So after almost (one month, two months?) of trying to write my other story, Torn, I went back to this story and began reading these reviews that I had gotten for the previous chapter. Yes, it did say it was complete but I suppose I should have given it a better ending, so here it is! I've always felt so comfortable writing this story and never really had writer's block (which is amazing, since I seem to always do) and so writing this chapter took me only about twenty minutes and I guess I'm pretty happy with the results. Now I guarantee that there won't be another chapter, but if I get a couple reviews asking for a sequel, I just might.
So thank you for reading! Sorry for the readers who had thought the story had ended on the previous chapter, it was supposed to, but I felt too bad since I knew what was happening and you didn't.
Was it possible to cry and be smiling at the same time? I wondered as I walked down the aisle, holding the bouquet of yellow dandelions in my left hand. I fought the nervous habit to pull at the lacy long sleeves of the white dress as the warm spring breeze hits me.
Yes, I thought to myself, they're called tears of joy.
I prayed that I could walk in these death traps that Annie insisted I wear without accidentally tripping in front of everyone, especially Peeta's family. Luckily, my lacy dress is only knee-length, so tripping on a train wouldn't be happening. I have Haymitch, my uncle, have his arm looped in mine, and I clutch on it desperately, hoping I don't embarrass myself.
When my uncle's support is suddenly pulled away from me, I almost fear that I will mess up, but then I realize that I'm here, in front of the one man I love most. I hand my bouquet to Annie, one of my four bridesmaids. The pastor, Claudius Templesmith, stands between Peeta and I, and begins to recite passages from the bible.
Listening to what Claudius is saying is probably a good idea, but I can't pay attention to a word he's saying. My focus is on Peeta, handsome in a black tux, a yellow dandelion on the lapel. His hair is messy, just the way I like it, and I'm sure he had to fight with his strict mother on how he did his hair.
I love you, I mouth, looking straight into his luminescent blue eyes.
I love you too, he grins.
"Let us now hear from them as they recite vows of their love to another," I hear the pastor say, and I snap out of my trance.
We've practiced our vows a billion times before, not together of course, for we wanted to hear them on the wedding day and not a minute before. I've written and rewritten my vows thousands upon thousands of times, each time resulting in another piece of paper in the recycling bin. I felt bad, Peeta was already finished writing his right after we discussed about how we were going to say our own vows. I couldn't even write down my love for my husband the day before the wedding.
So I decided that I was going to wing it.
It's what I'm best at doing, reacting then questioning myself later.
And I can easily explain my love for Peeta in seconds, how much I love him and how I will forever, it's not at all hard.
"Katniss," Peeta begins. "I love you. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain how much I do, but I'll try."
"We were five years old when I first saw you. I remember watching you sit on the stool in music class and watching you sing the Valley Song. I knew I was a goner. That was the day I fell in love with you, actually. That was also the day that I told my father I would marry you, no matter what it took." I hear Peeta's father chuckle in the background.
"And then came the summer after our junior year in high school. You came in to buy some bread like you usually did, but this time, you actually looked at me. I swear, I thought that I died and had gone to heaven." More laughter.
"Then you came back the next day, and you actually talked to me. We talked and talked. Your friends teased us endlessly but I didn't care because I really did like you, and I knew that I was going to tell you soon enough."
"And so I told you. I told you that I liked you and I didn't care if you liked me back because I was just happy that we at least became friends, that I could talk to you. But you told me that you did like me. That was one of the best days of my life, until today." I can hear Annie and Madge aw-ing behind me. I bite my lip nervously, knowing that I can't top this. I knew I should have written the vows earlier. Too late to write them now.
"And so I vow to protect you to hold you when you have nightmares. I vow to make you an endless supply of cheese buns," everyone laughs. "I vow to make you happy everyday. And I vow to love you now and forever."
I can't stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks. Thank god I told Johanna not to put much makeup on me, and the makeup that I am wearing is waterproof.
"Peeta," I say, nervousness spewing out of me. I try to speak loud enough for everyone to hear. "You are my everything. You are my best friend, my savior, my soul mate. I will and always love you forever."
"When we first met, I swore that I would never date, much less love. But you changed that. When I looked at you for the first time that day in the bakery, I knew that I wouldn't be able to control my feelings for you. I knew that I liked you. A lot."
"And so then we dated after we confessed to each other about how we both liked each other. Five years of dating and they were amazing. When you drove me to the meadow after Glimmer's party," I give the ditzy blonde in the crowd a small smile before focusing my attention back on Peeta, "I was sure that you were going to break up with me. But you did the exact opposite."
"And so I vow to you that I will always cherish you, protect you. I vow to try to tolerate Buttercup," I roll my eyes, thinking about the mustard-colored cat Prim had bought us a year ago. Naturally, Peeta had given it food and done all the work. Buttercup and I can barely sit on the couch together without getting a scratch or getting pushed off.
"I vow to give you kids," I had always denied Peeta every time he had ever talked about wanting children during our engagement, but hearing his vows had made me want them. Miniature versions of Peeta running around our house wouldn't be bad, not at all. It would be great, actually. Peeta widens his eyes as if he was asking me if I was really serious.
"I vow to love you, forever," I finish. Peeta smiles, his blue eyes even brighter than before.
"Do you, Peeta Mellark, take Katniss Everdeen to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, through sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?" Claudius asks, facing Peeta. But Peeta's only looking at me.
"I do," Peeta says, grinning. I give him a nervous smile back.
"Do you, Katniss Everdeen, take Peeta Mellark to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, through sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?" Claudius looks at me.
"Yes. I do, I mean," I breathe. I knew I'd mess up somewhere. But Peeta just smiles.
Peeta Mellark is my husband now. This is real. My face breaks out into an even bigger grin.
I want to laugh, tackle him, kiss him like there's no tomorrow, but I obviously can't do that. Not in front of everyone else, at least.
"Please exchange the rings," Claudius orders.
I nervously slip on the simple silver wedding band onto Peeta's finger, my hand shaking, hoping that I put it on the correct finger. Luckily, I did. Peeta slips the gold ring onto my finger, the small diamond shining. He holds onto my hands, giving me a crooked smile. My stomach flutters.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife," Claudius gives us each a small smile. "You may now kiss the bride."
Peeta leans in and kisses me, and as our lips meet, can see every moment we've had together. I see our first meeting, the summer bash Cashmere and Gloss had held, us singing horribly off-tune together in my truck, the meadow. I see everything.
Finnick, who stands behind Peeta as his best man, clears his throat. I blush and lean back out, although I'm not that embarrassed really. Peeta's my husband, that's what married couples do; we kiss.
Peeta Mellark is my husband. We are now married.
The realization is hitting me with even more force than before and I want to cry even more than I was when walking to the altar. But the tears I want to shed are tears of inexplicable happiness. The fact that the amazing man in front of me is mine forever is almost hard to believe.
We walk back down from the aisle, holding hands as the guests throw yellow petals at us. I want to skip, maybe even run. I don't want this amazing feeling to go away ever, though. I want to freeze time and just stay with Peeta, right here, now and forever.
And so when we sit next to the fireplace in our new home, just the two of us, eating pieces of crispy bread, I realize that maybe I wouldn't want to freeze time now. I want to start a family with Peeta and have so many more memories with him; I wouldn't want to freeze a story that's just beginning. I want to experience happiness in the warmth of my baker boy's arms.
Better ending, I assume. So obviously Katniss said yes to Peeta's proposal and everything. Did you guys like it or hate it? Please review, thank you for reading this story, especially to the people who had been reading since the beginning and were left on a cliffy! Thank you so much, I love you!
If you want a sequel, tell me, and I'll think about it.