I take his hand holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, dreading the moment where I will finally have to let go.
Peeta POV
She never loved me. It was and act, all and act. I look over at Haymitch, he looks at me with sympathy, he knew all along about her games, her motives. Snap out of it Peeta I tell myself, you can't look like you've been rejected. She's holding my hand so tightly that she could have fooled me about being in love. As we step out of the door, I hear the roar of the crowd, the thunderous applause of district twelve. "Go on now, shoo shoo," says Effie. "Smile and wave, smile and wave." Now I can feel Katniss visibly shaking by my side, and I clench her hand tighter, she gave up on me, but I'll try to get her back, to get her to love me for real.
Almost immediately, Katniss spots her sister. She lunges towards her in three strides, and embraces her in a bone crushing hug. The crowd quickly moves out of the way, she's a victor, and is to be treated with the most respect. But I also know they give her space because they've seen her murder, see her harm others, and can see what she will do in her anger.
Prim begins to cry, which most people would see as strange, but if I were in her situation I would be hesitant to let Katniss go. While I'm staring at Katniss' reunion I hear my name being called out, "Peeta, Peeta," cries my father. He holds me while I see silent tears trickling down face, he didn't expect me to win, no one did. But I really didn't win, Katniss saved me and everyone knows that, knows that I'm an accidental victor. "I know son," he says. Instantly I know he means Katniss, about her breaking my heart. At least he has experience because Mrs. Everdeen broke his heart to, but he just hold me tight. "Peets," cries my brothers, it's an old childhood nickname meant to insult me, but I'm not going to argue with them, I just pull him into a bone crushing hug. "It's a mighty fine catch you got there Peeta," says my brother Rye as he nudges me in the side. Automatically all three of us turn towards her, and of course with my luck she's hugging her "cousin." Gale sees my looking and immediately smirks in my direction, fine, if you want to have a war that lets get it started, I think. But I immediately abolish the thought from my mind. Katniss isn't a prize to be won, and if she sees us fighting, I'm going to have to watch out that there's a not an arrow in my head.
I then see my mother coming, we stare at each other, each of us unbelieving that the other is actually here. She finally breaks the silence, "Congratulations, Peeta." That's all she says, not a welcome or I love you or glad you made it back.
"Come on Katniss and Peeta its time to see your new home," Effie chirps. I'm seriously thinking that I can't make it the rest of the day with that woman. "The camera crews are heading right to the party so we'll meet them there in three hours you can use that time to enjoy you beautiful new home, there's six bedrooms, three baths…." Me and Katniss turn to each other and roll our eyes, maybe we can just be friends, I think to myself. Our families our trailing behind us, but Prim is skipping along ahead of us. Prim may be the only one that can actually tolerate Effie, she's asking Effie lots of question and their talking about clothes, "I picked out an adorable pink dress for you to wear you will be so pretty on it, Prim….." Effie chirps out. She reminds me of a bird, shallow and talkative. "Peeta," my father suddenly says as we almost enter the victor's village. "We won't be living with you since we have to work at the bakery," his voice trails off and I have to swallow my disappointment. I'll be living all along with nothing to do with my life; I'll just be along with the ghosts. I'll see you at the party then," I say to them all, they wave goodbye as they walk home.
"We're here," Effie says in a trilly voice. "You're address is 742 Victor Lane," she says. Suddenly Katniss speaks up, "Where will I be staying?" Effie replies, "Oh, of course you'll be living together, you even get to share a room," she says with a shallow giggle. I turn over to see Katniss face go to a pale color within a second, "But, but…" stutters Katniss. "No if, ands or buts about it," replies Effie. "Effie there only sixteen…." says Mrs. Everdeen. "Sixteen is never too young for love, now let me show you the kitchen, it has three stoves, an oven, a refrigerator, a…" Effie mutters on, but no one is listening. Effie opens the door and we all stand there gasping like fish. The living room is as big as a normal seam house, the curtains are a bright red, the couches are a snowy white and are fluffy, like you are siding on a cloud, the TV screen is huge and there are movies not just "we love the capitol kind" but real movies. Gold is edged on the wooden walls, the house is beautiful, no, not beautiful, gorgeous. The master bedroom is a forest green, Katniss favorite color, and all together the room looks like a forest. "It's beautiful," mutters Katniss to me. Well, I think to myself at least she's still speaking to me.
"Now, I'll pick you guys up at 6:00 o'clock sharp for the party, so be there or be square," squeals Effie. That woman annoys me to my last nerve.
"Katniss, Katniss," shouts Prim. "I'm coming Prim," replies Katniss. She glares at me, "We'll discuss the living arrangement latter." I just follow her down the stairs like a little duck.
Prim shows Katniss her room and Katniss listens intently, Katniss would be a great mother, I think to myself. She says she would be a horrible mother, but the way she talks to Prim, and her fierce drive to protect, they would all make her a great mother.
I haven't been playing close attention to the conversation when I hear Katniss yelling at me. "Peeta, hello earth to Peeta," she says. Her face is bright red, and I can tell she is angry, very angry, and I should agree to anything she wants or says or needs. "Is your family staying here?" she asks. "No," I reply, "They have to stay and work at the bakery. If you want I can just stay in one of the guest bedrooms…..," the words rush out of me, I'm nervous, really nervous about staying with Katniss, I don't want to make her made or upset her, but I see just being there has made her mad, so I just nod my head.
"The banquet starts in a half an hour," she says. "Be ready by then." And Katniss storms out of the room.