the ruler [THE HUNGER GAMES]¹

Nineteen.

TWELVE beautiful chariots in two rows of six fill the space under the tributes centre. There's also at least a hundred people. Tributes, mentors, prep teams and Capitol workers rush around to get ready for the parade which starts very soon. My eyes sweep the floor for any sign of somebody familiar and eventually fall to rest on a beautiful looking Katniss Everdeen. A bronze-coloured dress with a matching crown in her long hair compliment the dark makeup on her face perfectly. I have a feeling there will be flames included this year too, but for now she's entirely fire-free. I cross the large space in my glorified school uniform to greet her.

"You look amazing," I'm stood behind her and she's stroking the mane of the black horses attached to the district twelve chariot.

At the sound of my voice Katniss whirls around, a smile spreading across her face. "And you look..."

"Ridiculous, I know," I smile back at her so she knows I'm not offended, "if it makes you feel better this is what Snow had to wear to school when he was our age."

Katniss looks up at the ceiling for a few seconds, squinting her eyes as if she's trying to picture what I've just told her. "Okay thats good," she nods, "why are you wearing it?"

"My stylist thinks it'll open the eyes of the people here," I shrug, "I hope so because I don't think we're going to be popular dressed like this."

She scoffs and waves me off, "you and Jacinth could show up wearing pyjamas and people would love it."

My cheeks heat up at the compliment. Maybe I really was loved this whole time and my tendency to be self depreciative made me blind to it. Still, it doesn't change my view of the Capitol.

Katniss glances behind me and then leans so that my frame fully blocks her from view of anyone on that side of me, "Peeta's coming. You should go talk to him."

My eyes widen and I freeze. I knew this was coming and am still completely unprepared. A chance to talk to Peeta right now, alone with our conversation drowned out by the loud crowds congregating in the streets just outside the tributes centre.

Katniss gives me a gentle push in the direction of the boy who has rooted himself in my dreams, "go!"

I glare at her in the friendliest way possible and then spin on my heel, catching my first look at him in the flesh since we kissed on the roof six months ago. His outfit matches Katniss' in the most perfect way, a tunic style top with pants underneath and his blonde hair styled up on top of his head. There are no sleeves on the top, showing his strong arms off. The limp from his prosthetic leg is barely visible anymore. To put it simply, he's gorgeous. My heart beats far too fast to be healthy.

Portia is with him but as I cross the distance to meet him she must sense that we want to be alone and makes herself busy with another stylist. Every step I take gets faster until I'm almost running and there's a huge smile on my face that I can't contain. He's smiling too, my first sign that our lack of contact might not have been as detrimental as I had thought. I should be worried about looking so eager to see the baker boy, but anybody who sees can play it off as two friendly victors reuniting. Nothing more. Definitely not two victors who kissed behind the presidents back on more than one occasion.