Catching Fire - Peeta's POV

Chapter 18 - Portia

When we arrive at the Capitol, the strangeness encounters me once more. I thought I was used to being exposed to Capitol people, but when they forced me to fight for my life in a sadistic arena, I don't think I ever want to be used to them.

It is not a long walk from the train station to the Training Centre, and Effie, Katniss, Haymitch and I are greeted by familiar faces. Cinna, Flavius, Venia, Octavia, Julius, Portia, Trey and Mollace all stood with their arms extended.

"Don't cry," I whisper jokingly to Katniss.

"If you insist, crybaby," Katniss replies. We both know that she won't cry at a reunion as strange as this one.

But the prep team were not afraid to hold back any emotion. They all weeped as we hugged them, talking about how much we have grown, and how much they wish they could stop us from having to participate in another Hunger Games.

The only one who doesn't cry is Cinna.

Everyone is quick to get to business. I am too busy trying to remember the passageways we took to get to my prep room, when Trey is already plucking eyebrow hairs. Julius is too busy trying different colour schemes, and matching it to my skin. Mollace sits in the corner of the room, quietly sorting through hangers. He hasn't forgotten about when I yelled at him about how lucky he was. And honestly, I couldn't care less.

Portia is the last to visit me. My prep team has prepared everything. Now it is Portia who needs to dress me.

"Why are you a stylist, Portia?" I ask, when it feels as though the room has been silent for an eternity.

"Because it's my passion, Peeta. Why do you bake?"

"I bake so that I can eat. I bake so I can live. Besides, I've seen your face when you're designing and dressing and doing what-not. You don't look exactly passionate when you're doing your job." She stops, and almost glides to the door, peering through the window, and making sure no-one else is nearby.

"I do it for my life. My family were idiots during the first Revolution." It's a whisper in my ear.

"What did they do?" I gently push aside the sponge that was being dabbed on my face, and motion for her to sit on the chair.

"They defied the Capitol. They fought with the Districts."

"So?" I say. "That was decades ago!"

"Snow doesn't forget betrayals easily. He told my family that we have to work in the Games industry if we don't want our necks slit open."

I don't know what to say. Maybe I have it better. She is forced to work here until she dies. I am forced to be in the Games until I die, which would be a short time. Or I could win, and return to District 12 with my loved ones. And Portia has no way out. She is stuck in the middle of the tiger's mouth.