Peeta and I spend Sunday in the woods hunting and gathering food.
"Katniss, I really wish you'd let me give you food." Peeta says as I lay with my head in his lap by the lake. His fingers play with my hair absently.
"I'm fine with hunting, Peeta. Especially when you're with me." My eyes more to his face and I find his big blue eyes looking at me intently.
"I always come with you." He says and a smile plays on my lips.
"Exactly. We get to be alone, and spend hours together here. Hence why I like it." He leans down his lips brushing against mine.
"I love you, Katniss Everdeen." He whispers my smile growing wider.
"I love you too, Peeta Mellark." Now he smiles widely.
"I'd better get to the bakery." He says and I sigh sitting up. I grab my game bag tossing it over my shoulder. Peeta reaches his hand out to me and I take it without hesitation. He pulls me to my feet before pulling me in for a long sweet kiss.
We start out walk back to the fence talking and laughing. It was amazing how alive he made me feel. As I look at his face I smile remembering the day I became his. It was about a month before my fifteenth birthday. We were inseparable best friends. When we went hunting he had pulled me to a stop.
"Katniss, do you love me?" He had asked.
"Of course." I replied immediately.
"No I mean love me like I love you." His eyes never left mine.
"Yes," I say without hesitation. "I'm in love with you, Peeta Mellark." I said and he pulled me in for out first kiss. It was sweet but full of passion. Just like Peeta.
"Kat?" Peeta's voice calls me back to the present.
"Sorry, I was just remembering our first kiss." His face lights up.
"Oh, yeah. Didn't it go a little something like..." He stopped walking and pulled me to him, his lips meeting mine and I feel the same I felt during that first kiss.
"Exactly like that." I say and he grins widely. We walk back and slip under the fence.
"I'll see you later, when I come over for dinner." I say kissing him lightly. I start walking back to my house. All of a sudden my feet leave the ground and Peeta's familiar strong arms are locked around my waist.
"Where do you think you're going?" He asks with a grin and tosses me over his shoulder.
"PUT ME DOWN PEETA MELLARK!" I yell but end up laughing making it sound unconvincing.
"Nope." He says popping the p and starts walking towards the bakery.
"I think this could be considered kidnapping." I say.
"Not if you like it." He says and winks causing me to laugh.
"You've got a bit of an ego, Mellark." I say causing him to chuckle.
"Only when it come to you, since you love me." He says and I can hear the grin in his voice.
"You're lucky I do." I say grinning myself. He chuckles setting me down outside the bakery.
"Oh, am I?" He asks with a smirk. I give him a nod returning the smirk. He backs me up against the bakery and crushes his lips to mine passionately. His hands rest on my hips and my arms o around his neck. My fingers tangle in his hair on the back of his neck. The scent of bread and cinnamon clouds me making my head spin in a very good way.
"Peeta Mellark!" We pull apart when his mom screeches his name. He takes my hand and pulls me with him.
"Coming!" He calls walking up the steps with me behind him.
"Need help?" I ask as we walk in. I follow him into the kitchen watching him pull on an apron.
"If you're up for it." He winks. I set my game bag down in a corner.
"You're lucky my mom and Prim have enough food for dinner." I say trying to sound stern but fail.
"Peeta! I need you to start on the wedding cake." Karen - Peeta's mom says walking in. She stops eyeing me. "What is she doing here?" I arch an eyebrow and press my lips together to keep from talking.
"I brought her here. Easier than her just coming back for dinner." Peeta says almost defensively.
"Oh, right. She's staying for dinner. Well, while you're here make yourself useful and help out." She turns on her hell and I clamp my hand down over Peeta's mouth.
"Don't. It's fine." He looks at me apologetically. His hands take mine in his as he kisses my palm softly.
"I'm sorry about that. She isn't fond of any of us, I didn't expect her to like you. Although I was hoping..." He trails off and I shake my head.
"Peeta, trust me it's okay. Her words don't bother me." He leans in placing a kiss on my temple.
"Alright. Want to help me back the cake?" He grins at me and I nod.
"Absolutely."
As the weak flies by I become more attached to Peeta than normal terrified that the reaping would take him from me. I even had him coming over to walk with me to school, and I helped him in the bakery and ate dinner with him. Oh Friday it's worse.
"Katniss, relax." Peeta says as I watch him decorate cupcakes. I fidget nervously fearing tomorrow.
"I can't. I can't even think about you getting picked." He sets the frosting bad down and pulls me into his arms.
"I know what you mean. I've been having nightmares all week about you getting picked." I lay my head on his shoulder wrapping my arms around him a little too tightly.
"I wish I could take you and put you somewhere safe." He lets out a chuckle.
"I wish I could do the same with you."
We eat dinner together then he walks me home, and leans down placing a kiss on my lips.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Kat." I grab his hand refusing to let go.
"No. Don't leave." I say. I felt like a small child, weak and afraid to part from the person I love.
"I can't. Your mom , and my mom..." He trails off kissing my forehead.
"They'll understand." I say and he sighs.
"Your mom might, but not mine." I knew he was right. I just didn't want him to leave.
"Will you at least stay until I fall asleep?" He smile softly and nods.
"Of course." I feel relief rush through me and lead him into my house. I change and slide into bed bed next to my sleeping sister. Peeta brushes hair from my face holding my hand.
"I love you." I whisper as I drift to sleep, just barley catching his reply.
"I love you too. Always."
Prim wakes up screaming and I pull her in my arms trying to calm her.
"Shh. It's okay Prim. Listen to me, it's your first year. They're not going to pick you." I say it trying to convince both of us. Prim stains my shirt with her tears clutching me tightly.
"What if you're picked?" She asks he voice trembling slightly. I sigh, bot her and Peeta were worried about me, and I was only worried about them.
"Worry about yourself, little duck." I say softly and she pulls away looking at me.
"What if Peeta's picked?" I close my eyes. I could keep Prim from the games, but not Peeta.
"I don't know. I don't want to think about it." She nods and drops it. The air is heavy and dark as it was on every reaping day. I dress in a dress my mom gave me. It hugs my body falling to the knees. She offers to do my hair, but I tell her I want to leave it down.
I grab my necklace Peeta had gotten me for my birthday. If I should be picked it would be my district token. I feel my stomach twist when there's a knock on the door.
"Peeta come in!" I call from my room my fingers locked around the P hanging from the necklace. His arms encircle my wait.
"You look beautiful." He notices my state and sighs. "It'll be okay, Kat." He says kissing my cheek softly. I turn around burying my face in his shoulder.
"Please don't leave me." I say as his fingers run through the ends of my hair.
"Never." He whispers his lips pressing to the top of my head. I relax a little and my mom tells us we have to go. I kiss him longingly. We walk to the square on of my hands gripping Peeta's like a lifeline, and the other holding Prim's.
Both out families walk silently behind us, no one in the mood to strike up a casual conversation. Plus, it was awkward with Peeta and my parents. After all his father had been in love with my mom, but she ran off my father and he settled for Karen. Signing in and getting in place goes quickly. I no longer had Peeta or Prim at my side. The mayor talks about the dark days before Effie Trinket approached the microphone.
"Welcome, welcome. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor." She chirps and talks some more, but I'm unable to focus.
"Ladies first." The square is in a complete silence, almost like no one was here. Except, the whole district was here. She walks back to the mic unfolding the slip of paper.
"Primrose Everdeen!" The name doesn't reach me at first, then I break out of my shock and push through the crowd.
"Prim!" I yell and reach for her. Peacekeepers hold me back. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" I scream my voice filling the square as I push the peacekeepers off me.
"District Twelves very first volunteer." Effie says excitedly. Prim's arms wrap around me like a vice, screaming.
"No! No!" She says between sobs over and over, and I find myself in danger of crying.
"Go find mom, Prim." I say with a shaky voice pilling her off me. I turn when Rye pulls her off me. "Thank you." I mouth and mount the stage. Prim's screams fill the square as she's pulled away.
My eyes meet Peeta's and I can see all the color drained from his face. I knew him all too well, so I knew what he was going to do. I shake my head silently begging him not to.
"What's your name dear?" Effie asks, my eyes staying locked with Peeta's.
"Katniss Everdeen."
"I bet my hat that was your sister wasn't it?"
"Yes." I say sadly.
"Let's have a big round of applause for our very first volunteer, Katniss Everdeen." Instead of applause everyone presses three fingers to their lips and raise them to me. I keep shaking my head at Peeta, but I knew that look in her eye. The look meant nothing I did would change his mind. I hadn't even noticed Effie grab a slip from the boy's bowl.
"Darius - " The name barley crosses her lips when Peeta's voice fills the square.
"I volunteer!" I squeeze my eyes shut. God no. Please let this be a nightmare.
"Two volunteers!" Effie squeals into the microphone. I watch Peeta make his way onto the stage and know any hope I had at getting out alive disappeared. Peeta would be coming out alive. Not me.
"What's your name?" Effie asks Peeta.
"Peeta Mellark."
"Well, why don't you two shake hands." Instead of shaking hands as Effie says I dive into his arms desperately, almost knocking him over and I hear her gasp. I press my lips to his willing this to be a nightmare.
"Why?" I ask him and Effie pulls us apart escorting us off stage before he can answer.