Saying I suck at updating is an understatement, but I am committed ot finishing this story, even if it ends up being shorter than I envisioned. I have almost all the end written, I'm only missing a couple of chapters to bring us there. Thanks for reading.
I'm almost through typing an assignment from Effie when Rue comes over to my space. I wouldn't call a desk the miserable two feet wide piece of crap I share with Glimmer.
"Hey Katniss, me and some of the secretaries are going to eat out tonight for Nancy's birthday, you want to come?"
I should really go. Nancy is a nice secretary, who always helps us when we need to know where to find staplers or where to hide from Effie. But I'm not in the mood, I've had the most grueling day, and I promised to check on Peeta right after work.
Poor Peeta is stuck home since Sunday with the most disgusting flu. Turns out people don't want you preparing or serving their food when your nose is dripping green stuff. Urgh.
"Count me out, I have to go home early tonight."
"How come?" She asks, and knowing Rue, I know she asks out of genuine curiosity and not annoyance that I refused her invitation.
"Peeta's really sick, and I'm on nurse duty tonight."
She smiles. "Oh Peeta, that cute blond you were having breakfast with last Monday?"
"Yep, that one," I nod as I type the last sentence of that soul sucking assignment.
"Could you fix me up with him? He's soooo cute and my sister is going to force me into a blind date pretty soon if I don't show some real efforts."
I blink, lost in my train of thought, analyzing what she just said. Rue likes Peeta too. Figures.
I shake my head, "Nope, sorry, he has a girlfriend."
"Bummer. Well, see you tomorrow Katniss," she says retreating towards the door.
I look at the clock, I can leave this place in five minutes if I can print this and put it on Effie's desk before she returns from her last meeting of the day. I hurry to the printing machine and type my code nervously. I can't wait for this day to end.
I stop at the pharmacy on the way home to get some more Tylenol extra everything and I grab supper after that. I'm no cook, and sick Peeta deserves a nice, hot, soup. I open the door and find him sleeping in the living room. I put all my errands on the kitchen table and sit quietly next to his feverish form on the sofa. He looks the same as this morning. I put my hand on his forehead to see if he's burning up.
He coughs and moves a little. I cringe, I didn't want to wake him.
"Hey," he grunts through his aching throat.
"Hi, how are you?" I ask, concerned, knowing "not good" won't cover it. His neck is glistening with sweat.
He gets up. "You shouldn't be near me, I'm going to go in my bedroom‒"
I cut him off: "Nonsense, you'll stay right here and I'll bring you some soup."
He shakes his head. "No, I'd rather not sniffle all over you. You could catch it."
I don't care about that, I'm never sick. Prim always tells me that I have the immune system of an alligator. Whatever that means.
"I don't care Peeta, I'm never sick."
"Well, let just put this on my pride then," he attempts to say lightly, but erupts into a fit a cough instead. He turns to leave but I grab his hand and he stops.
"Come on, I swear I won't tease you later if you drool on me," I plead with him jokingly, looking right into his feverish blue eyes.
He suddenly looks at me so seriously I swear he's going to tell me to fuck off.
"You better not," he cracks a smile and sits back next to me.
I swear Peeta is the most difficult man to read sometimes.
I go back into my bag and show him what I bought.
"That's my favorite," he says happily.
"I know, I asked Finn." I answer proudly and bring everything we need in the living room.
I bought one for me too, even though it's a bit hot outside, I couldn't resist trying the best soup in town. I'm halfway through my sixth week, it's now late June, and I know the humidity and heat waves are likely to start soon. We don't have air conditioning here, and I heard heat waves are a pain in the city.
"Thanks, Katniss," Peeta says.
"No problem."
The soup is great, and after cleaning up I bring Peeta the cold medicine and a glass of water. He grumbles that I shouldn't have done all this for him, but takes it gratefully. We start watching some meaningless but eerily addictive reality show. After about an hour, Peeta goes back to sleep, his head on the cushion next to mine. I put my hand on his forehead again, to check if the fever is coming down. It's much better than when I got home, and I smile. He looks so peaceful right now, and I start running my fingers in his golden hair absent mindedly. They're so soft, like baby hair.
It's so quiet beside the regular sounds on the television, that when my phone starts to ring loudly, I wake up with a start and realize I've been dozing off too.
I grab it from the table and answer. I whisper: "Hey Gale, give me a minute."
I get up as quietly as I can and go into my room.
"Hi," I greet him after I close the door behind me.
"Hey, Catnip." His voice is sort of sad.
"What's wrong?" I ask, concerned.
"Nothing, I just miss you."
I sigh: "I miss you too."
"I don't like not seeing you for so long, I'm so bored here without you. Minutes are like hours," he adds, and I feel bad.
It's already been six weeks, but to me it felt like a minute. I do miss Gale, but I'm way to busy here to dwell on it, and I already feel at home with Peeta and Finn, I feel like I've known them forever. Well, I do know them since kinder garden, but we never talked so it doesn't count. This rarely happens to me, to meet new people and feel so at ease with them. And let's not forget Haymitch, Rue, Annie and even Johanna. I already have made more good friends here than in four years at University. It's unsettling but I sort of love it.
"Well, at least I'll see you this week end," he starts and I remember he's visiting this week end, and again in three weeks.
"Soon, half of this nightmare will be over," Gale continues and it suddenly hits me.
I'm here for only 14 weeks total, this week end, it'll be half done. I'll go back home after that, and all these people will be out of my live. Sure, we'll say that we'll keep in touch, but no one ever does, not really. My new life here, it's not real. My heart sinks and I know my voice trembles when I say: "Yep, can't wait to see you."
"Oh babe, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel homesick," Gale apologizes, and I know better than to explain why I'm actually sad. I regain my composure while promising myself I'll make the most of my time here, and not wallow in the fact that it won't last.
"Did you have a good day?" I divert the subject, and as he's telling me all about it, my mind wanders.
What kind of job will I manage to find in Yorkville? Sure, until Prim goes back to school, it'll be nice to see her once or twice a week, but what about after? When Gale works all these long hours and I stay home?
Before my phone call is over, I hear Peeta coughing his way to his bed. I go check on him after I hang up, asking if he needs anything else. He refuses politely, telling me I've already done wonders to his mood.
Thanks to my amazing healing powers— at least, that's what Peeta tells me— he's on his feet the next morning, looking much better. He's relieved because it means he won't have to cancel the high paying job he managed to get for the week end. I woke up early to make him breakfast for once and I feel proud at the happy look on his face when I put his plate in front of him. It's nothing fancy, but at least he won't have to cook for himself.
"Thanks, Katniss," he says biting into his bacon.
"It was nothing." I insist.
Peeta is always cooking for me, cleaning up after me when I'm too lazy to do it, going to get food for all of us. He deserves a medal for everything he does around here. It's only normal I repay that, especially when he's feeling under the weather.
He looks absolutely not sick the next day in his fancy maitre d' outfit when I come home from work. He blushes red when he sees me come in.
"God, I look ridiculous, I was hoping no one would see me before I went."
I shake my head in disagreement. Sure, his outfit his a bit formal, but he looks great in it, it highlights his broad shoulders. His hair is all gelled in place against his skull, contrasting with his usual dishevelled mass of blond curls. I feel like running my fingers through it to free them, but I stop myself.
"Nah, you look great Peeta."
He blushes even more, so I don't say anything else.
"How come you're not at Haymitch's?" he asks, knowing this is not my usual Friday night routine.
"Gale is coming to visit this week end," I start and I feel like a bad roommate because I forgot to tell them about it. It's their place after all. "I'm sorry I didn't warn you guys, I completely forgot."
"I won't be here much at all anyway, and Finn is going to Maine to visit Annie's folks. You'll have the place pretty much to yourselves," he lets me know.
I don't know if I'm happy about that. More time alone means less distractions, and in my current state of mind, I hope I just won't say the wrong thing again and start a fight.
"I need to go now, in fact," he says looking down at his watch.
"Okay, but don't work too much, I don't want you to have a relapse of that awful flu," I smile at him.
"Promise," he smiles back before grabbing his things and walking out.
I look inside the refrigerator and decide to cook some pasta for Gale and I; I'm sure he'll be starving after his long drive.
I check my phone a couple of times in the next hour, wondering why I still haven't heard from him. He should be here by now. Around eight, I'm worried about him and decide to call.
"Where are you?" I ask him.
"I'm still about three hours away," he says lightly over the music playing in his car.
"What? How come?" I ask, curious about the reason for late arrival, knowing he texted me during lunch to say he was about to leave.
"I had to work later than expected, we had a lot to do before the week end," he explains.
I'm mad all of the sudden.
"Why didn't you warn me, I was expecting you for dinner," I bark angrily, not understanding how he didn't think to let me know he left Yorkville 5 hours later than what he texted me.
"I forgot,"
"You forgot you would be 5 hours late?" I mock him, my voice thick with sarcasm.
"Don't get mad over nothing, you know I can't blow off work, I have a real job." He answers condescendingly as if I'm acting like a child. As if I don't have a real job.
"Nevermind," I say thought gritted teeth before hanging up. If he's going to treat me like a child, I might as well act like one.
I look around me at the mess I did while I cooked and sigh. To my surprise, tears prickle at my eyes and my breathing is uneven. I'm so mad, sad and disappointed. I feel exhausted, hollow.
I wipe the tears away and grab my keys. I'm not waiting for him here anymore, I leave everything on the counter, knowing he'll feel bad when he sees it, not caring we'll have to throw it away.
I walk quickly towards the bar, thinking I might even not tell Gale I'm there. Let him wander where I am a bit, that will teach him.
I sit at my usual spot, but I don't feel like pouring my heart out to Haymitch tonight, and just order drink after drink. I sulk in silence and even Johanna gives up on making me talk. After eleven, my phone starts buzzing continuously in my purse but I ignore it completely. I'll let him wonder a bit, then go home. As the night progresses, I feel less and less like myself. A guy comes up to me and I flip him of rudely. I don't want to go home anymore and order another beer instead.
"No sweetheart, that's enough for you tonight," Haymitch declines.
I raise my eyebrows at him in disbelief. "What? Are you my mother now?"
"No, I'm still my wonderful self, but you have had enough to drink," he says, his tone commanding.
I scoff. "You get wasted every day," I remind him accusingly. He has no right to judge me.
"I am not the role model you make me out to be, sweetheart, and I don't know what happened this week between you and your boy, but you're not yourself."
"I don't want to go home," I sulk.
"Where's Peeta?" He asks turning to Johanna. I have no idea where Peeta fits into this.
"I have no clue," she answers, glancing at me with a worried look.
"He was working tonight," I explain.
"Okay, I'll take her home then,"
Johanna nods in agreement as Haymitch helps me up. As I stand, everything around me starts to dance.
"I'm drunk," I chuckle.
"Come on, just lean on me," he presses me.
"No, I'm fine." I take a step and lose my footing, I add a little swing and fall on my ass on purpose. I don't want to go home and face Gale like this. Through my hazed brain, I know he'll be pissed to see me like this. That it won't help. "I can't go home now." I proclaim from the floor and Haymitch helps me up. Johanna and he exchange a knowing look.
"Fine, you can sleep at my place," Haytmitch gives in and I finally accepts his arm so he can guide me upstairs. I crash on his couch ungraciously and lose consciousness almost instantly.
When I wake up, it's like a hammer is pounding into my brain.
"Ouch," I complain out loud.
"She's awake," I hear Haymitch whispering. I squint my eyes open slowly, not letting too much light burn my corneas at once. He's on the phone and looks serious. In fact, this is the most serious I've seen him. He hangs up and turns to me.
"Your boy is on his way here as we speak, Peeta's couldn't delay him any longer."
"What are you talking about?" I ask groggily, having trouble piecing reality back together.
"After you fell asleep, I went back downstairs, but after closing up I got a call from Peeta. He'd just gotten home and found your Gale waiting by the door for you, completely freaked. I told them both you just had too much to drink but your boy wanted to come and get you anyway. Peeta convinced him to let you sleep, that you would be safe here with me, but he's growing impatient now. He's on his way here, and according to Peeta he doesn't seem to be in a good mood."
"Shit,"
I rush to get up and the world is spinning around me. I can feel the bile rising in my throat, and I know at once it's unavoidable: I'm going to puke. I hurry to the bathroom and empties my stomach. After it's done, I wash my face and try to straighten my clothes. I look like shit.
I sigh in disappointment at my own behavior. I thank Haymitch hazily, promising myself to buy him something for his troubles, and leave his apartment, stumbling a little. I don't make it around the building before I spot Gale walking quickly towards me.
Relief washes across his face at first and he collides with me, hugging me hard. Acid rises in my throat again at the sudden movement and I free myself from him to puke again, on the sidewalk.
I'm already blushing in humiliation when I spot Peeta behind Gale, looking exhausted and worried. I'm mortified now, not only Gale and Haymitch saw me throw up, but Peeta too? Argh.
Gale's face is not relieved anymore, he's wearing a dangerous look, and I can't remember if I've seen him this pissed before. His eyes are dark, murderous.
"How much did you drink, exactly?" he hisses and I look to the floor in embarrassment. He doesn't wait for me to answer. "Katniss, can you imagine how worried I've been. I didn't know where this bar or yours was, for all I knew you could have been lying in a ditch somewhere. You wouldn't answer your phone, how could you do this?"
"I'm sorry," I squeak. I was pissed yesterday, I know he was an ass with me, but I also know what I did was over the line.
"Sorry? Do you know in what state I was when Peeta let me in at four a.m.?"
I whimper loudly, remembering that he didn't have keys; that my crazy plan was to make him wait for me.
"Oh, god, I'm soooo sorry Gale, I drank too much and then I slept here and I feel so sick right now, I'm so — I shouldn't have —" I slur, not able to be as coherent as I'd hoped.
My heart bleeds when I see the expression on his face. He's ashamed of me, I realize.
"Why don't you sober up, and then, we can talk," he snarls before walking away from me.
"Wait,"
He turns back towards me. "I'll see you tonight at your place; I need to clear my head."
I can feel my knees giving out from under me. I'm so tired, so weary, I think I might pass out. I'm surprised when I don't fall flat on the floor, but am held up by a strong pair of arms instead. I welcome the support, hiding my face in his shirt. He smells like flour and cinnamon. Peeta. I whimper again. I'm so ashamed of myself.
"Shhh, it's okay," he whispers as he pats my back slowly.
I sniffle.
"Let's go home," he whispers again, as he softly pushes me forward.
I nod. I lean on him the whole way and he stays steady, even though he looks so tired dark circles are visible under his eyes.
When he unlocks the door, it dawns on me it doesn't look like he slept at all last night. I check the oven for the time. It's almost noon.
"How god, Peeta, you have your big job every night this week end, why are you up at this hour?"
A tight smile appears on his lips. "I was worried about you."
"Go to sleep, you had your flu all week, you need rest." I press him, pushing him towards his room. I can see he's torn.
"You're sure you're okay? I can stay up if you need to talk," he offers kindly.
"I'm okay, I need to shower anyway. You can't help me there."
He chuckles. "No. Okay then."
I push him gently towards the room again and this time he doesn't hesitate.
Now, I'm left alone to shower, to sort out everything I said and did. Sort out everything I'm feeling, knowing I have to face Gale soon. Scary.
Please leave a review, it helps a lot.
Elmo13
