Chapter 2: For Luck

Hours later, I stand despondently in the Justice Building with my mother. I am in shock, in fact, as I just said goodbye to my 15-year-old sister, Primrose, who has been Reaped as the female tribute for the 77th Annual Hunger Games.

I find myself enraged by the rules that dictated my aging out of the Reaping the year before. Otherwise, I would have readily thrown myself in front of my sister to take her place. And of course, there has never been a volunteer for the Games from District 12. Ever. With all our tributes dying save for three, volunteering from here would be tantamount to suicide.

Even worse are the bleak odds that are not in my sister's favor. No female from 12 has ever won the Games - our Victors have all been men. And all three, even Peeta, were a full year older than Prim at the time of their Victories. 15-year-olds have won the Games only a handful of times in Games history; it is very rare. And only once did any younger than that triumph, and this accomplishment occurred over a decade ago.

I see Peeta at a distance off, having emerged into the hallway to prepare to escort his tributes to the train. I shyly slide closer to him, in my blue Reaping dress and nervously tugging at the single braid running down my back. At first glance, he and I look somewhere between teenagers and truly young adult men and women, at 19 years old. As soon as Peeta spots me, he takes my hand.

"I will get Prim home alive, Katniss," and he seems almost deadly serious.

I just regard him sadly. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Peeta," I admonish him. "I would have volunteered for her, if I could have."

"And I would have been devastated if you did. Not that Prim getting picked is just as bad, it is. But, she will be Victor if I have anything to say about it."

Just then, the Witch passes by us. She scoffs. "The day you bring that little girl home a Victor is the day her sister says she'll marry you!" And she moves on, Peeta and I gaping after her. It's quite an odd 'When-Pigs-Fly' statement, and Peeta now sighs almost exasperatedly.

"I'm sorry, Katniss. Ever since Mom caught us kissing this morning, she thinks we've been seeing each other behind her back. I've tried to tell her..."

"I'd take that bet," I impulsively interrupt.

Peeta blinks. "What bet?"

I take a deep breath. "If you crown Primrose as Victor... I'll agree to marry you."

Peeta's eyes go wide. "You would promise that? You'd allow it?"

I nod grimly. "I'd allow it."

Further down the hall, I hear Haymitch bellowing for Peeta to follow him to the train. Peeta sighs. "Gotta go. Prim and I will see you later."

He holds out his hand to shake it. Regarding it, I suddenly bat his hand away and seize his face, kissing him passionately for the second time in a day. I release his lips from my own rather roughly. "For luck," I gasp.

And I watch as Peeta heads for the train.