My mouth is open in horror as Prim goes to the stage and Katniss rushes to take her place. You cannot miss the desperation in her voice. Prim is making a struggle, calling, "No, Katniss! No!"
Katniss says, "Prim, let go!" in a harsher voice than I was expecting. Gale Hawthorne, the one I have always despised, is jogging to the front. I see him pick Prim up and whisper something to Katniss. Then he marches determinedly away while carrying Prim. She is screaming her head off, yelling for her sister.
Katniss is taken to the stage. Effie asks for applause but no one moves. Then, one by one, every person in the crowd presses their three middle fingers to their lips and holds them out to her, including me. This is a sign of thanks and admiration, sometimes seen at funerals. It means goodbye to someone you love. At this gesture, it makes me certain that no one believes Katniss will be returning to District 12. This aggravates me. Of course she will be!
Haymitch staggers to the stage and yells in a slurred voice, "Look at her! Look at this one! I like her! Lots of..." it takes him a while to find the word. "Spunk! More than you! More than you!" and he is shouting this at the camera. I think he is actually mocking the Capitol. I am not able to find out because he tumbles off the stage.
I am resolving to volunteer so I can save her in the arena. But as the boys names are called, there is no need for me to be the second volunteer the district had ever seen.
"Peeta Mellark!" I am stunned, but I try my best to hide my fear. I walk up to the stage and take my place opposite of Katniss. Effie asks for volunteers but no one steps up. I know Wheet, and he won't volunteer. Rie is too old to.
My eyes go to the crowd, and I find Delly. She stands there, stunned. She looks right back at me and nods. Then she blows me her signature kiss.
The mayor begins to read the long Treaty of Treason and I am lost in my thoughts. I am terrified. I know that if I want Katniss to survive, then I will have to die myself. How will I tell Katniss I love her now? I'll think of something, I reassure myself. I just hope that Katniss will be able to win.
She deserves to. Her life has been only lived for her family. She protects them in every way she can. If she wins, maybe she can focus on herself. Katniss doesn't realize it, but she is a very selfless person. She even takes care of Gale's family.
As the mayor finishes the Treaty of Treason, Katniss and I shake hands. Hers are very shaky. I give her a squeeze I hope seems like a friendly one. She looks into my eyes with a sort of questioning look. We turn back to the crowd as the anthem plays.