truculent.

4. Command

•

Katniss was never good at making friends. In her whole life, she had, or still has, one besides her sister until she followed the boy that night. She was never one to talk out her opinion, or stand out in the crowd. She soon did, but for reasons she did not want or understand. She started hating herself for everything she did, for everyone's random stares and people's rude comments of her behind her back. Why could she not talk to anyone? Because they would back stab her? She didn't trust anyone? Or no one trusted Katniss?

She was one to pick up a fight, easily. One wrong word in her ears, and she has you by the collar before you could scream for help. She was fast, swift, they obviously knew what she was, when she had no clue. They first began with laughing, but once she got feisty and rough. They had to stop. They only whispered, too scared to even look at her for too long. She got stared at all day, that's for sure. Her glares bored down on everyone who looked her way, they turned their heads like they weren't watching her. Soon, she was called to the principal's office for fighting a boy her age who was picking on her. After what seemed like hours in his office while he babbled on and on about what she did and why it was wrong and how she shouldn't have picked up a fight in the first place, he concluded. "I am disappointed in you for this. You are much more than this, Katniss."

"Why should I care what you think about me? You're just like the rest of them. You're no better." Katniss snaps back, grumpily. She slouches back into the cushioned chair in his office again, unladylike yet she could care less.

"I'm not, okay? I'm here to help. What would your parents think of this?"

"They're dead." She mumbles, wanting to burst out crying. She crossed her arms, her anger raising.

The principle sighs. "What about your sister? What would she say? How would she feel?"

"Disappoint- you tricked me!" She exclaimed, standing. She glared at him.

"I am, Katniss." She whipped her head around, seeing her younger sister Prim standing in the doorway of the principal's office. "You shouldn't have done that, you could have handled that way better."

Prim carefully sat down, pulling Katniss down with her, in the next chair, reaching out for her hands. Katniss may have been older, but Prim seemed more responsibly sometimes. Prim could control Katniss at any given moment. She stared at Prim in sadness. "What else was I supposed to do? Let him continue talking?"

"Yes." Katniss was baffled. "Let his words fall off your back. Don't let him disturb you. Let him go, face better problems." Katniss knew Prim was right. She shouldn't have fought the boy, I mean, she only left him with a black eye and a couple of bruises. Like she was afraid of him, she scoffed at that, maybe just his words she was afraid of.

"Okay, Prim." She was the only person who could calm Katniss's bratty attitude to a new, sweet Katniss. They smiled. "Come here, little duck."

Prim rushed to Katniss's lap, hugging her. She was very young at that moment, the principle was glad Prim had calmed Katniss. Now it was his turn to speak. "Now Katniss." He began. "I am going to assign you a, may I say, buddy for the week. To look after you. Someone in all of your classes. I want you to make friends with them, be nice, and practice your behavior with this person. I promise, I will choose a girl."

Katniss nodded, knowing she should listen to him for the better. She took Prim's words into consideration. Prim's right. She could have handled that more maturely. Prim was always right, and she hated the eight year old for it.

"Here you go." Slipping a piece of paper with the girls name on it to Katniss.

"Thank you." She said, picking it up and starting at the name.