I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!

SERA

They treat us like enemies. They separate us on the train, moving me to the opposite end of Peeta and Katniss. I slam my fist against the door that divides us.

"LET ME OUT OF HERE!" I scream, kicking the metal now, "I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE!" I slide to the floor, sobbing now. A flash of blonde hair enters my line of vision as I look up at the window to the door.

"No! You can't let her in here!" Effie Trinket says.

"Why not?" Peeta snaps, "She isn't going to hurt me. Effie, let go of me! She can't be alone!" he says, urgent now. He pulls open the door, one arm under my knees, the other under my shoulders. I wrap my arms around his neck, hiding my face from my Uncle and Miss Trinket. Peeta carries me past them, into his compartment and lying behind me on the seat, his arm wrapped around my stomach—like I am a teddy bear. I close my eyes.

"Peeta?" I whisper.

"Yes?"

"Thank You." At my words, I can almost see his smile.

"I promised you a long time ago I'd never leave you alone." He leans down to kiss my cheek, and I turn to face him. His light blue eyes are hardened in a way I've never seen them before. It terrifies me.

"You're scaring me," I murmur, running my fingertips along his cheekbone. Peeta glances down at my lips, and pulls my head to his. I move my mouth with his, pushing my tongue through his lips and rolling on top of him. His hands move down to my backside and he tangles his tongue with mine. I moan, my hands moving up his chest. This time is different than usual, filled with desperation and fear that this is the last kiss either of us will ever get. I know it's mine. My palms dive under his shirt, up the muscular skin. Peeta pulls back slightly, moving his mouth down my jaw and neck with open-mouthed kisses. I moan, my head tilting back. He flips us over, so that I am underneath him. I rip through the buttons of his shirt, throwing it onto the other seat. For the first time, he grabs the hem of my tee shirt and stares down at me, silently asking my permission. I swallow heavily, letting him tug it over my head and toss it with his. He kisses me hard once again.

"W-We have to st-stop-p." he says, eyes avoiding my chest. I roll my eyes, flipping us over once again, climbing off of him. Despite his words moments ago, he grabs my hips and pulls me back on top of him. I rip his hands away, this time grabbing his button-up shirt and sliding it over my head.

"If it were her, you wouldn't stop!" I growl, stomping to the door before he slams me against it.

"It doesn't matter! I'm going to die anyways!" he shouts. A realization floods me. He's going to let himself be slaughtered…for HER…he knew that the second she volunteered. I slam my fist against his jaw, sending him reeling backward.

"YOU KNEW! ALL ALONG YOU KNEW? YOU BASTARD! I JUST ENDED MY OWN LIFE FOR YOU!"

"THEN WHY DID YOU DO IT?"

"I DID IT BECAUSE I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU, YOU IDIOT!" I cover my mouth with my hand as I say it, running out the door and down into the first sitting room we'd been in. I fling myself onto the couch, sobbing. Effie comes out, her blonde hair down to below her shoulders.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Just go away! Leave me alone!" I screech, tossing a whiskey bottle Haymitch drained at her. She ducks, squeaking and rushing back into her room.

"What's going on in here?" Katniss stands, eyes alert and aware. I don't speak to her. I won't even look at her. We were friends until I found out Peeta was in love with her. I haven't even made eye contact with her since. I grab the next bottle of amber liquid inside and swig and swig and swig until it's empty. A flash of blonde comes toward me, tackling me and pinning me to the ground. Peeta rips the bottle from my hand, glaring down at me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"YOU!" I growl, slurring slightly already, "YOU ARE WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME!" His hand strokes my cheek.

"Calm down." He whispers, moving back to pull me into another hug. He wraps one arm beneath my knees and the other behind my lower back. I wrap my arms around him and letting him carry me back to that compartment we were in before. This time he tucks me on one seat, and curls up on the other. I sigh before curling up against the seat, sobbing once again.

"Don't…Please don't cry…" he begs, blue eyes sparkling. I wipe the tears from my face, nodding.

"I meant it…" I murmur, "When I said why I volunteered…I love you."

"I love you, too, but…"

"But you love some girl you've never even talked to more." I say, glumly. Suddenly, I blow up. I stand and turn to walk out.

"Where are you going?" he asks.

"Back to my part of the train. See you in the arena, district 12." I growl angrily. And I will…my thoughts drift to another blonde in district 2…my first crush when I was 12, Cato. I wonder how Peeta would handle a Career couple in the arena.