The Boy From District 12
Author: Vasira Snow
Authors Note: I will be trying to post a new chapter to this story once a week… likely the new chapter will be added either on Sunday or Tuesday. :)
Chapter 2: The Reaping
Katniss had agree'd to let Venia style her hair for the televised reaping. She was now currently sitting beside in between her father and sister, their mother was on her father's other side, with a fake smile firm on her face, giving off the illusion of a happy and close family. Katniss held Prim's hand as they watched District 1's reaping. A boy named Marvel looked excited to go to his eventual death, and a girl named Kendaliza was called up, the moment where they asked for any volunteer's, a girl named Glimmer rushed out of the crowd, looking like she couldn't wait to get out there and kill someone. No one stepped up to take Marvel's place, though Katniss thought it looked like he was giving all the other boys a specific look, like he would do worse than death to them if they took his thunder away. District 2's reaping went similarly, only a boy named Cato and a girl named Clove both stepped up as volunteer's and became the new tributes. The rest of the reapings seemed to go by in a boring fashion, nothing too exciting happening, no more volunteer's had stepped up, and Katniss found her mind wandering. She wasn't sure why, she usually found the reapings just as exciting as everyone else did.
Until finally, it was the last District's reaping. District 12. Katniss found herself more alert as they showed the crowd in District 12.
"Welcome, welcome! The time has come to select one courageous young man and woman for the honor of representing District 12 in the 74th annual Hunger Games!" came the voice of Effie Trinket. It cut's to a commercial of sorts, as why would the Capitol need to watch the same video all the district's watch at this point in the reaping more than once? A couple moment's pass by, everyone seems to be on the edge of their seats, probably because these will be the last two tributes picked for the year, even if District 12 is the most boring district, everyone can't wait to see who is picked so they can start their gossiping and betting on who they think will win, even though they know nothing about the tributes yet.
"Well.. ladies first." says Effie, and she walks over to the women's reaping ball.
"Madge Undersee." Effie calls out. There is a small murmur in the crowd around Katniss, everyone immediately recognized the last name, as that was the Mayor's name in District 12. A girl with long blonde hair that was pulled back in a pink ribbon and wearing a long white dress steps forward. She was holding her head up high, but you could see she was trying not to show her emotions, she slowly walks to the stage and up the stairs to stand beside Effie. The camera's cut to her parents, her mother is screaming and bawling her eyes out.
Once the noise in District 12 dies down a bit, Effie walks over to the boys reaping ball, and pulls out a name. She walks back to the podium.
"And our male tribute... Peeta Mellark." Effie calls out. Katniss watches as a boy her age, with blonde hair, walks mechanically towards the stage, no emotion on his face. Every other tribute had some emotion on their face as their name was called and they found themselves walking forward, but not this guy. There was something about this Peeta Mellark that spoke to Katniss. She couldn't tear her eyes off the screen, and she didn't understand why. She was not the type who thought about boys, who cared about boys, who wanted to think or care about boys.
"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour." Effie said after the tributes had been announced.
The screen went blank, and Katniss continued to stare at it. It took her a moment before she realized her father had pulled her up to a standing position. President was now addressing his Capitol citizens. Katniss wasn't listening, she wanted to know more about the boy from district 12. His lack of emotion, his quietness called out to her, she wanted to meet him, and she couldn't explain why.
"Another year in the games is upon us, by morning our new tributes will arrive." Snow ended his speech. Katniss blinked, as her sister nudged her. Slowly, Katniss looked down at her sister.
"Who do you want to win?" Primrose whispered to her sister. Katniss shrugged.
"We don't even know anything about our tributes yet, I can't possibly know who I want to win yet." she replied immediately, hiding her true emotions. She wanted to say Peeta, but she had always refused to say who she wanted to win before they 'knew' their tributes, she knew she'd be giving herself away if she spoke up now.
Peeta stood in a room all by himself, staring out the window. He was scared, he didn't want to be in the games, he hated the games. At least he knew who he was going into the arena with. Madge and him had been in the same class since they were five, they weren't exactly friends, but they were friendly towards one another.
His mother and father had just left the room, they had wished him luck, cried, said their goodbyes, and then his mother proceeded to ask him how he wanted his funeral. Peeta had refused to answer, what sixteen year old wanted to plan out his own funeral? Peeta made a face, and turned slowly when he heard the door open.
The Mayor stepped into the room, looking like he had been crying as well. Peeta gave him a brief nod.
"Peeta, my boy. Madge has bragged about your strength for years, I believe you'll make it far in the games, hell, I think you could win the games this year. I just wanted to stop in and say hi.. and to remind you, to take care of yourself out there, the games can be tricky, allies may be formed but you have to remember, they have to be broken at some point, if any ally is made, it would be best to break it on your own terms, and not theirs." he said. Peeta nodded mutely. He licked his drying lips.
"Sir? What about your daughter?" he asked. The mayor gave him a small smile.
"Oh Madge, unfortunately, doesn't have many strength's when it comes to fighting, she's picked up a few things here and there, but I'm afraid she doesn't believe she'll make it far into the games." he said, as he tried to fight back the tears. Before he could stop himself, Peeta felt himself move forwards and pull the mayor into a hug.
"I'll try to watch her back for you sir." he said.
"I'll tell you what I told my daughter, just do the best you can. Fight as hard as you can." Mayor Undersee said. Peeta nodded, and then the door opened the the guards were ushering the Mayor out of the room.
Peeta was not expecting anyone else to enter the room, he wasn't close to his two older brothers, but they had visited him before his parents had. Peeta felt himself smile, his family already thought of him as dead, but Madge and the Mayor thought he could win the games? Well, at least someone had some faith in him. And he would honour his promise he made to the mayor, he would try to keep Madge safe for as long as possible, he would try to watch her back.
Thank's to everyone for Reviewing! =) Really makes me excited to try and continue this story! :)
IllusionsOfBliss - Thank you for the criticism of my formatting. I used to write like that all the time, and then one day all of a sudden I put periods instead of commas, and I liked the way it looked, and then realized that I was reading a lot of stories (I think they were novels, or maybe they were other peoples fan fictions?… I know there was at least one novel like that though) with that formatting. But reading your review/criticism of it, it makes more sense for comma's. I already wrote this chapter before I even posted the first chapter on , so it's the same formatting, but I will try to change the formatting to using comma's starting with chapter 3. :)
To Anonymous - I forgot all about Buttercup- haha, I'll try to remember to include buttercup :). Also, I figured even though the characters are in a different setting, I'd be butchering the characters and overall story if I changed their personalities entirely. Especially Katniss=