Chapter Fourteen

I'm awaiting a phone call from Portia regarding my test results but since I have to go to school, mum is going to forward the call to Ms Trinket if it comes while I'm gone. I don't know how I feel about being back here, especially now that I know that Coin is going to help us. I feel like somebody is going to be somehow be able to see through me, to the plan formulating at the back of my mind.

I'm getting fatter and even though I have started to wear shirts that are cinched just above the bump and flow outwards, I know people are beginning to notice.

"You aren't fat," Peeta scolds when I bring it up in Chemistry. We're huddled together at the same table, trying not to allow ourselves to be heard by anyone else in the class.

"Now don't be stupid," I answer. "You and I both know that I'm getting bigger. The cause for concern would be if I wasn't." I drop my voice to a whisper. "I'm just worried about people noticing."

Peeta's eyes how understanding and he nods. "The worst that will happen at the moment would be people accusing you of eating my cakes for me. They won't jump to conclusions of a baby just yet. You aren't showing enough for that."

I scowl at my notes, which are scribbled and lacking in detail. "I never thought about them jumping to conclusions like that. Not even jumping to conclusions, concocting bullshit just because I'm gaining weight while you're struggling to put yours back on. If they dare do that I'm going to go 100% psychotic on them."

"100% psychotic," Peeta repeats. "I'd rather you didn't."

"I know," I huff. "But, come on, if they do get on like that then they're crossing a line."

"And as bad as that will be, it won't be for long. Only a few months," he answers.

"I don't like the thought of even that," I mutter.

"I've dealt with much worse for much longer," says Peeta. "As long as you keep your temper in check, I'm sure you'll cope."

"My temper in check?" I reply, unconvinced.

"I know," Peeta sighs, amusement clear on his face. "I can hardly believe it either."

"Katniss, Peeta, stop talking," Mr Crane scolds.

A snort comes from the table in front of us. "Pff, they have lovers' spats in class," Cashmere says, throwing her hair over her shoulder as she turns around to glare at us. "How rude."

"Cashmere, pipe down," Mr Crane says.

"Whatever."

Peeta and I can't even speak to each other anymore without being accused of having 'lovers' spats'. It's not because they genuinely believe that we are fighting, it's more of just a way to poke fun at our relationship. The worst is when they say things like we're imprinting; or humping; or fucking; when we're simply sitting close to one another or hugging. We don't kiss in front of them, the only thing we do around others is hug and hold hands. But to them and their vindictive ways, it's enough to laugh at.

Some of the rumours I hear about us are disgusting. Things ranging from blowjobs behind the bleachers during big games to fucking in bathroom stalls. I don't know if Peeta is aware of what most likely Gale and Glimmer are spreading around but it really bugs me that they're shitting all over his purity, just for fun. The worst we have done on school grounds is had a snog behind the bleachers, which had briefly included his hand on my chest and mine on his butt. That was it. In fact, the kiss wasn't even that long.

I hate fucking rumours.

"Katniss, there's a phone call for you," Mr Crane suddenly says, breaking me from my thoughts. Peeta squeezes my hand and I nod, getting out of my seat. "Go to the office," my teacher says as he passes me a hall pass.

The ladies at the office don't give me a second glance as I approach, simply pushing the telephone towards me flippantly. I pick up the receiver and press it against my ear. "Hello?"

"Hello Katniss," Portia says. "How are you feeling?"

"Worse for wear but okay," I answer.

"Your test results have come in," Portia tells me.

"And?"

There's a pause where all I hear is Portia's breathing. Then she answers. "They came back positive."

My heart stutters in my chest and my hand goes to my stomach instinctively. I move away from the open window through to the office so the women can't hear me and ask, "My baby has Downs Syndrome?"

"I know this is difficult news to hear," Portia tells me. "But Downs Syndrome isn't anything to be weary of. Your baby will still be born happy and healthy, it will simply have an extra chromosome. We'll make sure that whoever adopts the child knows how to care for a Downs baby and ensure that they partake in a few courses to make sure they realize the extent of their parental duties."

"So my baby is still healthy?" I ask, because that's all that matters to me.

"Yes."

"Then that's fine. Thank you, Portia."

"You're welcome, Katniss. If you want to discuss it further at any point, feel free to contact the midwifery," says Portia.

I thank her again and hang up the phone. I make my way back to class feeling at ease now that I know the truth and don't have to sit and anticipate it. In reality, whether my baby had Downs or not had never been a concern for me. It's not something I believe should hinder someone's decision to be a parent but then there are some sick people out there who would disagree with me, I'm sure.

As soon as I enter the Chemistry lab, my eyes lock with Peeta's. He raises his eyebrows in silent question as I give the hall pass back to Mr Crane and I nod, confirming what we had both been waiting for a response on. Then, as if the wind changed or the elements shifted, Peeta's face turns bone white and he falls forward, his head slamming down hard against the table top.

"PEETA!"

~xXx~

They took Peeta to hospital and inserted his pacemaker there and then. His body had been struggling to cope for ages now and the flutter my news had given his heart had been the spark that it needed to go into spasm. In a way, his early surgery is a good thing, because now the pacemaker will regulate his heart beat. They give him a bracelet, identifying him as a person who has a pacemaker inserted, so that if he ever wants to get on a plane or has to go through a metal detector he can prove he isn't dangerous.

"We need to stop meeting this way."

Peeta chuckles, taking my hand and using his fingers trace the lines of my palm when I sit by his bed side. The room we are in is different to the one he had been in for his anorexia. Where that one had been closed off and slightly stuffy, this one has a large window that overlooks the carpark of the hospital. It's rather symbolic. Closed off and stuffy, a sign of illness and desperation. Open and bright, a sign of healing.

"I'm sorry I scared you," he says.

"Don't be silly, you couldn't help it," I reply. "Are you in pain?"

"It hurts a bit," Peeta answers, "but it's more uncomfortable than anything."

I lean forward and stroke his chest, just above the stitched up skin. The wound is beginning to bruise and I can tell that there will be a scar left behind when the stitches dissolve. "Can you feel it working?"

"I think so . . . I don't really know how to tell just yet," Peeta admits. His eyes flutter with contentment, liking the way my fingers feel softly stroking him. My touch must put him at ease, the same way his does for me. My hand slides up to touch his face and he smiles, turning his head to kiss the palm of my hand.

"The nurse told me that you can't put any pressure on your wound," I tell him. "Which includes supporting your weight with your hands." I grin cheekily. "Looks like I'm going to have to top you for a while."

Peeta laughs. "I love how you sound so remorseful of that," he says sarcastically.

"I know, it's devastating, isn't it?" I joke. I kiss him, brushing the hair back from his face as he kisses back. "You should get some rest. I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."

Peeta nods and settles down on the bed. I continue to softly caress the side of his face, lulling him to sleep. It's not fair that someone so good should go through so much. I wish there was something I could do. I wish I could take all pain and suffering away from him, somehow. Even if it meant taking it onto myself instead. Maybe not when I'm pregnant, though. After that.

I gaze out of the huge window, to the grey skies outside. You can tell that it's November, the winter weather getting worse and worse every day. Judging by the skies it's going to rain later, no surprises there, but hopefully my mum will be able to take me home with her, even if her shift ends too early for my liking. Not that I want her to stay on, but I wish I could stay with Peeta longer.

When I leave Peeta's room in the hospital to get myself a glass of water, somebody grabs my arm and drags me into a storeroom. I yelp with surprise and lash out at them, punching and kicking at them while they fumble to find a light switch. When the bulb finally flashes on, I'm met with the smug face of Gale Hawthorne.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I spit at him.

"Glimmer has some allergy appointment or something," Gale answers. He smirks. "I didn't expect to find you here."

"What do you want?" I snap.

"What are you doing here?" asks Gale.

"None of your fucking business," I reply.

Gale acts offended. "What's with the attitude?"

I stare at him. "Are you serious? After what happened on Halloween you're lucky I didn't contact the police. You nearly hit me and you assaulted Peeta, knowing full well that he was sick and you could possibly break his ribs. Do you honestly expect me to be all happy and welcoming towards you?"

"Well, if I'm honest I was convinced that your love for that twerp was an act," Gale informs me. "Just to spite me."

"You're an idiot," I reply. "Peeta has given me more than you ever could. And he didn't feel the need to make me jealous so that we could be together. We're not the ones performing the act, you and Glimmer are! No, wait, just you. Glimmer isn't. She thinks you genuinely like her, doesn't she? Unless you've suddenly ditched your feelings for me and are trying to pursue other girls, that is . . ."

"Like you did?" Gale smirks.

I narrow my eyes. "I didn't ditch my feelings. I realized they weren't all that genuine in the first place."

"So you decided to shack up with the first boy who would take you then?" Gale asks, raising his eyebrows. "Not just any boy, either, the fat, anorexic, bi-sexual pretender, nerd that is Fatboy Mellark?"

"Don't you dare," I warn, my voice scarily low. I'm not having this. Especially not today when Peeta has just gotten his pacemaker inserted. "If you circulate that nickname again I will chop your balls off, ditto for any more of your homophobic ideas. What do you think the 'B' in LGBT stands for anyway? Bingo?!"

"Peeta has given you more than I ever could," Gale muses thoughtfully, ignoring my warning. "Does that mean that the rumours about you blowing him in the Janitor's Closet are true?"

"Not everything is about sex, Gale," I snap.

"That's where you're wrong." Gale grins. He tries to stroke my cheek but I smack his hand away angrily. "Everything is about sex."

"That is how you ended up dating Glimmer, a girl who's going to end up having to sleep her way into a job while I've actually got a kind, generous, intelligent man as my boyfriend." I scowl when Gale laughs and try to leave, only to be stopped by his hand against the door. "Let me out."

"Don't act like there wasn't a time where you'd have let me fuck your brains out," Gale says, his face getting too close to mine for my liking. I step back, and bump into a mop. "Just because you're hanging out with the nerds now doesn't change the fact that you are dirtied. No matter how hard you try, there will always be a part of you that is like Glimmer, and Cashmere, and Cato, and even myself."

"Anyone can change," I hiss. "You just have to be willing to admit that you're the evil one."

Gale blows a raspberry. "Is that what Finnick did? Did he finally admit that he's a man whore?"

"Shut up," I snap. "Finnick is braver than any of you jocks. He had the courage to admit that the system is wrong, and in doing so he found security with the girl he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Our pasts don't affect our futures, I of all people know that. At least I'm trying to make a change, whereas you and your stupid friends are stuck in this cycle of bullying and idiocy."

Gale is too amused looking for a man that is being shouted at. I try to push past him again but he grabs my wrists and holds them together, forcing me to look him in the eyes. "I know those rumours about you and Mellark aren't true," he tells me. "He can barely hold himself up, let alone have the balls to give you want you need."

"I don't need anything," I growl, trying to yank my wrists out of his grasp. "Not in the sense that you're talking anyway."

"I know that you still want me," Gale whispers, smirking like a cat that's got the cream. "I know that you still want me to give it to you."

"I am not who I used to be," I say. "I will never, ever be her again."

Gale ignores me, his eyes falling to my body with a confused curiosity. "Why are you getting bigger, anyway?" he asks. "You were always that annoying brand of person who could binge and not put on any weight."

"I didn't put on any weight because I had cheerleading practice," I reply. "I don't anymore, because of my leg, so I'm putting on a little bit."

Gale grins. "It's a good thing that I still find you sexy, huh?" he smirks. His hand easily finds its way up my shirt, due to how it's such a loose fabric, and I jolt when his fingers graze my stomach. I scream and knee him in that gut, pushing him over when he releases me to double over in pain.

"Fucking touch me again and I will call the police," I snap. "And if you dare take this out on Peeta, I will make sure you regret it. I will protect him until my dying breath."

It doesn't occur to me until I've stumbled out of the closet that Gale may have felt something he shouldn't have. Surely I hit him quick enough for him to be unable to tell that I'm pregnant? That my putting on weight isn't really due to binge eating? He couldn't possibly have felt my baby bump.

Right?

A/N: I'm sorry for not updating last week! I was in England (:

I've seen Mockingjay Part 2 twice now and I still can't get over it. I won't divulge anything for those of you who haven't seen it but, trust me, it's good!

Please R&R!