A/N: Nope, I haven't forgotten about this story! Been working on Large Eyes series. Enjoy some college football... in the spring :)
"That's not permanent marker is it?" Johanna asked looking at the black silhouettes of an eagle painted on Rue and Prim's cheek.
"No. It's Tammy's stage makeup. She's a theater major." Prim explained.
"Well, this one year, a girl painted Panem University Eagles on her forehead for homecoming in black marker and a month later -"
"Hey, was that you?" Rue asked. "Thresh said he saw you and took a picture while you were in the dining hall. Of course he didn't know your name then." Blushing darkly, Jo left the girls' bathroom. Soon Prim and Rue met Thresh in the lobby. "I told Jo that you took her picture and showed me."
"The Panem Eagles Rule picture?" Thresh laughed as he walked the freshman girls to his car. "Yeah, she made The Collegian for that. It. Was. Awesome!" He drove west if the campus to a football stadium nestled against the foothills. A large E was made out of whitewashed stones laying on the face of one of the hills directly behind the stadium.
"Greetings!" Cressedia, the student reporter Prim and Rue saw during orientation called as she beckoned her two friends with professional grade video cameras over to the parking lot filling with students. "Nice face paint! Is it -"
"Not permanent marker!" Rue and Prim called. One of the camera-men shifted his camera and signed something to the other crew member who began laughing.
"Some girl one year used permanent marker on her face and got in the paper. " Cressida explained before one of the camera men signed something and pointed to Cressida. "Pollux, do you have to tell everyone it was my picture?" She yelped as she signed to the camera man who was smiling at her.
"My bro likes to brag on you, you should be used to it now, Cress." The other student filmer added as well as signed to keep his brother in the conversation. "I'm Castor." The six students made introductions before Prim spotted Katniss and Peeta's truck pulling into the parking lot with a grumpy looking Gale in the back.
"Better let you get back to your filming! Nice to meet you!" Prim said before hurrying to Peeta's truck. "Hi Kat! Hi Peeta and Gale!" The truck rocked back and forth slightly as Katniss and Peeta began a brief make out session.
"HEY!" Gale yelled slapping his palms against the back window of the truck's cab. "BREADBOY! YOU'RE GONNA MISS THE GAME!" Ignoring the giggles from Rue and Prim, Gale hopped down from the bed of the truck and gave the side of the truck one last kick. Peeta and Katniss emerged from the truck smiling and holding hands. Peeta was dressed in his crisp new Panem Eagles football uniform.
"You're on the team?" Prim gasped.
"Yes, he his." Katniss gushed looping her arm around Peeta's. "Just began practice last week! One of the freshmen sprained his ankle in practice and is out for a while and Cato talked him into joining since he was in wrestling in high school."
"Come on, guys! Let's check the place out!" Thresh called standing near his car.
"You must be Peeta Mellark!" Cressida called as she, Castor, and Pollux approached the group. They noticed she began signing and talking as her camera crew focused on her. Prim assumed it was so Pollux would know what she was saying as he was filming her "I'm out here greeting students when who should I see but the newest addition to the Panem Eagles, Peeta Mellark! Peeta, how do you feel about joining the team?"
"Fine, I guess." Peeta replied. as the cameras focused on his face. "I have my girlfriend, her best friend, my girlfriend's sister and roommate as supporters, so I suppose I can't go wrong." As the cameras focused on Peeta's little crew, Gale accidentally-on-purpose picked his nose. Prim and Rue noticed Cressida was signing his responses to Pollux.
"Well, I guess I should let you all get to the field! We have a scrimmage to play!" The group climbed the cement stairs into the stadium. Groups of students were sitting on the metal bleachers talking and taking pictures of each other with their phones.
"HEY GUYS!" One of the frat boys called where the rest of Alpha Kappa Delta sat. Peeta waved. "PEETA, GET OUT ON THE FIELD, MAN! Your girl and her friends can sit with us!"
"Where's Glimmer and - what's her name - Cato's girlfriend?" Prim asked a group of Tri-Delt girls behind the Alpha Kappa Delta group.
"Clove?" Another girl asked. "Oh, they're on the cheerleading team."
"Where's Gale?" Prim asked noticing an empty spot next to Katniss.
"Concession stand." Gale grunted holding three hot dogs and two red solo cups of beer. "Here, Catnip." He handed her a hot dog and cup of beer before devouring his first hot dog.
"Greetings Panem Eagles Fans and Panem University students!" The jumbotron at the end of field lit up to show Panem University President Snow wearing a Panem University sweatshirt over a button-up shirt. He was standing at a podium in the commentator booth. "Welcome to our first scrimmage of the year where our football team will hone their skills and prepare for the season!" The students cheered and clapped. "We are quite proud of our athletics here at Panem University and strive to be the best in our conference! Our Assistant Coordinator of Student Atheletics, Seneca Crane will be your master of ceremony." President Snow stepped aside to let a man in his mid thirties wearing jeans and a Panem University t-shirt take the mic.
"Greetings everyone! Go Panem Eagles!" Seneca called as everyone cheered. "Ok, quick shout-outs to a few people who made this event possible then we'll get the game started! Thank you Professor Wright and his girl - ahem - I mean graduate student Wiress Carpenter for getting this jumbotron working!" The students laughed and cheered as the cameras zoomed in on Professor Wright and Wiress who were in the faculty seats. Their smiling faces and clasped hands were on the jumbotron for a second before the view switched back to Seneca. "And we have our guest commentator: Health and Exercise Sciences grad student: Finnick Odair!" All the girls in the audience cheered as Finnick Odair approached the microphone wearing a tight fitting Panem University shirt accentuating his muscles. Pulling off his shirt, he grinned as the cameras zoomed in on the Panem Eagles mascot painted on his chest.
"Aaaaaall riiiiiiiight! Everyone, lets put our hands in the air! Wave them back and forth - GO PANEM EAGLES! Yeah! Wave those arms - use those shoulders - haha - sorry, getting into trainer mode! Let's greet our team!" The crowed cheered as the football players ran out onto the field. The visiting team came out onto the field. "Now, for the coin toss - we'll see if it's heads -" Finnick ran a hand through his hair. "Or - Tails!" he called before turning around and shaking his backside accentuating his very short Panem University running shorts. The students cheered as the Panem Eagles got first possession of the ball and made several good fieldgoals and touchdowns for the first half.
"There's Peeta! There's my Pete!" Katniss squealed as Peeta caught the ball to give the Eagles a first-down at the 30 yard line. Gale chose that moment to refill his beer at the concession stand.
"YEAH, ALPHA KAPPA DELTA BROTHERS! GO CATO! GO MARVEL! GO PEETA!" The frat cheered.
"Go Eagles! Yeah!" Prim and Rue squealed as the Panem Eagles scored a touchdown.
"And that finishes our first scrimmage! Panem Eagles win it 27 to 20!" Finnick Odair called. "Thanks for coming, guys! Let's give our Eagles a hand!" Everyone cheered and clapped.
"Hey guys, Party at the frat this evening!" Cato called from the sidelines.
"Your roommate's sister will watch you two?" Thresh asked Rue while giving Katniss a significant look.
"Yeah. Of course." Katniss said rolling her eyes. "I always have Prim's back."
"Unless, of course, you decide to make out with breadboy!" Gale muttered before releasing an almighty belch.
"Shut up, Gale! Yeah, you two can come if you want. I got your backs." Katniss replied as Rue and Prim exchanged glances.
"Oooooh! Football game followed by a frat party! College is cool!" Rue gushed as everyone laughed.