Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games

"Katniss," Peeta smiled as he shuffled into the train carriage that I was seated in, interrupting my calculating and worrying.

I remained mute, thinking of a good way to begin my explanation and coming up blank. We would be home any time soon.

"So I've been thinking," he began, sitting down next to me.

"Me too," I sighed, chewing my lip, dreading his next words.

"When we get back… where exactly do we go from here?"

I closed my eyes in frustration and took a long, deep breath before answering.

"We don't go anywhere, Peeta."

He looked momentarily confused.

"What exactly do you mean?"

"I mean, this ends when we get back."

"What ends? This luxury surrounding us? Or the painful memories? Because they're both going to end, I promise."

"Yes, I know they're doing to end I'm not stupid!" I snapped, exasperated. He wasn't making this very easy for me.

"When we get back to District 12," I started slowly, looking down, "we're going to go back to how it was before the games. Before the lies."

"Lies?" he repeated, dumbfounded. How could he not know what I was talking about? How could he not recognise the guilt in my voice?

"The star-crossed lovers from District 12…" I urged desperately.

"Yes…?"

"We can't keep the pretense up any more – we don't have to."

"Pretense?" he parroted.

"Yes the pretense! Don't you see, Peeta? It wasn't real, none of it was! The Capitol manipulated us, used us for entertainment. And I had to go along with it – it kept us both alive didn't it? But enough is enough! We can stop now. We have to stop now."

"You… you said you couldn't live without me. You kissed me and said you loved me. Are you saying that you honestly felt nothing?"

"Yes! I had to say those things so they wouldn't kill you, don't you see? But now everyone's seen it and it's all a big mess…"

My voice faded into silence. There was a long pause before Peeta spoke again in a hushed tone.

"Why did you say those things if you felt nothing?"

"Haymitch said I had to make it look real or we wouldn't get sponsors."

"Since when do you do everything Haymitch says?"

"Peeta, I saved your life!"

"Well maybe I didn't want saving!"

The tense silence that followed gave me a moment to process what he'd said.

"How could you have used me like that? So you could look like a hero bringing back both tributes from District 12?"

"What? Of course not! You think I did this for me? Peeta, I didn't need you to win! I didn't need you for anything! I was being kind! Do you think I wanted to do this? Do you think I wanted – people to see me like that? I did it for you!" I was on my feet practically screeching in his face. Why couldn't he understand?

"Well, that wasn't your choice to make." He sounded eerily calm.

"What, are you saying that you'd rather have died?" I growled.

"Maybe!" he shouted aggressively on his feet as well. He glowered at me for a second before turning and storming out the way he came in, muttering once more under his breath, "maybe."

"Don't be such a drama-queen!" I yelled after him. As if he'd rather have died.

I collapsed back onto the seat, suddenly exhausted. That hadn't been a very pleasant experience but at least now he knew the truth. One person down, everyone else to go.

I sighed and closed my eyes.

Author's note: some other characters will be coming in soon, promise! Please R&R thanks x