Chapter 7
Christmas Eve, 1950
Mellark house, Christmas party
The Mellark's invited Katniss and her family to the annual Christmas party that they threw every year.
They walked up the snowy path to the doorway. Her parents were unusually excited. Prim was always excited and she adored Peeta.
Katniss held Prim's hand, walking behind their parents up to the front door. Peeta opened the door wearing a green and red Christmas sweater and black dress pants and shoes. He welcomed them all in, shaking her father's hand and hugging her mother. He did the same for Prim and kissed the top of her head making her giggle.
He then gets to Katniss. Peeta wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her against him, kissing her lips sweetly.
"Merry Christmas, gorgeous. You look amazing." Peeta greets her commenting on her red dress with a bright evergreen satin belt. Her heels were red as well as her lipstick. Katniss hair was in big fluffy curls.
"Merry Christmas to you too, Peet. I like your sweater." Katniss teases.
"Grandma gave it to me this morning when we picked her up from the airport. Rye and Wheaton's are worse. She gives ugly sweaters on purpose. I'm her favorite."
This statement makes Katniss giggle. He leads the Everdeen's farther into the house. came over after excusing himself from another friend.
"Merry Christmas, Jaxson, Lily, and miss Primrose." Mr. Mellark greets her parents and sister. Shaking hands, which made Prim smile.
Then Mr. Mellark hugged Katniss like he always had. "And Merry Christmas, Katniss."
The party was in full swing and Peeta walked her around meeting his family, neighbors and friends. He kept his arm around her and held her close to him. His hand rarely left the small of her back or it's occasional resting place in her hip.
She met his grandparents on his dad's side, the surrounding 4 neighbors, and some of his old high school friends from the wrestling team.
He brought her to the couch where his brother and his wife were sitting with baby Bannock. He was about 3 months old. Ban reached his chubby little arms out to Katniss. Veronica nods her head, giving Katniss permission to take him. Katniss picks him up and holds the baby against her shoulder. Peeta starts baby talking to his nephew sweetly.
enters the room and everyone gets quiet as he announces that Peeta has something he wanted to do. Peeta gets up and grabs a small box from under the Christmas tree.
Peeta pulls Katniss up gently from the couch and he gets down on one knee in front of her with everyone watching. Katniss gasps.
"Katniss Everdeen, These past few months with you have been the best of my life and I want to have many more with you. I have fallen in love with you and I fall harder everyday. We decided that we were the only one for each other early on in our relationship. I want to be able to wake up with you beside me every morning. Please do me the honor of marrying me?" Peeta proposes.
"Yes!" Katniss speaks breathily.
The room erupts in cheers. Peeta instantly raises, pulling Katniss into his chest, kissing her passionately. He slipped the ring on her finger and the cheers got louder.
Katniss parents confess that Peeta came to ask for her hand in marriage weeks ago. Peeta's dad was so proud of Peeta.
Katniss spent the rest of the evening hanging on Peeta's arm and showing off her ring. They kissed more than they normally had publicly especially knowing their parents were around.
When the Everdeen's were leaving the party Katniss kissed him sweetly. She didn't want to go or be away from him but she knew this would be what it was like few a while. He accepted the invitation to join them along with his father and Rye to the Everdeen's Christmas dinner.
Peeta kisses her goodnight and sent her off with her parents after walking them to the car.