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I woke in a cold sweat from the horrible nightmares. Being chased down by everyone you love isn't a good way to start the day. But today wasn't just any day. Today was the reaping day. I hate the idea of the Hunger Games, I hate the fact 24 innocent people fight to the death for what seems to be the mere amusement of President Snow, and all the other airheads of the Capitol. But I'm only a baker's son in the lowest District. District 12.

I force myself to dress in my everyday clothing, then covering it with a baker's apron. Despite being the reaping day, I must work, even if it's a short time. Money is so scarce for me and my family. My family consists of me, Peeta Mellark, my mother, my father, and my two older brothers. They've both out grown the games, disappointing my mother. Some how, I did something to make her hate me. Maybe it was when I burnt the two loves of bread that one night, years ago.

When I saw her, Katniss, sitting under a tree in the pouring rain, looking so hungry and sad, my heart dropped. The loaves were filled with precious nuts and berries, one of the more expensive makes. I caught her eyes once or twice, then smelt the smoke. I knew I'd burnt the loaves, and so did my mother. She came out, and before she could yell at me she yelled at Katniss. She yelled at her to get away before she called Peacekeepers, and Katniss obeyed. Oh, how I wish she hadn't obeyed. My mother then yelled at me to feed the burnt bread to the pigs. I only nodded, grabbing the loaves. Katniss met my eyes again, and I paused. breaking one in half, I threw one half to the pig pen. Looking back to make sure my mother wasn't watching, I threw one loaf at Katniss. Then the other half. I turned, and went back into the bakery quickly. I knew, from that point, I loved Katniss Everdeen. I may not have known what love was, exactly, but I knew it was there.

Snapping back to reality, I trudge down the stairs. My brothers would still be asleep at this hour, since they're too lazy to get up on reaping day. My father is already hard at work though, making some cookies. Four bread loaves were out, already cooling. He looked into the oven, pauses, and stands up straight again. He almost jumped to see me at the foot of the stairs.

"Peeta, what are you doing awake?" he asked, eyeing me up and down. "Couldn't sleep. What do you want me to do?" I ask, and he points to the cake batter. I nod, and pour it into a small pan. I then throw it into the oven, which is really just a big closed in fire. While I'm waiting for it to bake, someone enters the shop from the back. I only know one person who is allowed to enter from the back, and that was Gale Hawthorne, Katniss' best friend. I feel a burning jealousy when I see him walking through the bakery silently, despite the large boots. He carries in a squirrel in his hand, making me aware he was in the forest hunting, probably with Katniss. I always wished I could be in Gale's shoes, just for one day. Able to hug, touch, speak to Katniss whenever I felt like it, and it wouldn't be awkward.

My father smiles seeing Gale enter. He has a weird thing for squirrel meat, and loves it in a stew. My mother, however, hates it. That's why Gale comes through the back when he trades with my father. Standing, my father walked over to Gale, grabbing a large bun. He quietly hands the bun over, taking the squirrel into his large hands. They shake, and my father pats him on the back. "Good luck today," he told the boy, before sending him on his way. On his way back to Katniss, where I should be. Shrugging it off, I look back to the fully baked cake. I pull it out carefully, and place it on the table. Waiting for it to cool, I prepare some icing stuff. This cake will be one to put on display for a short while, until someone buys it. Mixing the icing, the cake cools, allowing me to ice it. It looked beautiful when I finish with it, covered in small flowered, blue and white. I finish just in time for my brothers to come bounding down the stairs, looking for food. I whisk the cake away before they can eye it up, fixing it a spot in the front window. It smells very good, according to me.

"I think that's enough Peeta," my father says from behind me, as I turn. I nod softly, hanging up my apron. I glance at the small clock that hangs on the wall by a rusty nail. One thirty. If I go now, I can make the reaping just in time. I then head off for the Town Square. People are already gathering, many, many people. I walk up to the registration, giving the person my hand, like every year. They prick my finger, something I've gotten used to by now. They allow me to go, and I go to my correct, 'section'. Space gets smaller and smaller as people file in, and soon everyone is there.

Three chairs are set up on the big stage, camera's are scattered everywhere. Peacekeepers are everywhere too, making sure everyone behaves. The first chair is filled by the mayor, Mayor Undersee. He's tall, and got a bad hair issue. The second is filled by Effie Trinket, the Capitol's escort for District 12. Her hair is puffy, colored light pink. Her face is very pale, making her bright, obnoxious make-up stand out. It confused me to no end how people thought that was attractive. She's wearing a green suit to go with it, clashing. I only notice this because I've spend my whole life decorating cakes. Her and the mayor exchange words for a moment, before the mayor stood. He smiled at everyone, and began to speeches. The speeches were about how Panem rose from all the chaos and such. About all the disasters. About the Hunger Games, why they started, rules and such. Everyone was restless by the time they got to the name choosing.

"Ladies first," Effie said, after she'd gone up, doing her opening spiel. She reached down into the glass ball swirling her hand around. Finally, she plunged her hand in, pulling up a name. She slowly opened the little piece of paper, and looked up to the crowd. We all held our breath, then the name was called. Loud and crystal clear.

"Primrose Everdeen!"

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

I woke in a cold sweat from the horrible nightmares. Being chased down by everyone you love isn't a good way to start the day. But today wasn't just any day. Today was the reaping day. I hate the idea of the Hunger Games, I hate the fact 24 innocent people fight to the death for what seems to be the mere amusement of President Snow, and all the other airheads of the Capitol. But I'm only a baker's son in the lowest District. District 12.

I force myself to dress in my everyday clothing, then covering it with a baker's apron. Despite being the reaping day, I must work, even if it's a short time. Money is so scarce for me and my family. My family consists of me, Peeta Mellark, my mother, my father, and my two older brothers. They've both out grown the games, disappointing my mother. Some how, I did something to make her hate me. Maybe it was when I burnt the two loves of bread that one night, years ago.

When I saw her, Katniss, sitting under a tree in the pouring rain, looking so hungry and sad, my heart dropped. The loaves were filled with precious nuts and berries, one of the more expensive makes. I caught her eyes once or twice, then smelt the smoke. I knew I'd burnt the loaves, and so did my mother. She came out, and before she could yell at me she yelled at Katniss. She yelled at her to get away before she called Peacekeepers, and Katniss obeyed. Oh, how I wish she hadn't obeyed. My mother then yelled at me to feed the burnt bread to the pigs. I only nodded, grabbing the loaves. Katniss met my eyes again, and I paused. breaking one in half, I threw one half to the pig pen. Looking back to make sure my mother wasn't watching, I threw one loaf at Katniss. Then the other half. I turned, and went back into the bakery quickly. I knew, from that point, I loved Katniss Everdeen. I may not have known what love was, exactly, but I knew it was there.

Snapping back to reality, I trudge down the stairs. My brothers would still be asleep at this hour, since they're too lazy to get up on reaping day. My father is already hard at work though, making some cookies. Four bread loaves were out, already cooling. He looked into the oven, pauses, and stands up straight again. He almost jumped to see me at the foot of the stairs.

"Peeta, what are you doing awake?" he asked, eyeing me up and down. "Couldn't sleep. What do you want me to do?" I ask, and he points to the cake batter. I nod, and pour it into a small pan. I then throw it into the oven, which is really just a big closed in fire. While I'm waiting for it to bake, someone enters the shop from the back. I only know one person who is allowed to enter from the back, and that was Gale Hawthorne, Katniss' best friend. I feel a burning jealousy when I see him walking through the bakery silently, despite the large boots. He carries in a squirrel in his hand, making me aware he was in the forest hunting, probably with Katniss. I always wished I could be in Gale's shoes, just for one day. Able to hug, touch, speak to Katniss whenever I felt like it, and it wouldn't be awkward.

My father smiles seeing Gale enter. He has a weird thing for squirrel meat, and loves it in a stew. My mother, however, hates it. That's why Gale comes through the back when he trades with my father. Standing, my father walked over to Gale, grabbing a large bun. He quietly hands the bun over, taking the squirrel into his large hands. They shake, and my father pats him on the back. "Good luck today," he told the boy, before sending him on his way. On his way back to Katniss, where I should be. Shrugging it off, I look back to the fully baked cake. I pull it out carefully, and place it on the table. Waiting for it to cool, I prepare some icing stuff. This cake will be one to put on display for a short while, until someone buys it. Mixing the icing, the cake cools, allowing me to ice it. It looked beautiful when I finish with it, covered in small flowered, blue and white. I finish just in time for my brothers to come bounding down the stairs, looking for food. I whisk the cake away before they can eye it up, fixing it a spot in the front window. It smells very good, according to me.

"I think that's enough Peeta," my father says from behind me, as I turn. I nod softly, hanging up my apron. I glance at the small clock that hangs on the wall by a rusty nail. One thirty. If I go now, I can make the reaping just in time. I then head off for the Town Square. People are already gathering, many, many people. I walk up to the registration, giving the person my hand, like every year. They prick my finger, something I've gotten used to by now. They allow me to go, and I go to my correct, 'section'. Space gets smaller and smaller as people file in, and soon everyone is there.

Three chairs are set up on the big stage, camera's are scattered everywhere. Peacekeepers are everywhere too, making sure everyone behaves. The first chair is filled by the mayor, Mayor Undersee. He's tall, and got a bad hair issue. The second is filled by Effie Trinket, the Capitol's escort for District 12. Her hair is puffy, colored light pink. Her face is very pale, making her bright, obnoxious make-up stand out. It confused me to no end how people thought that was attractive. She's wearing a green suit to go with it, clashing. I only notice this because I've spend my whole life decorating cakes. Her and the mayor exchange words for a moment, before the mayor stood. He smiled at everyone, and began to speeches. The speeches were about how Panem rose from all the chaos and such. About all the disasters. About the Hunger Games, why they started, rules and such. Everyone was restless by the time they got to the name choosing.

"Ladies first," Effie said, after she'd gone up, doing her opening spiel. She reached down into the glass ball swirling her hand around. Finally, she plunged her hand in, pulling up a name. She slowly opened the little piece of paper, and looked up to the crowd. We all held our breath, then the name was called. Loud and crystal clear.

"Primrose Everdeen!"