Guess what guys?! I'm on holiday break! Yay! No more school! That may mean more updates for this story… Get excited, guys!
Anyway, a lot of you guys wanted me to continue the last chapter. I wasn't planning on doing that, but after awhile I thought, oh what the heck? Thus, part two was born! Hope you enjoy!
-Meghan
Sage takes one deep breath, then two. She closes her eyes.
My name is Sage Mellark. I am six years old. I have a baby brother named Orion and a mommy and a daddy. We live in District Twelve. I'm at school right now. And I have to talk to Phoenix. Because, yesterday, I kissed him.
That's what Sage sometimes hears her mother do when she is upset. Start with the obvious things, and move up to the more complicated things, she says. Sage can't be more nervous than she is right now. She wasn't this nervous when she had to do a solo dance in the preschool play, or when she was dared to jump off the swing set, or when her mother caught her coloring on her wall. No, Sage has never been this nervous.
"Don't worry, Sage-y. You can do this," Sage's best friend Bliss whispers in her ear.
Sage nods and takes another deep breath. "Okay. I'm ready."
Bliss gives Sage an encouraging smile. Sage walks up to Phoenix, already mesmerized by his golden curls. Oh, why do they have to be so beautiful? It's going to be a lot harder trying to talk to Phoenix when his hair is so breathtaking.
"Sage?" Phoenix says.
Oh shoot, Sage thinks, I was staring. Wait to start this on the right foot.
"Um, hi. Phoenix," Sage says awkwardly.
"Hi…" Phoenix says uncertainly. He's probably still timid because of what happened yesterday. "What's up?"
"I, well… I just wanted to say sorry for what happened yesterday. When I, you know… kissed you," Sage says.
"Oh. Yeah," Phoenix says.
"I don't know why I did it. I… wasn't thinking. It's just… Phoenix, I think you're a really nice boy," Sage says.
Maybe it's just Sage's imagination, but she thinks she sees a shadow of a smile on Phoenix's face. His gorgeous face, with his green eyes… wait, no. Stop it.
"Thanks. I think you're a really nice girl," Phoenix says.
Sage grins a toothy grin. "I know. My daddy told me. He also said I was smart, beautiful and brilliant. You wanna know what else my daddy said?"
"What?"
"He said that me and you might get married someday."
Phoenix laughed. "He did?"
"Yeah. Would you like it if we got married, Phoenix?"
Phoenix seems to be in severe thought. After a while, he smiles and says, "Yeah, I think I would like that."
Sage beams. "So… will you marry me? Not right now, though. When we're older. 'Cuz I haven't got you a ring yet."
"Sure. And will we have kids?"
"Yeah, definitely! And you know what one of their names will be?"
"What?"
"Cutie Pie!"
"Cutie Pie?"
"Yeah! I mean, only if it's okay with you."
"As long as we can name another one Dino."
"Dino?"
"It's short for dinosaur."
"Dinosaur?"
"A dinosaur is a really, really, really, really, really, really old animal. Like at least a bajillion years old!"
"Really? Wow, that's old! Almost as old as my Not-Really-My-Grandpa-But-I-Call-Him-My-Grandpa-Anyway Haymitch!"
Sage and Phoenix spend the rest of the recess chatting and chatting away about Sage's Not-Really-Her-Grandpa-But-She-Calls-Him-Her-Grandpa-Anyway Haymitch and the rest of her family, Phoenix's family (Sage learns that Phoenix has a baby sister the same age as the former's baby brother), and their interests. All worries of yesterday are forgotten.
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX xXxXxXxXxXxX
"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" Sage squeals as she enters her father's bakery after school.
Peeta emerges from behind the counter, full of flour, with a smile on his face, and says, "Hi, Cupcake."
"Daddy, I have big news!" Sage announces.
"You do?" Peeta says.
"Oh yes I do! I did what you told me to do! I talked to Phoenix!" Sage exclaims, bouncing on the balls of her feet, unable to contain her glee.
"You did? Excellent, how did it go?" Peeta asks.
"It went wonderfully, Daddy! Absolutely perfect!"
"Tell me about it!" Peeta says eagerly.
"Okay, so I walked up to him, and I said I was sorry, and we both called each other nice, and I asked him to marry me someday, and he said he would, and then we just started talking… it was so good, Daddy!"
"I'm glad, Cupcake."
"Me too. You were right, Daddy!" Sage gives Peeta a big bear hug, which Peeta happily returns. She looks up and smiles at him. "Daddy, we have to go to the jewelry store as soon as possible!"
"Why is that?" Peeta asks curiously.
"I need to propose to Phoenix, but I can't without a ring. The only reason I told him I would marry him someday instead of today was because I didn't have a ring. So I need to get a ring! Quickly, Daddy, quickly!"
Sage grabs Peeta's hand and tugs him along. "Texas, I'll be right back! Think you can hold down the fort for a few minutes?" Peeta calls.
"Why, where are you going?" the young subordinate asks.
"Just to the jewelry store a few stores away. I need to get a ring for my daughter. She's asking a boy to marry her tomorrow!"
Texas gives him the strangest look, as if he grew six more arms on his body, but Peeta just chuckles. It doesn't matter. What matters is his daughter. Peeta is glad she finally realizes the wonders of love. He wonders if he may be seeing Phoenix ten years from now, as his daughter brings him to meet her parents; the first step in having a serious relationship. Peeta squeezes his daughter's little hand and smiles lovingly down on her. Young love is the best kind there is. No worries. No threats. And they won't be star-crossed, Peeta will make sure of it.
Yay! Three cheers for happiness! Hip hip hooray! And, by the way, I like reviews. Just saying. Just in case you want to know… :)
-Meghan :{D
