"So, how was Prim this morning?" Peeta questions
I sigh "'She woke up screaming twice during the night and when I woke this morning she was crying"
"Look, Kat, she only has one slip, she will be fine, don't worry" Peeta says
"Peeta, are you kidding me, you had what, 4 slips..." My voice rising with every word
"...and you were chosen last year and your telling me to not to worry, seriously you have no idea what I went through last year and now this year, 'HE' is volunteering for his district..."
"Katniss!" I just ignore him to angry to listen
"...and i have like 30 slips, what if I get chosen then who will look after Prim, You and haymitch will be in the Capitol, my mom is hopeless, Leo is working in the mines, his sister is in school and I hate relying on people and owing them, who will hunt for her and kept Fenton away from her, who will hunt for the whole district...huh, Peeta, bless me with your words of wisdom" I literally scream before sliding down the nearest tree and put me head in my hands
Feeling ashamed with myself for letting my emotions get the best of me and yelling at him, I look at him for the first time this morning and see huge purple bags under his eyes and there all blood shot, he hasn't slept properly in weeks.
"I'm sorry Peeta, I'm just angry, so angry all the time"
"It's ok" Peeta kneels in front of me taking my hands into his
"What are you angry at"
I shake my head
"Come on, we're best friends, you can tell me and I won't judge, in fact I well probably agree" he laughs lightly, causing me to smile
"How come you can make me smile in any situation?" Clearly avoiding his question
"Come on, Kat, I know your avoiding the question, Prim keeps wanting you to be more open with people"
Is he actually trying to guilt trip me because its working
"Fine" I huff
" I'm angry at, the Capitol, president snow, my dad leaving me, my mom being selfish and leaving, Haymitch drinking too much, Gale for what he did, that peacekeeper from district one, but most of all I'm angry at him for leaving me for two years right after he asked me that question, we've had no contact, I literally had to tackle Haymitch last week so I could speak to his mother on the telephone, I just miss him so much and knowing what he is about to do scares the hell out of me, but also makes me extremely pissed at him".
Peeta nods in understanding
"See I told you I would agree" he smiles
"I second that" a deep voice states from the rock by our meeting place
Peeta whirls around and grabs the person by the throat and throws the figure to the ground.
"Wow, Peet, it's me Leo, sorry I forgot not to sneak up on you"
"Sorry man, it's my fault, I went into tribute mode" Peeta helps Leo off of the floor
"No, Peeta it's reflex, once you go into the games, you always on guard and alert, no matter what" I say
"Yeah, I agree, I accidentally snuck into Haymitch's house and knocked a bottle over, I had a knife to my throat before I could blink" Leo's eyes widen slightly when explaining
"What do you mean by accidentally?" I raise my eyebrow
"Um... Well... I was dared, so I did it"
"By who?" Peeta asks
I sigh already knowing the answer, this has Rye Mellark written all over it. Peeta's older brother, the district prankster and a serious pain in the ass.
"Rye"
"Ha, I knew it, it always is" I laugh slightly, already planning my revenge
"I swear to god, I'm going to kill my brother" Peeta huffs shaking his head
"When?" I ask
"The minute I get my hands on him" Peeta says his hand clutching his hunting knife
"Not you, Leo!"
Leo mumbles something incoherent
"What?" I ask
He mumbles again
"For god sake Leo, if you don't tell me in the next 10 seconds, you'll find an arrow in your eye" I threaten getting fed up pretty quick
"Fine" he huffs
"Yesterday"
"WHAT" both Peeta and I shout at the same time
"Seriously Leo a day before the reaping are you trying to get yourself killed" Peeta exclaims
"No and that wasn't the worst part, after Haymitch stumbled back to the couch I was pinned to the floor by Hunter, the thing nearly bit my throat!" He shouts
"Hunter is not a THING, he is my wolf and you know perfectly well he is, you helped train him and you idiot, you know I send him to keep Haymitch in line on the reaping days!" I snap back offended by what Leo called Hunter
"Ok, ok, I sorry Kat for calling Hunter that, you know I love him really and that explains why Haymitch has bite marks on his hands!" Leo laughs a little
"Yep, I sent him so that Haymitch doesn't have more than three bottles of liquor before the reaping, Hunter was clearly instructed to bite Haymitch every time he reaches for a bottle after that initial three, that way he is coherent for the tributes" I smile thinking about how many swear words are being directed at me right now from my uncle.
"Haymitch, is going to kill you, you know that right?" Peeta laughs
"Yes and you can laugh but it is YOU, who has to deal with him on a 24 hour train ride to the Capitol today" I smirk, while Leo burst out laughing, giving me a high-five.
"Ha, ha, ha, very funny, you two, lets hunt cause we have a reaping to attend" Peeta retorts
After that remark the atmosphere dampens and our moods sober, we hunt for a couple of hours, ending up with a sufficient amount of food for our families, to trade at the Hob and around the district.
We spilt up at the fence and do our usual trades, then head home, Peeta to prepare to mentor two unfortunate people to their potential deaths, Leo to get ready for the Reaping, alongside with his fifteen year sister, Lola and me to put on a brave face and help Prim get ready for her first Reaping. All I hope is that everything goes well and that Prim stays safe.
Here I am once again in the town square standing in the 17 year olds section in my mothers blue dress from her merchant days, completely ignoring the video on how "its an honour to be chosen for the Hunger Games and how its to remind the rebels what happens when they go up against the Capitol", whatever.
At this very moment I'm trying to not focus on the pink candy floss like women on the stage, who is also known as 'Effie Trinket',the district's very own escort, who I have meet a number of times to my great displeasure and has the honour of picking the tributes names out of the Reaping balls.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome...to the 73rd Annual Hunger Games and May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favour" Effie exclaims rather happily in a unnaturally high pitched and Capitol tainted voice
"Right now, shall we get on with the Reaping...ladies first" just as her hand reaches for the ball, Haymitch stumbles from his seat next to Peeta
"TRINKET!... You loooooook good enuff to eat, giz a kiss!" He slurs
As he goes to hug Effie Peeta grabs him and literally drags him to his sit
While Effie is looking rather flustered and busily placing her wig back in place, I cast a look around, to see a number of people giggling and failing to stifle their laughter, which is a very unnatural sight to be seen in the district at all, let alone on a Reaping day.
I look up to see Haymitch, actually looking rather sober, he catches me looking at him and smirks, giving me a very subtle wink, I smile back because it takes a troublemaker to know a troublemaker and me and my uncle are definitely on the same wave length.
"Right, where were we...arr...yes"
"Ladies first"
Please not Prim, Madge or Lola, please anybody but them, please, I rapidly and repeatedly chant in my head as Effie reaches into the ball, successfully this time, without interruptions.
I hold my breath as she unfolds the paper
"Primrose Everdeen'
I hear a strangled cry and know its my mother as I have heard that sound countless times before, I'm frozen in place, thinking that my worst nightmare has come true, I see my sister making her way up to the stage and it spurs me into action.
I run pushing my way through the crowd
"No!"
Prim stops looks around her eyes widen when she sees me, just as I reach her I see peacekeepers in my peripheral vision
"I volunteer"
The peacekeepers grab both of my arms, I roughly throw them off me and step toward the stage
"I volunteer as tribute"