Peeta's Story- The Hunger Games

Chapter 40

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I shivered as the wind blew, biting my cheeks. My father stood next to me, clutching his jacket to himself, his nose red. "Do you want my jacket?" he asked, but I violently shook my head no, knowing how cold he was.

We had gotten to school a bit early and the playground was isolated, deserted, aside from a few stray leaves rolling about the debilitated place, with its dusty ground and creaky swings. My father told me that in the summer when the rain would come, the ground turned green with the fresh smell of grass, but right now all I could see was a stretch of hard, packed earth.

The wind picked up again, howling, as my dad checked the little watch hanging from his belt. "It's almost time," he said, taking my numb hand and rubbing it between his own, trying to warm me up. "Let's go." We got off the dusty bench we were sitting on and crossed the playground to get to the main building, a rickety one-story building as long as half of the block I lived on.

I could make out a few children and parents loitering around the building, waiting for the rooms to open, while others arrived from all directions, out of breath from all the walking. "You'll be in Ms. Miller's class, I suppose," my father said, scrunching his eyebrows up in thought before scooping me up in his arms and carrying me to the right classroom.

He set me down on the ground, giggling, as I hung my empty backpack on the hooks by the door. A young boy was already there, arguing furiously with his mother and refusing to let go of his older sister's leg. I would later become best friends with him, Brayden.

I was looking at him in amusement when I heard my father gasp audibly and I looked up at him in surprise to see him staring at a woman in amazement. She was pretty, with blonde hair, but in my opinion, she was rather plump compared to my stick-thin and severe mother. Mommy wouldn't like Daddy staring at this woman like that. But then again, she didn't like much these days anyways.

"Daddy?" I asked, and he looked down at me kindly. "Who's that?"

He laughed quietly, then crouched down next to me to fix my shirt. "Promise not to tell?"

"Promise," I said solemnly, holding out my pinky. "I pinky-swear!"

Dad turned back to stare at the woman and her daughter, who had brunette hair in pigtails. My first of impression of her was that she looked rather shrewd and tough. The lady swooped down to kiss the girl's cheeks, then walked briskly away. I could swear I heard my dad sigh in disappointment. "She that girl?" he asked, pointing to the brunette. "I was in love with her mom. I wanted to marry her, but she ran off with a coal miner."

I was confused. My father was one of the best, strongest, and kindest men I had ever known. "Why?"

He stared at the girl wistfully before turning back to me. "Because when he sings, even the birds stop to listen."

I scoffed as I looked at her. As if her father were better than mine! She snapped rudely at a boy who had run into her and I rolled my eyes. She looked so uncomfortable in her plaid dress and misleadingly innocent with her pigtails. However, I couldn't help but admire her bravery. I didn't know any girls who would dare pick a fight with a boy they didn't know. Luckily, the teacher intervened before any serious mauling took place.

Then, during music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song, and just like in class, the brunette girl had her hand up first. I learned that her name was Katniss, and she was exceptionally smart, always the first to answer a question when the teacher asked it. She got up confidently, brushing the invisible lint off her dress and tossing a braid over the shoulder before striding to the front of the room and singing.

And her singing... It was possibly the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. It seemed to be like a chorus of angels' voices, deep and soulful, yet also light and clear. I felt as if I were in a trance, just staring at her with her eyes closed, belting out the song with all the passion she could gather. And just like that, I felt myself falling for her. Who wouldn't fall for such an angel?

When she was done, she looked around, almost as if embarrassed, and scurried back to her seat.

"...and I knew that, just like your mother, I was a goner," I shake my head imperceptibly, barely registering Katniss's shocked expression.

"Oh, please," she scoffs, her laugh breaking through my reverie.

It takes a few minutes for me to gather my whereabouts as I look in confusion at the cold rocks and flickering fire surrounding me. And then I feel a sudden wave of hatred come over me as I realize that I have shared my best memories with all of Panem. I had always dreamed of confessing my love to Katniss, but definitely not so publicly, and I feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment at the thought of so many people sharing the same treasured memory that was meant for only me and Katniss to know.

Katniss moves her face closer to mine, but it seems hazy, and I can barely make out her confused expression through the waves of loathing I am now directing at the Capitol and Gamemakers. She reaches her hand up tentatively, as if wanting to touch my face, but then jerks it back down quickly, snapping me out of my trance.

"And then, for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the courage to talk to you," I whisper as her face gets over so closer to mine. All thoughts of the Capitol and everyone watching this broadcast slips my mind as a small smile graces her lips.

She looks into my eyes lovingly with an intensity I have never seen before. "You have... an amazing memory," she breathes in amazement. Her hair falls down from behind her ear, covering her beautiful gray eyes and I quickly tuck it back in place, hearing her breathing hitch as my hand touches her ear.

"I remember everything about you," I whisper, breaking our gaze for a split second to look down in embarrassment. When I look up, I expect to see her shying away from me, thinking that I'm creepy, but instead she moves her head closer, the fire flickering off her face and illuminating every detail. "It's you that hasn't been paying attention," I say quietly as an unknown emotion flashes across her face.

She opens her mouth, hesitating a split second. "I am now," she says, looking away, embarrassed.

I gently take her chin in mine and bring it back so we're face to face. "Well I don't have much competition here, do I?" I can't help but keep the sadness out of my voice. Once the Games are over and she survives, she will probably go back to District 12 and forget all about me.

She gulps loudly, but doesn't break our interlocked gazes. Electricity seems to be zinging all throughout the air and all of a sudden, my face feels on fire. "You don't have much competition anywhere," she whispers, before leaning in and taking my shocked face in her cold hands, pressing her soft lips to mine.

In a split second, my brain becomes frenzied with emotions, but before I have a chance to move my lips in sync with hers, a loud thunk sounds from outside, and we both jump up in defensive poses. I know I should be worrying about what is outside, but I can't help but admire how her flushed skin looks in the firelight. As she holds her bow and arrow up, I creep to the entrance of the cave cautiously before something silver catches my eye- a parachute.

I lift it up, revealing the basket underneath and let out a shout of surprise. Grabbing it quickly, I show it to Katniss, and her eyes light up in happiness at all the food inside. My stomach grumbles in anticipation as I take a small slice of bed and wriggle up against the wall of a cave. "I guess Haymitch got tired of watching us starve," I say, stuffing the bread in my mouth and glancing at the lamb stew hungrily.

Katniss doesn't reply for awhile, her face hidden by the shadows. "I guess," she finally mumbles, before bringing the lamb stew over and sitting next to me.

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I know it's short, but i just wanted to get it up! also, thanks to all my fans! i got over 100 sometime during last week when i had finals, so i didn't have time to thank y'all but i love you!

for those of you that like the dialogue to be really close to the book, i hope this chapter makes you happy! :P

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xox amanda