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Disclaimer: I don not own the Hunger Games.

Here's Chapter 3…

The next day, the town was busy with excitement for the Chariot rides that would be shown live on TV that evening. Everyone was buying food to last them the rest of the day and the next.

When Peeta walked me home yesterday and had totally forgotten to bring a few of my squirrels and rabbits and a basket of strawberries to trade, so I was doing that this morning.

I stopped by the town bakery first. I'm not sure why, but I kind of wanted to see Peeta again. The Bakery was swarming with people when I opened the door so I just stayed in the back until the last customer and left.

"Good Morning Katniss." Peeta's father greeted me with a smile.

"What do you have for me today?"

I took my bag off my back and took out a plump red squirrel, holding it up so he could see it.

He inspected it for a minute then said,

"Katniss, you never cease to amaze me with the precise way you shoot these animals." I blushed.

"Thank you sir."

"I'll be right back." He told me and went to the back of the kitchen.

"Hey Katniss." A voice startled me from behind. It was Peeta, he had just come in to the Bakery and was tying on his apron.

"Oh, hi Peeta. I'm just waiting on your Dad."

He grinned, "What was your catch of the day?"

"Red squirrel." I say plainly.

"My favorite." He rubs his belly thoughtfully.

"So does your offer still stand? Or did you change your mind after you thought about it a little longer?" he laughed again.

"What offer?" He smirks at the confused look I have on my face.

"The one when you invited me to watch the beginning of the games with your family this evening."

"Oh that one. Yes it still stands, although I haven't told Mother or Prim yet."

"You'd probably better let them know so I don't totally freak them out when I walk through the door."

This makes me laugh. Just then Peeta's Father comes to the front counter and hands me a paper bag of something that smells delicious.

"Thank you so much." I tell him politely, gratitude showing on my beaming face.

"Your very welcome, enjoy the games tonight. I'm sure your friends will be absolutely stunning." I smile again then tell them I have to get home.

"See you tonight Peeta."

"What's this?" The baker asks suspiciously.

"It's nothing Dad, I'm just watching the opening ceremonies with Katniss and her family tonight." Peeta informed him.

"Bye Katniss." Peeta waves and I wave back.

When have I ever made a friend in one day before? Something is definitely happening to me.

When I opened our front door, and strong smell of meat and herbs greeted my empty stomach. Mother was cooking. She didn't cook very often but today is different and I guess she wanted us to be fed tonight.

She had used one of my rabbits and a few of the herbs in Prim's little garden at the back of the house.

"Mom." I called to her from the living room. I was working on getting our TV hooked up since we never use it except when we are required to.

"Yes Katniss." She yells back.

"We are having company this evening to watch the games." I listen to hear her reaction. She surprises me when she says,

"Who is it dear?"

"Peeta Mellark."

"Oh is that that the baker's son? He's a nice boy."

I wonder why she reacted so calmly when I told her I was having a friend over, because I never have friends over, except for Madge or Gale and they are practically family.

"Where's Prim?" I ask.

"Oh, she's still at school."

School? Oh right, there was school today. I just skipped it, and I'm sure everyone understands why.

When I was finished with the TV and was convinced that it wouldn't break down in the middle of the ceremony tonight, I went to the kitchen to help finish the stew.

I opened my sack and pulled out the leftover strawberries that the Mayor didn't buy and the last rabbit that still needed to be skinned.

I dug a little deeper and found the paper bag from the Bakery.

Oh! I totally forgot about this. Now we can have fresh bread with our stew!

I opened the bag and found one loaf of bread, a cheese bun, and 3 cookies.

I've never received this much for a squirrel. It's probably so we don't starve if I go crazy tonight after watching the chariot rides and seeing my two best friends on live television.

I took out the one cheese bun, saving the rest for later. I took a bite, and boy was it heavenly.

How did he know these are my favorite? Peeta knows so much about me it's starting to scare me!

We were going to eat dinner as soon as Prim got home from school so we would be finished to watch.

Mother I didn't talk much while we prepared supper. She continued to cut up vegetables for the stew and I worked skinning and gutting the rabbit. If I did the job nice enough I might get something for the fur.

Prim entered the house just as I was washing my hands of rabbit blood.

"Welcome Home little duck." I opened my arms for a hug. She ran straight into them.

"We have a special treat for dinner!" I tell her excitedly.

"Tell me! Tell me!" Prim jumped up and down.

"Stew and bread, with cookies for dessert!"

"Yummy! Can we eat now Katniss? I'm starving."

"Of course, we were just waiting on you to get home."

Prim went quickly to her room and changed out of her school clothes. She came back into the kitchen five minutes later.

I grabbed a knife off the counter and began slicing the fresh bread. It was dark with different seeds on top.

I handed Prim and Mom each a slice and we ate it by dipping it into our stew. We were so hungry that no one said a word until our bowls were empty. Mother finally broke the silence.

"When is your friend coming over?"

"Probably right before the ceremony starts." I reply.

"Who's coming Katniss?" Prim asks, grinning.

"Just someone."

"Who? Is it your boyfriend?" she laughs.

"What? No! Of course not Prim. Don't even think like that!"

"Well sorry." She says sarcastically.

Just then the doorbell rang, and then there was a knock on our front door.

"I'll get it." I hurry over to the door and swing it open.

"Hi Peeta, come on in." I say putting on my best smile.

"Hey Katniss, did you tell your mom?"

"Of course. Don't worry come on." I open the door open wider motioning him to come in.

He followed me into the living room where Prim and Mom sat. I could tell he was a little nervous.

"Welcome." Mother said, inviting him to sit down on the couch across from her and Prim. I had no choice but to sit on the same couch even though I didn't want him thinking something had changed.

"Hi Peeta!" Prim squeals and gives him a big bear hug.

"Y-you know him?" I ask in disbelief.

"Yeah, from school."

Of course why didn't I think of that before? Peeta is always nice to the younger kids at school.

Just then the TV lit up and the Capitol's seal lingered on the screen while the anthem played.

Then the hated President Cornelius Snow appeared. He gave a speech that probably no one paid attention to, the finally we heard him say,

"Let the parade begin!"

. The horses and chariots were so beautiful and all wore a symbol of the district they were carrying. The tributes were stunning and won many screams from capitol onlookers.

I tensed, waiting for District 12. I couldn't wait to see Gale and Madge, but I was afraid at the same time. I was scared that I would break down right there in front of Peeta and look weak. I was not weak, and didn't want anything to think otherwise.

Pretty soon District 12 was called and there they were. Gale was so amazingly handsome, and Madge was absolutely stunning.

Gale wore tight shiny black pants with tall black leather boots, and a loose orange and red long sleeve shirt.

Madge wore a shimmering black dress with red and yellow sequence all over the top and torso area. The dress came to the ground, but you could just make out the red heels she was wearing underneath.

She and Gale both wore long black capes that blew behind them as they were pulled along.

I noticed all this pretty quickly, but the thing that caught my attention was that they were both holding hands. The crowd went wild and threw don't roses and blew kisses. Gale waved and Madge blew kisses back while catching the roses in her fingers and putting them between her teeth. This definitely got the crowds attention and they went ballistic.

"They look nice don't they?" Peeta whispers in my ear.

"Totally." Knowing that they were favorites of the crowd made my heart a little lighter.

All to soon the parade was over and the camera was back on Snow's ugly face. I wanted to see Gale and Madge again!

Then they showed Panem Seal and the screen went black.

"They were great!" Prim says excitedly.

"They sure were." Peeta agreed.

"Well I'd better be heading home, thanks for having me over."

"Come anytime." Mother told him.

"I'll walk you to the door." I tell him and follow him out onto the porch.

"Thanks for coming." I say, smiling.

"Thanks for the invite."

"Sure, no problem. And thanks a lot for the bread and cookies, and I don't know how you knew that cheese buns were my favorite but they were the best." I stopped for a breath.

"Don't mention it." He said blushing.

"Well good night."

"See you at school tomorrow?" he asks hopefully.

I take a second to ponder it.

"See you there."

He grins and gives me a quick hug.

"Bye!" I wave to him and watch until he rounds the corner on his way to town. Then I headed into the house with a big smile on my face.