Unraveling hope

chapter 2 - Let the 74th Hunger Games begin!

A/N at the end.

Disclamer: All I want for christmas is my own Peeta! But too bad :(

Peeta's P.O.V

I was awoken by a loud bang outside my door.

"Wake up! We haven't got all day you know," said a slightly slurred voice whom I guessed belonged to Haymitch.

I groaned and rubbed my eyes. Then got up to face the incredibly long day ahead.

I got to breakfast at about the same time as Delly. Haymitch must've given her the same slurred wake-up call as well.

The highlight of the entire breakfast was the cup of orange juice I got to myself. Once, in the bakery, after a lot of begging to my mother, my brothers and I got to share a cup of orange juice made from the few oranges my father had traded home.

The rest of the breakfast consisted of a forced conversation between Delly, Effie, and I. Haymitch mostly kept to himself, except the occasional loudly expressed comment. As soon as it was announced that we were in the capitol, everyone's face broke into a relieved expression, even Delly and I, dispite the fact that we were getting closer to the games. Effie, however, kept a huge grin on her face.

Once in the capitol, they told us we had to go train. This is it, I thought. The real thing. The impact of the realization, of how real this is, scared me to no end.

All twenty four of us were placed in a darkish grey room. Surrounding us were weapons, plants, and all kinds of different things to prepare us for the games. I eyed some of the other tributes. I could immediately spot the careers. They stood out like a sore thumb. They looked big, strong, and I could feel myself being intimidated.

A loud squeak over the speaker caused us all to cover our ears. An enthusiastic voice chirped over the speaker, instructing us to separate into the stations. I headed over to the knot tying first. There was a diagram on different types of knots. I mastered a few of the basic. And one each of the intermediate and advanced. Frustrated at the thought of tying more unsuccessful knots, I decided to go to another station.

The next station was plants. Telling which ones were edible and which ones weren't. I am pretty good at that. My family owned a bakery. I was surrounded by food, not ones we could eat though, pretty much 24/7. Although I baked, I had become familiar with other types of food, during the times when not many people came by the bakery.

I gulped. The next station was the fighting station. I walked over to it cautiously and picked up a weapon. Wrestling was more my strong suit, but how could you wrestle to death when your opponent, more likely than not, has a weapon.

I did unbelievebly better than I had thought. I had even beat a career. One of the smaller ones though. And although we had protective gear on, he looked pretty hurt. Or maybe it was just because of the fact that he had been beat by a non-career. Never-the-less, I was quite satisfied with myself.

A loud sound, echoed through the room. The same voice as before, announced that it was time to test our training scores.

I waited and waited to be called in with a just as anxious Delly beside me. When they finally called me in, I picked up some rope and tied it into the one advanced knot I had learned. The people who were judging looked bored out of their minds. Another set-back to being from the last district. I decided to do something with more action. I picked up and threw some large cement filled sacks around and worked with a weapon. That seemed to wake them up. To finish off, I quickly sorted the plants into non edible and edible.

Just as I walked out, Delly stood up and walked through the still swinging doors. I became nervous as to what score I would get. It would be televised through all of Panem.

Delly and I huddled next to the small screen that would show our score. We had finished "testing" half an hour ago, and we were about to see the results.

Peeta Mellark - 9, they showed a couple pictures of me.

Delly Cartwright - 7.

A nine wasn't so bad. It proved that I still had a chance. What would my family think of my score? What would Katniss think?

After we watched the televised version,we were lead to an echoey white hallway. I've had enough white to last a lifetime, after being in the justice building. It was strange to me how the people in the capitol dressed so colorfully but had such little color in their architecture.

It felt like an eternity before we stopped at two doorways on either side of the hall. Haymitch pulled Delly and I to the side.

"You are going to meet you stylists. My advice to you, no matter what they do, don't resist. Trust me, the ridiculous outfits will help you,"He warned,"eventually."

"Delly, you go to that room to the left,"Haymitch put a hand on my shoulder to stop me from following,"Peeta, you are on the right."

I nodded and stepped into the room opposite the way Delly went. This room was the most colorful thing I have seen in the past few hours.

The walls were covered in pictures of the capitol's ridiculous looking get-ups and outfits of the past tributes. Lining the walls were strange looking contraptions. I spotted one that had an extremely sharp looking point. I hope they wouldn't be using that on me. I shuddered involuntarily at the thought.

Two women and two men suddenly appeared in front of me. I was so captured in the strangeness in this room that I did not hear them come in.

"Are you my stylists?" I asked hesitantly. They smiled, concealing a laugh, and looked at each other as if sharing a private joke.

One of the women stepped forward,"No silly, we are you prep team. Your stylist will be arriving after we're done with you." Done with you? I gulped.

Half an hour later, I found myself scrubed and polished head to toe, down to every inch. They washed and brushed my hair, and applied weird smelling capitol ointment that I couldn't possibly afford back in District 12 to the small burns on my arm due to the excessive baking I did at home. They also removed what they considered as "unnecessary" hair on my legs.

My stylist came in at the same time they had finished. I wonder if it was planned. She introduced herself as Portia. She was not the wild, crazily dressed image I had expected. The only thing that was somewhat crazy was that she had an attached feather in her hair. She didn't even have the standard capitol accent. I guess she was from one of the districts.

I watched her warily as she circled me. Examining my every inch. It was on the second circle that she began mumbling.

"The coal miner, the pile of coal, no too unexciting,the boy with the coal, the boy with...the boy with," She had just begun her fifth circle and seemed as if she was in a trance that I don't even think she knew she was still circling.

"How about the boy with the bread?" I said out loud, thinking of what Katniss had said.

Portia's head snapped up.

"The boy with the bread." I wrinkled my eyebrows in confusion. I had said that out loud?

"Hmmm... what does that mean exactly?" Portia looked at me with an exitement in her eyes. Since I had already said it, there was no going back.

I searched frantically through the wandering thoughts in my mind for an answer.

"Well that could mean that we know how to find food." I tried to keep a confident demeanor.

"This might be just the creative idea we need. I'll be right back," Portia said to me before rushing out the door leaving me standing in the middle of the room.

A few moments later, I was embraced by Portia who had a huge smile on her face.

"I told the Cinna, district 12's other stylist, and he loved the idea. We've already gotten ideas of outfits for the interview and chariot ride." She explained excitedly. And suddenly, I was told to shut my eyes, and prepare to be amazed.

Before I knew it, I was whisked onto a chariot next to Delly with our outfits on. I was wearing a standard black suit, tie and all, to represent coal. What was different about this was that with every step I took, a strong smell of a bakery and food wafted into the air. For some, it may smell excruciatingly strong, but for me, it smelled like home.
Delly was wearing an outfit with similar meaning to mine, but was feminine. She was wearing a black dress to represent coal, like all the other previous tributes, but as she walked, the dress slowly unraveled into something completely different. The train of the dress became abundant with shades of brown. Chocolate browns, caramel browns, shades that were identical to all the shades of bread that I've seen or made.

I was gestured onto the chariot with Delly following behind. The view of all the people were impressive. I nearly stumbled off the side of the chariot from astonishment. It was an entirely new experience. Strange, more so than any other experiences in the past 2 days.

We were told to smile and wave, to the crowd. Try to lure in sponsers. As we got halfway to where we were going to be interviewed, Delly stumbled and latched her hand onto mine. I, startled, didn't know what I should do. Should I let go? No, that would seem cold-hearted to the cameras. And besides, Delly and I were friends. That's all we were. I looked straight ahead, checked to make sure I had kept a smile on my face, and continued waving.

Once we got to our places to wait for our interview, my palms started sweating. What happened to the oh-so-calm Peeta I used to be? Since we were district 12, our interview was last.

Haymitch had had a session of, instructing, was a way to put it, back on the train with each of us. My angle was humble, likeable, modest, and anything that fits into any of those categories. Delly was supposed to be flirty, mysterious, and alluring. I've known Delly since we were born, as our mothers were friends, so I know that she wasn't like that. She did however care very much about how she looked, her reputation, and I know that she has been known to be demanding, for a lack of a better word. But I know that she is a nice person inside.

The interviews flew by, and before I knew it, it was district 11's interview. A little girl, age of 12 was on stage. I guessed that she probably wouldn't last very long. Heck, I probably wouldn't either. I couldn't help but be saddened. She was so young, but had to be put into the games. We are all too young. In fact, we shouldn't even be put in the games.

It was now district 12's interviews. Delly was first. She kept a cool and confident stride up to the seat by Ceaser Flickerman.

"Hello," Ceasar looked over at a small piece of paper with writing, the tributes' names, I suppose," Delly,"

Delly smiled and waved to the crowd, trying to appear somewhat seductive.

"So what has impressed you most about the capitol?" I knew that he always started an interview like this. Either ask you what you have liked about the capitol, or talk about your training score.

"Nothing too interesting yet, but I'm sure that will change in the very, " Delly lowered her voice an octave and purred," near future."

Ceaser cleared his throat. I'm sure he has seen enough tributes try this angle that it would almost seem laughable to him.

"Quite the impression you've made on the chariot. Cinna and Portia have really outdone themselves. Tell me, what does it mean?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Delly pursed her lips and threw out a look at the audience.

"What is your favorite food in the Capitol?" Ceasar asked.

"Well, what's your favorite?" Delly really was good at this not directly answering questions thing.

"The soups are absolutely amazing!" He said excitedly.

"I just might have to try some!" Delly giggles.

"Anyone special waiting for you back home?" This was the question the people from the capitol loved to hear.

"Not at home, specifically," I wonder who it is.

"Tell us, who's the lucky guy?" A sound rings through the stage and announces that her interview is over.

It was now my interview. As I got to the seat, Ceaser quickly jumped into the conversation. Probably eager to finish and find himself some soup.

"How do you like the capitol so far?" Another question about the capitol.

I smiled and said,"It's been amazing. I've never seen anything like it before."

"Do you have a new favorite food? I know the capitol has many that districts don't." Find a way to praise them, I thought.

"To be honest, I may like the new foods more than the district food."

"Any special girl waiting for you at home?" Everyone in the audience looked expectantly up at me.

"The mockingjay," I whisper to myself.

"What did you say?" Ceaser too, craned his head forward, expecting an answer.

"Well, yes, she may not be waiting for me though."

Ceaser waved his hand, "Nonsense, you will be showered with gifts once you go back. No way she will refuse you. Is that your plan of attack?"

"I'm not in it for the gifts, being chosen for this is an honor." I shout at the president in my head.

"You are a career?"

"No, but I do love the capitol's generosity."

"How do you feel about Delly confessing her love for you to all of Panem?" What? She never- Oh they must've mistook her answer for me. She could never like me.

"What? I-" I too, was cut off by the strange ringing that signaled an end of an interview.

I ran backstage and tried to find Delly through the throng of people. I felt a small tap on my shoulder.

"It's not you," Delly said.

"Then who-"

"It's not important,"She cut me off. "Now come on, it's getting late."

I followed her wordlessly back to our rooms.

Panic and terror rushed through my veins all at once. I was being brought down into the arena in a strange machine. I would die for sure. I just wish I could see my father, my brothers, and Katniss again. Just one last time.

My face was suddenly exposed to a harsh wind as the machine slowly disappeared upward. I was panting. Sweat dripped down my face. I was scared. I was terrified.

"Let the 74th annual Hunger Games Begin!" I couldn't breathe. Couldn't do anything...but run for my life.

A/N: I know, the feathers in hair was a big fall trend. But I decided to have Peeta think it was "weird" anyway. :)

This is the longest chapter I've ever written, so the next few might not be as long.

Did you guys hear the first song of the hunger games soundtrack, Safe and Sound by Taylor swift ft. the civil wars?

Thanks to everyone who reviewed on the last chapter! :)