Katniss POV

I stand in my room braiding my hair so that the curls that I have done fall from the braid gently. I believe Annie had called it a waterfall braid. Once I am happy with my hair I begin to do my makeup. I was never really one for heavy makeup so I apply mascara and eyeliner to my eyes and a lip stain that give my lips a more pinky less neutral color. Oddly enough I am excited for tonight. I cannot wait to feel Peeta inside of me for the first time. I know it will hurt, but I am ready. i want Peeta Mellark fully and phone's loud ringing pulls me from my thoughts. I chase after the noise quickly so that I don't miss it. "Hello" I speak into the old chord phone. Rapping my finger around the chord.

"Hey" I recognize the voice, its Peeta. I can hear the strain in his voice. I turn to look at the clock above the old gas stove that we have had since I was born. This is odd; he is supposed to pick me up in 20 minutes. As if he reads my mind through the phone he says "Katniss, sweetheart I am so sorry and I know I should be picking you up in like 15 minutes but something happened with my mom and I'm going to be late," I can hear the guilt in his voice, even though we both know who's fault this is.

Peeta's mom is a wretched woman who thinks it is okay to beat my beautiful Peeta and his brother's. This is not the first time he has called like this. I know his mother hates me, but I'm pretty sure hates everyone. I remember the time I got to see his abuse first hand.

It was our six-month anniversary, and Peeta being the sap he was wanted to make a big deal of it. I did not. So we settled on spending time in bakery baking to our hearts desire. I think part of why Peeta wanted to do this was fatten me up a little as our last make-out session had gotten a little steamy and he had felt my little too prominent ribs and backbone. We had just finished a flour fight that somehow ended with me sitting atop the counter, when heard her wretched scream fill the bakery. Peeta's eyes were immediately filled with fear as he pushed me into the closet, pleading for me to not come out, no matter what. He had just closed the door when I heard her gasp at the mess I knew Peeta and I had made.

"PEETA RYAN MELLARK WHAT IS THIS MESS! YOU MY SON ARE FUCKING IDIOT! HOW IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE TO MAKE THIS MESS!" I cringed at her abrasive words. Then I heard the crack. "YOU ARE WORTHLESS!" Crack! "YOU ARE A WORTHLESS COW!" Crack! I did not know how to respond. Was she really hitting Peeta? At this I jumped out of the hiding place to see a bloodied Peeta huddling in a corner while his mother towered over him, rolling pin in hand.

"LET HIM GO! I made this mess! Don't you dare hurt him." I screamed at her and saw the look of fear in Peeta's eyes. I could also see he was angry at me for making myself known.

"Oh look if it isn't Peeta's little Seam whore." How much is paying you bitch, surely it isn't much." She turned back to Peeta. "Found yourself a cheap whore you could afford huh?"

She was soon in front of me with a raised rolling pin and it smashed itself into my head. I felt dizzy but before the blackness crept around me, I saw Peeta full of rage running at his mother yelling at her as he picked me up and ran to my house. I was fine, even though Peeta fussed over me for weeks. I made him tell me everything his mother had done. I had known Mrs. Mellark was a witch but to hear what she did to him sickened me.

"Peeta it's okay, I would wait an eternity for you." I smile into the phone, allowing myself to be sappy for his sake.

"I love you Katniss Everdeen" He responded and in the way he talked I knew he had a smile playing on his lips.

"I love you Peeta Mellark" and with that he hangs up. I go back upstairs and change into my dress, and I wait.

The hours tick by as I wait and wait and wait and he never comes. I look at the clock, prom will be ending in an hour, and I quickly change from my dress to a sweatshirt and a pair of leggings. I slip on my boots and begin my trek to Peeta's house. His mother must have done something awful for him to be this late. I need to make sure he's okay. It may be march but here in Panem the cold never seems to leave. I pull my sleeves down and wrap my arms around myself.

Peeta's white house comes into sight and I can see the faint glow of the lights still on. I see his old worn truck and smile at the memories we share in that old thing. That truck's back seat has seen more of Peeta and I then our parents. I am a mere 10 steps away from his slightly worn white porch when I feel hands around my waist. I do not know these hands. They are too small to be Peeta's. I try to turn to see who it is but they are stronger than I anticipated and I am not allowed an inch of movement and then they push an old rag to my face. I can smell something foul yet oddly sweet. As the world around me begins to fuzz at the edges I can see Peeta from the window, but know he doesn't see me. I struggle but everything become blurry and my vision begins to fade. I think I am being lifted. I can vaguely see the white metal roof of a van. Then nothing.

Peeta's POV

"MOM, I LOVE KATNISS!"

"NO YOU DON'T SHE IS POOR, FILTHY RAT! YOU LIKE HOW THE WHORE LETS YOU FUCK HER! NO SON OF MINE LOVES A SEAM SLUT!" This has been going on for nearly two hours and I am done. I make my way to my front door and slam the door behind me and take off running towards Katniss' house. I am a T shirt and jeans as I never even got the chance to change before my mother's broken record-like fight with me began. I pull her spare key from beneath the welcome mat and burst through the door. The first thing I see is her mother on the couch sleeping. I run up to Katniss' room and find it empty. I quickly search the entire house and find that Katniss isn't in it. I have this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that something is wrong. but hey maybe she decided to go without me. This thought gives me a little comfort. But then again she hates these things and would never go without me. Its almost midnight so there is no way she would go to the woods. I begin to freak out, as my mind races at where she could be. I decide to see if maybe Jo and Annie pulled her to Prom. Surely thats what happened. Katniss refuses to let me get her a cell phone so I decide to call Finn

"Hey bro, why aren't you here?" He questions, having to yell in order to be heard over the pounding music I can hear.

"Is Katniss there?" I say quickly, my mind is in overdrive. I can't help this feeling that something is terribly wrong.

"WHAT?" he yells as the music gets louder.

"IS KATNISS THERE?" I yell into the phone, becoming frantic.

"WHAT?" He yells yet again "HOLD ON PEET." I shuffle nervously from foot to foot while I wait for him. I can hear the Music begin to fade. "Okay, now talk."

"Is Katniss there?" I ask nervous to hear the answer. I am absolutely scared shitless right now.

"No Peet we thought she was with you." He responds catching onto my seriousness.

"Finn I can't find her." I say terrified of what has happened to my beautiful girl. I can hear Finn running to get Annie and Jo over the music.

"Peet we will find her, don't freak she probably is in the woods or walking or something." He reasons. But I know this isn't the case, its too late for her to do that. I run out onto the street. I look everywhere. I can't find her, I see Finn's car in the distance. They file out with somber faces.

Annie speaks first, "Peeta, we couldn't find her anywhere." She looks as though her heart is breaking. I fall to my knees and feel empty.

My beautiful Katniss, where are you?