波波小说

第17部分（第2页）

The　applause　continues　long　after　Iˇm　seated。　I　look　to　Cinna　for　reassurance。　He　gives　me　a　subtle　thumbs…up。

Iˇm　still　in　a　daze　for　the　first　part　of　Peetaˇs　interview。　He　has　the　audience　from　the　get…go；　though；　I　can　hear　them　laughing；　shouting　out。　He　plays　up　the　bakerˇs　son　thing；　paring　the　tributes　to　the　breads　from　their　districts。　Then　has　a　funny　anecdote　about　the　perils　of　the　Capitol　showers。　¨Tell　me；　do　I　still　smell　like　roses？〃　he　asks　Caesar；　and　then　thereˇs　a　whole　run　where　they　take　turns　sniffing　each　other　that　brings　down　the　house。　Iˇm　ing　back　into　focus　when　Caesar　asks　him　if　he　has　a　girlfriend　back　home。

Peeta　hesitates；　then　gives　an　unconvincing　shake　of　his　head。

¨Handsome　lad　like　you。　There　must　be　some　special　girl。　e　on；　whatˇs　her　name？〃　says　Caesar。

Peeta　sighs。　¨Well；　there　is　this　one　girl。　Iˇve　had　a　crush　on　her　ever　since　I　can　remember。　But　Iˇm　pretty　sure　she　didnˇt　know　I　was　alive　until　the　reaping。〃

Sounds　of　sympathy　from　the　crowd。　Unrequited　love　they　can　relate　to。

¨She　have　another　fellow？〃　asks　Caesar。

¨I　donˇt　know；　but　a　lot　of　boys　like　her；〃　says　Peeta。

¨So；　hereˇs　what　you　do。　You　win；　you　go　home。　She　canˇt　turn　you　down　then；　eh？〃　says　Caesar　encouragingly。

¨I　donˇt　think　itˇs　going　to　work　out。　Winning　。　。　。　wonˇt　help　in　my　case；〃　says　Peeta。

¨Why　ever　not？〃　says　Caesar；　mystified。

Peeta　blushes　beet　red　and　stammers　out。　¨Because　。　。　。　because　。　。　。　she　came　here　with　me。〃

PART　II

〃THE　GAMES〃

10

For　a　moment；　the　cameras　hold　on　Peetaˇs　downcast　eyes　as　what　he　says　sinks　in。　Then　I　can　see　my　face；　mouth　half　open　in　a　mix　of　surprise　and　protest；　magnified　on　every　screen　as　I　realize；　Me！　He　means　me！　I　press　my　lips　together　and　stare　at　the　floor；　hoping　this　will　conceal　the　emotions　starting　to　boil　up　inside　of　me。

¨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

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