The Road to District 12- Corundum
I crack my eyes open as I hear the creaky door downstairs open. I look up at Peeta who is already sporting a weary smile as he looks down at me, "Show time". I scramble out of bed, and my feet have barely touched the floor when I hear Effie's unmistakable shriek, "Kaaaattttttnnnniiiissssss" she singsongs as she breezes through the door to the bedroom. It is remarkable really, that she is so graceful while teetering around on six inch heels, this is a skill I never learned. I conjure a smile just in time, "Effie, it is great to see you again!" She sweeps over to me and immediately starts making mental improvements to my appearance, "Katniss my dear, I know the cameras are not always here anymore, but would it kill you to pluck your eyebrows?" I can hear Peeta snort from where he is changing in the closet and he peeks his head out of the door "It might Effie, it just might". Luckily this brings all the attention to Peeta and I can make a quick escape to the bathroom where my new prep team awaits me.
After a few hours of prep and a quick interview at the train station Peeta, Effie, and I are enjoying lunch on the train as it speeds toward District 1, the first stop on our tour. District 1 has had the most change since the war, it was merged with the capital causing it to double in size. Effie talks in rapid fire about the governors ball which was held a few months back, this was to honor all of the newly elected mayors of the districts. Luckily Peeta and I were not invited to this particular event, but the new mayor of District 12 Haymitch Abernanthy was one of the honored guests, much to his dismay. "It is amazing really, where could he have learned to dance like that? Everyone was shocked!" exclaimed Effie, "I really think he is doing much better now, not a single drink in months!" Peeta and I exchanged a look and nodded. While it was true that Haymitch has sobered up since being elected mayor (and tried everything in his power to convince the people of District 12 he was the wrong choice) he has been known to have the occasional drink, often in front of Peeta and myself after a long day of government business. "When will we be in District 1?" I ask Effie hoping to change the subject away from Haymitch's drinking habits. She smiles, "We will be there by the ceremony at seven, so you may have a few hours to yourself before we start prep for the party." This seemed as good a dismissal as any, so I grab Peeta's hand and head toward the front of the train.
Peeta and I share our free time in the front of the train watching the day grow dark, talking about everything and nothing trying to calm our minds in preparation of the feast that would take place that night. A lot of people are confused with Peeta and I's relationship, some think it is wrong we live together and are not married, to those people I want to say, "Live through two Hunger Games and a war and then talk to me about what is odd and indecent and what is not." I know Peeta would be happy to get married. I know he loves me too, he tells me almost every day. It is harder for me, to say the words and to think about our future. Thinking of being someone's wife is impossible, the only thing more impossible is picturing my life without Peeta. He steals kisses sometimes and we share a bed every night, but our physical relationship is minimal. It is hard for me to separate what we did while in the Hunger Games for the capitol audience and what I want to do myself when we are alone, so I do what I do best and avoid the topic altogether. Sometimes I literally run away to the woods when I get desires that confuse me. All the sudden my thoughts are interrupted by a loud screech and the train, usually smooth as gliding on ice, lurches ahead and then slows considerably. Effie comes swaying into the compartment, "Nothing to worry about, we are only a few minutes away from the train station, it seems if we are having some minor malfunctions with the train tracks." Peeta and I exchange a confused look as the train continues to lurch ahead, starting and stopping. It gives a spudder and stops completely for a few second before abruptly charging ahead at top speed. This causes Effie to actually fall backwards off her high heels and land on her butt. While I am borrowing into the pillows on the couch so she doesn't see me laughing, Peeta jumps up to help her.
Sooner than I would have liked, Effie send us to separate rooms of the train to get ready. My dress for the feast is acid green and clings to my body like a glove, there is a slit up to the thigh that worries me, and a pair of sky-high silver strappy heels that worries me even more. The entire dress was made from tiny sparkly disks that caught the light and made the whole thing twinkle. My hair was styled in loose curls around my shoulders and a blood red shade was applied to my lips. I thought I looked ridiculous and not at all like myself, but when i unsteadily made my way down the hall to meet Peeta, his jaw actually dropped. "You look stunning Katniss," he says after snapping his mouth shut. "You probably have just gotten used to me covered in dirt from the woods" I reply, never able to take his compliments. "I think you look beautiful covered in dirt, but right now you look….incredible." I tried and failed to control my blush, and decided I would put up with the slit and the high heels if it got this reaction from Peeta, and if it only had to be a few hours. Peeta was dressed in a tuxedo with a acid green tie that matched my dress perfectly. I smiled, took his arm, and tried to think of this as a fun night with Peeta, not a pressure filled political event where everyone will be looking at me and and wondering if I am sane or if I am plotting to shoot an arrow at the president.
My plan almost works,the night is fun when I can forget about the cameras. We dance, we eat (though there is a lot less food than last time we were in the capital and liquid that makes you vomit has been outlawed outside of medical uses, I see both of these things as positive changes) and we even get some time to ourselves. I am constantly beating down thoughts of Glimmer, Marvel and Gloss but overall the night goes over smoothly and I manage not to fall off my heels. There is a moment where we Peeta and I are sitting and talking to President Paylor where he casually rests his hand on my leg. He does this a lot and normally I don't think twice, but tonight my leg is bare up to my thigh and when he lays his hand on my usually covered flesh I feel a spark shoot up my leg and I take a sharp intake of breath. My head is swimming with all kind of thoughts and feelings I don't want to process in the presence of the cameras and the President of Panem so I shove them away, as usual, to be dissected at another time. Peeta must sense my worried state because he asks, "Are you getting tired? It has been a long day," he reaches over to take my hand and gives it a squeeze. "I am OK, just tired of these shoes," I reply. "It is almost time for the naming, and then we can head back to the train."
The ceremony is mercifully short and District One, now combined with the Capitol has its new name: Corundum, after the precious jewels that are still manufactured here. I am swept into conversation with the District One Mayor and after a while I noticed that Peeta has disappeared from the room. I am on the edge of panic when I notice Effie walking toward me, "Time to head back to the train Katniss, Peeta said he would meet us there." I start to head with her toward the door, "Where is he? When did he leave?" I question her. "Only a few minutes ago, no need to worry, he wanted to go for a walk around the building and he knew your feet were hurting so he didn't want to ask you to come along." I try to beat down the irrational panic I feel whenever I don't know exactly where Peeta is, a leftover vice from our second Hunger Games. Luckily, I am only alone for about half an hour before he arrives back on the train, "Sorry, I didn't want to leave you but I knew you were tired and you would have wanted to come with me even though your feet are hurting." I smile and grab his hand as we walk down the hallway to the room we would be sharing, "I am fine, thank you for not forcing me to walk in those death-trap shoes longer than I needed to."
Effie stops us before we can reach our chamber, "I have some horrible news, the train isn't functioning properly and they think we need to spend the night here!" As someone who has received bad news on multiple occasions I barely think this registers as "horrible", but before I could voice this opinion Petta cuts in, "One night off schedule won't ruin everything, Effie, it only takes two hours by train to get to District 2." Effie is shaking her head, "No, you don't understand, the train is broken INDEFINITELY. The President is suggesting we spend the night here and then continue on the tour by horse and carriage! She was us to take the road all the way back to District 12!" She ends the sentence with both hand on her face like this is the most shocking thing that could ever have happened. Peeta, however, looks like a kid on Christmas morning, "But that is wonderful Effie! We will get to see so much! Spend more time in the Districts! And see the land between the Districts! We will be traveling for months!" I can't help but catch on to his excitement, it is just like Peeta to turn a bad situation into the best day of his life, my face splits into a smile, "I love you" I blurt out without thinking. For a moment I think I only said it in my mind, but Peeta is looking at me like I just gave him the best Christmas gift of all and Effie is staring at me with her mouth open, so I blush and start back down the hall, "Everyone should get some sleep, it sounds like we are going to have a busy day tomorrow" I throw over my shoulder as I walk through the door and climb into bed. Peeta crawls into bed a few minutes later and pulls me to him, "I love you too Katniss, you're the only one I would want on this adventure with me." I keep my eyes shut and pretend to be asleep, but I can't control the small smile that escapes when he leans down and kisses the top of my head.