Pieces in the game. (The Hunger Games)

Chapter 10: The aftermath

Lilly's POV.
There is a moment of silence before muttering starts breaking out among the audience. I'm close enough to the side of the stage that I can hear people asking each other does he mean Katniss or me. I see Gale laugh and Peeta turns to give him a wave, it was friendly, non- threatening. Peeta's eyes are still downcast. Then I can see my face, mouth half open in a mix of surprise and protest, magnified on every screen as I realise. Me! He means me! I compose my face as I look over to Cato. He looks outraged. He looks over to me and I shake my head. My message was clear, "not here". We can't interrupt another tributes interview. "Oh, that is a piece of bad luck," says Caesar, and there's a real edge of pain in his voice. The crowd murmurs in agreement, some unsure now of Cato and I. "It's not good," Peeta agrees. "Well, I don't think any of us can blame you. It'd be hard not to fall for that young lady, as has been shown by her having not one but two people falling for her," Caesar says. "She didn't know?" he asks. Peeta shakes his head. "Not until now," he admits and my heart breaks a little more inside. Is this just a game? Or am I causing him pain? At some point Gale had stretched his hand across and grabbed mine. I allow my eyes to flicker up to the screen long enough to see that the blush on my cheeks is unmistakable. "Wouldn't you love to pull her back out here and get a response?" Caesar asks the audience. The crowd screams assent. I have a feeling they'll want me to choose Peeta, a very handsome young man from my own district, whom I secretly love and Cato, a man I just met but have to stay with in order to save my sister and Gale. "Sadly, rules are rules, and Lilly Everdeen's 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," he says.

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. Even Cato's doesn't compare to this. 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 Peeta and me, separated by a metre that in the viewers' heads can never be breached. Poor tragic us. This is all an act for the cameras, it has to be. After the anthem, the tributes file back into the Training Centre lobby and on to the elevators. As I was going to get into one Clove grabs my hand and gently pulls me over to theirs. The crowd has sloe our entourages of stylists, mentors and chaperones. As soon as I get into the elevator Cato, Clove, Heath and Belle round on me. "What the hell? What was he thinking?" Clove hisses. "I'm going to kill him," Cato growls. "Guys, calm down. It's an angle he's playing. He can barely stand to be in a room with me. Cato you have nothing to worry about, I swear," I say as I give him a hug. The atmosphere calms instantly. I stay entwined with him until we reach their floor. Then I am alone all the way up to the twelfth floor. At the same time as I step out of my elevator Peeta steps out of his. Katniss and Gale were already on the floor. Katniss grabbed me while Gale stepped forward and slams his palms into Peeta's chest. He loses his balance and crashes into one of the ugly urns filled with fake flowers. The urn tips and shatters into hundreds of tiny pieces. Peeta lands on the shards, and blood immediately flows from his hands. "What was that for?" he says, aghast. I pull myself away from Katniss as the elevators open and our entourage steps out.

I run over and help Peeta to his feet. "What's going on?" Effie asks, the hysteria in her voice fully detectable. "Did you fall?". "After he shoved me," Peeta says pointing at Gale. I wince as Haymitch rounds on Gale. "Shoved him?" he asks. "He's put her in more danger now by admitting to this. It was easier when she was oblivious because then she just had to deal with Cato, now look, he already has his guard up. He had Clove pull her into their elevator," Gale shouts. "You don't get it. I can sell this, the star- crossed lovers from District Twelve! This can only help her," Haymitch says. "Until Cato decides he's had enough of me and kills me," I snap before realising my mistake. The room has stilled. Shit, make up an excuse! "If I am receiving gifts from sponsors for being in love with someone else he'll resent me! He'll kill me for it," I say quietly. "Not going to happen. He worships the ground you walk on," Peeta spits out. "Besides, you didn't say you loved me. So what does it matter?". Gale seems to have calmed down, a little. I can see why he got angry. Thinking Peeta was playing with my emotions, he knows how long I've been in love with him. "I'm sorry I shoved you," Gale apologises. "Doesn't matter," Peeta shrugs. "Although technically it's illegal". "Are your hands ok?" I ask, turning them over to see his palms, they don't look too bad but there is a lot of blood. "They'll be all right," he whispers and I look up at him. The intensity in his eyes is enough to make me step back. "You, um you should still go get them checked. Just to be sure," I stammer and I hear him huff a soft laugh. Then Portia leads him off for medical treatment. As we were walking to dinner Haymitch pulls me back. "Are you afraid of Cato?" he asks. "No, I can take him out in his sleep if I need to," I say, looking over his shoulder to see Peeta's retreating back. Haymitch quickly glances over and a sudden understanding dawns on his face. "You love him too!" he states. I blush and look away. "How long?" he asks. "Since I saw him on the first day of school. Some older boy knocked me over and Katniss and Gale didn't notice because they were walking ahead of me. Peeta helped me up and since then, well since then," I admit.