Голодные игры

           "Hemadeyoulookdesirable!Andlet’sfaceit,youcanuseallthehelpyoucangetinthatdepartment.Youwereaboutasromanticasdirtuntilhesaidhewantedyou.Nowtheyalldo.You’reallthey’retalkingabout.Thestar-crossedloversfromDistrictTwelve!"saysHaymitch.

           "Butwe’renotstar-crossedlovers!"Isay.

           Haymitchgrabsmyshouldersandpinsmeagainstthewall."Whocares?It’sallabigshow.It’sallhowyou’reperceived.ThemostIcouldsayaboutyouafteryourinterviewwasthatyouwereniceenough,althoughthatinitselfwasasmallmiracle.NowIcansayyou’reaheartbreaker.Oh,oh,oh,howtheboysbackhomefalllonginglyatyourfeet.Whichdoyouthinkwillgetyoumoresponsors?"

           Thesmellofwineonhisbreathmakesmesick.Ishovehishandsoffmyshouldersandstepaway,tryingtoclearmyhead.

           Cinnacomesoverandputshisarmaroundme."He’sright,Katniss."

           Idon’tknowwhattothink."Ishouldhavebeentold,soIdidn’tlooksostupid."

           "No,yourreactionwasperfect.Ifyou’dknown,itwouldn’thavereadasreal,"saysPortia.

           "She’sjustworriedaboutherboyfriend,"saysPeetagruffly,tossingawayabloodypieceoftheurn.

           MycheeksburnagainatthethoughtofGale."Idon’thaveaboyfriend."

           "Whatever,"saysPeeta."ButIbethe’ssmartenoughtoknowabluffwhenheseesit.Besidesyoudidn’tsayyoulovedme.Sowhatdoesitmatter?"

           Thewordsaresinkingin.Myangerfading.I’mtornnowbetweenthinkingI’vebeenusedandthinkingI’vebeengivenanedge.Haymitchisright.