"No! No!" Prim screams waking Katniss up as I was getting dressed. I immediately go over to her and hug her and she hugs me back. "Shh. It's okay. It's okay. You were just dreaming. You were dreaming." I say rubbing her head trying to calm her. Katniss is sitting beside us rubbing Prim's back. "It was me." Prim said "I know. I know. But it's not. It's your first year, Prim. Your name's only been in there once. They're not gonna pick you. Try to go to sleep." I say "I can't." Prim said "Just try. Just try." I say "Can you sing to me?" Prim asked "Mm-hmm." I nod and she lays down. "Deep in the meadow. Under the willow." I sing "A bed of grass. A soft green pillow." Katniss, Prim and I sing in sync. "You remember that song? Okay. You and Katniss finish it. I've got to go." I say kissing her forehead. "Where?" Prim asked "I've just got to go. But I'll be back. I love you both." I get up and walk downstairs grabbing the coat from the hook. Prim's cat growls and hisses at me. "I'll still cook you." I say

I run out of the house and towards the boundary fence for the district. I slip between the wires in the fence and towards the forest. Once I get in the forest, I look around before going to the log where my bow is hidden and the tree trunk where my arrows are hidden. I walk through the woods until I spot a doe and notch an arrow going to shoot the doe but it runs off before I could. I pick up a handful of leaves crumbling them and letting them float through the air with the wind to see which way it was blowing and then I follow the deer further into the woods trying to find it again. I see the deer but I wouldn't be able to get a shot off so I pick up a rock and put it against the string of my bow and pull the string back letting the rock fly hitting a bigger rock making a noise that spooks the deer making it run into my sights. I draw my arrow back ready to shoot it.

"What are you gonna do with that when you kill it?" Gale asked scaring the deer and I take a shot but miss it. I turn to face him glaring at him. "Fuck you, Gale!" I flip him off and he laughs. "It's not funny!" I say "What are you gonna do with a 100-pound deer, O? It's Reaping Day. The place is crawling with Peacekeepers." Gale said taking one of my arrows. "I was gonna sell it to some Peacekeepers." I say taking my arrow back. "Of course you were." Gale said "Like you don't sell to Peacekeepers." I say "No. Not today." Gale said "It was the first deer I've seen in a year. Now I have nothing." I say "Okay." He picks up a rock and throws it at some trees and I quickly draw my bow following the birds before I let the arrow go hitting one causing both Gale and I to laugh. We hear whirling over our heads, causing us to look up and see the jet from the capital causing us to run and hide under a tree.

We sit in the grass and I lay back looking at him. "What if they did? Just one year. What if everyone just stopped watching?" Gale asked "They won't, Gale." I say "What if they did? What if we did?" Gale asked "Won't happen." I say "You root for your favorites. You cry when they get killed. It's sick." Gale said "Gale." I say "If no one watches, then they don't have a game. It's as simple as that." I scoff laughing at him. "What?" Gale asked "Nothing." I say laughing. "Fine. Laugh at me." Gale said "I'm not laughing at you." I say smiling and he smiles. "We could do it, you know? Take off, live in the woods. It's what we do anyway." Gale said "They'd catch us." I say "Well, maybe not." Gale said "Cut out our tongues, or worse. We wouldn't make it five miles." I say "No, I'd get five miles. I'd go that way." Gale said pointing in front of us. "I have Prim, and Katniss, and you have your brothers." I say "They can come, too." Gale said "Prim in the woods?" I ask and Gale laughs. "Or maybe not." Gale said "I'm never having kids." I say "I might, if I didn't live here." Gale said "But you do live here." I say "I know, but if I didn't." I look at him. "Oh, I forgot." He brings out bread from his bag. "Here." Gale said "Oh, my god! Is this real?" I ask grabbing it breaking it in half smelling it. "Yeah. Better be. Cost me a squirrel." I hand him one of the halves. "Happy Hunger Games." Gale said "And may the odds be ever in your favor." How many times is your name in today?" I ask "Forty-two. Guess the odds aren't exactly in my favor." Gale said and I look down. "Mines in there thirty. So I don't think the odds are in mine either." I say

-time skip-

I take some berries to the market. "Thank you, girl." The woman said "Mmm-hmm." The woman hands me yarn. I see this pin and I pick it up. "What's this?" I ask "That's a Mockingjay." The woman asked "How much?" I ask "You keep it. It's yours." The woman said "Thank you." I say and she smiles sadly at me. I walk back to my house and walk in. "Mom." I hear Prim say. "Aw, look at you!" I bend down in front of her. "You look beautiful. But you better tuck in that tail, little duck." I say tucking in the back of her shirt. "I laid something out for you, too. Katniss is getting ready now." Mom said "Okay." I say smiling at Prim. I go bathe and walk into our room where my dress is laying on the bed. I look down at it.

Once I have the dress on Mom starts braiding my hair. She braids it back into a ponytail. "Now you look beautiful, too." Mom said "Wish I looked like you and Katniss." Prim said "Oh, no. We wish we looked like you, little duck." Katniss said sitting beside Prim. We hear the alarm blaring signaling that it is time. Katniss and I look at each other. "Hey. You want to see what I got you today?" I sit on Prim's other side and hand her the Mockingjay pin. "It's a Mockingjay pin. To protect you. And as long as you have it, nothing bad will happen to you." I close her hand around it. "Okay? I promise." The alarm blares again. Katniss, Prim and I hug.

We walk to the Reaping together. Prim is in between Katniss and I holding our hands. Prim gasps and she stops walking. People walk around us. I push us to the side out of the way. "Shh. Shh. Prim, it's okay. It's okay. Shh. Okay. It's time to sign in now. Okay? They're gonna prick your finger just to take a little bit of blood." I say "You didn't say..." Prim said "I know. It doesn't hurt much. Just a little. Okay? Go sit down there with the little kids. Lia and I will find you after. Okay?" Katniss asked and we get in line. Once Prim is pricked and goes to the line, I watch her until she is out of my sight. "Next." The Peacekeeper in front of my line says and I hand her my finger and she pricked it. I winced a little and moved immediately after she lets me go looking for Prim. Katniss not far behind me.

Katniss and I stand beside each other and we link pinkies like we have every year since we were 12. I turn my head and look back at Gale. "It's okay." He mouths to me and I nod. Someone taps on the microphone making me look forward. "Welcome! Welcome, welcome. Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favor. Now, before we begin, we have a very special film. Brought to you all the way from The Capital." Effie said and I look over at Gale again when it starts. "War. Terrible war." Gale mouthed and I laugh a little looking forward again. "War. Terrible war. Widows, orphans, a motherless child. This was the uprising that rocked our land. Thirteen districts rebelled against the country that fed them, loved them, protected them. Brother turned on brother until nothing remained. And then came the peace, hard fought, sorely won. A people rose up from the ashes, and a new era was born. But freedom has a cost. And the traitors were defeated. We swore as a nation we would never know this treason again. And so it was decreed that each year the various districts of Panem would offer up, in tribute, one young man and woman to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage, and sacrifice. The lone victor, bathed in riches, would serve as a reminder of our generosity and our forgiveness. This is how we remember our past. This is how we safeguard our future." President Snow said from the video.

"I just love that!" The music stops playing from the video. "Now, the time has come for us to select one courageous young man and woman for the honor of representing District 12 in the 74th Annual Hunger Games." No one cheers. "As usual, ladies first." She goes to the bowl and picks a slip of paper. She opens it and Katniss squeezes my hand tighter. "Primrose Everdeen." Katniss and I look at each other. "Where are you, dear? Come on up. Well, come on up." Effie said and Prim makes her way through the people. "Don't move from this spot till I send her to you." I say "What?" Katniss asked and I walk away from her to the walkway to the stage. The Peacekeepers see me coming and try to stop me. "Get your fucking hands off me." I shove them off of me. "I volunteer as Tribute." I say staring right at Effie. "I believe we have a volunteer, Mr. Mayor." Effie said and I walk over to Prim and she hugs me. After a minute I pull away from her. "Prim, you need to get out of here. You need to get out of here and go to Kat." I say "No! No!" Prim said "Go find Mom and Katniss!" I say "No!" Prim said and Katniss walks towards us. "Prim, go with Katniss and find Mom right now. I'm so sorry." I say "No!" Prim said and I see Gale coming. "Go find Mom. Prim, leave! Go with Katniss." I say "No! No! No!" Gale picks her up and I nod at him and he nods back. "No! No! No!" Prim screams as Gale carries her away with her screaming the entire time. Katniss grips my hand before following Gale and Prim.

The Peacekeepers motion for me to walk towards the stage and I roll my eyes but do so. "A dramatic turn of events here in District 12. Yes, well. District 12's very first volunteer. Bring her up." I walk up the stairs onto the stage. "Come on, dear." She goes to grab me but I side step away from her and walk to stand on her left side when she is at the microphone. She walks back to the microphone quickly. I look straight ahead not looking at anyone and smirk a little keeping my face cold. "What's your name?" Effie asked "Ophelia Everdeen." I say "Well, I bet my hat that was your sisters, wasn't it?" Effie asked "It was." I say "Let's have a big hand for our very first volunteer, Ophelia Everdeen." Effie claps but everyone in the audience kisses three fingers and holds them up. I know exactly what they meant by those fingers.  "And now for the boys." She walks over to the boys bowl and grabs one out. I cross my fingers hoping that it isn't Gale. "Peeta Mellark." I gasp quietly uncrossing my fingers and I see the boys look at Peeta. The Peacekeepers walk him up as well. He stands on Effie's right side. "Here we are. Our tributes from District 12. Well, go on, you two, shake hands." We turn to each other and the memory of him giving me bread when my family was starving went through my head. "Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favor." Effie said and we are taken into the Hall of Justice and into the rooms where we say goodbye to our families.

I'm standing in my personal room staring out the window waiting on Mom, Prim and Katniss. I'm digging my nails into the windowsill trying to keep myself calm. The door opens. "You have three minutes." The Peacekeeper said and I spin around to see the three of them. Prim immediately latches onto me hugging me and I hug her back. "It's okay." I push her back kneeling in front of her. "Shh. Prim. Prim. It's okay. Prim, I don't have much time. Prim. Listen. You're gonna be okay. Don't take any extra food from them. It isn't worth putting your name in more times. Okay? Listen, Prim. Gale will bring you game. You can sell cheese from your goat. Katniss, have Gale teach you how to hunt." I say and Katniss nods. "Just try and win. Maybe you can." Prim said "Of course. And maybe I can. I am smart, you know?" I ask "And you can hunt." Prim said "Exactly." I say and she brings out the Mockingjay pin. "To protect you." Prim said and I take it from her. "Thank you." I kiss her forehead and hug her. I look over at Mom and back away from Prim before standing up.

"You can't tune out again." I say "I won't." Mom said "No, you can't. Not like when Dad died. I won't be here anymore. You and Katniss are all she has. No matter what you feel, you have to be there for her. Do you understand? Don't cry." I hug her. "Don't cry. Don't. Don't." I say and I pull away from her and go to Katniss. Katniss immediately puts her forehead against mine and link our pinkies like we have done since we were little. "You have to win." Katniss said "I'm going to try, I promise. But whatever happens on that screen and whatever you see me do, and how emotionless I seem, remember I did everything to get back to the three of you. Make sure Prim knows that." I say and she nods hugging me. The Peacekeeper comes in. "It's time." He says and Prim comes back to me and hugs me. "Prim, it's okay. Prim, it's okay. It's okay, Prim." I say "No! No! No!" Prim yells as the Peacekeeper drags her out. "I promise, Prim." The door shuts after they leave.

Gale comes in immediately after the door shuts. He hugs me and I hug him back. "I'm fine." I say "Yeah, I know." Gale said still hugging me. "I am." I say and he backs away. "Listen to me. You're stronger than they are. You are. Get to a bow, machete or anything you know how to use." Gale said "They may not have..." I say "They will if you show them how good you are. They just want a good show. That's all they want." I nod. "If they don't have a machete, daggers or a bow then you make a bow, okay? You know how to hunt." Gale said "Animals." I say "It's no different, Ophelia." Gale said "There's 24 of us, Gale. Only one comes out." I say "Yeah. And it's gonna be you." Gale said and the Peacekeeper comes in the room. "Okay." The Peacekeeper said "Take care of them, Gale. Whatever you do, don't let them starve." I say hugging him again. "Let's go." The peacekeepers said "I'll see you soon, okay?" Gale asked and they go out the door slamming it shut.

-time skip-

Effie, Peeta and I are in the car after we left the Hall of Justice. Effie is in between Peeta and I. I'm looking out the window as the car is moving. "You two are in for a treat." I turn my head to look at her before looking back out the window. "Crystal chandeliers, platinum doorknobs, and it flies. We'll be at The Capital in less than two days. Now, before you do anything else..." I zone out focusing on keeping myself calm and wondering how the hell I'm going to win this. Especially now with Peeta in the mix. I'm going to have to ignore my emotions to get through this now. We get to our destination and the Peacekeepers lead us to the train. Effie waves us onto the train and after the door to the outside shuts a door to the inside opens. I look around in awe at everything that is in here. Peeta and I sit in chairs side by side and Effie sits in front of us. "200 miles per hour, and you can barely feel a thing. I think it's one of the wonderful things about this opportunity, that even though you're here and even though it's just for a little while, you get to enjoy all of this. I'm going to find Haymitch. He's probably in the bar car." Effie said and she walks away. Peeta and I sit in silence for a minute before he speaks. "Have you ever met him? Haymitch?" I don't look at him. "You know, Ophelia, he is our mentor. He did win this thing once." I still don't answer him. It's easier for me to ignore him then speak to him and let my emotions in. "Look, you know, if you don't want to talk, I understand, but I just don't think there's anything wrong with getting a little bit of help." Peeta said and I look at him and flashes of him throwing bread to the pigs while I was huddled against a tree flashes through my mind.

The door in front of us opens and Haymitch walks through it. Peeta sits straighter in his chair and I just look at Haymitch. "Congratulations." He walks over to the alcohol pouring himself a drink making me roll my eyes. "Where's the ice?" Haymitch asked "I don't know." Peeta said and Haymitch nods slamming the lid back down and grabs the whole bottle. "May I?" Haymitch asked sitting down. "Okay, so... So when do we start?" Peeta asked "Whoa. So eager. Most of you aren't in such a hurry." Haymitch said "Yeah. I wanna know what the plan is. You're our mentor. You're supposed to go..." Peeta said before Haymitch cuts him off. "Mentor?" Haymitch asked

"Yeah, our mentor. You're supposed to tell us how to get sponsors and give us advice." Peeta said "Oh. Okay. Um... Embrace the probability of your imminent death. And know, in your heart, that there's nothing I can do to save you." Haymitch said and I scoff turning their attention to me. "So why the fuck are you here then?" I ask "The refreshments." Haymitch said and Peeta starts to get up. "Okay, I think that's enough of that." Peeta said and Haymitch puts his foot on Peetas chest stopping him from moving. "You made me spill my drink. These are brand new pants." Haymitch moves his foot. "You know, I think I'll go finish this in my room." Haymitch said leaving and I roll my eyes. "He's gonna come around." Peeta said getting up. "It's no use." I say "I'm gonna go talk to him." Peeta said and I scoff as he leaves.

AN
Hope y'all like this chapter. The chapter are going to be shorter so I can have more chapters per movie. It also may be a little bit before I upload again because finals are coming up soon. The outfit in this chapter is not mine. I found it on google.