Always

The reaping (revised)

I find it hard to breathe as I watch my little sister struggle to comprehend what just happened. She's only twelve and her life is being taken from her; it's being stolen from her small hands. The crowd parts and makes a path for her to walk through as she makes her way to the stage. Her shirttail sticks out and she quickly pushes it back in. Not my Little Duck, not the sweetest girl in the district. She won't survive; she doesn't even have a chance. It's a death sentence, suicide maybe, but I push my way through the crowd and stand alone in the walkway.

"I volunteer! I volunteer to be tribute!"

It's out of my mouth before Prim can even walk up the stairs. Even from here I see the tears that flow down her cheeks and stain her shirt. She's small and fragile, but she holds on to me with a vice grip.

"No, Katniss no!" She's yelling at me and holding on to my leg.

"Prim, let go." I say and she shakes her head violently. "Prim!" I yell, but nothing seems to faze her determination to save me. Gale pulls her off of me and I hear her screaming as he takes her back to her section.

"My my, our first volunteer!" Effie's voice screeches through the microphone. "Well come on dear, make your way up here."

My hands shake as I walk up the stone stairs towards the lady covered in pink makeup. The crowd stares at me and I can feel Peeta's eyes boring into me, but I refuse to look in his direction. Not now, not today.

"I bet my buttons that was your sister, wasn't it?" Effie asks and I turn to face her, realizing she's talking to me.

I swallow hard and reply softly. "Yes."

"What's your name, dear?" She looks at me and for the first time I really look her over. Pink hair, pink eyelashes, pink everything. How shallow of a person do you have to be to look like that?

"Katniss Everdeen," My voice cracks and she frowns.

"Now for the boys," Her long, pink nails dip into the bowl and I have to look away as she picks up the slip of paper.

She clears her throat before announcing the name. "Peeta Mellark."

My head shoots up and catches his eyes as he makes his way towards the stage. He has blonde hair that hangs in curls across his forehead and his muscular build could be perceived as rough. But his eyes give everything away with the gentleness that swims in the blue. No, not him, anybody but him. I think to myself. He's the reason I admire dandelions, he's the reason I have a way to provide for my family, and he's the reason I'm alive. I try not to look in his eyes at school because I know that I never thanked him for what he did.

Five years have passed and I haven't forgotten, but he probably has. It was during the worst time of my life, right after my father had died. Where are you? I would cry out in my mind. There was never an answer. But somehow Peeta Mellark was there in a way nobody else was. We were on the edge of death, and I wasn't able to provide for my family. I didn't know how to hunt and the small vegetables I found could only help so much.

I walked for hours in the rain trying to sell Prim's old baby clothes for money, anything that could help me get food for her. My last hope was digging through the garbage cans outside of the bakery, but when Mrs. Mellark caught me I had no choice but to leave. I sat under the apple tree outside of the bakery and cried because I wasn't able to provide for Prim. When the burnt piece of bread was thrown to me in the rain, I looked up to catch a glimpse of who threw it. It was him. It was Peeta Mellark that threw the bread to me.

I took it home to Prim and for the first time in weeks, we didn't go to bed hungry. I wanted to thank him at school the next day, but I just didn't know how. So instead I watched as the dandelion next to him swayed in the wind. After that I would always catch him staring at me in school, a glance here, a smile there. I always felt like I owed him something, and I hate owing people. I never could shake the connection I had to him, the boy with the bread.

Now as he stands in front of me, his eyes are just as pure as they were then. When Effie tells us to shake hands, grey eyes lock with blue ones. His hands are rough and riddled with scars from baking, while mine are small and calloused from hunting. He gives my hand the smallest squeeze and I realize how good he must be.

After five years I say thank you for the bread. But not through words, instead through a mere handshake. Our hands drop to our sides and we are escorted to rooms where we say goodbye to our families. The goodbyes are mixed with hugs and I promise Prim that I will try to win. But the last person to come in is someone I didn't expect to see. The Mayor's daughter Madge Undersee stands in front of me with a soft smile grazing her face.

"Madge?' I ask wondering what she is doing here.

"Hey," She says in her quiet voice. I don't know if the word friend really describes what we are. She's someone I sit with at lunch. We don't talk, we simply eat in silence. But it's not a weird silence, it's a . . .comfortable one. "I have something for you." She hands me a gold pin and I admire it before running my hand over the mockingjay that's engraved on it.

"Thank you," I whisper and she nods.

"I'm hoping you can promise me something." She says and I tense up.

"What?"

"Don't hurt him, Katniss." She replies and I stare at her confused.

"Who are you talking about?" I ask.

"Peeta. I'm asking you to promise that you won't hurt Peeta." She walks towards the door and I stay sitting. "There's more to him than you think, and all I'm asking is that you give him a chance."

"I don't understand why though?"

She looks at me and smiles softly before opening the door. "Some things are better left in the dark." And just like that, she's gone.

The train we are led onto is large and has enough food on it for hundreds of families in the Seam. However, I'm not stupid and I know that most of this food will go to waste, because the capitol would never give it to those in need. Our mentor Haymitch seems to have no problem stuffing his drunk face with the food that's provided. He's tall and has shaggy, blonde hair that hangs in greasy strands around his neck.

He complains about there being no ice for his drink and slowly stumbles through the door, to find some. Even after he is gone the stench of vomit and liquor still lingers in the room. I try not to think about the fact that everyone Haymitch has mentored has died, but instead I focus on the fact that maybe this year he'll have a victor. That is if his liver doesn't give out before the games.

Silence surrounds Peeta and I as we sit in separate chairs next to each other, and it's not the type of silence you enjoy. I can feel his eyes on me just like they always were in school. "Are you nervous, Katniss?"

Just the way he says my name causes a chill to run down my spine. It's a stupid question, obviously I'm nervous. But I don't say anything to him. He's not the boy with the bread anymore; he's my enemy. He's standing between me and getting home to Prim. I can hear him sigh at my lack of response. "I don't know if you think that I'm your enemy or maybe someone you should kill. And I can't promise that I'll be able to stop you from becoming a pawn in the Capitol's game. But, I will promise you that I'll get you home."

He stands to leave and I remain sitting while I watch the door close behind him. Why is he willing to die for a girl he doesn't even know?

"There's more to him than you think."

Madge's voice rings in my head as I remember what she told me about him, but even that doesn't tell me why he would promise to get me home.

A.N. That's it! Hopefully you enjoyed it, let me know in the comments :)