"Peeta, stop!"
The sound of a tinkling laugh carries through the windows of the house. Upon hearing it, Katniss hunches down even more in her seat while staring at the television. A week ago, Peeta had brought it back from the Capitol, claiming that it was a gift from Effie, their well-meaning but clueless escort. That wasn't the only thing he had brought back, though.
The door to her house suddenly opens, and she hears two sets of footsteps trying but failing to quietly make it to the living room. Quickly pasting a smile on her face, she stands up to face them as they stop in the doorway.
Peeta looks sheepish but happy, one hand at the back of his neck, and the other hovering at Sage's elbow. Sage is smiling brightly, and as Katniss looks at the two, she feels amazed at how good they look. While Peeta has a head full of thick, ashy blonde waves, Sage's hair is more curly and is a beautiful auburn color. Her eyes are blue like Peeta's, but more of a cool blue, and she is only a few inches shorter than him, as opposed to Katniss' diminutive figure. Katniss thinks in the back of her mind that if Sage had been the other half of the star-crossed lovers, Snow and the rest of the districts certainly would have believed everything.
Sage pulls away from Peeta and immediately launches herself at Katniss to hug her. She's forced to step back at the force of the hug, wondering briefly if she is going to fall, and does actually fall into the couch when Sage unexpectedly releases her. "Oh my goodness, Katniss! I'm so sorry for that! Are you alright?"
Katniss looks up at the girl with a small, reassuring smile. "I'm okay, Sage. What are you and Peeta doing here so early? I was just about to go hunting." She wasn't, really, but she's not willing to be a third wheel to the couple in front of her.
Peeta frowns at her worriedly, knowing that she still hasn't been able to shoot any animals and that she gave up a few months ago, but Sage doesn't know that fact and only beams. "We thought we'd invite you to have breakfast with us and Haymitch. I mean, we haven't really told Haymitch that yet, but that's a problem for later."
Katniss's smile at the girl in response is tired but genuine. She can't help it, not when the redhead only means well and is so honest and friendly. "I'm actually done with breakfast, Sage. How about I walk you guys over to Haymitch's and then go hunting?"
Sage looks appeased by that and they quickly set off for the mentor's house, which will undoubtedly smell like alcohol and whatever rotting food is inside. That's not her problem now though. Now, it's Peeta and Sage's problem.
On the way there, Sage swings Peeta's hand and lightly chats with him about her work in the temporary health center, and he smiles with affection at the girl, nodding and responding at the right times. After dropping them off, during which Peeta smiles at Katniss to cheer her on, Katniss walks to the forest and wonders when everything between the two started, and thinks about the last time Peeta looked at her that way. Probably the Quarter Quell. After that, he just saw her as a mutt and then an ex-fake lover that he didn't really know. A year ago, when he returned to District 12 two months after she did, he quickly assigned the role of best friend to her.
Peeta did bring Sage back to the district only a week ago, but the two of them had met her while in District 13. Sage was from District 11, and her whole family had been able to get to 13 and had survived as a result. Even during the rebellion, she was cheerful and optimistic in her work as one of the kitchen staff, and Katniss thinks that maybe Peeta had subconsciously felt drawn to that. Now, Sage's parents are back in their home district, while she is here after spending a few months studying with her siblings in the Capitol. Katniss had only known that she and Peeta kept in contact, but didn't know how close the two were until a week ago when Peeta explained that he had invited Sage to stay, and Sage had happily kissed him on the cheek in excitement.
Katniss had wanted to hate the girl then and there for taking her place in Peeta's life, but a night alone in her house after a dinner where Sage was considerate and just nice had quickly remedied that. She realized what she had known all along: that Peeta wouldn't wait for her forever. She knows deep down that he tried his best to understand her, and during the first few months, there were several instances when she'd catch him looking at her with furrowed brows and a curious expression. He was probably wondering what the past him saw in her, loved about her, but whatever he used to see wasn't there anymore. It quickly led to them growing further apart with him bringing Sage up in more and more conversations, until he came with her on the last train and Katniss realized exactly why everything was changing.
It's only been a week of Katniss trying her best to be civil and happy for the new couple, but she's already starting to lose sleep and feeling frustrated, angry, and tired in general at the facade that she has to put on. During the first two days, Peeta hadn't noticed that she was just trying her best to be happy for them, but he's already started observing it the past few days, and she doesn't know how to effectively keep her feelings from him or lie to him about it if he asks.
She stares into the trees for hours, wondering what to do, and when night falls, she goes home without anything in her game bag once again. Hopefully, Peeta doesn't come to her house to check on her tonight, because she'll have a harder time putting her plan into effect if he does.
She doesn't need to worry, though. He stays away from her house even as she nervously dials the number on the phone and packs her important belongings in a small bag. The pearl from the Quell stays hidden in her drawer, however, and by the time she's in bed, everything is done. She's ready.