Primrose Mellark

Chapter Twelve

 On the side is a pic of "Cleo" played by Emily Osment!

 Tomorrow....

   It was almost time we "moved". I am not going to, of course, I have another plan. But I will help my family pack whatever stuff they have left into their car. But in a way, I guess you could say I was. I said good-bye to Cleo, and I had blurted my whole story out to her. She was shocked and didn't want me to go. But I convinced her that I would be alright, and I would see her again.

   "You can't go!" Cleo wailed to me.

   "I have to, Cleo. You know I do." I had insisted.

   "But, why? No, I don't understand. Why is this going to help your case: whatever your case is, anyway." Cleo had collapsed onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling. I had sighed, trying to make her listen.

   "Cleo, please listen. I am sick of people always making me act and be just like my mom. I hate that. I want to make people change their minds about what they think of me. I just want to show them that I can make my own choices." I had said sternly. Cleo sat up and had looked at me with a hard, worried gaze.

   "But...." Cleo searched for words. "Please! Can't you do something else? This could go seriously wrong- you know that, right?"

  I had looked down and twirled my hair. "Of course I do. But, I just have to hope that this goes through. I'll only be gone, for the most, the rest of the summer. That's only two months, Cleo. I'll see you after that."

   "But what if I don't?" she whispered.

   I gulped at what she meant. What if I ended up getting injured, or maybe in danger? Or what if I wasn't ever found ever again? The possibilities were endless.

   "You will." I promised. "Then, before winter, I will be right by you, helping my family out like I should. Before the baby is here, most important." When I had told Cleo about the baby, she lost it in happiness. She claimed that she was going to be it's godmother. I just laughed and said she could. 

   Now I sat in the town square, alone, and staring at the paper. I clutched it in my hands, and looked up. I folded it into a square and put it into my back pocket.Tomorrow was the huge day that could change my life forever. No, I will change it forever. It will have to.

   I had planned the whole thing during the time between now and when Cleo left. I was going to go get the leftover bread at my father's bakery first. They were throwing them out today, but they said I could have it if I really did. (They didn't understand, but I told them I didn't want them to go to waste).

   I took a breath and walked inside the bakery. It was busy inside- people rushing to get bread before they went on their trip. They're opening another in the new town, but I suppose people want to get their bread from here one last time.

   I walked up to the counter, and ran the bell. An old lady with dirty brown hair turned around. She had a bad scar over her left eye, and she looked to be nearly Haymitch's age. I nearly flinched at the sight, but I managed to hold myself. I coughed a little. She stank really bad of oil for some reason.

   "Um... may I see Peeta Mellark?" I asked. The old woman let out a huffy sound. 

   "Why? Are you his little girl, Rose?" she asked.

   "Prim." I corrected her. "Um, yeah. I'm his girl." The lady let out a yellow smile and leaned against the counter with one elbow.

   "You look like your mother a real lot, girl." the woman said to me. I widened my eyes in surprise, and I studied the woman more. Did I know her from somewhere? I didn't recognise her, but maybe I did.