Chapter 4

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I reel back in shock. "What… what makes them think that I would choose either of them, with the way they've been treating me."

Haymitch sighs. "I'm guessing that Peeta's been okay, just not very open. Gale… can be a total jerk sometimes and pushy. I'll talk to them about it."

Then Haymitch collapses on the floor, white liquor spilling everywhere.

Great. My only source of reliable information is a drunken guy who just passed out on the ground. If this is what happens all the time, I don't think I want to remember.

I leave Haymitch's house and head back to my own. To my surprise, the sun is already going down. Peeta's going to kill me.

As I head inside, Peeta walks down the stairs. He looks pretty ticked off. I wonder if he's a screamer, or passive-aggressive.

"Katniss," Peeta says, exasperated, "where were you? I was worried."

"I was talking to Haymitch, one of the only people who can actually give me information." I say, without a hint of sarcasm.

Peeta sighs, relieved. "Okay, I'm going to make dinner. I'm also making cheese buns."

I remember Peeta giving me some of these before. "I like cheese buns, right?"

"They're your favorite." he comments.

Dinner is very silent and awkward.

After dinner, Peeta brings me up to my room. He gives me a kiss on the cheek, and disappears downstairs. I gently put my hand to the spot; it still lingers, like a mini hug on my face.

I settle into the blankets and quickly fall asleep. Again, I am tormented by nightmares. Today's episode of Katniss's nightly horrors- a small, dark skinned girl, Lilac, Tulip, Rue, will get pierced by a spear; Prim will be on fire; some random kid will be attacked by a pack of colorful dog things; and a man will die in a mine accident. All that and more on Katniss's nightly horrors!

I wake up in a cold sweat. Were all those people real, or a figment of my imagination? If they were fake, then how could they seem so real? If they were real, then… does that mean that I witnessed all or their deaths, or even caused them?

I walk down to the kitchen to find that Peeta is up again, like yesterday.

"I'm heading over to Haymitch's house later." I say, as Peeta sets and omelet in front of me.

Peeta nods.

"Did Prim… die?" I ask cautiously, not sure if I want to hear the answer.

Peeta gulps. "Yes, she did. During the fight against the Capitol."

I feel tears welling up in my eyes. Before Peeta can comfort me, I rush up to my room and lock the door.

I hear a knock at the door, and Gale demanding to be let in. I know that Peeta won't let him, though, and I'm grateful. I really am not in the mood to deal with "oh Katniss I love you so much and you loved me and I am so freaking magical". Okay, maybe not the magical part, but you get the idea.

I finally dry my eyes and head downstairs. Peeta is sitting on the couch, but turns his head when he sees me.

"You are a horrible mutt who killed my father. Prepare to die." Peeta gets up and chases me into the kitchen.

"HAYMITCH!" I scream.

Suddenly, I hear the shattering of glass. Peeta glances up, and gets wailed in the face with a bottle of white liquor. He falls, unconscious. Haymitch staggers through the broken window. Let's hear it for the drunks of the world!

I rush at Haymitch and give him a big hug. He seems surprised, and it takes him a minute for him to hug me back.

"I was so scared." I say. "Thank god you live next door."

I pull away and look at Peeta. He's going to have a nasty bruise when he wakes up.

"Why don't you go lock yourself in your room. I'll stay down here until he wakes up." Haymitch remarks.

"Why... why did he just try to kill me?" I stammer.

Haymitch sighs. "Something the Capitol did to him."

I get to my room, collapse on the bed, and start crying. Eventually, I fall asleep. How pathetic am I?