Chapter 25
PEETA
Her lips touch mine and it's a shock, and I mean that in the literal sense. It's as if I've been touched a live wire, but is a good way, a very good way. She pulls back, and looks up at me, her eyes wild and uncertain. Her mouth opens but I don't want to hear that's she's sorry so I send my lips to hers to silence the apology before it can start. To my surprise she responds in kind, looping her arms around my neck. My lips tingle as they move across hers. The sensation is a heady drug and I only want more of her. Lifting her up, I pin her against the tree, desperate to keep her in place. I feel her hands slip into my hair and with the simple graze of her fingertips against my scalp a groan escapes from deep in my chest. With the tip of my tongue, I seek entry into her mouth and I'm on the edge of giddy when she allows it. The sensation of my tongue sliding along hers drives me insane. iShouldn't this feel awkward, /i my hormone-addled mind asks. iYou're kissing your friend, /i It doesn't feel awkward, it feels oddly familiar and she's totally putting my desire into overdrive. iKissing a friend wouldn't feel like this, /i my conscience warns but I push the thought way, there is no room for rational thoughts with her pressed against me.
A hand begins pulling at the bottom of my shirt and I allow it, but as the pads of her fingers brush against my stomach my whole-body quivers. My teeth go into her bottom lip in response. She slides a hand from my stomach around to my back and starts exploring the area. In the spirit of exploration, I reluctantly pull my mouth from her for the tantalizing chance to map out the plains of her jaw. My lips slide off her and to the corner over her mouth and make quick work of finding the underside of her jaw. Her skin is soft and delicate here and if summer has a taste, it would be her skin. She seems to like my administrations as she throws her head to the side, offering me free access to not only her jaw but the expanse of her delicate neck. The very sight of her throat makes my mouth water in anticipation, but I refuse to rush this. I set my lips and teeth on a slow trip towards my destination and hand to down to do its own exploring. My fingers brush gently over the fabric of her shirt until it meets the hem. Her name slips from my lips as I push aside the fabric and let my index finger reach for her stomach.
When her hands push me away, I'm more than confused, I feel frantic at the loss of contact. I stare down into her glassy gray eyes searching for answers but she already escaping my grasp.
"Peeta," she pleads, her eyes reflecting panic.
I close the gap between us, feeling the need to be close to her, to comfort her. "Yes, that did just happen, don't freak out," I petition, reaching out to run my fingers down her flushed cheek. She backs out my reach and my stomach flips over and I feel sick.
"I…I don't…" she stammers, clearly shaken by our encounter.
I approach her again, but more slowly this time. "I'm feeling just as confused as you are right now, but we can figure this out…together," I say gently.
As she stares up at me I can see the thoughts flashing in her eyes. I want to reach out and touch her, hug her, but I don't move in fear she'll bolt.
"Peeta, I want to kiss you," she says, her voice raw.
This statement is enough to make my heart pound again. "Yeah, I got that," I say softly, my eye dropping to her lips, pink and still a little puffy from our encounter.
"I want to kiss you?" says again, this time it's a clearly rhetorical question. I want to tell her I want to kiss her too, but I stay quiet, giving her space to think. I watch as her eyes fill with tears. If it weren't for the joy in them, I would be gathering her into my arms. Her hand comes up and cups my jaw. "I've missed you," she cries. The words confuse me at first, but suddenly I'm hit with a wave of images. They are the memories I thought I had lost forever at Snow's hands. My mind's eye flashes images at me in super speed, its so fast I can only catch a few key ones. I remember the bread and how I felt when I saw her in the rain. I clearly recall her face the next day, her eyes so full of sadness when she sees the bruise on my cheek. I recall the way my stomach turned inside out when she volunteered for her sister. I remember my desperate plea to Haymitch to save her in the quell. I taste her lips on mine in the dark sewers on the Capitol, her begging me to come back to her. I remember it all. I remember…her. I'm in the middle of this avalanche of memories and emotions when I realize she's running away.
"Katniss!" I call after her, but she doesn't stop. I take off after but between her head start and natural speed and my uncooperative leg I quickly lose ground. "Katniss, stop, please," I plead, willing my legs to move faster. I lose site of her in the woods, but I keep driving forward, calling out to her. I clear the woods but I stumble to a stop. I see the parking lot but no car. My brain can't quite understand what I'm seeing. She should be here, or at least the car should be. I turn in a circle looking around the area for her. "Katniss?" I yell. Only the sounds of nature return. I jog out to the parking area. Looking down the gravel road I spot the answer to my questions. The dust from the car's recent evacuation still hangs in the air near the main road.
My mouth drops open in disbelief. "You left me here?!" I shout. "Damn it Katniss!" I growl. I look around the empty lot, hoping for some sort of answer to what I should do next, but the only reply is the sound of crickets in the weeds. I take a calming breath and blow it out of my nose. "Guess I'm walking to the nearest house," I grumble.
I consider abandoning the items in the meadow, but my conscience gets the better of me. I make a quick trip to collect them then head back towards the main road. Tossing the straps of the bag over one shoulder and the blanket over the other, and start off down the paved highway. The secluded nature of this location made a ton of sense this morning. We were certain to be alone out here. "Well you got what you wanted," I grumble. i Why the hell would she leave me out here? I mean, yes, the whole make out thing was…/imy mind tumbles around then fills with all kinds of adjectives imind-blowing, sexy, hot…unexpected, unnerving... Amazing. /i I don't know if was the kissing or her words "I've missed you," or a combination of both, but it's clear that what happened between us somehow unlocked a part of my damaged brain. There are still holes, things I only remember from stories or videos, but the new memories are normal. No shiny quality to them. I can confirm some of them with Katniss, at least the for ones she was present for, but my gut tells me these are real, as does my heart. The memories bring with them a flood of feelings I've only been told I had. I now remember the longing I had as a kid, the dread I felt at the idea of losing her in the games, and the disappointment and sadness from the fake engagement.
My head spins a bit at the onslaught. I need to get home. I need to talk to Katniss. Readjusting the bag, I take off down the road in a jog.
The miles between the park any signs of civilization are more that I remember them being from the car ride. When I finally spot a house, I'm actually on the verge of collapse. I manage my way up the driveway and stumble up the stairs. "Please be home," I beg, knocking on the door. I drop the bag and blanket on the ground and lean against the front banister. I'm still panting when a short bent woman old woman with faded teal hair answers the door. "Hello," she says wearily, taking in my sweaty dissolved form.
I take a long breath and paste on a smile. "Good afternoon ma'ma, I was wondering if I could use your phone."
She looks me up and down and out at the street. "Where did you come from young…" she pauses and tilts her head. "Do I know you?" she asks, her brow wrinkling.
I want to scream JUST GIVE ME THE PHONE, but instead, I just smile at her and shake my head. "I don't know if we've met before but I'm Peeta Mellark," I say offering my hand.
Her eyes light in understanding, "Oh the district 12 boy!" she exudes. "Yes, yes, I remember you. Our ladies group supported you and that darling girl in your games," she smiles.
Of course, she did. "Oh! From both of us, thank you for your support," I offer as she takes my hand. "About the phone, I'm kind of stranded out here and I need to hire a car," I tell her.
She tsks. "Hire a car, I won't hear of it!" she says. "I'll lend you mine," she adds patting my hand.
I smile but feel my patience is waning. "Thank you for the offer ma'am but I can't drive. A hired car will be fine," I state.
She just laughs and heads into the house. She pauses about 6 feet away and looks back at me. "Come in, get out of the heat. You look like you can use some water."
I'm half tempted to leave and go find the next house, but I just want to get out of here, and she's the fastest chance I have at that so I follow her.
I sigh in relief when air-con hits my sweaty skin. I'm usually not fond of artificially cold air, but right now its heaven. I sigh. The old woman looks back at me, "This way," she urges. We wind down a two hallway and end up in a large teal kitchen. Just like her hair the teal cabinets and counters are faded from use but its clean. She goes to the fridge and pulls out a glass pitcher of water, then retrieves a glass from a cabinet. She pours me a tall glass and hands it to me. As the water touches my tongue, I realize how thirsty I am. I down the glass, then a second, and half of a third before putting the glass down on the counter. "Wow," I breath.
The woman smiles. "My name is Myra," she says offering me her hand. I shake it. "Thank you, Myra, for the water and hospitality, but I really do need to get back to my hotel," I say, looking around for the phone.
She nods, "Yes, of course," she says taking a fob from a bowl on the carpet. She pushes a blue button and I hear the sound of an engine turning over. I shuffle on my feet, "Ma'am, uh I mean Myra, like I said, I can't drive," I tell her. "And I don't want to take you out of your way, I am staying all the way in town," I venture.
She chuckles and pats my arm. "Come with me," she says, and head out a door in the corner. I take a deep breath and reign in my frustration. We step out onto a cement pad and there idling is basically a teal oval with windows and wheels. I squint at it, "I've never seen a car like this. Not that I have much of a reference point, but still."
She smiles, "This is a self-driving transport," she tells me. "It will get you home.
"Self-driving, so I don't have to …." I trail off.
Myra shakes her head, "No it will do all of the navigation for you, you just ride. Now let me get you a bottle of water and a snack and we'll get you on your way." She disappears back into the house and walks over to inspect my ride home. Other than the windows the outside seems seamless. The door opens behind me and Myra rejoins me and a bottle of water and a sleeve of crackers in her hands. She hands them to me, then reaches over and places her hand to the right of the window and hatch slides open. She gestures for me to get in. I slid in and she motions for me to scoot over. She joins me and begins pushing some buttons. "Where are you staying dear?"
"City Light Hotel," I say.
She taps the console a couple more times then turns to me. "When you are ready to push here," she says showing me a green icon on the screen. I nod. "How do I get this back to you?" I ask. She smiles, "Just have Haymitch program it to send it back to me. He knows the address." I raise an eyebrow and her eyes sparkle. "We may have done more than give money," she says with a wink. My mouth hangs open, she's was a rebel. She laughs and gets out of the car. "I've held you up long enough, you need to get going."
"Myra I don't even know how to thank you," I smile.
She reaches in and puts a hand on my shoulder. "You already did, you fought for my freedom. Now go. And tell Haymitch that he owes me lunch while he's in town."
I stare at her a moment, but then give her a nod. "Thanks again, Myra." She smiles and nods as I hit the green button.
The little transport did its job and I arrive back at the hotel in just under an hour. I excavate myself and run up the stairs to our apartment. I march into the living room, my indignation raging. I may want to explore the kisses we shared today but I want to ream her out first. How dare she leave me in the middle of nowhere. I slam the door behind me and see Effie jump in her seat in the dinning. I stumble to stop, confused by the vignette in front of me. Haymitch and Effie are seated at the table, plates filled, a bottle a wine between them.
"Where's Katniss," I ask bluntly.
"Peeta dear, what happened to you?" Effie asks, looking dismayed.
I glance down at my appearance and realize I look like I've been abandoned and left for dead. Well, at least the first part of it is right. I'm surprised Myra helped me at all though. I snort, "She took the car and left me in the middle of a closed national park, that's what happened. Where is she, we need to talk," he states.
Haymitch looks at me oddly, "She left you at the park?"
"That's what I said," I bite out, getting irritated.
"That's not like her. What did you say to her?" he chides.
I roll my eyes and march past them towards her room. "Katniss! Hiding isn't going to make this easier," I bellow.
Effie gets up and follows me, "Peeta, Katniss isn't here. She hasn't been since the two of you left."
I turn and look at her, and glance at Haymitch. "You're sure?" I ask.
She laughs lightly, but I swear I see a blush. "We've been here all day."
I consider the information and suddenly realization dawns. I look to Haymitch, "What's Gale's phone number."