[ Better off, but not as well off as a lot of people assumed. He knows a lot of people assumed that the Mellarks ate well simply because of their profession. They ate a little better than some of the others mostly because there was Gale and Katniss to trade with. Not that he would ever complain. He knew what others had and didn't. Or at least he liked to think he did ]

I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit, Katniss. The two of you could have made it work. [ If Katniss would have been happier that way, Peeta would have given her up to the woods.

Not like she even knew who he was then, anyway ] You wouldn't have had to say good bye to your family twice and you wouldn't have risked never seeing them again. [ And now, who knows what's going to happen ]

Maybe there's just more kindling than anyone ever thought there was.