10
I'm looking down, not wanting to see Katniss's reaction. The crowd gasps and starts murmuring to each other. Caesar puts his hand on my shoulder.
"Oh, that is a piece of bad luck." Caesar says, real pain edging in his voice. The crowd agrees murmuring louder and some making agonized cries. This wasn't the effect I thought it would have on me. I thought the practice me and Haymitch had done would be enough. But it wasn't I just couldn't contain myself.
"It's not good," I agree glancing up slightly.
"Well, I don't think any of us can blame you. It'd be hard not to fall for that young lady. She didn't know?" Caesar asks me. I shake my head.
"Not until now." The sad whispers are still going around. I really do have them eating out of my hand. Most of the girl tributes, and some of the male, look sad. This couldn't have turned out better for her.
"Wouldn't you love to pull her back out here and get a response?" I try not to let the fear flash across my face. If she comes out that could ruin everything. But the crowd screams and for a moment I think they'll let her. "Sadly, rules are rules, and Katniss Everdeen's time has been spent. Well, best of luck to you, Peeta Mellark, and I think I speak for all of Panem when I say our hearts go with yours."
The crowd screams, and I have done amazingly with my plan. Sponsors are lining up, I can tell. It takes a while before the crowd quiets down enough for me to choke out a 'thank you.' I return to my seat but I just stay standing for the anthem. I'm forced to look up, to respect the anthem, and I every single screen has the image of me and Katniss. Were separated by a few feet, and Katniss has a lovely blush covering her cheeks. The anthem finishes and we all exist the square. Katniss avoids me, going to a different elevator. The tributes from 2 and 4 end up in my car. Cato looks at me and grins.
"You got some poor luck, Lover Boy." Cato growls. Everyone except me laughs.
"Yeah, Lover Boy, what are you gonna do when we kill her?" Clove, I think that's her name, sneers.
"Or if you kill her." The boy from 4 says, and I swear I would have punched him if I wasn't afraid Cato kill me. The doors open and him and Clove step out. I lean into the back of the car while they surround me. But before anything happens the door opens and they step out. I sigh and smack my head against the wall. She's so going to kill me maybe I can get to my room before she sees me. The doors open and I step out.
She smack her fists into my chest and I loose my balance. I hit a urn and I shatters. I slip to the floor and I cut my hands up. The blood stains the carpet, and I stare up at her.
"What was that for?" Shock and hurt crossing my face.
"You had no right! No right to go saying those things about me!" She shoots at me, and I shrink back a little. I knew this was coming, I had to know. But I don't know why it's killing that I hurt her? The other elevator opens and the whole crew comes out. Effie sounds hysteric.
"What's going on? Did you fall?"
"After she shoved me." I tell her quietly. Her and Cinna help me up by grabbing my elbows. Haymitch turns on her.
"Shoved him?"
"This was your idea. Wasn't it? Turning me into some kind on fool in front of the entire country?" She spits and I stare in shock. She thinks I made her a fool?
"It was my idea," I say wincing as I pull a shard from my hand. "Haymitch just helped me with it." It's not a lie, but we'll have to make it one.
"Yes, Haymitch is very helpful. To you!" She shouts again.
"You are a fool. Do you think he hurt you? That boy just gave you something you could never achieve on your own." Haymitch says with a disgusted glare.
"He made me look weak!" She shrieks.
"He made you look desirable! And lets face it, you can use all the help you can get in that department. You were about as romantic as dirt until he said he wanted you. Now they all do. You're all they're talking about. The star-crossed lover from District 12!" Haymitch growls at her.
"But were not star-crossed lovers!" Oh Katniss how you know every way to kill my heart. Haymitch grabs her shoulders and pushes her against the wall. I want to pull him, never lay a hand on her again. But I won't, I know I won't, because if I do she'll know it's all real.
"Who cares? Its all a big show. It's all how you're perceived. The most I could say about you after your interview was that you were nice enough, although that itself was a small miracle. Now I can say you're a heartbreaker. Oh, oh, oh, how the boys back home fall longingly at your feet. Which do you think will get you more sponsors?" She shoves his hands of and steps away, shaking her head. Cinna walks over putting his arms around her.
"He's right, Katniss." He tells her and she sighs still a little annoyed. Why does Cinna have such an easy effect on her? Why couldn't I?
"I should have been told, so I didn't look so stupid."
"No, your reaction was perfect. If you'd known, it wouldn't have read as real." Portia tells her, will the smallest of reassuring smiles.
"She's just worried about her boyfriend." I tell them gruffly, pulling out more bloody shards. Her cheeks blaze.
"I don't have a boyfriend." She grumbles.
"Whatever, but I bet he's smart enough to know a bluff when he sees it. Besides you didn't say you loved me. So what does it matter." Her face fades from the anger that was there. Her shoulders slump and she sighs. I know that's why she was so worried, Gale thinking she loved me. But he's smart, and knows her better than anyone.
"After he said he loved me, did you think I could be in love with him, too?" She asks and I stifle a sigh. Of course now she worries about her reaction.
"I did," Portia jumps in. "The way you avoided looking at the cameras, the blush." And by the way she said it, I believed her. Others agree quickly.
"You're golden, sweetheart. You're going to have sponsors lined up around the block." Haymitch tells her. Embarrassment crosses her face, and she reluctantly looks at me.
"I'm sorry I shoved you." I shrug.
"Doesn't matter. Even though it's technically illegal." I remind her, trying to joke. She doesn't see it.
"Are your hands okay?" She asks again.
"They'll be alright." I shrug again. Were all silent, and the smell of dinner comes into the hall.
"Come on, let's eat." Haymitch breaks in and we all take out places at the table. But my hands are bleeding him way too much, so Portia takes me to get treatment.
"That could have gone better." She tells me. I shake my head.
"No, no one saw her burst so it couldn't have gone any better. We'll have so many sponsors, and she'll be safe." Portia nods adjusting her black glasses. We walk into the medical area and Portia starts cleaning my cuts. It burns but I don't wince, I just stand there, as she disinfects them and wraps them up. We walk back quickly and get back for the main course. I can see Katniss glancing at my hands, but I'm just over it. After diner we go and watch the replay.
Katniss looks so pretty spinning around and giggling. The TV does her no justice though, you can't see the light the bounced of her. Then I come on and at first it's fine, but then I confess my one secret. Katniss doesn't look up until the anthem and neither do I. The anthem finishes and the screen goes black. We're all silent, and we all know what's coming. Effie takes both of us by the hand and wishes us well, telling us thanks for being the best tributes she's had. That's it's been a privilege. Oh how I hate good-byes. But Effie makes me smile slight when she brings up how she might get a decent district next year. She kisses us both on the cheek and runs out, fighting tears the whole way.
Haymitch comes over crossing his arms across his chest.
"Any final words of advice?" I ask Haymitch.
"When the gong sounds, get the hell out of there. You're neither of you up to the blood bath at the Cornucopia. Just clear out, put as much distance as you can between yourselves and the others, find a source of water, got it?" He tells us.
"And after that?" Katniss asks.
"Stay alive." He directs it more at her, and I don't blame him. If I could I'd give her all the advice in the word I would. But I can't so I just have to hope she lives. She heads to her room and I linger, talking to Portia. Once she's out I fall into a chair.
"Peeta, I have an idea. You're going to hate it, but it'll keep her alive longer if you do it." She tells me in an urgent voice. I nod and lean into her and she whispers the plan in my ear so no one hears.
"Join the Careers, tell them you can lead them to her. That you know her weaknesses and strengths. And that once you're not needed anymore they can kill you. They'll eat it up, half to humor you, and half because they need you." I stare wide eyed and nod sharply. She pushes me up the stairs, telling me I need to rest before the games.
She has to know I will never sleep tonight, but I go to my room and take a shower. I pretend I'm at home so the water is close to freezing, and make sure its normal water. Then I walk out with my eyes shut, pull on a pair of sweat pants, and crawling into bed. I pretend that I'm at home, so I think of what I need to get done, bake 3 more of each loaf, move the stale bread into our cupboards, bake and frost 3 new cakes, removing the older ones from where they stand. Even though it's working, I'm forgetting where I stand; I can't shut of my head. I just start thinking of Baggett and Aloe, about my father. My mother or Nickel doesn't enter my thoughts.
I can't do it, I think as I get up quickly, putting on a shirt and headed to the roof. I get up there and go to the edge looking over. There's a huge party going on down there, people dancing, playing, and being stupid. I can see one person stumbling around like an idiot, making me wonder if its Haymitch. I can't tell if there in costumes or if it just the people. I stand there watching for what seems like hours.
I hear a small creek that comes from the door when you open it. I play with the bandages on my hands. Maybe it was the wind? No one's walked up to me, it could have been Portia, checking were I was. But she would have told me to go back to bed.
"You should get some sleep." Katniss's voice jumps me slightly but I don't let it show. I turn a little but still don't face her as I shake my head.
"I didn't want to miss the party. It's for us, after all." I tell her. She comes up beside me and leans over the rail like I am. She squints, staring at the people far below.
"Are they in costumes?" She asks, and I'm glad it dark, so her can't see the small grin that crosses my face. She wonders that too?
"Who could tell? With all the crazy clothes they wear here. Couldn't sleep either?" I ask seeing the small circles forming under her eyes. She sighs
"Couldn't turn my mind off." She tells me.
"Thinking about your family?" I ask.
"No," She admits to me, but I don't really blame her. I didn't really think of them as in missing them, more just to take my mind of it all. "All I can do is wonder about tomorrow. Which is pointless, of course." She looks at me, how I lean over the edge, holding my hands out in front of me strangely. "I really am sorry about your hands." She tells me again, and I just sigh, I hate having her apologizing to me.
"It doesn't matter, Katniss, I've never been a contender in these games anyway." She seems so shocked by the fact.
"That's no way to be thinking." She says strictly. Why does she care?
"Why not? It's true. My best hope is to not disgrace myself and…" I hesitate slightly, not sure how to put it.
"And what?" She asks, a little annoyed.
"I don't know how to say it exactly. Only…I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?" She shakes her head. I sigh thinking of how to explain. "I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster I'm not." She bites her lip slightly, looking away back to the party below. She seems to understand what I mean.
"Do you mean you won't kill anyone?" She asks me. I shake my head.
"No, when the time comes, I'm sure I'll kill just like everybody else. I can't go down without a fight. Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to…to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games." I relies how insane I sounded.
"But you're not, none of us are. That's how the games work." She tells me sadly.
"Okay, But within that framework, there's still you, there's still me," I insist to her. "Don't you see?"
"A little Only…no offense, but who cares, Peeta?" She asks and I try not to scoff. Definition of no offence- I'm going to insult you, don't get mad though. I couldn't get mad at her though, but it seeped into my voice.
"I do. I mean, what else am I allowed to care about at this point?" I glare into her grey eyes, wanting her to answer me.
"Care about what Haymitch said. About staying alive." I listen to her, and if the circumstances were different I would hurt her right now. But if it comes down to her having to kill me, I want her to feel no regrets.
"Okay. Thanks for the tip, sweetheart." I say with a sad, mocking smile. By the look on her face, it worked. It looks like I slapped her, and that look changed to anger quickly.
"Look, if you want to spend the last hours of your life planning some noble death in the arena, that's your choice I want to spend mine in district 12." She spat at me, and I could deny I loved her ferocity.
"Wouldn't surprise me if you do. Give my mother my best when you make it back, will you?" I ask her.
"Count on it." She answers crossly, and without another word, walks off the roof. I tip my head to her and sigh loudly. I slide to the floor and lean against the wall for support. I let my eyes close as I listen to the wind and the chaos down below.
I wake up when Cinna shakes me. I open my eyes and see him with a sly smile. I stand instantly, shaking my head. Cinna pushes me down the stairs telling me that when Portia came to him telling she couldn't find me, he guessed that I was up here. I head to my room, were Portia stands worry showing everywhere on her face and body. She sees me and gives me a huge hug and I laugh, telling her I was sorry. She takes my hand and leads me back to the roof. I'll change under the catacombs right before the games. A hovercraft appears out of thin air, and I think of the night Katniss spoke of the Avox. I shake my head and reach to climb the ladder. I'm frozen solid, and as a woman comes up to me with a syringe I see why. If you were to move or wince when she stuck you with that thing…You wouldn't have much use for that arm for a while. She sticks me and I'm released to climb the rest of the way up.
We go over and eat breakfast, even though I feel sick as I do, and then just sit back waiting. I stare out the window, watching the towns go by beneath us. Portia and I don't speak the whole thirty minutes to the arena. I stop watching the window once it goes black and I just wait. The ladder falls again and we drop down into a tube, the catacombs under the arena. We go to my prep chamber, were I'll be prepared to go into the arena. The Stockyard, at least that's what we call it back home. Animals before they're slaughtered.
I take a shower, brush my teeth and stand in the small bathroom. I wrap a towel around my waist and Portia helps me, after I put on a pair of boxers, change into the outfit I'll wear until I die in these games. Under shirt, tawny pants, green T-shirt, black thin hooded jacket, that's going to reflect body heat. Portia tells me this but I don't pay to close attention. I'll miss her, I realize, this will be my last good-bye. She passes me skin tight socks and leather boots. But she doesn't look at me, just at the clothes. I slip them on slowly and stand back up as she makes sure everything fits. Once she's through, she stands in front of me arms crossed. I stare back at her and wrap her in a tight hug. I can hear her stifled sobs, and I feel so bad. If Katniss wasn't my district partner, I really would try to win.
"Peeta, I never thought I would cry for a tribute. You should be proud." She tells me, sniffling.
"I'm sorry Portia, tell Alba I said hi? I'll miss you, oh so much. If I could win without hurting her…"
"I know, I know. Peeta, just promise me something." I nod.
"If, and I say if, she dies before you do, you'll try to win." She asks looking up from my chest, tears staining her face. I just nod. She buries her face into my chest again, and that's how we stand, until a voice tells us it's time to ready for launch. I lightly push her off of me and smile. I kiss her cheek, and pull her over to the metal plate I have to stand on to be launched into the arena. I step onto it and she waits just off to the side. She buries her face into her hands, but I take one of them so she'll look at me. The cylinder closes around me, breaking our hands forcefully. As I raise I see her mouth me the words 'good luck.' Darkness shrouds me making me feel claustrophobic. I raise my head, needing to look proud for the audience, and I'm stunned by the bright light around me.
"Ladies and gentleman. Let the 74th Hunger Games begin!"
Hello again! Ok so I have been informed that apparently, when a girl writes in a guy's point of view, the guy sounds very girly…. Is it true? I hope not, Peeta is manly man! Hehe but yeah, so in this one I wanted to make him very…strong? Idk, but like Portia has a breakdown and he's like 'don't cry, I gonna die anyways!' … Yep… Remember Review and Recommend me to people! ~Primrose F.R. Mellark