Today is the day, and I was nervous. Tonight I would be going on my first date, and it wasn't just any date, it was a date with Peeta Mellark. Peeta Mellark, the football, soccer, basketball, and baseball star player. He also was the captain on all those teams, got good grades and was the Student Council President. And here I was, Katniss Everdeen, the girl who struggles to come to school every day, grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, and pretty much a nobody at school. It wasn't always that way though.
Before Dad was killed in mining accident when I was 11, I was popular, I had many friends, was a academic scholar so much so, I skipped a grade in elementary school and even on the path to college scholarships when I got older for my archery skills. When Dad died and I had to take over as head of the house and find ways of providing for Mom and my little sister, Primrose or Prim as she normally goes by.
My mother is a story all to herself. I guess she fell into a depression when Dad died-we all did- but hers' was worse and it took years for her to come back to Prim and me. When she finally did, Prim was so happy and held nothing against her. I, on the other hand could not forgive her. I lost my childhood because of what she did. I tried to forgive her I really do, because not only did Prim and I lose a dad that day, but she lost a husband and the love of her life.
How could she have forgotten her children? You would have thought taking care of her children would have helped her though but instead she sat in a chair staring out into nothingness while I fought to keep us going and hide Prim from the horrors that could have happened to us if I had not.
With all of that going on, everything else in my life began to fall apart too. My friends drifted away and now they act as if we were never friends. I ended up being bumped back to my original grade because I fell so far behind during the year Dad died that I failed my classes. The college scholarships I was working towards with my archery, went by the wayside when I told my coach that I couldn't continue because I couldn't afford the fee to be on the team.
Which brings me to now. Why would a boy like Peeta Mellark asked me out on a date?
Something isn't right about this. Maybe he asked me out on a dare? But at this point it's hard to actually care because I know it won't go anywhere from tonight. It's just going to be one date, if he doesn't cancel beforehand.
My 12- year old sister, who still believes in happy endings, believes Peeta does like me and would never ask me out if he didn't. My mom, who I hoped would have been able to give me a excuse to tell him I could not go out tonight told me that she had the night off from the hospital she works at and that I need to start doing things that most do at 16, which include going on dates. She actually insisted that I would go on this date whether I wanted to or not; even told me to go up to her closet and pick out one of her dresses from her teenage years. Surprisingly enough the styles where the same as the ones girls wore today.
"So, how does going to the drive-in to see a movie and dinner at the new Italian restaurant sound for tonight?" I hear Peeta say as he sits down beside me at lunch.
"Oh uhm, sure that sounds good" I manage to squeak out, and I do mean squeak. I feel my face turning red at that. "Just because we have a date tonight doesn't mean you have to sit with me today at lunch, you are welcome to sit with your friends"
"I know that" he smiles at me, and I get a good look at his ocean blue eyes and bright blonde hair. "But I wanted to sit here with you today, if that's okay with you?"
"Sure" I reply
Peeta questioned, "You think I just asked you out because I felt sorry for you or something, don't you?"
"Didn't you? I mean what could you possibly see in me," I ask back.
"Katniss, I can assure you that feeling bad for you was not my reason. You just don't know the effect you have," he replies.
I don't know how to reply to this, so I just look down and play with the food that is on my plate. My appetite gone.
"I have an extra cheese bun, if you would like it. I can understand why you wouldn't wanna eat whatever they made into today's chefs special" he laughs, holding his hand out towards me with one in his hand.
Cheese buns were another thing I never had again after Dad died, we couldn't afford to buy them. They were my favorite item from Mellark's Bakery which Peeta's parents own. On the first Saturday of every month, Dad would come home with something for each of us from the bakery. Cheese buns for me, pretty iced sugar cookies for Prim, and a piece of red velvet cake for Mom. She always insisted that he share with her. Dad used to laugh because I was the only kid he knew would rather have cheese buns than some kind of sweet. But I preferred the cheesiness of those buns to anything sweet .
"Please take the cheese bun, Katniss" Peeta's deep voice rings through my daydream. I realize I had been staring at him for some time.
"Thanks" I whisper, taking it out of his hands. Peeta smiles, and it's a shy smile. That is unusual for a person as confident as Peeta, but honestly, the smile gives me butterflies in my stomach. So I smile back.
I look down at the bun, and it looks nothing different than the ones I remember as a child.
"You know you are supposed to eat that, not just look at it." Peeta says. "Sorry, did I upset you?"
"No, I was just thinking about a good memory of my dad" I answer back
"I remember him coming in every first Saturday of the month, that's how I knew that cheese buns were your favorite. He would tell my dad that he needed a cheese bun for his silly older daughter and he would shake his head as he laughed."
"Yeah, I never really liked the sweet stuff" I remember. "I can't believe that you really remember that about me"
"I remember everything about you, Katniss" Peeta replies; the way he says my name makes me look up at him, he sounds so sad
"I can't even tell you how glad I was when you said you would go on a date with me, I was so sure you would turn me down."
"Why would you think that?" I question.
Taking a deep breath he says "I can't tell you how long I've liked you, Katniss and it took a lot for me to actually ask you out. It's surreal that you would even want to go on a date with a guy like me"
"Oh," is all I can say because at this point the bell rings.
"I'll pick you up at 5, okay?" Giving me that smile that I've grown to love in the small time of this lunch period.
"That's great. have a good rest of the day, Peeta" I say as we part ways, walking out of the lunch room.
_
Walking home from school with my best friend Gale was actually more of a nightmare today then it's ever been.
"So, I hear you got a date tonight." Gale starts
"Yes, I do" I reply. "What's it to you?"
"Rumor has it, that he's just trying to get in your pants" he replies.
"You say that about every guy that would ask me out" I snap
At the beginning of this school year, Gale, my best friend for like forever, the one that went through the same tough time as me because his dad died in the same accident as mine did, decided to ask me to be his girlfriend. I turned him down. I still feel bad for it but to be honest, I don't like Gale that way. I love him, but more as my brother than anything else. He told me he understood but now every time he sees a guy even look in my direction he gets all jealous. I feel bad, I really do. But there was no way in hell I was going to date him. It would be too weird. It does hurt that my best friend won't support me; of all people he should be happy for me.
"No, just one that I know has been drooling over you for years" Gale snaps back. "Look Katniss, I realize you don't feel the same about me as I do you but I still want the best for you and I just don't think Mellark is the best"
"I appreciate your concern but I think you are just jealous it's not you taking me on my first date" I huff walking off. I don't need this today.
Gale sighed with a sad expression "Have fun tonight. And I mean that."
I turn back to him and with a small smile.
"Thanks Gale, that means a lot"
_
After my conversation with Gale, I can't stop thinking about what he said. Maybe he was right. Gale knows me so well and what he said plays into every one of my insecurities. Damn Gale!
As the clock nears 5, I begin to worry that Peeta isn't going to show up. I'm already in my dress; Prim did my hair up into some elaborate braid and Mom insisted I put on some make up. I'm going to feel like such an idiot if he doesn't come.
4:45, 4:50, 4:55, 5:00, 5:05...
At 5:10 I concede to looking out the window and start up the stairs to get out of these clothes. Reaching the top of the stairs I pause when I hear a car door shut and a few seconds later a knock at the door.
"Prim, get the door please" I hear my mom tell my sister. I slowly turn around and go back down the stairs again. My heart start to race and I feel my hands get sweaty. I wipe my hands on the skirt of my dress.
"Katniss, the door is for you!" my sister singsongs
As I reach the bottom of the stairs I see my mom rush over and invite Peeta in to the living room.
"Can I get you something to drink, Peeta?"
"No thank you, Mrs. Everdeen" Peeta replies looking towards the bottom of the stairs as I come into his view
"Katniss, you look beautiful" he also adds
"Thank you" I mumble shyly.
Prim stares at Peeta for a moment then asks, "Peeta, what happened to your face? Where did you get that bruise from?"
I look up and take a good look at Peeta, and sure enough he has a massive bruise forming on his cheek near his hair line. And I find myself being unable to look away from Peeta. Shaggy blonde hair that looks well kept but is unruly and I have to fight the urge to run my hands through it. Bright blue eyes that make me feel as I'm looking at the ocean. Long light blonde eyelashes that shock me because when he blinks they don't get tangled. He isn't extremely tall compared to me but tall enough that he could rest his chin on top of my head when hugging him. As I get drawn in to staring at his jaw I realize I've been looking at him for a long time. I look down and feel my cheeks heat up in a blush.
"No, ma'am I'm ok. Just got hit in the cheek with a baseball during practice earlier." He answers.
The words almost roll off his tongue effortlessly too . Something about his quick response makes me suspicious. It's not the first time I've seen Peeta with bruises on his face or arms but then again he is always participating sports and does have two older brothers.
"Well we better get going or we'll be late for our reservations for dinner. Thank you Mrs. Everdeen for allowing your daughter to go on this date with me" smiles Peeta
"It's my pleasure, Peeta." Taking a moment to think, she questions, "What else are you doing tonight? Surely you have more planned then just dinner?"
Oh lord! This is getting more awkward by the second.
"I'm taking your daughter to see a drive-in movie as well, Ma'am" he says
"Please call me Callie, and don't keep her out to late,"
"I promise that 12:30 is the absolute latest." he replies.
"Well" says Mom "Enjoy yourselves!"
Peeta reaches for the door and holds it open for me. "After you". He then moves quickly behind me to open the passenger door for me as well and when I get in, he shuts it behind me.
Peeta walks around the front of the car and gets in the driver side. "Why are you so quiet?" he asks as he sits down and pulls the door shut behind him.
"No reason, just nervous I guess." I shrug
"What's there to be nervous about? We're just going on a date" he replies as he puts the key in the ignition starts the car.
Bowing my head and looking down at my folded hands on my lap I whisper "Because this is the first date I've ever been on"
"What about the guy you always hang around?" he hesitantly asks.
I quickly rose to action and responded, "What? Gale? Oh no, we are just friends. Best friends. That would be too weird."
"Oh, okay" Peeta starts "I'll try my best to make this a good first date . And please, don't be nervous. Trust me when I say there is no reason to be."
I turned away from Peeta, only nodding my head
"Hey, look at me please" he says reaching out and gently lifting and turning me head towards him. "I promise we will have fun, ok?"
I smile "Okay"
_
The drive to the restaurant is filled with questions between the two of us. Favorite color; mine is green and his', sunset orange. When asked about our favorite things to do in our spare time, I responded with "archery". I was surprised when he said "Paint." He's such a sporty guy that I would have never thought he would like painting. It's sweet
As we approach the restaurant, we lapse into silence as I think of Peeta's paintings. "Can I ever see your paintings?" I shyly ask worried that he might get defensive,
Taking his eyes of the road for a second to look at me I see him force a smile on his face and say
"One day, Katniss one day"
"Sorry, that was very forward of me," I murmur looking down at my hands again.
Peeta smiled as he pulls into the driveway. "Please, don't be."Sit tight," he continues as he parks. I followed his path when he comes around, opening my door, and offering his hand to me helping me out of the car .
Dinner seems to fly by as we get lost in our conversation. I find it remarkably easy to talk to Peeta. I realize what an interesting, sensitive person he is. Soon, without realizing how the time passed, we're off to the drive-in.. I have no idea what movie we're going to see; quite honestly I'm hoping it's not one of those superheroes movies that that seem so popular right now .
"So, they're having a Cult Classics movie night at the drive-in you like scary movies? " Peeta inquires
I smile "Yeah, I like them. It's one of my favorite movie genres" "Prim hates them so I never get to pick the movie when we go see them. It's always got to be cute Disney movies or movies made from books." I ramble on.
"Sorry" I finish
"Why are you sorry?"
"Because I was going on and on. I'm talking your ear off," I answer
"Don't worry about it. I really enjoy listening to you, Katniss. You have a beautiful voice. When you speak, people can't help but stop and listen to what you have to say." He replies.
Remembering what Gale mentioned earlier, I spoke up."I heard a rumor that you have liked me for a while. Is this true?"
"Yes, it is" he answers blushing slightly.
"What is being considered a while?" I ask skeptically
"Since we were 5." He starts and I turn to him dumbfounded.
"I remember watching you with your dad going into the school, you were in a little plaid dress and your hair was in two braids and My Dad told me 'I was going to marry that little girl's mother' I asked why he didn't; and he told me 'She ran off with a miner' and I asked why would she do that when she could have you and he replied with 'Because when he sang, even the birds would stop to listen'. Later that day, when our music teacher asked if anyone knew "The Valley Song" your hand shot up and you stood up on a chair and started singing. And just like your dad even the birds stopped to listen and I, just like your mother was a goner" he finishes.
I had completely forgot about that day, but he was right about the plaid dress. "Wow, you do remember everything, I don't even remember that day," I admit
Peeta replied with sadness, "Honestly, I miss hearing you sing."
"I stopped when Dad died. I didn't see a point in it anymore." I whisper
"I hope you will see the point in it again one day,"
I get distracted from the conversation by bright multi-colored lights and the loud noises of what can only be compared to the sound of carnival rides.
"Maybe" I say. "What's that?" Pointing to what I can see to be carnival games and food vendors outside the entrance of the drive-in as we drive up the driveway.
"I don't know, let's find out" Peeta replies as we pull up to the ticket box.
The lady at the box offices asks, "Screen 1 or 2?"
"Two" answers Peeta and hands the lady the money. In exchange she hands Peeta two tickets.
Peeta drives around and finds a spot relatively close to the screen, but off to the side so we have space. We both get out and walk over to where all the carnival games are at to check it out. Peeta stops at one called The High Striker. It's a game that is a lever where one end holds a puck attached to the tower and the other end is struck by the person using a hammer or mallet. The point is to ring the bell suspended on top of the tower. If the lever is struck with enough force, the puck will rise high enough to hit the bell, if you can do that then you win.
"I wonder if I could win this one" he mutters "How much does it cost to play?" He then asks the man running the game.
"$3 a swing," the man grunts. He was an older man like in his 40s with scraggly blonde hair and reeked of alcohol
Pulling out some cash, Peeta counts out the money and hands it to the man. The man gives Peeta the mallet and Peeta lifts it up over his head and swings it down forcefully. The puck shoots up fast hitting the bell. The ringing is so loud that it seems to never end. When it does stop, there is a faint ringing in my ears.
"You can choose any of these prizes" the game operator states pointing to a group of fairly large stuffed animals. Bears, tigers, dolphins and others with all kinds of colors. "Give it to sweetheart over there" I glare at the game operator
"Um, this one" Peeta points to a large gray bunny dressed in a plaid dress and a flower on a headband.
The man pulls it down and hands it to Peeta. Peeta turns and hands it to me
"For you, Kat"
Then he does something I don't expect. He leaves a small kiss on my forehead. As his lips touch me, my breath gets caught in my chest and my eyes flutter shut as I take in the feeling. The last time I had a kiss laid on my head that held this much tenderness behind it was when I was 11; and it was from my dad the morning he died. It sends chills up my spine.
Peeta moves back and I open my eyes to look at him. "Thank you" I whisper
"Anything for you, beautiful" Peeta tells me, a small smile on his face
The game operator clears his throat and Peeta just puts his arm around my shoulders and leads me away. Being this close to him I get a good whiff of him. He smells like cinnamon and sugar. It's such a good scent, I have to wonder how the smell sticks to him and lingers this long after he has been away from it. Looking down at the stuffed bunny he won for me I noticed that the flower attached to the band is a dandelion.
Dandelions, are probably my favorite flower.
After Dad died and Mom went into her coma like state, I had to figure out how to keep Prim and myself going. One day after the money we had received from dad's death ran out, I had tried to sell Prim's baby clothes at the local consignment shop. I had collapsed outside the back door of the bakery. It was cold and raining, and I remember not having the will to get up because I couldn't handle the idea of going home to my hungry sister empty handed. A woman came out of the bakery out yelling about homeless people going through her trash cans and how she was tired of it. Minutes later I hear the woman yell again along with a loud slap and the woman screaming to someone inside about burnt bread and the pigs out back because no one will by burnt bread. A boy my age with bright blue eyes and sandy wheat colored hair steps out and looks over in my direction. I saw a red welt on his face and he takes one look back into the bakery then throws the bread in my direction and walking back inside without giving me a second look.
I didn't bother wondering if he had purposely burnt the bread for me but when I got home and cut into the bread the inside was as good as any other bread. We ate the entire first loaf that night.
The next day I had planned to thank the boy for what he had done but I was too nervous. I saw him across the playground and our eyes locked for a moment before I looked away. I caught sight of the first dandelion of the year and at that point I knew how I was going feed my family. That flower and the boy with the bread that had led me to it gave me hope. Hope that things could get better. Surprisingly enough, that boy with the bread is now currently walking beside me.
"Is there a game you would like to play? Peeta asks waking me up from my memory.
To be honest, I had been eyeing up the balloon dart game where you have 5 or 6 darts and you have to try to pop a balloon for every dart you throw. The more balloons you pop the better the prize you get. It seems very similar to shooting targets with a arrow in archery.
"No, that's ok" I reply, avoiding my reasons why.
Peeta begs playfully. "Oh, come on Katniss, my treat. Please?"
Giving into the puppy dog look he was giving me I tell him the dart game.
So I find out that movie we are going to see is called "The Girl Who Played With Fire", so far it's not much of a scary movie. Here's what has happened so far.
Lisbeth Salander is a world class computer hacker. The survivor of a traumatic childhood, Salander is highly introverted, asocial and has difficulty connecting to people and making friends. She is particularly hostile to men who abuse women, and takes special pleasure in exposing and punishing them. This is representative of Larsson's personal views and a major theme throughout the entire trilogy.
She has a complicated relationship with investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist, which veers back and forth between romance and hostility throughout the trilogy. She also has an on-again off-again romantic relationship with Miriam "Mimi" Wu.
As she returns to Sweden after spending a year abroad. She falls under suspicion of having murdered a journalist and his girlfriend as well as her own social services guardian, Nils Bjurman. Mikael Blomkvist has to do what he can to find her before the authorities do.
With her new wealth, Salander purchases an apartment in Stockholm, she reconnects with her former lover Miriam Wu and offers her free use of her previous apartment in return for forwarding her mail. Later, Salander confronts her guardian, Nils Bjurman after hacking into his email account and discovering he has an appointment booked with a tattoo removal specialist. Threatening him with his own gun, she warns him not to remove the tattoo that she etched on his abdomen as revenge for sexually abusing her, marking him as "a pervert, a rapist and a sadistic pig". Millennium magazine welcomes Dag Svensson, a new journalist who is writing an exposé on prostitution and human trafficking in Sweden. Dag's girlfriend, Mia Bergman, is writing her doctoral thesis on sex trafficking. Dag is nearly finished with the story and is confronting those who will be exposed by the article.
Dag and his girlfriend are about to leave on a holiday and ask Mikael Blomkvist to come to his apartment and collect some photographs. At the same time Dag also asks Mikael to inquire about someone called "Zala", who may have a connection to his present research. Mikael arrives at their apartment late at night to collect photographs for the article but finds the two sources lying dead. The murder weapon is tracked to Bjurman who is also deceased. Lisbeth Salander is the prime suspect, as her fingerprints happen to be on the gun as well. Salander tells Blomkvist that she did not kill anyone and that he needs to find the mysterious "Zala".
In an effort to find Lisbeth's residence, Mikael contacts her boxing trainer and friend, Paolo Roberto. While he is unaware of Salander's whereabouts, Paolo does know Miriam, who also trained with them, and promises to pay her a visit. Near her apartment, Paolo witnesses Miriam being kidnapped by strongman Niedermann. Paolo follows his car to a deserted barn, where he hears him beat Miriam for information about Salander. Paolo comes in to rescue her but Niedermann is more than a match for the skilled boxer. Niedermann sets the barn aflame to finish the job, but the two manage to secretly escape.
News breaks of the attack and Paolo gives his account to the police. After Blomkvist leaves information he has discovered about the case on his computer for Salander to hack into and read, she leaves a message to him saying, "Thank you for being my friend". He realizes that she intends to set out alone to find the man who framed her and that she may not survive. A disguised Salander visits Miriam in hospital to apologize for getting her involved. Without giving anything away, Salander confirms the police sketch of Niedermann with Miriam and then disappears. Knowing now that he is Salander's friend, Miriam calls Blomkvist to the hospital to give him keys that Lisbeth accidentally dropped during her visit. Noticing that one of them is for a post office box, Mikael is able to access and read Salander's mail and locate her apartment. Meanwhile, Salander continues her efforts to find Niedermann by patiently staking out his post office box. She eventually sees someone retrieve his mail and follows him to a small house near Gosseberga. Researching through the material in Lisbeth's apartment Blomkvist finds the video of Bjurman raping Salander.
In the offices of Millennium Magazine, Paolo explains he tracked down Niedermann and learned that he has congenital analgesia which makes him doubly formidable because he cannot feel pain. They trace Niedermann to a company owned by "Karl Axel Bodin". Blomkvist has Erika Berger make copies of the documents including the 1993 police report, forwards the originals to Bublanski and sets out to find Salander.
Salander crosses the grounds and enters the Gosseberga house, but Niedermann has been alerted by motion detectors and knocks her out. She awakens to see her father, Zalachenko, an old man who walks with a stick and is heavily scarred by the burns she inflicted as a child.
At this part I hear Peeta suck in a deep breath and bury his face in my hair holding me tighter.
"Peeta?"
"It's okay" he says
"What has happened to you?" I ask. There have been rumors that Peeta's mom hits her sons and that where all the bruises came from but I don't say anything hoping Peeta won't tell me that these rumors are true.
"I've just had a similar experience that's all." He replies shifting me so he can lift up his shirt. I turn and see three burn marks on his rib cage on his right side. I gasp and look up at his eyes. They are watery with unshed tears.
"Who did this to you?" I question dropping my forehead on to his and wrapping my arms around his shoulders.
"My mother" he confesses. I lift my head to kiss his forehead like he did to me earlier. He leans into my kiss holding me tighter to him.
I feel an inferno of hate for his mother building in me. "I'm sorry. You don't deserve that."
"Don't feel sorry for me. It's not your fault. And to be honest, you're the first person I've ever told. I don't understand why but I feel like I can tell you anything. And I've never felt that before. I feel safe with you and I haven't felt like that in a long time. So thank you." He replies.
"You're welcome" I reply back feeling something in my heart that I've never felt before and it almost scares me but Peeta soothes it away by turning my attention back to the movie...
Zalachenko, dismisses her mother (who is now dead) as a whore and belittles her rape at the hands of Bjurman. He reveals that Niedermann is her half-brother. Niedermann killed Bjurman to prevent him from revealing any of Zalachenko's secrets. Zalachenko is confident he will not be caught, since being an invalid means the idea of his involvement in the murders lacks plausibility.
They lead Lisbeth to a shallow grave in the woods. She tells him the police will find him soon and all that he has said has been published online through her hidden cellphone. Seeing through her bluff, he shoots at her several times as she attempts to escape and buries her alive. Left for dead, Salander digs her way out using her silver-plated cigarette case. Hidden in the woodshed, she surprises Zalachenko with an axe. She then keeps Niedermann at bay with Zalachenko's gun just as Blomkvist comes coasting up the driveway. Ambulances and police arrive to take away Salander and Zalachenko who are both very badly injured.
When Salander was buried alive it triggered my panic of what must of happened to my father again. I break out in a cold sweat, shaking horribly. Peeta turns me around on his lap so I am facing him and I bury my face on his shoulder. Peeta just holds me tight petting my hair and tells me that it will be ok a million times. I eventually calm down.
"I'm okay now, thank you" I say to Peeta looking up into his eyes. Doing this I understand what Peeta said before of feeling safe, warm and loved. I also know from looking into his eyes what is going to happen next, but it still startles me when his lips come down on mine. They are soft and warm and gentle as they caress my lips. The feelings that come bubbling up as he gently starts to move over them causes a hunger within me that I have never felt before. And it makes want more. So I capture his bottom lip, nibbling on it, causing his lips to part. He lets his tongue move across my lips before I move to part mine too. We allow our tongues battle for dominance for a undefined amount of time but it doesn't satisfy my hunger for Peeta. I've never felt this way before. All I know is I want more. I just can't get enough. But I realize that I just might let this go too far and I'm not ready for that plus it might mess things up between Peeta and I, and I don't want that. Its better to leave tonight with just a kiss.
Peeta must sense this because he breaks the kiss first and looks at me. Then he looks at the movie behind me and tells me it's over. We begin to pack up the truck in silence but we keep stopping to give each other pecks on the lips.
As we drive home I realize that this night is coming to an end and I'm not ready for it to end. We hold hand the whole way to my house. As we pull in to my driveway I become sad. Tonight was a whole lot of firsts. First date, first kiss, first time feeling that emotionally attached to someone.
As Peeta parks in the driveway he looks over before getting out and asks me "So, how was tonight?"
"Amazing. I wish it didn't have to end" I say.
"It doesn't have to end here, Katniss. I'd like to repeat this. I'd like to do this a lot. Would you be my girlfriend?" He says.
"Yes!" I say almost too fast. "Yes, I would love to."
Peeta added, "Thank you for making my dreams come true, Katniss. You mean everything to me. I wish I could freeze this moment and live in it forever."
"I'll allow it," I smile
Peeta smile while getting out of the truck and opens my door. He hands me my stuffed bunny and then he walks me to the door, gives me a hug goodnight, promising me he will call me tomorrow He leaves me smiling, clutching my bunny, on the porch with just a kiss goodnight.
