My alarm blares at eight the next morning. I groan in irritation and reach for it. It disappears and I hear a crash.
"Dammit Peeta! Not again!" I sit up to see my phone in two parts on the floor.
"Shit. Katniss, I'm sorry. I'll go get you a new one." He says.
That's a terrible habit and he's done it three times. I sigh.
"Don't. I'll deal with it later." I get up. I take a shower and then walk across the hall naked. Peeta does a double take and I just smirk. "We don't have
time." I pull on a bra and underwear and then pull on some light blue skinny jeans that are size zero from Hollister. They fit perfectly.
I pull on a skintight beige tank top and then a yellow and white see through three quarter sleeve shirt. It's striped. I blow dry my hair and roll on deodorant. I know Peeta's going to get mad, but I sneak into Hallie's room. She's sleeping soundly in her crib, sucking her thumb. I plant a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, bear." I whisper before sneaking back out and going into the bedroom.
"You really need to stop doing that. She's going to wake up and she's going to scream for hours. Katniss, you know I'm right. You never wake a sleeping baby." Peeta says.
"I didn't wake her." I pull on my white vans. He sighs.
"Alright Katniss, alright." I brush past him to the kitchen and down two granola bars.
Annie knocks on the door and walks into the living room.
"Kat?"
"In the kitchen!" I call, making sure there's plenty of milk to last Peeta the day. She walks in wearing her normal clothes. I chug some orange juice, brush my teeth, kiss Peeta goodbye and head out with Annie.
We stop at verizon. The people here are familiar with me.
"You had the baby!" Grant gasps. I laugh
"Yeah. I need my phone again." I admit. He goes to the back and gets me the phone and sets it up and hands it to me. I pay him and head out.
"Peeta is still breaking alarm clocks?" Annie asks.
"Yes. This is like the forth time that he's broken my phone." I sigh and text him.
Me: I got my phone fixed
Baby: okay I love you
Me: I love you too
We pull in at Elandor Roosevelt High School and I go to the office. I've been here once or twice for softball games when I was in high school. I park the car, grab my bag and head inside.
"What happens if I don't get the job? How an I getting home?" She asks.
"Just take my car and I'll call Peeta and tell him to come get me." I reply. "Don't go and pay for a taxi. That's stupid." We walk into the office.
"Hi! How may I help you?" The secretary asks. I think of Effie immediately.
"Yes hi, I'm here to see Boggs?" I ask.
"What's your name?" She asks.
"Katniss Mellark." I say.
"Oh yes, go on back." She says. "Down the hall. When you turn right, it's the first door on the left." She says. I nod and head down the hall. His door is shut. I knock.
"Come in." He says. I open the door, a crack at first to make sure I'm not interrupting something and then walk in all the way. Annie lingers behind me. "Mrs. Mellark? My goodness! I told the students to weren't going to show! I really thought you wouldn't!" He exclaims. "Sit! Sit please, both of you!" he says. Annie stays close to me because it makes her comfortable. "So have you decided?" He asks.
"I have, and I want to come back to teaching." I say. He grins.
"Perfect! You got the job!" He says. He looks at Annie.
"I'm here for the Teen class." She says.
"Ah yes...we've been struggling with that class. We almost just got rid of it all together. What's your name?" He asks.
"Annie Cresta." She smiles.
"And you came here with Katniss?" He asks.
"Yes. She's been my best friend since we were ten. We were Forster sisters till we were eighteen." She smiles.
"Oh...just give me a moment." He hands her a form. "If you'll just fill this out." He hands her a pen and she fills out the form.
"It's asking if I'm single...I have a boyfriend...does...does that count?" She asks.
"Just put single. We'll change it if he pops the question." He says.
She marks it as single and sits back. He's been typing away on his computer.
He's googling her to see if she's done anything bad. He just did a background check on her and just finished her Facebook.
"Alright..." He looks the fork over. "Well...you've got the job. The kids are in forth period right now and lunch, you both have the same lunch, but it's next. Do you want me to show you to your classrooms? Together? So you both know where your rooms-oh, I'll just give you a tour of the school." He rises.
Annie and I follow him.
"Are we allowed to wear what we want as long as we follow the dress code?" I blurt.
"Of course you can. Oh, and Katniss, you can bring your daughter wit you to work whenever you need to. You sit even have to ask." He says. "Just no breast feeding in class."
"Okay, thank you, really." I smile.
I may have to. Today is a test on how she does. "If my husband is watching her and there's a problem, is he allowed to come in?" I ask.
"Of course. Family first Katniss." He smiles. "We had to move the teen room all around so right now it's right next door to Katniss's. There's even joint doors and you guys share an office. Is that alright?"
"That's wonderful." We say.
"And that's basically it. Katniss, this is your room and your key, and Annie, this is your room and your key." We're all the way at the end of the hallway and my room is right across from her. I know there is going to be a door in my room and a door in Annie's room that leads to the same office. "Katniss, do you mind waiting here while I get Annie settled?" He asks.
"Not at all." I wait outside of the door as he takes Annie into the room. She is going to be a perfect teacher. I wait almost ten minutes and then he comes back alone.
"Alright...your classes are literally your classes from last year with the exception if some tenth graders that failed Algebra one and some other ninth graders. He opens the door. The kids are doing worksheets. He leads me into the room.
"Ms. Everdeen!" Olive gasps. Every head snaps up.
"Hey guys," I smile.
Boggs goes over and speaks to the substitute. She looks immensely amused.
"Good! Thank god! I quit!" She shouts. Boggs looks shocked, every kid looks a bit shocked and I'm just dumbfounded. She gets up and flees the classroom, crying.
"Is that all you need?" Boggs asks quietly.
"I guess..." I look around at the bare walls.
"Okay..." He heads out of the class.
I watch from the window until she's gone and then drop my bag on the floor.
"How many if you have had me before?" I ask. Everyone raises their hands. "Are their any tenth graders in here?" Two people rise their hands.
"Oh hey! Madison," I exclaim. I forgot the other girls name. "I know I had you, but what's your name again?" I ask. She laughs.
"Hallie Richards." She says.
"Hey! It's that your daughters name?" Olive asks.
"Yes." I smile. "So...are you guys going to tell me how bad you tortured that lady?" I ask. They all know how I get with them being mean to substitutes I've been a substitute before, and I went home in tears.
Everyone avoids my eye contact.
"Actually, I really don't want to know." I move to the office and stick my head inside, tossing my purse on the table. Annie won't care. I can hear laughter, not because someone said something funny, but mocking laughter. I walk across to Annie's door and open it a crack. Their all laughing at her because she's writing on the smart board with an expo marker.
I start laughing too, and I recognize most if these kids too, some of them having gone to the school I taught at or I taught them myself.
"Annie." I move to the front of the classroom.
She's confused. "What?" She asks.
"This is not an expo board." I say. "It's like a giant tablet." I say. "See?" I pick up the red marker and draw swirls on it with my finger.
Her face gets red hot.
"Uh..." She begins to panic. I out the maker back and get some paper towel and hand sanitizer. I wash down the board.
"Guys, don't be mean to Ms. Cresta. It's literally her first day ever teaching. Be nice to her." I say. "You come get me if there's a problem and I'll she you how to write a detention." I say. Annie laughs.
"Thanks Kat." She whispers. I just nod and go back to my room.
"Okay, so what are you guys learning?" I ask.
"To be honest, we don't know." Hallie admits.
It's weird to call her Halle and not picture my daughter. I pick up her worksheet.
Every one if her answers are wrong. I snort and grab olives, and then everyone else's, fingering through them to see their all wrong.
"Well...that's depressing." I toss them in the garbage. Their doing slope intercept and linear equations.
"How long ago did you have your baby?" Olive asks.
"Two months and one day." I say. She coughs.
"And those are your regular jean size?" She asks.
"Yes." I say. Her eyes bludge.
"If you don't mind me asking, what is your regular jean size?"
"Well..." I grab the still and sit down. "Let's just talk and catch up. I'll out you guys to work tomorrow or something." I say. "And it's a zero. My regular-" I shift and my phone slides right out of my pocket and to the floor. I sigh sharply and pick it up.
Cracked. Just the screen though, but still. "My regular size is zero. But to be honest, I was huge when I was pregnant and I was disgusted with myself and I was going on a huge cursing rage and I was throwing clothes at my husband." I laugh. "And I told him it was his fault for getting me pregnant." I admit. Every starts laughing. "And then he kept apologizing and I yelled at him and told him he was annoying. I refused to let him hold my hand or hug me it anything until I was back to size zero." I admit. Everyone laughs harder.
"So...central park." Olive smirks, causing everyone to start laughing. I groan. "Oh come on Ms. Everdeen! It was so adorable!"
"And embarrassing." I reply.
"But sweet." Olive smiles.
"So tell us about your husband! Is he the same guy you were dating! Tell us everything! Your love story and everything!" Hallie exclaims.
"Well...yes it is. I've known him my whole entire life. Our families were inseparable until we were ten. Johanna and I and him and his brother and everyone ditched school and went to Central Park." I begin, taking a deep breath. "Oh September 11th, 2001." Everyone's eyes go huge. "Then the terrorist attack happened and...long story short, we speedsters until May of last year on Johanna and I's birthday. Johanna, not surprisingly, dragged me into her bar and Peeta showed up. We started out friends and then we kissed and ended up dating, he proposed, I said yes, and then my sister got pregnant and when she had the baby, we got married and didn't realize I was already pregnant. And then nine months later Hal was born." I say.
"She has the same name as me?" Hallie smiles.
"Yes." I smile, too.
"I can't believes you went back to your regular size! I didn't! Didn't you eat a ton of junk foods?" Olive exclaims.
"I are so much junk food that I threw up. I have really high metabolism though, everything I eat burns right off." I say.
"Lucky!" Olive says.
"Oh come on." I smile.
"What? I'm a fat girl with a kid at fourteen." She says.
"You are not fat. Everybody is beautiful." I say. My phone chimes eight times in a few seconds.
I look down and unlock it.
Baby: Katniss
Baby: I'm so sorry
Baby: I can't do this
Baby: she keeps screaming
Baby: I've tried everything
Baby: help
Baby: Katniss she wants you and she won't stop and she's going to get herself sick. What do I do?
Baby: I'm so sorry
Me: just come. Boggs said that you and her can come whenever I want. Just bring her. Give her something to make her sleep or something. Can we do that, or is that bad?
Baby: idk Katniss. I really wanted to be able to do this to show you in worthy but I can't. She likes you more
Me: I know your worthy Peeta, you know I know that. Just come.
"Are you okay?" Olive asks me.
"I'm fine." I start to put my phone away but it chimes again.
Baby: are you sure?
Me: yes Peeta just come
Baby: okay. Do you want food? I'll bring you food.
Me: I'll eat later is something. Come on before she makes herself pass out
Baby: ok
"How long is left in here?" I ask.
"Like...I think forty minutes." Caitlin says.
"Well then your going to meet my husband and my daughter." I say.
Everyone's eyes light up. "And I apologize in advance because she's going to be screaming and he's going to be apologizing a million miles a minute." I say.
We continue to chat, and soon enough, we trail off mid sentence when we hear screams of a baby down the hallway when get louder until Boggs is taking Peeta into the room. Boggs nods at me and leaves.
"Katniss I am so sorry I tried everything I even called your mom. Katniss I really am sorry." I ignore him as I take Hallie from him. He keeps going and going and it starts to get annoying.
"Peeta, I mean this out of love when I say shut up." I say. His mouth shuts. "You know I hate when you apologize like that." He exhales.
"I know, and I'm sorry, but-sorry-I...I mean-sorry I keep-" he exhales loudly. "I'm gonna go sit down." He mumbles. She's trying to nurse.
"No." I say, moving her so her head is on my shoulder. "Peeta, would she take the bottle?" I ask.
"She spit it right up." He says.
"Did you tell me mom?" I ask.
"Mm hm. She said she wants you and she doesn't like the bottle." He says. I sigh.
"Well she needs to stop not liking the bottle." I grumble. "Oh yeah, guys, this is my husband, Peeta. Peeta...this is forth period." I say.
"Hi," Peeta says. Everyone waves.
"Nice show at Central Park, Mr. Mellark." Hallie says.
Peeta smirks at me. Hal is still crying, just not as bad.
"Did you try to pacifier?" I ask.
"She spit it out." He replies. I sigh.
"Did you let her suck your skin?" I ask.
"No. That's weird." He says. I expose my shoulder slightly, and since her head is there, she starts to suck on the skin. "Where's Annie's room?" He asks.
"Through that door." I say, pointing.
"Her class is?" He asks.
"No, our office is." I say.
"You get to share an office?" He asks.
"Yes, and it's h-" Hallie coughs up all over my shoulder and it starts drizzling down my front. A lot of my students start laughing. Peeta bites his lip to keep from laughing. I sigh when she does it again and then move to Peeta and hand him Hallie as I get a clean burp cloth from the diaper bag and hand it to Peeta. He starts to burp her and I get wipes and start to clean up the spit up. Hallie starts to scream again. I finish wiping up the throw up and I take her back from him and add the cloth. She silences immediately.
"Do you remember the first year we had you?" The other Hallie asks me.
"Yes." I say.
"Remember when we caught you singing?" Caitlin asks.
"You can sing?" Parker demands.
"No." I lie.
"Oh please." Peeta says. "Your lying. She's lying." He says.
"Yes you can! I remember because I wish you had songs I could download!" Hallie exclaims.
"Fine...yes, I guess I can sing. I get it from my father mostly, but my mother, too."
"You should sing something." Peeta says casually. Everyone starts agreeing. They get too loud and Hallie starts crying.
Thankfully, the bell rings, sending them off to lunch and leaving Peeta and I alone. Annie joins us eventually and we all talk the whole time. Hallie eventually falls asleep and Peeta takes her back.
"Okay, I'm gonna go home." He says.
"Why?" I ask.
He just shrugs.
"She's going to wake up again. And then she's going to start screaming again." I warn. He sighs.
"Well...her immune system isn't strong enough for her to be here." He says. I sigh.
"Alright..." I say glumly.
"Do you want me to stay? I bet she'll be fine..." He says.
"No...it's okay. You want to go home." I don't want him to go and I don't want Hallie to go.
I have major freak attacks when I'm away from Hallie and I worry really bad.
Peeta knows it, too. I went to Johanna's one time without Hallie and I came home hysterical and I slept with her that night.
He can see it in my eyes. "I'll stay." He says. The bell rings and Annie goes back to her room. I keep my back turned and I'm still in my desk chair. Peeta doesn't question me. "So Brandon wants to babysit Hal on black Friday while we're out. I said that we'd pay him…" he eyes are weary.
"No." I whisper.
"Come on! It won-"I'm to have to watch her alone over night because everyone else is going to be shopping." I whisper.
"We're going to be gone over night. She can't come with us." he says. "And it's crazy out there. You and I both know that we don't want our two month old out on Black Friday."
"Fine, I just won't go." I say.
"Katniss, Brandon is going to be sixteen in February. I think he's responsible enough to watch her." He whispers. Everyone bursts out laughing behind me, and Peeta looks up and his eyes fill with concern. I look over my shoulder to see a girl who I had, who was always the most quiet one, but always has straight A's. Her name is Sophia. She's hysterically crying.
I don't think they realize it's me as the teacher. She sits down in her desk and puts her head down and just cries, and instead of someone going to see what's wrong with her, they all point and laugh.
Now they've pissed me off.
"Nerd!" Someone throws a piece of paper at her, and suddenly, I'm zapped back in time.
"Your such a whore. Katpiss, everyone hates you. You don't deserve to live! Nerd!" Glimmer snarls, throwing a piece of paper at me.
I stand up so fast that I knock my chair over. "Katniss, easy." Peeta whispers.
"Would someone please tell me what's so funny?" I ask loudly, angry. Everyone silences, all of them obviously surprised to see me.
"Ms. Everdeen! You're not supposed to be here!" Heather exclaims.
I hate her, too. She's a bully. She's like Glimmer. "Yes I am. Why in the world do you guys think it's funny that Sophia is hysterical?" I ask.
"We don't think it's funny!" Krista defends herself. I walk over to the paper they threw at her. "Oh, you don't need to read that-" I unfold the paper and see the word "WHORE" written on it. And then there are signatures of everyone in the class. I grit my teeth.
"Let me tell you guys a little story. Sophia, do you need to go to the restroom?" I ask. She nods and gets up and leaves. "When I was in high school, I almost killed myself." I say. Everyone stays silent.
They've pissed me off beyond belief, and I've never actually lectured them like I'm going to, but I'm going to, because this pissed me off.
"You know why?" I ask. Everyone shakes their heads. "I was bullied. I didn't speak to anyone except for Johanna, Annie and my sister, Prim. I had nobody but them. I wanted to die. I failed a lot of classes, I started to not eat, I almost started cutting myself. The kids in my class were so rude. They threw papers at me, exactly like this one! I left the classes almost every day and cried my eyes out in the bathroom so hard that I made myself sick. I got suspended for having too many absences." I say. Everyone begins to look sorry. "Now, and I don't care how much trouble I get in for cursing, but why the hell would you go and bully her! Why? What did she do to you? Why do you find pleasure in sending her out of the class in tears?"
"Ms. Everdeen-" Heather begins.
"No, don't interrupt me when I'm talking." I say. She sighs. "Do you guys think it's funny? She's crying because of you guys. What the hell is so funny? Why would you write whore on this and then sign it? Why? What's so funny about that? How is she a whore? Because she has better grades then you? Because she's quiet? Because she raises her hand and tells the answers? She studies. She does her work. She doesn't screw off and sit on the internet all day when she gets home! If I ever see you guys do some much as glance at her weird, I'll write every single one of you detentions. I don't care if it's in my class or not. Leave her alone. She didn't do shit to any one of you." I rip the paper up into a million pieces and drop it in the garbage. "Now put your heads on your desk and shut up or I'm giving all of you detention." I snap. "Stay there for the rest of the period. And go head and tell the principle on me. I don't really care." I add. "Oh, and when she comes back, you all better look her in the eye and apologize and then put your heads right back down." I say.
They all put their backpacks on the floor and put their heads on their desks.
I go back to my seat, completely upset and angry. Peeta grabs my hand and raises it to his lips, and then he starts to rub small circles on it.
A couple minutes later, Sophia slowly walks into the door.
I loudly clear my throat and everyone looks up.
"Sorry Sophia." They say together. She just shrugs in response and goes to her desk.
She looks around in confusion when she sees that everyone has their heads down.
"Don't worry Sophia, they won't be bothering you anymore." I say, putting my feet up on my desk and sitting back. "Oh, and their heads are down because they deserve it. You can do whatever you like for the rest of the period." I say. She looks at everyone again.
"Where did that paper go?" she whispers.
"Oh, that's gone. Don't worry about what was on it. It's not important." I say.
"You know how easily you could be fired right now, right?" Heather snaps at me.
"Do you know how easily I could get all of you expelled for bullying?" I retort. Panic flashes in her eyes and she puts her head back on her desk. Sophia is writing or drawing in her journal, and everyone has their heads on their desk.
After a while, the bell rings and they all file out.
The new class files in, and they all begin to talk, hardly noticing me. When the tardy bell rings, I rise from my chair and move to the front of the room.
"Ms. Everdeen!" Hanna gasps. Everyone starts to talk at once.
"Hi guys," I smile.
"you just had a baby? And your married? Are we ever going to officially meet them?" Tabitha demands.
"Well…that's my husband back there, his name is Peeta." I smile. "And Hallie is asleep back there in the carseat."
"She's not asleep anymore." Peeta says.
"She isn't?" I ask. He shakes his head.
"But don't come and get her because she's going to get used to-" I get her anyways, and he sighs. I rest her head on my shoulder and move back to the front.
"I don't see what the big deal is." I say.
"If you keep doing that, she's going to get used to someone being there right when she wakes up." He says. "And she's always going to want to be held."
"Well I always want to hold her," I say. "And how do you know? Do you have another baby you're not telling me about?" I ask. He rolls his eyes and moves to the front.
"No. But I remember when Audrey was a baby." He says.
"Did you ask my mother about it?" I ask.
"No, but-"
"Then it doesn't matter." I say.
He sighs. "Where's all the markers?" he asks.
I look behind me and lean back to far and fall backwards off the stool. Everyone gasps. "Oh my god!" Peeta panics and pulls me off the floor. Hallie starts screaming. "Are you okay?" he asks.
"Fine. I'm fine." I rub her back. Everyone looks alarmed. I move to the diaper bag and try to get her to take the binky, but she spits it out . I try the bottle and she just spits it up, and I check her diaper to find it clean. She needs to stop screaming. I bounce her around for a while, and eventually she silences. "I'm sorry. I'm probably the most unstable person you'll ever meet."
…..a…..
Right when Peeta, Annie and I get home, I expose myself and feed Hallie, because she refuses to drink from the bottle. She's been screaming since the bell to end the day rang.
After I burp her, I get her to sleep and then put her to bed, Annie having changed her diaper in the car.
I walk back to the living room. The front door bursts open and Johanna races into the room, sobbing.
Johanna Marie Mason does not cry. "Jo?" I ask, alarmed. She hugs me, crying into my shoulder, pulling Annie into the hug. We hug her back, and after nearly five minutes, she pulls away, shaking her head.
"What happened?" Annie and I ask at the same time.
"Blight. We broke up." She says. Peeta disappears and comes back with what I call "comfort food" which is chocolate, mac and cheese and hot chocolate. He sets it on the coffee table and gets my blanket that I use when I'm upset. Johanna sits on the couch and he drapes the blanket over her shoulders. Finn walks in the house.
"Where's my godbaby?" he demands.
"Asleep," Peeta says. "Let's go watch the game." Finn rubs his hands together and follows Peeta down the hallway.
"Why?" Annie asks. She shrugs.
"He'd been being an ass lately. I asked him why that we've been dating for six years and not once has be said I love you or anything. We got into a fight, he grabbed his shit and left. That's it. Now I'm going to have to move back in with my parents because I can't afford shit. The bar…I didn't tell you guys but I've been foreclosed on." She starts to eat the ice cream.
"You can't move back to Kentucky!" I cry out.
"I haven't got a choice!" she says back. Hallie starts crying and I get up.
"I'll be right back." I storm down the hallway and get her from her crib. Peeta meets quickly up with me.
"Let's hire Johanna." He says.
"She doesn't have enough money to keep her apartment." I sigh. He looks around.
"Katniss…we have four rooms." He whispers. "Two are occiupied, but…are you okay with her moving in?" he asks.
"I'm okay with it, are you okay with it?" I ask.
"Yes." He whispers. "Tell her to move in with us."
"I will," I walk out.
Hallie likes to lay on her stomach on the floor and play with her toys. Since she is only two months, she cann't do much. She can lift her head up for a minute at most, she laughs when you play with her and she smiles, but that's it. I get her toy basket and sit down on the floor, laying down her baby blanket and setting her toys in front of her. She lays on her stomach and plays with them, lifting her head occasionally and putting it back down.
"I'm really going to miss her." Johanna sniffs.
"When are you leaving?" Annie whispers.
"Friday." She mumbles.
"You're not leaving, actually." I say.
"What the hell are you talking about, Brainless?" she demands.
"First of all, your hired, second of all, your moving in, third of all, your welcome." I say.
"Wait…what? Your hiring me? And letting me move in?" she asks.
"Yes, Johanna." I sigh.
…s…
She moved in by Friday. It's the Friday before spring break and I leave tomorrow at seven in the morning to go to Kentucky and the families are so excited to see Hallie because the last time they saw her, she was a week old.
"Ms. Everdeen, what are you doing for your break?" Sophia asks.
"Well…I'm going to Kentucky for the week." I shrug.
"Why Kentucky?" Hanna asks.
"Because that's where my family lives." I smile.
"Oh…" she trails off.
"Yeah," I smile.
The bell rings and they file out. The other kids come on.
"Please tell me we're not working today!" Chad begs. I laugh.
"You're not the only one that doesn't want to be here." I say.
"So what are we doing?" he asks.
"Um…" I sigh. "Here, this is what the other classes did." I pass out drawings that need to be colored. "Go crazy." I say.
"This is why your my favorite teacher. Is this for a grade?"
"I'll just give you all ten points for today." I say. I go to my laptop and start to music from my iTunes and sit back at my desk, propping my feet on my desk and pulling out my phone.
Baby: we have a slight change of plans…
Me: and what's that?
Baby: well…we need to leave at six tonight. Johanna is working and I need to run a few errands. You have papers to grade and stuff to patch up and I can't watch Hallie. Everyone else is at work and Chase is at daycare.
Me: so just bring Hallie into the office and the secretary'll bring her up to me. She always does that.
Baby: ok
I begin to get bored, so I start to spin around in the chair. I hear blabbering and screaming from down the hall and then the door opens and the secretary walks in with a grin on her face, the diaper bag and Hallie, who is making loud noises. She carries her over to me.
"Thanks," I smile and take Hallie from her.
"I love your daughter. I'm attached." She smiles and walks out. I put my feet back on my desk and Hallie keeps giggling.
"She's so cute." Hanna comments. I smile. "She looks just like you."
"Thanks," I say. I lay her back against my legs.
"Do you listen to Kellie Pickler?" Sophia asks.
"Yes, why?" I ask.
"What's her favorite song of yours?" she asks. I go through iTunes and click on "Best Days Of Your Life"
"I love this song!" Hanna gasps. Everyone starts agreeing and singing along. After a while, Hallie starts crying. I get the bottle from the diaper bag. It's too cold.
"Hey, which one of you guys want to do me a favor?" I ask.
A ton of hands raise and they all start being loud. I always call on the quietest one, which in this case is Franchesca. She walks over to me.
"This is sixth period, right?" I ask.
"Yes," she says.
"Good, go across the hall to teen living to Ms. Cresta and tell her that I need this bottle warmed up." I say. "She's in planning." I add.
"Okay," she takes the bottle and the hall pass and comes back a minute later with her hands empty except for the pass. "She's warming it up." She says.
"Okay," I smile and text Peeta.
Me: so are you gonna tell me why we have to go early?
Baby: because our parents are whining about how theyre missing out on all our lives and they want us there sooner.
Me: okay. I'm not going to do that group shit with them. I really hate that, and I know you too
Peeta: yes I do, and it's gonna suck.
"Did you hear the news Brainless?" Johanna walks into my classroom.
"Aren't you supposed to be working?" I narrow my eyes.
"No, Peeta told me to pack." She says.
"Hi Johanna!" Everyone exclaims.
"Sup," she nods at them and walks over to me, pushing some stuff off my desk and sitting down.
Hallie can roll over, too.
….s….
"We're going to miss our flight you two! Lets go!" Peeta shouts from the living room. I zip up my suitcase and run down the hall.
We get to the airport and get on the flight and she falls asleep on my lap and I hold her as close to me as possible.
…s…
Peeta and I are arguing the entire way to my parents from the airport, and everyone just puts up with it.
"I told you no work this week!" he says.
"I'm twenty four, Peeta. I can do what I want." I snap. We continue to bicker when we pull into the driveway.
"I don't care! This is not time for work, Katniss." He snaps as I get Hallie and he gets the diaper bag.
"It's just papers to grade Peeta, I don't see the big deal!" I snap. Finn sighs sharply and opens up the door. Hallie has her head resting on my shoulder and she's playing with my hair.
"You know what the big deal is." He says.
"No, I don't. I thought you said you would help me? What ever happened to that?"
"I will help you, but it doesn't mean I'm okay with it." He says. I sigh. Hallie starts making loud noises, trying to get attention. We continue to bicker.
She violently tugs my hair. "Ow!" I gasp. I didn't mean to snap, and she starts crying.
"Now look what you did." Peeta takes her from me.
Now I'm upset, because he never does that when I do something wrong. "I'll be back in a little while." I avoid is eye as I slip out the door. It's snowing and it's been snowing in New York.
"Kat, wait." He follows me. Hallie is with someone else now, probably our parents. I head for the park, and he jogs to catch up with me. We move away from the vhildren and way away from anyone. Then I sit down. He sits in front of me so we're facing one another.
"I'm sorry Peeta. I won't work this week, I promise." I say.
"Wait…I want to talk to you about something important." He says, molding some snowballs and then smashing them. "But first…" he pulls my lips to his and kisses me for a long time. "I'm sorry for being an ass back there. I love you and Hallie more than anything in the entire world."
"I love you too. I'm sorry too." I mumble.
"Do you like it out here? In the country?" he asks.
"Yes. I love it out here." I admit.
"I hate the city." He blurts. "Katniss, what happens when she's older? What happens when she can open doors and she goes downstairs, out into the street and bam-" he claps his hands. "Just like that, our baby is gone. Katniss, that scares me. I don't like the city. It's not safe, it's not sanitary…it's bad. You know someone broke into the restaurant last night? They didn't take anything, but they broke it. Katniss, we were upstairs. I was to move Katniss. I want to move to the country with you and Hal and Finnick and Annie and Johanna and Prim and Alex and Chase. I want to move. We can expand the restaurant by turning our house into a third floor for private spots." He says.
"You want to move to the country?" I ask.
"Yes…maybe we can get a deal on Firday?" He asks.
He;s right. When Hal is older, when she's two, shes going to be adventurous. She's going to take off. She;s going to get hit.
New York City is not safe to raise children.
"Okay. Let's move." I say.
"Really?" his eyes light up.
"Yeah, let's go look at houses."
…s…
"you guys are moving?" Mama demands. Her and Mrs. Mellark are obsessing over Hallie.
"Yes." I say.
"What about me?" Johanna demands. I look at Peeta.
"Wanna come?" he asks.
"Kay," she doesn't even care, and it's funny.
"Hey! What the fuck guys!" Finn complains.
"I wanna go." Annie mumbles.
"Me too. Let's go with them." Finn says. Peeta and I roll our eyes.
"Wait, why are you moving?" Prim demands. Peeta goes on to explain, and I start to have a small anxiety attack, which sometimes happens when I think about things happening to Hallie.
"Are you having another anxiety attack?" Peeta demands.
PEETA'S POV
She scares me so much when she does this. She sits there with tears streaming down her face, staring at Hallie. Then, when she's placed in her arms, she refuses to let anyone touch her or take her.
"What's wrong with her?" Johanna demands. I'm the only one that's witnessed what happens, and she doesn't let me tell people. I take Hallie from her mother and my mother and hand her to her.
"She's having an anxxeity attack. Whenever she thinks of something bad happening to her, she starts freaking out. Don't try to take her until she puts her down. If you do, she's going to freak out." I say. Katniss cradles Hallie against her chest. It takes her a few minutes to stop staring at her.
"You do that too, honey?" Mama asks.
"Do what?" she asks.
"The anxiety attacks. I did that with you and Prim."
"I do that with Chase." Prim admits.
"Yeah, and it scares the hell out of me." Alex says.
"It scares the hell out of me too." I admit. Katniss looks down at Hallie and kisses her right on her lips. Hallie starts crying and then begins to tug Katniss's shirt. She's only about twelve weeks old, or eleven. She's going to be three months in ten days today, so she's eleven weeks. I tug my shirt off and hand it to her. She sits back and puts her feet on the coffee table and lets her eat.
"So you really think she's going to get hit by a car and die?" Prim asks. Katniss looks like she's going to start crying.
"Prim honey, Katniss and Peeta are right. The city is so dangerous and once they learn to open doors, they're going to be exploring. I remember when Katniss was two, she ran out into the street and got ran over." Mrs. Everdeen says.
"Oh, I remember that. She nearly gave us all a heart attack." Mom says.
"What?" Katniss asks.
"Well it was in the space between the tires, but you ran right out and I was hysterical. If Hallie's moved over even a little bit, I bet her body will be sticking to the tire and-"
"Stop! Shut the fuck up!" Katniss says, panicked. "Don't say that!" She moves the shirt a little bit to watch Hallie. "Stop it! It's not going to happen so just drop it okay?"
"That'll happen?" Prim whispers. Chase is going to be one on the 31st and he can stand up. Prim picks him up and refuses to let him go. "Alex, I'm moving with Katniss and Peeta whether you like it or not." She says. Katniss covers herself and burps her, and then makes her fall asleep, and then she lays her on her chest.
"I'm coming then." Alex says.
"Hey! Listen to this house!" I show Katniss the screen of my laptop and she rests her head on my shoulder as I start to read. "Spacious contemporary style home nestled atop eleven point six acres overlooking Derby Pond. Featuring five bedrooms, two point five bathrooms, attacked and over-sized two plus car heated garage, a large deck that spans the front length of the house and an outdoor pellet furnace to help keep heating cost affordable (efficient oil boiler and gas fireplace for supplemental heating options.) The first floor offers cathedral ceilings and hardwood floors in the living room, kitchen and dining area, a spiral staircase to the loft, master suite with walk-in closet, tiled shower and garden tub, two additional bedrooms and a mudroom. The walkout lower level is partially finished with a family slash rec room, two spare bedrooms and two additional rooms that can be used for game, workout, theater, and exedra. Well landscaped lot with numerous trees including two hundred plus cedars and several mature apple trees. Convenient to Derby amenities, direct access to VAST (snowmobile trail) and just a short distance from lakes. Great location just off the main road, yet feels like the country. "
"Damn. I know you guys have your own restaurant, but do you have that much money for that?" Haymitch asks.
"It's only 1,402 a month and we make more than that." I say. "And we're expanding the restaurant, which will bring in more money." I say. Katniss starts scrolling through the pictures.
"It's nice." She says.
"Nice enough to live in?" I ask. This is like the tenth house I've found and she's hated all of them.
"Yes." She yawns.
"Are you falling asleep?" I ask. She makes a noise. I look down at her to see she's indeed fallen asleep.
"Now I can take my grandbaby back." Mom says.
"Go ahead and try. She how fast she slaps you." I reply.
She does try. Katniss wakes right up and raises her hand. I catch her wrist.
"You can hold her later." she says.
"Told you." I say. Mom sighs.
"Please? You get to have her all the time!"
"Because I'm her Mama." Katniss lays down.
KATNISS'S POV
…a…
I wake up; panic coursing through my veins when I see Hallie is gone.
"Relax." Peeta puts his hand on my shoulder. "I just had to change her diaper. Here," he hands her back to me. I lay her back down on my chest. I've taken up the whole couch. My legs have slide onto Peeta's lap and my head on Finn's lap.
"I'm sorry, I'll-"
"Your fine kitty, I like playing with your hair." Finn admits.
"You're not fine, actually." Peeta says. I sit up, and he rotates me so my legs are in Finn's lap and my head is in his lap. He starts running his fingers through my hair, kissing my forehead. I end up drifting off again.
PEETA'S POV
She's out again. I keep running my fingers through her hair.
She stays asleep for a long time. By the time the pizza is here, she's still out.
"Baby," I whisper. She doesn't move. "Kat." I say louder. "Katniss!" she doesn't move. I tap her cheek impatiently. She doesn't even stir. "Katniss!" I bump her head with my knee. She groans and puts her hand in my face.
"Shut it." She turns, burying her head in my stomach.
"It's dinner time." I tell her.
"Not hungry." She mumbles.
"It's dinner time." I repeat.
"I said I'm not hungry." She says.
"Fine," I get up and get her food anyways. "Here," she sighs and open her eyes, sitting up, careful not to wake Hal.
She eats in silence and when she's about to get up, I take her plate to the kitchen for her.
"When do you feed her dinner?" Mrs. Everdeen asks.
"When she's hungry or a few minutes after we eat." Kat says. "But tonight it's going to be when she's hungry." She says. "She needs a bath."
We all chat for a while. Hallie wakes and Katniss feeds her.
KATNISS'S POV
She really needs a bath. Like, it's disgusting.
"You know that the two if you were in the newspaper, right?" Cinna asks.
"What?" I repeat.
"Yeah, look." He hands me the paper. We're on the home page.
And the headlines is: THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST ADORABLY IN LOVE COUPLE YOU WILL EVER SEE.
On September 15th, 2013, a young couple were walking through Central Park when the male (name unknown) started to loudly sing her a song. Not to embarrass her, but because he loves her.
They had a very young daughter, who looked to be less than a month old.
Peeta was reading it the whole time I was.
"Well..." He shrugs. I pass the paper back to Cinna.
"You guys know she laughs, right?" I ask the family.
"What?" Johanna demands. "No she doesn't. I live with you guys and not once have I heard her laugh."
"Yes she does," Peeta frowns. I lift my legs up and rest her on my risen knees. She sucks her thumb, but I take her finger from her mouth and bounce her up and down, tickling her as I do so. She let's out a small laugh, and then louder ones, that are squeals of joy. She doesn't do much, but enough to make everyone freak out.
"Oh my god! I'm missing my grand babies whole life! Both of them!" Mrs. Everdeen looks at Hallie, and then at Chase, and then she starts crying. Like not the cry she normally does which is just a few tears.
No, she's really crying.
Then she gets up and walks upstairs.
...9...
KATNISS'S POV
I wake up to Hallie crying late that night. She always sleeps through the night though. I go to check her crib to find it empty. My heart rate accelerates. I shake Peeta roughly.
"Hmm?" He mumbles.
"Hal isn't in her crib." I whisper. He sits up.
"Is that her crying?" He asks.
"Yes. Peeta, what do I do?" He gets up. We both of in pajama pants. We would never sleep without clothes with Hal in the room. She's literally screaming, terrified. The diaper bag is gone, too. I hurry out of the room. People are starting to wake up and eventually everyone is following Peeta and I downstairs.
Oh hell no. Uncle Andrew and Aunt Megan are here with Jessica and they're stealing Hallie.
"What the fuck are you doing?" I hiss.
"This is not going to be a happy ending." Johanna says.
"What the hell are you doing? Put her down!"
And then she throws her down on the floor.
I don't even know what I do next.
PEETAS POV
Hallie's screams stop and then Katniss is screaming at them, picking Hallie off the floor. She hands her off to Johanna and makes a lunge at them. I grab her arm and all of the guys and I have to restrain her because she's pissed and she's got a lot of adrenaline running through her and if she gets to them, she's going to end up killing them. I keep a strong hand on her arm as I call the police.
They make a dive for the door, but Johanna throws something and knocks Aunt Megan down and then they trip over her. Then Mom runs over and blocks the door. I get off the phone with the police. Katniss isn't about to run out if energy. Johanna hands Hallie to Mrs. Everdeen, signals for us to release Katnsis, and when she lunges, Johanna trips her and pins her to the floor. Katniss is thrashing around under her and screaming, downing out the sirens. When the front door opens, Johanna clamps her hand over her mouth and silences her.
"Was it her?" The officer points at Katniss.
"No. She's her mother. I'm the one that called. That's my wife." I grab Katniss's arm and pull her off the floor. Katniss takes Hallie from Mrs. Everdeen.
...f...
KATNISS'S POV
The next thing I'm aware of, I'm sitting in the waiting room of a hospital. My knee is bouncing from panic and worry. My head is in my hands and I'm crying, but just with tears. Peeta is next to me with his hand slipped under my shirt. Nobody speaks. He rubs my back in gentle patterns. We all just sit. I think we've been here for three hours, I think.
We haven't said a word to each other, even though all of us are here.
My thoughts get worse and worse.
She's so young. So little.
What if she doesn't wake up?
What happens if I lose my baby girl.
"She's going to be fine guys." Johanna finally speaks up. We all knows she convincing herself, too.
"And what if she's not?" I snap, looking up. "What happens then?"
"Think positive Katniss." Peeta whispers.
"It's not that easy." I whisper. I keep having anxiety attacks.
"I know, but still. Just think positive. And stop blaming yourself." He adds.
He knows me too well.
"Just try. Please? For me and for Hal and for the rest of us." He begs. I sigh in reply.
...8...
It's around seven and the sun is up. Mama keeps helping me. She has a notebook and she gave it to me and a pen. I've been scribbling random patterns since five, and Peeta's mother gave him a notebook and a pen and he's been drawing.
After a while, I start to teach myself to write right handed, and by ten, I can write with both hands. Eventually I get my papers to grade and grade all of them and then go back to writing my signature over and over with both hands. Johanna is watching videos out loud on her phone and a few people are pacing or asleep. Mama and Mrs. Mellark went off to get everyone food.
After a while I start writing lyrics to randoms songs. Christina Perri, P!nk, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, Miley Cyrus. I write seventeen songs that u wrote without telling anyone.
I keep going with the songs and I end up running our of pages. Peeta rips out half of his notebook and hands it to me. I silently thank him and keep going.
"Katniss." Peeta nudges me and I look up to see a doctor standing there.
"Are the parents of Hallie Mellark here?" He asks. Peeta and I stand up, and I'm so panicked that I send the papers Peeta gave me flying all over the floor. I bend down to pick them up and Brandon just shakes his head at me and then does it for me. "She's fine." He says. Everyone let's out loud sighs of relief. "She's got a minor concussion, but since she's so little, it took a long time for her to wake up. She fell back asleep, and you guys can take her home. She's good though. She's probably going to have separation anxiety so make sure she's with one of you at all times. Make sure she takes it easy. And don't panic when she isn't as energetic and noisy." He says.
"Okay." Peeta speaks for both of us.
"Okay, and I'm going to give you some medicine for her. Try and give it to her while she's eating." He says. We nod. "I'll just go get her, and then you guys can go. She's probably going to be hungry when she wakes. I'll give you the prescription, too." He walks away. "Now…Expect drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, vomiting, irritability, or drainage, clearl or bloody, from her nose, mouth or ears."
"See Brainless? Hal's fine." Johanna says.
"I told you. Think positive," Peeta says with a smile as he tucks a steady strand of hair behind my ear. I smile and bend down to help Brandon collect the papers.
"What is Bubbly?" He's inspecting one if the songs I wrote.
"Nothing." I take it from his hand. Peeta comes up behind me and takes it right out of my hand.
"No!" I stand up and grab his arm. He holds it way up in the air and begins to read it, laughing as I struggle to get it from him. I climb onto his back and grab the paper and stuff it in my bra.
"I don't know why you think I won't go down there, I've been there tons of times." He reaches up and grabs my arms, flipping me over his head. He restrains me from behind, reaches right into my bra and grabs the paper. I punch the paper and rip it in half.
"Aww! Katniss!" He whines.
I grab the two pieces and rip them up into a million pieces.
"Why can't I read it?" he demands.
"It's a song, whatever it is." Brandon says. "Let's Google it," He pulls out his phone. "Play the song bubbly.." he tells Siri.
He frowns. "It's not on here." He frowns. The doctor comes out with Hallie. She's got a big huge red welt on her forehead. She's wrapped in a pink blanket and her head is resting on his shoulder. He hands her to Peeta, and she looks so much more comfortable with him than the doctor. She rests her head on his shoulder and puts her thumb in her mouth.
"Well…that's it, I guess." He says.
"What was your name again?" I ask.
"I'm Dr. Aurelius." He says.
"Oh, thank you." I say.
"Don't thank me, I'm just doing what I love." Then he smiles and walks off down the hallway.
"I know you want her." Peeta says.
"Yes, but so do you." I say.
"It's okay." Her hands her to me. When she realizes she with me, she starts crying and trying to get to my boobs. "Let's get out of here." Peeta says. We all rise, Peeta and I pay and then we head out. It's really dark and stormy outside. When we get to the house, Hallie is screaming and it's starting to snow. We hurry inside, I grab her other blanket, cover myself and move her head so she latches on.
"I'm going to get her medicine," Peeta announces.
"Okay," I say.
"I'm going to bed." Johanna announces.
"Me too." Prim agrees. Everyone goes downstairs, leaving Hallie and I alone. She's eating when I drift off.
…s…
My heartrate accelerates when I feel someone touching my breast. I grab their wrist and I begin to bend it.
"Relax," Peeta whispers. I open my eyes and see he's just covering me up, because Hallie is done eating and she's asleep on my chest. "I'm just covering you baby, I'm sorry for startling you." He bends down and kisses my lips. "Come on, let's go on up to bed." He takes Hallie off my chest. I rise and drag myself up. He locks the bedroom door and then puts her in the crib.
We both are out almost immediately.
…s…
I panic when I see Hallie isn't in her crib, but Peeta is next to me. I shake him awake.
"What?" he mumbles. I spring up, tears colliding down my cheeks. "Kat?" he gets up.
"She's not in her crib!" I scream at him.
"Whoa, okay, it's okay, shhh, calm down, Katniss, breathe. We locked the door. Johanna probably just unlocked it and came and took her." He pulls me against his chest. "It's okay, come on, let's go find her, Katniss."
PEETA'S POV
Ever since Hal was thrown to the floor, she's been having anxiety attacks. Really bad ones, and it scares the shit out of me. I lead her downstairs. Johanna does have Hallie.
"Johanna, you can't do that." I take Hal from her and hand her to Katniss. Katniss runs off upstairs with her.
I'm sorry, I'm skipping through break. I'm out of ideas for this story…
….z….
KATNISS'S POV
"I can't possibly go into work." I shake my head. Peeta sighs and runs his fingers roughly through his curls. We are going to see that house this weekend, that one he described, the one in Vermont. We're not moving until we finish working on the restaurant and that is going to take a long time, probably six months or so.
"Your really…" he sighs. "You're going to have to take her into work with you from now on. I'm going to be way too busy to watch her myself."
"Fine, I love you, bye.
"I love you too."
….s…..
"Ms. Everdeen, your acting weird today. You normally let Hallie sleep in her stroller. What's up? You won't put her down." Olive notices.
"Wel…can I tell you guys a secret?" I ask.
Everyone looks up and they all look excited. This is forth period. Hallie is asleep with her head on my shoulder. "Okay…so when I was in Kentcky over break…just keep in mind that my aunt, uncle and cousin didn't come to my wedding and they only show up for Christmas. Anyways, we had gotten into a fight because their kid got pregnant. She's fifteen and she looked at the text and passed out. Then her parents blamed Johanna, Annie and I when she woke up and started crying. They said that they didn't come to my wedding because I'm an a-hole and I haven't seen them since. This was on Christmas day. They showed up at my parents house and they…tried to kidnap Hallie. I woke up when I heard her screaming and woke Peeta and everyone followed us downstairs. I told them to put her down and well…they did this…" I hand Hallie off to Olive because she's nearest me, and then I grab a marker from my desk and throw it on the floor. It lands at my feet.
"Oh my god!" Olive exclaims.
"I know," I put the marker back and take back my daughter. "She passed out and…I kind of don't know what happened after that. I was so angry though, that Peeta said every single one of the guys in my family, and there's a whole lot of them, had to hold me back."
"What happened to her?" Pricilla demands.
""She got knocked unconscious and she was out for a while. She got a concussion, but she's okay. She just gets scared when she's alone, and I don't like her out of my sight, so I just keep her with me." I admit.
"I can't even imagine." Olive shakes her head and finches.
"Did you cry?" Pricilla asks. "I'd be sobbing nonstop for a week." I laugh.
"Yes. I cried when we were in the waiting room and I had a panic attack that night when she wasn't in her crib when I woke up. It was because Johanna snuck into my room and stole her. I was actually hysterical when that happened. But after that I didn't." I admit.
"I honestly think you're the most awesome teacher in the world." Jared says, putting his feet on his desk.
"How old is she? Is Hallie?" Olive asks.
"Three months and an day." I say. "Now finish your tests before we talk away the period."
"I'm okay with that." Jared says.
'Are you okay with an F?" I ask.
"No…" he says.
"Then finish your test." I smile and go back to my seat.
I occasionally look up from Hay Day, my game, to check on the kids.
The fifth time I look up, I see Tori on her phone.
Oh hell no. That's one thing I don't do. I get being on your phone at school, but not during tests. I loudly clear my throat and every head snaps in my direction. Her eyes flood with panic. I wave her over to me. She sighs and gets up and walks over to me. "Whatcha doing there?" I nod at her phone.
"Uh...um..." She shows me the screen, which has an equation calculator on it. She knows I'm going to do it, so she just does it for me and tosses her test in the trash.
"You can come back and get this at the end of the day. I think you and I need to have a little talk." I say.
"If I miss the bus, I can't get home." She says.
"Do you trust me?" I ask, forcing myself to put Hallie in her stroller because my arm is dead. She bites her lip and then sighs.
"Yes. I think we all trust you with your lives." She looks over her shoulder at everyone and they all nod.
"Good. If you miss the bus, I'll drive you home, okay?" I ask.
"Okay..." She says. "Can I text my Aunt and tell her I'm going to be late home?" She asks.
"Go ahead."
"Ms. Everdeen, I thought you said that Hallie screams when you put her down?" Olive asks.
"She does. I give her five minutes maximum before I have to pick her up again." I reply. Tori finishes the text to her mother and hands me her phone. I put it in the drawer of my desk with my phone and lock the drawer. She goes back to her seat, and eventually, everyone finishes their tests and we still have a strong ten minutes left. I hear a baby noise next to me, and then Hallie's screaming, terrified. I turn the stroller so she's facing me and lift her up. Once she realizes it's my arms that she is in, she silences.
"So what are we going to do for ten minutes?" Parker asks.
"Um…" I sigh. "I don't know…talk?" everyone starts to talk at once.
…..s…..
Five minutes after the last bell rings, Tori walks into my classroom, and I'm on the phone with Peeta. "I have to go." I say quickly.
"O-kay…I love you." he says.
"I love you too." I hang up. I get up. "Tori…you know your failing this class, right? And you just killed your grade because of that test, right?" I ask. She looks down.
"I know Ms. Everdeen, and I'm sorry. I just don't understand."
"What don't you understand?" I ask.
"Equations and slope." She admits.
"Yes." She whispers.
"Do you want me to tutor you?" I ask. She sighs.
"I don't know if that will work. I can't miss the bus all the time. I won't have a way home."
"How about…and I know this may sound weird and we can talk this over with your parents, but how about after school on Monday's, I take you my house for an hour, and then take you home?" I ask.
"Okay…maybe we can today…I'll call my Aunt and ask her." She says.
"Okay," I get her phone from the drawer and hand it to her. She starts to walk around the room, talking with her Aunt as I get Hallie bundled up in warmer clothes because it's snowing outside.
"Ms. Everdeen?" Tori asks.
"Yes?" I look up at her as I button up Hallie's onesie.
"My Aunt Amy wants to talk with you, is that okay?" she asks.
"Sure," I smile. She hands me her phone. "Hello?" I ask, balancing the phone with my head and shoulder as I pull some pants on Hal.
"This is Ms. Everdeen? Your my nieces math teacher?" she asks.
"Yes," I smile.
"So you want to take her to help her study? What are her grades like? Why does she need to study?"
"Well…she's failing this class, and she's going to have to take it next year if she doesn't pass the exam, and she said she doesn't know how to do it, so she can't pass the exam. It's either she gets some help or she doesn't pass."
"Okay…how will she get home?"
"I'll be driving her." I say.
"Okay, can you put her back on the phone, please?"
"Sure," I hand the phone to Tori as I pull a coat on Hal.
"Okay, I love you too, bye." She hangs up.
"She said yes and she's forcing me to tell you that if you do anything to me, your ass is hers." Tori says.
I laugh and reply, "I'm not going to do a thing to you." I laugh. 'Just warning you, my house is crazy. Your more than likely going to meet Ms. Cresta's boyfriend, me and Peeta's best friend. You'll see my sister Prim, my nephew, Chase, Peeta, Prim's boyfriend, oh, and Johanna."
"Awesome." She grins.
"So…are you ready to go?" I ask.
"Yes," she says. I carry Hallie, deciding to just leave the stroller here.
"Ann, are you coming over or are you getting a taxi or am I dropping you off?" I ask, sticking my head in her classroom.
"I'll come over. Is Peeta busy, because Finnick is whining about how he isn't there and he wants to watch football."
"I'll call him when we get home. I'm taking Tori Cyprus over because I'm going to tutor her." I say.
"Okay," she grabs all her stuff and follows Tori and I. I get in my car, which is a turquoise Jeep Wrangler. Peeta has my truck now, because I got tired of it. Tori gets in the backseat and I put Hallie in her car seat. Annie gets in the passenger and I get in the front.
"I love this car. I've always wanted a Jeep Wrangler." Tori says. I smile as I start it and turn on the heat.
"I used to have a truck, but I gave it to Peeta because I hated it." I admit.
"Can you call him now? Finnick is irritating me." Annie says. I pick my phone and dial Peeta.
"Hey," he says.
'Hey, where are you?" I ask.
"I am at the store grocery shopping. Why?" he asks.
"Because Finnick is at the house and he wants to watch football with you." I say.
"Oh…um…tell him I'll be home in like…" he sighs. "In like an hour. I literally just got here." He says.
"Okay, we need diapers." I say.
"Okay, is that all?" he asks.
"Um…" I frown. "I think that's all…uh." I sigh. "I'll call you back when I get home." I say.
"Okay, love you."
"Love you too." I hang up. "He'll be home in an hour." I say.
"Which means he's going to bother us." she grumbles.
"No, he'll bother Hallie. Espically when I say she needs a bath."
"Good point." She grins as we pull into the restaurant parking lot. Annie is holding Hallie as we walk inside. I hear Prim shouting and barreling down the stairs and then I see Chase crawl, butt naked, out the front door. I turn around and grab him.
"Hi Auntie!" he puts his hands on my cheeks.
"Chase," I laugh and pass him to Prim. I take Hallie from Ann and head upstairs.
"Kitty! Where's Peeta? The game starts in an hour!" Finnick shouts at me.
"He said he's going to be here in an hour, calm down." I say.
"Who are you?" Finnick demands.
"I'm Tori," she shakes his outstretched hand.
"Hey Tori, what the fuck are you doing here?" Johanna asks. It's not a rude question; it's just like asking "What are you doing here?"
"I'm tutoring her. And stop talking like that." I say.
"Oh." Jo says.
"Gimme!" Finnick holds out his hands for Hallie.
"She needs a bath." I say. His eyes light up.
"Okay," he walks off.
"Just make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back." I say. Tori nods and sits down on the couch. I head off to the kkitchen and dial Peeta.
"You better write this down, I'm not saying it twice." I say. I list out everything.
"Kitty, where's the baby soap?" Finn shouts.
I walk to the bathroom where Hallie is in the baby tub and dig through the cabinet.
"Peeta, we need more soap for Hal." I announce.
"Okay," he says. "Is that all?" he asks.
'Yes," I say.
"Okay, I love you."
"I love you too." I hang up.
"I'll just use this." Finn picks up the normal soap.
"No!" I rip it out of his hand. "You can't use this! She allergic to every other soap but her normal one!"
"Oh…" he says. "So what do I do? Let her play till he gets home?" he asks. I grab a towel and pick her up, wrapping her up.
"No, you give her a bath later." I carry her off to the living room.
"Wait Kitty! Gimme my goddaughter!" he chases after me.
"Finnick, you're really driving me crazy." I hand Hallie to him. "I can't wait till Peeta gets home."
"You're not mean to me." he stomps down the hall. I begin to tutor Tori with the help of Prim, Jo and Annie.
The linear equation is y=9x-11
"Graph it." I tell her. She puts the nine on the x intercept and the -11 on the y. I sigh. "Okay, look. This negative 11 is the y intercept, so leave the one there. But the nine is the slope. So you go up nine and over one, do you understand.
"Yes," she says.
"Okay, so do it." I say. She does as I say. "Good, good, that's right. Let's try another one, but your going to do this on your own." I write out y=-11x+4
She puts the four on the y intercept and then goes down eleven and over one.
"Good, that's right!" I exclaim.
"Finnick, come and help with the groceries!" Peeta calls.
"Peet! Finally!" Finn calls from Hallie's room. He rushes in here with her, lays her blanket on the floor next to me, puts her toys down and lays her down on her belly. She resumes hey playing with one hand as her other tiny hand wraps around my index finger. Good thing I can write with both hands. Peeta and Finnick put the groceries away and then they disappear to me and Peeta's room.
"Katniss, Christina Perri is singing the national anthem!" Peeta calls. I bite my lip and fight th urge to run into the bedroom.
"I love Christina Perri." Tori admits.
'Wanna watch it?" I ask. She nods. I pick up Hallie and we all go into the bedroom. The Ravens are playing against the Colts. I want to watch now, because this is an interesting game. And I really want to be with Peeta. I could lay down between his legs and rest back against his chest.
"My Aunt is going to be getting worried soon…" Tori says.
"Alright, I'll take you home." I hand Hallie to Peeta and head out.
…s…
"What'd I miss?" I demand. Everyone has squeezed onto Peeta and I's bed. I put Hallie in her crib and go back to the bedroom.
"Ravens are winning." Peeta says. I sit down between his legs and lean against his chest. He wraps his arms around me. "Look at me." he whispers. I look behind me and he kisses me heavily. Nobody tells us to stop because they honestly don't care. When he pulls away, he kisses my forehead, and my cheeks and the tip of my nose. "I love you," he whispers.
"I love you too." I whisper.