Hi guys! Another chapter! Yayyy! I'm quick huh? Well don't get used to it, I have just one more chapter written down, so it will take me more time to write more. Even though I have a day off from work tomorrow and a lot of ideas about the story, so maybe I'll work on another chapter... :)
I would like to thank everyone for amazing reviews. Especialy my favorite christyjosh4eva, then also K. G. Pierce and mynerva283. Reviews of these three has really made my day, but I'm really happy for all reviews you write. Thanks for favorites and follows too.
As for this chapter, as I've already written in the previous one, the title is quite self-explanatory. It's mostly about their first date a lot of fun, romance, fluffy stuff etc. I hope you'll enjoy it.
Chapter 9: First Date
"So he really did all of this because of you?" Madge says disbelieving.
"He says so." I say quietly. I'm really tired. It's our usual Friday girls night and they've been interrogating me about Peeta for more than hour.
"Wow, that really seems that he likes you a lot." Annie whispers.
"I don't know. I still don't want to believe, that he would like me so much. I don't want to believe, that he could have a relationship longer than few days." I say but in the same moment I feel bad for saying it. I know Peeta better than anyone else and my heart is telling me he would not do that to me.
"Did he kiss you?" Annie asks, I don't plant on saying it, but my blush wants otherwise.
"Oh my God he did!" Madge squeals. "How did it feel?"
"Did he pin you to the tree and kissed you passionately until you couldn't breathe?" Annie asks. "That was his usual method with girls." I give up any effort to hide anything from them.
"I was thinking that too, but no he didn't. It was absolute opposite." I admit. "He was so tender and sweet and nervous too. I didn't think he could be nervous about a kiss. He leaned down and just pressed his lips on mine at first. And then he started giving me soft lingering kisses on my lips and I swear that if it weren't for his arm holding me, I would collapse to the ground." I say.
"So it was feeling nice?" Annie asks.
"Yeah." I say with a dreamy voice and remember the kiss. "He tasted like chocolate." I continue and Annie and Madge sigh "It was the most beautiful thing I have ever felt. My heart was beating so fast and I couldn't breathe. I was afraid I will die of heart attack or a lack of oxygen." I joke.
"Or both." Johanna smirks and I smile too.
"Yeah. And when we finally stopped kissing, he said that it was the best kiss of his life." I say. There is quiet for a moment.
"I think he loves you." Johanna says quietly.
"I don't know Johanna, that's a serious thing to say. You really have to mean it if you say it." I say.
"Do you love him?" Annie asks.
"I don't know." I admit "How am I supposed to recognize if it is true love or not?" I ask.
"It's hard to explain, you just know it." Madge says.
"Could we go to bed?" I ask avoiding their questions. "I really feel tired."
"Okay." Madge says "But don't you think, that you will escape us tomorrow. We will prepare you for that date." she smirks at me and I just roll my eyes.
The date was supposed to be at five in the evening. But at 1:20 I get a call from Peeta.
"Hello Beautiful." he says and I hear smile in his voice.
"Hello Prince Charming." I say "Why are you calling? Our date is still four hours away." I say.
"That's what I want to talk about." he says "I said that only so you would not be tortured by Annie and Madge. Our date will start in half an hour."
"What?!" I say in horror. "But why would you do that?"
"Because I don't want you to be covered in make-up, dressed in the sexiest dress they can find and put into heels." he says "Not today."
"What does that mean?" I ask.
"Well, you'll see." he says secretly. "It's a surprise, but I will give you few advices. One, don't wear dress or skirt."
"Oh, thank God." I smile.
"Two, take normal shoes, no heels, I would say sneakers are okay. Three, I would advise you to braid your hair, because they would fall into your face in the wind if you have them loose. And four, don't forget your smile." he jokes and I smile.
"Do I need to take anything else with me?" I ask.
"I don't think so." he says.
"Okay, I'll be waiting." I say.
"Okay, see you in an hour, my lady." I just laugh and hang up the phone.
I'm glad that he did it like that. If girls were gonna prepare me, I would certainly end up just as he described and I would be absolutely nervous. But as he described it, I feel okay and not nervous at all. I take my favorite jeans, comfortable T-shirt and sweatshirt. It's a sunny spring day outside so I hope I won't need a jacket.
"Mum! Peeta changed his mind and he's coming for me at two instead five. Is it okay for you to take care of Rosie?" I ask.
"Oh, it's not a problem, Honey." she smiles at me. "After all the days you take care of her, you deserve to have one afternoon for yourself." she smiles.
"Thanks." I smile.
"Wait a minute." she says and goes up quickly. She comes back with a little wooden box.
"What is it mum?" I ask her.
"You need just a little bit of some make up." she smiles. "Just a little bit of mascara and some lip balm I would say. Not lip gloss or lipstick, boys hate that, because it is sticky when they kiss you."
"Mum!" I say in a shocked voice. She just laughs.
"What?" she says with a smile. "It is true. I was young too, Katniss. Your father hated any lip gloss or lipstick. And I must say he was right it was so sticky and strange when we kissed."
And because it's my mum, I believe her and I let her do it happily. She applies the mascara and a lip balm, which she gives me just in case my lips would be dry. It feels so much more right when my mum is preparing me for my first date.
"Are you nervous?" she asks.
"No, not much." I smile.
"I was." she says in a dreamy voice. "When your father asked me to go on a date, I was so happy, but an hour before it I was so scared! I absolutely didn't know what to wear." she laughs.
"In the end it turned out, that it doesn't matter what I wear, he would always tell me, that I'm beautiful." She says in a dreamy voice.
"Well I don't know what Peeta sees on me." I say "I don't think I'm as beautiful as he says."
"This isn't about actual beauty." Mum says "You know if you truly love someone, he's beautiful to you, no matter how he or she looks. Nobody's perfect, everyone hates something about their looks. But as I look at you Katniss, you're beautiful to me, because you're my daughter and I love you so much… I know what you've been through and all of that makes you even more beautiful." She says with a loving smile.
"You know you're beautiful too right?" I smile at her.
"Thanks." She smiles "I don't hear that so often, when your father is gone." She adds a little sadly.
"Then we should find someone, who would remind you." I smile mischievously.
"Don't be ridiculous." She dismisses me.
"Well I've heard, that Peeta's dad knew you when you were at school. I've heard, that he liked you a lot." I smile. Peeta was telling me that our parents have been schoolmates and that his dad liked my mother when they were in our age.
"Okay, I think it's time to end this conversation." Mum says and stands up. Just in that moment someone knocks on the door and she goes to answer.
"Maybe you should mentally prepare to start dating again!" I call after her.
"Katniss!" she calls in a warning voice and I know I should shout up. She answers the door and I hear Peeta's voice.
"Hello Mrs. Everdeen." He says "Is Katniss ready to go?"
"Yeah, she's in the kitchen, I'll call her." She says and I hear her steps coming closer. And suddenly I realize that I'm going on my first official date. Everything what happens will result in our relationship. If he doesn't like it, maybe he will not want me anymore.
"Peeta is here Katniss." Mum says as she comes in.
"I'm afraid." I whisper towards her. "What if I mess it up?" she smiles at me weakly.
"You can't mess it up, sweetie." She hugs me "He's already in love with you, whatever you do, he will like it." She whispers into my ear. I smile back at her weakly.
"Thanks mum."
"Enjoy your first date." She says as she walks me towards the door. Then she looks at Peeta.
"And you… Watch your hands." She threatens him "One baby in the house is enough."
"Mum!" I say shocked and embarrassed by her remark. Peeta takes it with humor and he has a big smile on his face.
"Don't worry madam, I'll keep her safe and without babies." He says.
"You see Katniss? Unlike you he has a sense of humor." Mum smiles and I just roll my eyes.
"Can we go already?" I ask him.
"Of course." He smiles at me, we head towards his car and mum closes the door. He leans close to me so his lips end up by my ear.
"Your beautiful." He whispers and shivers run down my spine. Smile spreads on my lips as I remember what my mum said. If you truly love someone, he's beautiful for you no matter how he or she looks. And maybe I am in love with him too.
"And you are handsome." I smile up at him.
"If you think so." He says doubtfully.
"I don't think so… I know so." I smile.
He opens the door for me and I sit at the front seat. As he sits in the car, he turns to me with a mischievous smile.
"Sorry for discomfort, but I have to blindfold you." He says.
"Why?"
"Because I want it to be a surprise." He says and takes out a black blindfold. I just sigh and let him do it.
"Okay, the ride will take like twenty minutes so you better find some topic for talking." He says and the car moves.
"Are you nervous?" I ask.
"About the date?" he asks.
"Yeah."
"Umm… Do you want to know the true?" he asks and I hear a smile in his voice.
"Yes."
"I'm nervous like hell. I've never been so nervous because of a date." He admits. I smile widely.
"Are you laughing at me?" he asks pretending to be offended.
"No." I say "I'm just glad I'm not the only one who is nervous."
"Okay." He smiles. Then my phone starts to ring. I reach into my pocket and take it out.
"Who's calling me?" I ask Peeta.
"Madge." He says "I'll turn it to speaker so you can hear it." He says.
"Let's bet that the first word will be traitor." I joke as he answers the phone.
"Hello?" I say.
"You traitor!" she exclaims. I smile widely and I hear Peeta trying to keep his laugh quiet.
"I didn't know!" I defense
"How come?"
"He called me after lunch, that he's coming in thirty minutes! I couldn't do anything." I say.
"You could call, we would come immediately."
"There was no need." I say
"We would dress you up." She protests. Annie and Johanna start protesting too. The must have the phone on a speaker too.
"He told me he doesn't want me to be dressed up." I state.
"Oh come on." Annie whines.
"He told me not to wear skirt or dress! He said it would not be very practical in the place where he's taking me." I say.
"Where is he taking you?" Madge asks.
"I have no idea." I say.
"Well at least you have to see where you are going." Johanna says matter of factly.
"Actually, I don't, he blindfolded me." I say.
"Is he kidnapping you?" Annie jokes.
"Maybe? Sort of?" I say doubtfully. "He wants to surprise me."
"Ohh, that's sweet." Annie sighs and I chuckle.
"What are you wearing?" Madge asks with a suspicious voice.
"Jeans, t-shirt and sweatshirt." I state. "And sneakers."
"And your hair?"
"Braid." I smile.
"Katniss!" she says frustrated. "You have to wear something nice for a first date!" she says angrily.
"Oh come on Kitty!" Johanna whines. "Can't you wear something hot for a change?"
"He told me to wear something like this!" I defense.
"Despite that, he should be taken back by your beauty on the first date and for that you should wear something hot." She argues.
"If I can step into this conversation" Peeta says "I would like to remark that I really told Katniss what she should wear."
"Katniss!" Annie yells "Why didn't you tell us that you're on a speaker?!"
"And even though she's wearing just ordinary jeans and sweatshirt…" Peeta steps in again "I'm captivated by her extraordinary beauty." He states with love in his voice and I feel his lips touch my warming cheek lightly, which makes me smile shyly. "As usual." he adds.
"Oooh" Annie and Madge sigh in unison.
"Is she blushing now?" Johanna asks. I don't doubt there's a smirk on her face.
"Yes, she is." Peeta says with a smile "She's so cute when she blushes." He adds.
"Okay, that's enough. I think we should end this call so we could continue in our date alone. Because that's what a date usually is. A meeting of two people who like each other." I say emphatically.
"Actually I would like to stay tuned and listen to whatever you will do." Johanna says.
"Not gonna happen Johanna." I state. "Bye girls, have a nice Saturday, I'll certainly have one." I say.
"Enjoy your date!" they call.
"Bye ladies" Peeta says and hangs up.
"I win the bet." I smile.
"No you don't" he says "She said 'You traitor' so technically traitor wasn't the first word."
"Okay whatever." I smile. We continue in our talk until the car stops. He opens my door and leads me out.
"Stand here for a while." He says I hear him close the door and lock the car.
"Do you know where we are?" he asks.
"How could I?" I ask.
"Okay, I'll lead you." He says and takes my hand. I follow him and my nose registers a familiar smell. I haven't smelled it for such a long time, that I'm not sure about it. But if I'm right, I smell horses.
"Okay, now extend your hand." He says. I do as he says and my hand collides with something warm and velvet.
"Horse?" I ask with a hope in my voice. I feel his fingers untying the blindfold. For a moment I'm blinded by the sun and when my eyes adjust, I see it. It's a beautiful black horse with long mane, standing calmly and eating grass.
"Are we going horse riding?" I turn to Peeta with excited smile.
"We are." He smiles back at me. Immediately, I pet the horse and he nuzzles his nose into my hands.
"Oh, I love you already buddy." I say and hug his long velvet neck with a content smile.
"I think I shouldn't do this. Now you will fall in love with him instead of me." Peeta jokes. I give him a playful galre and smile. He goes for his own horse and we get on them.
"Follow me." Peeta calls and his horse starts walking ahead. I spur my horse and he follows them.
It's so beautiful to see world from horseback again. We ride through meadows and forest about forty minutes until we arrive to a little lake. Peeta jumps down from his horse and he starts unpacking the bags from the horses back. He takes out a blanket and a lot of food. A picnic.
I jump down from my horse too and I tie both of them to a tree so they would not run away. Then I go to Peeta and I help him to spread the blanket out on the grass. I lie down on it and close my eyes while he takes out the food. The spring air is so sweet and beautiful, that I could fall asleep right here and right now. I even don't realize, that he finished taking out the food and lies next to me until I feel his arms embracing me. Without realizing or controlling it, my lips stretch into a wide smile.
"So, judging by that smile of yours, I conclude, that you like our date so far?" he says and I hear a happy smile in his voice too.
"So far." I say teasingly. Suddenly and without any warning, his lips brush mine lightly and they immediately go away, almost teasingly.
"And now?" he asks.
"I like it even more." I smile and finally open my eyes. He's propped on his right elbow, looking down at me with a sweet smile.
"What about you?" I ask him.
"I love whatever we do together." He says and again I remember my mum's words. 'You can't mess it up, sweetie. He's already in love with you, whatever you do, he will like it.'
"Me too." I smile widely.
"So what would you like to do?" he asks.
"I don't know." I say "Don't you have a plan?"
"No. I figured out, that we should enjoy this place however we want." He smiles.
"How do you want to enjoy it?" I ask.
"Actually I don't want to enjoy this place." He says and he leans down closer to my face. "I want to enjoy you." He whispers and his lips brush mine teasingly again. That awakes the butterflies in my stomach. He wants to pull away immediately again, but I wrap my hand around his neck, sliding my fingers into his soft hair and I pull him closer to me. Our lips meet in a soft lingering kiss, which ties knots in my stomach and I don't want it to end. I capture his down lip between my lips and I suck it softly for a long time, because it's feeling so damn good. But after some time, he escapes and his shaky breath tickles my ear.
"Don't you remember what your mum said?" he asks.
"Yeah, she told you to watch your hands." I whisper shakily because my breathing is too rapid. "She said nothing about my hands though. And she said nothing about lips." I smirk at him. He laughs quietly.
"And I always thought that you are such a pure person. Maybe I'll reconsider it." He smirks.
"Well I changed you, you're changing me." I smile.
"Oh, don't you try to put the blame on me!" he says.
"Why not? It's only your fault, that you're so handsome and irresistible." I smile and he laughs.
"Well you're irresistible too." he whispers close to my ear and then his lips brush my earlobe, which sends shivers through my body. His lips slowly and softly make their way along my jaw and as they touch my neck, I breathe out loudly. I feel his smile as he continues to travel down my neck with his lips. It sends a tingling sensation through all my body, ending on a sensitive spot between my legs. That feeling between my legs makes me a little scared. And then it happens.
His soft lips are still showering my neck in soft kisses, when suddenly a memory overwhelms me. I'm lying on the ground in a park, a man's body is lying on top of me. And it's not Peeta but that man's disguising lips are touching my neck. And I can't do anything. For some reason, I can't move, I can't scream, I'm so scared that I can't even take a breath.
"Katniss." he hisses into my ear and I start trembling.
"Katniss!" I hear another voice. It sounds far away and it sounds scared!
"Breathe, Katniss, breathe!" it yells at me. "Please take a breath!"
I fight the pressure on my chest and take one short breath and open my eyes. And suddenly I'm not in a park. I'm lying on a blanket by a lake on a perfect spring sunny day. The only person here is Peeta. He's crouching next to me, his hands are holding my left hand and his eyes are wide. He seems really scared.
"Breathe" he says urgently again. I oblige, close my eyes and take a deep breath. In and out. In and out.
"What the hell was that?" he asks.
"Flashback." I say quietly, opening my eyes.
"But it wasn't like during the play. One moment you were enjoying it so much, you even closed your eyes happily. And then, you tensed and stopped breathing and I was really scared you're gonna die or something. Then you started to tremble, you were choking and luckily I was able to get you back." he says and looks at me.
"I-i'm sorry Peeta." I whisper shakily. "I really liked how you kissed me, but then a bad memory came to my mind and I couldn't get out of it."
"You don't have to apologize, it's not your fault." he says quietly looking at me and seeing how I tremble terribly.
"Come here." he whispers and spreads his arms. I cuddle close to him and close my eyes. My heartbeat slows down gradually as I inhale his smell. It makes me feel safe. Yes. In these arms, I'm safe. He will protect me from every bad memory.
"You know in the beginning it was like that almost every day." I say "I would freak out about everything. But gradually, I got used to people touching me. It won't be easy with me Peeta. You can still change your mind, because it will probably take a long time until I get used to more intimate touching and kissing." I admit and look down embarrassed. His hand takes my chin softly and he raises it up so I would have to look him in the eyes.
"I'm not giving you up Katniss Everdeen." he says determinedly. "Even if it takes you years to get used to it, I'm not giving you up. I will explore each inch of your body, until you get used to me and until you feel good about it." he says and smiles a little. I smile too.
"You're so disbelievingly kind Peeta." I say. "I can't see how you can be so kind and optimistic after all you've been through with your mother."
"You make me happy Katniss." he smiles. I smile back.
"May I ask you something?" I ask, sitting across from him.
"Anything." he smiles at me.
"You said you were watching me since the first grade. Is it true?" I ask.
"Yeah absolutely." he smiles down at me.
"We were five. You had on a red plaid dress and your hair... it was in two braids instead of one. My father pointed you out when we were waiting to line up," he tells me.
"Your father? Why?" I ask surprised.
"He said, 'See that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a workman,'" Peeta smiles over the memory.
"What? You're making that up!" I exclaim. He wanted to marry my mother?!
"No, true story," he smiles "And I said, 'A workman? Why did she want a workman if she could have had you?' And he said, 'Because when he sings... even the birds stop to listen.'"
"That's true. They do. I mean, they did," I say hesitantly, remembering my father singing me lullabies. How come his father knew mine? Peeta told me that his dad was in the same grade as my mum and that he liked her, but I had no idea he wanted to marry her! Did they date?!
"So that day, in music assembly" Peeta continues „the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Your hand shot right up in the air. She stood you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, every bird outside the windows fell silent," he says dreamily.
"Oh, please," I laugh.
"No, it happened." he assures me with a smile „And right when your song ended, I knew - just like your mother - I was a goner," he says finally
"Then for the next twelve years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you." he smiles shyly.
"Without success," I add quietly and look at him shyly too.
"Yeah." he says and looks down.
"You have a... remarkable memory," I say haltingly.
"I remember everything about you," he says softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I feel my cheeks warming, but I can't do anything else than smile shyly. He smiles back, undoubtedly thinking about how cute I look with a blush on my face.
"By the way, I have something special for you..." he says. He reaches into his pocket and gets out little white box.
"You really didn't have to get me anything." I say.
"I wanted to." he smiles "I want you to have something that would remind you of me, when we're not together. Something which symbolizes what we've been through together." then he opens the box and takes out a Pandora bracelet with few charms.
"I chose a black leather Pandora bracelet for you, because I know you will feel better with leather than gold or silver. And I also chose some charms. Each one of them symbolizes something about us." he explains, while holding the bracelet up so I could see it.
"Firstly I chose one green glass bead and one orange glass bead since those are our favorite colors and they match together really nicely. Then there is palette and brush for me, because I like painting. Bow and arrow for you, because you like archery. Then there is a cupcake, because I like baking and a flower which was closest to the Katniss flower for you. There is also a Primrose flower for your sister. A music note, because we both love music and a horse, because we both like horse riding." as he speaks I feel my eyes stinging. This is the most beautiful thing I have ever got.
"Then there is this special one you see?" he asks and points at another charm. It is a girl, holding heart in her hands. There is "I love you mum" engraved in the heart. "That one is for Rosie of course." he adds, not noticing my tears.
"I know the bracelet is not even half full, but I would like to add more charms in there, whenever we do something special together. There are three more charms that symbolize our special moments. First one is an angel, reminding us of the Christmas party, where I told you the truth and where I met the most beautiful angel I have ever seen. Then there is this butterfly, because that's what we both felt when we kissed for the first time just yesterday. And finally, for today, I would like to add these two joint hearts. They would symbolize our first date and the fact that we are officially boyfriend and girlfriend." he finishes with a sweet smile. I am actually starting to drown in my tears.
"If you of course want to be my girlfriend." he adds and finally looks at me. He finds out, that there are tears on my face and he seems a little concerned.
"Peeta, no one has ever given me something as beautiful and as amazing as this." I whine and try to wipe away my tears.
"So you really want to be my girlfriend?" he asks.
"Yes." I give him a teary smile and then I hug him tightly.
"Can I put it on your wrist then?" he asks. I just nod, because it's hard to talk right now. I extend my left hand and he puts the bracelet right next to the one I have from Annie, Madge and Johanna.
"Thank you." I whisper into his ear as I hug him again. We stay in each other's arms for a long time.
"So tell me... You really want to be a baker?" I ask him, while examining the little cupcake charm on the bracelet.
"Well, it's what I really like." he says "My dad's family used to run a bakery. My dad loved to work there. He would take me there and I would help him and Uncle John with baking. It was like that until I was fourteen. Then my mother had a huge argument with dad and she made him sell the bakery in the end. She had enough money from her family so we didn't need it. Luckily it was Uncle John who bought it so it stayed in the family. But that was the time when my dad broke down. He had to stay home all days and witness how she abuses us, he would protect us, but after a year, he just gave it up. He started to drink and everything went even worse when my brother moved to collage. Since then I've been home alone with my parents." he ends up, looking a little sad.
"So do you have some plan what you will do after you turn eighteen?" I ask him.
"Well surprisingly I do." he smiles. "Uncle John died a year ago and since he didn't have any children, he secretly gave the bakery to me in his will and he also left me some money to start with. I will get it all when I will turn eighteen. My mother doesn't know about it. There is also a small loft above the bakery so I will probably move there and start it again. I would like to take my dad with me if it is possible." he says. "I can't really leave him with her. Even though he's broken now, he was always kind to me and he was trying to protect me. And he's trying to stop with the drinking in the last year and I must say, he's much better now."
"Wow." I say. "You really have a plan." I smile.
"I think it's time to eat huh?" he pokes my belly and I agree.
After we eat, we enjoy the afternoon by many ways. We ride the horses, we lie on the blanket, looking at the sky and telling each other what shapes the clouds have. He draws me, and the drawing turns out to be more beautiful than I really am. As the sky starts to get darker, we lie on the blanket again and watch the stars going out. For a long time, we just lay there, my head resting on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around me.
Then he moves slowly and I feel his lips touching my neck again. It makes me sigh shakily, because it's so unexpected. I really like the feel it makes around my body. Especially the pleasant tingling between my legs.
"Is it okay?" he asks quietly.
"Hmmm." I hum contently and he plants another soft kiss on my neck.
"So much more than okay." I smile widely. He chuckles quietly. "More like beautiful, sensational and electrifying. Satisfying and in the same moment forcing you to want more." I say and immediately regret it.
"Sounds good." Peeta mumbles. I feel how his lips curve into a smile against my skin as he plants another soft kiss on my neck.
"Sounds more dangerous to me." I sigh as his lips travel closer to my ear.
"Why would it be dangerous?" he chuckles and I open my eyes to look at him.
"Because I'm not ready for more." I say "But my body would not protest." I add and he smirks at me.
"Do you think you can fight the bad memories, when they come?" he asks examining me with crinkled forehead.
"I think so." I say "During the play, they were coming too and I was still able to speak and act, even though I forgot some lines, I was able to stay in reality. I think it's easier when I know it will come and when there is something what can keep me in reality." I say.
"I knew that you will hug me and I knew that the memories will come, but I also knew, that I just can't black out on the stage and I think those two things made it easier to fight the memory."
"Interesting." he says. "Would you be up for a test?" he smiles down at me. I close my eyes and take deep breath.
"If it involves your lips on my neck, I'm up to do it." I say and a small smile plays on my lips. He laughs softly.
"Okay. You hold my hand and if some bad memory is coming, just squeeze it okay? And I'll talk to you or do something okay?" he says and looks me in the eyes.
"Okay." I say. He smiles slightly and he leans down to kiss my lips softly first.
"Hmmm." I hum contently "You taste like cupcakes." I mumble between his lips and I feel him smile.
Then he moves his lips across my cheek, to my jaw and then to my neck as I slide my hand into his. Nothing bad happens at first. As his lips move around my neck softly, leaving a tingling trace it feels only good.
"You're still okay?" Peeta mumbles against my skin.
"Yeah." I breathe out. I feel him smile against my skin again.
For a while he moves to my earlobe, which is both ticklish and exciting and then he moves down my neck toward my collarbone again. And that's when it happens again. But this time, I'm waiting for it. I'm ready for the moment, when the memory will come. I'm lying on the ground in the park again. But this time despite all of the fear and panic, I feel a hand holding mine. And I know that hand is the only real thing in here so I squeeze it tightly and I try to fight the memory. I try to ignore the man, lying on me, I focus on the hand, I take a deep breath and then I hear a calming voice.
"It's okay sweetheart, it's just me. Peeta." I take another deep breath and the memory gets a little blurry. "He's not real. I'm the one kissing you, I would never hurt you." he says and his voice sounds stronger and closer. I know he's saying truth. I know he would never hurt me. I feel another kiss on my neck but it's not disguising anymore. And then the memory goes away, my grip on his hand loosens and I breathe out shakily.
"Katniss?" he whispers, his voice anxious.
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay?" he asks and I finally open my eyes. He's next to me, looking down into my face.
"I-I'm fine." I say shakily.
"What happened?" he asks
"The memory came to me again." I say "But this time I knew it's just a memory, I tried to ignore the man and focus on your hand." I say "And as you started to talk, it was even easier, to push him out of my head."
"So it helps when I talk to you or touch you somehow?" he asks.
"I think it's helping greatly." I smile weakly.
"We will fight all of this together okay?" he says with a smile and he hugs me tight.
"Okay." I say also with a smile.
"I think we should go back home." Peeta says and plants a kiss into my hair.
"Yeah we should or mum will freak out." I smile.
And so we do come back to the car and he drives me home. He opens the door for me as a true gentleman and he leads me to the door holding my hand all the time.
"So this is goodnight?" he asks, looking down at me with a happy smile.
"Seems like it." I smile up at him.
"Than goodnight sweetheart." he whispers, leans down and gives me a tender lingering kiss. That beautiful kiss is interrupted by my mum opening the door and we jump away from each other.
"Oh, sorry I didn't know you're here." she says as a blush comes to my face.
"It's okay, it was a goodnight kiss anyway." Peeta smiles.
"So I assume your date went well?" she asks him.
"Well I can't speak for Katniss, but for me it went wonderful." he smiles.
"It was nice." I smile too.
"So he watched his hands?" she asks me.
"Yeah he did watched his hands." I say putting emphasis on the last word and giving him a look, which my mum doesn't miss. She looks at him suspiciously.
"Yes, unlike Katniss, I watched my hands." he says and gives me a look back.
"Peeta!" I yell shocked, he laughs and I punch his arm, when I get a questioning look from mum.
"Okay, I think this is nothing a mother should want to know. I'll pretend I didn't hear that." she says, gives me a look which means 'We'll talk about it later' and she goes back in the house.
"Thanks for that!" I give him a glare.
"Oh come on, your mum has a sense of humor." he smiles. "And she knows I like to tease you."
"Good night Peeta." I say.
"You're not really angry are you?" he asks concerned.
"No I'm not." I smile a little.
"Okay." he says and hugs me lightly. "Night, night Katniss." he whispers and he gives me one last sweet kiss before going to his car and driving home.
"Katniss?" mum calls me from the kitchen.
"What?" I ask, leaning against the door frame.
"How did it go?" she asks with a small smile. I smile too. I was afraid she's gonna talk about that kiss.
"It was beautiful." I smile widely and sit across from her. You must know, that I don't have a usual teenager-mum relationship. We are really close, almost like a best friends so I'm not afraid to tell her such a things like my first date.
"He took me on a ranch, where we borrowed two horses. We rode in the forests around and we had a picnic. We talked a lot. And he gave me this Pandora bracelet." I say and show her every charm on it. She's touched by it too.
"And what did he say by the door?" she asks with a smile and raised eyebrows. "About you not watching your hands?"
"Mum." I whine. "He was just teasing me." I say, but a blush creeps up my face. And judging from her smile she knows what does it mean.
"And what was it you were saying?" she asks and I just roll my eyes.
"God, mum what were you expecting? Did you expect we would not kiss or touch each other on a date?" I ask her. She just laughs.
"Katniss." she laughs loud. "You really are the best daughter in this world." she says "Many of the teenage girls even get out of their panties on their first date. And most of them would not tell their mother about their dates." she points out and I'm a little shocked by her openness.
"And you are embarrassed, because of kissing." she says and looks at me lovingly. "How did I get such an amazing daughter?" she asks me.
"I have no idea how you got me..." I roll my eyes. "... but someone once told me that when you find a man who you truly love, you marry him, then he puts a little seed into your tummy and a baby grows in there until it is ready to go to the real world." I say remembering the words my dad once told me and a smile appears on my face.
"Ooh I remember that evening. We told you, that you will have a little sister and you kept asking how a baby gets into my tummy." Mum laughs. I smile too.
"Yeah, at least I know what to tell Rosie when she gets curious." I laugh and mum laughs too.
"I think I'll go to Rosie." I smile.
"Go." she smiles at me. "She was missing you. I'll go to work in an hour so I'll see you in the morning."
I go up, play with Rosie for a while and then I sing her to sleep. Then I take my phone and sent a same text to Annie, Madge and Johanna.
I'm home from the date, it was nice. If you wanna talk about it, come tomorrow at three.
After a while they all write me they'll come. And then my phone beeps again.
P: Hey Katniss. I just wanted to tell you, that I really enjoyed today. I would like to spent every day with you. :) Sweet dreams, sweetheart.
K: I really enjoyed today too. I hope we'll spent more days together. Night Night Blue-Eyes.
I smile widely, as I lie into my bed, thinking about him. I play with the bracelet he gave me, checking each of the charms closely. I really love it. And I start to think that I know what Madge meant by the true love. You really have to feel it to recognize it.
I sleep calmly until I'm woken up by my phone, which is ringing frantically. It's too dark to be morning already. When I look at the clock it's 1:00. When I look at the display I see that mum is calling me. That can't be good.
"Mum?" I mumble sleepily. "What the hell, it's one in the morning." I growl.
"Katniss." she says and the serious tone of her voice wakes me up immediately. My stomach ties into knots, because I just know something bad happened.
"What happened?" I ask, dreading her answer.
"Honey it's Peeta." she says, her voice full of worries.
So what do you think? I thikn it was a good date wasn't it? What do you think about the end? :) Leave me reviews, I'll be really happy for each one of them.
I don't think you really need an invitation for the next chapter, but just in case... The title is "Abused" and it will be really thrilling I hope. See you soon friends.
