The day of the reaping is hot and sweaty. The entire population of District 12 waits in the boiling sun bunched together as a tight crowd. I stand in a roped off pen with Haymitch and Peeta in a similar one across from me. In the middle stands Effie who doesn't seem too happy to be here. She glances over at me with a grim expression, I have never seen Effie so down.
Effie makes the speech but we do not see the Capitol's video this time. "As always, girls first." This reaping is different, not only is it a quarter quell but there are many differences to a normal reaping. My name is picked and Effie reads it out loudly but not proud like last year when she read Primrose's name. We share a glance and I see Haymitch shift uneasily. I step out of my pen and join Effie.
"Now for the boys." Effie steps over to the male reaping ball and hovers over them until she picks one out. My heart is racing. Then Effie reads out the name and my heart stops. Effie smiles happily at the name but I am not happy, there is no way I can be happy. Before Haymitch can even glance at me Peeta volunteers in his place and steps next to Effie like I did.
The three fingered salutes begin and Peeta joins in, me following. This is my only way to show respect. At the first reaping, when Rue died and now. The three finger salute is a way of showing how we, as a district, fit together and know each other. We respect our district.
Peacekeepers surround out and we are pulled away from the stage and into the town hall, before the doors close I can only catch one glance of Prim. My sister, my unfortunate sister.
Peeta pulls me close and I cry into his but only for a few moments before we are pulled apart and rushed away to the train station. The whole time my hand is linked with Peeta's and I never want to let him It is like he is my life line and if I let go I will die. I never want to let go.
Once on the train we all head into the food room and just like the first time my eyes are met with feasts of food. I don't step in and only enter the room when Peeta pulls me in after him. He takes a seat uneasily as do I, releasing his hand. "I didn't get to say goodbye." I mumble under my breath.
As I look to Peeta he gazes at me caringly, he heard what I said. Peeta didn't get to say goodbye either. But Peeta knows how much those goodbyes mean to me. The soothing of Prim, the kiss of Gale and the whispers of my Mother. Those were all goodbyes I needed to make because I will never have another chance. My duty now is to keep Peeta alive and that means I will not return.
Peeta leans in and brushes a piece of deep brown hair from my eye, his hand grazing my cheek gently. "Peeta..." Peeta shakes his head and then his lips meet mine softly. It isn't one if our passion filled kisses, it is a south and comforting kiss. Peeta cares and I know that, I care for Peeta too.
It's moments like these where I am both happy and unhappy. I am happy about having Peeta here with me while I am unhappy about leaving my family behind and protecting Peeta, but it is what I have to do. He would have given his life for me in the last games and now I owe him my life.
When Peeta pulls away I give a weak smile and rest my head onto his shoulder as he strokes my hair gently. I close my eyes and drift to sleep in Peeta's arms, the only arms I want draped over me, rubbing my back and soothing my thoughts. Peeta Mellark, the boy with the bread.