AN- As always, I'd like to thank all of you who reviewed. I really wanted to get this up yesterday, but I have a huge English paper and I got writer's block. This is the last chapter before the wedding. I'll just say it now to get it out of the way- I'm going to skip a lot of what happens between the wedding and the reaping to save time and because not much happens. Anyways here it is
Disclaimer- I don't own The Hunger Games.
Chapter 4- The Night Before
The worst thing right now is that normally I know exactly what I need to do. It seems like I'm walking blindly. But at the moment, the most important thing is talking to Peeta to clear my head. As soon as I reach him, we embrace in a hug.
"What's up with Snow?" Peeta whispers in my ear.
"Something with the Games. I have a feeling that it's going to be worse than normal this year. I think… well he mentioned something about Rory," I struggle to maintain composure, especially with the ever-present cameras.
"Rory? Gale's brother? Your… cousin? What does Snow want him for?" He says almost in disbelief. We have to keep up this façade in the event that we are overheard.
"Yes. That's the one. Peeta, who'd volunteer for him if he was Reaped? No one that I know. I'd have to mentor him," I'm talking so quietly now that I wouldn't be shocked if Peeta didn't hear me.
"Calm down. I'm sure there is something we can do to prevent this. Snow always has a reason for this, right? Take away his reason, and everyone's safe," He gets is, but I don't know if that will work this time. Sometimes Snow just wants to make an example out of you.
"How come you understand Snow even though you've never been personally threatened by him?" I ask.
"Haymitch told me the ins and outs. It's truly awful. But, you're wrong on something. Snow doesn't have to threaten me. He gets you upset and that gets to me. I can't handle you being unhappy," There goes Peeta, being noble with his unfailing love for me, while I spent a large chuck of the Games deceiving him and the Capitol.
"How can you stand me then, if you don't like me being unhappy?" My plan to clear my head has backfired. I'm just as much annoyed now as I was when I walked in here. I turn to walk out. Peeta grabs my hand, pulling me back.
"Katniss, go to sleep, okay. Tomorrow's a big, big, big day," I chuckle at Peeta's Capitol accent. It's not quite like Gale's. Peeta's is better, but then again we spend time with Capitols that Gale never had, or want for that matter.
The next morning comes too soon. Effie wakes me up and rushes me through the dos and don'ts for today. I hear her say somewhere around the two and a half hour mark that I am her first failure in all her years of doing etiquette training before she became an escort. I chuckle, which brings on another round of decorum. Eventually Effie turns her back on me long enough for me to snatch up the knife. I always travel with it now, illegally of course. I don't know what I plan to do with it, but the sight of it sets Effie off.
"Katniss, this is a refined place. There is no need for weapons. No one is going to hurt you. I guess that there is no hope for someone as stubborn as you. I'll go to Peeta; at least he listens," Effie storms out of the room. Yes, I get it. Peeta's perfect. He can talk properly, he can walk properly, and he is just plain proper.
Haymitch, with a bottle of brandy in his hand, walks in. "What did you say to her? She's put up with me all these years, but you just set her off."
"I held up this," I say, gesturing to the knife. "I was tired of always being coached through every event. I just want to be myself for once."
"Well, sweetheart, in case you haven't realized, being 'yourself' is going to get us all killed," he says. I one fluid motion, he snatches the knife and pockets it. I'm actually surprised that he can do that while drunk. I've obviously underestimated Haymitch. I start to object, but then they walk through the doors: Peacekeepers.
AN- Sorry that it's short. The chapters should get longer soon. Please review.