Peeta
President Snow is in a bizarrely cheerful mood when he comes into our cell. He beams at me as though he's just been crowned king of the world.
"Peeta, I have good news!" he exclaims. "Katniss has made a deal with me. We're trading you for her! You'll be free to go with your friends! Isn't that wonderful?"
He doesn't give me time to answer. He just rushes right out the door, slamming and locking the door behind him, leaving an appalled silence in his wake.
"She didn't," I say to Cinna. "She can't be that stupid!"
"I don't see why he'd lie about that," says Cinna. He frowns. "But you're right. Katniss must have another plan."
"She has to! I'm not worth that!" I'm so angry I can't see straight. How dare she! She's just going to throw everything away, after I've done so much to make sure she stays alive? When I see her, she is in big trouble.
But I know why she's doing this. She thinks she owes me for something- for fighting Cato to let her escape, for keeping her alive in both Games, for the stupid bread when we were kids- I don't know! She's got that stupid streak of pride, and that's going to ruin everything.
"She can't," I say again. "She's going to throw everything away for me. She's so stupid!"
"Unfortunately," says Cinna gently, "we're all a bit stupid when it comes to the people we love."
It takes a minute for his words to sink in. "But she doesn't love me. That was just something Haymitch and I came up with to get sponsors."
Cinna looks at me pityingly, as though I'm a complete idiot and can't do a thing about it. "Do you really believe that? Do you really think Katniss doesn't care about you?"
"We're friends. That's all," I say, no matter how much I wish it was otherwise. Cinna shakes his head. He almost looks irritated.
"Peeta, if you honestly think that, then you're an idiot." I've never heard Cinna call anyone an idiot before. It has to be the most insulting thing he's ever called anyone. He's becoming more and more agitated as he speaks.
"Do you think that she'd try her hardest to get you home if she didn't care about you? Do you think she would've found you in the woods if she didn't want you to survive, too? She didn't have to, you know. She could've let you die. But she didn't."
"That doesn't matter anymore," I reply. "What we've got to do now is figure out a plan to get Katniss out of here alive."
Cinna snorts. "You're insane, Peeta."
I'm beginning to think he's right.
*******
I'd like to make a plan immediately, but Cinna points out that the room is most likely bugged, and discussing any plans would be the opposite of helpful. Of course he's right, but I'm eager to get started.
After what seems like a very, very long time, I realize that for Katniss to make it out alive, President Snow will have to die. Or at the very least, I'll have to distract him. Then I'll do my best to kill him with whatever I have handy, but I highly doubt I'll live through this.
Cinna is the key to my plan. I'm assuming that Snow will have Katniss and me in the same room, at least for a few minutes so he can gloat. Cinna is going to somehow get out of this place, and, while I distract Snow, he's going to break in and get Katniss out. It's a weak plan, but at least it's a plan. Cinna is much stronger than he looks, so I'm not worried about him knocking out a couple of Peacekeepers. But I secretly suspect that Snow might just put a bullet through my head instead of chasing after me- or whatever it is I plan to do. Come to think of it, I should probably think of that before she gets here.
I begin to weave a plan, where Katniss will survive. But as I examine the plan, I realize that, even if she does survive, I probably will not.
A/N: Hey there!! I know, I know, this one's short, but Peeta's seriously losing hope here and this is about as much pessimism as I could take. But I promise the others will be longer. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who reviews! Please keep it up!
Ciao Bello: I am TEAM PEETA! And quite frankly, it shocks me that my writing is changing your mind…but still, that's kind of awesome. Thanks for what you said!
I just wanted to make sure that everyone here knows that I'm Team Peeta, even though I'm kind of mean to him here. (And I do like Gale... I just like Peeta more.)
Thanks, and REVIEW, people, REVIEW!