Hello Guarding Daisies readers! I am so thankful that you still follow this story and are still interested in it. As long as you keep liking them and telling me other one-shots you want to see, I will continue writing them. I must say however that this one-shot is my favourite that I have written so far. Make sure to leave me a comment and tell me your thoughts! I would also love to know what kind of one-shots you would like me to write next. Finally, I know this was late. I work with a beta (editor) which means I can only post as fast as she can edit. She edits a lot for me so I try not to rush her to much. Anyways I hope you enjoy this one shot and that it was worth that wait! XO
"Peeta, can you stir the stew? It needs to simmer for an hour before we eat. I want it to be ready for when the kids get home from school." I ask as I begin chopping some fresh vegetables for a salad.
"Sure hun," Peeta responds, getting up from the kitchen island stool and walking to the stove.
"Speaking of school. . .did you see the textbook Calum brought home last night?" Peeta asks as he stirs our dinner.
I stop chopping for a moment. "Rebellion History. He's in year six now; we knew it was coming. Aspen got it when she was his age."
"I know it's just. . .I get nervous when he hears information like this from people other than us." Peeta replies.
"Well, he has to learn it eventually. I think it's good for him." I begin. "Remember with Aspen? I was so much more anxious about it then you, but it helped clarify a lot of her fears about things. It will probably help him ask more questions and we can of course help him understand so he won't be fearful."
"He's just so innocent. I feel like we're scaring him with these facts."
I put down my kitchen knife on the counter and walk over to Peeta. He continues to stir our dinner, so I wrap my hands around him from behind, resting my head on the top of his back.
"Those are the moments when you have to remember that there could have been much more frightening things he could have had to deal with."
Peeta carefully turns around so that he is facing me, only a few inches from my face. I feel his warm hands slide onto my hips, pulling me closer to him.
"I don't know what I would do without you." He says, pressing his lips into mine.
I smile through our kiss. "I don't know either." I reply with a wink.
He smiles at me.
Peeta and I part, and I watch him open the cupboard to grab four plates from the shelf.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you; Aspen is bringing a friend over for dinner." I interrupt.
Peeta reaches for a fifth plate. "Again? Kinley was just over here the other day."
"I know," I reply, "I just like seeing that she's making friends."
Aspen was a lot like myself growing up when it comes to friendship. She has had a very difficult time making friends and socializing with people. She has always been close to Gale's son, Alton, but as they got older, they grew apart a little. However, this year Aspen met a girl in her year named Kinley, and they have been spending quite a bit of time together. Especially at this age, I feel like it is important for her to have female friends to associate with.
Suddenly, the front door opens and Calum walks in with his book bag dragging behind him. He is not frowning, but his face looks completely unimpressed and irritated. He is a very kind and selfless boy, so it is rare to see him with this type of expression. I wait for Aspen to walk in close behind him, but it does not happen. The two of them usually come home together and are rarely apart.
"Where's your sister?" I ask, walking up to my son and pushing his messy blonde curls out of his face before kissing him on the forehead.
"She wouldn't let me walk with her today." He replies, rolling his eyes and hopping onto the kitchen stool next to Peeta who places a cup of milk in front of him.
"Why not?" Peeta asks.
He lifts the cool drink to his mouth and takes a long sip before setting it back down and wiping his lips.
"She's walking home with a new friend." He replies.
I lift my eyebrow and look at Peeta who has the same perplexed expression written on his face. Aspen and Calum are very close siblings and they get along extremely well; they are never separated on their after-school walks home. They may walk with friends as well from time to time, but they are always together.
Just before I can question Calum even more, the front door opens again. I see Aspen step in and she is looking over her shoulder at the person behind her with a genuine smile. She steps into the house and for the first time, I get a visual on this new friends of hers.
Rather tall in build, an inch or two taller than Peeta already. Hair is cut rather short and is a dirty blonde colour that is almost brown. I get a quick glimpse at the eyes and find green circles staring back at me.
"This is Bowen." Aspen says, walking forward to me, gesturing to the boy behind her.
I manage to catch his name through the initial shock of the fact that my daughter has brought a boy home for the first time. She is sixteen, so I guess I should have been better prepared for this than I am. Many of her peers are already interested in boys. I guess somewhere deep down inside, I just hoped this day would never come because I know how difficult the world of male to female interaction can be for a young girl.
I manage to put a smile on my face to step forward and shake his hand. I can tell he seems a little nervous and tense. I can feel the moisture on his hands as they connect with mine.
"It's nice to meet you, Bowen. I'm Aspen's mother."
He smiles again as our hands part. "It's nice to meet you also, and thank you for having me over."
"Aspen, I wish you would have told me you were bringing Bowen over." I say, turning to my daughter.
"She didn't tell you? I'm sorry for imposing on your evening." He adds with a sympathetic look.
"I told you I was having a friend over." Aspen defensively replies back to me.
I tilt my head and glance at her because she knows very well what I really mean. Bringing a boy home is much different than bringing a familiar female friend over for dinner.
"Not to worry, Bowen. We are glad you have you." I reassure him.
"If it makes you feel any better, she didn't give me a detailed copy of the itinerary either. She is rather stubborn, your daughter." Bowen replies, bumping Aspen gently in the side with his hip. He smiles at her and I watch her face light up after seeing his bright eyes.
I decide then that I like Bowen. He seems very genuine and lighthearted, which is actually something I have desired for my daughter. I pictured her with someone fun, positive, and who does not take everything in life as seriously as she does.
I look over my shoulder to Calum and Peeta who are watching from the kitchen; both with unimpressed looks upon their faces. I honestly can not help but chuckle at them. They are both very protective over Aspen and I know that seeing her enter this stage in her life must be hard for them to swallow.
"Bowen, this my father and brother, Calum." Aspen adds as she leads him to the kitchen to the boys. I follow close behind them.
Bowen reaches out his hand to Peeta. Peeta looks at him closely for a moment before he connects his hand with his, giving it a firm shake.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Mellark." Says Bowen kindly.
"You as well." Peeta replies sternly and completely out of character.
Coming from a man who uses words so fluently and naturally, seeing him like this is different. I have never really seen Peeta so reserved before. He gets along so naturally with everyone and accepts all people as they are. But right now, Bowen is getting the cold shoulder from Peeta Mellark. I can see the expression on Bowen's face change. He went from beginning to feel somewhat comfortable again to right back down to square one thanks to Peeta's apprehension. Everyone in Distirct 12 knows how friendly Peeta is so this is a drastic turn of events.
Peeta helps me set the food onto the table as Aspen and Bowen chat on the front porch. Peeta opens the front window curtains to keep a better watch on the pair. I can only roll my eyes and chuckle at his actions.
"Hun, he's a nice boy. I don't think you need to watch him this intensely." I tell him, crossing my arms in front of me.
"She is only sixteen, Katniss. And we don't even know him." He replies.
I chuckle. "Only sixteen? Coming from the guy who was in love at five years old."
"That was different." He rebuttals.
"I also remember sharing our first kiss at sixteen." I add, stepping closer to him and wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling his gaze away from the window.
He hesitates for a moment; his eyes still fixated on our daughter. Yet, eventually he pulls my body closer to his, his hands resting upon the small of my back. "I just don't want her getting hurt."
I move my fingers through his soft blonde waves. "Well, that's where we have to come in. We have to show her that no matter how many boys come along, no matter how many broken hearts she will feel, we will always be here to help put the pieces back together again."
He kisses me quickly. "How did we ever get here? It seems like yesterday she was starting school. . .and now, she's bringing boys home…"
I move my hand to his cheek. "She grew up on us Mr. Mellark."
"I'm afraid she did Mrs. Mellark."
He kisses the top of my head and I smile at him. Just like everything else is life, we will tackle this together. We don't even have to say it, we both just know.
The five of us sit around the dinning room table for dinner. It is rather awkward at first because none of us really know what to say. Yet, I notice how every few seconds Bowen looks over to Aspen out of the corner of his eye. He looks at her as if at any second, she might disappear. But after the satisfaction of seeing that she is next to him, the corners of his mouth turn upwards.
"So Calum, how was your day at school?" Peeta asks, breaking the silence, but diverts the conversation only to our son.
Calum puts down his fork at looks at Peeta. "Well, it was pretty rough if must admit. First my art teacher made me redo my project because she said I had to use the paint colours given. I started mixing them like dad showed me and she took away my paper."
He is talking a mile a minute. I look at Peeta and he is smiling.
"And in math class, I only got the third highest mark on the test because I kept forgetting that dumb decimal trick. Then I had to carry my Rebellion History book all the way home again because twenty-six questions were assigned for homework and I only finished twenty-five. I had to carry that heavy book home for just one question! So, I guess you could say it was a rough day." He finally finishes.
The rest of us chuckle. "Well, it definitely sounds like an eventful day, sweetie." I reply.
After Calum's talkative personality comes alive again, the conversations become more natural. But I notice that Peeta is still avoiding any confrontation with Bowen. I can see that perhaps he is just not sure of what to say. This is new to all of us, after all.
"So Bowen, do you work at all?" I ask, hoping to show Peeta that if I can manage to start a conversation, then he sure as well can.
"Uh, not really. I help out where I can at my family's shop, but I have been rather focused on school and extra curricular activities." He explains.
"Bowen's a wrestler, dad." Aspen chimes in.
This instantly gets Peeta's attention. Wrestling was a great passion of his back in school, but it has almost become a forgotten thing since he's gotten older.
"Really? I used to love wrestling when I was your age." Peeta's eyes light up.
"I know," Bowen says shyly. "Well, I mean, I saw your name on a lot of the plaques in the school."
"Yeah, I was alright." Peeta replies modestly looking down at his plate smiling slightly.
"Oh, he was better than alright. He was top in the school, only losing to family." I jump in, my words sounding very similar to ones said many years before.
Peeta winks at me and smiles.
"How did you do in the annual tournament?" Peeta questions.
"Last year, in year nine, I got fourth. But my coach thinks I've got a shot at improving that this year. The tournament is next month." Bowen says.
"Well, we will have to come and watch. It's been a long time since I've seen a match." Peeta exclaims before taking a bite of his stew.
"Yeah, that would be great, Mr. Mellark."
In this moment, I see the worry disappear from not only Bowen's face, but Aspen's as well. The rest of the dinner is filled with relaxed chatter and laughs. We learn more about Bowen and the person that he is. He is a straight-A student who has a love for reading. He is the oldest of his family with two younger sisters. His family also owns the baby boutique in town; the same place we'd bought almost everything for our two children when they were infants.
"So, how did you two meet?" Peeta finally asks the question that I'd been just too timid to ask all dinner.
They both look at each other and chuckle; their faces filling with blush.
"Well…" Bowen begins, "after years and years of begging… I finally agreed to go out on a date with her."
Aspen instantly elbows him in the ribs. "Try again."
Bowen playfully smiles at her. "I'm only joking. I've noticed your daughter since year seven. But I only recently worked up the courage to ask her to go out with me. Your daughter is a really special girl."
I look at Peeta and he looks at me and we both grin at each other. In this instant, a million memories fly through my head. I remember carrying Aspen through the front door, swaddled in a tiny blanket; bringing her home for the first time after giving birth to her. I remember her saying her first word and learning how to crawl for the first time. I remember tasting her first batch of chocolate chip cookies that she so eagerly baked with her daddy. I remember the first time she kissed the top of Calum's head after we'd brought him home. I remember her first day in the woods and her first day of kindergarten. I remember when she dashed off into the school, only to turn right around and speed into my arms, to tell me that she loved me. I remember the first time she'd shot a bow and arrow. Her first time riding a bicycle. All of those milestones and memories seemed a thousand years old, yet at the same time, feel as though they'd just happened yesterday. I have watched my daughter grow in front of my eyes. I have watched her transform into the brilliant young woman that she is today, and she is so beautiful.
Now I sit here with her, thinking about how she's brought a boy into our home for the first time, and how I could not be more proud of her. Many mothers have told me that they have tried to steer their children away from any dating relationships they have formed. But I will not do that. I look next to me and see my husband; we were there age when we had our first kiss together, how different things were back then, how blessed we are now. I know that at sixteen, love can exist, so I will not be one to control a heart that is not even mine. I look at her and know that she is not a baby anymore. I make myself understand that no matter what happens, no matter how many times her heart breaks and how many "true loves" she finds, Peeta and I will always be her first love and it's a love that will never come undone or be broken.
When the evening draws to a close, Peeta and I sit in our living room while Aspen walks Bowen out and down the path. The sky is dark except for the illuminating stars and our porch lamp. They walk slowly side by side down the gravel until there is no more path to walk. Peeta and I watch as she faces him; their words much too quiet for us to hear, but they were not meant for us anyways.
Then suddenly, he leans down and places a kiss on her cheek. It is so innocent and so pure. I look at Peeta and expect perhaps a shocked or angered look on his face, but instead he only smiles.
"Do you think I scared him off?" He asks me.
I chuckle and look into his blue eyes, that in no way shape or form can ever appear to be truly deadly.
"Judging by that," I say, motioning to our daughter, "I'm going to go with no."
He chuckles at my response.
"I like him Peeta."
Both of our heads turn back to the window. Our daughter now walks the path back to our house alone. Her arms are gently crossed over her chest and she stares up at the sparkling sky. Her blue eyes seem brighter and there is no escaping the beautiful smile that has spread across her face. She is happy and there is no mistaking that.
"I like him too." He finally says.
Thank you all for reading! Be sure to leave me a review, they are always a great motivation for me to write! Also if you are interested please check out my two newest full length fanfic's- Letters to Annie and Mockingjay: Katniss Hijacking.