Peeta traces invisible patterns on my bare back. My face turns into an abrupt smile. I turn around to face him. He's smiling too. He brushes aside a stray piece if hair from my face.

"Good morning," I say, leaning forward to kiss him. Our lips meet briefly.

"Good morning." He's still smiling, and I know what he's thinking. "Thanks for taking me up on my offer," I say. He laughs.

"Anytime." I see the smugness that lines his face.

"If you liked it that much-"

"Shut up Katniss," he interrupts, kissing me again. I want to have that feeling once more. The feeling that had filled my entire being last night. I had never felt it before. Desire. It was an unknown word to me. But I felt as if Peeta was my water when I was dying of thirst. Like he was my feast when I was starving. I couldn't ever get enough of him.

My hands linger on his chest, giving him a hint on what I was thinking.

"What are you thinking about?" he asks, breaking away.

"Last night," I smile. "And how I felt.""Me, too," he says. "Gave me time to realize some things."

"Like?""How much I really love you."

"Me, too." He pauses."Katniss, I have a question."

"Yes, Mr. Mellark?"

"What do you want for your birthday?"

"What?" I was caught off guard by his question. My birthday? It was already June?

"Yes, it's June 3rd," he explains.

"Oh."

"You forgot?" I nod. A soft rap on the door comes from downstairs.

"I'll get it," I say.

"No, you're naked. I got it." He kisses me then goes to see who it is. A blur of voices comes in and Peeta is greeting them. "Katniss, come here!" I crawl out of the sheets and quickly put my hair into a ponytail. I throw on some jeans and a shirt and walked down the stairs. I was greeted by Effie's wig, a bright yellow.

"Effie!" I scream excitedly. She hugs me tight. Haymitch is smiling, sober. "Haymitch, no drink to day?"

"Happy birthday sweetheart," he says hugging me, and completely ignoring my comment.

"Thanks guys," I say genuinely.

"Well, I am surely surprised that you hadn't noticed another guest," Effie tells me. I look out the window. Johanna is smiling widely.

"Johanna?" I run outside and hug her. She giggles and pushes me away. Her hair is died blonde and is choppy, and it looks good on her.

"Happy birthday," she says. "Looks like you are a lot better." "Still your sarcastic self?"

"Yep, and you still are just as defiant?"

"Yep." We walk in and Peeta wraps one arm around her.

"It's good to see you," he says.

"You too." Johanna mumbles something under her breath and he smiles.

"Not yet."

"Well, soon. I wanna be there."

"How long are you guys here?" I ask.

"A week," Effie answers.

"Okay," Peeta states. "What do you want to do for your birthday?" I think of my other birthdays, remembering only my tenth. My father had taken me to the lake on the outskirts of the woods. We swam all day, munching on strawberries and dried jerky. It was a perfect day.

"We should go swimming," I tell them. "At the lake on the edge of the woods." Effie looks at me like I'm crazed.

"Alright," Johanna says. Peeta smiles.

"Let's do it," Haymitch volunteers. "Katniss, that is a magnificent idea, but I am not going into those wretched woods. And we clearly do not have the proper attire."

"Skinny dipping?" Johanna asks. If looks could kill.

"There is that store in town. We could get everyone something," Peeta suggests.

"He's right. They sell everything," I say.

"Okay, lets go then," Haymitch says. We walk down to the small store where they sell clothes. I don't have a bathing suit, so I get a white ruffled bikini, Johanna gets a black string bikini, Effie gets a red one piece (claiming she is not provocative), and Haymitch and Peeta get some shorts. We all go back to my house to change, and start out toward the woods. Everyone wears some sort of sandal, and the usual forty five minute trek takes an hour due to Effie's constant complaint of pine needles in her feet.

Once we get to the lake, the water has risen a couple of feet. I feel very weird in this skimpy outfit, but Peeta says he likes it. And it's not that bad, I guess. There is a tree that hangs over the water, with a very worn down rope. Looks as if some of the kids have found it already. Further up the lake, there is a bunch of rocks about 12 feet in the air. Good for jumping off of. Peeta and I head off toward the rocks, leaving Johanna, Haymitch, and Effie barely in the water.

Peeta jumps in first, sending the calm water everywhere. I laugh as I strip off my shorts and tank top. I choose a rock closer to the water and jump in. When I surface, Peeta is next to me, smiling. I swim toward him, and when our lips meet, I can't help but think about how romantic this all is.

"Happy birthday," he murmurs.

"I'm nineteen," I say.

"It's not as bad as it seems." Peeta has been nineteen for six months now. His birthday landed four days after I killed Coin. Where has time gone?

"I love you, Peeta."

"I love you, too." I wrap my arms around his neck. His arms fall into place around my waist. "Race you back?" he asks. I smile and start to paddle. "Cheater!" I laugh and swim harder. Peeta catches up, though, and beats me by about three feet. Johanna cheers us on, giggling the whole time. I climb onto Peeta's back and push him under. He surfaces quickly and pulls me under. "Peeta!" I yell. He laughs and covers his face when I splash him. He pulls me into his chest, and I gently kiss him. He starts to kiss me again, and I laugh.

"We have an audience," I whisper. He smiles and shrugs.

"Like they haven't seen it already. And this time, we know it's for us. Not the cameras." He kisses me again, and I bite the corner of his lip.

"I wonder if they know what's up."

"Johanna does. Effie is clueless, and Haymitch is just happy." I want to ask him what Johanna was whispering about, but now wasn't the right time. "I just don't know how they know." He has to be kidding. We are all over each other. "I mean, yeah, we show affection for each other, but how do they know you love me? For real?" I shrug. We don't talk about it the rest of the day. Around three, we start to walk back. Johanna is bugging Peeta, Effie is still complaining, and Haymitch and I are silent. My clothes are growing heavier and heavier on my back with each step, and it takes an hour and a half to get to the fence.

As soon as we get to my house, back in our regular clothes, Effie is on the phone, asking when all of the food and presents will arrive. Peeta and I sit on the couch, me curled up in his lap. Haymitch and Johanna are joking around. I must drift off, because I soon hear Peeta's voice coaxing me awake.

My eyes flutter open, and I register a new house. The walls are lined with streamers, all different shades of green, and there is a table next to the fireplace stacked strategically with gifts. I sit up and find that my living room is filled with my friends. I notice a face that can only belong to one person.

"Venia!" She comes over to me and smiles.

"Oh my gosh Katniss! It's been, what? A year?" Hardly.

"Yes." Octavia walks over and hugs me tight.

"I have missed you sooo much." I laugh and nod. "We have so much to talk about!"

"Ugh, look at her legs!" Flavius exclaims. I smile and hug him, then look down. I have been trying to shave them once a week, but look how that's gone. "We need you in the study. Now." We all walk down to the double doors, and when I enter, its not the same room. All of Cinna's clothes have been hung on racks, and the far side of the room has three tables filled with beauty products.

"Go shower, then come in here," Venia instructs. I walk to the bathroom obediently. I run a regular shower, wash my hair, and shave my under arms. Help somehow, I think. I wrap a towel around my body and walk back to the study. Before I get there, Peeta comes out of my bedroom.

"Hey," he says. I blush.

"Hi. What are you doing?"

"Nothing much. What are they doing to you?"

"Nothing. Yet. God, who knows what they have in mind." He studies me.

"Is this what you're wearing?"

"Ha. Ha."

"Oh, that's right. A towel or less is only for me," he says. I punch him in the shoulder playfully. He laughs, and I impulsively lean forward, wanting - needing - his lips on mine. The well-known feeling unfolds in my body. Peeta pulls away all too quickly. "Before they start to wonder…"

"Bye."

"I love you," he says.

"I love you, too," and I start for the study again. Flavius comes out with a bawling Octavia.

"I'm sorry. I can't be in there!" She looks at me and then the ground. "I'm sorry."

"I understand." Octavia rushes to the living room.

I ignore their talk, as usual, and focus on the clothes Cinna left. A black one shoulder cocktail dress hangs alone. The bodice is covered in gray jewels, and there is a dark green belt. The bottom is feathered and I love it instantly. Next to it is a dark green sundress.

"Ohh… I like those ones." Flavius says they're his favorites too, and Venia wants me to wear the black one first. I close my eyes as they slide the silky fabric over my well moisturized skin. They oull me over to a mirror, and I open my eyes.

The girl in front of me isn't one at all. She's a woman. My hair falls in two ponytails at my ears, flowing down to my shoulders in curls. My face is lightly highlighted, a light pink lipstick making me seem even older.

"Wow," I say.

"Let's show you off." Venia smiles and we walk down the stair case. Peeta sees me first, grabbing my hand and kissing me on the cheek. Haymitch is right behind, followed by Effie, and a few more people from 12. The only thing keeping me from running away is Peeta's reassuring hand in mine. Everyone cant keep their eyes off of me, and I feel like the night in President Snow's house.

For my birthday, everyone got me some form of jewelry, except Peeta and Haymitch. They say it's a surprise.

By the time we've eaten cake, which Peeta decorated, and opened presents, everyone is tired. So we all gather on the back patio, and talk. There's a knock on the door, and I go to get it.

I open the door, and what do I see? Those eyes who only belong to one person. And those lips…

"Gale," I sigh.