Author's note-
Heyy, guys! SO sorry i haven't updated in ages! But i have had alot going on and i just to be honest
didn't feel in the mood to write after aload of shit that went down with another authour so apologies once again about the crappiness of this
chapter but you people never gave me any ideas for what peeta could say... so i hope you guys like it and i'll try and get chapter 15 up as soon as possible :)
READ! REVIEW! ENJOY!
Chapter 14- Smiles on, it's show time
Katniss POV-
I can't see due to the blind fold, but I'm sure no matter what they have been doing to me these past 6hours I am bound to look (in their eyes) stunning.
I still haven't seen the dress, my make up or anything since they hauled me from the sweet smelly foamy waters of my bath. When Cinna instructed me to raise my arms high above my head, the fabric was cold against my bare skin; it had a silky feel to it. I could feel something like gems scattered across the front.
"Ta dah!" He whispered and the blindfold became lose. Little black dots danced around the room as my eyes adjusted to the artificial light.
When my eyes came in contact with the mirror I was speechless, I looked just like myself but my features were more defined, I had a thin layer of black across the tops of my eye lids, making my smoky grey eyes pop!
All up my arms were carefully painted flames that flickered as the light caught on the glitter covered tips. They burned brightly against my olive skin.
My eyes finally reached the dress and I was stunned, it was a sweetheart neckline, it puffed out slightly at my waist but not too much, and the whole outer skirt was covered in over lapping flames, from sunset oranges to fierce devil reds.
"Give us a twirl" shouted Venia with glee. I twirl round and round and to my great surprise I was on fire, real flames encircled me. I screech trying to swat them away as I came to a halt.
"Katniss there fake, stop it!" He held tightly to my arms trying to stop me, I felt calm at his words but I was still unsure, this was clearly evident in my face as he went onto explain that the flames were fake, like the ones from the tributes parade. He also explained what he wanted me to do in the interview, just as he had finished speaking there was a loud knock on the door.
Effie head popped her head round the door "it's time" she spoke softly very unlike herself.
I turned to Cinna and tightly wrapped my arms around his torso "thank you" I manage to say barely audible. He returned my hug before
"Please welcome her to the stage, our very own girl on fire, Katniss Everdeen"
The spotlight is blinding, their applause is muffled in the background as a million things flash through my mind.
"Chin up, smile! It's show time!" Effie squeaks
"Make them like you, or you're as good as dead" grunts Haymitch
"When you're out there just pretend you're talking to me, okay?" reassures Cinna
" I believe in you, I know you can do this" I glance back at Peeta's piercing blue eyes
I feel ice on my arm; it sends shivers through out my body – wait ice? - I turn round to be met with Caesar Flickerman, he stares patiently. His laugh makes me jump.
"Nervous are we? "He laughs heartfully, this gets an applause from the million watching with eager eyes. I nod but end up letting out the tiniest of laughs due to nerves.
"Well anyways I said, that was a remarkable entrance you made at the tributes parade, now wasn't it?" he smiles gently towards me.
"I was just kind of hoping I wouldn't burn to death" this manages another laugh from the audience.
"I have to say when you came out of the remake centre my heart just stopped, did any of you experience this?" there is a huge cheer, he is trying his best to help me out here, so I just play along.
" mine too" I smile sweetly into the camera
"So tell me about these amazing flames, are they real?" he leans in slightly closer eager to know.
"Of course" I lie, truth is I have no idea. I can feel myself getting hotter, I wish the buzzer would go already. I spot cinna in the crowd, his eyes are nearly popping out his head as he signals me to go on, then I remember…
"In fact, I'm wearing them today… would you like to see?" the crowd roar, they whistle and shout with glee.
Ceaser panics momentarily, once he gets them to quieten down he speaks
"Is it safe?"
I nod vigorously, so much that my neck hurts slightly. I rise from my chair and walk to center stage, the spotlight trailing behind me. I take a deep breath. Then spin.
My head goes back, my arms fly outwards and I twirl over and over letting the flames circle round me, the crowd oh and ah at the slight of my entire dress engulfed in raging flames. I hear clapping and I come to a halt, slightly swaying this way and that. I feel someone arms steady me, but sadly they aren't Peeta's but Creaser's. I Kurtz and bow before flopping back in my chair.
The audience calm and Ceaser softly rubs my hand, he looks into my eyes with pure sympathy and I know just from that look that he is about to ask me about Prim. They one and only thing that I didn't want to come up but it does and there is nothing I can do to stop it. I can't run, there is nowhere to go.
He pats my hand and looks out to the crowd then back at me "So I guess we all know that Primrose Everdeen is your beloved younger sister and that you volunteered for her at the reaping. Did she come say goodbye?" I just nod, my lips unable to form words as the tears prick my eyes. Just the thought of my little duck having to fight for her life frightens me to tears. But I mustn't cry. I can't. Not here.
"And what did she say?" he looks at the floor unable to meet my eyes.
I swallow back the tears and recall what she told me when she was so scared and innocent. She had tears flowing gently down her rosy cheeks from her sky blue glazed over eyes.
"She told me to try and win, to try and win for her" I can feel my cheeks going red and I'm about to have a break down just as the buzzer sounds relieving me of this nightmare.
" And try you will" Ceaser looks directly into my eyes trying to reassure me that I can win, that I can win and go home to my little duck. "The lovely Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire" We bow and I walk over to my seat.
Before I can sit down though Peeta wraps his muscular arms round my torso and squeezes tightly before whispering
"I love you, never forget that!" he doesn't look me in the eye as he lets go and walks away.
What did he mean by that? How could I forget? It doesn't make any sense. Unless he is planning something, but what?
Oh No!
Coming out of my day dreamy haze, I begin to focus on what he is saying. Ceaser is laughing and they look like they are messing around. Oh thank god! They joke about some more, talking about showers and then proceed to smelling one another. They have the whole crowd in snitches including some of the tributes. They make a great duo and that's what they will most likely be when Peeta wins.
It starts to go quite and Creaser's face goes serious and I know this is going to end up crappy. I feel the panic growing inside as the butterflies viscously bash the walls of my stomach. I feel like I am going to be sick and I'm sure I must look it.
"So how do you feel about this year's turn of events?" Ceaser glances briefly over towards me; however, it was just long enough for the whole crowd to understand what he was implying. Peeta follows Creaser's gaze, I can feel Peeta's brilliant blue eyes upon me, but I can't bring myself to look up from my hands fiddling with my dress. I know I am cherry red and looking into those dazzling blue eyes will only make things worse.
"I couldn't believe it" he pauses "I love her so much, I never thought this would or even could happen" I can hear the hurt in his voice, it tears me apart.
"I see, say this hadn't happened what would you have done?" Ceaser questions knowing the crowd will eat this stuff up.
Peeta glances over towards me again and Smokey grey collides with Sea blues, we just stares into each other's eyes. His are full of passion, regret and most importantly pure love.
"I'm sorry, Katniss. You shouldn't have to find out this way, but I guess if in 2 weeks, both of us are going to quite possibly be dead, then I want you to know that… I have loved you every second of every day since that first day of school when you got up to sing in front of everyone. Your hair was in two braids rather than one and you were wearing that red plaid dress. But when you began to sing I knew I could never love anyone else, that you were the one. I swear every mockingjay fell quite to listen to you." He walks over and knees down beside me, he takes his hands into mine and stares lovingly into my eyes "…and if we hadn't been chosen these faiths then I would have loved nothing more than to make you my wife and to love you for the rest of my life, to always protect and care for you and to wake up to your enchanting liquid silver eyes every morning until I take my last breathe. Maybe we could have had some children and take them to picnics in the meadow but we can never have that…"
It's silent.
He buries his head in my lap to hide his tears, I try to hold mine back but a few still manage to spill out through my tightly shut eyelashes. Peeta has such a way with words that could move anyone to tears and his words were so vivid and powerful that I could picture us spending a life together growing old, watching sunsets and playing with our children.
"But maybe you could still have all that…" I flutter my eyes open in shock and hear the gasps of the crowd; Ceaser clamps his hand over his mouth like a vice. He looks utterly dazed like a deer in headlights.
The buzzer goes and the stage turns black.
Hope you liked it :) chapter 15 coming soon...
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