My second Hunger Games one-shot! I hope you guys like this story! If you do, check out my other one-shot, 'Realization'. Enjoy!

A True Smile

"Primrose Everdeen."

No. Prim. She's like a little sister to me. She's too sweet. Too gentle. This can't be happening!

It all happened so fast, way too fast. I should have stopped her.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"

No…I recognized this voice immediately, No…KATNISS!

"No, Katniss! No!" I hear Prim's sobbing. I look at Katniss. If she's sure, there's nothing I can do to change her mind.

I do the only thing I can. Pick up Prim to take her away.

"Up you go, Catnip."

This can't be happening. Out of all those people. Everyone. Prim's one piece of paper gets picked. This is wrong. Can someone be this heartless? Someone actually is willing to send a gentle, defenseless little child into an arena to fight. And most likely, have her life taken away.

"Peeta Mellark."

Should I volunteer? But who will feed our families? Katniss is strong. She's smart. She has a chance. I have to provide food. This is what Katniss would have wanted.

The scene switches to a forest. I see Katniss. I try to run to her but she stays at the same distance away from me, no matter how far I run.

"Katniss!"

She doesn't hear me. I'm like a ghost. I try to reach her. Try to tell her there's danger. But it doesn't work. The knife stabs into her back and she falls limply onto the ground. Lifeless. Her pretty gray eyes are now blank and lifeless. A puddle of blood forms around her. And my best friend is dead.

I jolt awake, gasping for breath. It's just a dream, just a dream. A dream that could become reality.

My name is Gale. I live in District 12. There is a reaping in each district. A 12-18 year old child, boy and girl, get picked to go into an arena with 23 other tributes and fight to the death. And guess who's the girl from District 12? Katniss Everdeen, my best friend. Imagining my life without her would be just like a black and white world. Nothing stands out. Katniss is the color in my world, the one who can bring me joy. But now, all I can do is hopelessly wish she'll be the one to make it out.

I know I should have volunteered; I was just too shocked to process it at the reaping. Our families can still make it. It would be hard, but possible. I should have gone in. It would be one less opponent for Katniss to kill. One less chance she would get killed.

The Games are starting tomorrow. I know my nightmares will get much worse during the next one or two weeks. I decide to go hunt. Maybe it'll take my mind off things. Wrong. So wrong. I miss the presence of Katniss beside me. I miss the joyful smile she has on her face only when hunting. I miss watching her work her magic with a bow and arrow. I feel alone.

I manage to get some game. Not much, but enough. They're not clean shots through the eye like Katniss always does, but then again, I never had her accuracy.

I head over to Katniss's house to drop off a rabbit. Prim opens the door and I hand her the rabbit. She takes it gratefully and I leave.

"Gale!"

I turn around to see her calling me, "Want to come in?"

I accept her invitation. I wonder how she's dealing with this. She's probably thinking it's her fault. I can see it in her smile. It's like my own. Fake. We've never been able to use a true smile. There's just so little in our life that's worth it. The only thing that actually keeps me going are feeding our families and hunting with Katniss, but now that's gone.

Prim gives me a cup of water and I drink it, trying to cover my face. Because, just seeing this house, can make me break.

"Katniss," she murmurs, "she'll be okay. She hunts with you a lot…and she's smart…and…" Tears threaten to fall. Her sentences are harder to form. And finally, one tear escapes. But she just gives me a sad smile.

"There's a chance she'll make it out. But you never know. The Careers are good. And District 12 has only won once in the 73 years."

My mouth is slightly open, awed by Prim's words. This was nothing like the 12-year-old girl from a few days ago.

"And you know…" she continues, "It's alright to cry…" She looks directly into my eyes, "It's alright to break. It'll happen. You're just making it worse for yourself."

She's right. I almost never cry. It's to never show weakness to the Capitol. To let my family know we're strong and we can make it. Before I know it, tears start streaming down my face. All the sadness gathered up all erupts. All the tears I've been saving these years. The times when my family nearly starved. The time my father died. And now, Katniss going into the Hunger Games. I feel a bit ashamed, crying like this in front of Prim. But then again, this was what she was going for. She stands up, and gives me a hug. I hug her back, like she's the only link between me and Katniss left.

~Time Skip~

Today's the day that the Games start. I'm not in front of a TV, staring to see if Katniss will make it through the Cornucopia bloodbath. I know she will. I stepped under the fence this morning and have been laying here since. It's the place where Katniss always smiled. The place where Katniss's presence is strongest. I feel better now. I'm ready to accept that Katniss has a 50-50 chance of making it out, that I can't do anything anymore now but hope for the best. I've broke once, and hopefully I never will again, hopefully, I can live the rest of my life in a calmer way. Out of District 12. Out in the woods, with Katniss.

The Games are starting in a few seconds, I know it. I can picture the countdown, the tributes ready to charge for supplies and kill anyone in their way.

10…

9…

8…

7…

6…

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

I smile at the sky, and maybe Katniss may sense it. A true smile, ones I rarely use.

"Good luck, Catnip."