p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4e3b6f9a0ec93941b64efc416638db4c"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Rye/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="88371afcbd434e0ed8c2f47054652169""Hit it! Yep, right there," Kline yelled at Delly, watching intently as her sister gripped one of the pikes–made out of old parchment rolls–and swung toward Peeta. Peeta dodged out of the way, almost losing his balance had Rye not been there with a steadying hand, and Delly quickly pivoted back again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6b894ffb1069a78c9c6b219dfeef785a""Up, Peeta!" Rye shouted and Peeta followed his direction, moving his pike upward and blocking Delly's blow. "Nice, nice!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9ddfd915fc37538d2fde87350fa797ce"For a second, while Peeta had switched onto the offense, Rye's gaze fell on Kline, admiring the way she grinned and cheered her sister on./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fa23a6e9b4fdbffc2bc3956d8f56a293"He didn't know when it happened, but Kline snuck up on him. One moment, they were just two friends hanging out on the roof of her parents' shop and the next thing he knew, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen because the stars were shining in her eyes and she was looking at him with the softest and prettiest smile he had ever seen. And before he knew it, he was leaning forward, capturing her lips with his. He had kissed many girls and even a few boys, but this was the best kiss he'd had. Her lips were soft and she smelt good, like clean soap and the oil that he knew she used in her hair, and everything just felt em style="box-sizing: border-box;"right/em./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="46b73a7f59a6842ddbed72c34f930b29"They weren't dating but there wasn't any reason in particular as to why that was. Kline defined their current relationship status as "more-than-friends" and that they would see where this thing between them went. Rye was happy with that. He respected her wants and honestly, he wanted to take this slow, too. They were friends for their whole lives, so it could be an adjustment to transition from friends to significant others./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3c8c606187fc102dc2348de60fbd9780"Kline raised an eyebrow at his admiration and he just smirked at her and winked, happy to see the warm smile that parted her lips. Rye turned his attention back to Peeta and Delly and was pleased to see that they were pretty evenly matched. Delly was quicker on the draw than Peeta, but Peeta was stronger with his strikes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="025d65cea31d333a8cffca95f8f33761"Rye glanced at his watch. They had five more minutes before they had to meet Rose on the roof./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a862832ac24d08c07138d2dd23d5f87a""Alright, let me and Kline give it a go," Rye clapped./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d172f2f94c82c8551ad38ddac3a6aee5"Peeta and Delly grumbled but passed on their pikes. Rye situated his hands on the makeshift weapon and adjusted his stance, watching as Kline did the same./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7a0c393532270659b58675686e413744""Ready...Set...Go!" Peeta cheered./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e45e07bbced28f0a83d83502e7762d14"Rye swung the pike immediately. Kline jumped to block the blow and pushed down and about, raising her own weapon to get back at him. Rye stepped back quickly and ducked and shot forward, hitting Kline in the shin./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5ef61da429d91fa6e44711f9fbb4aa24""Gotcha," Rye smirked at her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c95f681510fe922445843d95a1976fa5""Bite me, Rye."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f8a83947a0c41865fac1fe8cc92755d5""Is that an offer, sweetheart?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="022f580464de0732e352cf4591d85ecc"Kline laughed and swung her pike; Rye quickly blocked her hit but she pivoted easily, going low. He tried jumping and if he had gone an inch higher or started a second earlier, he wouldn't have gotten hit. Almost falling, Rye righted himself and nodded./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7c058b55432299150722fc77c78293d6""Again. C'mon."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e680044b88f304aa8033116772d4b073"They went again and this time, they took a couple of seconds to go back and forth, taking turns on offense and defense as they sparred together. By the time that their five minutes was up, they were both laughing as they tried to tag each other's sides./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9abc63386a2a63fdaf01cd79f791007d""We've got to head back," Kline handed Peeta her parchment roll. "Tell Rosie that I'll meet her in line tomorrow. Good luck, guys. May the odds be em style="box-sizing: border-box;"ever /emin your favor."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a9724d20f3cf508ae599f9e26afd39f1""Walk home safe," Peeta and Rye said together; it was the same thing they said every night and it had become a tradition between them all, whether it was the Cartwright sisters walking home, or the Mellark siblings going back to the bakery./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6a74727c4294dedb18ac68581ec15172"Kline and Delly made their way out of the back alley, whispering their goodbyes to the hogs in the pen as they passed them. Rye and Peeta waited until they were gone and put the parchment pikes in their hiding place, just inside the small, covered shed that they shared with the business next door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0a8a56205b9223c36be75b33d23ca21e"With the pikes successfully hidden, they started climbing up the fire escape that connected their apartment and the one next door to the roof and the ground. A few years back, Peeta was a very clumsy kid and almost tumbled off at the halfway mark of the escape. Luckily, Rye had been underneath him and was able to catch him, but ever since, he was always last to climb up the escape./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c6325180d8dead0a407841c96d89473c"Rose must have heard the metal of the fire escape scraping against the brick walls as they climbed, because she popped her head out over the roof ledge, her blonde braid falling off her shoulder./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7cafd00f73c9a23a17068f92d9ef8d91""Finally," she called. "You're late."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="82ba0d0201ef233180a866cdc1ea2d18"Rye didn't have to look at his watch to know she was right. "Only by a minute."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="03e154b81355157ee3f88e089296cfad""It's always a minute with you two," he saw her reach for Peeta's arms and help him clamber over the roof ledge. "I thought you were going to miss it."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2588de0e0b7e0c43ba5671c6b6f6c7a1""We could never miss a Sunday sunset," Peeta told her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="04e1faa4975467dce3ff40980321516c"Rye finished climbing the ladder and joined his siblings, careful to step away from the weakened spots in the roof that they had marked off years ago when Rye almost fell through one night./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="55523138f97ac003778a8cb75d445944"Every Sunday, when it wasn't super cold or raining, they'd climb onto the roof to watch the sun set. They'd stay out until they were able to point out their favorite constellation of the week and then snuck back in through Rose and Peeta's window. It was a good time to decompress from the week and get ready for the new one. They'd tell stories about interesting things that had happened that week, and what they were looking forward to in the next one. Sometimes, if the bakery leftovers permitted it, they would eat slices of sweet bread or pastries that Rose had hidden./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e655c84b109ad11bd25201d3e936cd8a"It was Rye's favorite time of the week, and he knew that Rosemary and Peeta held it in very high regard as well. Rosemary was very serious about their tradition and went up early each week to set up the blankets and the small lantern they flicked on once the sun was sleeping for the night. Peeta loved watching the sun set down from the sky and through the mountains until they could see it no longer and Rosemary liked that moment when the sun was on its way out and the sky turned that special shade of blue, when there was still some of the reds and pinks and oranges in the sky, but the moon was visible and ready to keep watch for the night. Rye, of course, loved the stars and could watch them all night if he could. He enjoyed listening to Rose ramble about the names of stars and their origins while Peeta would study the sky, looking for a shooting star to come through. On the rare occasions that they did, he would let out an endearing cheer that made all of them smile until their cheeks hurt./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d4250cc0e333c38b725582bfc0a08095"The three of them sat on the flannel blanket Rose had set up to face the mountains. The sunset was beautiful on that typical summer night, with some dark purples mixing in with its usual colors. Peeta spoke quietly, his brown eyes focused on the mountains, about the book he had been reading lately, one of the forbidden ones hidden away in their basement. When he fumbled over some of the details, Rosemary quietly filled them in for him, practically repeating what the book said line for line. Rye took his turn and told them about his time spent with his buddy, Tisin, who would run around the square and the Seam with him to keep in good shape. Rosemary shared that she had started to fiddle with a new recipe that she found in her Nana Mellark's old cookbook, something with brown sugar and yellow cake./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="66a7b0fb41638abcf3e671a1c5f1ed00"They didn't want to talk about the most important part of the next week but they had to. They couldn't avoid it, especially since Peeta had just turned twelve and had become eligible for the Hunger Games./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fd2829843fabb9337f6bce7effc06b3a"Tomorrow, around noon, was the Reaping. From two pools, males and females assigned at birth, District 12's escort, Effie Trinket, would pick two names as that year's tributes. The unlucky children would say goodbye to their families–if they had any left– travel to the district's train station, and embark on a journey to the Capitol out west to be beautified, shown off, and then put into an arena to kill or be killed for entertainment. It was a death sentence for District 12 kids. If you were picked, you weren't coming back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6855fa846626498fb6f812b38e3a6fae"In the seventy years since the Hunger Games started, District 12 had only three Victors. Two were dead already and their third probably wanted to be dead. Haymitch Abernathy had won the second Quarter Quell, twenty years before, and spent more time drunk and asleep than sober and awake./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cb91fc76adfccb9970019e6c7277f0bb"That definitely didn't inspire confidence./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8fe7b70523b747c1b65cfa38d4a5cbc2""I'm scared."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7212ac9de92013acdd303af1c40fe7aa"They laid on their backs now, staring at the stars in the sky. They were particularly bright and Rye wondered if they shone just for them, a silent good luck for the next day./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3f77510779e4cd6714ba06a38d206a06""It's okay to be scared," Rosemary whispered to Peeta, who laid in the middle. Rye looked over just in time to see her brush some blonde hair away from their brother's forehead. It made his stomach churn with guilt, knowing that he should have been taking care of his siblings like they took care of each other./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a676c6c76934ea45331aa36be596278e""Totally," Rye swallowed the lump in his throat and quickly squeezed Peeta's shoulder. "To be fearful is to be human. And you're human, Peeta."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a6f19a1220aa2d794ff5191dfd46be53""He is?" Rose sat up slightly, a sarcastic smile curving her lips. "I thought he was a puppy."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9c9d329c19eaf84a227bd67c863dc718""Ha, I thought the same of you," Peeta shot back quickly, matching his sister's wit easily. "I'm pretty sure I saw you drinking from the sink the other day."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2463f81fa0e2788a5808c3a15040c455""I was washing my face, you jerk!" Rosemary laughed and laid back down with a loud sigh. "I'm scared too, Peeta."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ebfe89fb3317dc75cadc04f4f87f1881""Me too," Rye chimed in. "It's natural, especially when the odds are never in anyone's favor."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6326b40225acfe43e1bb11aac8c6a528""We're luckier than others, that's for sure," Rosemary shared a sad smile with Rye, both of them knowing of their privilege. "You see that constellation right there?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e8f4346161c6d509abe9c13cb328ba7c"Rosemary randomly pointed toward the sky./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4ec54f469f9eed4df2067019074f0cc4"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Which one?/em He snarked playfully to himself. There were many more than one constellation in the sky./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ea4d50393c22b905204debfa5fcf6cfb""Which one?" Peeta asked aloud, making Rye snort./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a271157ecea77a838703e9f238dd9b76"He could practically hear his sister roll her eyes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bcfef63f8be82344e47a4567845caacd""That one. It's got the curvy tail and the little fingers at the other end."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2840ec07e7487457d428339785d2f300"Rye found the constellation she was talking about; Scorpius./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="27b0eb3f474fe060610c444aacb1ac53""I see it."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1128c1c662e8b4fbefbab020a6157c76""Its name is Scorpius. It's named after the scorpion that killed Orion and they never appear in the sky at the same time. So, during the summer, we see Scorpius and in the winter, we see Orion."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f9debb8ebaea4fbbdd124ccee2688e1e""Orion is the archer?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1be896e99bb201377c05064be712ed19""Yeah," Rye confirmed, glad that Peeta remembered that. Orion was one of his favorite constellations. "He's the sky's protector."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b4341e37fcbaf44dd834584fecbc234f""He's actually the reason I mentioned Scorpius," Rosemary told them a little bit awkwardly. Clearly, she hadn't thought of a clever segway. "See, Orion was part of Greek Mythology. He was a hunter and a son of Poseidon. He was a great hero who faced a lot of hardships. And even though he was betrayed and tricked, and could sometimes be a little thick-headed..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="45d2bba94aa2c2dc77eda30c861ffb81""Long story short, he stepped on a scorpion and when he died, the gods felt bad for him so they made stars out of him," Rye finished. While he loved listening to Rose retell one of her books, she could get pretty detailed at times and he knew she had a point of why she was bringing Orion up to Peeta./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ccbed6a7367ee5650ee635451d12e747""Yes, he got stung and he died, but he still meant something. He em style="box-sizing: border-box;"still /emmeans something," Rosemary said passionately. "And this point would be a lot easier to make if he was in the summer sky, but he's not so you have to work with me, here."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="97f247c997d879b4ecbbad605ad7b500"Rye laughed. "We are picking up what you're putting down, Rosie."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4c0c6ca740196bab0b4e2fab6b96726e"Rosemary rolled her eyes while Peeta snickered. "He's a protector," she sighed, giving up, obviously frustrated that this was one of those times when she had trouble connecting her thoughts to actual words. "And he'll protect you, Peeta."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="25f72ae9e11d64576f7c1e2bfe49a440"They were all silent for a moment before Rye laughed again. "I love how only you could turn a beautiful notion into an awkward story."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9f5e225a88ccb30b0d4d5ee010a3c311"He could tell that Rosemary wanted to glare at him, but she started giggling instead, laughing at herself along with her brothers./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dc08525876412f8d6aaa0324b4c5f7b3""You're definitely not a poet, Mare," Peeta added. "But I appreciate the thought?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b7c59b299a5c0c322c4264f3849e2921""I hate both of you," she teased back at them. "And I hate metaphors."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e4a0c496342616aea864c6f5b6c04df1"Rye laughed again and looked back up at the dark sky, silently thanking the stars for his brother and sister./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="336d5ebc5436534e61d16e63ddfca327"-/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4a60d61eabbcdea8a2cbea26dec047e6"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Rosemary/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d7be6e60711006ccc0eac476b05e9839"Just like any teenager in the outlier districts, Rosemary dreaded Reaping Day every year. The fourth day of July always dawned with a nightmare that drenched her in cold sweat, riddled her with rampant nausea, and cursed her with shaky hands. There wasn't much she could do to help the prevention of the dreams, but she had her ways of coping; the memories of the nightmare went away the longer she was awake, dry crackers and water helped her stomach, and to cure her shaky hands, she put them to work. Usually she did this with knitting or baking and that day was no different./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="293956bcf4b65cbd3928f3c9cf47141b"She had already crumb coated the white cake in front of her, so she went about icing it completely. She layered a light blue buttercream onto the cake, smoothing out the edges and making everything even. Next she took some of the pale yellow icing that she had packed into a piping bag and made a border on top and on bottom. For a while, she focused on making flowers out of frosting with her flower nail, carefully taking scissors to transfer them onto the cake. She was very methodical about this process, going through the directions seared into her mind, as if she were reading the cake-decorating book that her Nana Mellark had inherited from her grandpa and had passed down to Rosemary's father. She didn't like imperfect flowers and she prided herself on being able to make decorations so flawlessly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0bace42b2a1c6c1feeb282e5406e4b2e"Once her flowers were placed in a bunch, almost like a bouquet, she went in with the greenery. She was just finishing up the bare stems when the kitchen door opened and her father stepped into the room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8bed7cf42eecb68bfebd65bb8cb742c8""There you are, Sparky. Rye's done with the bath. He took a little long, so you have to scoot and get cleaned up," he walked over to her station and looked over her shoulder, whistling lightly as she continued with a leaf tip."It's beautiful, Rosemary."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="613a7eb416287ebd539b978b0f6bfbe1""Thank you." Rosemary focused on her leaves, the tip of her tongue pressed between her teeth. She finished up quickly and cleaned up any errors she made. "Can you take this to Mother? She needs it for the case."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b337e376d0c81cdfc47ae57c31aa9bc9""Of course," Sage carefully picked up the cake. "And don't you dare try to clean up this mess. Your mother and I will deal with it while you take a bath. Understand?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8d21259f9dcb4b56c9f64516d02e1283""Understood," Rose huffed out a laugh./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d4155e58d97392de024d668948600ceb"She untied her apron and folded it neatly, setting it down on her stool like she always did at the end of the day. She went to follow her father out of the kitchen, but he paused before he went through the swinging door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5c7cec6eb8c607e3ff9491110c2257a5""You know I love you, right?" he turned around fully, careful to not bump her cake, to look at her. His eyes were the same brown that she and Peeta shared./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="37f019e35d5393506ea7d899013e20b2""I know," Rosemary gave him a closed-mouth smile, taken aback by his proclamation. It's not like he didn't say it often, because he did, but the desperation in his voice was loud and scary. "I love you too, Dad."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f600339b48a8ab01e3863612fae3a817"Sage silently stared at her for a couple of seconds and then nodded. He turned back around and entered the store to help Capri set up the bakery for its opening after the Reaping. Rosemary went in the opposite direction and headed upstairs./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5a36889b35337522b6ffc4667c626f1c"Rye and Peeta were in the living room, both of them freshly bathed, playing with their dad's old chess board. The pieces were chipped and the colors faded, but the boys adored playing together. It was usually something they did without Rosemary, but she was happy to leave them to it. Chess was a cool game for strategy, but she had her own hobbies that took up what little free time they had. She waved at them when she walked through straight to their room, where she grabbed her Reaping outfit./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3d438eaf1fe9b2fe167610180a2381c1"The floor of the bathroom was damp from two baths in a row, but she ignored it, knowing that it didn't matter once she cleaned up after herself. She let the tub fill up with lukewarm water and undressed before getting into the bath. She scrubbed her whole body from head to toe with her bar of soap and then went onto her hair, cleaning it thoroughly. Sufficiently covered in soap, she ducked down into the tub until she was fully submerged./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="312765934e19cb9b21a6495f58d52775"Once her body dried, she dabbed coconut oil into the ends of her hair, lamenting at her split ends, and started braiding it until it made a crown around her head. Next she went about dressing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="311934c99f81291c16e0c838e01a92e1"Her Reaping Day dress was the nicest item of clothing that she owned. It used to be a pale blue when her mother pulled it out of her late aunt's dresser, but now it was practically white. It was a simple wrap dress with a tie around the waist that gave her some kind of shape. She felt pretty when she was in it and she liked when she felt pretty./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fe4cde82c070398d4d5480e75514b8cf"There was nothing to do but wait until 11 o'clock now that she was dressed. While Sage and Capri cleaned up and dressed, Rosemary continued to watch Peeta and Rye play chess. Rye was winning, but Peeta was not terrible at the game at all. In fact, he made moves that she wouldn't have done, but they turned out each time. Finally, within fifteen minutes until 11:55, when everyone was required to line up, they left the bakery as a family. Rosemary gripped Peeta's hand tightly as they walked, both of their hands sweaty from nerves, toward the Justice Building across the square, where a stage had been set up the day before./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9ee478203f0616ec8aef0e62f3df2c85"The dusty, empty area in front of the Justice Building was crowded already. All of District 12 were required to attend, but if they weren't of Reaping age, they were able to watch from the back or in the streets around the square. The Mellark siblings said quick goodbyes to their parents and joined the check-in lines where everyone else their age was waiting to get their fingers pricked and their names checked out./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a2ea09369ffea0b9dc371f40eae9dc86""The prick just hurts a little bit," Rye told Peeta, who had paled at the sight of Peacekeepers at the end of the line. "Just a little blood sample to prove that you're you and not skipping out."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5259c49eaabd94947d88f7103b23995f""You don't even have to give them your name," Rosemary added. "When you're excused, you'll line up with the other boys your age toward the back. Rye will be at the front and I'll be on the other side."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0aded19ea52592cdc06144c9a33913d4"Rosemary and Rye's instructions seemed to help Peeta get through the check-in. Rosemary watched behind him as he held out his hand to the Peacekeeper, winced slightly when pricked, and then walked away from the table after his blood was smeared on the ledger. She kept her eyes on him as he walked to the 12-year-old boys, absentmindedly checking in. Before she left to stand in her own age group, she nodded at Rye, inhaling shakily at the nerves flipping through her stomach./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9fe9d17b2a482bbef3e9d923f8a899e5"She hated everything about this day./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="01b6c1d1a172105985ab0f0d12e6e09c"It was easy to find Kline in the line of 16-year-old girls, since she was the tallest of their year, so she took her place next to her best friend. Kline took her hand immediately. She looked as beautiful as always, Rosemary noted, with her Reaping dress and gold mockingjay pin./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cb3dd1808e77c77e2380add21464a3e6""It's gonna be okay," Kline breathed so only she could hear. Rose nodded and squeezed her hand, breathing deeply in order to ebb the panic brewing in her chest. She glanced at the boy's side and looked for her brothers, feeling relieved when she saw them in the right places. She would be even more relieved once they all got home./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9a7e1a8646a5c734f74c863a0d6d010a"Rosemary turned back to stage as the rest of the Reaping-aged children joined their age groups. Mayor Undersee was already on stage, sitting in a chair lined up with two others, one of which was filled by the district escort, Effie, and District 12's only remaining Victor, Haymitch Abernathy. Toward the front of the stage stood a microphone flocked on each side by large, glass bowls with hundreds of little white slips inside. They held the names that would be chosen./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6d8ce87af4d9ddde82dcd2f9157e46a0"Thankfully, Mayor Undersee started the Reaping ceremony right away. He recited the Treaty of Treason, going over the highlights outlined for him on a piece of paper, and went on and on about the Hunger Games and why they were made to punish the Districts that rebelled almost a century before. Finally, he introduced the Capitol-made propaganda video that they played every year; Rosemary and most of the other teenagers in the district could recite the video word for word./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ddf27ba65cf01889e806fa38f6666337"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"War. Terrible war.../em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b44f08c768ee2f8ba762cadcb1ce5bfa"Finally, the video ended and Mayor Undersee introduced Effie./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c3fe0587dd9c16a5d52d6a4ac0682154"Each district had an escort for the Hunger Games and Effie Trinket was theirs. She had started the year before, replacing an aging but enthusiastic man that only wore bowler hats, and the distastefulness in her voice the whole time she spoke let them all know exactly what she thought about District 12./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3014da00890ef74772b751eb8fead230"Effie, who was wearing a pale yellow wig that towered at least a foot above her head, pale green lipstick, and a matching tweed skirt and jeweled blouse, strutted up to the microphone in her ridiculously high heels./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e075263f5958e32c0393f869c621358b""Hello, hello!" She cooed in greeting, smiling widely at all the blank faces in the audience. "Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be em style="box-sizing: border-box;"ever /emin your favor."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="02b9caa4395682c02e358b8180a45add"She blinked before continuing, "Now the time has come for us to select one courageous man and woman for the honor of representing District 12 in the 70th Annual Hunger Games. As usual, ladies first."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="89e4af0009ba74b374596e57ae0b955d"Rosemary clutched her hands tightly behind her back, her nails digging into the callouses on her palms, as Effie slowly walked over to the large glass bowl on the female side and dipped her hand in. She swirled her fingers, indecisive, before picking up a slip, sealed shut with black tape./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3986ef1e5e29fee86f205753739d6012"She ripped open the slip and smoothed it out before looking into the crowd./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3438b056ff54b9556b7e959f53d1f3ff"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Rosemary Mellark."/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="88371afcbd434e0ed8c2f47054652169""Hit it! Yep, right there," Kline yelled at Delly, watching intently as her sister gripped one of the pikes–made out of old parchment rolls–and swung toward Peeta. Peeta dodged out of the way, almost losing his balance had Rye not been there with a steadying hand, and Delly quickly pivoted back again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6b894ffb1069a78c9c6b219dfeef785a""Up, Peeta!" Rye shouted and Peeta followed his direction, moving his pike upward and blocking Delly's blow. "Nice, nice!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9ddfd915fc37538d2fde87350fa797ce"For a second, while Peeta had switched onto the offense, Rye's gaze fell on Kline, admiring the way she grinned and cheered her sister on./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fa23a6e9b4fdbffc2bc3956d8f56a293"He didn't know when it happened, but Kline snuck up on him. One moment, they were just two friends hanging out on the roof of her parents' shop and the next thing he knew, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen because the stars were shining in her eyes and she was looking at him with the softest and prettiest smile he had ever seen. And before he knew it, he was leaning forward, capturing her lips with his. He had kissed many girls and even a few boys, but this was the best kiss he'd had. Her lips were soft and she smelt good, like clean soap and the oil that he knew she used in her hair, and everything just felt em style="box-sizing: border-box;"right/em./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="46b73a7f59a6842ddbed72c34f930b29"They weren't dating but there wasn't any reason in particular as to why that was. Kline defined their current relationship status as "more-than-friends" and that they would see where this thing between them went. Rye was happy with that. He respected her wants and honestly, he wanted to take this slow, too. They were friends for their whole lives, so it could be an adjustment to transition from friends to significant others./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3c8c606187fc102dc2348de60fbd9780"Kline raised an eyebrow at his admiration and he just smirked at her and winked, happy to see the warm smile that parted her lips. Rye turned his attention back to Peeta and Delly and was pleased to see that they were pretty evenly matched. Delly was quicker on the draw than Peeta, but Peeta was stronger with his strikes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="025d65cea31d333a8cffca95f8f33761"Rye glanced at his watch. They had five more minutes before they had to meet Rose on the roof./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a862832ac24d08c07138d2dd23d5f87a""Alright, let me and Kline give it a go," Rye clapped./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d172f2f94c82c8551ad38ddac3a6aee5"Peeta and Delly grumbled but passed on their pikes. Rye situated his hands on the makeshift weapon and adjusted his stance, watching as Kline did the same./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7a0c393532270659b58675686e413744""Ready...Set...Go!" Peeta cheered./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e45e07bbced28f0a83d83502e7762d14"Rye swung the pike immediately. Kline jumped to block the blow and pushed down and about, raising her own weapon to get back at him. Rye stepped back quickly and ducked and shot forward, hitting Kline in the shin./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5ef61da429d91fa6e44711f9fbb4aa24""Gotcha," Rye smirked at her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c95f681510fe922445843d95a1976fa5""Bite me, Rye."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f8a83947a0c41865fac1fe8cc92755d5""Is that an offer, sweetheart?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="022f580464de0732e352cf4591d85ecc"Kline laughed and swung her pike; Rye quickly blocked her hit but she pivoted easily, going low. He tried jumping and if he had gone an inch higher or started a second earlier, he wouldn't have gotten hit. Almost falling, Rye righted himself and nodded./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7c058b55432299150722fc77c78293d6""Again. C'mon."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e680044b88f304aa8033116772d4b073"They went again and this time, they took a couple of seconds to go back and forth, taking turns on offense and defense as they sparred together. By the time that their five minutes was up, they were both laughing as they tried to tag each other's sides./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9abc63386a2a63fdaf01cd79f791007d""We've got to head back," Kline handed Peeta her parchment roll. "Tell Rosie that I'll meet her in line tomorrow. Good luck, guys. May the odds be em style="box-sizing: border-box;"ever /emin your favor."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a9724d20f3cf508ae599f9e26afd39f1""Walk home safe," Peeta and Rye said together; it was the same thing they said every night and it had become a tradition between them all, whether it was the Cartwright sisters walking home, or the Mellark siblings going back to the bakery./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6a74727c4294dedb18ac68581ec15172"Kline and Delly made their way out of the back alley, whispering their goodbyes to the hogs in the pen as they passed them. Rye and Peeta waited until they were gone and put the parchment pikes in their hiding place, just inside the small, covered shed that they shared with the business next door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0a8a56205b9223c36be75b33d23ca21e"With the pikes successfully hidden, they started climbing up the fire escape that connected their apartment and the one next door to the roof and the ground. A few years back, Peeta was a very clumsy kid and almost tumbled off at the halfway mark of the escape. Luckily, Rye had been underneath him and was able to catch him, but ever since, he was always last to climb up the escape./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c6325180d8dead0a407841c96d89473c"Rose must have heard the metal of the fire escape scraping against the brick walls as they climbed, because she popped her head out over the roof ledge, her blonde braid falling off her shoulder./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7cafd00f73c9a23a17068f92d9ef8d91""Finally," she called. "You're late."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="82ba0d0201ef233180a866cdc1ea2d18"Rye didn't have to look at his watch to know she was right. "Only by a minute."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="03e154b81355157ee3f88e089296cfad""It's always a minute with you two," he saw her reach for Peeta's arms and help him clamber over the roof ledge. "I thought you were going to miss it."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2588de0e0b7e0c43ba5671c6b6f6c7a1""We could never miss a Sunday sunset," Peeta told her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="04e1faa4975467dce3ff40980321516c"Rye finished climbing the ladder and joined his siblings, careful to step away from the weakened spots in the roof that they had marked off years ago when Rye almost fell through one night./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="55523138f97ac003778a8cb75d445944"Every Sunday, when it wasn't super cold or raining, they'd climb onto the roof to watch the sun set. They'd stay out until they were able to point out their favorite constellation of the week and then snuck back in through Rose and Peeta's window. It was a good time to decompress from the week and get ready for the new one. They'd tell stories about interesting things that had happened that week, and what they were looking forward to in the next one. Sometimes, if the bakery leftovers permitted it, they would eat slices of sweet bread or pastries that Rose had hidden./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e655c84b109ad11bd25201d3e936cd8a"It was Rye's favorite time of the week, and he knew that Rosemary and Peeta held it in very high regard as well. Rosemary was very serious about their tradition and went up early each week to set up the blankets and the small lantern they flicked on once the sun was sleeping for the night. Peeta loved watching the sun set down from the sky and through the mountains until they could see it no longer and Rosemary liked that moment when the sun was on its way out and the sky turned that special shade of blue, when there was still some of the reds and pinks and oranges in the sky, but the moon was visible and ready to keep watch for the night. Rye, of course, loved the stars and could watch them all night if he could. He enjoyed listening to Rose ramble about the names of stars and their origins while Peeta would study the sky, looking for a shooting star to come through. On the rare occasions that they did, he would let out an endearing cheer that made all of them smile until their cheeks hurt./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d4250cc0e333c38b725582bfc0a08095"The three of them sat on the flannel blanket Rose had set up to face the mountains. The sunset was beautiful on that typical summer night, with some dark purples mixing in with its usual colors. Peeta spoke quietly, his brown eyes focused on the mountains, about the book he had been reading lately, one of the forbidden ones hidden away in their basement. When he fumbled over some of the details, Rosemary quietly filled them in for him, practically repeating what the book said line for line. Rye took his turn and told them about his time spent with his buddy, Tisin, who would run around the square and the Seam with him to keep in good shape. Rosemary shared that she had started to fiddle with a new recipe that she found in her Nana Mellark's old cookbook, something with brown sugar and yellow cake./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="66a7b0fb41638abcf3e671a1c5f1ed00"They didn't want to talk about the most important part of the next week but they had to. They couldn't avoid it, especially since Peeta had just turned twelve and had become eligible for the Hunger Games./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fd2829843fabb9337f6bce7effc06b3a"Tomorrow, around noon, was the Reaping. From two pools, males and females assigned at birth, District 12's escort, Effie Trinket, would pick two names as that year's tributes. The unlucky children would say goodbye to their families–if they had any left– travel to the district's train station, and embark on a journey to the Capitol out west to be beautified, shown off, and then put into an arena to kill or be killed for entertainment. It was a death sentence for District 12 kids. If you were picked, you weren't coming back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6855fa846626498fb6f812b38e3a6fae"In the seventy years since the Hunger Games started, District 12 had only three Victors. Two were dead already and their third probably wanted to be dead. Haymitch Abernathy had won the second Quarter Quell, twenty years before, and spent more time drunk and asleep than sober and awake./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cb91fc76adfccb9970019e6c7277f0bb"That definitely didn't inspire confidence./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8fe7b70523b747c1b65cfa38d4a5cbc2""I'm scared."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7212ac9de92013acdd303af1c40fe7aa"They laid on their backs now, staring at the stars in the sky. They were particularly bright and Rye wondered if they shone just for them, a silent good luck for the next day./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3f77510779e4cd6714ba06a38d206a06""It's okay to be scared," Rosemary whispered to Peeta, who laid in the middle. Rye looked over just in time to see her brush some blonde hair away from their brother's forehead. It made his stomach churn with guilt, knowing that he should have been taking care of his siblings like they took care of each other./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a676c6c76934ea45331aa36be596278e""Totally," Rye swallowed the lump in his throat and quickly squeezed Peeta's shoulder. "To be fearful is to be human. And you're human, Peeta."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a6f19a1220aa2d794ff5191dfd46be53""He is?" Rose sat up slightly, a sarcastic smile curving her lips. "I thought he was a puppy."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9c9d329c19eaf84a227bd67c863dc718""Ha, I thought the same of you," Peeta shot back quickly, matching his sister's wit easily. "I'm pretty sure I saw you drinking from the sink the other day."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2463f81fa0e2788a5808c3a15040c455""I was washing my face, you jerk!" Rosemary laughed and laid back down with a loud sigh. "I'm scared too, Peeta."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ebfe89fb3317dc75cadc04f4f87f1881""Me too," Rye chimed in. "It's natural, especially when the odds are never in anyone's favor."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6326b40225acfe43e1bb11aac8c6a528""We're luckier than others, that's for sure," Rosemary shared a sad smile with Rye, both of them knowing of their privilege. "You see that constellation right there?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e8f4346161c6d509abe9c13cb328ba7c"Rosemary randomly pointed toward the sky./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4ec54f469f9eed4df2067019074f0cc4"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Which one?/em He snarked playfully to himself. There were many more than one constellation in the sky./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ea4d50393c22b905204debfa5fcf6cfb""Which one?" Peeta asked aloud, making Rye snort./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a271157ecea77a838703e9f238dd9b76"He could practically hear his sister roll her eyes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bcfef63f8be82344e47a4567845caacd""That one. It's got the curvy tail and the little fingers at the other end."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2840ec07e7487457d428339785d2f300"Rye found the constellation she was talking about; Scorpius./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="27b0eb3f474fe060610c444aacb1ac53""I see it."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1128c1c662e8b4fbefbab020a6157c76""Its name is Scorpius. It's named after the scorpion that killed Orion and they never appear in the sky at the same time. So, during the summer, we see Scorpius and in the winter, we see Orion."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f9debb8ebaea4fbbdd124ccee2688e1e""Orion is the archer?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1be896e99bb201377c05064be712ed19""Yeah," Rye confirmed, glad that Peeta remembered that. Orion was one of his favorite constellations. "He's the sky's protector."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b4341e37fcbaf44dd834584fecbc234f""He's actually the reason I mentioned Scorpius," Rosemary told them a little bit awkwardly. Clearly, she hadn't thought of a clever segway. "See, Orion was part of Greek Mythology. He was a hunter and a son of Poseidon. He was a great hero who faced a lot of hardships. And even though he was betrayed and tricked, and could sometimes be a little thick-headed..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="45d2bba94aa2c2dc77eda30c861ffb81""Long story short, he stepped on a scorpion and when he died, the gods felt bad for him so they made stars out of him," Rye finished. While he loved listening to Rose retell one of her books, she could get pretty detailed at times and he knew she had a point of why she was bringing Orion up to Peeta./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ccbed6a7367ee5650ee635451d12e747""Yes, he got stung and he died, but he still meant something. He em style="box-sizing: border-box;"still /emmeans something," Rosemary said passionately. "And this point would be a lot easier to make if he was in the summer sky, but he's not so you have to work with me, here."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="97f247c997d879b4ecbbad605ad7b500"Rye laughed. "We are picking up what you're putting down, Rosie."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4c0c6ca740196bab0b4e2fab6b96726e"Rosemary rolled her eyes while Peeta snickered. "He's a protector," she sighed, giving up, obviously frustrated that this was one of those times when she had trouble connecting her thoughts to actual words. "And he'll protect you, Peeta."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="25f72ae9e11d64576f7c1e2bfe49a440"They were all silent for a moment before Rye laughed again. "I love how only you could turn a beautiful notion into an awkward story."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9f5e225a88ccb30b0d4d5ee010a3c311"He could tell that Rosemary wanted to glare at him, but she started giggling instead, laughing at herself along with her brothers./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dc08525876412f8d6aaa0324b4c5f7b3""You're definitely not a poet, Mare," Peeta added. "But I appreciate the thought?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b7c59b299a5c0c322c4264f3849e2921""I hate both of you," she teased back at them. "And I hate metaphors."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e4a0c496342616aea864c6f5b6c04df1"Rye laughed again and looked back up at the dark sky, silently thanking the stars for his brother and sister./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="336d5ebc5436534e61d16e63ddfca327"-/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4a60d61eabbcdea8a2cbea26dec047e6"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Rosemary/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d7be6e60711006ccc0eac476b05e9839"Just like any teenager in the outlier districts, Rosemary dreaded Reaping Day every year. The fourth day of July always dawned with a nightmare that drenched her in cold sweat, riddled her with rampant nausea, and cursed her with shaky hands. There wasn't much she could do to help the prevention of the dreams, but she had her ways of coping; the memories of the nightmare went away the longer she was awake, dry crackers and water helped her stomach, and to cure her shaky hands, she put them to work. Usually she did this with knitting or baking and that day was no different./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="293956bcf4b65cbd3928f3c9cf47141b"She had already crumb coated the white cake in front of her, so she went about icing it completely. She layered a light blue buttercream onto the cake, smoothing out the edges and making everything even. Next she took some of the pale yellow icing that she had packed into a piping bag and made a border on top and on bottom. For a while, she focused on making flowers out of frosting with her flower nail, carefully taking scissors to transfer them onto the cake. She was very methodical about this process, going through the directions seared into her mind, as if she were reading the cake-decorating book that her Nana Mellark had inherited from her grandpa and had passed down to Rosemary's father. She didn't like imperfect flowers and she prided herself on being able to make decorations so flawlessly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0bace42b2a1c6c1feeb282e5406e4b2e"Once her flowers were placed in a bunch, almost like a bouquet, she went in with the greenery. She was just finishing up the bare stems when the kitchen door opened and her father stepped into the room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8bed7cf42eecb68bfebd65bb8cb742c8""There you are, Sparky. Rye's done with the bath. He took a little long, so you have to scoot and get cleaned up," he walked over to her station and looked over her shoulder, whistling lightly as she continued with a leaf tip."It's beautiful, Rosemary."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="613a7eb416287ebd539b978b0f6bfbe1""Thank you." Rosemary focused on her leaves, the tip of her tongue pressed between her teeth. She finished up quickly and cleaned up any errors she made. "Can you take this to Mother? She needs it for the case."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b337e376d0c81cdfc47ae57c31aa9bc9""Of course," Sage carefully picked up the cake. "And don't you dare try to clean up this mess. Your mother and I will deal with it while you take a bath. Understand?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8d21259f9dcb4b56c9f64516d02e1283""Understood," Rose huffed out a laugh./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d4155e58d97392de024d668948600ceb"She untied her apron and folded it neatly, setting it down on her stool like she always did at the end of the day. She went to follow her father out of the kitchen, but he paused before he went through the swinging door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5c7cec6eb8c607e3ff9491110c2257a5""You know I love you, right?" he turned around fully, careful to not bump her cake, to look at her. His eyes were the same brown that she and Peeta shared./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="37f019e35d5393506ea7d899013e20b2""I know," Rosemary gave him a closed-mouth smile, taken aback by his proclamation. It's not like he didn't say it often, because he did, but the desperation in his voice was loud and scary. "I love you too, Dad."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f600339b48a8ab01e3863612fae3a817"Sage silently stared at her for a couple of seconds and then nodded. He turned back around and entered the store to help Capri set up the bakery for its opening after the Reaping. Rosemary went in the opposite direction and headed upstairs./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5a36889b35337522b6ffc4667c626f1c"Rye and Peeta were in the living room, both of them freshly bathed, playing with their dad's old chess board. The pieces were chipped and the colors faded, but the boys adored playing together. It was usually something they did without Rosemary, but she was happy to leave them to it. Chess was a cool game for strategy, but she had her own hobbies that took up what little free time they had. She waved at them when she walked through straight to their room, where she grabbed her Reaping outfit./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3d438eaf1fe9b2fe167610180a2381c1"The floor of the bathroom was damp from two baths in a row, but she ignored it, knowing that it didn't matter once she cleaned up after herself. She let the tub fill up with lukewarm water and undressed before getting into the bath. She scrubbed her whole body from head to toe with her bar of soap and then went onto her hair, cleaning it thoroughly. Sufficiently covered in soap, she ducked down into the tub until she was fully submerged./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="312765934e19cb9b21a6495f58d52775"Once her body dried, she dabbed coconut oil into the ends of her hair, lamenting at her split ends, and started braiding it until it made a crown around her head. Next she went about dressing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="311934c99f81291c16e0c838e01a92e1"Her Reaping Day dress was the nicest item of clothing that she owned. It used to be a pale blue when her mother pulled it out of her late aunt's dresser, but now it was practically white. It was a simple wrap dress with a tie around the waist that gave her some kind of shape. She felt pretty when she was in it and she liked when she felt pretty./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fe4cde82c070398d4d5480e75514b8cf"There was nothing to do but wait until 11 o'clock now that she was dressed. While Sage and Capri cleaned up and dressed, Rosemary continued to watch Peeta and Rye play chess. Rye was winning, but Peeta was not terrible at the game at all. In fact, he made moves that she wouldn't have done, but they turned out each time. Finally, within fifteen minutes until 11:55, when everyone was required to line up, they left the bakery as a family. Rosemary gripped Peeta's hand tightly as they walked, both of their hands sweaty from nerves, toward the Justice Building across the square, where a stage had been set up the day before./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9ee478203f0616ec8aef0e62f3df2c85"The dusty, empty area in front of the Justice Building was crowded already. All of District 12 were required to attend, but if they weren't of Reaping age, they were able to watch from the back or in the streets around the square. The Mellark siblings said quick goodbyes to their parents and joined the check-in lines where everyone else their age was waiting to get their fingers pricked and their names checked out./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a2ea09369ffea0b9dc371f40eae9dc86""The prick just hurts a little bit," Rye told Peeta, who had paled at the sight of Peacekeepers at the end of the line. "Just a little blood sample to prove that you're you and not skipping out."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5259c49eaabd94947d88f7103b23995f""You don't even have to give them your name," Rosemary added. "When you're excused, you'll line up with the other boys your age toward the back. Rye will be at the front and I'll be on the other side."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0aded19ea52592cdc06144c9a33913d4"Rosemary and Rye's instructions seemed to help Peeta get through the check-in. Rosemary watched behind him as he held out his hand to the Peacekeeper, winced slightly when pricked, and then walked away from the table after his blood was smeared on the ledger. She kept her eyes on him as he walked to the 12-year-old boys, absentmindedly checking in. Before she left to stand in her own age group, she nodded at Rye, inhaling shakily at the nerves flipping through her stomach./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9fe9d17b2a482bbef3e9d923f8a899e5"She hated everything about this day./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="01b6c1d1a172105985ab0f0d12e6e09c"It was easy to find Kline in the line of 16-year-old girls, since she was the tallest of their year, so she took her place next to her best friend. Kline took her hand immediately. She looked as beautiful as always, Rosemary noted, with her Reaping dress and gold mockingjay pin./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cb3dd1808e77c77e2380add21464a3e6""It's gonna be okay," Kline breathed so only she could hear. Rose nodded and squeezed her hand, breathing deeply in order to ebb the panic brewing in her chest. She glanced at the boy's side and looked for her brothers, feeling relieved when she saw them in the right places. She would be even more relieved once they all got home./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9a7e1a8646a5c734f74c863a0d6d010a"Rosemary turned back to stage as the rest of the Reaping-aged children joined their age groups. Mayor Undersee was already on stage, sitting in a chair lined up with two others, one of which was filled by the district escort, Effie, and District 12's only remaining Victor, Haymitch Abernathy. Toward the front of the stage stood a microphone flocked on each side by large, glass bowls with hundreds of little white slips inside. They held the names that would be chosen./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6d8ce87af4d9ddde82dcd2f9157e46a0"Thankfully, Mayor Undersee started the Reaping ceremony right away. He recited the Treaty of Treason, going over the highlights outlined for him on a piece of paper, and went on and on about the Hunger Games and why they were made to punish the Districts that rebelled almost a century before. Finally, he introduced the Capitol-made propaganda video that they played every year; Rosemary and most of the other teenagers in the district could recite the video word for word./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ddf27ba65cf01889e806fa38f6666337"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"War. Terrible war.../em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b44f08c768ee2f8ba762cadcb1ce5bfa"Finally, the video ended and Mayor Undersee introduced Effie./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c3fe0587dd9c16a5d52d6a4ac0682154"Each district had an escort for the Hunger Games and Effie Trinket was theirs. She had started the year before, replacing an aging but enthusiastic man that only wore bowler hats, and the distastefulness in her voice the whole time she spoke let them all know exactly what she thought about District 12./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3014da00890ef74772b751eb8fead230"Effie, who was wearing a pale yellow wig that towered at least a foot above her head, pale green lipstick, and a matching tweed skirt and jeweled blouse, strutted up to the microphone in her ridiculously high heels./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e075263f5958e32c0393f869c621358b""Hello, hello!" She cooed in greeting, smiling widely at all the blank faces in the audience. "Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be em style="box-sizing: border-box;"ever /emin your favor."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="02b9caa4395682c02e358b8180a45add"She blinked before continuing, "Now the time has come for us to select one courageous man and woman for the honor of representing District 12 in the 70th Annual Hunger Games. As usual, ladies first."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="89e4af0009ba74b374596e57ae0b955d"Rosemary clutched her hands tightly behind her back, her nails digging into the callouses on her palms, as Effie slowly walked over to the large glass bowl on the female side and dipped her hand in. She swirled her fingers, indecisive, before picking up a slip, sealed shut with black tape./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3986ef1e5e29fee86f205753739d6012"She ripped open the slip and smoothed it out before looking into the crowd./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3438b056ff54b9556b7e959f53d1f3ff"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Rosemary Mellark."/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" /p