The boy with the bread: The back story to Peeta Mellark

Chapter 11

Birthdays have never been something special for Peeta. Most people--or children,-- you should say, get excited for their birthday to arrive. However, when you get older, the citizens of District 12 learned that there's nothing to get excited about. It's just a day out of 365 that you might feel or look at a bit different. It celebrates your age, but most adults lose track after a while. Mothers and Fathers learned to soon ignore their children also. When they were very young, some parents would try to sneak in a small present, but not everybody can afford one. In Peeta's family, on birthdays that person usually gets some extra bread or food, but its never much.

Once Peeta turned 12, he realized that his birthday falls about one week before the reaping. It's hard to get even a bit excited because the closer the games get, the more sleepless nights he has. The more he remembers what kind of world he lives in, even though he tries very hard to forget. And of course his 12th birthday was the worst of them all. As like every child who is 12 by the reaping, they are eligible to have a chance to get reaped. Effie Trinket always calls it an honour, even though everyone knows it never is.

Its is the second week of July, the games usually start in the middle of July.

The sun rises to signal that the day has begun and immediately the sound of footsteps start to produce. Once fully awake, Peeta realizes something. . . Today is July 12th, my birthday.

My sixteenth birthday.

Normally he would jump out of bed and run to his father to see if any special treats were made for him, but that stopped a while ago, so instead, he slowly slips out of bed, careful not to make noise.

Everyone is still sound asleep. It's early, like really early in the morning, so the sun still hasn't yet to awake. Peeta takes advantage of this and decides to take a walk since the weather is nice.

He changes into his usual clothes, washes up, and heads out, careful not to attract any unwanted attention.

Turning left leads towards the main part of the Seam, where the Hob is, turning right goes towards a bunch of empty land with only a few houses scattered around. Katniss' house being on of them.

He turns right.

This part of the Seam is pretty quiet since there aren't many people around. Peeta enjoys the silence, since his home is usually filled with screams and noise.

A man standing in the middle of the road catches Peeta's attention. His hands are almost completely back, covered in dirt. His eyes are dark grey, showing hunger, thirst. But not just hunger for food, or water to satisfy his scratchy throat. This old man hungers for a better life. A life where there's hope for his children, and his children's children. Peeta looks into the old mans tired eyes, he is a good eight feet away from him, but he can read the mans expression perfectly. Peeta is stuck right now, not sure what to do. Should he turn around, leaving the man to mourn? Ignore him completely and keep walking? He shoves his hands into his apron pockets and his hand finds something: bread. A small, burnt piece of bread, but just enough to satisfy some hunger. He takes the bread out of the pocket and lets it lay in his palm.

Before even thinking about it twice, he walks slowly up to the man, takes a hold--gently--of his battered old hand, and places the bread into it. Now it lays on the mans palm, not Peeta's. The man looks up, meeting Peeta's eyes, and they change their expression. Instead of showing hurt and hunger and thirst, they show confusion.

Peeta places his right hand on his shoulder then says calmly, "Take it. Please. I'm sorry its not much, but it's all I got." The man opens his mouth then closes it immediately, and forms a small smile, its worn it, his smile. It's been through many tough times, but Peeta can tell it shows more than a thank you--it shows forgiveness and everlasting peace. He smiles back and walks past the man, continuing his path.  

If his mother were here with him, he would've gotten in trouble for giving that man food. Even if it was burnt and slightly hard. She would've pulled him away before he could've even thought about doing what he just did. But she isn't here. She is at home, unaware of what he did. So Peeta doesn't care if his actions were wrong to her, it felt right to him--and that's all that matters right now.

As he continues walking towards the seam, he notices someone hiding behind a wall. He walks closer, trying to see who it is. Before he can process what he sees, a girl pops out and starts to flee. It takes a second for him to realize that is Katniss: she was watching him. She saw what he gave to the Man. She saw his small act of kindness.

She runs off into the forest and he wants to follow her, wants to talk to her and understand her. Understand how she feels at the moment, but the only person she possible talks to is Gale. 

She's gone quicker then ever, out of sight in only a few seconds. Wow, what a birthday it has been so far. He may not have gotten a "birthday gift" this year, but he did give one, to someone in need of one more then he will ever be.

Okay so I want to apologize for not updating this book in a long time . . . I was working on Explore alot. (My other story)  But I'm back so here's a small chapter, hope you like it, and let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions for upcoming chapters. . .it would mean alot! Thanks!

-erica :)