A/N- So it's been a year and twenty-two days since my last update, but here it is. And I *promise* that I'll update a lot more frequently. Also, to Eleid, who reminded me that I started Part 3, thanks and I apologize for 'the end of the week' actually meaning 'in a month in a half.' But enough apologies, time to be professional, this is my fic. Read it. Love it. Breath it.
((DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Hunger Games))
CHAPTER 12: "Gray Eyes"
I keep the envelope in my hands, gingerly pinching it by its corners as I walk home. Though Cas suggested that I ask my father about it, I've decided just to put it back up on the shelf for my mom to find later.
"Ivy! Ivy! Guess what I did today?! … Hey! What's that?"
"Nothing," I snap, shoving it in my jacket.
"Why's mom's name on it? Is it for her? Is it from your teacher? Did you get kicked out of class again?"
"No, it's from mom. I found it."
"Why can't I see it? Is it a present?!"
"Fine," I breathe, pulling it out and smoothing the crinkles my jacket made.
I had intended to just flash it in front of him then hide it again, but he's quick. He grabs it and takes off down the street.
"Jayson!" I scream chasing after my brother. "I'm gonna kill you!"
He may be younger than me, but he's fast and he's got a seconds head start. I sprint past the next six houses and round the corner onto our driveway, reaching the front door just as he slams it closed.
"Jayson! If you opened that letter, I'll feed you to the dogs!" I warn as I burst trough the entryway.
"We don't have dogs!" He yells from the top of the stairs.
"Then I'll go to the market and buy four big ones, then I'll feed you to them!"
"What letter?" out mom asks, coming out of the kitchen. She glances at me, "No, Castor today?"
"Yeah, where's your boyfriend, Ivy?!" You're dead.
"He's not my boyfriend!"
Jayson darts his tongue out at me in response and I lose it, completely forgetting my mom is right next to me, I release my threat. "I'm gonna kill you!" I lunge up the stairs.
"What did you just say?" I freeze, dropping hard halfway up the steps, her every word poking at my throat, taking my voice. "That is not a threat we use in this house."
"I'm, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I—"
She lets out a long breath and her eyes lose their light like she's in a trance. She doesn't look human. Though this happens quite often, it scares me each time. She gets lost in her mind, not quite like Aunt Annie does, but enough that my father usually needs to talk her back to normal
"Dad?" I call out, but he must not hear me. It doesn't matter though because she blinks, shaking her head a bit as she does so, and she's back. "It's fine, dear, just don't say it again."
She squeezes my shoulder as an affirmation that she's all right. Two seconds later, she is up the stairs slipping the envelope out of Jayson's clenched fingers.
Her mouth presses into a firm line as she reads what's in her hands. "Where did you get this?" Her voice is sharp and cold.
"Ivy had it. Her and Cas were—"
"Go to your room."
"What? That's not fair! I knew it wasn't hers, mom. That's why I took it."
"Go. To. Your. Room. Now." He nods, spinning on his heel and rushing down the hall.
My mom's descent down the stairs is not as quick. It's slow. Deliberate. Terrifying.
"I found—"
"Not now, Ivy." She breezes past me as I repeat Jayson's nod and walk up the stairs. But unlike my brother, I don't go to my room, I pause once my mother enters the kitchen.
"Peeta?"
"Oh, hey, sweet… Where'd you get that."
"Peeta, please, please, tell me this isn't what I think it is."
His silence is deafening, even from here.
Everything inside me screams, aching to know what's in that envelope. Wanting to know what is causing this reaction from my parents.
"Katniss, I don't know what it is. It isn't—It doesn't even look like it's been opened."
"Peeta," my mom's voice drops, but it still carries into the hall. "you know exactly what's in this envelope. You knew the day you took it out of the letterbox and hid it from me. Gale is dead and thanks to you, he'll never know."
"I didn't know that would happen."
"But it did, he died in my hands, Peeta. I thought he knew! How could you do that to me?"
"Katniss, calm down."
"No. Ivy found this, what if she had opened it? If she finds out, I—I'll…"
"She's not going to find out, you made sure of that."
"I did that for you! I saw the way you looked at her."
"No, she's my daughter and I've always looked at her like I do now. Even when she had gray eyes and he was alive."
"Mom?"
She turns to face me, tears cascading down her face. She doesn't bother to wipe them away. She doesn't try to force a smile.
"Mom, what's going on?"
"Nothing, Ivy. We're just talking, it's fine. Just go upstairs," my father speaks for her.
"No."
Mom's eyes double in size as she looks up at the ceiling and turns her back to me. I see her cross her arms and her hands clenching her elbows.
I've never seen her like this, not even on her worst days when she screamed half the night and can't get out of bed.
"Who is Gale Hawthorne?"
My dad avoids eye contact.
"Castor said Gale was a war hero, but why have I never heard of him? I know about Prim and Finnick and how they died, but how come I've never heard about Gale Hawthorne?"
"Katniss, I love you, but you have to tell her. I… I can't."
By now my mom has slid down to her knees and is staring at her hands, so I sit down next to her.
"Mom, who is Gale Hawthorne?"
She mumbles something, but I can't understand her trough her tears. She keeps muttering the same thing over and over and eventually I can hear her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's my fault. I'm so sorry."
"Mom?"
She looks at me, still trembling and holding her hands out like they are covered in blood, "he was your father."
"No. NO! You're lying!" I can't get away from her fast enough. Not bothering to even close the door as I rush onto the road and sprint down the street. I don't know where I'm going, but anywhere is better than here.
~theeShadyLady~
