"Comment? Katniss, Katniss over here!" I keep hold of Peetas' hand for the following reasons: The flashes from the flickering cameras are enough to knock me out, they're smothering us apart, and if my hand and his were disconnected, I don't when I'll see the boy with the bread again. If you ever wants to see me again.
"Peeta! Katniss! Will you kiss the camera? Come on, over here!" I blush slightly, and Peeta smiles politely, ignoring the annoying reporter. We keep walking towards the train station, but the crowd keeps following, by the time we're here the crowd demands a kiss.
"Oh, alright." Peeta's laughs shyly and pulls me into his arms, he presses his lips down to mine and the crowd goes wild. I wasn't ready to let go of him yet; even though it was just an hour ago that I confessed that my feelings for him were—untrue; I can't help but want him by my side. I don't know what to do and I can feel the kiss is coming to an end, so I stand on my tip-toes to put my arms around his neck and pull him closer. The camera's flicker and flicker. My plan was working until we needed air.
"Don't go yet." I say aloud. I don't care if the reporters hear and plaster the quote in every magazine and news paper, this time it wasn't a lie.
"I'll see you—later." He pulls away from me stiffly, and heads towards his family.
The train doors are closed, shielding me us from the hungry crowd. Before I can pathetically run after Peeta, I hear a squeal that sends my heart beating hard. Prim.
I turn around and see my mother, Prim, and Gale. I dash towards them at full speed.
"Katniss, you're alive! See, I knew it! I just knew you would win!" I pick Prim up and give the tightest hug possible.
"I promised didn't I?" I put her down and quickly scan her for any signs of starvation. But she even looks a little better then when I was there hunting for them. My mother kisses my, and wraps me in her arms. This is surprising to me because I haven't had this much contact with her in years. I pull away happily; I see she's tearing up.
"Catnip," Gale pulls me into an awkward hug. I don't know what made it awkward, but it is.
"Gale, I've missed you so much. I was constantly worrying about you."
"I'm not a child Catnip, I have it under control." He smirks, and lightly ruffles my messy hair.
The reunion ends as soon as it starts. I see Haymitch and Effie burst in through the door.
"Good lord, that crowd was crazy! Look at my hair!" Don't you mean wig? I glance over at Peeta who is standing by his father; he bites his lips suppressing a smile, thinking what I was thinking.
"Peeta, Katniss! Come on, we have to get you ready." Haymitch pulls me away from my family, and Effie grabs Peeta.
"What for? I thought everything was over!" Peeta trys to pull free, but Effie just keeps on pulling.
"Mm, slight change," I shouldn't feel shocked by how the Capital has pulled another trick from their sleeves, but I do, "Instead of you and Peeta being neighbors, President Snow wants you guys living together!" She childishly claps her hands.
"What?!" Peeta steals the word straight from my mouth.
"What about our families? Where will they stay!" I'm angry at how Effie is clapping happily as if this were great news, I'm angry that I won't get to live with my family, I'm angry at how the list of things that are making me angry keeps getting longer and longer.
"Oh don't fret; they get their own houses just down the street. And you guys probably won't move in right away, they'll give you time to pack." She rambles on cheerfully, while I try my best not to throttle her.
"So now were heading to Cinna's rented space in town to get you guys dolled up for an interview with Flickerman at the square." Haymitch isn't thrilled like Effie. I like him for that.
We exit through the back of the train station, and into a car that will take us back to town. Effie hops in first, then Haymitch, then Peeta and I. I shift so that I am turned towards the window, avoiding touching Peeta.
"Oh sweetheart, what's with the distance, you guys are moving in together, you're going to have to share a room." Haymitch teases, I blush furiously. I turn my face to the window, not bothering to see Peeta's reaction.
"Hey! Where are you going?!" Effie screeches at the driver.
"Orders from President Snow himself to take you guys to Victors Village." Is all the information he gives us.
"No! We were told we could bring them to the studio to at least look decent! They've been on a train for hours, look at them! They look terrible!" Effie complains, but the driver ignores.
President Snow. President Snow himself wants us to be at Victors Village. No doubt he'll be there, and surrounded by Capital workers loaded with weapons. Is he preparing a live whipping? Is this how he's getting back at me and Peeta for the berries? I knew it was too good to be true. There is no such thing as two victors. I shiver, and feel like throwing up, so I press my head against the cool glass.
"Haymitch, why are going to Victors Village?" Peeta's voice is serious, he's worried also.
"I knew something like this was going to happen," Haymitch whispers.
Peeta and I lean in closer to him so the driver doesn't hear.
"President Snow isn't happy. There is never two victors. Whatever mistake the Capital made letting you guys live, is going to hurt their reputation. And the only way to fix it is to come up with some pretty fake story. Helping them, but torturing you." My eyebrows knit together, a public whipping isn't pretty. What is it that they have planned that we have to be there now?
"So they want me and Katniss to live together, forever starting today; now—since we're star crossed lovers and everything." Peeta is smart. He comes up with this conclusion so quick it makes me wonder if he was a part of the plan too. Or maybe I'm just slow.
"Exactly. He suspects this star-crossed lover's thing is all an act—"
"Which it is." Peeta cuts in with a remark that hits me in the gut. I look at Haymitch, avoiding Peeta's hurt eyes.
"Hush boy! If he finds out that it's fake, it's the end. Katniss, if Peeta leans in for a kiss and you hesitate the tiniest bit, we're all dead. You got that?" I'm furious at how he is warning me, and not Peeta.
"I won't," I hiss, "But I thought we'd have a few days to get things ready, this all too fast!" I'm slightly panicking.
"Well you're going to have to deal with it! It's either move in together now or object and be killed." Haymitch says gravely. And we all knew the second wasn't an option.
The crowd is like a swarm of starving ants and we're the chip crumbs. Once we step foot on ground, we're goners.
"Peeta! Katniss! How do you feel about moving in together?!" A reporter yells.
"Answer Please! Peeta?! Katniss!" The crowd was beyond wild. Filled with reporters, Capital security, and the majority or District 12.
"Move it! They need room! MOVE!" Haymitch shoves all the reporters and their cameras that ignore his demands out of the way.
Peeta and I are finally on the doorstep of what must be our home.
"Hello its Caesar Flickerman and I'm here the 74th Hunger Game victors!" He emphasizes the s at the end to the camera which doesn't help me and Peeta's situation.
"Peeta, how do you feel about making it out alive and with the girl you've been in love with since you were what? Five?" Seriously, what's with all these perky people? They're really ticking me off now.
"I couldn't ask for anything better. I feel like the luckiest man alive. I knew if Katniss had died, I would die too. I just can't stand the thought of being without her." The crowd sighs. Some even putting their hands over their hearts.
Peeta kisses my temple, and I smile up at him adoringly.
"Awh, aren't you two cute! Katniss, how do you feel about moving in with Peeta?" Think Katniss, if you don't make this perfect, you're just digging yourself closer to death.
"I absolutely love it. I can't wait to have Peeta all to myself and alone." I'm blushing tomato red; I lean up for a kiss to make it believable and to hide my embarrassment. Peeta makes a show of it to please the audience and most importantly President Snow.
"Look at these love birds! Before you guys get carried away in front of us all, answer one more question. What do you think about the house? I mean it's huge, beautiful, and probably filled with luxurious furniture." I know Caesar is hinting the bed. I don't know if it was possible for me to blush a deeper shade of red, but it sure felt like I've passed the tomato stage. I giggle nervously, and cuddle into Peeta's side. I'll let him answer this one.
"It's beautiful from what I see," Peeta now looks away from the camera and down at me, "Very big too. Enough room for our baby."