Chapter 2, Goodbye
My daughter and the Mellark boy are brought into the Justice Building. My family and I stand in line to say goodbye. Lily and Prim are sobbing. They let us in. Katniss is sitting on the fancy couch, eyes slammed shut and humming some song. I think it is The Hanging Tree. I sit down beside and pull her in my lap like when she was a little girl. She takes a deep breath and puts herself back into tough mode. She gives us a forced smile and gets up and sorta paces around the room. She picks up a sobbing Primrose and holds her, bringing her on the couch.
"It's alright," she whispers and puts her down.
"You have to win," Prim begs.
"I'll try my best," Katniss says.
"No, don't just try your best Katniss, win," Prim sobs.
"Prim honey, I-"
"NO!"
Katniss sighs deeply, getting up again from the couch.
"Okay," she whispers. Prim hugs her so tight Katniss looks like she can't breathe. She finally lets go and Lily goes to her. "I love you darling. You know it right?" she asks, whiping an escaped tear off her face.
"I know mama. I love you too."
"Good. I'll see you when you get home baby," Lily says, kissing the top of Katniss head.
I go over to my eldest daughter, my angel. The child that takes after me in more ways then just looks. Tears fill my eyes as I look over here, for the last time. Even if she does come back, when she comes back, she'll be a different person. But maybe her family can help her through the rough times ahead. I pull my baby to me and kiss her head. "I love you baby girl," I say.
"I love you too Daddy."
We don't have much time left. "Listen honey, listen to your mentor, Haymitch okay?"
"Okay."
"A-and trust the boy," I whisper in her ear. She looks at me funny and opens her mouth to reply but the peacekeepers burst in to take us away.
"I love you!" Katniss yelps before we are ever so kindly escorted (dragged) out of the room.
As we slowly walk out of the Justice Building, I turn around and tell Lily and Prim I'll be back. I stand in the short line to vist the Mellark boy. I see his father in the line to vist Katniss. We make eye contact for a second then a peacekeeper shoves me the boy's room. I struggle to causlly keep my balance. The kid, Peeta I think, looks up at me awkwardly. I can tell he has shed a few tears.
I stand by the door and smile at the poor boy. In a week he will be thrown into an arena with the girl he obviously has a crush on- obvious to everyone expect for Katniss.
"Hey kid," I say. I have rarely if ever spoken to him. But Katniss tells me he's very friendly and popular at school. I don't think Kat realizes how much she talks about the boy at home.
"Hello, sir," Peeta says, standing up to shake my hand. Nice kid I think to myself.
I want to say something about his intentions with my daughter but I'm not sure how to approach it. So I just say "Good luck kid."
"Thanks," Peeta says, trying a smile but it's hard on this day.
As I leave I tell him, "Hope to see you again."