My little sister grabs my hand as soon as we step of the porch. It reassures her, so I don't mind it much at all. "Are you excited?" I'm quick to attempt to start at a conversation. The walk is about half a mile, but the road is dirt and dreary. It tends to create doubt.
"Yes." Prim answers shortly. I look down my right shoulder and see fear etched on her soft features. "You'll like the secondary school." I reassure her. "But what if no one likes ME?" Prim asks just under her breath. I screach to an abbrupt stop, keeping her back as well. I walk her to the side of road, right against the edge of the woods. "Prim," I demand her full attention as I grab her shoulders, "You're going to make plenty of friends. I know this is scary, but you've just gotta be brave, okay?" I tell her sternly, but somehow it comes out in a soft tone. Prim's puppydog face nods before we pull eachother into a hug. "If you need something, I'll be right in the same school." I tell her. She smiles at the thought of being close to me. I'm sure she's going to meat a friend right away and not need me, but I suppose she likes the idea of me being there if she needs me. And I'm not entirely sure I told her that to completely assure her. It makes me feel a bit better about her being in such a big place as I'm right there if something happens.
We soon turn and resume our trip to school. The scarce trees provide little cover from the already beating sun. Houses that we pass have families in them, some similar to mine. But most not completely full. There are afew children stepping out of some of these houses, sharing our road to school. There is only light chatter and the soft hum of voices heard.
Fifteen minutes rolled passed before Prim and I finally arrive at the school. We stand at the only enterance to the stone-wall enclosed courtyard, looking out into the yard. There are a lot of children; some Prims age, a lot a bit older than me. Prim grasps my hand tightly as I hear her gasp at how big everything is. She's gotta be one of the smallest here. We both have that 'smaller' trait. But Ive grown out of it. Now I'm just below average height.
The school is essentially a large cement rectangle. It is gloomy and coal-dust covered, like most things in the district. The inside is not any better. The facilities are eternally dirty, no matter how much you try to clean it. Most of the teachers are old and not effective. We have a gym and a cafeteria and an auditorium, along with plenty of class rooms, so I guess this is all we really need. Still, this building meats the bare minimum requirements that the Capitol demands. We struggle enough with just putting food on our plates, with a couple dying from hunger each month, without the required education from the Captiol that absorbs the precious daylight hours of all children aged 20 and younger.
"Dont be afraid, Prim. Everything's going to be alright." My voice seems to soothe her a little, but she pulls herself to my side, clinging to my waist. "How about I walk you to your class?" I suggest, hoping to calm her. Once she nods, she lights her arms from around my waist and reclasps herself to my right hand. Prim digs in her pocket for a moment to pull out a slip of paper that's folded to show her classes. I take the schedule from her and look at her first class, homeroom. It reads 'Trinket, Effie'. A smile creeps on my face as I recognize the name. "What?" Prim asks, wondering what's causing my faint smile. "You have Trinket for homeroom. You'll love her."
I had her when I was Prim's age. That was the school year when Father died. There were a few other kids with dead fathers in her class, but Mrs. Trinket singled me out, her brother had died in the same mining accident. She helped me through the death of my father and the mental loss of my mother and the new responsibility of taking care of me and Prim. It was a very hard and very long process, but she helped me survive it. She'll be thrilled to learn my little sister's in her class. It'll do Prim some good too.
I lead an abnormally shy and timid Prim down the hallways, pointing out important landmarks, like the cafeteria and her assigned locker, and finally her homeroom.
As the bell to go to class has yet to rang, the classroom is empty except for Mrs. Trinket. I knock on the doorframe as Prim tucks herself just behind me. Mrs. Trinket spins around to see who knocked and instantly recognizes me. "Katniss!" My favorite teacher throws her arms open as I walk straight into her embrace. Her expectant warm arms and the way they surround me has me longing to stay there forever. I feel as though, momentarily, the weight is lift from my shoulders. But I force myself to let go. Prim needs the kindness from my-well, now her-teacher.
She grabs each of my hands and steps back, getting a good look of me. "You've grown into such a beautiful young lady." A grin slips out as I look to my feet. I have grown since I was 12. I was scrawny and super shy. Like Prim, now. But now I've put some meat on my sister's and my own bones, with the food I've caught and some muscle on myself from the way I catch game. Prim. I let go of Mrs. Trinket's hands to return to my sister, who only followed me into the room a little and was watching from a few steps away. "Mrs. Trinket, please meet Primrose." I introduce them as Mrs. Trinket readily sticks out her hand and Prim timidly accepts and shakes. "Ah, you're Primrose. I'd heard so much about you." Mrs. Trinket only takes a glance towards me away from her full attention on my little sister. "You look so much like your sister did when she was your age." Mrs. Trinket says like it was ony yesterday that I was in her class, not four years ago. It makes me regret not coming to see her a little. But It's a comment we don't usually recieve as I have dark hair and she has light, and I have brown eyes and she has blue. Prim obviously takes it as a huge compliment because she smiles with Pride, which causes me to smile.
Before we could catch up more, the dingy bell announces it's arrival, signifying it's time for me to head to my homeroom. "Meet me on the steps infront of the school and we can talk all about your great day and all your new friends, okay?" I instruct. "Okay." Prim says, hopeful. I quickly hug her, kissing her forehead and pull back so I can look in her eyes. "I love you. You'll have fun." Prim nods, starring back into my eyes. "Love you too. Bye Katniss." Her bottom lip starts to tremble so I pull her close and slide a broken pocketwatch into her hand. "Here. This was Dad's. To protect you." I say. Sensing how big of a deal this is, Prim pulls herself enough to thank me genuinely and hold it close to her heart, promising to hold it close to her heart. I next turn to Mrs. Trinket and we wrap our arms around eachother syncronicly. "Take care of her." I whisper into her ear. "I promise." My teacher reassures me as I break the contact. "Bye." I bid both of them as I exit the door.
I'm glad I gave Prim one of Dad's things, I think as I walk down the hall, trying no to bumb into people but failing. An object of him is empowering to us. Besides, I have my own comfort object; Father's compass. He gave it to me the day before the mine accident. He told me that if I'm ever lost, just use this and I'd find myself back home. The compass rests in my coat pocket and I barely notice it at all anymore.
Five minutes later, I find myself sitting in a desk in my homeroom class just before the tardey bell. My teacher, whom is nowhere to be found's, name is Mr. Abernathy and he apparently has a bad reputation and I'm about to find out why.