Mentor - Peeta Mellark

Chapter 4 - The Reaping (part 2)

12/04/2019

"And now for the boys," Effie said and she quickly walked to the other glass bowl. She picked a paper and," Peeta Mellark."

A wave of relief falls over the boys except for one. Peeta Mellark looks shocked, he knows he can't survive this. And I agree with him because even if he had a chance, Katniss has to win. Don't get me wrong, I like Peeta, we went to school together and he has always been very kind to me.

I remember the moment I first met him.
Little me was sitting alone on a bench at school during lunch break. I didn't have any food with me because my family was having a hard time to survive. My dad was just killed in a mining accident a few months prior in the same accident Katniss lost her dad. Mom said we were okay, but I knew better. She couldn't feed all of us with the little resources we had. And the loss of my dad had broken her. But then a blonde blue-eyed boy walked over to me, Peeta. I didn't know him at the time, but he sat next to me and gave me some of his lunch. He didn't say much but he sat with me for the rest of the lunch break.

I shuffle in my seat, it's going to be hard to neglect him when he did such a nice thing for me. I would have preferred the male tribute was someone I didn't know. But at least it wasn't my brother.

Peeta arrived at the stage being escorted by peacekeepers. He goes to stand next to Katniss. Effie puts her hands on both Katniss' and Peeta's shoulder. "Here we are, our 2 tributes from district 12." Katniss is looking at the crowd with an empty look and Peeta just looks like he wants to cry.

"Come on you two, shake hands," Effie urges. They slowly turn to look at each other and Katniss freezes like she's having some sort of flashback. Then they slowly shake hands. I remember my reaping, this was the part I hated the most. Facing the person who will most likely be dead in a few weeks. I still miss him, Wallace Allen.

After Effie said the usual 'happy hunger games and may the odds be ever in your favour', Katniss and Peeta were told to go inside. I quickly jump up and follow them in the town hall before the heavy doors close shut. The inside of the Town hall is nicely decorated. A long red carpet is lying in the floor and a fire is burning at the end of the hallway next to a large staircase.

Peacekeepers pull Peeta away to a room where he will have to say goodbye to his family. But before they can do the same to Katniss I run over to her and engulf her in my arms. She doesn't hug me back, but she's probably still in shock. "I promise you I will get you out of this alive," I whisper to her. She just gives me a small nod. I can't blame her, I told her all about my games and she knows what the trauma is doing to me now.

Then the peacekeepers pull her to a room too. I decide to sit down on a bench in the hallway. Katniss' mom and sister who is crying pass by me. Peeta's parents also pass me but they don't seem to be crying. Peeta's older brothers are with them. They didn't volunteer for their little brother like Katniss did for their little sister. However that doesn't surprise me as I think most siblings wouldn't have done something as selfless like that.

After sitting a few more minutes my brother enters the town hall. He walks over and sits besides me. Several moments of silence pass before Gale speaks up," Promise me you will protect her Lexi." His voice sounds filled with despair. I look up to see his face and he's nearly crying. No sister wants to see her big brother cry. "Of course I will Gale, she's my best friend." He doesn't answer so I put my arm around his shoulders," Now go say goodbye to Catnip, and wipe your tears away." I go to wipe of his tears from his cheeks but his comment stops me," Even if she comes back she won't be the same Lexi, you are the living proof of that." I sigh," I know Gale but you learn to live with the terrors." He wraps his arms around me tightly and when he finally releases me he stands up and turns around to walks to the room Katniss is in.

I stand up too but I go outside and start walking towards the train station. Katniss and Peers will be escorted there later in a car, and I could go with them but I need some alone time before that. Haymitch is probably in the train already. He enjoys using the Capitol's 'generous' supply of alcoholic beverages. And I can't deny the fact that the Capitol has a lot of nice things. It's just that they don't like to share them on many occasions which annoys me.

I can already see the train station, so I only have a few minutes of walking left. I quickly make a mental check list. Firstly, always smile, smiling means happiness and I am happy. Second, never think about Wallace or the
Hungergames. But that one might get a bit hard. And lastly and most importantly, don't let Katniss or anyone of your friends and family die.

I keep repeating those three things in my head over and over. When I don't repeat them I might forget them and they're much to important for that.

When I finally arrive at the station a huge silver Capitol train is already waiting for me. The peacekeepers carefully watch me as I approach the train.

I climb in and the inside of the train is as nice as the outside of it. "Well I better get settled in," I say loudly for anyone close to hear. Even though I don't actually have anything with me. The Capitol provides everything for the mentors and their tributes. How nice of them isn't it?

~~~~~~~
So that was part 2 of the reaping. I hope you liked it. More chapters are coming very soon.
Please like, I really appreciate it!