The Hunger Games - Beyond the Books

The First Day

The small boy's hand-me-down corduroys made a scratchy sound as he walked at his father's side, only as tall as his waist. The only thing that held him back from turning around and going home was the baker's hand, large and warm and firm on his back, guiding him along. They walked on, down the dirt path that led to the school building, the boy's face pulled into a wide-eyed, timid expression.

"Don't be afraid, Peeta." His father hid a smile behind his deep blue eyes as he looked down on his young son. "You'll meet some nice friends at school, to play with." Peeta was not so sure.

In his own five-year-old mind, the thought of going to school with kids he didn't know was rather frightening. Peeta looked around, and was relieved to see a few looked the same as he did: ready to run home at the first opportunity.

He saw a silent boy with dark hair and stormy eyes, a loud girl with dark blonde hair and freckled skin, a quiet Merchant girl with the signature fair blonde strands and blue eyes, and then...

There she was.

She tugged on her red gingham dress, her dark hair expertly woven into two silky braids. The Seam girl moved with the grace and quickness of a bird Peeta sometimes saw aloft in the branches of the apple tree in his yard. He was entranced. She held onto her father's dark hand as they walked just a little ahead of Peeta. His father then noticed where he was staring, and smiled, amused. He looked down at the boy, seeming like he was about to say something, but hesitated.

"What is it?" Peeta wondered aloud, breaking his gaze away from the girl for a second.

"I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner." His father said quietly, staring at the girl's father. The words didn't come out jealous or sharp. It seemed enough time had passed to heal that wound.

Peeta didn't understand. "A coal miner?" he asked, confused. "Why would she want him and not you?" His father was everything Peeta had ever wanted to be, at that point. He was kind, strong, and fairly handsome, and would definitely have been more than able to provide for whatever girl he loved. At least, better than a poor coal miner.

His father looked at him with a smile, but his eyes were sad. "Because when he sings...even the birds stop to listen." Peeta laughed. It was a silly thought. Impossible, really.

Before long everyone had made it through the front door of the small school. Peeta and his father went down a short hallway into a classroom, where they had to say their goodbyes. Peeta reached his tiny arms up to hug his father for a long moment. After they let go the baker ruffled his son's white-blond hair, smiling. "Have a good first day, son." Peeta stared back at him solemnly, his chin quivering out of childish fear and sadness. The baker smiled slightly and walked away. He knew his son would be just fine. Peeta's shining eyes followed him out of the room, until he was out of sight.

The little boy shoved his small hands in the pockets of his hand-me-down trousers, that had, at some point, been worn by both of his older brothers. He swallowed nervously, blue eyes flicking around the tight room, which was emptying out rapidly. He saw the kids he'd seen before, on the way here, now scattered around the worn wooden tables. A teacher stood at the front of the room, supervising the children as they interacted for the first time. Peeta noticed that the beautiful Seam girl with the braids was sitting alone in a corner, apparently not very interested in the array of colorful blocks in front of her.

Peeta found an empty chair at a table of his own, and sat with his chin in his hand, absent-mindedly fiddling with marbles. He stared at the Seam girl, who was looking out the window at the overcast weather. Peeta thought the incoming storm was reflected on her eyes, but when she turned to see him staring at her, he realized he was mistaken. Her luminous silver eyes were the storm. She narrowed them at him with a scowl, and he quickly looked down at his marbles, embarrassed.

Even in his under-developed, five-year-old mind, he knew. When she stood up and sang the Valley Song, he knew that he would do anything for the girl with the thunderstorm eyes. He didn't realize then, but that promise he made to myself, he would carry with him forever. Always.

The children all grew up, and even through the years of limited interaction, Peeta never forgot about the girl. About that day.

It was the first day of school. It was the first day he saw her. It was the first day of the rest of his life.