Surprise, surprise! :) I'm back very quickly. I wanted to make you happy with another chapter so quickly, because I know how you all long to know who is the man who raped Katniss. So... TA DAAAAA! Here it is :)
Chapter 14: Party Life
I'm woken up in the middle of the night by my phone ringing loudly. I groan, get it from the bedside table and answer the call.
"Huh?" I mumble still half asleep.
"Katniss Elizabeth Everdeen! Were the heck are you?!" my mum's yelling wakes me up immediately. I look at Peeta's alarm clock and find out, that it's one in the morning and we were supposed to come back home after we clean up.
"Shit! We fell asleep!" I curse under my breath.
"Watch your language young lady!" mum says still angry.
"I'm sorry mum, we were just talking in the living room and fell asleep on a couch." well it's almost true. "I'm getting up and heading home." I groan and sit up.
"No!" she says strictly. "You are not going home at this late hour. Stay there until morning, but God help you if you do something improper in there!" she threatens me. Too late. I hear in my head and smirk.
"Don't worry mum." I mumble and fall back onto the pillow.
"Okay. Goodnight." mum say.
"Night mum." I mumble and hang up. I toss the phone back on the bedside table and cuddle up to Peeta again.
"Who is calling you in the middle of the night?" he mumbles with a sleepy voice. Did I already mention how adorable his sleepy voice is?
"Mum." I mumble "She was concerned why we didn't come home."
"Are we in trouble?" he asks and opens his eyes to look at me.
"Nope." I say into his chest. "I told her we were talking in the living room and we fell asleep on the couch."
"Interesting." he smiles. "I remember it differently."
"That's something my mum would not want to know." I whisper and he chuckles as he pulls me closer to his body.
"Night night, Katniss." he mumbles.
"Night night Blue-Eyes." I whisper and smile against his chest. I think this will be my favorite place to sleep.
When I wake up in the morning, I'm aware of his fingers running through my hair and his arm embracing my naked body. My lips spread into a wide smile and I cuddle closer to him.
"Good morning, beautiful" he whispers and I hear a smile in his voice.
"Mmm." I hum.
"We should get up." he says.
"Why?" I whine.
"Because I have a feeling that my dad will come soon and we don't want him to see us like this." he points out.
"Okay." I smile and kiss him softly.
Later that day, Peeta comes to me with an invitation for a party. Party held by our schoolmate Glimmer. I don't like going to parties, but Peeta keeps bugging me all day until I give up.
"Katniss, it's the biggest party of the year, last one before the exams, please come on, just this once. It will be fun I promise."
"Okay, okay I give up!" I groan "I'll go, but you have to promise you will stop me when I've drank too much." I say.
"I swear I'll keep an eye on you." he says and kisses me softly.
So in the afternoon Johanna, Madge and Annie remake me again. I had the only condition, which was, that I will have the same outfit I had on Peeta's birthday. So at 4:30 we're all ready and there's a knock on my door.
"So are you ready ladies?" Peeta asks.
"We are" I smile and I go to him.
"You're beautiful." he says with a smile and kisses me softly "As usual." he adds.
"Thank you, Prince Charming." I giggle.
"Okay, enough of your corny chat, let's go." Johanna encourages us and we all head down.
As a true gentleman, Peeta opens the door for me first and then he opens the back door for Annie and Madge because Johanna got in on her own already. Then he drives us to Glimmer's house, where the party is held.
"I still don't understand, why would she invite us." I say.
"It's an open party, Katniss, anyone can come.
"Yeah, but you said she gave you an invitation."
"She did." he says.
"Why would she do that?" I ask "I thought she hates you."
"She wants to get you drank, separate you and get him for herself." Johanna states.
"Yeah, that's the only option, that came to my mind too." I say and look at Peeta in concern.
"Well, than her plan is really bad, because that's not gonna happen. No amount of alcohol can make me leave you." he states. He places his hand on my knee and a thrilling shiver runs through my body.
"Ohh, that's sweet." Annie whines.
When we arrive at Glimmer's house, the party is already started. There is loud music, a big crowd of people (I don't know more than half of them), everyone has some alcohol in their cups and many of them are dancing crazily or making out somewhere. What a place for a non-party person like me. Peeta gives me an encouraging smile and he takes my hand. Probably to make sure I will not run away.
"Let's get beer!" Peeta exclaims. He leaves me with girls and goes for our beers. He comes back in a minute, bringing beer and leading Gale and Finnick. He hands me the cup and I look into it suspiciously. Not that I would never taste beer before, but I'm not sure I should drink much alcohol. Peeta laughs at my expression.
"Katniss, come on it's just beer." he laughs and drinks from his cup. And so I give in and drink. It's not that bad.
At first, we just go through the house, finding out where are the toilets, where is the dance floor, where is the kitchen and we also talk with a lot of people. After my second beer, Peeta drags me to the dance floor and I'm not resisting. That is suspicious. I think the beer has already had some effect on me.
For like half an hour, we dance crazily. Annie and Finn are dancing too, Gale needed three cups of beer until Madge persuaded him to dance too. And Johanna, well she already found two guys who dance around her and try to impress her. I think that I had three beers already, because the party is not feeling so bad anymore. I'm laughing more than usual and Peeta is laughing with me all the time. We dance crazily, sometimes we even kiss even though I don't like kissing in front of other people a lot. But who cares, we're on a party, that's what you do isn't it?
When we do a short break in the dancing Peeta brings me another beer. Is that my fourth one? I'm not sure any more and who cares. In that time someone starts a karaoke. For a while we're just standing in the crowd and making fun of drunken people singing awfully of tune. But then Peeta gives me a mischievous smile and runs to the little stage. That can't mean anything good.
"Oh God. Not again." I groan and I see him choosing the song.
"What are you talking about?" Madge asks.
"He will sing and no doubt he will drag me in too." I whisper and for some stupid reason I stay where I am. If my brain would be clear enough, I would go away to avoid it.
"Let's see." Johanna says as Peeta jumps up at the little stage.
"Hi everyone!" he exclaims. Everyone cheers. "I would like to devote this song to my beautiful girl." he says and winks at me. My cheeks start to turn red when everyone turns my way. And then the song starts playing. I recognize it from the first tones, because it's my favorite. "What makes you beautiful" by One Direction. Peeta starts to sing in his sexy voice and I don't know why I start to smile as he jumps down from the stage and walks towards me while singing the first verse.
You're insecure. Don't know what for
You're turning heads when you walk through the door.
Don't need make up. To cover up.
Being the way that you are is enough.
He accompanies his words with big gestures and smiles and winks and I giggle (did I really do that?)
Everyone else in the room can see it.
Everyone else but you.
Baby you light up my world like nobody else (he points at me and comes closer, while dancing)
The way that you flip your hair (Without realizing it, I brush my hair away from my face)
Gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground (a blush comes to my face and I look down and smile. Why do I do this?)
It ain't hard to tell
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately (Now he finally came to me)
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful
Oh oh, that's what makes you beautiful (he grabs my hand and drags me in the middle of the dance floor.)
So c-come on. You got it wrong.
To prove I'm right I put it in a so-o-ong. (We dance crazily and I probably had enough beer, because I don't mind that everyone is watching. I dance crazily with him)
I don't know why. You're being shy.
And turn away when I look into your e-e-eyes (I smile as his blue eyes dart into mine).
Everyone else in the room can see it
Everyone else but you
I don't know why I do it, but I just do. I grab the mic from his hand and sing the chorus instead of him and I mean it too. He is beautiful for me. And he plays it with me.
Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair (He flips his blond waves with a smug smile, which makes me smile wide)
Gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground (He acts like a shy guy and smiles at the ground, looking up at me shyly in the end)
It ain't hard to tell
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful
Oh oh, that's what makes you beautiful
He takes the mic back and we sing together now.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na.
After this he gets serious, he steps close to me and looks down at me with a loving expression on his face, singing the chorus more calmly now and looking me deeply in the eyes. To let me know, that he means it. I'm mesmerized by the color of his eyes so I just stare into them and forget everyone around.
Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair
Gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground
It ain't hard to tell
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful.
We sing the chorus one more time and than the song ends. In the end he twirls me twice and I stagger a little because I feel dizzy.
"That's my beautiful girl." Peeta exclaims and he kisses me as everybody cheers for us. Than he puts his arms around my waist and leads me back to our friends.
"Katniss I never thought I will say it, but you are a show off!" Madge states while Annie and Johanna laughs.
"It's his fault!" I point at Peeta. But I turn my head too quickly and it goes so dizzy I have to hold onto his arm.
"Hey." he laughs and steadies me. "I think you had enough of that beer huh?" he asks.
"I don't know. It wasn't so good in the beginning but I like it now." I giggle.
"Oh, she's giggling, she definitely had enough." Johanna states.
"I'll get you some water." Peeta states.
"Okay, I'll go to the toilet and we meet back here okay?" I ask.
"Okay." he says and goes to the kitchen while I go to the bathroom.
As I walk out of the bathroom door, I bump into some huge guy. I mumble a sorry and try to go away, but he grabs my hand.
"Hi Katniss." he says and when I look up I recognize Cato. Peeta's old best friend and captain of the school football team.
"I didn't know you're here." he says and smiles down at me. He still holds my forearm and I'm uncomfortable with that.
"Let go of me, Cato." I say, but he doesn't.
"Why would I do that?" he smirks "Now when I have such a nice chick in my hands, why would I let you go?" he asks "I think we could have some fun together."
"I don't think so." I say and give him a disguised look. I try to wriggle out my arm, but he's too strong. It only makes him hold me stronger and he leans me against the wall. Suddenly I feel sober. My heart starts beating and I start to panic.
"Please let go of me." I plead him and he smirks.
"Oh, come on Everdeen. We already had some fun in past, why not do it again?" he asks and leans closer to me. His drunken breath makes me sick and I start to tremble slightly.
"I don't know what are you talking about, Cato, I have never had anything with you." I say and try to push him away again. Again I'm unsuccessful, because he's too big and I'm too small.
"Ohh yes we had. You just don't know." he says and his lips are just inches from my face. They lean to my ear "Katniss." he adds and suddenly I panic even more. Because that hiss is too familiar. It reminds me of the man who raped me. I think that a flashback is coming, but it is not! The voice is real. And as I look at Cato, who is smirking at me, I feel terrified. As I take in his gingerly brown hair and green eyes I realize the truth. My eyes go wide and I start to tremble. He is the one who raped me!
"So you remember how I took your virginity away, Katniss?" he asks and kisses my cheek. I turn my head away, but that only makes him kiss my neck. I try to wriggle out for one last desperate time, but I'm too weak.
A quiet sob escapes my lips and I give up my resistance. My body is trembling, my mind is empty and I close my eyes. I feel his hand sliding up my tights and my body tenses. I want to scream, but for some reason, I just can't make any sounds.
"Don't worry. You will like it Katniss." he whispers into my ear and I sob again. I don't know if I'm in my nightmare flashback or reality. I wish it is just a bad dream and Peeta will wake me up. But he doesn't I feel Cato's lips on my collarbone as he pins my arms above my head. His hand squeezes my breast and I sob again. My mind turns off and I can't hear anything from the party. Just his hissing and my heart beating. I can't breath. Or I don't want to? I know it will happen again. He will rape me again. And then I hear another voices. Like very far away. I recognize them as Gale and Finn.
"Hey! Get off her!" Finn yells. Then someone yanks Cato off me and I stand there, leaning against wall, trembling and scared to open my eyes.
"Don't you touch her again!" Gale yells and I hear a punch and a painful cry from Cato as I slide down to the ground and hug my knees, lying on the floor. I don't want to be here anymore. I want to be away from these people.
"Katniss." a familiar kind voice echoes in my mind. It's Peeta and he sounds scared.
"Breathe Katniss, bereath! Take a breath! For me!" he pleads and I really want to. I take a shaky breath but it does no good. It only makes me sob and cry and tremble even more. Than someone's arms touch me and I flinch away.
"It's me. It's Peeta, I won't hurt you. I love you remember?" he whispers soothingly. His arms touch me again and I let them. He strokes my back and hair and my tense muscles relax. But that makes me tremble even more. He gathers me into his arms and I huddle in them. That's the only safe place in this world. I cry and tremble as he carries me.
"I'll take care of her, I'll get her home."
I hear Peeta's voice far away and then the noise is away and I feel fresh air. I still sob into his shirt quietly. I don't know how long is he carrying me, but eventually, he opens the door of our house and goes in.
"What happened Peeta?" I hear Mum's concerned voice.
"I'll tell you, but let me get her into her bed first." he says and mum doesn't say anything.
He gets me into my room and he lays me into my bed carefully. He sits next to me and strokes my arm soothingly.
"I'll be back in a minute okay?" I just nod slightly and close my eyes. He goes out of my room, but he doesn't close the door well so I hear his conversation with mum.
"One guy tried to rape her." he says angrily. "We luckily came in time and got him off her, but she is in a bad state. She's not injured, but she's not well." My mum says something but I can't hear it.
"I will never make her to go to a party again." Peeta says angrily.
"I wanted to ask you, could I stay with her tonight?" he says "I'm afraid about her, I can't leave her alone in this state." he says.
"Okay, stay." Mum says and I hear the door closing.
I hear him come closer, but I don't open my eyes. He scoops me up and sits down on my bed. I cuddle up into his arms and hold onto him tightly. I start to sob loudly and I still tremble terribly. He holds me tightly, he strokes my back and hair and he coos soothing words into my ear. I hide my face into his chest and listen to his heartbeat, while my tears are falling on his shirt. After some time, I calm down a little, but I'm still not absolutely okay.
Every time I remember about Cato, I feel sick. I feel sick because I finally know who is the father of my child and I'm really not happy about it. It won't change my love for Rosie, but I will never look at Cato same way. I will always be scared to meet him, to even look him in the eyes. And for some reason I'm not able to tell Peeta what I found out. I can't tell him that Cato is the one who raped me.
Eventually we end up lying in my bed. I'm enveloped in Peeta's safe arms and I want to sleep. I really want to but I can't. I'm scared that he will come to my nightmares. I'm scared, that he will never ever go away.
"Sleep Katniss." Peeta whispers. "Sleep and if you have a nightmare I'll wake you. I promise, I'll keep him away from you. I promise." he whispers and I believe him. Finally I fall into unsteady sleep. I have few nightmares about the rape. Now, when I know it was Cato it's even worse. But Peeta is always there to wake me and sooth me. I don't know what would I do if he was not here. And I don't know what I'm gonna do when I meet him at school or anywhere else.
When I wake up in the morning, the sun is already up high and Peeta is not there. Rosie is also not in her crib. It must be late then. I get up from bed and head to the kitchen not even bothering to change from my pyjamas. When I arrive, Prim, Peeta and mum look at me and I can see the careful look in their eyes.
"Morning." I mumble and collapse into the chair next to Peeta.
"Morning, sweetheart." he whispers and kisses my cheek. "How are you feeling?" he asks.
"My head aches." I complain. It's not that bad, but I hate headaches.
"That's what happens when you party too hard." he chuckles and I smile slightly.
"Peeta was just telling us, that you were singing and dancing on the stage." Prim giggles.
"True." I smile "That's why you should not go on parties Little Duck."
"Stop calling me like that." she says annoyed which makes me smile. "I'm not a baby."
"Okay, okay, big sis." I say and bite into the toast Peeta put in front of me.
"Where is Rosie?" I ask.
"In the living room. Watching morning cartoons." Prim says.
After I eat breakfast, Peeta suggests we have a walk with Rosie and I agree. Some fresh air will do me good. I try to forget what happened yesterday. I try not to think about Cato, but I know I won't be able to forget him at school. We take Rosie and walk to the playground, where she happily digs into the sand again. We sit on a bench and watch her silently for a while.
"So how you really are?" Peeta asks.
"I don't know." I whisper. "I'm trying to forget what happened."
"I was hoping you was so drunk you would not remember." he says sadly.
"I'm not that lucky." I smile sadly. "Thanks Peeta." I whisper.
"What for?"
"For staying with me." I say and downcast my eyes. He holds my chin up so I would look him in the eyes.
"Always." he says with a smile and he gives me a soft kiss. "Whatever happens, I'm always here for you." he whispers.
"And I'm always here for you." I whisper back with a small smile and I hug him.
"I love you." I whisper into his hair.
"I love you too." he whispers back and I feel much better. I hope I will be able to overcome my fear of Cato.
So I know that Cato did not look like that (green eyes and gingery brown hair) in Hunger Games, but I don't care. And I hope you don't mind. So tell me your feelings :) What do you think about my story so far? Let me tell you that we're not in the end yet :) I don't know how many chapters there will be, but I still have ideas so I keep writing :) Next chapter is called Cupcakes and Muffins :D And you will have to wait for it because it's not done yet! Bye for now, don't forget to leave me a review and thanks for favs and follows.
P.S. I have an announcement :) The 200th review will get a surprise from me (but it can't be a guest review. If it is, I'll give the surprise to someone else).