Sorry, I just realized I never described Thresh:D that would be an important factor to why he's bullied

Chapter 22

Thresh's pov:

I wake up early Friday morning ready for whatever school will throw at me today. I reach out for the bedside table and put on my thin wired glasses. I go to the bathroom and comb my dark hair back with a brush and a spray bottle. I laugh at my reflection, "Richie Rich," it was a joke I had going on with my mom. Wherever she is.

I step outside into the kitchen. Nick has made me pancakes. I like Nick, he's a good guy. To be honest, I don't mind that he's dating my sister. The only thing that bothers me is that I'm afraid if they break-up I won't see him around anymore.

He looks over his shoulder and away from the skillet. He winks at me over his shoulder. Any other guy winking at me and I'd be creeped but with Nick, it's just his way of welcoming me into his family. Or, like now, keeping a secret from Prim. Because now I can fight!

I eat the pancakes Nick puts onto my plate. I try to eat as many as possible. I need to gain weight. I am too thin and a tad on the shorter side. Just a little.

Prim comes out of Nick's room and yawn's. She walks to the table and takes a couple of bites off of my plate before Nick notices and gives her a plate of her own. Nick sits down with us and eats. He and Prim talk about their plans for this weekend.

Prim turns to me, "Thresh, Nick and I are going camping this weekend with some friends from school."

"Cool, can I come?"

I know she'll say no. She always, every Friday for as long as I can remember, has a party or a camping trip and never ever am I allowed to come. We use to spend every weekend playing games together. From hide n' seek to regular Monopoly. Now we don't do anything together. I've lost my sister to people I've never met. She takes a sip of some tea Nick made for her. She lowers the mug, "No, I'm sorry, you can't."

"So what? I'm stuck here all alone?"

She looks really sad, what the heck? "Yes, I'm afraid you are. I'm sorry."

"No you're not. You're not sorry. If you were you wouldn't go."

Nick looks at me with an intense stare, "You have no idea."

I roll my eyes, "Can I at least meet the people you're going with?"

Prim clutches her fork tightly, "Uh, sorry, no."

"You're not going with anyone else are you?"

She shrugs her shoulders, "Guilty as charged."

I think about it. Camping, alone. I gag, "Oh gosh, you guys aren't going to, you know, get it on."

Prim spits the tea she had in her mouth back into the mug, "How do you even know about that kind of thing?"

I roll my eyes, "Prim, I'm thirteen, how would I not know about that kind of thing?"

Prim blushes, "Well, in that case, no," she mutters the last part mostly to herself but I can still hear it, "Nick won't let us."

I point my fork in Nick's direction, "I like this guy. A lot."

Finally, it is time to go to school. By now my hair has dried and falls in loose short curls right below my ears. I flip my hair to the left to get it out of my eyes. Prim and Nick turn to leave for the high school. I snort, Prim shouldn't be in high school. She should be only a year ahead of me.

I walk up to my first class. It was actually my most dreaded class but not today because now I can throw a punch. I rub at my bruised eye. Hopefully, that will give Jared no satisfaction.

I walk into the locker room to change for P.E. I open my locker and pull out my uniform. I take off my glasses and then my shirt. Almost instantly, I am shoved into the lockers. I turn my head to see Jared. I can't help but smile just a little.

He looks at the bruise on my left eye and laughs. "Did I do that?" without waiting for my response, he throws his first punch to the other side of my face.

I lean to the left a little and he punches the lock on a locker. He tries to shake the pain away from his hand. This is my shot. I punch him three times repeatedly in the gut. He leans over in his pain. One punch to his face. He stands up straight, very surprised. His nose is awkwardly crooked and blood gushes out of it. He holds it in both hands and runs from the room.

I look around me at the other boys. They all turn away and busy themselves with changing. I smile, that's right, don't mess with me.

I think about what just happened. All I can think is, that was fun! It felt so good! It seemed so… easy. I don't know why, but the result afterward, his blood, was even more satisfying. I was good at fighting, and I liked it! I thought about how evil I sounded to myself. Evil, but everything felt natural. Then I knew, this blood lust was inside every man.

Nick's pov:

Prim and I, as usual, avoided our lockers until the end of the day. We open each others lockers, as has been tradition for the last four weeks. I pull out Prim's outfit and grit my teeth. Role playing.

It was a short black dress that spans out far. A white apron and lace tights come with it. "You're a maid," I finally say.

I turn to her. She is still admiring my costume from inside the locker. She's trying to hold it back and cover her mouth with her hand, but she's in hysterics. She gasps for breath, "Well, you have a shirt this time!"

"What am I?"

She tries to speak but her laughter keeps interrupting her. After waiting a good long while, I take a step over to see for myself. I stare at it with horror. The green hat and feather, the short shorts meant to be pulled up high, the plain white shirt, the decorative suspenders, "A yodeler?"

She laughs and nods her head, "Uh huh."

I feel like screaming, "Really? A yodeler? This is by far the worst costume I have ever gotten!"

Prim throws her costume into her bag, lets me do the same, and takes my hand while we walk across the street to get Thresh, all the while, she is laughing. "I can't breath!" She coughs out in between violent giggles.

"Don't hurt yourself there."

Finally, she calms herself to the point of just a few giggles. Thresh walks out with a cocky smile; that's my boy. He must of done good today.

Prim ruffles his hair, "Looks like someone had a good day."

He smiles brightly, "Sure did."

When we reach the house, Prim excuses herself to the bathroom. Thresh smiles at me, "Dude, I broke his nose!"

My jaw literally drops, "Holy crap Thresh! Did you get into any trouble?"

"No, not yet anyways."

"Oh my gosh I can't-" Prim came out of the bathroom and we pretend to busy ourselves in the kitchen cupboards.

Prim comes out and fixes herself a plate of nachos. We all steal a couple of bites. A couple of hours pass. I look at the clock on the oven, "Oh, crap, Prim we have to go!"

She looks really scared, "Why, what time is it?"

"Fifteen till, we'll have to run!"

Thresh gets confused, "You have to run to go camping?"

Prim grabs her bag from the counter, "Getting a ride with some friends, if you're late they leave you." She kisses Thresh on the cheek, "Bye, love you!"

He mumbles the words, "Yeah, I love you too."

I wave over my shoulder, "See ya little man!"

We're out the door. We run as fast as we can to the train station. I feel like we've made it in time, but something is off. I can tell Prim feels it too. She looks behind her and stands speechless.

"This is where you guys go camping?" Thresh had followed us.

Prim was frantic, "Thresh, you have to leave!"

"Why should I?"

I can hear the train starting to close in, "Prim, we're running out of time!"

"Thresh, you have to go. If they see you… you just have to go. You need to hide. I'll explain when I get home but for now, get out of here."

Thresh stands there inquisitively. He was trying to test Prim, "What's with the train?"

By now, tears were falling down Prim's cheeks, "Please Thresh, just run. I'll answer all your questions when I get back."

The train was getting closer, it's not too far away now. "THRESH, LEAVE!" I was surprised that this was not Prim, but my own voice making the command. He stands there in shock at my ferocity but then hides behind an old abandoned building just as the train pulls up.

We get on to the usual train cart. Lily and Lilac run to their crying friend, "Prim, Primalyn, what's wrong?" Primalyn was their little nickname for her.

"Nothing, I'm okay now. Thresh just followed us, and I was afraid they would see him, you know?"

They all nod in sympathy, "He hid in time," I say.

I walk over and sit down on the couch next to Kenyan, "Hey Dude, what's up?" He seemed just as pissed off as usual. What the heck, didn't we find him his Jessica? "So what's wrong with the world today?"

He points to the chair next to him. Jessica lay in it asleep, "They decided to have her come from now on."

"Oh, bummer."

He nods sadly, "How can you stand it with Prim?"

I shake my head sadly, "I've learned to keep everything as two different lives. Here, Prim is not Prim."

He nods like he understands but I know he doesn't.

The conductor's voice comes over the intercom and we all change into our costumes. Everyone gets a kick out of mine.

Finally, we reach the Capitol.

Prim's pov:

I let the guards lead me to tonight's home. I don't even listen to the guy as he tries to introduce himself. I blackout early. Good, the less I remember, the better.

Morning comes and I wake before the man. I scowl at his ugly face. He's actually not that ugly, he just seems that way to me.

I find his TV room and look through his tapes. I search over and over and over again, but I can't find one Hunger Games Tape.

I feel sad, like I haven't accomplished anything, and I haven't.

When the time comes, I am taken back to the train. I find Nick, his arms are crossed over his chest like he's trying to keep warm, "I couldn't find any," I admit.

He uncrosses his arms and pulls out two thin discs, "That's ok, I got both."

I smile widely and kiss him, "I love you!"

Wow, long chapter. Reviews! And they finally have the tapes! MERRY CHRISTMAS!