Panem High School {COMPLETED}

Chapter 54 - Katniss

(Katniss's POV)

Friday morning goes by too quickly. Nothing happens at all to make it go so fast, but it flies by. In fact, the only truly interesting thing that happens all day happens after sixth hour when I corner Johanna to ask why she's been avoiding me. You see, it's never a good sign when someone goes from openly hating you to obviously avoiding you. I've been pestering her for two weeks, trying to fur fire out what's going on, but to no avail.

"Johanna, have you decided you hate you too much to talk to me now?" I ask. She ducks under my arm and walks down the hall, completely ignoring me. Is she sick?

"Johanna? I asked you a question."

She gives me a thumbs up sign but doesn't stop walking and doesn't turn around.

"What's wrong? Scared?" That was probably a stupid thing to say.

Johanna whirls around. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

The hall clears instantly.

"Tell me what's going on," I say, crossing my arms. "You're avoiding me. I know you hate me, but you didn't do that before."

Johanna sighs. "You want to know why? I am going to get expelled if I so much as glare at you."

I stop short. "You're...you're what?"

"I'm in very real danger of getting expelled, brainless. And fighting with you will get me kicked out. I'll probably get shipped off to military school or something." She looks incredibly angry, but I see something tired and upset underneath.

"Johanna...I didn't know..."

"Of course you didn't," she says fiercely. "I didn't want you to."

In seventh grade, Johanna had almost gotten expelled numerous times, but she'd never cared. I don't know what different here. But I don't want to ruin it for her, no matter what kind of grudge I have against her.

"Why do you care?" I ask. At her annoyed look, I say, "I don't mean it like that! But in middle school you never seemed to care. Why do you now?"

Johanna shrugs. "I didn't have friends in middle school...I don't know why you care, though." She turns to leave.

"Wait!" Johanna stops, but doesn't turn around. "Johanna...I'm sorry...about everything...really."

Slowly, Johanna turns to face me, a confused look on her face. "You...you are?" I nod. "I-I'm sorry, too, then..." she says slowly.

I smile a bit. "Well...um...see you tonight, then."

~~~~

It's the night of the show. I can do this. Deep breathes... In and out... In and out... I can do this.

I wander around in a sort of daze, already in my costume and makeup and lot sure what to do now. I spot Rue and George, who wave excitedly to me. I think I'm going to throw up; how can they be so...not nervous?

I can do this. I know my lines...I'll just go on stage...in front of all those people...and...I think I need to sit down...

"Whoa, you ok?" Finnick grabs my arm, steadying me. I nod weakly, but he's obviously not convinced. He helps me over to a chair and sits down next to me.

"Nervous, huh?"

"Y-yeah..."

"Ok. Deep breathes. That'll call you down." I breathe deeply, and it does help a little.

"It'll be a little scary at first," Finnick continues, "but once you start acting, you'll get on a roll. You won't be anxious at all. Trust me. I know how you feel."

"You do?" I ask in shock.

Finnick nods. "Of course! You think I started perfect? I almost peed myself on stage during my first performance."

I can't help it; I start laughing. "What happened?"

"Oh, you know, ran off the stage mortified. Luckily I didn't have any lines just then. My teacher talked me into going back on stage before my lines came around, and I was fine once I started talking."

"What if I forget my lines?"

"Improvise. You'll be fine," he says, and hands me a banana. "Try to eat something. It'll help with the nausea."

Twenty minutes later, Ms. Cressida is running around, telling us to take our places. I stand on the stage in the darkness, and it's like everyone is holding their breath, waiting for the curtain to go up. Gale and Glimmer are standing at the other end of the stage, and George is either shaking from nervousness or bouncing from excitement in the center. I suspect the latter. The narrator, a boy named Blight, is currently perched just beyond the curtain on a stool. I can see Johanna in the wings, whispering something to a hyperventilating Rue. She waves at me unsurely when she catches me looking at her, and I wave nervously back.

Ok. I can do this. Remember what Finnick said. Deep breathes.

The curtain starts to go up, and I panic. I can't remember my lines. What am I supposed to sing? What's my character? I can't remember anything!!

I can't actually see the audience, thank goodness. The bright lights make the only thing I can see out there darkness. Blight says his line, and my mouth starts moving and my voice starts working of its own accord, and then all my anxiety fades away, like Finnick said it would. I'm smiling and acting and singing and doing everything perfectly and I love it.

After the show, everyone is happy and excited and a bit high on sugar because someone brought donuts at intermission. We all go out to greet the audience in costume, and I get mobbed by Madge, Peeta, Clove, Cato, Prim, my mom, Gloss, Finnick, and Annie. I barely know who I'm talking to as everyone darts around hugging and congratulating and I'm having random strangers come up and say I did amazing. It's perfect, and I'm completely exhausted when I get home. I don't even want to both taking my makeup off before throwing myself on my bed and sleeping till noon, but Prim insists so I "won't look like a zombie tomorrow." Tomorrow. When I have to do this all over again. Uuuuuugh.