Hey! It's been exactly a week; how goes it? Anyway, busy week last week, not so busy week this week. But I can't really tell that now, because the teachers might go all devil and assign us five hours of homework every night. *shudders* I hope not. Anyway, I don't really like this one, but maybe you will.

Disclaimer: What? Did you think that I just bought the Hunger Games from Suzanne Collins in a week? Yeah, I don't think it's that easy. And I'm completely broke. I have like, one dollar. Literally. So, moral of the story, I don't own the Hunger Games.

Enjoy!

-MJ888

All around her, kids cling to their Mom or Dad, hiding behind their legs like a shadow as they anxiously stand outside the school building for the first day of school. Not Sage. She bounds all around like a bouncy ball, introducing herself to everyone she sees, kid or parent. Peeta chuckles. Calling his daughter a social butterfly would be an understatement. She is constantly hyper, even when she hasn't had any sugar all day, and she loves meeting new people. She has been anticipating the first day of school for months now, and today she got up at six A.M. out of excitement.

"Hi! I'm Sage Primrose Mellark!" Sage chirps to a little girl with fiery red hair and freckles. "What's your name?"

"Zaya," she whispers timidly, peeking out from a woman who has the same hair as her.

"Zaya. That's a pretty name. Nice to meet you, Zaya! What's your favorite color? Mine's pink. Do you like cakes? Chocolate or vanilla? I think-"

"Sage," Peeta says, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Calm down. You're overwhelming her. Stay by Daddy, why don't you?"

"Fine," Sage says. As Peeta leads her away from Zaya and her mom, Sage asks, "What is school like, Daddy?"

"It's probably different now than it was when I was your age," Peeta responds.

"What will I learn?"

"The alphabet, how to spell, numbers-"

"But, Daddy, I already know my numbers! I can count to ten! Listen! One, two, three, four, five… um, nine, seven, ten!" Sage proudly puffs out her chest. "See, Daddy?" Peeta laughs. "Do you remember your first day of school, Daddy?"

Peeta grins. "I'll remember it for as long as I live. It was they day I first saw your mother."

"Really? You've known each other since you were five?" Sage gasps.

"Well, not really. We first talked to each other when we were sixteen." Peeta leaves out the fact that the only reason they talked to each other then was because they were thrown together to fight to the death, since Katniss and Peeta had vowed to not tell their daughter about their part in the Hunger Games until she is twelve. "But I only first saw her when I was five."

"Do you think I'll see the boy that I'll marry today?" Sage wonders aloud.

Peeta laughs. "Maybe."

Sage searches the ocean of kids and considers each boy until she locks eyes with a little boy with jet black hair and eyes that reminded Sage very much of chocolate.

"Hey, that boy is kind of cute," Sage remarks. She cups her hands around her mouth, prepared to shout. "Hey! Boy! Yeah, you! I'm going to marry you someday! Yep, it's true! I'm Sage, by the way."

"Okay, okay," Peeta says, noticing that Sage's outburst earned both him and her several stares. He didn't want his daughter to have a bad impression before the day even started. "Settle down, Sage."

"Daddy, I'm such a big girl, aren't I?" Sage says, hopping up and down.

"Yes, yes you are," Peeta says, picking Sage up and kissing her on the forehead. "Seems like just yesterday you were a little baby toddling all over the house."

This puzzles Sage. "What? Don't be silly, Daddy. I wasn't a baby yesterday. I was five years old yesterday, like I am today."

Peeta chuckles. "It's an expression, cupcake. It means that the years have gone by fast."

"Oh."

Just then, the bell rang, causing Sage to jump, startled. Peeta smiles and pecks Sage's forehead one last time before setting her down on the ground tenderly.

"Good-bye, big girl. Have a good day," Peeta says.

"Bye Daddy. I love you! I'll miss you!" Sage calls behind her shoulder as she races off to the school building, less reluctant than the other children, who are still hugging their parents and saying good-bye.

"Love you too, cupcake." Peeta says, smiling. He watches Sage as she waves one last time before she enters the building, being ushered by a teacher. Peeta still can't believe that Sage is beginning school. It was true; what he said to her. It really does feel like Sage was a baby just yesterday.

Time flies. It really does.

SO GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT OF MY HEAD! AND FALL INTO MY ARMS INSTEAD! I DON'T I DON'T DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS! BUT I NEED THAT ONE THING! AND YOU'VE GOT THAT ONE THING!

Sorry, major Directioner here. And I'm listening to that song right now!

Peace!

-MJ888 :{D