(AN - I DONT REMEMBER MOST OF THE CHARACTERS' CHARACTERISATION. PLEASE DO BEAR WITH ME IF THE CHARACTERS DONT SOUND LIKE THEMSELVES EITHER NOW OR IN THE FUTURE CHAPTERS... PLEASE...)
"Looks like someone is surprised." The man said, without any emotions, walking towards us. My parents stared at him, their jaws dropped. Haymitch seemed to be the only one who could recover from his shock. Out of nowhere, Finnick nudged me with his shoulder.
"What?" I hissed.
"Who is this?"
Finnick looked a bit scared. "Is he a thief?" Finnick asked,again.
"What?!" I asked, taken aback by his question. If we weren't stuck up in such a sentimental situation, I would've laughed.
If this man were a thief, mom, dad and Haymitch wouldn't've entertained him for so long.
He is someone they longed to have since ages.
Probably some special person, loved by all the three.
"Someone important!" I informed him, in a whisper. He looked at me and I nodded my head. I wondered how he could think in such a way.
"Welcome! Welcome!" Haymitch said. The man walked towards Haymitch and hugged him. He withdrew himself from Haymitch and fell upon my father, who looked as if he won a prize. I never saw my dad that happy. "Good old man!" Dad cried, "What a surprise!"
When the mysterious man approached my mother, my mom didn't say anything for a moment. Neither did the man. She seemed to be searching for something in his expressions. But, he was stoic.
"Katniss! Are you happy with the old man's return?" He slowly asked. My mom didn't say anything, but, her eyes were red, as if she was trying to control herself. Finally, she let out a sigh and hugged him, as a reply. She seemed to be overjoyed by his arrival. He slowly withdrew from her as well, turning his gaze towards us. Mom was still crying, but, she seemed to be happy. Very happy. I never saw her that expressive in my entire life. I know the Hunger Games have damaged her internally, but, she acted as if she were half-dead, sometimes. I also know that the very reason my parents and Haymitch are living at least in this stage, is us. I still wonder how dad is able to laugh and live happily as if he were normal, when there is so much of tragedy in his life. Dad knows that he has to act like he is happy, if he wants us to be happy. Mom doesn't. It takes mom a lot of will power to be normal. They are so damaged, they don't even know what's happening in our school.
They don't even know that I know about the Hunger Games.
Its not their fault. They have gone through so much misery, I can't expect them to be like the Stottlers or the Guccis. Finnick still doesn't know why they are not like the others. I don't want to freak him out by telling him that they had to kill each other,twice, in an arena, filled with teenagers trying to kill each other. When the time comes, he shall know.
"Cinna! That's Primrose and Finnick Mellarks for you!" Dad did a brief introduction, extremely happy. Mr. Cinna smiled at us, and we had to smile back at him.
"Cinna! You know? We were talking about you just a few moments ago." Haymitch said, partly laughing.
"Me?!" He asked, eyeing at mom, quizzically.
We briefly explained to him what had transpired. He didn't show a single emotion on his face, but, soon, smiled a bit.
"Now that I am here!' He said, shifting his gaze from mom to me, " I will make them the talk of the party! "
Dad and Haymitch clapped, while mom just smiled. Mom's smile was actually genuine, which was quite surprising. Maybe she was reminded of her past times. But, I don't remember reading about this person at all. He was probably her secondary staff. And, maybe he was cooperative and that's why they loved him.
"Cinna, by the way, we will be starting off to 4 tomorrow. Since you are going to come with us, we have to book a ticket for you!" Dad said, rummaging for something in his bag. He soon took out his cellphone and was about to ring someone.
"Peeta! Don't worry. I have my own influence" Cinna said.
"Are you sure?"
"Didn't I tell you about my relation with the Capitol?" Cinna said, placing his hand on dad's shoulders. Dad nodded, looking a bit uncomfortable. Cinna smiled, a bright smile which indicated that he was happy. Dad smiled back as well.
"Come Cinna! Let me show you the way to your room!" Mom said, going towards the stairs. Cinna smiled at us once again. Mom turned towards me and said, "Prim! Why don't you sleep with us today?!"
Shit! I lost my room!
"Sure!" I croaked, not wanting to show the disappointment. Why couldn't this Cinna go to Haymitch's house? Haymitch had no one, except for us. This man could sleep at Haymitch's house...
Cinna nodded his head and followed mom. We watched them walk upstairs and could as well hear their conversation.
"Cinna! I am so glad you're back!"
"My pleasure!"
"Good Night! There is a water bottle right on the bookshelf and the blankets are in the wardrobe. If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask us. Our room is downstairs."
"I am not a child!" Cinna said, walking inside. Mom closed the door. I could as well hear her footsteps as she was coming downstairs.
"Everything's done!' Mom said. " Cinna could as well stitch the clothes for the bride and the groom!"
She sounded so enthusiastic and excited, I wondered whether she was the same Katniss Everdeen Mellark I knew.
"Haymitch! Why don't you sleep with us today?!" Mom asked, literally jumping. He looked at dad and dad nodded his head.
"Alright!"
NEXT DAY MORNING- IN THE TRAIN
It was probably the first time I was traveling to another place, other than my own district. District 4 is known for its beauty, and I decided to ask dad to buy me a camera. Dad's phone had a camera, but, a professional camera would work better.
"Dad!" I called him. Luckily, since there were six of us, we got a whole coach for our self. On one side, Mom, dad and I sat and on the other side, Fin, Cinna and Haymitch. Finnick and I got the corner seats, so, we weren't really fighting.
"Yes?!"
"Can I buy a camera?"
"Uh-"
"I forgot to tell you! I brought you some presents!" Cinna said, handing Finnick a small trident. He gave me a camera, as if he already knew what we wanted. "What was the need to do this?" Mom asked, as I was staring at this wonderful gift of mine.
"Yeah! I mean-"
"C'mon! Stop complaining! Your kids are like mine!" Cinna said, cutting off dad in short. "How are they, kids?"
"Satisfactory!" I murmured, still looking at,with awe. I could sense mom and dad looking at me angrily. "Uh- I mean awesome!" I managed.
Cinna smiled, as if he were proud of himself. Finnick didn't know how to use a Trident. He was happy with his gift, but, felt sad because he didn't know how to use it.
"Triton Maximus Odair will teach you how to use it." Cinna said, patting Finnick on his back. Finnick mumbled a feeble 'thank you'. I smiled at Cinna and began to look through the window, watching the passing by trees.
I am basically a nature lover. Give me a place away from the concrete jungle, I can sit for hours together and observe each and every thing and report to you what all I had observed. Since all the trains travel to the destinations through the undeveloped areas, you could as well say that we travel through jungles.
"Here, Prim! Take the cookie! " Mom said, offering me a cookie. I snapped into two halves and munched on them.
"Dad! Did you make them yourselves?!" I asked, turning towards him. Dad laughed, staring at the floor. He was feeling a bit shy, obviously. Whenever dad smiled in that way, I could feel butterflies flying in my stomach. Dad's smile was probably one of the cutest things in the world.
"Cinna! Why don't you take one as well?" Mom asked, her voice very cheerful. Cinna took a bite and widened his eyes, in amazement.
"Delicious!" He exclaimed, "Fabulous, Peeta!"
Dad blushed, his face as red as a tomato.
"Alright! Why don't we stop making the poor guy feel shy?!"
"Yeah..." Dad said, laughing.
"I am pretty sure we won't feel bored, with the six of us babbling to each other!" Mom said, catching dad's hand. Dad nodded his head, stroking mom's.
We definitely didn't feel tired...
District 4, we await you...