Training is simple. Peeta runs and she lifts weights everyday. Eventually she starts training with other weapons too. This round, she doesn't want to use the knife again because it is a weapon where she has to be very close to the person to actually kill them. She does start working with throwing the knives and works with a spear and staff. She attempts using a bow but finds that she has absolutely no talent at it.
With all of the training she does, the days pass quickly. The months pass by too soon and the reaping comes.
The day is hot and disgusting, and Peeta doesn't want to dress up, but she puts a little effort into herself. She puts on a loose tank top that would probably be a dress on another girl. She also pulls on a very loose and airy skirt. She goes to her parents' bakery and buys a warm sweet bread. She hugs her family good bye. They all seem upset, but she assures them, everything will work out how it is supposed to.
They stand on the stage rather than the tributes usual places. It is the first time since the wedding that Peeta has seen Katniss or Gale. They both look tired and defeated.
Effie looks just as defeated as the couple. She reaches into the girl's bowl and reads out, "Katniss Everdeen."
"I volunteer as tribute." Peeta says quietly. Effie is right near her, the taller blonde doesn't need to shout. Katniss tries to say something, but Peeta ignores her presence and waits for the next name to be called.
"Haymitch Abernathy." Effie reads next, sounding even sadder than before.
Gale looks like he's considering volunteering, but both Peeta and Haymitch fix him with a look that says not to.
Haymitch has already done his part, convincing whoever is in charge of the games to let Katniss and Gale stay behind in 12 because they need no mentors since they are both victors. Before Katniss and Gale can comprehend anything, Haymitch and Peeta are escorted quickly to the train station. There is no time for goodbyes this time, and Peeta prefers it this way.
Soon Haymitch, Effie, and Peeta eat. Peeta doesn't even try to make conversation, but she feels like she can sense Delvin's ghost in the room with her. It feels like so much has happened, yet it has only been a year. Hopefully this time she is more equipped for her time in the games.
She doesn't plan on winning, but she plans on stretching out her time in the arena as long as possible. The more attention she draws to herself, the better. She keeps that in mind as they watch the reapings of the other victors. They all look vaguely familiar and they all look dangerous. She wishes she was going up against the same people as she had been in the last Hunger Games. They were all children. These are all adults. Excluding Peeta. At 17, she's the youngest tribute in the games this year. But she's nothing like Rue was. There's no angle for her to play this time. Everyone knows she's willing to kill.
Peeta stays up late that night watching the last Quarter Quell. She watches Haymitch win and doesn't know how the smart young man on the screen could become the older man she knows now. She goes to check if Haymitch is still awake, but finds his room empty. She has a feeling she knows where he is, but doesn't want to go bother her escort. Instead she retires to her room.
The next day they make it to the Capitol and soon she is with Portia once again. All of the stylists are a mess, they are practically in tears about Peeta having to go into the games. Her outfit she's fitted in is much heavier than her outfit in last years games. Portia explained that while Cinna was not working officially as a stylist this year, he did take the time to design some things for Peeta and Haymitch.
The dress and the makeup takes quite sometime, and by the time she gets down to the area for the other tributes, she is already feeling exhausted. Nevertheless, with Portia's help, Peeta has figured out the persona she wants to have for this Quell. Peeta is wearing a much higher and skimpier version of what Haymitch is wearing, but they do match. The theme seems to be coals, and both looks like they are burning from the inside out. Leave it to Cinna to create something that reminds everyone of the Girl on Fire.
As Peeta pretends to be enamored with the horse that's going to pull her chariot, she hears someone eating something behind her.
"Hello, Peeta." Peeta turns to see Finnick Odair standing near her. He is barely dressed, but Peeta pretends to not take notice. She lets a smile fill her face.
"Hi Finnick. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Same." He grins. "Want a sugar cube?"
Before he can finish the rest of whatever his spiel was, Peeta grabs a few of the sugar cubes out of his hand. She pops one in her mouth. "Delicious. Just like the frosting at home."
"Ah, yes. You were supposed to inherit a bakery, weren't you? Shame about this Quell. I'm sure you would've made such a lovely little sweetie pie."
Peeta straightens herself out to her full height and she's a few inches taller than Finnick. "I'm not quite little, and I might inherit that bakery yet Finnick. I'm fresh, I haven't been out of the arena for more than a decade, like some of the victors here." She pretends to recognize someone. "Thank you for the sugar cubes Finnick." She says with a grin as she walks away. She keeps herself held high, but inside she is a mess. She doesn't know where the confidence she just had came from, perhaps from the persona she was trying to get into. Before she can get very far in whatever direction she was heading in, Haymitch grabs her by the arm.
Both blondes make their way back to the chariot and climb on. Thankfully Finnick is already at his chariot. When they finally make their way to the crowds of people, Peeta puts on her biggest smile. Peeta is going to make the citizens fall in love with her even more. She knows the other tributes have more sway then her having been around for longer, but she does have her freshness going for her. She waves and smiles and blows kisses. Haymitch just holds onto the chariot looking serious, but with Peeta next to him, he looks like an angry cat with an excited puppy as his companion.
After the parade was done, Haymitch takes Peeta over to meet the tributes from District 11. They don't remind Peeta of Rue or Thresh. Nevertheless the first thing she asks about when she gives the woman an awkward hug is their families. Seeder quickly whispers that they are okay. This makes Peeta grin.
Chaff throws an arm around Peeta then and kisses her on the side of the face. Peeta blushes and laughs. She wants to have good relationships with all the victors that will allow her too. She wonders if Haymitch will stay with Chaff to drink, but they have to head up to their quarters instead.
Johanna Mason joins Haymitch and Peeta in the lift. "I have to ask," Johanna purrs, "Did Cinna design your costumes?" Peeta nods. "I'm so jealous! Of course, it might just have to do with your look. They can put you in anything Peeta and you look amazing."
"Oh," Peeta can feel her ears heating up. Johanna was one of Peeta's crushes that she never thought she'd have a chance to interact with. "Thank you." With the other woman here, Peeta feels excessively flustered. "I think you look beautiful too Johanna."
Johanna laughs bitterly. "I'm a tree. They always dress us as the same things. I remember your grey outfit from the last parade. It looked so gorgeous, I wanted to reach through the screen and tear it right off your back."
Peeta knows this is probably supposed to be some sort of threat, but she feels her face heating up even hotter nonetheless.
"Can you unzip me?" She says turning her back towards Peeta. "I don't want to be in this hot mess any longer than I have to be." Peeta obliges and is beyond shocked when Johanna spends the rest of the elevator ride in nothing but her slippers. Peeta can't even control her embarrassment, she knows her face must be rivaling the flames at this point.
When everyone finally clears out of the elevator leaving Haymitch and her, Peeta hears the older man mutter, "Well this explains a lot." under his breathe. Peeta pretends not to hear, but when they get to their floor Peeta rushes to her room saying she is not hungry. She spends over an hour in the shower then, thinking over everything she will need to do in the next few days.
She wakes early the next morning with her stomach growling. She is happy to see the table is laid out with tons of delicious food. She starts to make herself a plate when she sees the Avoxes come into the room. One is the same red head from the year before, but the next is one of the old Peace Keepers. She knew Katniss, Gale, and him had been close. She suddenly feels less hungry, but she knows she should eat. She escapes back into her room after that, feeling very guilty.
She ends up venturing out again for another plate of food later in the morning and runs into Haymitch and Effie. There is an interesting air about the two of them this year. Effie seems much more defeated and does not even try to stop Haymitch from drinking. The way she looks at the man now seems more fond.
Soon Peeta and Haymitch are down at the training center. They decide to split up. Peeta agrees mostly because she is hoping Haymitch will try to get the other tributes to like her. She wonders if this is in vain. Perhaps Haymitch was already planning Peeta's death. Either way, Peeta decides to be friendly with everyone. She doubts any of them will want to be her ally, but perhaps they will put off killing her or in the very least, kill her quickly.
The days of training pass quickly because Peeta tries to get into the same routine she had at home. She runs and she lifts weights before she goes to each different station. She gets along with all of the tributes, even the ones from District 1 and 2. She practices throwing knives with the siblings and practices fighting with the swords with both victors from District 2. No one seems to dislike her, but no one shows any interest in forming alliances either. Even with the lunches she had with many of them, it always felt as if she was the child at the adults table. The only person she really feels any connection to is the only other volunteer, an old woman named Mags from District 4.
By the time it comes around to get rated, Peeta feels like she's used up every bit energy and charm that she has. She doesn't know what she could do to impress the game makers, and she doesn't even know if she wants to.
Some of the tributes plan to showcase their talents, but even more are going to just do what they want. Chaff talks of how he will tell jokes. Mags says she plans on taking a nap. Peeta wonder if Finnick will flirt and if Johanna will strip. Since everyone plans to do things that they enjoy, Peeta decides that she will do the same. As the female from District 12, she is scheduled to go last. She doubts they will give her any attention.
So once Haymitch is done, Peeta strolls into the area, calm. She knows what she wants to do. She grabs all the paint she can and begins to make a large mural. When she finishes, she smiles pleased with her work.
She hears someone above her mention that he time is up before they suddenly gasp. Peeta doesn't think her painting is worth that reaction, but as more file to see what she has done and the murmurs get louder and more shocked, she realizes that maybe it is. She has painted Rue as she had left her covered in flowers.
The Head Game Maker seems displeased with this display. "You may leave Miss Mellark." Peeta smiles bright and does a curtsy before she goes.
When she tells Haymitch and Effie what she did, they both seem upset. Effie leaves the table and after a quick lecture Haymitch follows her. Peeta could care less. So she'll get a bad score, it's not as if she had expected to get anything that high.
The longer she sits there alone, the more she realizes exactly why she wanted to draw Rue. If just for a moment, she wanted to hold the Gamemakers responsible for killing the young girl. She's glad she didn't say this aloud though, it probably would have upset Effie even more. Portia comes to join Peeta.
"I heard about what you did from Effie." Portia says as she makes herself a plate of food. "Cinna designed a dress he wanted you to wear at the interviews. I wasn't to sure about it because I wanted to design what you were going to wear." Portia pauses for a moment. "But I think it might be better if we went with his plan."
Peeta just fills her plate with food again. "I want to wear whatever you want me to wear Portia. I would never doubt your judgement." That makes Portia smile.
Soon, everyone regathers in front of the TV to watch the scoring. Cashmere, Gloss, Enobaria, Brutus, and Finnick all score high. It doesn't surprise Peeta. The rest score relatively low, even Johanna. Haymitch scores a 4, and Peeta can't help but wonder what he did.
Peeta is shocked when she sees her score though. It was not the 0 she was expecting, it was a 12.