The Hunger Games: Peeta's Story

Chapter Nine: Piece In Their Game

Chapter Nine: Piece In Their Game

A silent gasp escapes everyone's mouth. That was a bad move. Although I'll never make it out of that arena with Katniss, I still can't help wanting to spend the time in there with her. Protect her. Help her. Love her for the last time I can. That is all I expect to get out of the remaining time of my life.

Without notice, Caesar is yelling my name once again, for the last time.

I exit the stage with a loud applause, go back to where Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, Portia and, god help me, Katniss will be. I enter through the open door and get pushed up to the wall and I'm suddenly face to face with an angry Katniss Everdeen. At this point she won't need my protection, she's terrifying.

"What the hell was that? You don't talk to me and then you say you have a crush on me! And then you want to train alone! Is that how you want to play? Huh?" Haymitch drags her away.

"Let's start right now!" She yells.

What can that mean? Start the killing right now? And start with me? Have I just lost my only ally? This is all too much at once.

Haymitch looks in my direction with one hand on Katniss. "He did you a favour," he turns back to her.

"He made me look weak!" She snaps at me.

"He made you look desirable!" Haymitch snaps back. "Which in your case can't hurt, Sweetheart."

"He's right, Katniss." Cinna tells her calmly.

"Of course I'm right!" Haymitch says modestly. "Now I can sell the star crossed lovers from District Twelve."

"We are not star crossed lovers!" She shouts towards my face.

"It's a Television show!" Haymitch regains her attention, "now being In love with that boy might get you sponsors, which could save your damn life."

He takes a deep breath. "Okay. Why don't you get out of here," he says as I'm lead upstairs. "Maybe I can deliver you both in one piece."

Effie gives Katniss the typical "manners", and I'm sent to my room.

That night I don't sleep for a minute. I still can't get the thought of losing Katniss out of my head. The first thing she'll do is get her bow and shoot an arrow straight into my eye. I get out of bed to escape my thoughts and sit on the ledge next to the giant window that pans across the wall of the dining room. Overlooking the Capitol, more thoughts come to me.

However, they're drowned out by her voice. "You too?" She asks, looking more beautiful as ever. My initial fears of her ripping out my throat has now gone with her relaxed tone.

"Oh... Hey." I reply cautiously.

"Couldn't sleep?" She asks.

"No." I chuckle. "Of course not."

And it's only now I realise. Katniss has had nightmares of the games tomorrow. Whereas I've had nightmares of losing her.

"I'm sorry for going after you earlier." Wow. An apology. Maybe it's not all that bad. Maybe she won't kill me within an instant. She looks at me with eyes of sorrow, beautiful, of course.

"You know I meant that as a compliment?" I ask.

"I know." She replies with a shy smile. At this point it looks as if our love is mutual.

She sits beside me on the ledge. We overlook the city and listen to the roaring crowd cheer through the night in anticipation for our deaths. But I don't let it get to me that way. I have a mission, to save the girl sat no more than a metre away from me.

"Listen to them." She breaks the silence.

"Yeah." I leave a long pause. "I just don't think they'd change me."

"How would they change you?" She asks.

"I don't know." I say without thought. "Turn me into something I'm not. I just don't want to be a piece in their game, y'know?" And now I think of what I just said, it makes sense. I'm not a piece in their game. I'm playing my own game, but all more serious. To save Katniss.

"You mean you won't kill anyone?" She brings me back to reality.

"No. Well I mean I would if the time came, like anybody would. I just keep wishing that I could think of a way to show them that they don't own me. Y'know if I'm gonna die, I still want to be me."

I sit and stare out into the city.

"Does that make any sense?" I ask her, keeping the conversation going.

"Yeah." She answers, and then pauses. "I just can't afford to think like that. I have my sister."

"I know." I answer.

And once again utter silence as I look out into the bright lights and pulsing crowd.

"Guess I'll see you tomorrow." I say expressionless.

"See you tomorrow." She replies, while giving me a gorgeous smile to say, but I wish I wasn't.

And with that I get up and head off to bed, knowing that she's on my side again. And although my death is but a few hours away, I feel self satisfaction.

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I was gonna make this chapter longer but I thought it would be too lengthy!

So I'm gonna make a short one next time👍

Thanks so much for reading! Would love some comments for feedback etc.

Hope you enjoyed🔥