In his dream Ryan Mellark was running…more like desperately chasing the girl of his dreams. Her brown hair glinted red in the sunlight, swaying as it hung free. She was always too far ahead of him, because she was the fastest person in their class. It made him sick to his stomach that she didn't even look back at her pursuer, she just kept running, and laughing. She taunted him, and it made his heart ache.
The girl stopped abruptly and turned around, like she was looking for somebody.
Ryan's heart fluttered in his chest, was she looking at him? He slowed his pace and stopped a few feet short of her. He smiled at her and said, "I've been chasing you for a long time."
She didn't acknowledge that she heard him, her hazel eyes swept past him, like he wasn't even there. "Hello?" She called. "I somebody there?"
"I'm right here! It's me, Ryan Mellark!" He said, his smile melting off his face.
How could she not see him? He was less than two feet away from her! He said her name again, and still no recognition. Then, he was jolted awake by something landing on his chest.
Ryan grunted and grabbed his stomach. "Jack!" He groaned, rolling over. He met the golden brown eyes of his Kelpie, and reached out and ruffled his fur. "That hurt!"
The dog stared up at him, his gaze unwavering, holding a look of innocence. Jack cocked his head to the side and whined.
Ryan rubbed his brown eyes after he had his feet planted solidly on the wooden floor. He ran a hand through his brown hair and looked around for a pair of available shorts, clean or dirty, it didn't matter.
He settled for a pair of khaki cargo shorts and slipped on his sneakers. "Come on, Jack." He called to his rust-colored dog.
Jack trotted by his master's side, eager to go outside. He practically ran Ryan over to get through the door that lead to the bakery.
"Ryan," Peeta Mellark said to his older son, his blue eyes very unimpressed. "How many times do I have to tell you Jack can't be in here?"
"Sorry, dad." Ryan said swiping a sticky bun off the counter. "I'm taking him to do his business. I'll be back in a bit to help."
Peeta smiled at his only son, "Alright, don't dawdle. Business will be picking up in about an hour."
Ryan nodded between bites of the delicious bun and fumbled with the door handle, his fingers slipped, then, on the second attempted had gotten stuck. He stepped off the bakery porch and polished the bun off by licking his fingers.
He walked towards The Hob, giving a curt whistle to Jack if he strayed too far. Taking Jack into The Hob always was kind of worrisome, but Ryan did it anyway. Sometimes it was hard to tell if Greasy Sae was kidding about turning him into stew or if she was serious.
"Ryan!" Matthew White said walking towards him, a grin stretched across his face. "Your dad finally released you from prison!"
Ryan gave his friend a questioning look. "Prison?"
"Well, he has you working like crazy in the bakery. You never hang out with us anymore!"
"Matt, there's only the two of us." Ryan replied, his hand lightly brushing Jack's short, red fur.
Matt blinked, taken aback. "Matt?" He asked. "You've been friends with Matt and I since we were in the second grade and you still can't tell us apart?"
Ryan squinted up at his friend, then shrugged. He grinned at him, "Sorry, Mike."
Mike smiled and elbowed Ryan in the side, "I was just yanking your chain! I'm Matt."
"I knew it!" Ryan exclaimed. "Where is Mike."
Matt paused at a table to trade a ball of yard for necklace beaded with glass. "Right about now, he's looking awfully uncomfortable while Sage Furver flips her perfect hair and flaunts her perfect bod' in front of him."
He found himself smiling again, Sage was definitely hot…but, he was in love with another girl. A girl he met at the same school his dad met his first love. The chances were that she wasn't in The Hob. Even if she was she wouldn't even know he was there, like in his dream.
"Why would he be uncomfortable?" He asked Matt.
"She thinks he's me, for one. Also, you know how he is…socially awkward."
"He's your twin, don't you think you should ease up on the hate comments."
"Well, it's true!" Matt said. "He doesn't have the mad flirtation skills as I do." He flexed, the necklace dangling from his left hand.
Ryan rolled his eyes, "Whatever."
They watched as Sage twirled her blonde hair around her pointer finger, her mouth going nonstop, probably not even to breathe.
Mike looked overwhelmed, his eyes were huge, and he was nodding vigorously, causing his dark brown hair to fall in his grey eyes. He looked paler than usual, and more…sweaty.
Ryan felt pity on one of his best friends. Then, and idea came to him. He strode over to Mike and said, "Sorry to interrupt, Sage. Matt will be right back, his brother wants—a—a new potato peeler for their mom and Matt's got all of the money."
He grabbed Mike by his shoulders and steered him away from the blonde, who stared after them with irritation on her face.
Once they were out of eyesight and earshot Ryan said, "Dude, you need to relax."
Mike nodded. "I didn't know what to do! She just kept talking, and talking, and talking!"
"Just sit."
Mike accepted the offer and sat cross-legged on the floor and stroked Jack's fur.
"Now," Ryan turned to Matt, "Go over there, tell her you saw the necklace and thought of her and give it to her."
"It was for my sister!" Matt objected looking at the necklace.
"Would you rather make it with Sage or your sister?"
"You're a genius." Matt said, and walked over to Sage, twirling the necklace on his finger.
He looked at Mike and smiled, "You need to relax more. It's why you don't have a girlfriend."
Mike snorted and rolled his grey eyes, "I don't recall you ever having a girlfriend."
He was right. There was only one girl in his life he would ever be in love with and she didn't even know he existed. Ryan's heart ached painfully at the thought. It was killing him knowing that he was in love with a girl he could never have. The kind of pain that kept him up at night trying to count the tiles in the ceiling. It was hard to explain to somebody who didn't know how it felt. Every time he thought of Her there was a throbbing in his heart and a hollow feeling, promptly followed by depression. He ended up going into the pit of despair with every thought.
Ryan felt himself being sucked into the black hole of sadness that accompanied thinking about the love of his life. He realized he needed to go home. "Are you okay?" He asked Mike.
Mike nodded.
"Okay, come on Jack." He called to his dog.
As they meandered outside he glimpsed at the clock tower (it was the tallest structure in Twelve) and realized he'd been gone for almost an hour! He picked up a light jog and headed for his house, Jack running, not even panting, at his side.
He thundered up the Bakery steps and tossed the door open, his dad was handing Cray Undersee a bag full of sweets. He smiled at his dad and let Jack into the house.
He went behind the counter and washed his hands. "What needs done?" He asked.
"Bake two more loaves of sweet bread, then wash the dishes." Peeta said. He pulled a cake iced in simple vanilla frosting and started piping delicate flowers on the virgin icing.
Ryan did what his dad ordered, kneading the dough with the skill that came from years of practice. He knew the recipe by heart. He set the loaves in the oven and then hurried with the dishes.
"Why are you in such a rush?" His dad asked him.
"Dad, it's Reaping day." Ryan replied vigorously scrubbing at a mixing bowl.
Peeta froze, standing unnaturally still, his hand and frosting bag still expertly poised over the cake. He was like a statue, his skin pale, his body unmoving, his blue eyes distant under his gold framed bifocals.
Ryan knew that his dad played a part in the games all of those years ago, his father never spoke of the horrors he had faced. "Dad," he said, looking for any sign that his dad was back in the bakery with him instead of in the arena. "Dad?" It's okay, you're home."
Ryan gently laid his hand on his dad's arm, causing his dad to come back to District Twelve. "Are you okay?" He asked, his brown eyes meeting his dad's blue ones.
"Yes, I'm fine." Peeta said, looking shaken. "Why don't you get ready for the Reaping?"
Ryan nodded and ran a hand through his brown hair. As he walked up the stairs he remembered what his dad had told him when he turned twelve.
Originally, all victors and their families were immune to the Reapings, but Peeta and a girl named Katniss Everdeen had made the Capitol mad. Raging mad. They had planned to kill themselves by eating Nightlock when they were told that there could be two victors, a boy and girl from each district. When Ryan's dad and Katniss had been the only two victors left the Capitol changed the rules back to being only one victor. They thought it was unfair, so they were going to commit suicide, but the Capitol stopped them and crowned both of the victors.
To get back at Peeta and Katniss they revoked the rule that the victors' family and children could not be reaped. Now Ryan had to go to the Reaping every year, he was lucky he hadn't been picked.
He tore off his t-shirt and tossed it on his bed and pulled out his short-sleeved baby blue button down shirt. He realized he was going to be late to check in so he buttoned it on his way out the door, not even bothering to tuck it in.
When he got there he checked in. He stood between the twins and waited for the Reaping to start.
The girl he loved was standing just a few feet away, she looked beautiful. He was so busy staring at her he didn't realize what was going on until Matt elbowed him sharply in the ribs.
He was roughly hauled toward the stage by Peacekeepers, not noticing that he was mounting the steps. As he stood next to the Escort he felt extreme sorrow. He was never going to see her again.
In his head he clamped down on that thought. No. I'm going to see her again even if I have to kill.