A/N: Chapter 4 is out ! Spent two days writing. Very sorry if some information in the next few chapters are wrong, I am lending my book to a friend. But I've read the hunger games 4 times, so we should be ok :)

Again, I do nott own the Hunger Games or any of its content.

Again, special thanks to Rue's Lullaby74 for tips. Kyra (sunriselight), for nagging me about foreshadowing, the technique we learned about in reading class, becuase of the nagging, I finally tried it.. didnt succeed, but still tried. Thanks so much to all those who posted reviews, and helped make this story great. :) Hope you enjoy !

~Last time~

I smile at him while he stands and kisses me. We head to the square hand in hand, both smiling. We almost never smile in district 12. This is the best reaping ever.

When we get there, we depart and go to our spots, but before we go, Gale kisses me once more, and as she walks by, a girl gives me a dirty look. Some other girls next to Gale start to flirt, which makes me jealous. But Gale just ignores them, which makes me feel better. I get more looks from snobby girls, but I don't really care about them, so I just smile and stare. Delly Cartwright, who's right in front of me, turns around and smiles. She says, "Katniss, good luck alright? I would hate it for you to go into the games. Although, I bet you'd be awesome even if you did. Not that I want to go into the games. I mean, never mind. Forget it. Just, good luck Katniss."

She always so cheerful, but today she's twitchy, unsure. Just nervous, I guess. I put a smile on my face and give a polite, "You too Delly."

I look back at Gale and see he's staring at me, grinning. I smile at him. I don't want to think about the impossible, about me or Gale going into the games. It's just too painful. So give him a smile, longing for him to be next to me, to be with me. His smile fades away, and I turn around.

Up on the stage, two of the three seats are taken. One is occupied with the mayor, the other with Effie Trinket, District Twelve's escort into the games. She seems to be fixing her creepishly pink hair, which, judging by the sickening color is a wig; definitely made by the Capitol. She looks so out of place here, with her bright colors. It's so weird. It sickens me. The Capitol people are so spoiled, just sitting around, eating, sleeping, getting alterations; basically, being lazy, living the life, while the people in the districts starve and die of hunger and illness; some, dying in front of all of Panem, for their entertainment. I don't know how they live with themselves. In all districts, the Hunger Games are mandatory to watch, so no matter how annoying those Capitol pests are, you grit your teeth and tough it out for the next few weeks while tributes kill one another in the arena until there's only one tribute standing. District 12 hasn't had a winner for almost 25 years. Haymitch Abernathy, who is supposed to be here, won the Hunger Games many years ago, and is supposed to be the tribute's mentor every year. The one problem: he's always drunk.

Mayor Undersee looks at the empty chair annoyed, but starts the assembly anyway. He introduces Effie Trinket and she starts to stand. Right then, Haymitch Abernathy staggers on the stage and tries to give her a welcoming hug. Again, he's drunk; very drunk. Trying to avoid his hug, Effie's wig tilts slightly to the right. Then more, and more, until it is in complete danger of falling off. I hear a few people in the crowd start to laugh. One laugh stands out the most though; I hear Prim giggling from her spot in the line, which brings a smile onto my face.

Haymitch stops, confused, but sits down is his chair. Effie runs up to the podium, obviously disgusted and wanting badly get bumped up to a better district; maybe one where mentors don't embarrass you in front of the entire nation.

She says in her clear, high strung, upbeat voice, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" she goes and talks about what an honor it is to be here, in district 12. Blah, blah, blah; when it's evident that she's lying. When the moment comes to pick the names, she says, "Ladies first!" and reaches deep into the pink glass reaping ball, grabbing a slip of paper. She pulls it out, and while I'm hoping badly that it's not me, she flattens the paper and says the name: Primrose Everdeen.

Remember when I said this was the best reaping ever? Well I take that back. This is the worst. Why did it have to be her? Why her? The odds of her getting chosen were one in a million. So safe! I can't move, but I start to fall. Gale rushes back just in time to catch me, and when I don't move even then, he shakes me until I do. Some Peacekeepers come to move him back to his spot with their guns and when I realize that, I come back to the present. I stand straight up in front of him with my arms out, my eyes crazed. One peacekeeper steps back, one with red hair. That's when I recognize him. Darius. Usually peacekeepers just get on my nerves, but Darius is all right. He's a joker, a friend. The other one stands as tall as a tree, as still as a rock.

"Just tell your friend to go back to his spot. No harm done," he says.

I'm about to step up, but Gale pushes me back and says, "It's okay," and leaves.

I look back up, and Prim is halfway up the stage. I can't let her do this. I run up and the others in line don't hesitate to make a path for me. Before I know it, I say, "There has to be a mistake!"

The mayor looks at me in concern and says sincerely, "I wish I could help you, but, rules are rules. There's no mistake honey."

My eyes narrow and I say, "Then I volunteer. I, Katniss Everdeen, am volunteering for Primrose Everdeen to go into the Hunger Games."