This is my first ever fanfic, and I hope it doesn't totally suck. All rights reserved to Suzanne Collins; I do not own The Hunger Games. By the way, the first three chapters are mostly background. The good part starts at Chapter 4, in case you want to skip right there. Please read and review!

I wake up to the delicious smell of warm, baking bread. I think to myself, what could possibly be the cause for such a treat? Normally all I get to eat is stale bread, and normally the cooking is done in the afternoon. Then it hits me. Reaping Day. That is the reason for this special treat, which must be courtesy of my mother. For all her faults, my mother's love for me has not diminished throughout the years. She is still quick with her hand to strike if I do something wrong, but she is also one of the most caring people in all of Panem.

I dress in my finest clothes, and go into the main room for breakfast. My parents are already at the table eating the freshly cooked bread. My father has even contributed cookies to the meal, an even rarer treat. Conversation that morning is sparse, as I am extremely nervous. I can only choke down a couple of cookies and maybe half a loaf of bread before I am full. I loaf around the house (no pun intended), anxiously awaiting the time to leave for the square. During this time, my parents and I avoid being in the same room with each other. I guess throughout the years, we reached an unspoken agreement to leave each other well alone on this day. When the time comes, my parents and I travel to the square, where I take my place among the other children my age. I am standing with people, the majority of which are merchant's children, not kids from the Seam. I crane my neck to try and see over the crowd, and I am rewarded with a glimpse of her.

Katniss Everdeen. The girl of my dreams. No, even that sounds too flimsy and too cliché to describe her. I can't even think of anything that would give true substance to my thoughts about her. She has no idea of the depth of my feelings for her, feelings I can't even explain myself, all I know is that those feelings are there, and that there is no use fighting them. I love her as much as I love my parents, maybe more, but the only thing is, she has no clue. And perhaps that's the best thing for both of us.

In my father's shop, I stop my work to look through the window. It's raining. I sigh, and turn back to my work. Suddenly, I hear my mother screaming near the back door, all l I hear is something about the Seam and a brat. I look out the door behind my mother and see her, Katniss. She looks awful, bedraggled, and underfed. Before I can process my thoughts and think of the consequences, I go back to my workplace, grab two loaves, and burn them. Right away, I feel a stinging on my cheek. My mother has slapped me. She is yelling at me to feed the loaves to the pig; they are no good. I go outside to do so, only I throw the loaves to Katniss, one at a time. I quickly turn back inside, but before I do, the last thing I see of her is the pure look of radiant joy on her delicate face.

I turn my attention back to the Reaping. The mayor has just finished his long, long opening speech (I don't see the point of this speech, seeing as almost nobody listens to it), and Haymitch Abernathy, District 12's only surviving Hunger Games victor has just stumbled onstage. He tries to fool around with Effie Trinket a little bit (dis-GUS-ting), and then drunkenly takes his seat. This is nothing new for him; he is quite the laughingstock of District 12. The cameras turn back to Effie; she is about to announce the girl's tribute for this year. I steel myself, thinking "Not Katniss, Not Katniss." And it's not Katniss; it's her sister, Primrose. Somehow, that's even worse.

"Prim!" I hear. I wonder who this cry has come from, but when I think about it, what kind of a question is that? Katniss, of course. Katniss rushes up to the stage, and gasps out, "I volunteer as tribute!"

In my mind, I am screaming in agony while Effie gushes about 'District spirit'. She can shove her District spirit where the sun doesn't shine. I'm thinking, how could Katniss be so stupid, but then I realize, this is one of the reasons why I love her so much, because she is so damn caring. She would never let anything bad happen to her sister. The uproar continues on the stage, as Haymitch has just taken a stage dive. Most people are snickering, but I can't. I'm too filled with worry for Katniss.

Right now, I am almost wishing to be called as the boy tribute, just so I would be able to finally talk to Katniss, and make a connection with her for even the briefest of times. That is, before I would be expected to have to kill her. "Peeta Mellark!'' shouts Effie. Well, I think to myself, it looks like I am about to get my wish.

Other stories of mine: The Seventy Fifth Hunger Games, Sharp As A Knife, From The Other Side, The Hunger Games Premiere.