Chance || Peeta Mellark

Statues [04]

The girl was tall, taller than Alexis, she was still unable to see her face properly; the girl was being walked up to the stage by Peacekeepers until Effie took her hand and brought her to the microphone. Her hair was dark brown and in the prettiest braid Alexis had ever seen. It was so intricate, so elegant, so... so... pretty. Alexis recognised her, she was in one of her classes, she couldn't place her name.

"What is your name?" Effie voiced Alexis' thoughts curiously.

She stood staring blankly out into the audience, "Katniss Everdeen..."

That's it, Katniss Everdeen, her father was in the same accident as Alexis', she sounded mentally and physically exhausted - a bit like Alexis after the victory tour. "I bet my hat that was your sister, wasn't it?" Effie sounded excited; this was probably the most exciting thing that has happened to her on reaping day after all - this is District 12 – it never has volunteers. But in the end, she wasn't helping the situation.

"Yes..." Katniss said with a slight nod, from Alexis' angle her expression seemed to not have changed. It's as though she doesn't want to show any emotions, a statue.

Effie seemed to be satisfied with that answer as she quickly moved onto the boys. She dipped her hand into the glass bowl and carefully picked up one of the many pieces of paper. It made Alexis sick to think that Dustin's name was once in that bowl, twenty times. Effie stepped over to the microphone while opening the slip, the words escaping her lips, "Peeta Mellark."

No... Not him... Peeta Mellark. Peeta Mellark? The name... it's so familiar, but so curious. A boy emerged from the crowd, he had sandy ash blonde hair that was combed over, he was average height and had a stocky build. It was the Baker's son, Dustin's friend - the one Alexis used to make fun of because his name was a little too close to the Capitols Pita bread. Their gazes locked for nothing but a second as the Peacekeepers escorted him to Effie. Nobody had volunteered for him, not even his brothers; Alexis guessed that family devotion only goes so far on Reaping Day. "Pita...?" Alexis accidentally breathed as he stood in front of her, he didn't hear, and she was kind of glad.

As the Reaping Day ritual goes, Effie had made them shake hands, they both looked so scared; Alexis knew the feeling all too well. Mr Mayor had stood up after this and opened the door for the two new tributes to walk into the Justice Building followed by two Peacekeepers, then Effie. Finally, Haymitch and Alexis were the last ones on the stage, so she slowly stood up and helped the man to his feet and walked inside, a Peacekeeper shutting the door behind us.

Once inside, she helped Haymitch to sit on a red velvet couch, and she sat beside him. Katniss and Peeta were standing as still as statues in the middle of the room talking to the mayor on the directions to where to go. Alexis couldn't stop looking at them, she knew these people and now there's a chance they might be killed in the games. She's not allowing that to happen. I'm giving them a chance.

As they walked to their separate rooms, she caught Peeta's eye again, this time for much longer, they both had blank expressions, but she could tell he recognised her. Once he was locked behind a door, Alexis quickly stood up and turned towards Haymitch. "Come on, to the train we go." She finished while offering her hand to help him up.

He looked at her hand like it was some mysterious object, "Can't we wait longer? I haven't even finished my drink." He said while swirling his cup in the air, her face fell to a glare. Seriously?

Alexis perked up slightly, "Haymitch..." she said while bending down to his height, "There's a bar cart on the train, you can have all the alcohol you like."

A grin slid its way onto his face as he began to point at the girl, "I like the way you think..." He started while standing up, "Effie... I shall see you on the train." He finished as he mock bowed at her, Alexis nudged him with a grin on her face.

Once they made it outside, there was a car waiting for them, they climbed in, and they slowly made their way through the crowd without hitting anyone. Being in a car is such a weird experience, years ago Alexis thought it was such a luxury; however, it was not all it was cracked up to be. It wasn't long until they reached the train. White, silver, shiny... too modern for District Twelve, to clean - much like Alexis' bathroom. Haymitch raced onto the train, eager to receive his 'juice', it disgusted the girl, the way he needed to drink to keep numb.

Quietly, she slid out of the car, there were no cameras now - they would only arrive when the tributes come. Alexis let her head fall back to look up at the sky, grey. It appeared the districts went into despair every time the Reaping came around, with the Capitol basking in all the glory. She let out a deep sigh as she brought her head forward to look at the train, she slightly jumped at the sight of one of the Peacekeepers waiting for her to enter the train. "Please, Miss Blake. Enter the train." She nodded and stepped up onto the metal stairs leading into the train.

Once she got my bearings, she walked into the main cart – she had only ever been on this train a few times; once going to the Capitol, her Victory Tour and then last year when she was invited to watch the games last year. Although, she wasn't allowed to meet the Tributes, or help them in anyway - the Gamemakers thought she was too young to help the tributes who were way older than her. She did meet a ton of the old Victors; they are all so nice to her- there were some crazy ones but other than that they were okay. Finnick Odair was my favourite, she guessed they understood what each other had been through, also with being the youngest tributes to win - there was no way that they weren't going to meet.

Before she sat down to wait for the tributes, she scanned the table of sweets, and opted for a small pastry, she hadn't eaten yet. It was golden brown and so perfect, so glossy, it seemed cosmetic. The chairs were blue velvet, unlike the chair in the Justice Hall, these ones were softer and less worn out. The pastry sat held in her fingertips. Suddenly, her attention was drawn to outside of the window, a crowd of people; Peacemakers, Effie, citizens of District Twelve and lastly the tributes. Katniss and Peeta.