Chapter 2.
A week passed and I only ever saw Katniss through my windowpane. Part of me was disappointed although part of me understands her pain. I baked her cheese buns and placed them on her door step just to let her know I thought of her everyday. However today I was going to see Haymitch, he needs a good dose of human contact every now and again.
I walk through the door and his stench is overpowering, I gag a little when I reach him.
"Oh look what the cat dragged in, or should I say 'Catniss'?"he slurred.
"Good to see you too, Haymitch" I say in a mocking tone.
"So what brings you to the neighbor hood?" he says as he begins to reach towards his bottle of white liquor.
"I'm here to talk" I say trying to sound genuine.
"Talk?"he says with aggravation "Talk about what?All you ever do is talk" he changes to a mocking tone "Ohhh Peeta the boy with the bread" then continues in his usual light but frustrated demeanor "they should really be calling you the boy with the words."
Brushing off his comment I continue "Haymitch, I just want to know how you are, I mean have you been okay?"
Haymitch taking a swig from the bottle "How am I usually? Drunk, moody…" then saying with a smirk "arrogant."
I laugh, same ol Haymitch resilient with a hilariously dark sense of humor.
He then aggressively wipes his mouth and with a profound look on his face continues "You know, Im not the one you should be worrying about"
I instantly know he's speaking of Katniss. She's constantly on my mind, How could he think I don't worry about her?
"yeah, theres not a minute of the day when I'm not worried about her"
A smirk crosses his face "Unconditional love, Ha! will there ever be a day when you don't love that girl? Oh wait you nearly strangled her" he then slurs a "woops"
I reflect on his comment, Yes I did try strangle her. But that wasn't me.. That was the Capitol. Me though, District 12 Peeta will always love her.
"You know boy, She's just as vulnerable as she is strong" he says, taking to a more serious tone, then continues "The capitol.. they used you to break her heart"
How could I break her heart? She was never in love with me, it was always Gale, or so I assumed. But he was with her when I was captured in the Captiol. What was she like when I was gone?
He then continues "Well what I think and you know… I'm always right"
"Yeah?"I say actually interested in what's coming next.
"Well, I'm not saying go have a full-on make out session but a little affection might do you both some good" he says clearly happy with his idea.
I'm taking back by this comment, he's practically telling me to start pursuing her, such a turn around from the very first conversation about Katniss with him, he would always throw a warning comment about actually falling in love with her amongst talking about the initial star-crossed lovers strategy. I smile at the clear memory.
As I'm watching Haymitch reach for a second white-liquor bottle as I hear her banging violently against my door "PEETA", "PEEEETA!" "PLEASE JUST OPEN THE DOOR." Anixity clearly in her voice.
I run out onto the road, and I see her, so aggressive, so frightened. Images of my shiny memories flash into my consciousness, my vision starts to black out.
Not real Peeta! Not real! I tell myself.
Luckily I break out of it, she sees me and lunges her self towards me wrapping her arms around my neck, I responsively wrap my arms around her waist, she starts to ramble "the buns… the buns, they weren't there!" I can feel her tears soak into my shirt."You weren't there" she says in a pleading tone and for the first time I really feel her pain and not just her pain, her sorrow… her regret. I pull her away from me.
"I'm here Katniss, I'm really here."
Shock then crosses her face then a look of guilt like the look when you over indulge. She cautiously steps away from me then runs into her house.
Whats going on? Whats wrong? I glance over my shoulder to Haymitch who's eyebrows are raised then suddenly knitted together.
And again, I'm dumbfounded, I want her to come back to me.
I need her to.