Chapter 10

           Foramoment,thecamerasholdonPeeta’sdowncasteyesaswhathesayssinksin.ThenIcanseemyface,mouthhalfopeninamixofsurpriseandprotest,magnifiedoneveryscreenasIrealize,Me!Hemeansme!Ipressmylipstogetherandstareatthefloor,hopingthiswillconcealtheemotionsstartingtoboilupinsideofme.

           "Oh,thatisapieceofbadluck,"saysCaesar,andthere’sarealedgeofpaininhisvoice.Thecrowdismurmuringinagreement,afewhaveevengivenagonizedcries.

           "It’snotgood,"agreesPeeta.

           "Well,Idon’tthinkanyofuscanblameyou.It’dbehardnottofallforthatyounglady,"saysCaesar."Shedidn’tknow?"

           Peetashakeshishead."Notuntilnow."

           Iallowmyeyestoflickeruptothescreenlongenoughtoseethattheblushonmycheeksisunmistakable.

           "Wouldn’tyoulovetopullherbackouthereandgetaresponse?"Caesaraskstheaudience.Thecrowdscreamsassent."Sadly,rulesarerules,andKatnissEverdeen’stimehasbeenspent.Well,bestoflucktoyou,PeetaMellark,andIthinkIspeakforallofPanemwhenIsayourheartsgowithyours."

           Theroarofthecrowdisdeafening.Peetahasabsolutelywipedtherestofusoffthemapwithhisdeclarationofloveforme.Whentheaudiencefinallysettlesdown,hechokesoutaquiet"Thankyou"andreturnstohisseat.Westandfortheanthem.IhavetoraisemyheadoutoftherequiredrespectandcannotavoidseeingthateveryscreenisnowdominatedbyashotofPeetaandme,separatedbyafewfeetthatintheviewers’headscanneverbebreached.