Peeta's Story- The Hunger Games

Chapter 11

Katniss looks down at our interlinked hands and then looks away. I can't decipher the expression on her face because there is a smile plastered across it. She seems to be forcing a smile for the crowd, but they eat it all up, screaming her name and jumping up and down. Looking at her, I marvel at how gorgeous she is, with the fire flaring behind her. I make a mental note to thank Portia and Cinna for not burning us to a crisp.  

"I think Cinna told us to hold hands," I say. 

She nods her head a fraction of an inch, making sure to keep her regal pose. She looks likes a goddess of fire and seems so calm, but I can tell by the way she's clutching my hand that she's nervous. I interlock my fingers with hers even more and we ride on, holding on to each other for support. 

I see our chariot being broadcast on the big screen and gasp in wonder. Cinna and Portia have really outdone themselves and our chariot looks spectacular. The flames contrast with the setting sun, and the camera lingers on us longer than necessary. What we are wearing is an original design, the likes of which have never been seen before, and it's garnering approval from the Capitol residents. Knowing them, the fire theme will probably be very fashionable in a few days.  

I hear someone scream "Peeta!" in a high-pitched voice, and look over. It is a girl who looks to be 15. She is screaming at me and trying to touch our chariot. I smile at her, but feel a stab of resentment. In a few days, she will be screaming my name while I fight to keep myself and Katniss alive. 

I grow more and more confident as everyone chants "District 12!" We are so popular that it's almost overwhelming. I wonder what my friends back at home are doing right now. They are probably having a celebration, for it's been awhile since our District got a lot of attention. What we're wearing will probably even become a legend. 

I pass many other screaming fangirls who yell my name, and I grin at them. As my confidence increases, I wink at someone, who jumps up and down, yelling in her weird Capitol accent. So this is what it's like to be famous. 

I become aware that Katniss is still squeezing my hand as if her life depended on it. If she squeezes any harder, she will cut off all my circulation! I don't say anything about it, though, because I feel so at ease when supporting her. Her fake smile has been replaced by a genuine one, and set against the glowing fire, she really is a sight to see. I hear someone yell her name, and a rose flies out of nowhere. She catches it and sniffs it while giggling. Since when does she giggle? 

She blows a kiss out to the giver of the rose, and I feel a pang of jealousy. I jerkily look away, the colour rising in my cheeks, and she seems to become aware that she's holding my hand. She winces while pulling away, saying "Sorry for squeezing so hard!" 

Immediately, I reach back out for her and tell her that it's okay. As my skin makes contact with hers again, I feel my skin tingle, and it takes all my restraint to ignore the sparks I feel. 

When we finally get to the end of the procession, President Snow comes out. With a head of white hair and sneaky, calculating eyes, he reminds me of a fox. He is wearing a plain black suit with a white handkerchief in his pocket and one blood-red rose pinned to the lapel. He smiles widely at us, but I can't shake off the feeling that his smile is cold, evil, and eerie. 

He makes his speech, but I'm too busy examining him to notice what he's saying- something about happiness and Panem. He sounds so insincere, but everyone is holding on to his words, entranced. I look over at Katniss and she is glaring at the president, disgusted, looking like she smells a rotten egg. I smile at her odd expression and am glad that I'm not the only one who thinks this speech is total bullsh*t. 

Vaguely, I am aware that the cameras linger on me and Katniss more than the other tributes, and I smirk in satisfaction. Set against the darkness of the night, the endless flickering of our costumes seems to draw attention away from the President and the other tributes. The President looks up at us often, probably annoyed that we are such a distraction from his speech. 

After what seems like forever, he finally finishes and faces us. 

This is the first time he's looked directly at us, and I gasp as I see that his eyes are bloodshot, with an evil expression in them. He does not look like a man I want to cross. He nods his head at us, but I can sense that he does it more for show than because he actually respects us. He then shoos us away and our chariot begins rolling towards the entrance of a building. 

Once I am safely inside the tunnel, I am suddenly sapped of all energy. I collapse against a wall, while Portia bustles around me, extinguishing the flames, and complimenting me. The adrenaline high I was riding on all night is slowly fading, and I feel drowsy. 

"You did great, Peeta! You guys looked so magnificent and united and just...wow!"  

"Thanks, Portia." I yawn. "Though it wouldn't be possible without you and Cinna. Oh, by the way, thanks for not burning us up." 

"Oh, Peeta darling, you are too sweet!" She pats my head and leaves. I slump against the wall and sigh.

"Wake up sleepyhead!"  

I open my eyes to see Katniss, laughing at me. "I wasn't sleeping, I was resting!" I scoff. 

She rolls her eyes. "Cinna just finished up with me. Good job, by the way." 

"Right back at 'cha!" I say, winking at her. 

She blushes a deep crimson and winks back- something I've never seen her do- and tugs at my sleeve. "Come on! Let's get into the building."

By the glares of the other tributes we pass, we obviously have outshone them. A girl wearing sparkly silver glares at us before grudgingly saying "You guys looked amazing." 

I look at her curiously before following Katniss down a hallway. She has an angular face, with suspicious, shifty eyes. "Thanks," I say, and catch up to Katniss. 

"Well, I think we make quite an impression tonight," she says to me as she strides down the hall. 

"Yeah, it was amazing... Who knew being a tribute was this exhilarating?"  

She gives me a funny look, and I say, "What? You have to admit, that was fun."  

She just shakes her head and laughs. 

"By the way, you looked beautiful tonight." I don't know why I said that, but it just slipped out of my mind. I blush and look away from her, embarrassed. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I see her frown, and then smile mischievously. She comes over to me and lightly touches my arm. "Peeta..." she says. 

I look at her, confused. Without missing a beat, she swoops in and kisses my cheek, leaving it tingling with electricity. 

With that, she runs off to her room.