The Reaping. The one thing all inhabitants of my district, District 12, feared greatly. Well, unless you didn't have any family members between the ages of 12 and 18, were a Peacekeeper, or was Haymitch Abernathy, our only victor.
Prim, my sister, was at my side as we slowly headed to the town square for the Reaping, in which Effie Trinket, our escort, picks names out of a ball. The names are the boy and girl chosen to participate in the Hunger Games.
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you guys, the Hunger Games is basically some cruel, stupid idea the Capitol decided one day to supposedly create to keep us in line, when in reality, it was just to have their own entertainment while we're tortured. They take kids between 12 and 18 to fight in an arena and are locked in there until only one is still alive. Stupid, right?
Anyway, I kissed my sister goodbye and watched her walk to the 12-year-old section of the area closed off for us entered into the reaping. It was scary, knowing I had my name entered 20 times, even scarier that, Gale, my best friend, was entered 42 times.
The rest of the waiting period was so boring and useless , I won't even bother to mention it. The only really interesting thing was when Haymitch finally got there, but I'll spare you people the awkwardness between Effie and Haymitch after something, that I shall not discuss, happened.
I watched Effie pull the girl's name out of the Reaping Ball as they call it.
"Primrose Everdeen." I heard. I couldn't breathe. My little sister. I couldn't help it. Once I had gained back the ability for my lungs to function properly, I started hyperventilating. It wasn't until one of the 15-year-olds standing behind me, a year my junior, started pounding me on the back to get me to stop.
I ran through the crowd. Well, actually they were giving me a direct beeline for the stage, probably because they knew exactly who I was and were showing respect, but I doubted it. No, it was probably because of how angelic and graceful my sister was.
When I yelled "I volunteer" at the top of my lungs, Effie looked extremely confused. I couldn't blame her. We had never had a volunteer in this washed-up district. But finally, Mayor Undersee and Effie figured something out and beckoned me to the stage. Haymitch looked at me. He seemed to actually have interest in this stupid game for once. Effie asked me my name.
"Katniss Everdeen,"I replied, not sure if anyone from the Capitol would care enough to notice me and Prim had the same last name. Effie did though. Her reaction irritated me.
Effie turned to dig her arm into the boys Reaping Ball, and I braced myself, thinking silently, not Gale, not Gale, not Gale.
And it wasn't.
It was Peeta Mellark.
I was taken back in time to a time this very same unfortunate soul helped me when I was on the verge of dying, and I just wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, just hoping I might wake my self up from this dreadful nightmare.
From the front of the group of teenagers, Gale spoke up. "I volunteer."
Oh, great. Even worse.
Prim crawled off my lap and followed my mother out of the room. I was busy wondering why Gale would volunteer for Peeta after he promised me that if I ever died, whether it be from the games or just your usual death, that he would take care of my family, and vice versa. Does that not mean anything to him?
I didn't even hear the door open until someone touched my arm. I looked up. Peeta. I had no idea what exactly was his business in here. We weren't friends or anything.
"What do you want?" I asked suspiciously. We had never, ever spoken, even during that one ran his hand through his hair nervously.
"I just wanted to say good luck," he replied. "And, I'm sorry you have to go in there with him." I shrugged. Pity wouldn't help me none. It just made me more agitated.
"I'll help your sister, I mean, if you want me to. I know you two are close. I watch you." Well, that sounded creepy to me, but, I shrugged it off. Me and Prim stopped at the bakery a lot just to stare at cakes we'll never be able to afford, and he was a baker's son, so, he probably saw us together a lot.
"You will?" I asked. He nodded. Overjoyed, I hugged him tightly. He coughed. I let go. I blushed, somthing I never, ever, EVER do. He laughed.
"I'll be rooting for you, Everdeen." He said, and I'm shocked he even knows my last name.
"And, I'll be thinking of you, Mellark, for giving me hope." He looked just as shocked that I knew his last name. Maybe we both paid more attention to each other than we thought. He smiled at me before leaving, and I sit back down on the couch, wondering what in the world just happened and why I felt like running back out there into his arms and kissing him.
All I knew was I had to win this... not for Prim, even though I promised her I would, just for her, but for him.
Just for him