第5部分(第1/7 页)

morning　that　the　boy　might　have　burned　the　bread　on　purpose。　Might　have　dropped　the　loaves　into　the　flames；　knowing　it　meant　being　punished；　and　then　delivered　them　to　me。　But　I　dismissed　this。　It　must　have　been　an　accident。　Why　would　he　have　done　it？　He　didnˇt　even　know　me。　Still；　just　throwing　me　the　bread　was　an　enormous　kindness　that　would　have　surely　resulted　in　a　beating　if　discovered。　1　couldnˇt　explain　his　actions。

We　ate　slices　of　bread　for　breakfast　and　headed　to　school。　It　was　as　if　spring　had　e　overnight。　Warm　sweet　air。　Fluffy　clouds。　At　school；　I　passed　the　boy　in　the　hall；　his　cheek　had　swelled　up　and　his　eye　had　blackened。　He　was　with　his　friends　and　didnˇt　acknowledge　me　in　any　way。　But　as　I　collected　Prim　and　started　for　home　that　afternoon；　I　found　him　staring　at　me　from　across　the　school　yard。　Our　eyes　met　for　only　a　second；　then　he　turned　his　head　away。　I　dropped　my　gaze；　embarrassed；　and　thatˇs　when　I　saw　it。　The　first　dandelion　of　the　year。　A　bell　went　off　in　my　head。　I　thought　of　the　hours　spent　in　the　woods　with　my　father　and　I　knew　how　we　were　going　to　survive。

To　this　day；　I　can　never　shake　the　connection　between　this　boy；　Peeta　Mellark；　and　the　bread　that　gave　me　hope；　and　the　dandelion　that　reminded　me　that　I　was　not　doomed。　And　more　than　once；　I　have　turned　in　the　school　hallway　and　caught　his　eyes　trained　on　me；　only　to　quickly　flit　away。　I　feel　like　I　owe　him　something；　and　I　hate　owing　people。　Maybe　if　I　had　thanked　him　at　some　point；　Iˇd　be　feeling　less　conflicted　now。　I　thought　about　it　a　couple　of　times；　but　the　opportunity　never　seemed　to　present　itself。　And　now　it　never　will。　Because　weˇre　going　to　be　thrown　into　an　arena　to　fight　to　the　death。　Exactly　how　am　I　supposed　to　work　in　a　thank…you　in　there？　Somehow　it　j