Summary: From the moment he heard her sing Peeta knew he was a goner, so how is it that in 11 years, Peeta never once managed to talk to her? A few words made the difference: "Best friends forever, right?"

COME SUBMIT: www . fanfiction . net/s/7776336/1/Doomsday_The_Final_Solution (delete the spaces) It's a collab between Maddie Rose, laralulu, Tare-Bear, The Girl Who Was On Fire and myself and we need your tributes. It's not your average SYOT but I won't ruin the surprise by telling you without convincing you to check it out.

Today's the first day back at school after the holidays.

I can walk to school on my own now; Papa says I'm a big boy now and that I can walk to school all on my own.

I was nervous but Papa says that it's a big job but he thinks that I can do it. I can't let my Papa down and Delly and Eve meet me with their Mamas on the way to school so I don't have to walk by myself.

Papa says he can't come because there's lots of work for him and Mama at the bakery because of a dap... dep... sad money time. I said I could stay home but Papa says that school's important and that I can't just leave it to help. I don't know why but I know Papa wouldn't lie to me; he and Mama must be able to finish the work on their own.

As soon as I get to the courtyard outside our new classroom, in Block 2 not Block 1, I can see Katniss Everdeen; the girl who made the birds go quiet when she sang last year. I don't think I've ever heard anything as pretty in my life. It was a year ago that I first heard the birds stop singing but I haven't been able to talk to her.

She sits with different people and I don't want to walk up to all of them to talk to her, they might not like me and then Katniss might not like me...

I'm about to try talking to her when Delly and Eve's parents leave and Frost comes along to stand with us. "Hi, happy to be back?" he asks jokingly. We all know Frost hates school but I don't get why. We get to write and we get to listen to Katniss sing, I don't know why being at home is better than that.

"Yes, now we all get to spend every day together!" Delly says happily. Her Mama asked if we could watch her while her Mama and Papa went out for a little bit. Frost and Eve were already at my house and Delly came over again every time we were together after that.

"Yup," I smile as we line up for class. This year we have a new teacher, Ms. Dust, and she's younger than Mrs. Cole.

"Good morning class," Ms. Dust says as she stands in the front of the line.

"Good morning Ms. Dust," the class says back as all the parents go off to work.

"Now, before we all go to class, I thought it would be fun to play a game. Would you all like to play a game?" she asks.

Everyone in the class replies, "Yes Ms. Dust."

Mrs. Cole never let us play games before class.

"Okay then, find a partner and stand beside them," she says as everyone splits into pairs. Most people have someone to go with that they sat with last year or are standing next to and get told by Ms. Dust to be partners.

Katniss is still by herself and I know that all I have to do is walk over there and maybe I could hear her sing again, just hear her voice and see if the birds will stop for it as well.

"Hey Peeta, PEETA!" Frost yells as I watch the teacher walk towards Katniss with a blonde haired girl behind her. I have a few seconds to go and ask Katniss to be my partner before Ms. Dust puts her with the blonde girl. "PEETA!" Frost screams in my ear as he turns me to face him, Eve and Delly.

"Sorry," I say as I realise I've been ignoring them for the past few seconds to watch Katniss.

"So do you want to be my partner?" Frost asks, "Delly and Eve are partners so you're mine right? Because we're best friends," he says as he looks at all of us, "Best friends forever, right?"

I can see Katniss with the blonde girl as I put my hand into the middle of the circle and the others stack their hands on top, "Right."

"Now that we all have partners," Ms. Dust talks a little louder to make sure everyone is quiet, "We're going to play a running game where you have to work with your partners. You have to run to the line over there and back, taking turns for 3 turns each, while carrying an apple in your spoon. If you drop the apple you have to start the lap again.

I give Frost the spoon to go first and I can see Katniss running at the same time; she's the fastest even when she has the apple. I wonder if she knows that she runs like the quiet birds fly...

Frost is breathing loudly when he passes me the spoon and I run towards the other line and run back, trying to run faster than Katniss so she'll see me.

When Frost gets back he looks really tired but I know there's only one lap left.

Maybe if we win we'll get a prize so Katniss can see me... I think as I run back to Frost who's still panting as he tries to run. I know that he looks sick but I think that he will still make it back when he falls over, scraping along the gravel. He lies on the ground with his knee scraped but he still has the apple on his spoon. I look at Katniss but then I look at Frost; Papa would say that I should help him and he's my best friend even if the birds are louder than he is.

I run to the middle and help him up, giving him a piggyback like my Papa always does when I fall over. He has the spoon to the start again then I hold the spoon to run to the other end and back, coming last by only a little bit.

Ms. Dust runs over but I carry him towards the nurse at the school. I've never been in there because I make sure I eat my vegetables and stay clean so I don't get sick. When I put Frost on the little bed in the corner, the nurse gives him some sleep syrup as he starts coughing again. I should have helped him not watched Katniss...

"Bu-" he breathes in my ear as he coughs; his breath smells like sugar and syrup, "Thank you..."

"We're best friends," I say. Why wouldn't I help my best friend? That would be mean...

"Forever?"

"Always."

Sorry Corbin and Lulu for forgetting to mention your awesome idea and story beta-ing. I did add it in the last chapter but hey, here's some extra recognition.