A Dandelion in the Spring-Chapter 2
Katniss motions for me to follow her, and I stand behind her, feeling far out of place in this fictional world.
Katniss presses a button next to what appears to be a door frame, and leads me out of the boring white room.
"This is the hospital wing." She says. "It's one of the deepest levels. All the sleeping quarters are higher."
I nod, too fascinated with the scene around me to really pay attention.
"Katniss!" A voice says, and we both whip our heads around to see a girl our age, with curled yellowish hair, unlike Katniss and I, with straight black hair pulled into a braid. Her head is poking out of a room we just passed, where I noticed Katniss stiffen a bit.
"Oh, hi Delly." Katniss says, attempting a smile.
Delly Cartwright. Pasty faced girl with curly yellowish hair. District 12 citizen. Daughter of shoe merchants. Her and her brother survived the bombings. Her parents did not. I recall Delly from Mockingjay, a friend of Peetas.
Delly leaves the room, telling someone she'll be right back. She walks up to us, smiling. "Who's this?" She asks.
"Delly, this is Catherine Montgomery. She's a runaway from Eight. Catherine, this is Delly Cartwright, my-" Katniss hesitates. "friend. From District 12."
I give Delly a smile. "It's nice to meet you, Delly." I say, holding my hand out, which she shakes happily.
"It's nice to meet you too, Catherine." She says. I like this girl. Her bubbly personality reminds me of my friend, Kayly. "So what are you guys up to?" She asks.
"I was just taking Catherine to her quarters. In fact," Katniss says, pulling a piece of paper from her pocket. "I think you two have the same room. 305, right?" She asks Delly.
"Yeah, looks like we're roommates, Catherine!" Delly says.
I smile. At least I won't be with some total stranger. "Yeah, that's great."
Katniss checks the time on her watch and frowns. "Hey, Delly, do you mind showing Catherine around? When you're done um-" She pauses. "visiting? I have to be at Command in a few." She says.
"Oh, sure, Katniss, no problem." Delly says.
"Thanks so much, I'll see you guys later." Katniss says, walking away from us. I feel a little disappointed. I was looking forward to getting to know Katniss.
"So, Catherine, follow me." Delly says, breaking me out of my thoughts.
"Uh, sure." I say. We're walking back towards the room she came out of, and If I'm guessing correctly...
Delly stops at the door, and turns around to me. "Catherine, you know who Peeta Mellark is, right?" She asks.
My heart nearly stops. I was right. I am about to meet the love of my fictional life. I nod.
Delly smiles. "Well, he's a bit-" She pauses. "confused right now, and I've been helping him understand some things. So don't be scared when you come in."
I nod again as she opens the door. That's right. Peeta got hijacked.
When I walk in, his striking blue eyes lock onto me almost instantly. "What is she doing here?" He hisses. Oh, yeah. I look like Katniss.
Delly walks up closer to him. I linger by the door. "Peeta, this is Catherine Montgomery, not Katniss. Catherine is a runaway from District Eight." She says, trying to calm him.
I bet I look terrified, but I can't break eye contact with him. "Hi." I murmur.
"Hi." He says, still not taking his eyes off me.
I relax as Delly tells me to sit down, so I do, breaking eye contact with Peeta. I place my bag on my lap, awkwardly shuffling through my things while the two of them talk.
I pull out a pencil and my sketchbook, trying to think of something to draw. I begin to sketch things I know from home. My school, friends, family, books, trees, buildings.
"Can I see that?" His voice snaps me out of my reverie.
I glance at him, wondering if he's actually talking to me. "Uh, sure." I say, placing my sketchbook in his outstretched fingers.
"These are nice." He murmurs, flipping through. "The scenery, it doesn't look like District Eight though. Buildings there- they aren't that high." He looks up at me, suspicion lingering in his blue eyes.
I rack my brain for answers. What does New York City look the most like here? "The Capitol. I was drawing places in the Capitol." I say.
"How do you know what the Capitol looks like?" He asks.
My heart is pounding now. "I'm a designer. I have to visit the Capitol sometimes to show my designs to the CEO of the company I work for." I say.
"A designer? You must be paid a lot." He says.
"Not really. The government in Eight, it's corrupt. They send my pay check to the government to give to me. The Mayor takes out a lot of money, then gives the rest to me. I can-" I pause. "could barely hold up my family. I did quite a few illegal things there. Had to sign up for lots of tesserae, too." No wonder why I have A's in improv class.
"Hm." He says, handing the book back to me. "You're a lot like Katniss, you know."
"Am I?" I ask. "I never noticed." I murmur. Although you do notice. Even your friends call you Katniss.
I take the book in my hands, and slip it back into my bag.
"You're nice." He says.
I look up at him. "Excuse me?" I ask.
He smiles, actually smiles at me, and says, "I said, you're nice."
"Oh, um. Thanks." I murmur.
Then him and Delly start talking again. A little while later, when it's time to leave, I follow Delly to the door, and say goodbye to Peeta.
Just as we are walking out, he calls out. "Hey, Delly?"
Delly pokes her head back into the room. "Yeah?" She asks.
Peeta smiles. "Can you arrange for Catherine to come visit me too?" He asks, looking at me now instead of Delly.
Delly smiles. "Sure." She says, and then she closes the door.