Chapter 4
A/N Thank you all for the reviews!
There are a few surprises in this chapter. I don't own anything! Not The Hunger Games, not the song, which happens to be "Let Me Love You" by Ne-Yo... Wish I did, but I don't! My beta is amazing! And I've given Kat some happiness :) Also, don't worry, there are going to be many bumps in the road ;)
It's Monday and I have to face Finn... I don't want to, not after what happened Saturday.
"Come on Kat. It's time to get up." Prim says, nudging me. All I want to do is curl up in a ball and stay there- either out of embarrassment or horror. I can't decide.
"No! Go away," I mumble pulling my comforter over my head. Prim just grabs it and rips it off me completely.
"What the heck happened Saturday? Get your lazy butt out of bed this minute and stop feeling sorry for yourself! I'm sure that whatever you did, you can get over! Show them how strong you are! Don't give them the satisfaction of seeing you broken, Kat!" Prim shouts at me while I look at her. How in the world can a twelve year old be so smart?
I sigh. "Okay..." I mumble, getting out of bed, and Prim smiles at me softly.
"Okay, then." She says as she walks out the door, leaving me to get ready.
School is boring and Madge has been bugging me all morning to tell her what happened Saturday. Prim told her all about me not leaving my room all day Sunday...
"I'll tell you at lunch, okay?" I whisper, looking at my math book.
"OK!" She says excited, leaving me to my own devices for the first time since I got here.
Finally some peace and quiet.
"Prim told you that? Sweet little Prim?" Madge asks shocked. I told her everything, from me going to Finn's and confessing, to this morning where Prim made me realize what I was doing.
"Yeah, shocking isn't it?" I say with a laugh.
"Very!" She replies, laughing with me.
"So you told him everything?" She asks, hinting towards my past. I told her ages ago. As my friend, she had the right to know!
"Yes, everything." She grins.
"So how do you feel?" She asks and I just look at her, confused.
"How do I feel about what?" I ask and she laughs again.
"You know! Getting it off your chest and finally letting Finnick in." She smiles softly.
"At first, horrified! After Prim talked some sense into me I realized that I shouldn't care about his opinion or what he does with that information for the simple reason that, even though that happened, I'm here stronger than ever!" She hugs me.
"That's great, Kitten!" She says, giving me a huge smile after she lets me go.
We lapsed into a comfortable silence eating our food.
I spot Peeta coming towards us and prepare myself mentally.
"Katniss, Madge." He greets, sitting down. We looks at him confusedly.
"Finnick has been acting very weird... He can't stop thinking of whatever you told him, Katniss. I found him in the gym beating the hell out of a punching bag, screaming something about this dude "Gale." Know anything about that?" He asked but all I could do was stare at him, shocked.
Finn was mad at Gale for what he did? After everything I did to him?
"Katniss... I don't know what happened to you, I'm sorry it happened anyways, but I'm going to assume that Gale is from your past? Finn told me he wanted to 'kill him for what he did to you.' You're a strong girl, Katniss and you can take care of yourself, but Finnick... Well he's Finnick and he loves you." Peeta says honestly.
"I keep telling Finnick to leave it alone, but he won't listen." I say, defeated.
"I know," he smiles warmly at me. "The thing is with Finn, that even though he's a lady's man and a player, he still respects a woman's right and personal space. When she says 'no,' it means 'no.' And I'm sorry you had to go through... that." He says and I look at him in fear.
"Did Finnick tell you anything?" I whispered.
"No... I figured it out on my own. My cousin went through that, too, and I reacted the same way as Finn. I just put the pieces together. No one else knows. I won't tell anyone," he promises.
"Thank you, Peeta." I say as he hugs me.
"No problem, Kat."
I don't mind him calling me "Kat."
He stands up and goes back to his table, where the rest of the Victors sit, looking at us with wide eyes.
"Aw, how sweet!" Madge cooes quietly beside me and I laugh softly.
"Definitely unexpected!" I mumble and she laughs with me.
I started to hear music which is odd. At first it was very soft but it started to get louder and louder. I look around and see the confused faces of everyone except Peeta who is shaking his head.
I see Finn walk in to the lunch room holding a microphone... I'm confused.
"Katniss Everdeen, just stop running from me and let me love you!" He says and I blush as everyone looks at me with wide eyes.
He starts singing then, causing Madge to go into a giggling fit.
"As much as you blame yourself, you can't be blamed for the way that you feel. You had no example of a love that was even remotely real. How can you understand something that you never had? Oh, baby, if you let me, I can help you out with all of that."
He's looking at me intently. I cover my face with my hands, but look at him from between my fingers.
"Girl, let me love you and I will love you until you learn to love yourself. Girl, let me love you! I know your troubles; don't be afraid, girl, let me help. Girl, let me love you and I will love you until you learn to love yourself. Girl, let me love you. A heart of numbness gets brought to life; I'll take you there. Girl let me love you, let me love you, let me love you, oh!"
He's walking towards us slowly, not caring about all of the looks he's getting. I shake my head.
"I can see the pain behind your eyes, and it's been there for quite a while. I just want to be the one to remind you what it is to smile. I would like to show you what true love can really do... Girl, let me love you and I will love you until you learn to love yourself. Girl, let me love you! I know your troubles; don't be afraid, girl, let me help. Girl, let me love you and I will love you until you learn to love yourself. Girl, let me love you. A heart of numbness gets brought to life; I'll take you there."
He walks around the tables, still making his way to us.
"Girl, let me love you, baby, let me love you! Let me love you, baby! Girl let me love you, let me love you! Girl, let me love you, baby, for every heart that beats, for every heart that beats, heart that beats, heart that beats."
I hold my breath as he stands in front of me.
"Girl, let me love you and I will love you until you learn to love yourself. Girl, let me love you! I know your troubles; don't be afraid, girl, let me help.
Girl, let me love you and I will love you until you learn to love yourself. Girl, let me love you. A heart of numbness gets brought to life; I'll take you there."
He pulls me out of my chair and into his chest and all I can think of as he looks into my eyes is that his voice is amazing!
"Girl, let me love you, let me love you babe."
He puts the mic down on the table without breaking eye-contact with me and kisses me softly. Surprisingly, I kiss back, not caring what anyone thinks of me. I can hear whoops and cat-calls from our audience when he picks me up and sits me down on the table.
"Let me love you, Kit Kat," he whispers into my ear after I pull away.
"Ok..." I whisper back and he gives me a huge grin.
"Really?" He asks, looking at me intently.
"Yeah." It's about time I got over it, and I should do that with someone who loves me like Finn does. And I'll probably love end up loving him, too. He hugs me again.
"You, Katniss Everdeen, are a mystery!" He says laughing, and Madge and I join in.
I look over Finn's shoulder at Peeta. He gives me two thumbs up and a smile.
I return the smile.
"Your friends are going to be mad that you like me. You know that I'm right." I say, concerned, and he looks at me. "Okay, maybe not Peeta," I give in and he shakes his head.
"I don't care what they think. I love you. They can keep their opinions to themselves. As for Peeta, well he can do what he likes," he says and we laugh.
"Okay. Come on, we've got history." I say, pulling Madge up out of her seat.
The rest of the day is spent being stared at since Finn refuses to leave my side. Peeta joins us at one point, too.
"Kitten, we need to go on a shopping trip! I need a present for my father's birthday!" Madge says from beside Peeta.
"Do I have to come?" I complain, causing Finn to snicker.
"Shush, you" I say, glaring at him. He put his hands up in surrender.
"Yes, you do have to come!" Madge exclaims.
I sigh.
"Fine, but I'm only coming for the ice cream!" I say and she grins, while the two boys look at us, amused.
"Something's happened. You look happy, free..." Prim says as soon as I get through the door.
"Maybe," I say, walking into the kitchen with a smile on my face.
"Spill it!" She commands, grinning.
"I don't know what you're referring to, dear sister of mine," I say innocently.
"Oh, yes you do! Something's happened with Finnick! Come on! Tell me!" She pleads.
"Fine," I relent.
"Happy?" I ask her after I told her everything that happened.
"Happy? Who's happy? I'm ecstatic!" She squeaks, hugging me. "You're getting better, Katniss," she whispers. I can hear the tears in her voice.
"Yeah, I am... So, Little Duck, what do you want to eat?" I ask changing the subject before she can notice my tears.
"Chinese?" She asks hopefully and I nod.
"Go on, then! The usual?"
"Yep!" She says, bouncing back to her happy self, leaving no traces of the tears her eyes held a few moments ago.
We spend the rest of the night talking about nonsense. Mom came home around 10:00, smiling. Since when does she smile?
"What's up, Mom?" I inquire, and she just smiles a loving smile at me.
"I heard what happened at school today. I'm so proud of you, baby girl" She sighs, hugging me.
For the first time since my dad died seven years ago, I finally have my mom back. I cry on her shoulder as she hugs me tight.
I've finally got my mother back.