I take a big breath as I feel myself out of instinct hold onto Cato's arm. My sister is in this apartment. So is my mother. I feel my heart skip a few beats. Cato wraps his arm around my neck to calm me down. Looking up I see him looking straight ahead. It is a gesture I wasn't expecting but in many ways it feels natural.
"Here we are," I say.
"Yup this is the place." He says walking me forward to the door. The train ride was long and boring but it gave us some time to takes shifts sleeping. At first Cato told me to just take the whole time to sleep but I refused. I wanted to prove to myself I wasn't just some weak little girl.
"Do they know?" I ask. He shakes his head. For a moment I wonder what Katniss will think when she sees me with this stranger who has his arm protectively around me.
He knocks on the door and as if he read my thoughts his arm drops to his side and I glance up at him. "Don't want to freak out your sister and mom." He says and I give a smile. I wonder what that means. We have gone through hell together so I guess it just means we are close but part of me tells myself that this is turning into more than just a friendship. That part also earns for that instinct to be true.
I want to go home, I miss my life and my friends but at the same time I can't deny how much I have learned. Besides I was never popular at school, they were all so snotty. Lucky enough it is summer and I am not missing school.
I hear the door unlock three times before it begins to open. It opens slowly the room looking dark before I see a boy emerge from the darkness. Maybe a year older than Cato. As soon as he sees Cato and I a smile appears on his face as he quickly ushers as in and Cato tugs on me to pull me inside before the boy with blue eyes and blonde curls shuts the door behind us leaving us in darkness.
As soon as the door closes the light flashes on as I see Katniss standing curiously at us. When we see each other I run forward and she opens her arms as she picks me up in her arms. I nearly cry as we embrace each other in a hug. "Katniss I miss you so much!" I say.
"You too little duck." She says into my messy blonde hair. "Man Prim you smell." She says letting me go and I let out a laugh.
"I have been through so much." I say suddenly just wanting to sit down and talk to her for hour after hour.
She looks worried suddenly and looks back to Cato. "What was he doing all this time?" She asks putting her hands on her hips.
"Things got complicated Katniss the only reason I am even here is because of him." I say finding myself defending the boy I wanted nothing to with a few days ago.
"Because he betrayed you." She says suddenly and I hear Cato move forward and watch as the boy moves quickly to hold him back. He looks at Katniss with worry; I realize suddenly that I wasn't the only one bonding with a boy.
"You have no idea what happened." Cato says. I could see distress obviously on his face. I am caught. I know in my heart I would love to side with Katniss, my sister, but I was there and I know that Cato did what he did he realized was wrong.
"Peeta told me you gave my sister to the very people you were supposed to protect her from." Katniss says moving forward and I know hold her back.
"Katniss you don't understand." I cry out.
She turns back to look at me, "You could have been killed Prim. He put you in danger."
"And then he got me back out of danger." I say pleading with her.
She looks at me and then Cato, does she see what I have started to? I take a deep breath before the boy- Peeta it seems- talks.
"We will have time to explain things later but right now I need to talk to Cato and then we need to get on the move again. Prim might be okay now but because of a mistake we will have to go back on the move for safety."
"His mistake." Katniss says looking to Cato.
Cato is silent. "Katniss we need to trust him." Peeta says silently and after a moment Katniss nods.
"Just stay away from my sister okay?" She spits at him. He stays silent and so do I. I just want to talk to my sister.
"Prim?" A small voice says and I spin around. My mother. I feel a tear appearing as I hug her tightly.
I see over my mom's shoulder Cato glance towards Peeta before Peeta mutters, "We need to talk. You guys should catch up." Peeta says sharing a deep look with Katniss. I can see how clearly they like each other. I am happy for my sister and would love to talk about boys to her but Katniss hates Cato and I much rather spend the time catching up with more important things.
"Okay then," Katniss agrees leading my mother and I further into the apartment. I can see four rooms. As much as I hate to see my sister despise Cato so much I am still so excited to talk to my family again.
Two hours later I was all caught up and so was Katniss. My mother eventually fell asleep but it was still nice just to talk to a female who wasn't evil. She told me she was beginning to fall for Peeta and I told her everything except the part where I was beginning to fall for Cato. Also left some details from our heartfelt moments. I just told her enough to try and have her understand Cato and how much pressure he was under.
She seems a bit more neutral towards him at that stage but it was obvious she still isn't fond of him. She doesn't think I like him in that way back so that is all that matters. For now, though eventually I want her to accept it. We have bigger issues now though.
I even got to eat a nice warm dinner and shower. Afterwards Katniss gave me some clothes, lucky for me Katniss is short but the still were large on me. It was all right though, I just wanted to pass out now though. We leave in the morning to go to somewhere to wait this all out till we are sure Cato won't get in trouble and it will be safe for us.
"I am really happy for you and Peeta." I tell Katniss. I know someday she will accept Cato and I.
No what am I thinking about? Cato and I aren't dating, that isn't the situation! Maybe he likes me but that doesn't mean I have to start worrying about us like we are in love or something.
I take a deep breath as Katniss smiles. "Thank sis I know you will find a guy too some day when you are older." She says. I can tell she is trying to tell me that Cato isn't that guy but she doesn't have to worry because I am not even sure if he feels that way about me.
"Thanks," I say resting my head on my pillow. Since there are only four rooms I am sharing with her while Cato took the fourth room.
"Night little duck." Katniss says smiling before crawling under the sheets.
"I have to use the bathroom quickly though." I say getting up and she nods closing her eyes.
Walking out of the room I move down the hall to where I know Cato is. I consider walking in but decide to knock silent so no one hears. "Come in," I hear his voice and I take a moment nervous before opening the door to see just a small light in the corner and Cato sitting on the corner of the bed.
"Hey," I whisper.
He smiles at me.
"I just wanted to talk." I saw feeling awkward. I feel like I have been pushed onto his boat when it comes to this situation. I don't want to here it from Peeta even if he is nice as can be. I want to hear it from complicated Cato. "What is the plan?"
"Prim…" Cato trails off. "Maybe your sister is right. I gave you up, I saved you but maybe I should just leave."
I sit down next to him. "Don't say that please." I nearly sob. "You know all this time I am just here because of you!" I whisper harshly.
"But you almost died because of me."
"And I forgave you because I realize you didn't do it because you are a bad person but because you were stressed. I know that you won't do that again, I know you are certain of whose side you are on now." I say standing up frustrated.
"You need someone to protect you. Peeta would do a better job. I am a traitor." He says.
I sigh wanting to scream. I get in his face refusing to let him do this. "Don't do this, don't be sorry for yourself! For one I an protect myself. Two, stop acting like you can just decide what is best for me. I want you to stay and that should be enough reason for you to understand that you don't need to run away from me." I want to say a million more words but I don't want to talk too long and I definitely don't want anyone to hear us.
He stares at me for a few moments as before leaning forward to capture my lips on his. Before I know it I am sitting on his lap as we kiss. Captured in the moment everything leaves my thoughts. This is my first kiss, this is it.
Time passes before I pull away from him unsure what to do next. "That was unexpected." I say unsure what else to say. Cato doesn't say a word.
I get up from his lap about to leave when he gets up tugging on my arm and pulling me around to give me a quick kiss before releasing me again to rush out of his room. Breathless I return to the door of the room where Katniss lies. This definitely has complicates matters.
Today we leave for this mysterious location Cato and Peeta refuse to even tell us about. Last night after running from Cato I went back and tried not to feel guilty about doing this all behind my sister's back.
Eventually I managed to fall asleep but when morning came I could barely keep my heart from breaking from my chest each time I even glanced at Cato. I can only wish that Katniss won't notice it.
I pick up a small bag that carried everything that I have. Which included the clothes I washed that I originally wore when I came to this place and a brush I was lent. Not much, but it is something.
"Okay we need to make this quick, just act casual and happy." Peeta says clapping his hands together throwing his backpack over his shoulders. We all nod and him, Katniss, and my mother head out.
"I will check on Cato." I say with a small smile as Peeta nods leaving me alone. Taking a few moments to gather myself before breakings down I quickly walk to the room Cato was staying in. Seeing him standing there ready to go I don't know what to say. I don't want to bother to try and figure what we are out because I am beyond that. I just want to get out of this alive. It is just shocking knowing that I hated him not too long ago. Everything has changed so much. He turns around to see me and smiles.
"Prim," he says.
"Cato," I say with a nod. "We are heading out now." I say. Things were easier when he was just showing signs of liking me a day ago, now that we have kissed it took things to a whole new level I wasn't sure I knew how to deal with.
"Everything fine Primrose?" He asks. It is interesting to hear him say my full name.
"Everything's great, I just really don't want anything to be awkward. Things are more important right now than the fact my sister hates you and…" I trail off.
"I know, it doesn't have to be. I will grow on your sister and everything will be fine, trust me I grew on you didn't I?" He asks and I nod looking up at him. He has changed so much, maybe that is good. Maybe it is bad. I just think that maybe it isn't that he has changed he has just become more open. I can only hope. I don't want to change him just for him to dislike me because of it.
"Of course." I respond back not dwelling on it. He puts his hands in my hair and leans down to kiss me quickly before stepping back. "We should get going." I say putting on a smile.
"Things are going to get better." He tells me, and for a moment I allow myself to believe it.
Thanks to those who reviewed it really encourages me. And what you all thought I was just going to ditch again? Nope I am here to stay.
Plus as you all can see I am awful with writing romantic moments and all... sorry I am trying improve