All Right
"I feel like I owe him something, and I hate owing people.
I twiddle my thumbs as I wait Gale to pick up the phone. Will he recognize my voice? Will he be surprised? Will he be mad? Will he be happy to see me calling, to see me initiating the interactions for the first time? Will it be awkward? Or it will be just like the old times, when we relied on each other with all our hearts with not a single worry of betrayal?
As if he can read my mind, Peeta mutters, "It's going to be fine. Don't worry; trust me."
I take a couple deep breaths. The ringing stops, and I hear a low grumble.
"Hello?" the voice says.
"Gale?" I ask tentatively. "It's Katniss."
"Katniss?" he repeats. "Catnip?"
I can practically see the goofy grin on his face as he says Catnip.
"Yeah, it's me. Got your letter," I say, as nonchalantly as possible.
My efforts to stay calm were useless; his voice drops several tones as he mumbles, "Oh."
"I just…I just wanted to say Gale that I forgive you."
There is a momentarily silence. "Thank you," Gale nearly whispers. "Katniss, I didn't mean to – I didn't, I swear. I would never, never—"
"Gale, stop. I know you didn't, and that's why I told you I forgive you."
"Did Peeta read the letter?" Gale asks.
"Yes."
Gale slowly stumbles out, "That's, that's good. It was meant for both of you, in a way."
"Yes, I know," I tell him. Do I know? Or am I just trying to move the conversation along?
"I owe you so much, Katniss. You taught me about love, hunting, friendship, and trust."
"I could say the same for you," I reply, my voice tentative and low.
"I must go now, but I hope we can talk soon. Thank you for forgiving me. I can't tell you, I just can't, how much I'm thankful."
"Goodbye, Peeta."
"Goodbye, Catnip."
Peeta turns his head towards me, his eyes flashing and glimmering. "I told you it would go alright," he murmurs.
"I wasn't sure. Now I am," I tell him.
"Letter?" he asks.
"Why not?" I reply.
He pulls one out from his pocket. "You were prepared, I see," I say, with a grin. He flashes a grin back at me. "Of course," he tells me. He opens the envelope. "Ready?" he asks cheekily, holding out the letter.
Dear Katniss,
The parachutes, I saw them go off, a few blocks away from the site. Are you okay? You will survive. You are strong. She, Prim, she died a warrior's death. She was prepared for this.
Peeta interrupts my reading as he asks, "Are you okay with reading this one?" I nod. I have to face my fears if I want to move on.
She knew the consequences of fighting the battle. She knew what she was doing; she was clever. She died helping others. Katniss, I know. I understand. Losing your family, I've been through it as well. Maybe I don't feel the entire grief and pain of it with my disfigured memories, but it hurt as well. You can talk to me if you would like. I know the pain of losing someone who you loved. I've lost some who are still living. One day, we'll remember her in solemn. We will mourn her now, but later, we will look back, thinking of only happy memories. This is my advice from me to you. I know, you might not want to trust or believe me, but I just hope you will.
Love,
Peeta
"Thank you," I whisper, tears slowly flowing from my eyes. "I wouldn't have moved on without you."
Peeta reaches out to wipe my tears. "No, thank you," he whispers.
"You don't know how much I owe you," I sob, tears choking my voice.
"I owe you as well," he tells me, voice quiet and low.
"I owe everyone so much. Haymitch, you, Annie, Finnick, Prim, Gale, Johanna, Rue, dad, they were too good for me. I will never repay them."
"It's going to be alright. You faced your fears; you are strong, Katniss. We'll face both of our fears together," Peeta says.
Maybe we will. I've already overcome so much. I start to believe his words. It'll be all right.