So here chapter 4! Took a little longer than I expected but I did make it slightly longer. Have a good day and enjoy!(:
No copyright intended. I do not own The Hunger Games.
As I crossed the threshold to the living room Prim looked up at me. "Katniss I really wanted to…" She trails off when she sees me standing with somebody else. Confusion and excitement mix on her face. "So I see my sister has finally decided to make friends? Or I guess A friend in this case." I shoot her a glare. "Prim this is Peeta. His family owns the bakery in town." She smiles and holds out her small hand to him. "Yeah I know him. He helped me when I scraped my knee a few weeks ago." They shake hands while Peeta grins at her. "Hello Primrose it's nice to meet you under a friendly circumstance." When Prim finally looks at me I tell her that Peeta walked me home and that he might be around a lot. When I said this Peeta looked at me and grinned like a fool. I didn't understand why until I realized I just basically said that today is not just a onetime thing.
I don't understand why this made him so happy. I quickly shrugged it off before looking back to my sister. "Okay and Prim I understand that you know Peeta now but please don't go into anymore stranger's houses, even if you've scrapped your knee. Come find me and I'll fix you up."
Prim sighs before replying. "Yes sister dearest I promise." She gives me a sarcastic smile before going out the back door to play with lady. I turn my attention back around to Peeta and see him smiling at me.
"What?" I say defensively. This just makes him smile wider when he replies. "So I'm not just a temporary friend then? I can stay?" I realize just how much I actually want to smile at the boy in front of me. He was so kind to help my sister when he didn't even know her. So even though I don't know him I will be kind in return. I give him a smile for the second time.
"So what exactly do we do know?" I questioned. He looked like he was contemplating something until he finally said "I want to be your friend. The kind that you can talk to. So in order to be that kind of friend, I have to know you. So let's talk for a little bit. Tell me things about yourself."
I lead him over to the small couch and we sit down shifting slightly so we could see each other's faces. "Okay." I sigh. "What do you want to know?" He looks at me while smiling and replies. "Everything."
Slowly and very cautiously I tell him things, mostly small details and insignificant things that don't mean much. After awhile he catches on to the fact that I'm holding back. "Katniss if we are going to be friends you need to know you can trust with the things you keep to yourself." I scrutinize him for a second. What was with him? Why does he want to know everything about me? I don't really know whether to trust him or not. Before I can make a decision on what to say he speaks, softly at first but gaining strength as he progressed. "I know it's hard to talk about the things that are so safe kept hidden away. But I want to help you. I want to be there for you when you need somebody. So how about I tell you something about me and then you can go after." I nod slowly. He takes a breath in closing his eyes before opening them once more revealing the blue circles that are so beautiful.
"My mother is abusive. I guess it's not really a big secret considering I can't exactly cover up the bruises I come to school with. I know she loves me I do. But when I consider ever hitting a child that I was able to create through love I don't understand how she does it. Last year when I was out of school for a few days it was because I wasn't allowed to leave the house." He lowers his head as I think back trying to remember a day where I ever noticed his absence. I guess last April I didn't see him as much as usual but also I remember his older brother was on edge for almost a week. Slamming people in to lockers as he walked past, pulling at his hair, and screaming at people who looked at him the wrong way. "My mother didn't like that I fed the pigs the wrong bread and she hit me till I couldn't see straight. I think your mother knows though because she came over and had me bedridden for 4 days. Most of the bruises faded by the time I got to school, my hair covered the worst of them. Even if someone noticed they didn't care or ask." He looked up at me again waiting for my reaction.
Slowly but steadily I reached forward and hugged him. He was surprised and stiffened at first but then relaxed into my touch and wrapped his arms around me in return. He smelled like cinnamon and vanilla. I rested my head on his shoulder for what felt like forever before speaking out.
I told him everything. About my father's death, my mother's reaction, and how much I wished I could be a better person at school but I'm so worried about everything else I can't find it in myself to exert any effort. I leave out the part about Cray because I'm too scared he would judge me. The poor girl willing to sell herself to feed her family. Who would ever want to be near a girl like that?
He looks at me with eyes that aren't pitiful like everyone else. They are soft and they show compassion and caring. I reach my hand up, a bit too fast probably; He flinches away as if I would hurt him. I look at him and realize how unhappy this seemingly perfect boy is. The handsome town kid who has food, good grades, and friends is lacking the one thing that actually makes getting up in the morning worth it. He's missing love. His family doesn't care for him the way mine cares for me. Yes his father may love him but that can only take you so far before you miss the touch of your mother. Before I have time to think or act my eyes brim with tears and one falls free to my cheek, my hand still floating in the air from reaching for him.
"No Katniss don't cry please. I never would have made you tell me if I knew it would hurt you this much." He grabs my hand and presses my palm to his mouth kissing it quickly. I had only ever seen my father do this to my mother. It surprisingly calmed me down. Of course he is still putting me first thinking I am upset over myself when really I wish I could just take that broken piece of his life a superglue it back to the place his heart lies.
"No Peeta, I'm not crying because my life makes me sad. I got over the pain a long time ago. I am crying because I don't understand how someone could ever hurt you. You are so sweet and happy and have this greatness inside of you that you will carry through life and to your own family. I just hope you know that when I do this…" I pause and raise my hand, slower this time, to his cheek. "I won't hurt you. You're safe with me." He looks at me almost as if I'm an alien before covering my hand with his sighing.
"That feels so good" he says closing his eyes.
I can't help but wonder if anyone has ever touched him like this in a non threatening way. Prim holds my face sometimes after I have nightmares but I guess the only hand that has ever come in contact with Peeta's face was his mothers.
After staying like this for a long time I decide I should probably be getting ready for Cray. I figure I could spare a few more second because I wasn't ready to send this boy home to his abusive mother just yet. I want to keep him safe and with me at all times but I know I can't.
"Hey Peeta?" I asked finally speaking out. He reluctantly opens his eyes like a small child after a nap.
"Yeah?" He replies.
"You have to go its 7:30." I speek softly not wanting this time to end but knowing it has to.
"Oh… okay." He sighed getting up from the couch. He made his way to the back door and said goodbye to my sister before walking over to the front door. Right as he was about to open it he turned on his heels and faced me. He was so close I could feel his breath on my face.
"Thank you." he breathed then smirked. "I never thought you would let me in."
"Well it's kind of hard to shut someone out who has already opened up to you." I reply scowling.
"I guess you're just full of surprises." He murmured before leaning down and kissing my cheek leaving me stunned. "I'll see you at school…don't shut me out."
"I won't." I promise. I know he needs a friend who knows these things about him but talks to him anyway. He needs someone to see through the act and accept him into their life. I will be the one to give him that.
"Goodnight Katniss." With that he was gone into the night leaving me feeling empty at my doorstep.
I have only known this boy for a day. Less than twenty four hours actually… but in that seemingly small time, I had gained a best friend. But there was something more there. When he had put his lips to my cheek I couldn't help but feel my stomach twist into knots. This boy gave me butterflies. And I liked that. This was going to make tonight's job a thousand times harder to do.
