At this velocity, the cool air whips against her skin as the scowl she's worn since she awoke slowly molds into a smile. Her legs pump and extend, taking her higher toward the sky. The sun has yet to reveal itself from behind the mountains, but Katniss patiently waits for the radiant light. It's helped her before on days like these, quelling the disturbing thoughts that dominate her mind.
"Catnip!" a familiar voice calls. She looks down to see her dark-haired, lanky friend, the swing twisting underneath as her body turns. "Are you gonna help me or not?"
"Give me a few more minutes, Gale. I need to see the sunrise before we start." I need something to give me hope today, she thinks to herself.
Her nightmares are commonplace around reaping day, but the one she awoke to this morning was different. Usually she sees images of previous Hunger Games, the children that were killed and the graphic depictions of their lifeless bodies shown for citizens of all ages on Capitol TV. But today it feels too real.
Even after she woke up, Katniss could sense both the boy and the girl tributes' despair as if it was her own, and as hard as she tried to recognize their faces, she couldn't. Their features blurred in her dream, not unlike the way a candle melts and the wax flows down, obscuring the smooth surface. There was an ominous quality about the vision, one of foreboding that she couldn't deny.
The tug on the swing brings her back from her frightening thoughts. "C'mon! You said you want to practice rigging the snares, so let's get going." Gale's insistence rouses her to a grim reality. What if this is the last time they get to hunt together? His name will be in the reaping bowl more times than she cares to acknowledge, her friend being 16 now and having taken the tesserae since his twelfth birthday.
Her lips purse as she tries to put on her best face for Gale. "You're right. We need to get some food for our families. What if this is the last time we have the opportu—"
The tight grip of his hands on her petite frame startles her to silence. "Get those thoughts out of your head, Catnip. We're going to be fine." Gale's face softens as he realizes how much he's intimidated his friend. He releases his hold on her and apologizes. "Sorry... let's get this done."
Katniss jumps off the swing and holds it steady to stop its movement, not wanting any strangers to become aware of their presence. Her fingers delicately graze the seat, feeling the etchings on the side. Her gray eyes shine as she thinks of Peeta's hands when he carved their initials into it exactly one year ago.
It was the morning of their second reaping, and at the age of 13, they were already the best of friends. Peeta had suggested they meet before heading into town, just in case it was the last time they were able to see one another. The Capitol allowed for family and friends to visit after a tribute was selected, but they wanted to have their own special time together before joining their families.
So they met at their swing. The one in the woods. The one she swung on just this morning. It'd become their safe place, a haven away from the realities of District 12 and The Capitol. It was a refuge for Katniss and Peeta, and they took advantage of meeting there whenever they could.
The mockingjay sounds release her from her memories as she follows Gale's lead. They pad weightlessly over twigs and leaves until he gives her the signal to stop. He squats down and instructs his friend how to properly set the snare just right to catch their prey. She nods and half listens, trying to pay full attention to his direction as she fiddles with the yarn in her pocket.
She remembers when Peeta approached her last year, his eyes full of sorrow, but his lips just quirked up on one side. She sensed that he was upset because her name was in more times than it should be at her age. He had offered to give Katniss bread for the family, but she always refused, only taking occasional tokens from him. Pride wasn't the only thing that drove her to that decision. There was also a matter of protecting her friend, as she noticed a pattern had emerged. She would receive extra bread and he would arrive at school the next day with a bruise from some household "accident."
But that morning, with Peeta's lopsided grin and bag full of pastries, he did something special. He laid out a blanket and patted the spot next to him. "C'mere, sit next to me," she remembers him saying as if it was yesterday. Of course, she did as he requested and peeked inside the bag from the bakery. He laughed and taunted, "Oh no, no. You'll have to wait for the treats. Let's say I'm holding them as leverage."
Katniss had always been impressed by Peeta's way with words; not only was he an exceptional diplomat, but his quick wit also charmed her every time. She squinted her eyes as he held the bag from her. "Leverage for what? Or do I dare ask?"
He waited a beat and then laced his fingers through hers. She noted the laughter was gone from his eyes, replaced by worry. "Remember when you thanked me for that bread I'd burnt and tossed to you?"
She nodded, adding, "Yes, just a little over a year ago." She looked down shyly and said, "That's when we became friends."
"Yeah, and we came out here and made that swing together." His eyes sparkled in the morning sunlight.
"Together. Yes, we did," she repeated and squeezed his hand tightly, feeling a different type of heat kindling in her tummy.
He removed the friendship bracelet that she had given him that first year. The one that was made out of old yarn from her house which just happened to be the colors of the sunset. He put the bracelet around Katniss' smaller wrist and tied it.
"For good luck," he said as he skimmed his hand up her smooth arm then leaned forward to kiss her cheek delicately. Katniss didn't miss his lips lingering a bit longer than she'd expected, but the heat remained as she barely uttered a "thank you" under her breath.
They went on to eat the cheese buns and cinnamon rolls he'd brought when, out of the blue, he asked, "Katniss, will you be my girlfriend?"
He'd caught her mid-bite, and she was debating if she should spit it out or choke before opting to do neither. She chewed a few more times before gulping it down harshly. "Girlfriend?"
He looked down, embarrassed, but his eyes darted up hopefully, "Yeah, even if it's just for today. I mean, if I get picked, I understand if you want to dump me."
She pushed his arm with her own, and they both shared a laugh. Then, as her head rested on his strong shoulder, she replied, "I would be honored to be your girlfriend." He turned and kissed the top of her head, wrapping his arm around her as they sat in comfortable silence.
Before they left, Peeta took out a pocket knife and kneeled down next to the swing. "Let's make this official," he grinned and shook his blond waves from his eyes. Katniss stood there watching him work, his tongue jutting slightly onto his lips as he concentrated on carving their initials "PM + KE" on the side of the swing bench.
They both were safe that day and two other poor souls were sent to the Games.
Now, one year later, Katniss plans to return the bracelet to Peeta... for good luck. She hopes it fits, but she's been touching it so much, she fears it will be too worn to tie. As she ponders what she will do if it doesn't fit, she hears Gale grumble. She can tell he's getting frustrated with her lack of concentration this morning, but she is really not in the mindset to learn today. She just wants to bag some squirrels and whatever else they can find to bring home for their families.
Katniss realizes that it's getting later, and she doesn't want to miss Peeta at the swing, so she suggests to Gale that they finish up. He knows that she's planning to meet with Peeta, so he understands why she wants to hurry. "Listen, Catnip. I know you want to get out of here, so I'll take your game bag, and when I'm done, I'll check the snares. Okay?"
"You'll do that for me, Gale?" She smiles thankfully.
His hesitant smile speaks volumes, but he nods. "Anything for you, Catnip." She gives him her bag and he saunters off slowly.
Katniss rushes to her hollowed tree and hides her bow, quiver, and arrows. Then she combs her fingers through her hair and chews on some wild mint she picked on the way. For the last year that she and Peeta have been "official," they still have yet to kiss. Really kiss, more than just a quick peck or brush on the lips. She's not sure if it's been because of nerves, or that they are both so new to this boyfriend-girlfriend stuff, but the moment's never presented itself.
Until today. Katniss refuses to wait for Peeta to make his move, so she's going to do it. She won't ever forgive herself if her nightmares are foretelling and one of them is chosen for the Games. The only thing keeping her sane since she woke up to those awful visions is the thought of seeing Peeta, holding him in her arms, and telling him how much she needs him.
So when she bursts onto the clearing, her breathing ragged from running, and sees him sitting on the swing, she smiles ear to ear, rushing toward him with open arms. He jumps up and catches her as she falls into him. Her head is pressed against his firm chest, and she hears the soothing beat of his heart. His chuckling sends pleasant vibrations through her hair.
"Did you miss me or something?" he asks.
She pulls away from him but only enough so she can look into his sky blue eyes. "I had the worst nightmares, Peeta." She fights back her tears, but he can sense how frightened she is. "I've wanted to be with you so badly all morning, and here you are." She clutches him tighter, breathing in the aromas he carries from the bakery. The cinnamon is always the strongest, but that little hint of dill is subtly present.
"Shh," he attempts to calm her, rubbing her lightly on the back as she sobs into his chest. "It's okay. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
Her pink-rimmed eyes appear silver when they're moist with tears. "You can't make promises like that, Peeta. You can't!" Then she realizes she's wasting valuable time. Here he is, standing in front of her, all ready for the reaping in his best clothes, and she just cried all over them. She fishes in her pocket and pulls out her gift to him. "I'm sorry. I don't want to spend what could be our final moments crying. Here..." She takes his arm and is just barely able to fit the bracelet around his wrist. "For good luck."
He leans down to kiss her on the cheek, and she lets him, enjoying the softness of his lips on her skin, his warm breath so close and shaky, hovering over her ear. "Have I ever told you how happy you made me when you gave me this bracelet that one afternoon?" Katniss nods as if she's heard him tell her many times before. But he continues, "I can't promise you where we'll end up tonight, but I can promise you that I will always be yours."
"Oh, Peeta," she murmurs, brushing his lazy curls off his brow as they focus intently on each other. She watches as his eyes take on a deeper blue, her hand caressing his jawline down to his chin. "Why do we have to do this every year? Last year was miserable, but we made it. What if we don't make it this time?"
"Remember, I have my good luck right here," he says as he shakes his wrist for her to see the bracelet she's given him. And then he brings her in tightly, holding onto her so as to never let her go. "And here, in my arms. You're my good luck."
Katniss realizes that complaining about things she cannot change is a waste of time, and she's already told herself she must make the most of their time together. She runs her hands along Peeta's back, intentionally feeling the strong muscles he's developed even for a boy of fourteen.
"I'm going to see you tonight, and we're going to swing and watch the sunset together. Right?" She peers up at him to see his pearly smile, but she knows she's saying it more for her benefit than his.
"Right," he says earnestly and then hoists her up so that she instinctively wraps her legs around him as he easily carries her over to their swing. "But why not enjoy it now?" he says with a grin as he settles himself upon the seat with Katniss facing him on his lap. "Just hold on, and I won't go too high."
She bites her lip in anticipation, never having swung with him like this before. It feels strangely intimate but also perfectly normal. As her body starts moving with his, she feels that breeze dance along her skin, and it feels absolutely delightful. They're floating in the air together, face to face, and all she wants to do is kiss him. So she does.
It's quick and soft, but she wants more. She wraps her legs more tightly around his waist so she won't fall as she grasps the nape of his neck, pulling him in toward her. She feels like she's being lulled into a dream as she licks his lips, savoring the sweet vanilla that must be left from breakfast.
Peeta follows her lead and opens his mouth to hers, the pressure of their lips warming their bodies as the cool air surrounds them. Their tongues connect and are initially sloppy as they each learn to navigate through this unfamiliar act, but the whimpers coming from Katniss increase Peeta's determination to adapt to her rhythm.
They are lost in their own world, in flight on their swing, coupled perfectly together as lips and tongues and mouths discover one another. Katniss' fingers thread through Peeta's golden locks as his hands hang onto the rope and his legs work to keep them aloft. The gentle moans she elicits from him as she probes deeper with her tongue spur her on. She doesn't want this blissful moment to come to an end.
But as the swing slows and his hands wrap around her waist, she knows that they have to part soon. She releases her mouth from his, punctuated with a delicate kiss on his puffy lips.
He kisses her lightly again, just brushing against her lips, then her nose and chin and cheeks. He breathlessly asks, "Is this real?"
She giggles and nods, her cheeks tinged pink. "Yes, it's real. And I think I messed up your hair." She ruffles her fingers in his waves to mess them up even more.
"Now, that wasn't necessary," he jokes as he lifts her up off him and adjusts himself quickly before she notices. But it's too late. She noticed when they started swinging so snugly against one another. Of course, she doesn't utter a word about it, but she inwardly smiles about having that kind of effect on him.
They walk hand in hand to the fence, and once they crawl under it and are back in their district, they go their separate ways. "I'll see you soon," Peeta calls out and blows her a kiss. Katniss simply waves and nods, unable to stop touching her lips for the rest of the walk home.