A/N THERE ARE QUOTES FROM THE MOVIE IN THIS CHAPTER I DO NO OWN THEM
Chapter 3 - Prep, Gale, and ... Effie
The morning our prep teams showed up they walked into Peeta's room to a little something extra, me in his bed with him standing by the window shirtless. The gasps were so loud I couldn't help but laugh. I was pulled from the comfy bed by my girls and dragged to my house, the only goodbye I got to give Peeta was a yell before the door closed.
"You couldn't give me a few minutes with my man before you dragged me away?" I laughed while still being forcefuly dragged up the stairs to my bed room where the one and only Cinna was waiting for me. I let go of their hands and ran over to him and practically jumped on him.
"I've missed you to Katniss" His hug was meaningful and felt so warm. "I see you've been getting really dirty" He laughed and the girls started to complain.
"Katniss your nails!"
"Look how dirty you are!"
"We told you not to touch your hair!"
It felt like it never ended, as much as I missed them poking and proding me I like being dirty, I feel good dirty. Cinna shook his head at them and started to unpack my wardrobe out of a suitcase. I had what looked like at least 10 different outfits, and only one of them included pants... I like pants, But if this is how Cinna wants me to be then this is how I will dress for him, but only because i like him. I changed into 3 diferent outfits before he finally picked one, It was a light blue skirt that came up to my waist and puffed out a little bit, it came down to my knee's. My top was a white button up shirt that went under the skirt and a black belt that hid the merge of the two pieces.
I was kept in my room for another 2 hours getting a full make over again, waxing, poking, proding, manicures, pedicures. I felt to clean for my liking, there was no dirt... Anywhere! This time they did something different with my hair, to keep the girl on fire facade going they added red highlights in my hair. I loved my hair, it looked so cool to me, but it will take some getting used to seeing red. It was a couple more hours before I got to see Peeta again, my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest when I saw him. He was in a black and red suit with a black button up shirt, it looked almost like the same suit he wore for his first interview of the games. My mind flashed back to that day,
"So Peeta. Tell me. Is there a special girl back home?" Caesar questioned
"No. No, not really." Peeta looked down and shook his head
"No? I don't believe it it for a second, look at that face! Handsome man like you! Peeta. Tell me."
"Well, there, uh. There is this one girl that I've had a crush on forever. But I don't think she actually recognized me until the Reaping."
"Well, I'll tell you what Peeta. You go out there, and you win this thing, and when you get home she'll have to go out with you!"
"Thanks, but I, uh. I don't think winning's gonna help me at all."
"And why not?"
"Because... she came here with me"
When I heard that I was in shock, at first I didnt believe him but I knew deep down that he was being honest and serious. Tears started to build up in my eyes, I sniffled trying to hold them back, Peeta came over and hugged me,
"Katniss whats wrong?" Peeta put his hands on either side of my face and whiped away my tears with his thumbs, he whispered so no one else could hear "Please tell me"
"you, i remembered your interview, your outfit reminded me" I didnt want to look in his eyes, my eyes dropped to my feet. Peeta pulled me to him and just hugged me, it was a nice moment I needed. When I heard Effie I knew the cameras were on us, I hugged peeta tighter, I didnt want to look at the cameras. When I pulled away from Peeta I looked over to Effie who looked like she was about to cry but didnt want to ruin her character face. She was painted white with colorful eyes, all paint I'm sure. Peeta and I were once again seperated, I was brought back to my room and was told to entertain myself for a bit while they went and interview Peeta by himself in the nicely prepped little grass circle in victor village. I was by myself for maybe 20 minutes when I heard a knock. I thought it was the door at first, I walked over and opened it... no one was there. Hmm I cocked my head to the side, shut my door and walked over to my window. I saw Gale outside my window. He climbed in and gave me a hug,
"Look at you Catnip all pretty and what not" Gale laughed a little, "I havent seen you like this since the games..." The smile on my face just melted away, why would he bring that up, I think about it enough now he has to remind me! "What going on with Peety out front?" His blatent disregard for my feelings was starting to frustrate me a bit.
"It's his interview we are about to go on tour soon we have to get all of our interviews and everything done before we leave. I've been getting prepped all morning" I laughed a little trying to lighten the mood, I didnt want to show my anger.
"You mean you've been their puppet all morning" Gale tried to correct me, I rolled my eyes and turned around to look in my closet at my new outfits.
"What would you like Gale, I cant go hunting with you" I turned to look at him, behind him a bird landed on the window ceil and I looked at it, it was a Blue Jay. It was beautiful, and probably the biggest one I've ever seen.
"Nothing I came to see if you were still the same girl that I used to know" Gale slumped his shoulders and turned around, I balled my fists,
"What do you mean the same girl? You mean the one that had to provide for my family while my mother was sick? Or the girl that loves to be outside? Or the girl that saved her sister from the games." I was starting to yell as I talked my voice got louder and louder,
"I mean are you still Katniss, are you still yourself or are you playing love struck for these damn cameras!" Gale was raising his voice now to,
"What do you mean playing? You think I don't love Peeta? Because I do!" I had to take a deep breath, my fists got a little tighter my knuckles were almost pure white now,
"You 'love' him yeah right" He rolled his eyes and chuckled, I was now furious with him, he has no right to say these things
"I have something with him, I thought I had something with you but you were to against everything to see what you had infront of you! I was there through everything and you did nothing about it! You knew everything, we grew up together, I kept nothing from you!" I was screaming at this point, I was so angry with him
"What was I supposed to do Katniss? Ask you to marry me? Get together with you? I wanted to leave and you know this I still do, I can't hang out with you anymore, my own best friend I cant be around without a camera in my face asking me how it is to be your damn cousin! I'm tired of this, You aren't the same person. They have changed you. I don't even know if you are still in there, you are a puppet. You dont have a mind of your own," Gale stepped closer to me, I wasn't moving I was holding my ground
"I dont know what you want me to say? I'm not leaving Peeta for you" I let out a heavy breath
"I am twice the man that he will ever be!" That pushed me to my limit, I brought my arm up, just as I swung at him my door opened, I hit Gale right in the face square in the nose. He stumbled back a couple feet and I looked at my door, Peeta was standing there with a questioning look on his face, I lef my hands go, I was holding them so tightly they hurt. I looked at Gale, he was holding his bloody nose, his eyes were full of anger he just pushed past Peeta in the doorway and walked out of the house. I ran to Peeta and hugged him.
"What happened?" Peeta whispered.
"Do you have a mic on you?" I didn't want them hearing this, if they already have then thats fine but they dont need to know to story behind it.
"I turned it off when I walked in the front door" He had worry in his eyes,
"How much did you hear?" I was taking dep breaths, my heart was pounding from the adrenaline of the argument.
"I heard from 'if you were the same girl' "
"There wasn't much before it, small talk if you can even call it that much." I looked up, I was about to start crying,
"Katniss It's ok, He's just an ass, don't let him get to you, I love you thats all that matters" He smiled at me, and I couldnt help but smile as tears fell from my eyes. Happy tears, its funny how 3 little words can mean so much to someone.
"I love you to" I kissed him on the cheek and hugged him again. About 10 minutes later it was my turn for my interview. I was seated on a blanket in the grass, Peeta was alowed to be outside for my interview,
"So what are you and Peeta?" The woman asked, I think she said her name was Lulia,
"He is my boyfriend but he's more than that..." I paused
"How is he more?" She leaned a little closer to me
"He is my best friend, I can tell him anything, he is my rock, on days that I am a total mess he is strong enough for the both of us. We can sit in a room for hours not saying a word but with smiles on our faces. I can have actual fun with him, we can do anything and have fun with it" I started smiling and looking at him halfway through talking, One camera was on him and the other one was on me, He was smiling not saying a word.
"So what are your plans in the future? Where do you see this going?" Lulia's smile grew a little bigger,
"I don't really know, right now we are taking it day by day and things are great for the both of us." She asked me a bunch of useless questions I have been asked multiple times, She brought up Gale,
"What about Gale Hawthorne, you're cousin, how does he feel about you guys?" I didn't know what to say about it, right now I wanted to say e is a useless peice of shit but I couldnt bring myself to say it.
"He has been there for me on multiple occasions, he doesn;t like to talk much" The interveiw didnt go on much longer. Once we were done Peeta and I had a few hours to ourselves before Effie would come and direct us second by second to her schedule again.