Valley Song: A Hunger Games Fan Fiction

Chapter Seven - Bread and Stone

At night, before his brother's would enter their room, Peeta would steal himself and look at the drawing he made of Katniss. It satisfied as a passing image of her, which he could never really capture in a drawing like this. 

For the first time in his life, the security of his family home held the shadow of the games. This was the first year his name will be entered into the Reaping for the Hunger Games. He had his name put in twice this year, with his mother using the extra supplies for their shop. 

It wasn't need that caused him to put his name in twice, his mother requested that they each put their name in a second time in our first year. He was sure she didn't want to increase their chances of being reaped, but was blinded by a naive belief that 12 year old children weren't reaped. 

The odds must be in our favor the first year, she would reason with them. Noah and Kenneth did the same during their first years, but he knew, however, that he was one chance closer to proving her theory wrong. 

This year it was the 70th Hunger Games. Everyone from their class put their names in for the first time. The kids from town laughed and joked with each other about it, more out of nerves, but then again there was less likely a chance that a town kid's name would be selected. 

The Seam kids did not joke, or laugh about it. They knew that the odds were never in their favor.  And unlike the one extra time he put my name in for the tesserae, the Seams kids will have many more reason's to put their names in additional times. In fact, most will put their names in as many times as they can in order for extra food on the table. 

The games may loom over their heads, but Peeta found himself conflicted with optimism. Life went on as normal for him, up to the day of the Reaping. He gave little thought to anything outside the bakery, school, and observing Katniss from a distance. 

He hadn't attempted to stray far off the path since his late night journey to the Seam. He daydreamed more instead, and every night the songbird continued to call him in his dreams. It was a comforting thought. It made him feel closer to Katniss. 

The last day before summer break began, he walked to class. The weekend followed, and then on the 1st day of the week the Reaping takes place. It was a holiday for anyone's who's child was not reaped. They did this so families would watch the proceedings. The first day was required viewing. 

He walked to the school, lost in his thoughts, bumping into an older boy. It was an older kid from the Seam. He was in his brother Kenneth's grade. They called him Gale, and Kenneth said that all the girls liked him. Kenneth didn't say it like he admired him for it, but rather he was jealous.

Peeta looked up. "Sorry," he said.

"Watch it. Okay?" There was an edge to his tone. 

He was about to apologize again, but he didn't get the chance. Gale just brushed past and made his way down the long hallway. His eyes followed him. He saw Katniss standing there at the end of the hall, and it looked like she was waiting for something. He realized, to his horror, she was waiting for him. 

Gale stopped in front of her, and they begin talking like old friends. His heart sank. To see her light up when she spoke to him, something he had dared hope for himself. He hadn't realized they were friends, though during the progression of their conversation they seemed to be arguing about something. He wished he could argue with her. 

Maybe Seam kids all knew one another. It never occurred to him that Katniss was friends with anyone else. The only person he'd seen her with was Madge. They sometimes sat together at lunch, and when she was in class her head was always down. 

"Oh, that's too bad Peeta. No chance of competing with that kid." Edrig arrived and he saw where Peeta was looking.

"They could be related." he said.