I think you'll like this one... ;)
Chapter 12
I wake up and groan loudly into the air. It's the day before Reaping day. One more day until two children from our district are dragged away towards death. I decide to stay in bed a little longer than usual today, thinking about tomorrow. I'll have 20 slips in the Reaping bowl this year. To make matters worse, it is Prim's first Reaping. I've heard her cry at night for the past week while my mother tries to comfort her in the other room. Luckily, I've kept her from taking any tesserae so she'll only have one slip of paper in the bowl this year. That leaves me feeling a little better.
I hear a knock on the door before Prim slowly opens the door.
"Katniss, someone's at the door for you." she says.
"Tell Gale I'll meet him in an hour." I say as I turn to face the wall.
"It's not Gale." she says with interest. I start to wonder whom it could be. I don't know many people that would actually come to my house to see me.
"Tell them I will be there in a minute." I say. She nods and closes the door. I get out of bed and quickly get ready, putting on some clothes, braiding my hair and brushing my teeth. It's way too late to look like I've just woken up. I nervously make my way to the door, hoping it's not a Peacekeeper. Maybe they've found out about my hunting and are here to arrest me. I walk out into the kitchen and see Prim eating lunch.
"Where are they?" I ask her, confused.
"On the porch. I'm not going to let a stranger in here Katniss." she said.
"Oh, yes. Good." I say. Looks like I taught her well. I open to door, but I see no one there. I walk outside looking around but I still see no one. I then feel a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist.
"Surprise." he whispers in my ear. I turn around to face Merrick. He looks even more grown up then before. He's grown a few more inches and is now about the same height as Gale. I wrap my arms around him so that our bodies are close to one another. He folds me in his arm and kisses me on the top of my head. "Miss me?" he asks with a laugh.
"More than you could ever know." I say.
"I think I have a pretty good idea." He leans down to kiss me but I stop him. He gives me a confused look but then I point to the window where I see Prim's face sticking out from behind the curtain. "Oh, ok. I see. Maybe the meadow would offer a little more privacy." I nod. We start with a walk but then I pick up the pace so that we are both running. I don't want to wait for him any longer than I have to. I lean against the tree to catch my breath, but I don't have long. I feel Merrick press his body against mine as his lips make contact. We grope each other's bodies as we fervently kiss each other. We kiss for what seems like an eternity, making up for all the lost kisses in the past 8 months. By the end, we are both panting heavily as we come up for air.
"I almost forgot how good that felt." he says as lays a few kisses along my jawline.
"Me too." I say although it's not really true. I never had forgotten the power his kisses had over me. I take his face in my hands and bring his face down to my eye level. "How long are you here for?" I ask him. I see him swallow before he speaks.
"I'm just here for the Reaping." he says. I don't like his answer. We only have a day together, maybe two. "Aww come on, Katniss. It's better than nothing."
"I know, it's just not a lot of time." He sits down and pulls me into his lap.
"I had to beg my father to bring me with him. I told him that I was interested in being a Peacekeeper and that I wanted to see what it would be like."
"You do?" I say with worry. I thought he didn't want that.
"No, Katniss, you know that's not for me. Just a clever lie so I could find my way back to you. I told you I'd be back." I breathe a sigh of relief when I hear his answer. I don't want him to ever being affiliated with the Capitol.
"How have you been, with school and everything? I know you weren't looking forward to it." I ask with concern.
"It started out horribly. My old friends were extra hard on me. Tried to make my life hell. I met some new friends, though. They seem nice…not your typical Hunger Games obsessed guys. What about you? How was your year?"
"Good, I guess. Winter was really bad here. If it weren't for your food, I don't think my family would have made it."
"I'm glad I could help." he says with sincerity. "I have to get going. I'm supposed to get a tour of the Justice Building and learn more about Peacekeeper stuff." he says rolling his eyes. I laugh at him. We make our way back to my house and stop once we are on the porch.
"Katniss, I'd like to, if it's ok with you…I'd like to take you on a date tonight." he says, stumbling through his words as he looks at the ground. I think it's cute how nervous he looks right now. I can't help but smile.
"I'd like that. Where should I meet you?" I ask. I hear a laugh erupt from him.
"Katniss, I pick you up at your house. Have you never been on a date before?"
"No I haven't." I say as I feel my cheeks begin to blush.
"Well then I guess I will have to make sure it's extra special." he said flashing me a smile. He gives me a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be here at 7." he whispers before he runs off towards town. I can't help but smile when thinking about tonight. I wonder what we will do, where he will take me. I go inside and find my sister and mother in the living room. Prim is reading a book while my mother organizes her medical kit. I ask my mother if I could see her alone and she follows me as I lead her to her room.
"I have a date tonight. I need something to wear." I say hesitantly. I haven't exactly been close to my mother and I'm a little embarrassed to admit this to her. She doesn't say anything. She goes over to her chest and opens the lid. She holds up my Reaping dress but I shake my head. The last thing I want is to wear the dress that reminds me of my least favorite day of the year. Plus, I am afraid I have outgrown that dress. She neatly takes the clothing out and lays them on a floor. I see her face light up into a smile as she removes a folded red dress.
"This is the one." she says before hugging it to her chest. She stands up and unfolds the flowy red fabric. It has short sleeves and would fall right above my knee. I'm not one for wearing such a bold color but it might be a nice change for tonight. I thank my mother, who hangs it up and places it on a hook behind her door.
I spend the next half hour thinking about the date tonight with Merrick. The more I think about it, the more nervous I get. I finally go over to Gale's house and asks if he wants to do a little hunting, or at least check the snare line. He quickly grabs his things and we are on our way. We spend the next few hours in the woods and manage to bring in a good amount of game. We trade at the Hob and split the Game that we saved for our families.
When I get home, I see that my mother is warming water for me on the stove. Within a few minutes, the bath water is ready for me. I sit inside the tub in our bathroom and scrub my hair and body until I feel clean. My mother tells me she'll empty the tub later. I put on my undergarments then wrap my towel around me as I travel to my mother's room. She has the dress ready for me. I see the top half of the dress unbuttons. I didn't notice them hidden behind the fabric earlier. I let my towel fall to the floor and she helps me into the dress. I watch myself in the mirror as I slowly button up the front and smooth the fabric over the buttons. I can see my mother standing behind me with a smile on her face.
"Now don't you look beautiful." she says placing her hands on my shoulders. It feels weird sharing this moment with her. It's the kind of relationship I always hoped for all those years ago when she shut herself away. I'm a little wary to accept her warmness so I just nod my head. "This dress is special Katniss. It was the dress I wore on my first date with your father." she tells me.
"It was?" I asked as I turn to face her.
"Yes, it was. He always loved it when I wore this dress." she says with a sigh. I think I see a tear in her eye but she quickly blinks it away. "Now what should we do with your hair?"
"I just want to wear it down tonight." I tell her. She nods and retrieves the brush from her dresser as she smoothes out my hair. She then finds me a pair of flat shoes and I have left to do is wait for Merrick to appear. I sit on the couch with Prim and read to her to calm my nerves. It is a new book that I got from Hob last weeks. So far, I can tell she really likes the story. I hear a knock on the door and look to the clock. It's a few minutes before 7. I rush to the door and open it to find Merrick standing in front of me. I'm glad I decided to dress up because he is looking nice as well.
"You look beautiful." he says giving me a hug. He then extends a bouquet of flowers towards me. "These are for you."
"Thanks." I respond. I'm sure to be blushing by now. I see Prim appear at my side and take the flowers to place them in water.
"So do I get to meet your mom?" he murmurs, still standing outside on the porch. I figure it's probably the polite thing to do so I take his hand and lead him inside. I give the introductions and my mother asks questions about where he is taking me. He leans in closer to her, obviously keeping it secret from me. I see my mother break into a smile, a rare occurrence as she tell him that she thinks I'll like that. Merrick tells her that we cannot be late and that we must go. We then start off into the dusk.
"So where are we going?" I ask him.
"Somewhere in town." he says, saying nothing more. We walk into the nicer part of town with the shops frequented by the Peacekeepers and their families. No one from our district could afford any of the goods sold on this street, not even the Merchants. He leads me to a restaurant on the corner of the street. Merrick acts like a perfect gentleman, holding the door for me and pulling out my chair.
"Is this how it's done in District 2?" I ask him from across the table.
"Yes it is."
"I've never been to a restaurant before." I say as I look around the room, taking in the décor and the white linen tablecloths.
"Is this ok?" he asks with concern. He must see how uncomfortable I am feeling right now. I'm not even sure what to do.
"Yes, it's fine." I say opening the menu.
"I just wanted to do something special." he says seemingly regretting his decision.
"Merrick, it's fine." I say, giving him a reassuring smile. The dinner passes nicely. We spend the time during the meal catching each other up on what has happened to us in the past few months. He tells me more about his new friends and how he can't believe how much better his life became after he met them. Once the meal is finish and paid for, we leave the restaurant and make our way to my house. Before I know it we are standing on my front porch.
"Thanks for tonight. It was nice." I say looking up at him.
"I'm glad you liked it." he says with pleasure.
"So at the end of the date…I'm suppose to get a good night kiss, aren't I?" I ask playfully.
"I was getting there." he says with a laugh. He then leans closer towards me, letting his lips move against mine. I move my hands up his chest, resting them on the back of his neck. I can feel him press himself against me as he mutters my name between the kisses. I feel myself lose my balance as the lightheaded feeling I've felt before returns. He gathers me in his arms and presses me against the front of the house, providing me with something to steady myself. I feel his mouth move away from mine as he leaves a trail of kisses down my neck and to my chest. I feel a surge of desire course through me as he draws out each kiss on my skin. A light moan escapes me and I quickly cover my mouth, remembering that my mother is probably still waiting up for me.
"Merrick, wait a minute." I whisper.
"Is everything ok?" he whispers back.
"Yes, I just think maybe we should go somewhere else where we don't have to worry about being caught." I lead him to the meadow, which is deserted. Most people are spending the night with their families before the Reaping tomorrow. I feel a little guilty that I am not doing to the same. I find any sense of heated desire that I had before is gone, now that I have thought about the grim day that is to follow. Merrick must have noticed because he's just as quiet as I am. I sit beside the base of the tree and he does the same, pulling me towards him so that I am now sitting in his lap.
"Worried about tomorrow?" he asks.
"Yes, it's Prim's first Reaping."
"She have any tesserae?"
"No." I say somewhat relieved.
"I'd be more worried about myself if I were you. How many slips do you have this year? Twenty?" he inquires as he runs his fingers through the hair on the crown of my head. I nod. "I'm worried for you Katniss." he admits.
"Plenty of girls have as many slips as I do."
"That doesn't make me worry any less." he says kissing my cheek.
"At least I don't have to worry about you." I say, cuddling up to him.
"I wish it were switched, that you were safe from the Reaping. If anything ever happened to you…" he trails off. I pull away from him and look into his sorrow-filled eyes. "Katniss, if anything every happened to you….I don't know what I would do." he tells me through silence.
"I will be fine…I always am." I tell him as I turn to face him. I take his face and my hands and softly kiss his lips. Me telling him this must have made him feel better because he is now smiling at me.
"So what are your plans for tomorrow…before the Reaping that is."
"Hunting with Gale. It will take most of the morning." I say. I can see the disappointment written on his face. "We can spend as much time together as you want after the Reaping." I say to him.
"All night?" he asks.
"Yes, all night." I say as I wrap my arms around the back of his neck.
"Sounds like a plan." he says as he advances closer to me. As he kisses me, my attention goes from his lips sweeping in gentle, fluid movement over mine to his hands that are now working on the buttons on the front of my dress. I'm not sure how he knew they were there. Maybe he felt them when our bodies were pressed against each other on the porch. He unbuttons about five of them before he slides his hand inside my dress, and under my bra. I feel myself jump as his hand lightly massages my left breast. I'm not used to being touched there.
"I'm sorry Katniss, I just thought…" he apologizes as he frees his hand from my dress.
"No Merrick, it's fine. It's just…I've never had anyone do that to me before." I tell him, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. It's not like I didn't enjoy his touch. I just wasn't anticipating it. I take his hand and guide it back to where it rested a few moments ago. I then bring my hands to the sides of his face and pull him down until his lips are crashing onto mine. I feel his hand begin to move in a steady rhythm against me as I feel my nipple harden under his touch. He then changes his touch, this time tracing circles around my newly formed peak. My mouth opens wider as a moan escapes into the air and I feel him suck on my lower lip. This evokes a longer moan as my breath escapes me. I've never experienced anything like this before. My breaths become even shallower as he drags out his kisses on my necks. I feel a sensation between my thighs, something I've never experienced before. This is what it feel like, to want somebody, to need someone. I take Merrick's hand from my chest and slowly bring it down my ribcage, and over my stomach. I feel him take over, as if he knows where I want him to go. Just as his hand grazes my inner thigh I hear a beeping noise sound from his watch.
"Shit." I hear him mutter into my neck. It's weird to hear him swear. I've never heard a bad word cross his lips before.
"What's that mean?" I whisper.
"Have to get back…before curfew."
"Just a few more minutes?" I purr.
"I wish I could. I can't be late." he says. As much as I hate for him to leave, I know it isn't wise to push his luck. The Peacekeepers don't care for excuses.
"It's ok…we still have tomorrow." I say, still giving him some hope.
"Yes, tomorrow." he says with a smile as he strokes my face. I feel a smile on my face as he says this. I stand up and then help him up off the ground. "Ah, you almost forgot something." he says as he begins to button my dress. "Wouldn't want your mother to get any ideas about what the latter part of our date entailed." When he finishes my button, he places a finger beneath my chin and raises my head until our eyes meet. We gaze at each other for a couple seconds before he takes my hand and leads me back to my house. When we are on my porch, he presses me against the front door as lips find mine for a short kiss.
"Did you have fun tonight, Katniss?" he murmurs as he looks into my eyes. I nod my head as I grin. "Best first date ever?"
"I haven't had any to go on, but yes, it was the best." I tell him. "Meet me by our tree tomorrow night…at 9 o'clock." I tell him.
"Goodnight, Katniss." he whispers as he lips skim my cheek.
"Goodnight, Merrick." I whisper back. He takes a few steps back and waves before turning around to start his journey. I only hope he'll make it back in time. I close my eyes and take a deep breath as I think of how perfect tonight was. I then turn around and open the door and all that perfection escapes my mind. Instead, I see Prim crying hysterically in my mother's arms.
"Prim." I mutter in a panic as I rush to her side. She clings onto me and I can feel her whole body shaking. "Prim you have to calm down." I say, trying to reason with her.
"I don't want to go tomorrow. Please don't make me." she says. She sounds so helpless it's hard for me to believe that she's 12. She sounds like a little child who's afraid to go to her first day of school.
"Prim, listen. It's just one little piece of paper out of thousands. You'll be safe." I tell her. "I know it's scary, the first time. I remember. It will be fine. You'll stand with your friends from school and in a half hour, it will all be over. Trust me, I know you can do this."
"Katniss, can I sleep with you tonight?" she whimpers.
"Of course." I reply. I lead her into my room and pull back the covers. I change out of my dress into some regular clothes before joining her. I feel my sister clutch onto me. Even though her tears have dried, I can still feel her shaking. I know what do to calm her now. It's what I've always done when she's upset. I sing to her the lullaby my father used to sing to us when we were young. I sing it for what seems like forever until I feel her body relax. I look down to find her asleep and then I stop my song. I close my eyes and drift off to sleep as well.
Merrick's back and they've had their first real date. Things got a little steamy there...sorry if it was too soon. I just couldn't resist. ) What did you think about the date? Also Reaping is next chapter...predictions?