Peeta's POV

I wake up unable to breathe. It's like this every year. Reaping Day. I need to start getting ready.

I put on my nicest pants as well as a new button down that I received for my 16th birthday a couple days ago. It's law that you dress nice for today even though in the districts it's the worse day of year.

Breakfast is waiting downstairs. The mood is somber. Nobody really wants to talk, everyone too preoccupied with their own thoughts.

My name is only entered in there five times. That's nothing compared to how many times some boys are in there. I'm not worried about myself though. I worried about Katniss and Prim. I feel guilty for saying it but I'm more worried about Katniss. Although she may not know it, I love her. I always have loved her ever since my father pointed her out on our first day of school. Her hair was down in two braids and she was wearing a red dress. In music class she say the valley song and I knew right when she finished that I will never love a girl as much as I love Katniss Everdeen. I tried working up the courage to talk to her for years but I was too nervous and didn't know what to say. She always caught me staring at her but for some strange reason I caught her couple times staring at me or at least I think it was me. When my father announced the engagement, I didn't know what to say. I just gave him a congratulatory hug and smile. That doesn't mean Katniss and I still can't get married, does it? Unfortunately I think it does. I need to stop thinking about her the way I do. I need to think of her as my sister.

She walks in wearing a breathe taking blue dress. It's simple but certainly compliments her body. I just need to feel her close to me. I need to feel her touch. No. I can't. Forget about her Peeta.

I give her a smile and she smiles wearily back. I finish eating before everyone else so I walk outside to get some fresh air.

A couple minutes pass and Katniss walks out, "Nervous?"

I can't believe she is actually talking to me, "I think I'm about to puke."

"I know. It's Prim's first year. She's a complete wreck."

"We need to be strong for her."

"You're right. I just don't know how."

"She's only in there once. She won't get picked."

Katniss nods and says in a Capitol accent, "May the odds be ever in your favor," making fun of our district escort before she walks back inside.

I actually smile a real smile at her attempt to lighten the mood. I look at the clock and realize it's almost time and we should probably start heading down to the square.

I go inside and get Katniss and Prim to walk down together since we are now a family and the only ones who could be leaving forever. I grab Katniss' hand as we walk and she is hesitant at first but doesn't pull away. I'm not exactly good with girls in case you haven't found out yet. I grab Prim's hand too to make it seem less than what I actually meant it to be.

By the time we get to the square, we are almost the last ones there. We break hands and check-in then make our way to our designated age group.

Effie, the District 12 escort, makes her way on stage, "Happy Hunger Games everyone! And may the odds be ever in your favor!"

I laugh again thinking back to my conversation with Katniss. Everyone around me probably thinks I'm going crazy to actually be laughing right now.

Haymitch Abernathy walks up on stage drunk as usual. He mutters something to the cameras then falls off stage. That's our only living victor. A drunk with nobody in his life. Effie looks extremely upset but still manages a smile. She walks over to the bowl with the female names in it. I can't breathe. Don't be Katniss. Please don't be Katniss. Please.

"Mona Prescott!"

Thank you. I feel awful that I am so happy that it wasn't Katniss who got pick but now it is Mona. I've known her since I was 3 when she was born. I want her to come back but I am not getting my hopes up. She's the butcher's daughter so maybe she knows how to handle a knife well? She's only 13 though. She doesn't have a chance. The careers will kill her nn the first day. Horrible but true.

Katniss' POV

Mona. I've never talked to her before but I'm sure Peeta knows her because she is from town. She makes her way up stage and looks surprisingly unafraid and ready. Maybe she'll be the victor? I doubt it. Effie walks over to the second bowl to pick the boy's name. I look over and see Peeta. We catch each other's gaze and I mouth to him, don't worry. It looks like me saying that actually releases some pressure off his shoulders. I smile at him and he smiles that goofy grin back. I feel butterflies in my stomach.

It however does not release any pressure off me. Please don't be Peeta. It can't be him. Wait why do I care so much? I shouldn't be caring this much about whether it's him or not I should be worrying about Gale. Gale. His name is in their over forty times. Please don't be Gale. But please don't be Peeta…

"Jake Grayson!" Effie trills.

Yes. Wait no. Not Jake. He's from the Seam like me. I never really talked to him that much but he's in Gale's class and I'm pretty sure they were good friends. Gale is going to be a mess.

Jake marches up to the stage. He is strong and will probably be one of the oldest since he is 18. He will have more of a chance than Mona but maybe they will form an alliance together and he will help her? I just want to go home. I need to find Gale though. He'll need me.

I find him sitting on the ground where he must have been standing during the ceremony. When he sees me, he gets up and gives me a big hug. He's trying hard to suppress his tears but I can still feel some slide down my neck.

"I need to go say good-bye to him. I'm sorry but I don't think I can go hunting today."

"I understand. I'll be back at the bakery if you need me."

He walks away to the Justice Building. I turn around to start the trip back to the bakery when I see Peeta. He must have been waiting for me.

"Hey," is the only word I can get out.

"Hey Katniss"

"Did you wait for me?"

"Yeah I didn't really want to go back home alone."

"Well then let's go."

We walk back home in silence most of the way just talking a little every now and then about random things. I still catch him staring at me but he catches me staring at him as well. There's something about this boy that I can't quite put a word to. I begin to get those butterflies again.

Later that night is the recap of all of the reapings in Panem. It's mandatory viewing for everyone. We sit down in the family room as a big happy family. I sit down next to Peeta who scoots over to make room for me on the couch.

During the recap there's a few who stick out to me. The tributes from Districts 1 and 2 look deadly. I think their names are Glimmer and Marvel then Clove and Cato. I'm sure they will make up the career pack and one of them will mostly likely win. Then there is the girl from 5. I nickname her Foxface since well she looks dead on like a fox. No one else really sticks out to me until its District 11's turn. A little girl named Rue who reminds me so much of Prim walks up on stage with her district partner Thresh. He is massive. Maybe he will win. I'm not looking forward to Rue being killed. It will be awful I already know it will.

Peeta's POV

The recap comes to end finally and everyone begins to go to bed. The last ones up are Katniss and I. We sit in silence for a while.

"Katniss?"

"Yes?"

"This year is going to be awful."

"It is every year. I already can't wait for it to be over."

"Who do you think will win?"

"That boy from District 2 most likely will. I think his name was Cato. Who do you think will win?"

"Thresh from District 11 looks scary."

We go back to silence for a while. Then she starts to speak again.

"His district partner… she reminds me so much of Prim. I know when she dies I'm going to have nightmares imagining it happening to Prim," she then starts to cry.

I scoot closer to her and wrap her in my arms. This takes her off guard but she doesn't budge. I never have seen her cry before. She's too strong but I take the chance. I take more of her in and breathe her in. I've never been this close to her before. I can feel the hardness coming as begins to wrap me around her arms. I quickly get up. I hope she didn't feel anything…

"Goodnight Katniss!" I quickly get out of my mouth before I run upstairs to my bedroom.

"Night?" I hear her say with such confusion but I had to get out of there.

She is my family now. Nothing will ever become more than that no matter how badly I want her. To feel her body entwined with mine. I fall asleep to get my mind off of her but in my dreams all I see is Katniss' smile and all I hear is her sweet laugh.