Moving In
Katniss's POV
When I wake up, the other side of my bed is cold. My limbs exhaust from the constant thrashing around and my voice is dry from screaming from my nightmares, which all revolve losing Peeta during the Quell. I prop myself up with one elbow as I swing my legs off the bed and examine myself in the mirror. In reflection, I scowl at my appearance. I undo my braided hair which is a tangled mess and beneath my eyes are purple bags. I brush out the tangles in my hair and re-braid it into my signature style. I splash my face with cold water and I get dressed in a green knit sweater and tight black pants.
I hear a knock on the door as I run down to the doorstep. As I open the door, a boy with strawberry blond hair and vibrant blue eyes greets me with piles of clothes and baking supplies, Peeta. "Hey Katniss," he greets me with a warm smile, I look at his face and shoulders as I see the bruises on his toned body through his see through shirt.
"Peeta, what happened to you, are you alright?" I say with a worried tone. He looks broken and tattered, his hair and clothes are a mess and he looks like he hasn't gotten a wink of sleep in nights.
"Oh, I'm fine Katniss. I had a fight with my mother and she kicked me out of the house. Don't worry everything's fine, we'll make up in time. Can I spend a couple of nights with you while she cools down? I won't be here long, just a week or so, and I promise ill pay you back for letting me stay," says Peeta, he has hopeful look on his face.
"Of course you can Peeta. You can make yourself at home. I'll give you one of the spare bedrooms. Wait for a second, I have to tell my mom and Prim," I say.
Ever since we moved into the victors, village, we've have so many extra rooms and spaces we don't use. The house is marvelous and always lit and full with life. It has a garden, an office, a full deck and patio, a living room, a kitchen, a dinning room, four bedrooms and a basement. My new house in the village could fit ten of my houses from the seam.
I go to my mom's bedroom and find her and my younger sister; Prim is asleep cocooned in her arms. My mother looks younger in her sleep and Prim looks sweet as a Primrose which she was named for. Prim always has nightmares and crawls into my mother's bedroom every night.
I shake my mom awake; she looks completely exhausted.
"Mom, can Peeta stay here for a week? His Mom kicked him out of his house and he has no where to go," I say. My mother stares at me. She thinks about it for a couple seconds.
"Of course he can sweetheart, give him the spare bedroom right next to the office."
"Thank you," I say. My mom has a certain fondness for Peeta, how he always protective of me and looks out for me, even when there are no cameras where when we don't have to act in love. In reality, he like a big brother to me, we always look out for each other. I trust him with my life. Although sometimes I get the vibe Peeta wants to be a little more than close friends, sometimes he comes on a little too strong, though I usually shake it off. I'm content with our relation ship now
I run down stairs to Peeta. "Peeta, my mother said that it was alright if you stayed with us for a little while, make yourself at home. Let me show you to your bedroom."
He gives me a smile so genuinely sweet. "Thank you so much Katniss for taking me in. I promise I will repay you."
"You don't have to," I say. "You're practically family." This makes him smile.
I show him to his bedroom as I help him unpack his things, he doesn't pack much. Just a couple changes of clothes, his art and baking supplies and couple of books. Then I notice he packed his tuxedo, tomorrow is Annie's and Finnick's wedding in district four. Were taking a hovercraft there, my whole family is invited and so I Gale, Him and Finnick had really started to hit it off when Finnick visited after the Quell.
"Hey Katniss thanks again for letting me stay here," he says. "Are you excited for Finnick's and Annie's wedding? I made their cake; I turned out better than I though it would."
"Yeah I can't wait," I reply. I bet the cake Peeta made turned out amazing; he has softness for beautiful things. I don't have a fondness for parties and big gatherings with people, unlike Peeta. He loves big kinds of events because he's always the life of the party. He knows parties aren't my thing, but its Finnick, who has saved my life and Peeta's so many times that I will never stop owing him.
"Hey Katniss do you have any plans for today? Because I though today might be a good day to teach you how to bake," says Peeta.
"No not really, sure I'll learn. But I warn you, I'm not a very good cook, I'm known to set things on fire," I say.
Peeta laughs, "I don't think anyone could be that bad, but once I'm through with you, you'll be a master. In fact, if you're ready, we could start right now, if you want."
I manage to giggle. Which is very unlike me, I don't know what's wrong with me, I'm usually not this happy. "Sure, let's get started."
I lead Peeta into the kitchen; he brought all his baking supplies and ingredients.
"Okay Katniss, what do you want to make?"
"I don't care, with your instruction, I'm sure whatever we make is going to be amazing."
"Okay, red velvet cake it is," says Peeta, he gives me a playful smirk. "Okay Katniss, can you crack three eggs, pour one cup of milk and put the chocolate mix and three cups of flour into the bowl?"
"Seems easy enough," I say. I put all the ingredients into the bowl, but when I try to lift one of the heavy bags of flour, I drop it on the floor. How does Peeta manage to carry six fifty-pound bags of flour into the market everyday? I try harder, failing each time, eventually, my limbs exhaust as I try to reach one of the bags of flour from one of the cabinets. It splits open covering me in a white powdery mix. Peeta takes one look at me and laughs.
"Not so strong huh fire girl?" Peeta says. He laughs hysterically as I try to clean myself of the flour. I give him my signature scowl. His laughter grows louder. I grab a handful of flour and pelt him with the eggs.
"There, now were even," I say, I can't help laughing because now how ridiculous Peeta looks compared to me.
"You're going to pay for that!" He says. He grabs the chocolate mix and pours it on my face as I grab the milk and pour it all over him. The kitchen is a complete mess. We both look crazy. My hair is covered in chocolate mix and flour and Peeta is soaked in milk and has egg shells and flour all over his face. I trip on one of the eggs that fell on the floor and Peeta starts to laugh, and then Peeta slips on the same egg and lands on top of me, his body pressed against mine, his face one inch from mine. I blush furiously and I then Peeta leans in closer to me, his blue eyes wide with embarrassment and a hint of desire. All of the sudden, Prim walks into the kitchen.
"Whoa sorry to disrupt the moment," she says playfully and starts to laugh. "I'll leave you to alone." My blush deepens and so does Peeta's. He stands up and motions his hand towards mine to pick me up.
"I think we should start to clean up," He says. Great, now the mood is completely awkward. We spend an hour and clean the kitchen up in silence. Before I know it, the day is almost over and its dinner time.
"Hey Peeta thanks for cleaning up, go take a shower and I'll do the rest," I say.
"Okay I could really use one right now after all the milk you poured into my hair, and thanks for letting me use the kitchen," He says. He heads upstairs to the guestroom and goes to the bathroom.
I spend ten more minutes cleaning up the kitchen till I'm done. My mother comes down the stairs.
"Seems like you had a very eventful day Katniss," she says with a smirk. Prim told her. I blush madly. "Now go upstairs and take a shower and I'm going to prepare dinner ok? I'm inviting Haymitch over, he needs someone to keep and eye on him before he drinks to his death."
I laugh, that is typical Haymitch. I head upstairs to my bed room and I collect my clothes and a towel, as I walk to the bathroom, Peeta walks out in just a towel covering his waist. He's very toned from the years of wrestling and carrying heavy bags of flower to the market paid off. He looks down at his current state and blushes.
"Sorry about that Katniss," he says. "The bathrooms free and thanks for letting me use your shower."
"That's okay Peeta and your welcome," I say. I think what just happened, and I choose to forget about it, its no big deal.
I turn on the shower and let the warm water trickle down on my body. I lather my hair with shampoo and scrub my self down with soap. I finish my shower and wrap my hair with the towel and dry my body and put on my clothes. Then I unwrap the towel from my hair as I brush out the knots and braid my hair and change back into a new set of clothes.
I head down stairs and set the table for dinner. I'm greeted by a hung over Haymitch. He smells like something died and he looks unkempt. He sits down at the dinning table and passes out. Prim starts to poke him to see if he's awake, I laugh. Then I set the table with the meal, wild turkey which I caught and mushrooms and strawberries which I gathered. Peeta comes downstairs dressed in plaid flannel pants and a white navy long sleeved shirt.
"Mmm… smells delicious Mrs. Everdeen, you truly outdone yourself," he says. My mom blushes, he's so charming.
"Thank you Peeta, I put a lot of effort into this meal, I hope you are enjoying your stay," My mother says.
"Why thank you I am," he says. "Hey Prim."
"PEETA!" She screams as she jumps on top of his and gives him a death hug. She rolls on top of him and Peeta kisses her on the cheek and laughs.
"Hey Prim. I've missed you! How are you doing?"
"Great," she says. As we sit down for dinner, she rambles on how things are doing at school and at home. She keeps him up to date with the sixth grade gossip, which isn't very eventful. Peeta and Prim are so much alike, they are both undeniably charming and everyone adores them. Then even look like they could be brother and sister, they both have strawberry blond hair and eyes bluer than the sky.
My mother and I eat dinner in silence, which is what were comfortable with. Then all of the sudden Haymitch wakes up, he looks like he's about to barf.
"Hey guys thanks for the dinner," He says. He looks like he's about to pass out again. "But I think it's about time I should go home, bye everybody."
As he tries to stand up, he takes a tumble on the floor. Peeta rushes to his aid and tries to help him up. I rush to pick him up but Peeta comes to his aid.
"I'll take him back to his house," Peeta says. His lifts drunken Haymitch off from the floor and puts his arm around Haymitch's shoulder to keep him steady.
I clean the dishes with Prim and my mom mops up the kitchen. What a bad sight this must be for Prim's youthful eyes, but she's gotten used to it. Haymitch comes over for dinner once a week and this is typical. When were done cleaning, Prim and I wash up and head for bed. I change into a skimpy T-shirt and shorts and head for bed. I hear Peeta's foot steps creeping up and I go into his bedroom to wish him good night.
"Hey Peeta, thanks for taking Haymitch to his house, I'm the one who usually has to care for him."
"No problem, just trying to be hospitable," He says. He looks down and realizes what I'm wearing; my clothes don't cover enough skin and are a little see through. I blush; I'm not used to have a man in the house, it's usually me, my mom and Prim.
"Good night Peeta," I say and I give him a hug, he embraces me and wishes me goodnight. I crawl into my bed. How eventful this day has been, I think to myself and I turn off my light.
End of chapter one!