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¨Oh； that is a piece of bad luck；〃 says Caesar； and thereˇs a real edge of pain in his voice。 The crowd is murmuring in agreement； a few have even given agonized cries。
¨Itˇs not good；〃 agrees Peeta。
¨Well； I donˇt think any of us can blame you。 Itˇd be hard not to fall for that young lady；〃 says Caesar。 ¨She didnˇt know？〃
Peeta shakes his head。 ¨Not until now。〃
I allow my eyes to flicker up to the screen long enough to see that the blush on my cheeks is unmistakable。
¨Wouldnˇt you love to pull her back out here and get a response？〃 Caesar asks the audience。 The crowd screams assent。 ¨Sadly； rules are rules； and Katniss Everdeenˇs time has been spent。 Well； best of luck to you； Peeta Mellark； and I think I speak for all of Panem when I say our hearts go with yours。〃
The roar of the crowd is deafening。 Peeta has absolutely wiped the rest of us off the map with his declaration of love for me。 When the audience finally settles down； he chokes out a quiet ¨Thank you〃 and returns to his seat。 We stand for the anthem。 I have to raise my head out of the required respect and cannot avoid seeing that every screen is now dominated by a shot of Peeta and me； separated by a few feet that in the viewersˇ heads can never be breached。 Poor tragic us。
But I know better。
After the anthem； the tributes file back into the Training Center lobby and onto the elevators。 I make sure to veer into a car that does not contain Peeta。 The crowd slows our entourages of stylists and mentors and chaperones； so we have only each other for pany。 No one speaks。 My elevator stops to deposit four tributes before I am alone and then find the doors opening on the twelfth floor。 Peeta has only just stepped from his car when I slam my palms into his chest。 He loses his balance and crashes into an ugly urn filled with fake flowers。 The urn tips and shatters into hundreds of tiny pieces。 Peeta lands in the shards； and blood immediately flows from his hands。
¨What was that for？〃 he says； aghast。
¨You had no right！ No right to go saying those things about me！〃 I shout at him。
Now the elevators open and the whole crew is there； Effie； Haymitch； Cinna； and Portia。
¨Whatˇs going on？〃 says Effie； a note of hysteria in her voice。 ¨Did you fall？〃
¨After she shoved me；〃 says Peeta as Effie and Cinna help him up。
Haymitch turns on me。 ¨Shoved him？〃
¨This was your idea； wasnˇt it？ Turning me into some kind of fool in front of the entire country？〃 I answer。
¨It was my idea；〃 says Peeta； wincing as he pulls spikes of pottery from his palms。 ¨Haymitch just helped me with it。〃
¨Yes； Haymitch is very helpful。 To you！〃 I say。
¨You are a fool；〃 Haymitch says in disgust。 ¨Do you think he hurt you？ That boy just gave you something you could never achieve on your own。〃
¨He made me look weak！〃 I say。
¨He made you look desirable！ And letˇs face it； you can use all the help you can get in that department。 You were about as romantic as dirt until he said he wanted you。 Now they all do。 Youˇre all theyˇre talking about。 The star…crossed lovers from District Twelve！〃 says Haymitch。
¨But weˇre not star…crossed lovers！〃 I say。
Haymitch grabs my shoulders and pins me against the wall。 ¨Who cares？ Itˇs all a big show。 Itˇs all how youˇre perceived。 The most I could say about you after your interview was that you were nice enough； although that in itself was a small miracle。 Now I can say youˇre a heartbreaker。 Oh； oh； oh； how the boys back home fall longingly at your feet。 Which do you think will get you more sponsors？〃
The smell of wine on his breath makes me sick。 I shove his hands off my shoulders and step away； trying to clear my head。
Cinna es over and puts his arm around me。 ¨Heˇs right； Katniss。〃
I donˇt know what to think。 ¨I should have been told； so I didnˇt look so stupid。〃
¨No； your reaction was perfect。 If youˇd known； it wouldnˇt have read as real；〃 says Portia。
¨Sheˇs just worried about her boyfriend；〃 says Peeta gruffly； tossing away a bloody piece of the urn。
My cheeks burn again at the thought of Gale。 ¨I donˇt have a boyfriend。〃
¨Whatever；〃 says Peeta。 ¨But I bet heˇs smart enough to know a bluff when he sees it。 Besides you didnˇt say you loved me。 So what does it matter？〃
The words are sinking in。 My anger fading。 Iˇm torn now between thinking Iˇve been used and thinking Iˇve been given an edge。 Haymitch is right。 I survived my interview； but what was I really？ A silly girl spinning in a sparkling； dress。 Giggling。 The only moment of any substance I hail was when I talked about Prim。 pare that with Thresh； his silent； deadly power； and Iˇm forgettable。 Silly and sparkly and forgettable。 No； not entirely forgettable； I have my eleven in training。
But now Peeta has made me an object of love。 Not just his。 To hear him tell it I have many admirers。 And if the audience really thinks weˇre in love 。 。 。 I remember how strongly they responded to his confession。 Star…crossed lovers。 Haymitch is right； they eat that stuff up in the Capitol。 Suddenly Iˇm worried that I didnˇt react properly。
¨After he said he loved me； did you think I could be in love with him； too？〃 I ask。
¨I did；〃 says Portia。 ¨The way you avoided looking at the cameras； the blush。〃
They others chime in； agreeing。
¨Youˇre golden； sweetheart。 Youˇre going to have sponsors lined up around the block；〃 says Haymitch。
Iˇm embarrassed about my reaction。 I force myself to acknowledge Peeta。 ¨Iˇm sorry I shoved you。〃
¨Doesnˇt matter；〃 he shrugs。 ¨Although itˇs technically illegal。〃
¨Are your hands okay？〃 I ask。 ¨Theyˇll be all right；〃 he says。
In the silence that follows； delicious smells of our dinner waft in from the dining room。 ¨e on； letˇs eat；〃 says Haymitch。 We all follow him to the table and take our places。 But then Peeta is bleeding too heavily； and Portia leads him off for medical treatment。 We start the cream and rose…petal soup without them。 By the time weˇve finished； theyˇre back。 Peetaˇs hands are wrapped in bandages。 I canˇt help feeling guilty。 Tomorrow we will be in the arena。 He has done me a favor and I have answered with an injury。 Will I never stop owing him？
After dinner； we watch the replay in the sitting room。 I seem frilly and shallow； twirling and giggling in my dress； although the others assure me I am charming。 Peeta actually is charming and then utterly winning as the boy in love。 And there I am； blushing and confused； made beautiful by Cinnaˇs hands； desirable by Peetaˇs confession； tragic by circumstance； and by all accounts； unforgettable。
When the anthem finishes and the screen goes dark； a hush falls on the room。 Tomorrow at dawn； we will be roused and prepared for the arena。 The actual Games donˇt start until ten because so many of the Capitol residents rise late。 But Peeta and I must make an early start。 There is no telling how far we will travel to the arena that has been prepared for this yearˇs Games。
I know Haymitch and Effie will not be going with us。 As soon as they leave here； theyˇll be at the Games Headquarters； hopefully madly signing up our sponsors； working out a strategy on how and when to deliver the gifts to us。 Cinna and Portia will travel with us to the very spot from which we will be launched into the arena。 Still final good…byes must be said here。
Effie takes both of us by the hand and； with actual tears in her eyes； wishes us well。 Thanks us for being the best tributes it has ever been her privilege to sponsor。 And then； because itˇs Effie and sheˇs apparently required by law to say something awful； she adds ¨I wouldnˇt be at all surprised if I finally get promoted to a decent district next year！〃
Then she kisses us each on the cheek and hurries out； overe with either the emotional parting or the possible improvement of her fortunes。
Haymitch crosses his arms and looks us both over。
¨Any final words of advice？〃 asks Peeta。
¨When the gong sounds； get the hell out of there。 Youˇre neither of you up to the blood bath at the Cornucopia。 Just clear out； put as much distance as you can between yourselves and the others； and find a source of water；〃 he says。 ¨Got it？〃
¨And after that？〃 I ask。