A/N: Hello my lovelies! Thank you for the very kind reviews, I just love reading them!
12 DAYS TILL CATCHING FIRE AAKDNIFBEKJKJ I'M SO EXCITED
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games
As the hovercraft door opens, strands of hair escape the confines of my braid and dance in fast movements in front of my face. Using my hand to sweep the hairs back, I carefully step down the small ladder. Once on the ground, I cross my arms to my chest, trying to keep my body as warm as possible against the harsh, cold wind that bites my cheeks. Stormy grey clouds sit in the sky above my head, small droplets of water falling against the earth now and then in a reoccurring pattern.
Pitter, patter. Pitter, patter.
With every drop of rain, another anxiety-filled thought races through my mind. I keep trying to tell myself that worrying isn't going to help me at all; nevertheless, tendrils of doubt continue to infiltrate my thoughts.
Today is the first day of preparing for Gale's court case.
After the six hour trip it took to get here, I should be relieved to have my feet on the ground again. Although, I can't help but yearn to hop back onto the hovercraft and fly back to District 12, back to the warm nights spent in my fiancé's arms.
The thought brings me to another realization. Peeta and I were engaged; a wedding would be happening soon. I mentally groan. It feels as though everything is happening at once: the court case, the wedding, and, of course, the babies. We were still waiting to hear from the Capitol if they had been able to find a cure. Hopefully it wouldn't be too much longer.
I see Peeta walk out the hovercraft, his eyes showing that he's taken aback by the Capitol's cold weather. He puts an arm around my shoulders, and we make our way to the small black car waiting near the hovercraft that will take us to our hotel. When we step into the car, I find it relieving that the windows are tinted. With my overly anxious thoughts, the last thing I need is the Capitol bombarding me with cameras and questions.
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"Oh, Katniss, my dear!" I hear a shrill voice behind me. Turning my head, I barely have a moment before elongated fingers grasp my shoulders, the tips of very long fingernails just poking my skin. The lady smiles at me, and then presses a kiss to each of my cheeks.
"Effie! How nice to see you," I respond in recognition. Beyond the electric blue wig and matching lipstick, I can still see my old escort.
Letting go of my shoulders, she turns to Peeta. "My dear Peeta! My, how you've changed! You've become quite the young man," she comments, grasping his shoulders and planting a kiss on each cheek. She steps back, six inch heels embroidered with blue and pink tulips clicking against the marble tile floor.
Getting a better look at her, I see that two tulips sit on top of her hair. The tulips are pink and blue, matching her heels. In fact, now that I can see her in full length, I notice her entire dress is an embroidery of pink and blue tulips. Underneath her eye sits a small black butterfly tattoo, finishing off her complex outfit.
I glance back up at her face, and notice that she has also been eyeing our appearances. Her eyes stop on my stomach.
She gasps in realization. "Katniss, either you have not been eating properly and let yourself go, or you are pregnant?" she says excitedly, the statement coming out as a question.
I smile at her words and feel Peeta come up behind me, placing a hand on my lower back. "Yes," I chuckle. "We are expecting," I inform her, looking up at Peeta as he flashes me a smile.
"Oh my! This is such exciting news! I simply cannot contain my joy for you two! Never did I think I'd see the day!" Effie rattles. "But, unfortunately, I cannot dwindle too long on the subject, since I must begin preparing you for the days ahead! Let us leave the lobby. Come, come," she says, beckoning us towards the elevators.
Peeta and I follow her, the subtle heel of my tan, leather boots clicking along the floor. Today, I made sure to dress much more appropriately for the Capitol's harsh, pre-winter winds. My tight jeans tuck into the leather boots, and a simple, loose grey top with long sleeves adorns my upper half. A warm, cotton coat is also slung over my arm, for whenever I have to go outside.
As we step into the elevator, I feel my chocolate colored hair sway across my back, since I had left it down today instead of in a braid, eager for the extra warmth upon my neck. I wasn't sure how I felt about it; all I knew was that Peeta absolutely loved it, and couldn't stop threading his fingers through it this morning.
Effie's long, rose colored nails reach out and press the elevator button with a 4 on it, before stepping back and standing next to us.
Looking down, I notice that the elevator's bright lights reflect of my chestnut waves, creating golden highlights throughout my hair. I hadn't noticed until now, but District Twelve's hot summer must have lightened my hair.
Looking around me, I notice that the elevator's walls seem to be made of a glistening kind of wood. I reach my hand out and touch it, only to find that it is actually plastic painted to look like wood. Still, it creates a comfortable feeling in my stomach.
After a minute or so, the elevator comes to stop, and the doors slide open to reveal a corridor filled with doors leading into offices. Each door has a little plaque, as to tell you whose office it is.
Effie leads us down the corridor, skimming the plaques with her eyes. Finally, she comes to stop in front of one. "Here we are!" she announces, digging into her purse for an entrance card. I shift my gaze to the plaque, reading what it says:
Aaron Stelli
Civil Law Attorney
I see Effie slide the card into a little slot on the door before grasping the handle and pushing the heavy door open.
Stepping inside, I see that the office is extremely neat and organized; however, it has a welcoming feel to it that I can't quite pinpoint. The floor is carpet, as opposed to tile, and is colored a light crème color. With every step I take, it seems as though my feet are sinking into giant marshmallow, the thought making the corners of my mouth turn up in a small smile. The walls are made of wood, colored a deep brown shade. Various paintings hang on the wall, the images ranging from potted sunflowers to earthy landscapes. Bookshelves and cabinets line themselves along the wall, leaving the office feeling very spacious. Three, light green armchairs sit next to each other in front of a large, wooden desk that matches the office's walls. What really catches my attention is that the whole back wall is, in fact, not a wall. Instead, a giant window stands in place of the wall, allowing anyone in the office to overlook the busy street below, flooded with the erratic colors of Capitol citizens.
Effie walks us across the room to the desk, where a man with black hair sits. "Aaron! So nice to see you," Effie squeaks as the man stands up, flashing us a dazzling smile. Now that he's standing, I see the crisp grey suit that he's wearing, along with a black and green striped tie tucked into the jacket. His skin is also quite pale, slightly paler than Peeta's, contrasting his jet black hair. But the feature that really captures my attention is his eyes. I can't help but be mesmerized by how amazingly green they are. At first, I think that the color can't possibly be natural; he must be wearing some sort of special contacts. As he greets Effie, though, I see that they aren't contacts. And he doesn't seem like the type to get cosmetic surgery like the rest of the Capitol.
"Hello Effie. Long time no see, eh?" he greets her.
"Oh, absolutely," Effie gushes. Then, as if remembering we were in the room, she turns to us. "Aaron, this is Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Children, this is Mr. Aaron Stelli. He will be your lawyer for the court case."
A/N: Oh lordie. Catching Fire is so soon I just can't even.
I wanted to remind you guys that on my profile, I always have the statuses of both my stories. So if you're ever anxiously waiting for the next chapter, just check there to see how far I am into the next chapter, or if it has already been posted.
I strongly appreciate your reviews guys, so keep it coming! For this chapter, review and comment your favorite quote from any of the books from the HG series! Mine would probably be:
"What I need to survive is not Gale's fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that." -Mockingjay