I hadn't been back to the small coal mining town outside of the capitol in almost fourteen years. But now that I'm here, it feels like I've entered some sort of time machine. Nothing has changed. The people and the buildings and the fine layer of coal dust that seems to cling onto everything have all but been preserved. Sure the people have gotten older, but it's not like they've changed. Greasy Sae is still serving up unusual combinations at The Hob, Deputy Cray is still luring just legal girls into his bed with the promise of erasing their track records, The Goat Man still has a heard of goats that he herds on the outskirts of the Seam.
And all of these people knew the minute that I crossed the towns limits because they have nothing better to do than create elaborate gossip. They wave at me as I pass by them in the U-Haul I'm driving as if I'd only been away from a weekend. And when I get to my new home; the small apartment complex that is closer to the forest than town, I'm not too surprised that an old classmate is there to greet me with my keys.
"Katniss!" says an older version of the girl I spent my lunches with. She really hasn't changed much, other than gaining about a foot or so in height and developing womanly curves that I still lack.
"Madge," I try to return her cheeriness, though I'm not very good at it. "Do you work here?"
"Oh no, but my dad is still the mayor and when he heard that you were moving back, I thought that I'd personally welcome you back into the community."
"Wow, 12 really hasn't changed a bit," I murmur more to myself than to Madge.
"I suppose. It's a good thing though, right? You can practically start right where you left off."
That's the problem; I don't want to start right where I left off. I give Madge a smile anyways and take the keys Madge has holding out.
"So, if you're up for it, I thought that we could get some people together and go out of a drink tonight. To celebrate your arrival, you know?"
I hate to turn Madge down, especially with her lake-blue eyes shining with hope. "Can I get a rain check for this weekend? I really just want to move all my stuff in then go to bed, moving is really tiring," I explain.
"Oh of course! I should have known. Yeah, we can totally have a rain check for this weekend, Saturday sound okay?"
"Saturday sounds perfect."
Madge pulls away in her black sedan just as Gale arrives driving my trusty Jeep followed by his younger brother and Prim in tow, driving his large pick-up truck. Gale is the only person I stayed in contact after my mom, sister, and I moved. Our dads were best friends until the accident and even though Gale's two years older than me, we grew up together.
"Welcome back, Catnip," Gale says into my ear as he pulls me into a tight and familiar hug.
"Hey Gale," I say back to him. "Hey Rory, I can't believe how big you've grown."
Rory is only a few months older than my sister, Prim, and when I last saw him he was shorter than her, but now he's towering over her by a foot. "Yeah, I'm still growing too. Probably be taller than Gale. I'm already better looking than him." He gives me a goofy grin just Gale elbows his side.
The four of us make trips back and forth and up and down the steps, with heavy boxes in our hands until the U-Haul truck is vacant as well as my car and the bed of Gale's truck. I didn't have much. A full sized bed, a large dresser that still has some clothing in it, a couch and a love seat, a coffee table with mismatched end tables, an ancient television, as well as a few pots and pans that I will probably never use. It's dark by the time we're all done though, and Gale has gone and come back with Chinese food and drinks.
"Excited to start your new job?" Rory asks after swallowing a mouthful of general Tso chicken.
"Excited and nervous," I answer honestly. "I don't want to screw up."
"Oh come on," Gale interjects. "You were made for this job. You practically grew up in the woods right?"
Gale was right. Our dads used to take the two of us out hiking and hunting almost every weekend. It's where I developed a love for nature. And this job is perfect for me. Though I didn't go to college, Gale stuck his neck out for me to get this wildlife technician job. That's what I'm most afraid of, not doing well and Gale paying the price for my mistakes.
Gale and Rory leave sometime around midnight and Prim and I crawl into the same bed not long after locking the front door. We face each other, not talking at first, just saying what we need to say through subtle facial movements that only siblings as close as us can pick up on.
Eventually Prim says, "I'm going to miss seeing you every day."
"I'm going to miss you too, but you're going to have a blast in college. You'll meet so many new people and Rory will be there, so you won't be alone. Before you know it you won't be missing your overprotective sister at all."
Prim blushes at the mention of Rory. I saw what was going on tonight. The way she seemed to gravitate towards the younger Hawthorne boy and hanging on every word he said. Most of me wanted to lock Prim away forever, so that no boy can pursue my sweet innocent sister, but the smaller part, and the side of me that ends up winning, is happy that she's taking an interest in Rory because he's a good kid and I can tell that the feeling is mutual.
"I highly doubt that, but I promise to call anytime that I start to forget what you sound like," Prim smiles a pearly white smile.
"And I promise to call whenever I'm feeling particularly motherly and feel the need to make sure you're doing all of your homework."
Prim giggles. "Deal."
XxX
Rory came back Friday morning to pick Prim up and take her back into the city where her, our mom and uncle still live. It takes all day, without stopping to finally get the apartment into somewhat of a livable order. The living room and kitchen are completely put away and I've gotten my clothes sorted into different baskets. And by the time I'm exhausted, it's pushing ten at night. My stomach growls obnoxiously and I've realized that I haven't eaten anything since the Chinese food last night and I'm really regretting not order extra for leftovers.
I debate whether or not to just go to bed on an empty stomach or to go the grocery store now so I don't have to do it in the morning when I'm even hungrier. The first option wins as soon as my stomach makes another awful noise.
Still in a tattered tank top, sports bra, and shorts that I normally sleep in, I make my way up and down the abandoned aisles of the only supermarket in town. It's closing in thirty minutes, the manager has already told me twice, but I still haven't bothered to head for the check out.
I'm trying to decide if I want bananas or if it's just a lack of food that makes them seem delicious when I hear my name being called. I look up and at the end of the row I see another familiar face.
"It's me, Peeta Mellark," the man says as he approaches me, but I already knew that. We may not have known each other when I lived here before but everyone knows the youngest baker boy; it's impossible not to.
"Yeah, I remember," I say setting the bananas down.
"Oh cool. Madge told me that you were moved back here."
"Yeah, she welcomed me back into the community yesterday."
"Cool," Peeta nods.
The manager appears again, telling us that we only have five minutes until we had to leave. Unlike the rest of the community, he didn't seem to care that the eldest Everdeen daughter had made a return back to District 12.
"Dinner?" Peeta points at my basket that is full of frozen dinners, condensed soups, and grapes.
"You can never go wrong with Lean Cuisine," I joke.
"There are so many ways you can go wrong with Lean Cuisine. Let me make you a welcome home dinner, it would be a crime to let you eat that tonight."
I look down at my basket, frozen burritos that are packed with sodium isn't as appetizing as what the baker's son could probably whip up.
"I was in the mood for some pasta," Peeta continues to persuade me. "We can even go back to your place. Your first official meal in your own home, cooked by yours truly."
"Technically Chinese take-out was my first meal," I tell him.
"You wound me, seriously."
I laugh. "Fine, but I have absolutely nothing food wise yet."
"Not a problem," Peeta points to his own basket which is filled with everything you need to make pasta.
Peeta follows behind me in his car as we travel back into the Seam. And when I show him into my apartment, I half expect Peeta to crinkle his nose at the smallness, and lack of luster that the town apartments have, but he doesn't. Peeta simply smiles at me then moves towards the kitchen to beginning making pasta.
"Sorry that my stuff isn't all the put away yet," I say as I scramble to shove boxes into my room.
"I invited myself over; there is no need to apologize."
I offer Peeta to help but he declines but does take me up on asking if he'd like a beer. I watch as Peeta stirs the creamy white sauce, adding in cheeses and spices until it's where he wants it, adding the cooked pasta to it and stirring some more. Peeta even plates it for me on one of my mismatched plates that I've bought over time.
"I would have made homemade bread but I didn't have time, so you'll have to settle for what the bakery had leftover," Peeta sets everything in front of me on the coffee table.
I don't even wait for the pasta to cool down before I shove a large forkful into my mouth, having no regrets that I'm burning my tongue because it's that good.
"This is by far the best thing I've ever tasted," I tell him in between bites of bread and alfredo.
Peeta and I talk and eat until around one when Peeta insists on helping me clean before leaving. I don't climb into bed until way after two though, after finally finding my phone that I lost in the pile of boxes during the move and returned a few texts. One of them was even from Delly, telling me that she and a group of people would be at The Hob and everyone is excited to see me. I let out a large groan but decide that it might not be so bad, especially if Peeta showed up.