I sit in our meeting spot, our place. It's a rock ledge overlooking a valley. A thicket of blackberry bushes keeps the place hidden. This is my favorite place in this abysmal country. Earlier today, I went to the bakery and traded a squirrel for a whole loaf of bread. A whole loaf! I still can't believe it. The old baker must be in a good mood today.
While I am waiting for Catnip to show up, I decide to do something funny for once in my life. I stick an arrow carefully through the loaf of bread, so that it doesn't ruin it. I watch the sun rise. So beautiful. Almost as beautiful as Katniss…
I shake my head. I am hopelessly in love with a girl that probably doesn't even know I like her. I mean, we are best friends, but nothing about our relationship is romantic. That doesn't mean I don't want it to be though.
I hear leaves rustle. I turn just in time for her to look up and see me. She smiles, and only because of this, I smile. "Hey Catnip," I say. Her real name is Katniss, but when I first met her, she barley whispered it. So naturally, with the crazy names that people have nowadays, I assumed it was Catnip.
Then I remember the bread "Look at what I shot." I hold the arrow up for her to see. She laughs, the kind of laugh that only I can get out of her. I love that laugh.
"Mm, still warm," She says holding the bread up to her nose to sniff it. She is so beautiful. "What did it cost you?"
"Just a squirrel. Think the old man was feeling sentimental this morning," I say, "Even wished me good luck."
"Well we all feel a little closer today, don't we?" she says, not even bothering to roll her eyes. "Prim left us a cheese," as she pulls it out.
My expression brightens. I love goat cheese! "Thank you Prim. We'll have a real feast." I don't know when or why, but one day Katniss and I decided to start making fun of the Capitol accent. It is quite hilarious on its own, without being made fun of, but we mimic it anyway. And now seems like a good time to do just that.
"I almost forgot! Happy Hunger Games!" I say in our ever-annoying escort Effie Trinket's voice. I pluck a few blackberries from the bush. "And may the odds-" I toss a berry in a high arc toward Catnip. She catches it in her mouth, breaking the delicate skin with her teeth.
"-be ever in your favor!" she finishes with equal enthusiasm. I pull out a knife and cut the bread into equal slices. I spread the goat cheese on each slice as Katniss collects berries. As a final touch, I add basil leaves. Voila.
We settle back into the rocks, eating our feast. The flavors are bursting in our mouths. I love this silence, just sitting here looking over the mountains. But then I wonder, what's out there. Whatever it is, Catnip and I could survive it.
"We could do it you know," I say quietly. Crap. What did I do that for? A, she would never leave, and B, I haven't thought this through in the slightest.
"What?" She asks.
"Leave the district. Run off. Live in the woods. You and I, we could make it," I say, pausing. "If we didn't have so many kids," I add quickly. Where did this sudden confidence come from? Maybe if this keeps up, I could tell her I love her. Probably not.
"I never want to have kids," she says. Where'd that come from?
"I might. If I didn't live here," I say. Hint. Hint.
"But you do," she says irritated. Why can't you connect the dots? Grrr…
"Forget it," I snap. I wish I hadn't. I always let my temper get the best of me. And sometimes, it hurts the people I love.
After a few minutes, Catnip asks, "What do you want to do?" we can hunt, fish, or gather.
"Let's fish at the lake. We can leave our poles and gather in the woods. Get something nice for tonight," I say. Tonight. After the reaping. When at least two families will not be joining in the celebration that the capitol forces us to have.
We make out well. By late morning we have a dozen fish, a bag of greens, and a gallon of strawberries. Yummy. Posey loves strawberries, just like me and our dad. But he died in a mine explosion that killed Katniss's father also. It was only a few months after that I met Catnip.
On the way home, we swing by the Hob. We trade six of the fish for some good bread, not bakery bread but good enough, and two for some salt. Sae takes half of the greens in exchange for a couple of chunks of paraffin. We could honestly do better elsewhere, but Sae is the only person I know who can always be counted on to take wild dog. Plus, she owns the part of the hob where I first realized I was in love with Katniss Everdeen.
When we finish at the hob, we go to the mayor's house to sell the strawberries, knowing that he has a particular fondness for them- not to mention will pay a lot. This time Madge, his daughter is at the door. She's okay for a townie. I don't really like her though. It's probably because she has so little to want and everyone I love want and need so much.
"Pretty dress" I say so I don't get angry.
She shoots me a look, mostly to see if I am being genuine, or if I'm being a jerk. Which isn't unlikely. "Well if I end up going to the capitol. I want to look nice don't I?" Is she messing with me? She can't actually think that she is going to the Hunger Games. Can she?
"You won't be going to the capitol." I say coolly, making sure I don't say anything I'll regret. I look at the gold pin on her dress. Real gold? Seriously? And I have to illegally hunt to survive? "What can you have? Five entries? I had six when I was twelve years old."
"That's not her fault," Katniss says quietly. Is she defending her? Fine. I'll back off of Madge.
"No, it's no one's fault. Just the way it is," I say. Madge may not know I am mad, but Catnip sure does. Madge's face becomes closed off. Great. I'm a jerk today. She pays for the berries and says, "Good luck Katniss."
Couldn't be polite huh? Couldn't just, leave off her name? Well good luck to you too! "You too," Katniss says. We walk toward the Seam in silence. I don't even notice, I am so mad.
We divide our riches right down the middle, even though I have more people to feed. Love does funny things to a person. "See you in the square," Catnip says.
Wear something pretty," I say flatly. But I mean it. I can't wait to see what she is wearing. I bet she will be pretty, whatever she wears.