The Hunger Games ~ Peeta's POV

Chapter 10

Ch. 10

As Haymitch tells Katniss the news, I expect confusion, but when has Katniss ever been predictable? A series of emotions flicker across her grey eyes before I hear her mumble something.

"Good," she says. "So, what's the schedule?"

"You'll each have four hours with Effie for presentation and four with me for content," Haymitch grunts. "You start with Effie, Katniss."

Katniss scowls as she's dragged by Effie back to her room. I hold back a laugh. It's been a while since I have laughed, anyways.

Haymitch takes me back to my own room to work on how I speak. This won't be too hard, seeing that words are one of the greater talents that I have.

"So," he says once we're seated. He looks me over. "This should be easy."

"It should?" I say, confused.

"Yeah. I mean, look at you! What do you want to try at? What type of person, I mean. For interviews. You could be anything you wanted to be, actually."

"First, I have something to tell you," I say cautiously.

Haymitch raises his eyebrows. "What? Oh no, please don't tell me that you're gay..."

That really takes me by surprise. But, it's coming from Haymitch, so it really shouldn't. I wonder if he had too much to drink again. "What? No! I was going to tell you that I..." I remember Cinna and my promise to tell Haymitch about, you know. I spit the words out really fast. "That I'm in love with Katniss."

"No duh, captain obvious. Anyone with eyes could see that." Haymitch smirks at me, and I recoil. His eyes suddenly open wide. "Hey, maybe we could work this to our advantage. Any sucker falls for a good love story."

"I don't exactly know what you're getting at," I state.

"The interviews," He exclaims. "Tell it to Caesar at the interviews."

My eyes bulge out of their sockets in disbelif. So this was Cinna's plan? How am I supposed to tell the entire world that I'm in love with Katniss? I doubt I'd be able to just tell her, much less all of Panem! I may be good with words, but not like this. Haymitch is crazy.

"No! How am I supposed to do that? You're nuts?"

"Just think," he says. "How this could effect you and Katniss's chances in the games. It could do wonders for you both, sponsor-wise."

"Well, I don't know..." I mumble. "I was planning on saving her in the games, if at all possible, and this might help her survival."

"Very true," Haymitch says. "So, what do you say?"

I sigh. "Sure."

"Good. Now, let's get to work on your attitude for this interview."

After a few minutes, we find out that I'm very humorous and charming, strangely enough. I've got Haymitch cracking up over how ridiculous Caesar Flickerman's hair and lips always are, and how he could have been father time himself that year he dyed both his hair and his lips white. If you add the beard and red suit, he could have been what kids of the past called Santa Clause, or something that. I think Caesar ran out of colors.

We're both doubled over in laughter over some joke Haymitch told me about me about soap (?) at lunch when Katniss walks in wearing some dress Effie put her in, yanked up above her shins. She's flustered, of course. With anger, probably. Oh boy. If that's what Effie has her doing, I can't imagine what she'll do to me. I just hope she doesn't make me wear a dress, too.