12: Things are Looking Up
The cauterization went off without a hitch. Peeta walked slowly for the next few weeks and had trouble getting in and out of a sitting position, due to where the doctors had entered to perform the procedure – his groin. Katniss helped him whenever she could, almost obsessively. It was if she was his personal caretaker. The operation was not officially declared a success until Peeta's 24-hour EKG reading came back positive, but by that point, it hardly mattered. He was back on his feet, and able to lead the cast of Hamilton. The spring musical was even more well-received than the year before. Katniss was very proud of Peeta. But she wondered – had ever since their kiss in the hospital. Were they friends, exactly? Or something more…?