Thanks for the reviews, I hope this chapter pleases you guys. Unfortunately for some of you, the story will be mainly in Katniss POV.
I didn't propose to Delly that night. When the girl of your dreams shows up on your doorstep on the day you're supposed to propose to your girlfriend, that's got to be a sign, right? For a fleeting moment, holding that door open for you, I was afraid. After all, I was never supposed to see you again. You were a ghost, and it was impossible that a ghost could me make feel more alive. But it did.
"He's parking the car," I say to Finn, looking around me.
It is a nice apartment, I'm impressed. Honestly, I didn't have any expectations. But with three boys living there, I wasn't prepared for it to be so neat.
It's a half-split two level, with a mezzanine overlooking the open concept living room and kitchen. I can see two bedroom doors on the mezzanine and one next to the living room, and the bathroom door next to the kitchen is half-way opened.
The kitchen is also a big surprise, it's huge, with brand new stainless steel appliances and an island that provides more counter space than I've ever seen. I lived in dorms for the past four years, and I don't really cook, but I can see how cooking here can be fun.
I turn back to Peeta, he looks sort of thrown aback. I wonder if remembers me, well, of course he remembers my name but I mean really remember. I haven't seen him in years.
He moved out of our little town at the end of sophomore year and I never saw him again. Mr. Mellark divorced his mom and left with the boys. My mother said Mrs. Mellark wasn't a very nice mom.
Peeta clears his throat and asks if I'm thirsty. I shake my head 'no' and he goes into the kitchen to get some water for himself.
We only really talked once, Peeta and I, right after my father's death. I was about twelve, Mr. Mellark came with a bunch of bread and buns from the bakery he owned, Peeta in tow, and they came in for tea. My mom started crying uncontrollably in the first few minutes and they put Peeta and me aside to talk amongst grown-up.
I said thank you for the bread, he nodded, pointed to a cheese bun, said they were his favorite. I told him they were my favorite too and he smiled weakly, before saying an "I'm so sorry for your dad" so low I almost didn't hear it. There were actual tears in his baby blue eyes, and it touched me.
We didn't run in the same circles. I was a loner, hanging out either with Gale or Prim, and he had a ton of friends. We never talked again, but I always thought of him as a sweet guy.
I look at him from the corner of my eyes. His blue eyes are the same, his ashy blond hair too, but everything else about him has changed drastically. He used to be short and a bit chubby, but now he is taller than me, though still medium height, with broad shoulders, a chiseled jaw and his once pasty pale skin is sort of tanned. He looks like he is hiding some serious muscles under his orange polo. "Good job growing up, Peeta," I think inwardly.
I switch to Finn, he was already eighteen when he moved, so he hasn't changed a lot. He's tall and well built, and still handsome, but I can tell the arrogance is still there.
He was one of Gale's good friends back home, but he used to irritate me too much with his smirks and cocky attitude. I usually avoided him.
"Sorry, we aren't done moving my furniture," Finn apologizes. "You can put your stuff in the living room for now."
"Kay." I bring my suitcase near the couch and pull of my coat. I still can't believe I'm going to be living here, in Boston, for a couple of months.
I was an English major with a minor in journalism in Albany, and I come from a small town called Yorkville in the state of New York. Albany is pretty much the biggest city I've been in since today, and I can feel the excitement rising in me.
The drive from Yorkville took about 6 hours with one stop to eat, but it had been the worst road trip ever. Gale and I got into a huge argument while putting my things in the car. We are both so stubborn we basically drove the whole way in silence. We always have heated fights, but this time, it was worse. First because we wouldn't see each other for a month after tomorrow, and second because of the actual reason we were fighting. We usually fought over meaningless things, but today, it was different.
I sigh, we really are at a crossroad in our relationship, and even though I love him and know I'll probably just give into him sooner or later, because we've been going out for five years and best friends for fifteen, I still want to see the world a little. Live outside the little community that has been suffocating me. White picket fences, babies and suburban life are not made for me.
Gale comes behind me and greets everyone.
I never doubted he was made for me. When he kissed me at my prom, I wasn't really surprised. Everyone back home expected us to end up together. I just never felt the need to haste things. He used to be okay with my need to take things slow, but not anymore.
Now, we have no more obstacles, in his mind, to just seal the deal and get married. That could be fine, except he's also being groomed to take over his father's business, in Yorkville.
When I finished school two weeks ago, Gale expected me to grab all my things and go back home immediately. It's impossible for him to understand why I applied for an internship in Boston, and why I'm not just dying to move back to the small town we grew up in, get engaged and have babies. Gale wants all of it, and I feel inept to give it to him.
I'm not wired that way. I've always known that. Gale keeps expecting me to "grow up" and want the things any woman wants.
Just thinking about it makes my blood boil again in anger. Why can't he understand I want more from life than being a small town wife? He openly disapproves of my plans for the summer and calls it a "crisis". That's pretty much the last thing he said before I stopped talking to him, six hours ago.
Gale shakes Peeta's hand, Finn embraces him in a manly hug, and they start chatting. I fidget beside them, unsure of what to do, biting my lips not to show how annoyed I really am.
"Let me give you a tour," Peeta offers nicely and I nod.
He shows me the bathroom, it's decent. I'm not a girlie girl by any means so the small size doesn't bother me. The living room and kitchen are already covered, so he quickly shows me his room on the mezzanine and explains that the one next to it will be mine, when they are done moving Finn's things.
He shows me the third room so I can see what my furniture will be like. They consist of a matching double bed and dresser and a small bookshelf.
"So, you're here for the summer?" He asks, trying to make small talk while Gale and Finn are deep in conversation, talking about some sport.
"Yep, about three and a half months to be exact, I got a intern position in publishing," I answer. "How long have you lived here?"
"In this apartment: two years. In Boston, well, since we left Yorkville," he clarifies and I nod again.
Gale's eyes meet mine when we come back in the living room. I avert his gaze, not ready to make nice yet. Finn and Peeta start discussing something between them.
Gale comes besides me and his large hand squeeze my shoulder.
He whispers: "Come on, Catnip, I don't want us to spend this last day together fighting. I'll miss you so much this month."
I almost rebuff him, almost say he is the one patronizing me. But instead, I relax under his touch and let myself lean against him. I don't want to fight anymore either. He turns me around plants a quick kiss on my lips before turning back to the Mellarks.
"Let's do this," he says enthusiastically and his voice is free from the resentment it held before.
The boys move the stuff around, refusing my help, and I begin to unpack. After they're done, we settle into the kitchen to drink a beer. Finn tells me about his girlfriend, Annie, and I'm pleasantly surprised he let go of his womanizing ways. Peeta is awfully quiet, I wonder if he's bothered by me moving in, because every couple minutes he throws me a peculiar look.
"Peeta, don't you have to buy everything for tonight's party?" Finn asks him.
"Yes, yes I do."
"There's a party here tonight?" I ask, trying not to sound too bothered, I'm just renting a room after all, but I don't like crowds and loud music.
"It's a going away party for Delly, Peeta's girlfriend," Finns explains, and Peeta looks uncomfortable for a second, I wonder why.
"Where is she going?" I ask him.
"To France, for two months," he says, and I get it, he must be sad she's going away for so long.
I should be sadder to be separated from Gale. The guilt starts nabbing at my heart again. I'm the insensitive girlfriend who plans her summer without including her boyfriend and Gale made it very clear I should feel like shit about it.
"Well, in that case, I better get some rest right now, I'm beat," I excuse myself to my new bedroom. I need a nap badly.
Gale doesn't follow me immediately, but when I wake up, his face is on my neck and his arms all around me. "Everything will be fine," I tell myself, it's just for a few months, nothing can go wrong. And I almost believe it.
I untangle myself from Gale and head for the bathroom. No one's in sight. The very long hot shower does wonders to my mood, and I change into something more appropriate for a party. I trade my old sweatshirt and sweatpants for a black laced cami and jeans.
Someone knocks on the door.
"Just a minute," I apologize.
I comb my wet wavy hair quickly. I haven't cut it in too long, it's beginning to be a little too high maintenance, but Gale loves it.
I come out of the steamy bathroom and run right into Peeta, waiting on a stool by the island.
"Sorry for the wait," I say with an apologetic smile. I have been in there for a long time, I hope he doesn't think I'll make a habit of taking half-hour long showers. I just needed to unwind a bit.
"No problem, I'm just running really late," he explains.
I can sort of feel the uneasiness coming from him again. It's like the words are caught in his throat; like he doesn't want to talk to me. I shrug as he goes past me, hoping I'm reading it wrong, because, if he's bothered by me already, it won't be a very fun summer.