I stumble forward and clutch Peeta's arms in shock for a moment before releasing them. I stand up straight to collect myself and brush a few loose strands of hair out of my face. I look up at him again and he is staring at me intently, with a look of concern in his eyes. His gaze softens. He speaks to me quietly.

"Are you okay? I saw you crying in class." His eyebrows knit together in worry. He stares at me and then his eyes flicker back and forth between the two of us; he stands back a few steps when he realizes how close we are. He crosses his arms and watches me awkwardly. Looking down the hallway and back to me, he looks as if he's trying to plan a route of escape if needed. My fault, of course. Because of me he just can't get away from me fast enough.

"It's okay. I'm okay. I just... had a bad dream is all." I look into his eyes and hold his gaze. It would be so simple to just come out and say it. I miss you, Peeta. I'm sorry. I was wrong. But I'm stubborn and always have been. Besides, I'm probably not in the emotional state to have that conversation right now. He probably hates me now anyways. Then I realize-

I'm still staring into his eyes. I look down at the floor as his gaze stays steady on me.

"Your father?"

My head snaps up. My words come out as a whisper as I glance down, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. "More or less." It's true, at least. I'm not lying. He was in my dream, if only for a moment. Peeta doesn't have to know that the majority of it was about him.

He takes a small step closer and lowers his voice. "Do you want to talk about it?" I look up at him again and get lost in his eyes. He's always had beautiful blue eyes. They show a world of emotions with just a single look. Up close I can see flecks of different shades of blue in them. My eyes go down to his lips and I remember the dream. My cheeks flush.

I don't deserve him at all. I never will.

"No, Peeta, I'm fine. Promise. I'm just really tired and exhausted and I had a bad dream in class," I say as I run a hand through my hair. "My emotions have been all out of whack lately and I guess it's caught up to me. I haven't been sleeping the last month or so." My body freezes. Did I reveal too much? I look up at him and his eyes are sad as they focus on me. He bites his lip and looks away.

His voice is a whisper. "I know how that feels." His words pierce through me with their implications. He doesn't say anything else. This is the first time I've been able to really look at him in a while, and I take advantage of the moment. His hair is messier than usual and his eyes look tired. His skin doesn't have the usual glow that it used to have. He looks exhausted just like I feel. I'm such I look like it too.

The effect of us being apart is obviously wearing on both of us.

"I'm sorry, Peeta. I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to be a burden-"

"You never burdened me Katniss," he interrupts. He seems frustrated with me, understandably. "I just overstayed my company. I get it." He shrugs and turns to walk away. He stops and glances back. "See you later." He turns his back and starts down toward his locker on the other end of the hallway. I watch him and my hands are twitching, nervous. I take deep breaths. I call out to him.

"Peeta, wait." I rush to catch up to him as he stops, but he doesn't turn around. I stand there for a moment waiting but he doesn't move. His back is still to me as I take his hand and pull it so he faces me. His eyes stare at the ceiling, the floor, everywhere but me. He blinks a few times and bites his lip, still avoiding my gaze. "Please." I give his hand a slight squeeze and his eyes flicker to mine. I see a moment of anger, then a softness in his eyes that I used to see all the time. Then his face hardens and he looks angry again.

"Please what?"

Confused, I tilt my head. "What?" I'm taken aback for a second.

"You said, 'Please.' Please what?"

"I... I don't understand..."

"Last time we talked you said we couldn't even be friends, and now you're standing here looking at me like that and holding my hand again and I don't know what you want from me. We can't be friends. We can't talk. We can't be 'anything,' " he says, making quotation mark gestures with his fingers. "And now you're standing here with me pleading for I don't even know what. What do you want from me?"

Peeta waits patiently as I stare at him. He waits for a long time, but I never say anything. My mouth is hanging open just a little and I'm speechless; I know I deserve everything he's saying, but I don't know how to respond. I don't know how to say the words I want to say. I've never been good with words. He sighs and steps backwards away from me and lets go of my hand. "I've got to go, Katniss."

I don't reply as I watch him walk away from me. Come back to me. Just come back and wrap me in one of your bear hugs and be my friend again. I'm sorry. I shake my head. I'm talking to him in my head. That'll do no good. But I can't talk about this at school. I need to talk to him when no one is around; I need to really talk to him, and explain everything. Maybe then he'll understand. Maybe then he won't hate me.

My mind is made up. Operation Get Peeta Back is now officially in motion.

Short chapter, I know, I know. I'll be posting the next one up very soon! What do you think Katniss should do to get Peeta to start talking to her again? Do you think it's possible? Has she pushed him too far away or is their relationship salvagable? Until next time, my loves! :]