Prim in the Games

Chapter Nine

There is only one interview left, Peeta's. I stand behind the curtain at the side of the stage to watch. I can't see all that well but there is a TV screen right in front of me showing the live footage.

"How are you liking the Capitol, Peeta?" Caesar asks.

"It's very different than home. The showers are different."

"Showers? We have different showers?" Caesar seems surprised, but he does know how poor our district is.

They go on sniffing each other to see who smells better. The audience gets a real kick out of that.

"So Peeta, Tell me. Is there a special girl back home?" Caesar asks.

"No, not really." Peeta replies.

"Oh I don't believe it for a second. Look at that face."

"Well there is someone, but she didn't notice me until the reaping."

"Well I'll tell you this, you go out there, and you win this thing, she'll have to go out with you."

"I don't think winning is going to help in my case."

"And why not?"

"Because her little sister is here with me. I'd be better off dead."

"Well that's bad luck. I heard Primrose mention her name. Oh what was it?"

"Katniss, yeah that's her."

"I'm so sorry Peeta."

They say goodbye and Peeta walks off. We say nothing to each other for the whole ride home. We watch alittle bit if the reruns with Haymitch and Effie.

"Oh Primrose you were brilliant!" Effie says. "You showed your sensitive side, the sponsors are going to eat that up."

I'm disgusted at how they treat it as nothing. As just an act. "I'm going to bed," I announce. Then I walk into my bedroom leaving me alone with my thoughts.

There is a door on my celing leading to the rooftop. I hear it creak and soon enough it swings open. I look up and I see Peeta. "Would you like to come up here with me?" He asks.

"Sure," I reply. I'm to anxious to sleep anyway. So I take his hand and he pulls me up. We sit at the edge of the rooftop and look upon the crowd of Capitol people cheering for their favorite tribute.

"Is it true?" I ask him. "About my sister?"

"Primrose, I'm like you, I wouldn't take something so emotional and have it all to be an act. I don't fool people like that. Everything I say, I mean." He replies.

"So in other words, you don't lie?"

"Not exactly like that. I would if it comes to another person's safety, but everything I say about my felling a inst an act. I don't want these games to change me."

I look at him. I never thought anyone thought of the games this way. "That's amazing," I say.

"Primrose, I will try everything I can to protect you in the arena. I want Katniss to be happy, I think it will be easier if she has her sister." he tells me

But a thought crosses my mind. What if he is lying? You can't trust anyone in the games. Would he try to kill me if I agree to be his ally?

I look into his blue eyes. I remember seeing him cry on the train. That doesn't seem like a person who would deceive a 12-year-old girl. Or better yet, a whole entire nation.

"So allies?" He asks.

"You got yourself a deal," I answer.

"I like making deals with you, Primrose," he says.

"Oh Peeta," I say, "You can call me Prim."