KATNISS

Too much dry weather causes the land to break into cracks.

Like the relationship between Peeta, Madge and I, a crack has appeared.

When will this dry season end? Hope is evaporating like water.

Somewhere the air is becoming humid and heavy.

A storm is brewing.

Without anything better to do and to maintain my excuse for not hanging out with them, I enrolled for summer classes.

I signed up for Creative writing, hoping that I could vent all my frustrated silence into paper. And I heard that Mr Abernathy, the teacher, was good if he wasn't drunk.

I noticed that most of the students were females until I saw him sitting by himself at the back.

I was surprised to see Peeta. "Why is he here?" I thought "and where is Madge?"

In that instance he looked up and for the first time in more than 4 months our eyes met, blue on gray.

His expression neither was happy, sad nor angry. Curiosity filled his eyes.

I was the first to withdraw my eyes. "Why was he looking at me now after months of ignoring me?"

I was suddenly filled with dread of the coming days, knowing that we'll be in close proximity. "How could I avoid him now?"

On our first day in class, we were asked to write a self-portrait using a 4 line verse then to read it upfront. I liked this activity a lot since it involved writing but I don't know about the speaking part. We were given 30 minutes.

Others have finished with theirs, and then my turn was called. I was hoping Peeta was not paying attention. I read it looking down on the floor.

Outside I'm like everyone else

But Inside I'll always be me

No one will know who I am

Nor the child inside of me

When it was his turn, I pretended not to listen and did not look at him but actually paid close attention.

Ever dreaming, mostly wondering

Constantly wishing, patiently waiting

Keep on trying, never quitting

Always always hoping

I was perplexed by his self-portrait. "What did he mean? What was he hoping for?"

Soon everyone was finished with their introduction. Our first lesson was over.

Everyone was heading out when the Mr. Abernathy called me.

"So are you telling us Ms. Everdeen that you like keeping things to yourself and then go on pretending?"

I couldn't answer knowing that he gets me. Saying yes would be suicide and saying no would just sink the blade in deeper.

"Don't be scared to put your feelings out, you're in creative writing, let your inner child loose. Some things are better let out than in. It's like coughing, sneezing, vomiting, peeing, shitting and love" he advised.

I laughed at the first five. "He's smart and funny if not a little crazy." I thought. But I could not laugh at love. If only it were that easy.

The next few days were a blur. We were assigned various writing exercises on certain topics and were graded accordingly.

However on the second week, Mr. Abernathy gave us an assignment and asked us to work in pairs. The exercise was to write separate pieces of poetry then make them seemingly as one. It was to be presented before the week ends. I was already sensing a dilemma.

As we were going home, the other students had no trouble pairing up since most of them knew each other, and they were already talking about what to do.

I was debating with myself as I was walking out of class to go home. I knew no one else here except Peeta, thanks to my hermit ways, but I did not want to ask him. It seemed like he didn't know anyone else either because he soon approached me.

"Uhmm, do you want to be my partner?" he asked.

I couldn't believe him. "What! after more than 4 months, not even a hello Katniss first?!" I said before I could stop myself. The repressed emotions I have were bubbling to the surface.

He seemed taken aback. "Hey! Don't blame me. You were the one who avoided us remember?" he shot back.

"I was just busy with schoolwork. But it was not as if you were dying to talk to me. You ignored me for more than 4 months!" I said indignantly.

"Well, I didn't know and you didn't tell us. How was I supposed to react with your sudden withdrawal? I thought you were avoiding us on purpose! I thought you wanted to be left alone!" he replied evenly.

"Why should I have to explain myself?!" I felt myself getting trapped in a corner.

I did not want to tell him the real reason why. I was overwhelmed with the feelings that were coursing through me. For the first time I was able to say what I felt.

I was also getting confused with his reaction. Was he also affected?

The word war we were having must have reached the sky. I did not notice that it has become an ominous gray. Lightning flashed overhead closely followed by thunder. Huge drops of rain suddenly fell and we both became increasingly drenched.

I was completely stunned by the turnout of events. Heavy rain poured while the sky was lit by lightning and the air reverberated with thunder.

It was raining again, not just any rain but a thunderstorm.