Hey lovelies! So due to the nice reviews I received last night I got really encouraged to do the next chapter, so here it is! I hope you enjoy guys!
Chapter two
I stare at the screen for what seems like an eternity, did he just... say my name? I feel my cheeks heating up and lower my head. The crowd burst into hushed whispers and I can feel every pair of eyes on me. "Her? What's so special about her?" What is so special about me? Peeta could easily have won the heart of any District 12 girl but no, he chooses to want mine. My breathing becomes fast and the hushed voices become too loud. I bolt from the square, away from prying stares just as I hear Caesar finish the interview.
"Thank you Peeta, Peeta Mellark! The boy on fire!" and the crowd goes wild.
I don't stop running until I've reached the door to my house, I throw myself down on my hard bed and bury my face in the deer skin throw, not caring that it prickles my cheeks. Peeta Mellark... The boy on fire... loves me? No. He didn't say that. It is probably just a childhood crush and if he comes out victorious he will have an array of girls throwing themselves at his feet and will forget all about me. I wasn't particularly pretty, I didn't smile that often and I didn't speak much to anyone. How on earth could he have feelings for me?
I hear my mother and Prim enter the house, they are whispering . I pretend to be asleep, they know that I'm not but they know better than to talk to me when I'm like this so for a while they nibble on more of the berries I had picked before climbing into the bed they share and drifting to sleep.
I try to join them, to sooth myself into some kind of sleep but it seemed impossible, my heart was beating too fast and my mind raced. I kept replaying it in my head over and over, "Wait for me ...Katniss."
I want to see him again.
-x—
The morning came and I had successfully picked half of the wooden beam away next to my bed. Since sleep would not come I had to find another way to occupy myself, I had gotten tired of replaying that moment in my head because every time I did my stomach just seemed to do flips and if it continued I was sure I would be sick, being sick is not something you can afford in the Seam. Who knows when you will next eat?
I hear a gently knock at the door, I know it will be Gale. It's time to go hunting but to be honest for the first time, I don't want to go. I know he will bring up the subject and I'm not as guarded around Gale as I am with other people, he may be able to see how I'm really feeling about all of this. That is something I do not want, he had a way of understanding how I was feeling before I did.
I had to go, I had none of the rabbit left from yesterdays hunt and my mother and prim would be hungry when they woke. I slid off of the bed and didn't bother to get changed, I was still wearing what I wore last night so I just slid my hunting boot on, grabbed my game bag and headed for the door. Gale stands leaning lazily on the wooden fence as I step outside and begin walking in the direction of the woods with no more than a "Hey". Gale jogs to catch up with me, "You're not looking too good today Catnip, sure you want to be going out?" He asks, careful with his words. I scowl and walk faster. We reach the gap in the fence without another word and I climb through it and instantly feel better. The woods, my safe haven, the place where all my problems and worries would disappear.
We grab our weapons and go to check the traps that we left the day before and discover we have caught a rabbit and two squirrels. It was a good start but Gale had four mouths to feed and I had two, we needed more.
Our hunt was very successful, an hour later we had another rabbit and a wild turkey, this would do at least until tomorrow. We decided to sit in our usually spot, on a hill under a willow tree, and munch on the last piece of rabbit from the day before; we have been silent since we entered the woods.
"How are you feeling?" Gale asks casually, but I know exactly what he means, he's really asking how I feel about what happened last night.
"Fine." I snap. I don't want to talk about it, not to him. The air become silent once again and I begin to relax.
"What will you do if he wins?" Gales voice has dropped, it sounds deeper, more serious.
"I don't know Gale!" I complete loose what little patience I already had and stand, hurrying back into the woods, Gale is behind me his step quick to keep up with me and he calls my name. I ignore it and continue, I don't want to have this conversation and don't want to speak to him about this. I let out a startled yelp as he grabs my arm and pulls me to face him.
"Do you like him?" He stares into my eyes and I remain silent. Do I like him?
I hear Gale growl, low in his throat like a possessive animal and his grip on my arm tightens. Before I understand what is happening he is leaning towards me, I feel his breath on my lips and my eyes widen. Before they connect I drag myself away putting a few feet between us. For a while we stare at each other and say nothing.
"I see..." He lowers his head and I turn and run towards the fence only stopping the throw my bow in its usual hiding place.
-x—
I arrive home and take a moment to gather my thoughts, my head was spinning, Gale just tried to kiss me, he looked so heart broken when I pulled away. I take my boots off outside, as they are covered in mud and that's when I realise that Gale had been carrying the game we had caught today, I sigh and storm into the house and when I look up I instantly freeze. There sat around my table was my mother, Prim and Effie Trinket. What in the world was Effie Trinket doing here?
"Katniss... you have a visitor" My mother says slowly, she glances down at my game bag and I shake my head slightly and she seems to relax. No evidence of where I had been. Effie jumps up and envelops me in a hug, she smells so strongly of perfume I almost sneeze. She pulls back but her hands remain on my shoulders and she is studying me.
"So you are her? You are the one my tribute has fallen so desperately in love with? How wonderful! Such a pretty young girl, come sit, your mother has just made tea!" She guides me over to the table and I sit facing her. She looks so out of place in our run down wooden home, with her bright pink wig, whitened face and over the top dress sense.
"What are you doing here Miss Trinket?" I ask, the words laces with confusion and caution, whatever the reason it can't be good.
"Well my dear, you will be excited to know I have been sent here on orders of president snow himself!" I flinch at the mention of his name; there is no one in the world I hated more then President Snow.
"What would President snow want with me?" I ask, almost scared of the answer, he was not a kind man, I mean he did send 24 children to their death every year. He didn't want me to join Peeta in the games did he? No...That had never happened and plus all the preparations had already been done, the games started tomorrow morning.
"Well Haymich came up with the most wonderful idea! Today you will be getting a real treat! A makeover from Peeta's very own prep team!" She pauses and I lift an eyebrow. Was this all just so I look good for if Peeta returns? No sometimes the games can go on for weeks, surely anything they do today will have gone by then.
"You will be transformed into the beauty you were meant to be, so you are all ready for tonight, when the film crew arrives" She stares at me with a huge smile on her face, like she expected me to squeal with excitement.
"...Film crew?!" I manage to splutter out.
"Yes dear! Tonight you will addressing the nation, and more importantly Peeta with a response to his heart wrenching confession on last night's interviews!" Now she is squealing with excitement, and I am left with my mouth agape. I had to do what?...No no no no no no. I couldn't. I can't. Effie must have noticed my panic and grabbed my hand in hers.
"Whatever is the matter my dear, this is your chance to tell him how to feel before he goes into the arena! Oh how the sponcers will flood in when the capitol watches tonight, the story of the star cross lovers of District 12!" She says dreamily and something clicks in my head. Sponsors...that's what Peeta needs to survive, it's what he needs to win. I take a moment to think and glance at my mother the sister, my mother's expression is blank however Prim is looking at me with hope. She wants me to do this?
"W...When do we start?" I ask and I see My mother and Prim actually recoil with surprise.
Effie smiles and takes my hand. "Right away."
-x—
I scrunch my face up in discomfort as another strip is pulled from my leg. If I was going to be clothed why did I need to be completely void of hair everywhere other then my head and eyebrows? I had been washed down four times up to now and for the last hour I had lay on a cold steel table they brought in while they plucked and waxed my entire body. After a while you think you'll get used to the pain, but you really don't.
The prep team were funny looking, like just about everyone in the capitol. They had not really spoken to me all that much, but that's probably because Effie had been flitting around all morning making sure everything was running smoothly.
As, what I hoped would be the last strip, was pulled away Effie clapped her hands a few times. "Now for hair and makeup!" I sighed heavily, the hair I didn't mind but make up? I had never worn that in my life but Effie seemed positively ecstatic about it so I tried my best to not look completely reluctant.
I am pulled up by the prep team and placed in a chair surrounded by bright shining lights, I squint and it takes a few minutes before my eyes adjust to the lights, two of the prep team have already started to work on my hair while the other begins to carefully sculpt my face with a light powder. I look out of the corner of my eye as Prim sits on the kitchen table watching the prep team work their magic, she smiles at me and takes another bite out of a small green coloured cake she had taken from the three huge plates of food the prep team had brought in with them. Just for a 'snack' they had said, the food trays were big enough to feed my family for a week, probably longer if it would keep.
I sit there for an hour before they finally allow me to stand and stretch my legs, I don't get much of a break because suddenly Effie is rushing me into a separate room when a dress hangs up ready for me to put on. It is orange, not a bright orange but soft like the sunset.
"This is his favourite colour. My girl, if he wasn't already madly in love with, just wait until he sees you in this!" She grins and tells me to drop the soft while dressing gown they had provided. I do and Effie helps me slip into the dress, and then into a pair of high heeled shoes. I stumble a little before I begin to get the hang of walking in them, he ached terribly already. How did Effie walk around like this all day?
I turn to face her and Effie takes a breath and covers her mouth with her hand, she's very dramatic. "Katniss, you are absolutely stunning." She guides me to a full length mirror she had set up and I must admit, I gasp when I look into it. My dark brown hair is free from its usual braid and is cascading down my back in beautiful curls, at the top my hair has been plaited across the top of my head to keep my hair off of my face. And my face, well my face looks radiant, my skin look flawless and the make up around my eyes is subtle but effective with oranges and browns finished off with eye liner that extends out towards my temple and fake eyelashes. My cheeks are light pink and look healthy and my lips are coated in a similar shade of pink gloss.
I look down at my dress next, It has simple thin straps and fit the top half of my body perfectly, making my waist look tiny, as the dress reached just below my waist it begins to flow out and stops just before my knees. I look cute, I look sweet. I look, like how I would imagine a girl worthy of Peeta to look.
I walk back into the other room and Effie helps me walk as I still am shaky in the heels, she babbles on about how wonderful the whole thing is going to be and how I will be sat during the interview and not to worry about staying steady on my feet. Why do I have to wear them if I'm sat? I refrain from actually asking because I don't want to set her off on a rant of how a lady should present herself.
As I walk into the room I hear my mum choke a sob back and Prim gasps and runs towards me. "Katniss, you look beautiful!" She looks at me in awe and I smile. "Thanks little duck". My mother stumbles towards us and looks at me for the longest time before pulling me into a tight hug. I ignore Effie fussing, asking my mother to be careful of my hair and enjoy the mother daughter moment we were sharing. I pull away just at the film crew burst through the door, bringing in box after box of equipment.
"We need to be ready to go in 20!" Effie exclaims and turns to me. "Relax my sweet girl, have something to eat and think about what you want to say to him. This may be your last chance." She says softly. I nod and take a seat at the table as Effie flits away to oversee the set up of the cameras. How can I eat at a time like this? My stomach feels like a whirled pool and my hands are beginning to shake. This has all happened so fast. What should I say? What can I say? Prim sits down next to me and takes hold of one of my hands, she too sweet to mention how sweaty they are. "Speak from your heart Katniss." She simply says but that is something I have always struggled with all my life.
20 minutes fly by and all of a sudden I am sat on a chair provided by a man who seems to be some sort of director. Effie instructs me how to sit, slightly to the side with my hands placed on my lap. I notice four different cameras trained on me and wince slightly. The director does last minute checks and seems to be happy with the camera angles and lighting. I hear Panems Anthem begin to play and stare into the small screen that is set up slightly to the left of the camera what is stationed right in front of me as Caeser Flickerman appears on the screen.
"People of Panem! We have a very special treat for you tonight. After the Distinct 12 tribute Peeta Mellark finished his interview with myself last night we were all left wondering who is this girl? This 'Katniss' who has won the heart of one of our favourite tributes of this year's Hunger games?" He pauses for effect and grins.
"Well at the request of President Snow himself, we have a surprise for you. For tonight we have an exclusive interview with the young girl herself! Miss Katniss Everdeen All the way from District 12! Katniss! Can you hear me?" I stare at the screen at it splits into two and reveals me, I look beautiful and terrified.
"...Y..yes Caesar, I hear you." I hear an audience screaming my name, and Caesar leans back in his chair and gasps.
"Well Katniss, I thought you would have to be beautiful to catch Peeta's eyes but I never expected this, you look radiant my dear!" He exclaims and I open and close my mouth a few times, unsure of what to say, I look completely bewildered.
"Ah... Thank you Caesar, Its all thanks to Effie, and the prep team though." I mutter.
"So humble! The prep team can only do so much Katniss, you must have been beautiful to begin with, isn't she beautiful folks?!" I hear the audience cheer and cry out again, It gives me a little more confidence.
"So Katniss..." Caesar says, bringing the interview back to its purpose. "Can you, if you will, please explain how you felt when Peeta volunteered on the day of the reaping?" He asks softly.
I swallow spit that has gathered in my mouth and look at the floor.
"I was devastated." I almost whisper, I'm surprised Caesar even heard me.
"Why is that Katniss?" He pushes.
"Because I never got the chance to...We never..." I stumble over my words, and I can feel my face heating up.
"Never got the chance to what?"
"To thank him, he did something for me a long time ago and we never..." There a lump in my throat the size of a bowling ball, I can feel my eyes beginning to fill with tears that are threatening to spill down my cheeks. I hold them back. I will not let myself seem weak, not on live television.
"Oh Katniss my dear" He comforts me and I give him a small smile.
" If he were here now, what would you like to say to him. Take as long as you need."
"I would tell him to fight as hard as he can to come home. I would...Peeta, thank you. I'm sorry I never said it before but you saved my life. I've never met anyone as selfless as you but please, be selfish in that arena and come home." I plead into the camera and have to pause, I'm getting too emotional. Its only when I pause I realise how quite it is, you could hear a pin drop. Everyone is hanging on my every word. I glance at Effie who is mouthing the words kiss to me. It takes a second but I realise what she's referring too and look back into the camera.
"You promised you would greet me with a kiss. Well I am waiting Peeta, My boy on fire." I can barely believe the words coming from my mouth. Caesar leans forward in his chair.
"Katniss, Peeta will be watching this right now, and I'd bet my buttons he is going to fight to the last second to see you again now. Thank you Katniss sharing this special moment with us. Katniss Everdeen everyone!" The crowd cheers so loudly I cannot hear anything else in the room I wave and the camera shuts down. Effie squeals in delight and rushes to me. "That was perfect!" Everyone congratulates each other on a job well done and I just stare blankly at the screen. Somehow I don't think that being a favourite of the capitol is going to do me any favours but if it helps Peeta, to repay him. I would do anything.
-x—
Peetas POV.
I sit staring wide eyes at the screen; I don't think I've taken a breath in the whole two minutes she was on the air. Katniss spoke about me, spoke to me and I couldn't believe it. I manage to pull my eyes away as Caesar began to chat away about the other tributes interviews last night. I run a hand threw my blonde hair and allow it to fall into my eyes. I was in utter shock, In all honesty I would have thought as soon as Katniss saw my interview she would have cursed me for embarrassing her. I didn't think she'd remembered that day in the rain, or cared. But she did... She is waiting for me. To be honest I had only said those things in my interview to get it off my chest, I knew I had little chance of winning and I wanted her to know how I feel before... Well, before I die.
But now. Now this changes everything. Katniss Everdeen is waiting for me and I will kill every tribute in that arena myself if I have to. For the chance to get back to her I would do anything.
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