Real or Not Real? By Olivia Isbill

Chapter 2

"I love you too." He whispers back at me. A smile creeps up on his face.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"It's about seven forty five. Just in time for dinner, let's go downstairs." He says.

I tell him I will be down in a minute. I jump in the shower and put on some clothes. I grab my brush and walk back into the bathroom. I stare into the mirror while I brush my hair. I don't bother braiding my hair. I'm just going downstairs for dinner. I slowly walk down the stairs. Greasy Sae is here with her granddaughter. She and Peeta have a good connection. He will always play with her. I love watching him. He seems so happy around Children. Maybe someday he will be a father, and will have his own child.

Greasy Sae cooked us dinner, all four of us sat at the table and ate. We exchanged small talk, about my mother, and Gale, and pretty much life. Peeta finishes before everyone else and leaves to go check on Haymitch.

Peeta POV

I walk to Haymitch's house. My feet moving swiftly through the soft grass of the Victor's Village. I don't even knock when I walk inside. Haymitch is sitting at the dinner table, with a bottle of white liquor in his hand. I'm not the least bit surprised. I sit down across the table from him and say. "So Haymitch, I have got some news."

"What do you want?" He says annoyed.

"I'm pretty sure I am going to propose to Katniss. For real this time." I say looking down at the table.

"Well, well, well. When do you plan on asking?" He says seeming interested.

"I think I will tonight actually. Wait no, tomorrow. But first I need you to do me a favor…" I say.

"What is that favor?" He says.

"I need you to ask Paylor to let us go to the training center. I want to propose on the roof. In the garden. This means I also need you to give me a fake letter. So I can give it to Katniss, so she thinks we are going to the Capitol for another reason. Can you help?" I say pleading.

"I can see what I can do. But that's all for now, okay kid?" He says.

"Okay. See you tomorrow Haymitch." I say and head out the door.

Katniss POV

Peeta arrives back here about ten minutes later. I ask him how Haymitch is doing and he says."He is just fine."

"Well okay." I say calmly.

Later that evening I head upstairs and go to sleep. Peeta went home, so I was all by myself. Thinking about so many things. Too many things to stay focused on one thing for very long. After a while of lying there, I fell asleep. Falling into a dreamless sleep. I wake up to Peeta trying to tell me something that seems pretty important. I sit up on my bed, and he says.

"We got a letter in the mail, from Paylor. We better read it."

He opens the envelope and grabs a piece of paper form the inside, and unfolds it. Then he reads.

"Dear Katniss, Haymitch, and Peeta. I would like to speak to all three of you as soon as possible. Meet me at the training center. Sincerely President Paylor."

"Wonder why she needs us, and why we would meet at the training center?" I say confused.

"Well we should probably catch a train soon. Get ready and I'll be back soon." He says and exits my room. I take a quick shower and braid my hair. I get dressed in a normal green T-shirt and jeans. I put on my jacket and boots and walk to Peeta's house.

Peeta POV

I hear the doorbell rings and rush over to the door. Its Katniss, she must be ready. I open the door and step outside. We both walk to pick up Haymitch, and head for the train station. We pull into the Capitol within a couple of hours. We all head to the training center and see Paylor waiting downstairs for us. She says "Well welcome back you three! I'm here to tell you will all be competing again!" Katniss' eyes widen, and her jaw drops.

Me and Haymitch both know she's kidding. Katniss doesn't. Then Katniss says "What?" Paylor then laughs a little, and says "I was just joking around. Anyways, before we get to the matter at hand, you all are free to go revisit anywhere you want to. Just be back down here in an hour!"

Katniss POV

When Paylor says those words I know exactly where I want to go. The roof. But before I can say anything, Peeta grabs my hand we dart for the stairs. He opens the door for me and we both step up the stairs to the roof. Our roof.

We walk through the dome shaped room, and then we are there. It's still morning and the sun is still rising. It's pretty but not as pretty as the sunset. Me and Peeta are still holding hands when we both walk over toward the Garden. We sit down on the bench and just sit. Then Peeta asks "We came up here on the day before the Quarter Quell, Real or not real?"

"Real" I say smiling."My head was in your lap and you braided my hair. You said you wanted to live in that moment forever. I said I allowed it."

"Well there is something else I will definitely need your permission for…" He says. I didn't understand what he meant.

"What do you mean you need my permission? For what?" I ask. He grabbed my hand, intertwining my fingers in his, and walked to the railing. We could see almost the entire city from up there. I almost forgot how breath-taking the view was. Peeta looked down at me with his perfect blue eyes. He leaned down and kissed me. The he was getting down on the ground, on one knee. I had an idea of what he was doing when he said.

"Katniss Everdeen, Will you marry me?"