Katniss's POV
I slowly drag myself out of bed as I see the sun starting to come up. I looked over to the clock that was right besides my bed and I saw that it was already 7:30 am. I quietly make my way to my sister, whose name is prim, and shook her lightly.
" Prim," I say quietly. " Come on get up, you need to get ready for school." She groaned and turned towards me with her eyes squinting from the brightness of the room. " Do I have too?" She croaks.
" I'm afraid so. I would let you stay here, but I don't want to leave you here alone with mom and the monster." I say. Prim looks up at me with full alert of her surroundings and I can see the fear in her eyes when she says, " Why can't we be a normal family?"
" I don't know," I sadly say as I tuck a strand of her behind her ear. " You might want to hurry, I don't want you here when he wakes up."
She sighs, " Okay Katniss." She sits up rubbing her eyes and then whispers, " Are you going to school too?"
I nod, " Of course, I wouldn't want to be here when I know I'm just gonna be tossed around like some doll." I stand up and begin walking towards the door, " Meet me downstairs in 20 minutes, and we can walk to bus stop together."
I walked back towards my room and began stripping down the clothes I had worn when the previous night. I looked in the mirror and saw the bruises that my mom's boyfriend has inflicted on me. I slowly graze over each bruise and I flinch in pain. My mind drifted towards the night that he had hit me for what felt like the millionth time.
"Where the fuck were you? " He yelled as I walked inside the house.
" I-I was just out with Gale. We were just taking a walk." I stuttered in fear.
" I don't want you hanging around with him anymore! You hear me?!" He yelled as he grabbed me by my hair and threw me on the floor. I whimpered as he came closer and began kicking me in the stomach. " Do you fucking hear me Katniss!?" He hisses as crouches down. " y-yes." I say tears springing out of my eyes.
He then grabs my arm and picks me up and slams me against the wall.
" Go the your fucking room, you and your sister are such a disgrace . I don't want to see you for the rest of the night you hear me? Oh and you're not eating dinner." He says as he smirks.
I quickly snapped out of it and wiped the tears that had fallen with my hand and began getting dressed. I went over to my closet to see I had very few items to choose from, I was supposed to do laundry but he wouldn't let me. I finally picked out a blue sundress that I had gotten awhile ago and put my hair into a braid and made my way to mirror. I looked over the bruise that was on my arm and I sighed as I got a black cardigan so no one would see it. I quickly brushed my teeth and made my way downstairs to see Prim sitting on the couch.
" You ready?" I say. She jumps and puts a hand over her now fast paced heart. " Katniss you scared me, don't you ever do that again." She threatens. I throw my hands in surrender and softly laugh, " Okay Jeez. Come on let's go."
We walk to bus stop hand in hand and wait patiently for the bus to arrive. I turned toward Prim and say, " I hope you have a great day at school." She looks off into the distance and grins, " I always have a great day at school." She then looses her smile. " Its the part of the day where I'm away from him." She whispers. I crouched down so I was her size, " You should just be thankful he hasn't hit or anything just yet."
" But Katniss I've seen what he does to you, it hurts me to see you in pain." She wraps her arms around. I slowly bring my arms around her and say, " You don't need to worry about me, I'll be fine. Besides I take this beatings to protect you." Prim then whispers into my ear, " Katniss I know you have gotten really depressed because of this. I've noticed you changed. I don't want to lose you. That's why I worry about you."
I look into her eyes with tears and say, " I'm just a little lost right now Prim. I'm trying to find that happiness that I had before. It's just that it's hard when you're in an abusive home. But I promise I'll try to get better for you, little duck." I gently kiss her forehead, and stand up as I get my stuff ready.
" I'll see you later prim okay?" I say looking back at her. " Meet me here after school, I don't want you going home by yourself."
" Okay Katniss." She says looking back at me. " Try to have a nice day today." She smiles softly at me.
I hesitantly nodded, " I will." I gave her a quick hug and faced the other way and walked towards the school.