Chapter 2

Hey everyone. Chapter 2 is up and ready. I got quite a few views from Chapter 1! Please remember to review and let me know what you think. I am going to start working on Chapter 3 and hopefully it will be up tomorrow!

Gale's POV

Three months have past and Katniss and I have become the best of friends. Hunting and splitting their so game that they can feed both their families. They would also go to the hob together to trade as well. They have already learned what everyone likes so they will gather berries and plant leaves as well as wild turkey's, squirrel, and on occasion a deer.

I'm waiting for Katniss to show up at our usual spot, but she's late this morning, I wonder why? She's probably comforting Prim because today is Reaping day and this is going to be her first time entered.

"Sorry I'm late" said Katniss running up behind me with her bow

"Its all good Catnip, guess what I got for us?" I said

"What?" she asked curiously with her left eyebrow raise.

I pulled out a nice loaf of warm bread that I traded before coming to our spot. I saw her eyes go wide as she grabbed it and took a nice big whiff of it and break it in half for us.

"Yum, this is delicious, what did you have to trade for it?" she asked

"A squirrel, I think the baker felt sorry for us" I replied

"Whatever happens, we have to help each other. Okay? Help provide for our families" she said

"Of course, no matter what, I will always be there for you and your family" I replied getting closer to her

"Thank you, I will help your family as well" she said

I took her in a big hug, and I didn't want to let her go. I want to tell her how I feel, but I just don't want to ruin our friendship. She means too much for me.

"Katniss…" I started

"Ya Gale?" she asked

"…May the odds…" I said in a Capital tone instead of telling her that I love her

"…be ever in your favor" she replied laughing

"We better start heading back so we can get ready for the lovely reaping" I said

Katniss' POV

I am in the woods with Gale and we are talking about the reaping and all I can think is that I hope that Prim won't get reaped. Her chances of it are so slim that she won't. I want to tell Gale that I am scared for him because his name is entered in so many times. This is his last year, and he has his name entered 7 times for him and an additional 30 times. The odds are not in his favor.

We start heading back and after we leave the hob and start to depart, I jump into his arms and give him a tight hug and tell him good luck and that I will see him soon. I love how his arms embrace me, they are so warm.

I get home and Prim is crying.

"Hey little duck, are you okay?" I say

"I am so scared Katniss" she replies

"It's okay Prim, you're not going to get called, your name is only in there once" I reply "Go on, go get dressed, we have to get going in thirty minutes"

I hop into the bath and wash up and go to my room to see that my mother laid out one of her dresses that she brought with her to the seam. It was a beautiful blue color. I got dressed and grabbed Prim and started to head down to the square.

Once we got to the town square, we had our fingers poked so that they are able to identify us and then went with all the other girls within our age group. All I could think of was not Prim, please not Prim, she is only 12 years old, she won't be able to survive it, I can't lose her, I wont.

Effie Trinket steps up to the podium with a bright green wig and the most hideous green attire possible and says her signature line "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor" in the Capital voice we all know and love.

I look around to see Prim a few groups behind me and see Gale a few rows back on the boys side. We make eye contact and nod to each other. I hope Gale doesn't have to go, this is his last year, he just has to survive this year.

I see Effie walk over to the bowl and say loud into the microphone "Ladies First"

She moves her hand in this large fish bowl for a minute keeping us all waiting in suspense, and finally pulls out a name and reads: "Primrose Everdeen"

My heart stopped, this has to be a nightmare, her name was only in once, she couldn't have been drawn. I pinched my arm to make sure I was awake and sure enough, I was. I see her walking down the isle towards the stages and I ran towards her when the peacekeepers started to guard me and hold me back.

"PRIM! PRIM!" I yelled as loud as I could

I see her turn around. She looked so scared. I knew what I had to do.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute" I yelled pushing the peacekeepers away.

I run up to her and pull her into my arms. It was so silent. The only thing you could hear were the gasps as I yelled that I was volunteering. Prim was screaming no, no Katniss. IT was breaking my heart.

"Prim, go be with mom do you hear me, go be with mom, you're going to be okay" I tell her as the peacekeepers start to come forward to take me to the stage.

"Nooo Katniss" she yelled clutching onto me

I see Gale pushing his way to the crowd and grab onto her. Over the past few months, Gale has become close to my family. Prim is like a sister to him.

I get up to the stage and Effie asks for my name.

"Katniss, Katniss Everdeen" I say into the microphone

"Everdeen, eh? That must be your little sister that you volunteered for wasn't it?" she asked

"Yes" is all I can reply.

"Well, well, brave one you are, can we all give Miss Everdeen a hand" she said

No one in the crowd did, except for Effie. What they did instead was give the district 12 solute. They placed three fingers to their lips and extended their arms.

Gale's POV

I didn't know what to do, Effie called up Prim's name. I wonder what Katniss is feeling or thinking. I look over at her to see her running towards Prim but the peacekeepers stopped her. What is she doing I thought. Oh no, she's going to volunteer.

"I volunteer, I volunteer as tribute" I hear her say and run and take Prim into her arms.

No, I can't lose her. But she is so brave to risk her life to save Prim. Prim wasn't letting go of her so I make my way through the crowd and pick up Prim and take her to her mother. Once I took her to her mother I had to go back to my place in line.

Effie was now about to pick the boy tribute.

"Gale Hawthorn" Effie said.

Oh my god, how could this happen. How are our families going to survive? I told Rory not to take any tessare, and I know Katniss told Prim not to take out any either.

As I am being escorted up to the stage I see Katniss' face. She looks so scared for us. Once on the stage Effie asked for my name and once I announced it, she then told us to shake each other's hands. Instead, Katniss runs into my arms and I embrace her.