Hola! (I'm kind of doing a 'say hello in a different language' thing here… aren't I? :D
Anyway, this is the 9th chapter of Sparks! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! I'm sad to say that I only plan on having a few other chapters after this, but I've been working on a story at the same time as this one which I'll put up as soon as I can! Sorry for this chapter being late, but school started today and it was bit hectic :D
In the forest, I'm able to clear my mind. I climb up into a tall tree, as far as I can before the branches become too thin to hold my weight, and stand, one arm wrapped around the tree's trunk, leaning out into the air. The air is fresh and the wind whips past me, tendrils of my hair flying past, my braid shifting from its position on my shoulder. I inhale deeply and close my eyes, just listening to the sounds of the forest.
Peeta. I feel a smile on my lips at the mere mention of his name. I feel my cheeks prickle as they redden. My mind wonders before I can stop it and I think of what could have happened if Prim hadn't burst into the room. Maybe Peeta and I would have kissed. Maybe.
Damn it! I suddenly think to myself. I've thought of Peeta. Again. I told myself that here, in the forest, I would not let the golden-haired, blue-eyed baker's son cross my mind. Besides, that was the entire reason that I came out here. To get away and clear my head. De-clutter my thoughts before I went back home and did something with Peeta that I'd regret later on.
You wouldn't regret it. The little voice in my head tells me with a laugh. You would do anything with Peeta.
I would not. I'm sure I'd regret something. I think.
All right then. Name one. I bite my lip and sigh. The voice is right. I shake my head. I'm actually talking to myself now, my inner-monologue driving me crazy.
"Hey, Catnip? Is that you?" My not-so-peaceful thoughts are disturbed by an all too familiar voice. The question surprises me though, and I let go of the tree trunk, almost falling out of the tree. I manage to grab onto the branch I was perched on with both hands and hang their, swinging in the breeze.
"Of course it's me. Who else do you see out here?" I ask Gale, looking pointedly down at him.
"Well, I once saw Logan Weaver out here… But I think it was a dare and-" Gale trails off an looks up at me. I raise an eyebrow. "What are you doing up there?" He asks me.
"I sleep in trees now." I say sarcastically, swinging my legs forward and perching on the branch opposite. "It's kinda my thing."
"Haha." Gale says, hoisting himself up into the tree. I stay where I am, knowing he can't climb as high as I can. The branches break before he can get within ten feet of me. "I thought that you'd be with Mellark." Gale says, giving up on trying to climb any higher and sitting down, his back against the trunk of the tree.
"I needed to get out of there. You know, clear my head." I explain, twiddling the end of my bread in my fingers. "His father and brothers came over to see him."
"Oh." Gale says, picking at his jacket.
"So, what are you doing out here?" I ask.
"I needed something to trade." Gale shrugs.
"Oh." I say. The conversation trails off. I sigh. "Gale-"
"Catnip-" Gale and I speak at the same time. I look down at him and he looks up at me, our grey eyes identical.
"You first." I offer. Gale nods slightly and looks out into the forest. He takes a deep breath before speaking.
"I want to apologise for what happened last night. I want you to know that I didn't mean to hurt you or destroy our friendship."
"Oh boy, I should've gone first." I mutter quietly, scrunching my eyes shut and resting my forehead in my palm.
"Our friendship is important to me and I'd hate to loose-"
"Gale?" I ask, swinging my legs back and forth on the branch.
"Yeah?" He asks.
"Shut up for a sec, okay?" I say. Gale rolls his eyes. "I want to know why you k-kissed me." Gale's shoulders droop momentarily.
"I kissed you because I thought I was going to loose you. I don't want to loose you." Gale says softly.
"You thought that you were going to loose me?" I ask. Gale nods solemnly. "Yeah."
"How would you loose me?" I ask incredulously. "To who?"
"I'm afraid of loosing you to that Mellark kid." Gale says. I frown.
"To Peeta?" I ask. "How would you loose me?"
"Because it's pretty obvious that you have feelings for him!" Gale exclaims. I blush.
"Peeta and I are just friends." I insist. Gale laughs.
"Just friends… Alright, whatever."
"It's true." I say, frowning down at my friend. "But I'm sorry Gale. I don't feel the same way about you as you do about me." Gale says nothing. "This doesn't change anything, does it?"
"What would it change?"
"Our friendship."
"No, I don't think so."
"Good."
"Good." Yet again we are silent. I sigh and lean back against the trunk of the tree.
"But if you were afraid of 'loosing me to Peeta', why did you help rescue him?" I ask.
"Well, I couldn't exactly say no to you when you came to my house crying." Gale remarks. "I guess that I just thought that if I helped you, you would think that… Oh, I don't know."
"No, tell me." I persist.
"I thought that you would think that you owed me or something, that you would trust me more…"
"Trust you more?" I ask in disbelief. "Gale, I would trust you with my life." In response Gale shrugs. I shake my head. Owing Gale? Yet again, owing someone for something has appeared in my life. "And you thought that I would owe you something in return?"
"Catnip, look… That wasn't what I meant."
"So what did you mean?"
"I don't know."
"Because I thought you would be helping me rescue someone I cared about out of kindness. Not because you thought that I would owe you!" I sling my bow over my shoulder and jump down from my perch in the tree, swinging from each branch until I'm on the forest floor.
"Catnip, wait. Please." Gale says, climbing down from the tree. But by the time his heavy black boots touch the leafy forest floor, I'm already running.
"What did you think I was going to? Roll over and kiss you?" I yell at him.
"That would have been nice…" Gale shouts after me.
"Damn you Gale! Damn you!" I exclaim, hiding my bow and arrows in a hollow tree and running towards the fence. I slide under, through the gap, and run back home.
I can't believe Gale. He's supposed to be my best friend. After all this time, after all we've been through. And now he thinks that I'll just fall in love with him?
I frown. I'm being harsh.
I mean, I love Gale and all, but my love for him is love you would feel for a sibling. Or for a best friend.
I didn't even realise that he loved me in such a way. I'm sure other girls would have picked up on it, but I guess that I'm not like other girls. I begin to wonder if I could have realised Gale's feelings. Were there any signs? Any clear indication?
I shake my head as I push open the front door of my house. I kick my boots off, leaving them by the door and walk into the kitchen. Prim sits at the table, writing something in a school notebook.
"Where's Peeta?" I ask her, leaning on the edge of the table.
"We moved him from the table after his family left." Prim says.
"So where is he now?"
"In the sitting room." I turn and half-walk, half-jog into the sitting room. Sure enough, Peeta is lying on the couch, propped up on pillows and a blanket thrown over him.
"Hey Peeta." I say, sitting on the arm of the couch.
"Hi!" Peeta grins.
"How are you feeling?" I ask him.
"Much better now that you're here." He grins. I look down, a blush on my cheeks. "How was the forest?"
"It was alright." I say.
"Did you meet up with Gale?"
"Well, not intentionally."
"Huh?"
"I was sitting in a tree and Gale found me… I guess he was just going hunting and bumped into me." I explain with a shrug of my shoulders.
"How is he?"
"He's well." I say, picking at the blanket. "What did you talk about with your family?"
"Oh, just the normal stuff." Peeta grins. "You know, the bakery, District 12."
"Good." I smile.
"My father is really grateful for what you've done for me." Peeta says. "He said that he didn't know what to do when he came home with Rye and saw me. He thought I was dead." I bite my lip and look down.
"I thought you were dead too." I admit. "When I first saw you."
"When you first saw me?"
"Oh, yeah. I kind of raged at you mother before we rescued you… and ran up the stairs in your house without permission… and then screamed at your mother again in the middle of the street…" I trail off.
"Whoa." Peeta breathes, staring at me, his eyes wide. "Way to go!" I laugh and he grins.
"No, seriously though. She was full on screaming at Mum." I turn and see Rye standing in the doorway. I blink, surprised. I didn't realise the rest of the Mellark boys were still here. "She came into the shop all casual, but when she was speaking to me she was all sarcastic."
"You were?" Peeta asks.
"I was." I grin, rolling my eyes.
"And then she went all diva." Rye laughs.
"I did not." I say indignantly. "You're making me sound like a right brat."
"Well…" Peeta says, tilting his head to one side.
"Oh shut up." I say, throwing a pillow at Peeta.
"Hey! Don't hurt me!" Peeta grins.
"Well, we're heading off in a minute." Rye says. Fen and Mr Mellark enter the room.
"You're back!" Mr Mellark says, smiling at me.
"Yup." I grin.
"Thank you for taking Peeta in. I know it must be hard for you to have another person to take care of…"
"I don't mind. It's alright." I smile.
Peeta's father and brothers eventually leave, and my mother gives Peeta medicine for the pain. He drifts off into a peaceful slumber, and I find myself just sitting there and staring at Peeta as he sleeps.
I watch the way his eyelids flicker occasionally, and I wonder what he's dreaming about. The yellow sunlight that filters through a window shines on his face, lighting up his eyelashes like it was in the bakery all that time ago. I sigh and stand, my knees cracking from sitting, and go into the kitchen.
"How's Peeta?" Prim asks me.
"Sleeping." I reply, sitting down in a chair with a 'humpf'.
"He's going to be alright Katniss. He just needs some rest." My mother says from her position by the kitchen sink. "His shoulder will heal but he has to keep his arm in a sling if he's going to move about. As for his arm, he'll have to keep that in a splint. He'll heal up quickly."
"I know, I know." I say, leaning my head on the tabletop. "I just hate to see him in pain. You know how I feel about blood and gore and bodies…"
"Katniss, you do realise that we might have to straighten his arm tonight? He's going to be in pain again and-"
"Primrose!" My mother says, placing a hand on my sister's shoulder. "Not helping." She says, glancing at me. I drop my face into my hands.
"It won't hurt too badly, will it?" I ask.
"Hopefully not. We'll put ice on the area to numb it, and give him something to make him slightly delirious." Mother says thoughtfully. "But he's in good hands Katniss, you know that." I grunt in reply. "Prim, why don't you go and feed Lady?" Prim nods, taking Mum's not-so-subtle hint to leave the room. "Now tell me what's really on your mind." My mother says, sitting down in Prim's now empty seat.
"What do you mean?" I ask, sitting upright.
"You can't take your eyes off the boy when you're here. And I'm pretty sure he's on your mind when you're away." Mum says, tilting her head to one side.
"That isn't entirely true…" I mumble.
"Really?"
"Really." I insist.
"Tell me the truth then."
"I think I…" I sigh. How do I put this? "The thing is, I never thought…"
"You never thought you would fall for someone who wasn't from the Seam?" My mother asks. "Or that you would ever fall in love?"
"Well put." I grimace.
"So you do love him?"
"I think I do." I mumble. "I love his personality, how much he cares for everyone, his laugh, his eyes." I trail off. My mother smiles at me.
"I know how you feel Katniss." My mother says. I look up into my mother's blue eyes. "I never thought I would fall in love with a coal miner. But when I heard him sing… All the birds would stop and listen. It was beautiful." Mum's eyes seem to cloud over slightly with the memory.
"But everyone always thought I was going to be with Gale." I say quietly.
"So did Gale." My mother says with a knowing nod.
"I know he did." I say.
"He kissed you, didn't you?" My mother asks.
"How did you know?" I ask, my eyes widening and a flush creeping over my face.
"I didn't- until now." My mother says. I narrow my eyes. "And how do you feel about it?"
"I don't know. I mean, I love him and all. But as a friend. As a brother. Not as a lover." I bite my lip. " I bumped into him in the woods today."
"How was he?"
"Upset. He didn't understand why I didn't love him after all these years. He even told me that he only helped Rye and myself rescue Peeta because he thought then I would think that I owed him!"
"He loves you though. Remember that."
"I love him too. But just not in the same way." My mother stands again, and walks towards me, picking up pile of sheets.
"This will all blow over. You just need to talk to Gale. You've been friends for years. You'll sort this out."
"I hope so." I grimace.
"Here, take the basket of clothes and sheets down to Hazelle's. Maybe you can sort things out with Gale while you're down there.
"No thanks. I kind of screamed at him and ran off." I admit.
"Even more of a reason to go." Mum tells me, holding out the basket.
"Fine. Fine." I groan, standing and taking the basket. "Look after Peeta while I'm gone."
"Don't worry. He'll be fine. He still be asleep by the time you come back so you can stare at him some more."
"Mum!" I say, throwing a dirty blouse at her. She laughs lightly and chucks it back at me. "He'll hear us."
"He's probably asleep."
"Probably?" I hiss.
"Go. And try and sort this out with Gale." I roll my eyes, walk to the door and slip on my boots. I walk outside and walk through the Seam until I reach the Hawthorne house. I knock on the front door and stamp my feet on the rough bristled mat sitting in front of the threshold, brushing the coal dust from my boots. Not that it helps. Every house in the Seam is covered in a blanket of coal dust, the mines coughing it out twenty-two hours a day, seven days a week.
"Come on in Katniss." Hazelle says as she opens the door. "Is that the laundry?"
"Yeah." I say, walking inside. Hazelle takes the basket and throws the clothes into a large pot of boiling water.
"How are you?"
"I'm good thanks, you?"
"I'm doing well."
"How's Posy? Gale told me that she wasn't coping with the heat." I ask. Hazelle smiles and looks over to the little girl sleeping on the ragged couch in the corner of the room.
"She's doing much better now that it's starting to get cooler. Autumn's finally here. And thank your mother for the medicine she sent over."
"Will do." I smile. "Is Gale here?" I ask, looking around the room as if he were hiding behind a curtain.
"No, not at the moment dear." Hazelle says. "He's probably either still in the forest or at the Hob. I'm not sure."
"Oh, okay." I say. "I've got to get going, so can you tell him I stopped by?"
"Yeah, sure." Hazelle replies. "Oh, and Katniss?" I stop and turn. "Tell the Mellark boy that my thoughts are with him. I hope he'll be okay."
"I will. And I'm sure he'll appreciate it." I say, flashing Hazelle and smile and letting myself out. I walk away, up the small slope, and jog back home.
It begins to rain slightly as I get closer to my house, the fat raindrops barely landing on the parched ground before it gets absorbed into the earth. I tilt my head back to the sky and stick my tongue out, feeling the cold water on my face. The grey clouds above darken the district, hiding the sun and making it feel like After such a long and stifling summer, this rain signals the end of the heat and the start of the winter. I don't know if I'm relieved or worried.
As I step into the house, I can sense that something's wrong. I frown. Prim's notebook looks like it's been flung onto the table. Prim would never carelessly chuck her belongings. She knows they're expensive.
"Mum? Prim?" I call out, wiping the rainwater off my face and entering the living room.
"Katniss, get over here!" My mother says. I gasp and run towards my mother and sister, who are crouched on the floor. Peeta on the other hand is lying on the floor, clutching at his shoulder and arm and groaning.
"What happened?" I ask, my voice wobbling.
"Peeta fell off the sofa and dislocated his shoulder again." Mum mutters. We need to pop it back into place before his arm starts loosing circulation."
"When did this happen?"
"About twenty minutes ago."
"Then why haven't you fixed it all ready?" I exclaim.
"Because he wouldn't let us." Prim says. "And we also gave him medicine to hopefully make it hurt less."
"Why wouldn't you let them?" I ask Peeta, dropping down onto my knees beside his head.
"Because they need both hands and I need a hand to hold." Peeta says, looking up at me, tears in his eyes.
"Really Peeta?" I say, looking down at him. He grimaces. "Give me your hand." Peeta reaches up and takes my hand. "But don't crush it." I warn him.
"I can't make any promises." Peeta says, gritting his teeth.
"Okay, Prim. Take the ice pack off Peeta's shoulder and take his arm. Make sure you hold it firmly in both hands." My mother instructs, tying her blonde hair up in a loose ponytail. "Now then," She begins, smiling ruefully down at the baker's son. "This is going to hurt, despite the medicine and ice."
"I know." He says. "But I'll be okay."
"Has this happened before?" I ask, my hands shaking. Peeta nods. My eyes widen. I pick up Peeta's head and place it in my lap, running my spare hand through his hair. "I'm sorry." I say.
"Okay, everyone ready?" My mother asks. Peeta tenses up. "After three, I'm going to try and pop your shoulder back into place."
"Alright." Peeta hisses.
"One-" Prim holds Peeta's arm tightly. "Two-" Peeta flexes his fingers. "Three!" Mum twists Peeta's arm into a right angle, pushes his arm upwards, and twists it again. A soft popping sound is heard.
"Argh!" Peeta says, his grip on my hand tightening momentarily.
"There, there. The worse is over now." My mother says, smiling down at Peeta.
"See, it wasn't that bad, was it?" I ask Peeta.
"No, it hurt!" Peeta says, looking up at me. A tear has escaped his right eye and I wipe it away with my thumb.
"But it's over now." I say.
"Good." Peeta says. I try to look away, but I can't tear my gaze away from Peeta's shockingly blue eyes. Mum clears her throat.
"Stand up Peeta, and lay back down." She orders. Prim and I help Peeta up and he lies back onto the sofa, wincing as his shoulder touches the pillow. "We'll go and get you some medicine." My mother says, motioning for Prim to follow. She gives me a small smile. I narrow my eyes. I know what she's trying to do. She's trying to get Peeta and I alone. Not that I don't appreciate it, of course…
"You do realise that you can't keep falling off the sofa." I tell Peeta. "It's not going to do your shoulder any good."
"I'll try not to make it a habit." Peeta says. He pats the sofa and I sit down, pushing his feet to one side to make some space.
"How's the shoulder?"
"Aching." Peeta grimaces. Mum comes back into the room, a roll of bandages in hand, looking between Peeta and I, trying to figure us out.
"How are you feeling Peeta?" She asks.
"Better now." Peeta says.
"Good." She says. "I know that you've just sat down, but I think it would be best if you walked around a bit. Have a change of environment."
"Yeah, okay." Peeta says, kicking off the blanket and swinging his legs over the edge of the sofa.
"But I'm going to need to bandage your shoulder up, make sure it's supported." She holds up the roll of bandages.
"Oh, yeah. Sure." Peeta says. "Go ahead."
"We'll need to take your shirt off though." Mum says. "Katniss? Can you help him please?" I blink and glare at my mother. "Katniss, come on. He can't do it himself with that shoulder."
"I don't bite." Peeta adds. I turn to look at him and sigh. Peeta lifts the hem of his shirt. I take it and help pull it over his arm, over his head and down his shoulder. He winces as I pull the shirt away.
"Sorry." I mumble, my cheeks pink.
"I'll go and get some soothing lotion." Mum says, turning to leave the room.
"I'll get it!" I say, spinning on my heel and racing out of the room.
"No, you can stay here with Peeta." My mother says, pulling me by the arm back into the room.
"Mum!" I hiss.
"Katniss!" She replies. I give her my best scowl and retreat back into the room. I can see that Peeta is hiding a smirk. I lean against the cupboard sitting against the wall. Peeta raises his eyebrows at me. I roll my eyes. I can't look at Peeta. I thought he was mesmerising with his shirt on. But without? Those years of lifting heavy bags of flour have left his chest sculpted. I bite my lip and look down, feeling my cheeks redden.
After what seems like an eternity, my mother comes back in with a pot of cream. She rubs it into Peeta's shoulder and a minty smell fills the room.
"This will numb the pain." She says. She wipes her hands on a rag and unwraps the bandages. She wraps them around Peeta's shoulder. "There you go. You can put your shirt back on now."
"Thank you." Peeta says. Taking his shirt and pulling it back on one-handed.
"I'm going to start dinner." I say, standing and walking out of the room.
"Come and sit in the kitchen Peeta. It's warmer in there and you won't be alone." My mother says. Peeta follows me into the kitchen and sits beside Prim. I pull a rabbit from my game bag and begin chopping it in hard 'whacks' on the chopping board.
When dinner has finished cooking, I dish up the stew into four chipped enamel bowls and place them on the table.
"Primrose, do you want to go over your homework in the living room?" Mum asks. Prim grins up at me and nods, grabbing her bowl and exiting the room. I fight the urge to bang my head on the table.
"This is delicious." Peeta comments, putting another spoonful of food into his mouth. "You caught the rabbit, didn't you?"
"Yep." I nod. "Right through-"
"…The eye." Peeta finishes. "Every time." He says. I look up at him. He grins.
"You want some more?" I ask.
"I will if you will."
"Fine." I say, re-filling our bowls. Peeta laughs. "What?" I exclaim.
"Nothing, nothing." Peeta chuckles.
"Tell me Peeta." I say. "You're hiding something." Peeta sighs and places his hand over mine. I stiffen. Peeta rubs his thumb over my skin.
"Why wouldn't you look me in the eye when my shirt was off?" He asks, staring right at me. I can feel his gaze burning a hole in the side of my head.
"What are you talking about?" I ask.
"You know what I'm talking about Katniss." Peeta persists. "I mean, you were fine when your mother popped my shoulder back in."
"You were wearing a shirt." I mumble.
"And?"
"And… I'm not comfortable… with bodies, and blood, and injuries."
"Yet you can gut animals without a second thought." Peeta scoffs.
"That's different."
"How is it different?"
"It just is." I snap. The room falls silent. I scrape my spoon around the bowl- just to make some noise.
"Katniss?" Peeta asks after the long pause in our conversation.
"What?"
"I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."
"It's fine…"
"No, it isn't." Peeta says. I look up at him. "I shouldn't put you in the spotlight."
"Peeta. It's fine." I say, squeezing his hand. He smiles.
"I heard you and your Mum talking." He chuckles, a sly smile on his lips.
"When?"
"Today. Before you went to the Hawthorne house with the laundry." I exhale.
"Why weren't you asleep?" I ask. "You were asleep when I last saw you, before I went out."
"I'm a great actor." Peeta says. I pick up a rag sitting beside me and throw it at him. Peeta catches it.
"Hey!" I exclaim. "No fair!" Peeta laughs and I kick him lightly under the table.
"So you think I've got nice eyes, huh?" I stay silent, grinding my teeth. "And you like my laugh?"
"Don't flatter yourself." I hiss.
"Well, if it makes it any better, I think you've got pretty eyes too."
"And my laugh?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't think I've heard it before." I grin. Peeta chews on a mouthful of bread and smirks at me. I look at the wall behind his head.
"So…" I start. "I'm guessing you heard about what went down with Gale?"
"Yeah…"
"It didn't mean anything." I stumble. "I've told Gale that I don't feel that way about him, that I didn't feel anything."
"I shouldn't have been listening in." Peeta remarks.
"Prim should've given you a stronger dosage of medicine." I retort. Peeta laughs. I find myself laughing along with him.
"And there we have it!" Peeta says. I pause.
"Have what?"
"I've finally heard you laugh!"
"And what's the verdict?"
"I like your laugh too."
Aww! Romance! ;D Let me reassure you; they'll be more drama in the next chapter! Review if you liked it and give me suggestions if you have any! 3