A/N - Hello all! I'm sorry it is up late, It's 9:30ish pm my time. But it's here, Chapter 26! Good news, This won't be the last chapter. The next one will be the last BEFORE the epilogue. But remember, the sequel starts after. I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Only one person reviewed. Hope I didn't lose anybody? :|
Occy3- I hope you know how much your words mean to me! ! ! ! I can't believe I'm one of your favorites beside J. K. Rowling and Suzann Collins herself (and others)! I'm not even an author, I just do this for a hobby because I'm bored! Oh, and you want more about the wrestling team? You got it in this chapter! :D I did it just for you. Since your always so faithful to my story and your comments make me smile.
Calling all the people who want more Peeta: You'll want to read this chapter then! Peeta's in it! Again, there WILL BE one more BEFORE the epilogue. I should have that one up tomorrow night, too (U.S. EST), If not earlier. I will write the epilogue and publish it sunday afternoon, starting on the Sequel immediately. Anyways, enjoy this chapter. And P-L-E-A-S-E review. I only got one was the last one, it disappoints me a little. I know everyone get's busy, though :). Much love - Macayla
The rest of the afternoon is nothing but sitting on the couch, watching Posy. I sit on the opposite couch, while Gale sits in the arm chair across from me. We don't say much, but I wish we would. My head is not just spinning because of the fight that I had with mother, but knowing the Peacekeeper's are mostly likely searching the town for us doesn't help. I lay my head on one of pillows and close my eyes. After a few minutes he does talk-
"Catnip?" I hear Gale's voice through the darkness of my eyelids.
"Hmm?" I respond. Leaving them closed.
"What's on your mind?" He asks. But he knows me too well. He knows exactly what's on my mind.
I open my eyes, only to find his eyes inches away from mine. He's sitting on the floor by the couch I'm on. It's amazing how quite he can be, in the woods, and not. He smile's when my eyes meet his. The smile that sends shivers down my spine. He repeats his question to me, again.
"It's nothing." I reply. Returning the smile.
"It's something, Katniss." He says, dropping his smile. "Why don't you go catch up with Madge. I'm sure their still there. It will get your mind off of things." He adds while brushing away a piece of hair from my face.
While he leans in to kiss my check, he leaves his hand just above my ear. I take a deep breath, absorbing the warmth from his lips as he makes a trail of kisses down my neck. All the same feels return, and it seems like every time they do, they only increase. Making the hunger stronger, and the warmth hotter. There's still a part of me asking if this is what I want. From my best friend? From my hunting partner? The person that has always been there for me? But besides Prim, he's the only person to ever make me truly happy since my fathers death. There's still a urge to push him away, telling myself I'm never getting married, I'm never having this type of relationship in my life. But I realize, since my fathers death, this is exactly what I need in my life. Not just from anyone though, I need this from Gale. And him only.
I push him off of me, gently, and stand. Pushing him in a sitting position on the couch.
You can do this, Katniss.
And I take a seat on his lap. My legs on either side of him. Placing my hands on his shoulders. And his hands find my waist.
"What are you doing?" He asks me through a pleased grin.
"Most guys don't complain when girl's do this." I say a bit seductively, while leaning in to kiss his neck.
As soon as my lips make contact with his skin, he moans. His hands squeeze my waist, which get's a moan from me. The feels are stronger, yes, but the feeling of 'I shouldn't be' is stronger, too. But I quickly throw it aside, staying focus on the pure pleasure of this moment. Not thinking of the future. Not thinking of the past. But living in the moment. What I need is Gale. I have never laughed and smiled as much as I have the past few days. And it's all because of him. I can deny it all I want, but I can't change what I feel. And what my heart feels. Sometimes life doesn't go exactly like you planned… but better!
While I was completely lost into my own thoughts, I just notice that Gale has his hands under my shirt. Just resting on my lower back. Once I reach the bottom of his neck, I work my way back up to his lips. While I do, Gale gently pushes my back, making my chest touch his. Being as close as we can get. We both moan in unison. I notice something hard between my legs, but before I can even respond or think Gale speaks-
"Katniss?" He asks a little breathlessly.
"Hmm?" I reply against his neck.
"You really should go hang out with Madge. I got things here for a little while." He says. I can't believe he would want me to stop doing this to him so I could go hangout with my friends.
"But what about Posy and Rory?" I ask. Knowing Posy's sick and Rory is still in his mad mood. I wouldn't want to leave Gale here alone to take care of both.
"Well, I know Posy's a handful.." He says while looking over my should, grinning. "and Rory… I can take him." He says with a wink.
I can't argue that I don't want to go. I do. Beside's the meeting yesterday and the short hunting trip in the woods earlier, I haven't been out of his house much. And that's one thing I hate, being cooped up with nothing to do.
"Well…" I start.
"Katniss, Go. You'll have fun!" He says while gently pushing me off of his lap. Making me stand, he stands with me.
He kisses me on the cheek before I nod and head into the kitchen to retrieve my hunting jacket from the back of one of the chairs at the table. I try to focus on the positive, of getting my mind off of things.
"Have fun." He says before I close the front door behind me.
After I'm out and down the porch stairs, I make my way to the school in town. We only have one for all the grades. But were sectioned off. One area is for the little ones, another area for the pre-teens of sorts, and another for the older ones. Like myself. We don't have many sports or activities. But wrestling is one of the few we do have. And for some reason, I enjoy watching it. It's mostly made up of boys, but there's a few girls. And several younger children. But their mostly boys from the oldest grades.
I get greeted by several polite smiles, which I make an attempt to return, when I enter the town. I don't know many people besides the people in The Hob, and just a few kids at school, including Madge, but most of the people from 12 are friendly. With the exception of a few. Like our District mentor for the games, Haymitch Abernathy. He won the games when he was younger. He's a drunk, and comes into The Hob at least once a week. Looking for more booze. But he's not friendly. Not even when he bumped into me once, sending my bowl of soup from Greasy Sae crashing to the floor. All that resulted in was getting cussed out, no lunch, and a pissed off Gale. And not to mention it broke the bowl, making Greasy sae upset. There was almost a complete brawl between him and Gale. But thankfully some Peacekeeper's were there and broke it off.
I'm lost in my own thoughts (which seems to be happening a lot lately) when I approach the school. It's surprisingly a large building, almost, if not as large as the Justice Building. I enter the large, creaky front door's and head to the gymnasium. It's toward the very back and it quite large. It houses any activities for any of the grades. And it's where we have our end of the year ceremony. Where we celebrate each kid going to the next grade, and sending our oldest 'off into the world' as our Principle like's to put it. The only thing I enjoy about it, is when she asks the youngest children, who just completed their first year, what they want to be when they grow up (not like they have any options though). Even though I'm not a fan of children, some of their answers can be funny.
I walk into the gymnasium and head for the bleacher's where the others are at. The room is large with the bleacher's on one side, and the other side covered in glass windows. Most of them have been broken out so that air can get through, and so were not left sitting in the complete heat, or cold in the winter time.
As I'm waking to the bleacher's I watch as I see two of the boys, at it on a mat in the center of the gymnasium. From what I can see, I don't know who either one of them are. But I see a few other boys, waiting for their turn at the bottom of the bleacher's. I climb a few, making my way to where Madge sits with a few girls. Her face lights up as soon as she see's me.
"Katniss!" She say's jumping up. "I'm so glad you decided to join us." She adds. Although I don't know the other girls, they all send smiles my way. I return it.
I take the empty seat next to Madge and lean on my elbows on my lap. We all watch in silent as one of the boys has the other boy pinned to the ground. After he doesn't move for a few seconds, they both get up and walk back to the other's waiting. I wasn't quite sure who those two were, but I recognize the next person immediately as he walks up with another boy. I watch him, with his blond hair and piercing blue eyes, as he takes his stand on the mat. I don't know the other boys name, but he must be his brother, older brother. They look just like each other, but he's slightly taller. And his features are more fuller. Indicating he's at least two or three years older. It almost amuses me, two brother's wrestling together. I wonder if they practice at home?
I'm completely lost in my thoughts (again) when I feel Madge nudge me on the shoulder-
"Hey, he's looking at you!" She leans over and whispers.
I'm assuming I was looking at his brother at the time, because I look over at… Peeta to see him starring at me. Smiling from ear to ear. It's a warm, genuine polite smile. Which I can't believe, and I want to slap myself on the head, but I return it. When I do he waves at me. But I don't know him, right? He did introduce himself to me yesterday, when he accidentally ran into me, but that doesn't mean anything, does it? I'm sure he was just being friendly. That's all. I don't wave back, but I make sure to smile a little wider. We stand there, starring at each other before his brother body slams him onto the mat. But, he quickly springs up, this time pinning him to the mat. Peeta does it so fast I barley even saw what happened. But all I can remember was his beautiful eyes. I quickly, and extremely quickly shake my head at that thought, and continue to watch as they wrestle. After a minute or so, Peeta comes out the winner. All the girl's cheer, except me.
Five more sets of boys go before they are finish practicing. Afterwards all the girl's go down to talk and mingle with them, I follow Madge, who follows them. I usually just go straight back home. But I have no idea why I'm going. I don't know any of them, therefore I have nothing to say to any of them. Me and Madge stand off a bit as the girls go over to the boys. I quickly realize why. Their all hugging or kissing on most of them. Madge and I just stand there, taking in the scene around us. I'm about to say goodbye to her when I hear a voice behind me-
"It's nice to see you again." I hear someone say behind me.
I turn around and lock eyes with Peeta Mellark. The warm, genuine smile still on his face.
"Oh…" I begin to stutter. "…yeah… you, too." I reply. But I'm not returning the smile this time.
"So you like to watch wrestling?" He asks while taking the towel in his hands and whipping the sweat off his brow. I have no idea why he would ask me, I watch them practice all the time. And he's always been there.
"Yeah… I guess." I reply. Watching his hands.
"Awesome! Well, I got to get back to the bakery. But I hope you have a good day." He says. His smiling only getting bigger.
"You, too." I say back. Still not finding the courage to smile at him again.
He nods his head at me before walking back off to where only his brother remains. I realize all the boys and the girls are gone. God knows what their doing now. I say goodbye to Madge and leave the school. Heading out of town and back to the seam. But just as I'm walking out of the school courtyard I sense Madge walking a few steps behind me. I stop so she can catch up. And when she does, she stands in front of me.
"Hey," She says a bit breathlessly. "I think he likes you. I know your with Gale and all now, but he would be a nice friend to keep around. And just incase.. . you know!" She says with a wink.
I can't believe, polite, nice young Madge is talking this way. She's always been a… what I call young lady. But now I will look at her differently after what she just said.
"Yeah, he's nice. But were not friends, Madge." I reply. Hoping she'll just drop this conversation and let me head back to Gale's house. But she doesn't.
"I know, Katniss. But that's what I'm saying. Keep him around, be friends, and if things don't work out between you and Gale. You have him!" She says cheerfully. My mouth almost opens in shock of what she's saying.
"I got to g-"
"Look, I don't mean to bash Gale, but I bet he would treat you better then he does." She says.
Her words immediately upset me, so I don't look at her when I walk past her, continuing where I was going. I hear her shout my name a few times, but I start to feel my face getting red with anger. She was bashing Gale. I'm to scared of what I might say, or do, so I continue walking to Gale's house. Not thinking of what she said, and not thinking of Peeta Mellark.
I open the front door of Gale's house to find everything quiet. I quietly shut the door and walk into the living room to see Posy still sleeping, and Gale sleeping, too. Rory's bedroom door is still shut, so I walk over to it. Knocking on it lightly.
"Go away, Gale!" I hear him shout. Gale must have tried talking to him while I was gone.
"It's me." I reply.
After a few seconds the door quietly opens. He open's it enough where I can only see one of Rory's eyes.
"We need to talk, Rory." I say. But I have no idea what to say to him. Sorry for yelling at him?
He sigh's loudly and opens the door all the way. He walks back to his bed, plopping himself on it and looking at a book he has. I contemplate just walking in, but he did open the door, so I do. Sitting on the edge of his bed.
"What are you reading?" I ask. It looks to me as though the Hawthorns like to read.
All he does is close the book, and throws it toward me. Landing right beside me. I turn it around to look at the cover, 'Treasure Island'. I've seen and heard of the book before, but never read it.
"Cool." I say while scooting the book back over to him. "Is it good?" I ask.
"Yeah, guess." He mumbles as he takes his book back and finds the page he was on.
"Look, I'm sorry for yelling at you. I didn't mean to make you upset." I say to him. He finally looks up from his book and at me.
"I'm sorry, too." He says. Barley audible. I decide to get his old, happy attitude back by teasing with him.
"What did you just say?" I ask, grinning. He leans back on his bed, grinning too.
"You heard what I said, Kat." He says.
"I'm not really sure I did, Rory." I reply, while leaning in a little closer.
"I said I was sorry, Katniss." He says slightly aggravated, but still grinning.
"Ah, I guess I did this time." I say playfully.
But Rory still doesn't look quite like himself, so I decide a next tactic. Tickling. I jump over and start to tickle his stomach.
"Stop… Stop!" He says in between laughing. But I don't until I hear a voice by the door.
"Alright you two!" Gale says while laughing, too.
I do stop and turn around to see Gale leaning on the door frame, with his arms crossed.
"Katniss, will you come help me start dinner?" He asks. I nod my head and get up from the bed.
"You'll have to tell me at dinner how your sleepover went." I say to Rory as I walk out of the room, following Gale.
As I walk into the kitchen I see Vick, talking with Gale. As soon as Vick see's me he speaks to me-
"Oh! Miss Katniss, Prim and your mom aren't coming back over. They have a few patients at home to look after." He says smiling. I hate when he calls me 'miss', but he's polite. I'm sad to hear I won't see Prim, but glad about my mother.
"Ok, Thanks Vick." I reply. He nods his head before he darts into the room he shares with Rory.
"Hey, boyfriend!" I hear Rory say in a girly tone. He's back.
Gale and I both laugh while he wraps his arms around me.
"Thanks, Catnip." He says, not looking at my eyes, but at my lips.
"For?" I reply.
"For being so good with Rory. And just for everything, Katniss." He says. This time meeting my eyes.
"Your welcome." I reply before he kisses me . . . . . . .