Our cast of characters is nearly complete...we need a few more people...don't we...well here we go!

I do not own the hunger games

"Adaline Cartwright," Mr. Lei said.

Delly was secretly staring at her best friend to notice the teacher's call.

"Adaline," Mr. Lei said again.

After he came back from his walk with Katniss he seemed distracted. His eyes didn't stray from Katniss, and his leg shook under the desk. The only time he became twitchy is right before a match, as if he was conserving energy.

"Miss, Cartwright," Mr. Lei snapped, catching Delly's attention.

Delly stood. "Sorry, Mr. Lei."

"There is no need to stand up Adaline," Mr. Lei sighed.

"Sorry, Mr. Lei."

"Teachers Pet," Jimmy Simcox snickered softly.

Delly looked down at her hands, she could feel the heat hitting her face, and she knew automatically her face would become splotchy. She felt doubly embarrassed by her outward appearance, the fact that Jimmy made fun of her.

"Adeline," Mr. Lei said, turning around to his desk. "I need you to walk to the Principal's office for me."

"Teacher's pet, teacher's pet," Jimmy said, his voice becoming louder.

Jimmy was wrong.

Technically she wasn't the teacher's pet, that was Lilybird Jones. Lilybird brought him an apple from her orchard, always volunteered, and once even asked for an extra assignment.

"Hush," she said to Jimmy.

Jimmy's eyes sparkled with malice. "Delly Belly."

The students next to him snickered at the nickname Jimmy gave her. Jimmy always made fun of her, picked on her because of her chubby cheeks. She had a round face, somehow she hadn't been able to get rid of her baby fat.

Tears sprung in her eyes.

Jimmy puffed up his cheeks imitating her. More of her classmates laughed.

"Jimmy," Peeta growled at the same time as their teacher caught on to what he was doing.

"Jimmy Simcox," Mr. Lei's eyes were narrowed. "Do I have to call a Peacekeeper to take you?"

Jimmy opened his mouth and sat down.

"Adeline, take Mr. Mellark with you," Mr. Lei held out the pass and the paper. "They need to know what students we have in the classrooms."

"Okay." Delly took the paper and waited until Peeta stood by her side before they both left the room.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Delly said quietly. The taunting hurt, Delly didn't consider herself fat, she was big-boned. Or so she thought. It was sad to admit she'd been on one diet or another since the age of twelve.

"Delly you know there is nothing wrong with you?"

Delly took a deep breath. She wasn't sure if she could agree with Peeta. She was rather unfortunate.

"You can't listen to the Jimmy Simcox's of this world."

She stopped walking, "I don't know Peeta." All of her life she was the last one picked. She had no athletic abilities so in gym class no one picked her. She wasn't pretty. Delly had extremely bad luck.

"He's an idiot." Peeta voice softened, "You're- "

"Don't Peeta don't lie to me," Delly stopped him from saying a false declaration, she knew the truth? She stared at the mirror every day. People like Jimmy Simcox were mean, but there were plenty of others who were mean but who told her in so many ways that she didn't have the same worth as other girls.

"Delly," Peeta said, he looked into her eyes and she could see that he was going to keep arguing the point.

"No," Delly said, running away as tears fell from her face. She rounded the corner and ran into a solid wall.

"Woah there," the wall said. Two hands reached to steady her.

Delly looked up to see Gale and Thom in the queue. There was a line of students to get to the copier.

"Sorry," Delly said, stepping back.

"Are you okay?" Gale asked. He frowned upon looking at her.

"I," Delly stuttered. Gale was by far the most handsome boy in school. Thom was like Peeta, very friendly, outgoing, and popular. Both boys were upperclassmen and way out of Delly's league.

"Delly," Peeta said, coming around the corner. Several students' heads turned to see Peeta.

A Peacekeeper came around the corner and every one stood at attention. He walked by and as soon as he left everyone relaxed. Thom and Gale returned to focusing on her and Delly wanted a hole to open up and swallow her whole.

"What did you do to her?" Thom and Gale asked simultaneously.

"Nothing…" Peeta put his hands up.

"Then why does she look like she's been crying?" Gale accused.

Delly felt her eyes widened when she realized what was going on. "Oh, no...no...it wasn't him."

"Are you sure?" Gale asked.

"Who was it?" Thom asked.

Delly lowered her eyes, "Simcox."

"Is that weasel still calling you Delly Belly?" Thom asked

Delly looked up, her eyes tearing up.

"Thom, seriously man," Gale said gently, pulling Delly to his side. "Don't say that. It's not nice."

"But that guy is a real jerk," Thom said.

"That's what I told her," Peeta said.

Gale narrowed his eyes at Peeta. "What are you doing here, baker boy?"

"We're supposed to make photocopies," Peeta answered pointing to the line before them.

"So are we," Thom said. "Our teacher is out and our substitute teacher was given a flyer to keep us in our chairs. Like where are we going?"

Delly laughed.

"It's true," Thom said good-naturedly. "Hey, I saw you with Everdeen earlier. You two looked like you were in a deep discussion."

Gale raised an eyebrow.

"You talked to Katniss?" Delly asked and was delighted to see her friend become flustered.

"I ah…"

"We saw him from the door of the classroom. It looked like it was pretty deep."

Delly turned on Peeta. "Okay, what happened between you and Katniss?"

Peeta shrugged.

Delly watched him carefully. Peeta could displace the truth better than anyone she knew. He did have a tell, it was a small one but it was one she knew.

"Nothing."

Delly saw the little dimple appear on his right cheek and she knew Peeta was lying to her. She pursed her lips, "Tell the truth Peeta."

Another Peacekeeper appeared and everyone suspended their conversation until they walked away. The line moved up.

"How do you know?" Gale asked.

"He's practically like my brother," Delly replied.

"That's the way Gale is with Katniss. He can tell what she's feeling by the way she looks." Thom snorted, "To me, she always looks angry. You know I've never seen Everdeen smile."

"Spill Mellark," Gale ordered.

"I'm sorry I can't. I promised," Peeta said.

Delly stood there puzzling. Whatever it was that he was unwilling to say, was deeply personal to Katniss. Delly knew just how much Peeta liked Katniss. Katniss was the most important person in his life.

It struck Delly that the most important person in Katniss's life was Prim.

"Pirm, it has to do with her baby sister."

"Delly!" Peeta said through gritted teeth.

"Poor Prim must be scared out of her mind." Delly said her mind racing with the possibility, "Unless you plan on helping her get to her sister. I...that's it isn't it. You are going to help Katniss to see her baby sister."

"Was that why you were acting all secretive?" Thom asked.

Peeta was red.

"Yup that's it," Delly nodded.

"How?" Gale asked.

"Oh, that's easy. Peeta knows the hidden passageways in the school building. The one they use to transport equipment," Delly couldn't stop herself from speaking.

"There are secret passageways," Thom said excitedly as he began looking all over the place. "Is there a hidden door somewhere?"

Delly grinned. "Yup, but not everyone knows about it but because Peeta is part of the wrestling team he knows about a lot of them. He could easily get to the little kids' wing."

Gale then nodded. "Well then count me in."

"No," Peeta said.

"Oh I'm in and Thom can be the lookout," Gale said.

"I am?"

"No Thom can't be the lookout. He needs to be the one who covers for us when we disappear," Delly said. "I can be the lookout."

"You?" Tom said incredulously.

"Yes me," Delly said.

"Thom. Adeline is the perfect person," Gale said.

Tom looked at Gale surprised.

"She volunteers a lot with the little kids." Gale said, "My brother Vic said that they were training her so that she can be a teacher in the future."

Delly felt the heat as it flooded into her face turning her cheeks red.

"No one will question why she's in the hallway. And she could always give us a signal," Peeta said.

"Fine, if that's the way you want it," Thom said.

"I'm assuming this is happening tonight when they move us into the gym or cafeteria?" Gale rubbed his face.

They moved forward.

"It is the only logical time this could happen," Delly said. "We'll meet you there."

"Next!" the secretary shouted.

"That's up," Thom said.

"See you later Adeline," Gale nodded. Then he frostily said, "Mellark."

Delly realized as she watched Gale walk away, that Peeta was right. Jimmy Simcox was a big old meanie.