Life after the spark went out.
***Sorry this took longer. I wrote the chapter out, forgot to save it and my internet crashed, I had to write it all over again! Anyway, this one is longer as will the future chapters be. I know it's doing into the drama quite soon but there are more twists to come, promise. Any advice is welcome! Enjoy:)***
Chapter Three - Old friends should be treated with caution.
Katniss Everdeen sits in her living room staring at a wall that has suddenly become interesting. Her mind is racing, her heart is pacing. Beat. Beat. Beat. Gale is back. Gale is back? The information she couldn't digest. Why? Where? Would he come here?.. Her mind was whirling with information.. yet her head couldn't make sense of one thing.. how did she feel about it? The only answer she got was the pounding of her heart against her chest. Beat. Beat. Beat.
''I can't believe he's actually back!'' Peeta rages, his fists clenched and swinging as he paces the living room endlessly. Katniss still stares at the wall trapped in her mind, her expression blank. Peeta turns to her ''Katniss? Katniss?'' She turns to him her eyes wide and dazed. ''Yes?'' He sighs and rubs his face.
He stands in front of her inspecting her closely. ''What do you think about this?''
How the hell can I answer that when I don't know the answer myself..
She takes a deep breath. ''Well.. we don't exactly know why he is back.. it might not even effect us..'' She mumbles trailing off her own reasoning sounding pathetic. He gives a breathy laugh. ''Katniss, if he's here he's here to see you. You and me both know that, sweetheart.'' Her jaw clenches. She always hated it when he called her sweetheart, it sounded sarcastic. That didn't suit Peeta.
His expression suddenly turns cold his expression unreadable. ''Do you want to see him?'' He stares at her, his eyes inspecting hers with a scary intensity. ''Uhh.. well.. not particularly..'' She fumblse sounding even more pathetic than before.
He clenches his jaw finally turning away and returning to pacing. ''I don't want him here. All he will do is cause trouble. We are happy and we are settled. We don't need the past coming back. We don't want it disturbing our future. Right?'' His eyes set upon hers again. She bites her lip and nods reluctantly forcing a tight smile to go with it. ''Right.''
As soon as the word is out of her mouth a knock on the door echoes throughout the eerie silence that wades through the living room. Her eyes widen but she stands up immediately. ''I'll get it.'' She says in a quiet voice.
Peeta gives her one wary glances before returning to pacing mumbling something quietly under his breath.
She grasps the handle of the door it's coldness running from her hand up and around her body like the spine prickling apprehension that grips her.
She pulls the door open and her eyes widen.
Standing before her is no other than Gale Hawthorne.
Beat. Beat. Beat.
Their grey eyes meet each others for the first time in many, many years.
Gale's eyes quickly flick from her own to her protruding stomach then just as quickly back to hers once more. His voice soft and silky smooth ''Congratulations Catnip'' He says with a small, soft smile.
Gale Hawthorne. The name that once meant so much and the person even more. A thousand memories travel through her head. The bad and the good.
Memories of war. A young man dressed in a soldiers uniform talking with commanders, building bombs with scientists, shooting innocent people in the streets.
Yet, the good also come back to her. The boy who helped her survive for so many years. Laughing in the woods, eating bread and cheese together in the summer's sun, walking to school holding one of Prim's hands each.
Prim
Another name that means so so much.
Bomb. Prim. Gale. Death. War.
Beat. Beat. Beat.
He looks different now. His silky brown hair styled and combed back. He wears a smart shirt and jacket, his posture perfect. He looks so.. polished. Barely any trace of the boy I used to call my best friend. The boy I used to know and love so much.
She regains her sense and swallows the lump forming in her throat. ''What are you doing here?'' She asks in a whisper that came out harsher than it meant to. He laughs lightly ''I just came to visit.. is that a problem?'' He gives her another small smile and it takes all of her will not to smile back. She sighs and glances at Peeta who still paces. ''It's.. just not the best of times right now..'' She mumbles.
He peeks round the door frame and spots Peeta. ''Ah, I see. I'm guessing he doesn't approve of me being back here?'' She laughs flatly. ''You could say that.'' He smiles again shaking his head, his eyes roam over my being which sends a light blush to my cheeks. ''It's.. just so good to see you. After all these years. Pregnancy really does suit you well, Catnip.'' He smiles again and this time she returns one back. ''Thanks.. you look.. different. Not a bad different.. just more polished than I'm used to seeing you..'' She shrugs. He laughs lightly and nods. ''That's what working in the TV industry get's you.''
She raises her eyebrow slightly. ''TV? Wow. Good for you, I'm happy.'' She gives a tight smile. ''Have you.. got a family?'' She asks her curiosity getting the better of her as it has always done. He smiles lightly. ''I have actually.. well.. kind of..'' He sighs and pulls a box out of his pocket revealing a small diamond ring inside. ''I'm proposing soon.'' He smiles again.
She gives him a tight smile back, confused at the jealousy that courses her veins bringing back emotions she wanted to lock away. ''Oh. Must be a lucky girl.'' She says with an unwanted hint of sarcasm. He narrows his eyes slightly but smiles nevertheless. ''I guess you could say that. Peeta's a lucky guy..'' He nods.
As if on que Peeta turns his attention to her. ''Who is it Katniss?'' He asks the anxiousness clear in his voice. Do I tell him? How can I now? Oh no I have a bad feeling about this..
Her throat dries up but she swallows and force herself to say it. ''It's Gale.. he's.. come to visit.'' She says. Immediately his demeanor changes. His shoulders squared and his eyes wide he walks over and stands by her side. He looks Gale over warily. He wraps an arm around her waist pulling her close his hand snaking round and resting on her stomach. ''Gale.'' He says his voice tight and unnatural.
Gale looks him over his cool attitude not changing. ''Hello Peeta, it's good to see you. How have you been?'' He asks with a slight glint in his eye. Peeta regains some normality and relaxes slightly. ''Oh great thanks. Yeah, life's pretty good. Me and Katniss are happy.. expecting our first born in a couple of months actually.. It's all good isn't it, sweetheart?'' He says planting a small soft kiss on her temple. She smiles and nods ''It's good.'' Gale gives a tight smile. ''That's good to hear.'' Peeta's mouth curls up slightly enjoying his discomfort.
''What about you then, Gale? How's life been treating you?'' He says keeping his voice light but laced with sarcasm. He laughs lightly ''Good actually. I'm proposing to my girlfriend soon and I'm working in the TV industry.'' He gives him a winning grin. Peeta smiles. ''Great, well.. we were actually busy today. I mean we have Annie and her son visiting later, remember Katniss?'' Her eyes look up at him and she mentally curses herself. ''Oh yeah, I almost forgot.'' Gale raises his eyebrow slightly. ''Annie. How is she? I mean life must be tough without Finnick..'' He says shaking his head. Peeta laughs flatly. ''She's coping. Her son get's her through mostly though, he's a gorgeous little boy. Bronze hair and green eyes exactly like his father. I mean it's hard for her.. very hard. They were inseparable Finnick and Annie.. but then that's the price of war isn't it? We all lost in the war.'' He says the last sentences his eyes cold and hard, his tone unforgiving.
Gale swallows nervously. ''Yeah well.. everyone had a rough time through the war. That's why we tend to move on and forget..'' He adds quickly his coolness slipping. Peeta almost snarls at him ''It's easier for some to forget than others though. I mean some people didn't have to deal with the death of their family's did they now?'' He says his tone uncharacteristically cold. Gale rubs his face and sighs. ''Look.. I better go..'' She looks nervously between the two men feeling the tension rise higher and higher. Peeta raises his eyebrow slightly. ''Awh, leaving so soon?''
Gale shakes his head. ''Nice use of sarcasm there Peeta. Sure you don't need to have yourself checked out? I think I can see your hijacked side shining thro-''
Before Gale could finish his sentence Peeta had punched him square in the face.
Beat. Beat. Beat.