Голодные игры

           Itstrikesmethatmyownreluctancetosing,myowndismissalofmusicmightnotreallybethatIthinkit’sawasteoftime.Itmightbebecauseitremindsmetoomuchofmyfather.

           "Sothatday,inmusicassembly,theteacheraskedwhoknewthevalleysong.Yourhandshotrightupintheair.Shestoodyouuponastoolandhadyousingitforus.AndIswear,everybirdoutsidethewindowsfellsilent,"Peetasays.

           "Oh,please,"Isay,laughing.

           "No,ithappened.Andrightwhenyoursongended,Iknew-justlikeyourmother-Iwasagoner,"Peetasays."Thenforthenextelevenyears,Itriedtoworkupthenervetotalktoyou."

           "Withoutsuccess,"Iadd.

           "Withoutsuccess.So,inaway,mynamebeingdrawninthereapingwasarealpieceofluck,"saysPeeta.

           Foramoment,I’malmostfoolishlyhappyandthenconfusionsweepsoverme.Becausewe’resupposedtobemakingupthisstuff,playingatbeinginlovenotactuallybeinginlove.ButPeeta’sstoryhasaringoftruthtoit.Thatpartaboutmyfatherandthebirds.AndIdidsingthefirstdayofschool,althoughIdon’trememberthesong.Andthatredplaiddress.therewasone,ahand-me-downtoPrimthatgotwashedtoragsaftermyfather’sdeath.

           Itwouldexplainanotherthing,too.WhyPeetatookabeatingtogivemethebreadonthatawfulhollowday.So,ifthosedetailsaretrue.coulditallbetrue?

           "Youhavea.remarkablememory,"Isayhaltingly.

           "Iremembereverythingaboutyou,"saysPeeta,tuckingaloosestrandofhairbehindmyear