've seen a picture of one before, and I can imagine. You are not going to get picked. It sounds horrible, but the odds are definitely in my favour, well compared to two thirds of the people here, in fact people would laugh at my worries if compared to, say… Gales. My eyes automatically searched for him, finding him right at the front with the other 18 year olds, so he doesn't have to walk so far when he gets picked, I guess… No, stop that, he won't get picked either. He looked up in my direction and for a split second I thought he was looking at me, but nope he was mouthing something to a person a few meters away from me and sure enough when I looked over Katniss was staring right back at him. I instantly felt jealous and slit my eyes at her before common sense took over and I remember that they are best friends and have been helping each other and their families to survive, it was only right that they were looking to one another for support.
A resounding welcome echoed through the square and I snapped my head up to see District 12's escort Eiffe Trinket speaking into the microphone with her weird Capitol accent and even weirder Capitol clothes. Her face was covered in so much makeup I couldn't even guess what she looked like naturally, trying to determine what her natural hair color was I completely zoned out on everything else and forgot what was going on until I saw her waddle her way over to the big ball thing full of the girls name. I stopped breathing. The whole square stopped breathing. You could hear a pin drop and I suddenly felt a hysterical laugh building in my chest as she slowly swirled around her the ball before picking out a slip. I swallowed the laugh and steadied myself as she made her way back to the microphone "Primrose Everdeen!"
Oh no, not Prim, not poor defenseless Prim. Katniss is going to be distraught. Oh dear God, I see Prim step forward and start to walk down the line, my eyes find Katniss and see she's staring at Prim with a completely blank look on her face and she's leaning on the girl next to her as if she's going to faint. Then her eyes light up and you could almost hear the click in her brain as she realized what was happening "Prim!" Her cry split the air; it was sound so full of agony I flinch and try to shut it out. "Prim!" This time it's stronger the pain muted as she rushes up to Prim and steps in front of her protectively, Katniss stop, you're just going to get in trouble, you're not helping Prim at all. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"