I am awaken by violent shakes. I open my eyes to find my brothers faces 5cms away from mine. I stay still for a moment, until shock surges through my body and my forehead collides with Rye's eye and lower forehead. He deserves it after waking me up.
"What the hell, Peets, if I knew I would get a black eye from keeping you from being late to work, I would have gotten Graze to do it by himself." At least I get some satisfaction from that.
Graze topples over in a fit of contagious laughter, he must think he is off the hook. Not a chance. I pretend to go into a fit of laughter as well until I fall of the side of my bed. Straight onto Graze. He answers with a loud grunt, and I just say:
"That is what you get for waking me up like that. Lesson learned?" He and Rye nod in response, no one wakes me up when dreaming about gathering the courage to talk to Katniss for the first time. Especially, once I've gotten to the part when she asks me on a date. If only.
My head shoots up when mother comes barging through the door shouting:
"Get up you lazy pigs and get back to work! Busiest day of the year! No time to be fooling around. Rylee, Peeta you need to get ready for the reaping in 4 hours, work hard enough and I'll let you have warm water!" This makes me shoot up towards my dresser. We only get warm water on the day of the reaping and on birthdays, no one risks losing our special privilege.
Great. The reaping. I only have four slips, but I'm still nervous as hell. My hands shake as I knead the bread dough, the thing that usually calms me has no effect today. Not when my life could be at stake.
Only 730 days to my last reaping, then I'll be home free. If I make it until then that is. I could always get chosen, win, live in a big house without having to work, no more reapings and I'll get the bravery to ask Katniss out. But it is impossible for me to win. The only ones I think could win the Hunger Games are: Katniss or that Hawthorne guy that hunts with her. I wish I could be the one who hunts with her.
No. I must not get distracted, I wouldn't want to over knead the bread and lose my warm water privilages now would I?
I jump when someone touches my shoulder. "Easy son," It's my dad, "daydreaming again?" I nod in reply, "Well I just wanted to say its your turn for the bath. But first I snuck some fresh bread out for you and Rye, here." he hands me half a loaf of still steaming nut and raisin bread. Like the one I gave Katniss on that day when we were 11.
"Thanks Dad. It means a lot to me, wouldn't want faint from hunger would I?" He just nods at my lame attempt to lighten the mood. Good going Peeta.
I run up the stairs two steps at a time, looking forward to feeling the warm water. I get in and clean up, once out, much to my disappointment, I get changed into the nicest clothes I have, a hand-me-down shirt and beige trousers.
I go downstairs and mother gels back mine and Rye's hair so we can both see. My brother gets to stay as he is since he is 20 and is no longer eligible for the reaping, lucky. Not only has he never been reaped, but none of his friends have either. Whereas my best friend Xander got chosen last year, he got to the final two, something which rarely happens. I thought he would be coming back, only to be torn to pieces by a career tribute from district two.
Rye is bouncing on the balls of his feet. As much as he is nervous, he is excited by the fact that if he isn't chosen this year, he will not be able to be reaped ever again since he will be 19. I wish I were in his place, or better yet Graze. But unfortunately not, I still have 3 more reapings including this one. I just hope the odds stay in my favor for all of them.
We arrived and we all go our separate ways, after saying good luck numerous times to each other. I sign in at the 16 year old section and take my place. Right behind Katniss. I think about wishing her good luck as well, but decide against it as before I know it the mayor is tapping the microphone to grab our attention. But before I turn to look at him I witness a glance shared between Katniss and Hawthorne. Eugh.
Mayor Undersee preceeds to welcome us and start his boring speech, one I've heard every year for 16 years. It gets tiresome. Not listening to him at all, I look at Katniss clenching and unclenching her fists a few times, I just wish I could pry them open and hold them. But that would be a bit creepy, seeing as she probably doesn't even know my name.
I'm taken out of the my thoughts when Haymitch, District twelves only remaining living victor, but as usual he is dead drunk and ends up collapsing on the stage, or should I say collapsing on Effie, revealing her pink hair as being a wig. At least she has some sense.
The Mayor seemingly destressed sits down after introducing our district escort. Regaining her composure, Effie Trinket graces the stage with the most annoying clicks of her overly high heels.
I resist covering my ears when she speaks in her Capitol accent, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!" She carries on saying things like 'It is a pleasure to be here' when we know she would do anything to be bumped up to one of the career districts.
"Ladies first!" She says as she moves to the glass ball on her left. I see Katniss tense up at these words. Please don't be her. Please don't be her. Effie reaches into the ball and grabs the first slip that comes in contact with her fingers. She lifts it out and unfolds it. Please don't be Katniss.
"Primrose Everdeen!"
And it isn't, it's her sister.
I turn towards the 12 year old section and see Prim walking towards the stage, her eyes getting shinier by the second. I only stop watching her when I hear a shout from in front of me.
Katniss.
"Prim! Prim!" She runs to the front and pushes Prim behind her, almost as if to protect her. Please don't tell me she is going to volunteer.
"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" Damn it Katniss.
I can't believe Katniss, the love of my life is going to be competing to the death in the arena. I risk breaking down at the thought.
Effie carries on none the less, "Lovely. But I believe there is a matter of..." No one has volunteered in District twelve my whole life and Effie was only hired when I was 8, so I'm not surprised she doesn't know what to say. There is an awkward silence until the Mayor stands up and says,
"What does sit matter, just let her volunteer!" I see a hint of recognition in his eyes, how does he know Katniss?
Prim is screaming "Katniss! No, Katniss you can't go!" and grabbing her like a vice.
"Prim let go." I hear Katniss tell her, but Prim still holds on for her life. Katniss's grey eyes are getting glassier and is obviously trying not to cry. And she stays that way until Hawthorne picks Prim up and says,
"Up you go Catnip." I can tell he is trying to hold it together, for Prim's, or Katniss's sake for that matter. I can see why, Katniss is obviously trying to stay strong. Effie Trinket looks so confused, it would be amusing if it was due to a different situation.
Effie Plasters a smile on her face and asks for her name. Katniss replies in a distant voice and I can't help but wonder what she is thinking about.
"Bravo! That is the spirit of the games! I bet my buttons that was your sister!" Katniss just nods. How can Effie be so happy at such a sad site. The Capitol must just have no feelings towards others.
"Don't want her to steal all the glory, do we? Come on everybody! Lets give our new female tribute a big round of applause!" Their answers are silence. But I do something unexpected and I put my 3 middle fingers up in front of me. An old funeral ritual to say goodbye to someone, to my surprise everyone in the crowds join in.
This moving display is interuptted by the drunk Haymitch, who says,
"Look at this one. I mean just look at her, she has er.. what is it? Ah, yes! Spunk! That's it she has spunk! Unlike you, or you, or you!" He is pointing at the camera now. What a loony. He ends up pointing so much he topples headfirst into the concrete in front of the stage and he is swiftly taken away by paramedics on a stretcher.
Effie returns to the podium, "What an exciting day! Onto the boys." I tense up as she grabs the life of one boy in her hand.
I turn to stone as she says, "Peeta Mellark!" I'm going into the Hunger Games. With Katniss Everdeen.
