I had found where Annie lived. This was the last day of visiting District 4. Cyra didn't want to leave, but I could tell that Peeta missed me when we talked over the phone. He would say, "Have a good time, don't worry about me." But i couldn't help but worry about him. I always worried about him, even back in the days when I shouldn't have.
And I missed him.
The house was small and some of the wood had begun to mould from the river that would rise to high levels if it rained bad. Sometimes, the river would overflow and mix with the sea, or so I have been told by Cyra. The house was nothing special. But I could have seen Finnick living her. I could imagine him waking up and opening the front door, spear in hand. He would stand there, for only a moment and look out at the view in front of him. His eyes, those immaculate eyes that he used to have. I could picture them now, staring at me while he ate the sugar cube, teasing but friendly.
This was his home for sure, their home. I briefly wondered why she wasn't in the Victors Village, but then maybe this house had a lot of memories.
I knocked the door three times, because it seemed like a good amount. I heard some noise and then Annie answered the door.
She smiled at me, and then hugged me. "You look well Katniss." She said into my ear.
I hugged her back. "So do you." For the quick glimpse I had caught, she did look well. Her dark hair was longer, and her green eyes looked slightly brighter.
She looked healthy. After she had got over her shock of seeing me, she stepped aside.
"Please come in, I have someone for you to meet." I stepped into the house.
The house was full of memories, picture hanging everywhere and what I could only think to be keepsakes hung from the ceiling and walls. Furniture littered the area and a wooden floor with mellow dark red walls that made the house cosy. I smiled, I want a house like this when I'm older a house to pass down to generations, a house full of memories.
"Katniss, this is Finn" I look around and find a little boy; he couldn't have been much older than a one year old. He hid behind his mother's legs, afraid to see me.
I must seem quite scary, covered with my scares. But I bend down and sit back on my legs to officially greet him. Annie pushes him to me and he shyly steps out.
He had light brown hair, and his father's immaculate sea green eyes.
I was so glad he inherited those. Those eyes must have been crafted by angles.
I hold my hand out to him. "Hello Finn, my name is Katniss." He stares at my hand.
Annie bends down. "Remember what I told you, this is one of you Daddy's friends."
I liked the way she called me one of Finnicks friends. He studied my face. How scary I must seem to him. Finally he thought me safe and smiled at me.
"This was Finnick's old home when he was a young boy." She smiled, remembering a happy memory of time long ago. "With his parents gone Finn and I thought we would take this place on. It was badly beaten when we bought it. But I redecorated by memory. I remember how it would be. It had a warm feeling to it, and I wanted to create that." She smiled and leaned back in the chair. She didn't seem to be mad Annie no more; she seemed to have a purpose now. To live her life as well as Finnicks.
I stayed there for not too long, only making short talk and nothing else. It hurt to be there, to be around them and not have Finnick present. I left feeling deflated but please at seeing them once before leaving.
We would catch the 4 o'clock bus which was in around an hour time. I admired the view one last time before letting myself slip away towards. Jeni gave her fair wells to Cyra and when she came to me, she handed me a small glass star. It was painted at the tips in a gold sticky paint and the centre had Cyra written in small perfect hand writing. "Will you give this to Cyra on her eighteenth birthday? I don't want her forgetting me, when I'm gone. I want her to have this from me."
I nodded, thanked her then headed towards the train station. Cyra taddled along, but then she stopped and stared down a path that I hadn't even noticed before. "Come on Cyra, we have to go."
"Do you want to see where I used to live?" She asked. Her green eyes stared forward in amazement at the path. The rout was quite dark and if I must say, scary. I'm not easily scared, but from the brightness and liveliness that District 4 gives, this place seemed like a whole different world. She walked down there, not even listening to y response.
I followed.
The house was old, shabby and falling apart. A low fog clung to the beaten house and seeped in and out of the trees. The trees all slanted towards the house, like they were drawing all the energy they could get out of it. It was evident that this place was hit badly during the Uprising, it looked like the only place that had been hit. Cyra circled the house, peeking in through windows and showing me where she played as a child how the room was arranged. She told me that her mother would stand by the door, half in the living room and half in the kitchen, watching Cyra play while her father read a book. There would always be music playing from the radio, soft music like country. She took a step back. "Can we go inside Katniss?"
I shook my head. It was hard enough to be told these memories; I didn't want to make her suffer. But she walked in anyway. I thought it only right to wait outside.
The train ride home was painful. I was longing to see Peeta, to hold him again. It has only been a few days, but it felt like forever, especially with the bad news of my mother not coming to the wedding. The wedding wasn't long away, 4 days I think. No doubt my stylists will be making an appearance soon.
Cyra slept most of the way home. Nothing disturbed her. The Downton's had phoned me and told me they would be at the station by six o'clock. It now six and we was passing through district 11, it wouldn't be too long now.
I imagined Peeta and Haymitch there, smiling at me, welcoming me home to Distrcit 12, the place to live, the place to die.
When we pulled up, Mrs Downton took Cyra home after thanking me.
Only Haymitch greeted me at the train station. He told me Peeta was waiting for me at the bakery but couldn't leave because of customers. I guessed that was fair enough a reason, but he could have closed. I was a little mad of him not being here, but I will forgive him. He hugged me and picked up my suitcase then we began walking to the square.
He asked all sorts of questions, how pretty the District was, how my mother was. He also asked how Annie and Finn where.
We had to separate to either town or the Victors Village; he gave me an other hug and said that he would take my things to the house.
I felt nervous at seeing Peeta, I could wait to kiss him. It felt weird even thinking it, I'm not the loved up girl people expect me to be. I'm not like other girls. Give me hunting any day over an hour of cuddles in bed. But I missed him. I loved him, so i had a good reason to think about it.
I walked in the bakery and found it alit with candles. I called Peeta and he stepped out, shock on his face. His beautiful eyes, caught slightly in the candles, making them look slightly on fire. "You're too early!" He said, shaking his head and looking up at the clock that hung on the wall.
"I'm sorry, do you want me to go away for another three days and come back then?" I was a little hurt as to how he greeted me.
He half leaped, half ran over to me, taking hold of my hands. "No, of course I don't mean that!" He said and squeezed my hands. "I just, had something special planned." He looked sad which automatically made me feel sad.
I gazed around, the whole place was covered in burning candles, I could smell the oven baking bread and a low humming sound from the back of the bakery which sounded a lot like music. I smiled. "All I need is you to make anything special." I kissed him, and my stomach turned with nerves like they used to when we shared those meaningful kisses in the games. He wrapped me in his arms and I felt safe.
"I missed you." He murmured. He kissed me again, knocking away whatever response I had been thinking. He pushed me forcefully back into the wall, his hands gripping my waist, to the point where his nails almost dug into my skin.
"I missed you too." He leans away, but I want him to never stop kissing me.
"I can't wait to marry you." His words surprise me at first, but then I realise that I can't wait to marry him either.
- Hey guys, another chapter for you. I'm not sure, but maybe the next will be the Wedding one, or the one after.! So it is soon! Any dress ideas you have for me, what colour the style? Think on the lines of what Cinna might have done :) REVIEW!
Shunice xx