Голодные игры

           Thekisslastnightwasnice,butworkinguptoanotherwilltakesomeforethought.TherearegirlsintheSeam,someofthemerchantgirls,too,whonavigatethesewaterssoeasily.ButI’veneverhadmuchtimeoruseforit.Anyway,justakissisn’tenoughanymoreclearlybecauseifitwaswe’dhavegottenfoodlastnight.MyinstinctstellmeHaymitchisn’tjustlookingforphysicalaffection,hewantssomethingmorepersonal.Thesortofstuffhewastryingtogetmetotellaboutmyselfwhenwewerepracticingfortheinterview.I’mrottenatit,butPeeta’snot.Maybethebestapproachistogethimtalking.

           "Peeta,"Isaylightly."Yousaidattheinterviewyou’dhadacrushonmeforever.Whendidforeverstart?"

           "Oh,let’ssee.Iguessthefirstdayofschool.Wewerefive.Youhadonaredplaiddressandyourhair.itwasintwobraidsinsteadofone.Myfatherpointedyououtwhenwewerewaitingtolineup,"Peetasays.

           "Yourfather?Why?"Iask.

           "Hesaid,’Seethatlittlegirl?Iwantedtomarryhermother,butsheranoffwithacoalminer,’"Peetasays.

           "What?You’remakingthatup!"Iexclaim.

           "No,truestory,"Peetasays."AndIsaid,’Acoalminer?Whydidshewantacoalminerifshecould’vehadyou?’Andhesaid,’Becausewhenhesings.eventhebirdsstoptolisten.’"

           "That’strue.Theydo.Imean,theydid,"Isay.I’mstunnedandsurprisinglymoved,thinkingofthebakertellingthistoPeeta.