I held out my hand-pushed my pain aside,
"One more time, for the audience?" I lied.
-------------------------
I knew I couldn't let her see the truth.
I wouldn't let her know how much I was hurting, how much pain I was hiding.
-------------------------
She had used me to win the game.
I was sure that to her I looked weak; I had allowed my feelings for her to overcome my instinct for survival. But the truth was that if I had to die, and I knew that without her I would have, I wanted her to be the one survive.
--------------------------
A glimmer of remorse flashed in her eyes;
I knew the hollowness in my voice reassured my lies.
-------------------------
It made me sad to see her hurt, even though I couldn't tell how much of that was really hers. The line between real and make-believe was blurred these days. Yet it had all been real-to me.
-------------------------
I yearned for her touch.
Her warm palm against mine, but I couldn't let her know just how much.
-------------------------
We stepped out onto the platform that belonged to district twelve; she pressed her small frame into the nook of my arm, it felt as if that were where she always belonged.
-------------------------
Our eyes met.
It was only a fraction of a second, but it was long enough for me to remember that I owed her my life.
She had argued that the debt was hers- As if she was the one who would have perished without me.
-------------------------
She claimed it was the bread that had pulled her through,
When the times had been tough and she hadn't known what to do.
-------------------------
Her hand tightened around mine and I sighed.
"If only you knew"
-------------------------
It was my life I owed.
No matter how hard I tried I couldn't lighten the load.
-------------------------
"Peeta, look" she cried.
And I did.
-------------------------
The street was littered with people.
The crowd was loud around us.
-------------------------
Clapped hands and whistled cheers;
All waiting for us to hear.
-------------------------
"Remember we are madly in love", I whispered. My hand tucked a loose strand of the dark silk hair behind her ear.
-------------------------
Her eyes twinkled as she stood on the tips of her toes.
"We owe them a kiss" she mumbled quietly.
-------------------------
I tried to push away the smile.
It was an act after all.
-------------------------
Her name was a thin whisper that had imprinted on my lips.
-------------------------
The words were bliss.
"My Katniss".
Please review.
Any comment welcome. :)