You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too that's a part of it
- Denzel Washington
KATNISS
It has been raining almost everyday since. And I've been spending most of my free time with him, enjoying his company.
But there is always this free-floating anxiety in my stomach waiting for something bad to happen, like my happiness would not last.
We were hanging out in a coffee shop near our school. We still have few days left before we pass our assignment. Peeta told me he already did his.
"Woah! That fast!" I said, impressed.
"But it's only four lines" he said "so I am not sure if it's any good"
"Don't worry; poems don't have to be too long. The right length is always when you have said all that you want to express. I don't have mine yet. I'll make mine four lines too then"
"And I thought you were good" he said, teasing me.
"Yah! Are you seriously questioning my skills?' I said provoked by his teasing.
"No, I just want to get you goaded. You look cute angry." He said then showed me his breath-taking smile.
I was pouting when he said this but I could not help but smile myself when I saw him smile.
We were enjoying ourselves with idle chitchat when Peeta suddenly froze looking beyond me.
I know that look, it was the look of seeing something you're not supposed to see anymore, someone you're supposed to have forgotten, it was the look of seeing someone from your past.
I turned around to see what Peeta was staring at. She was blonde and pretty, the girl who was also staring back at Peeta, and smiling at him. They even have the same blue eyes, only Peeta's looked better, or maybe I was just biased.
She approached our table and I turned to look at Peeta, who was still fixated on her. He looked as if he was going through a lot of memories in his head, memories of him and the girl.
I bit my inner lip trying not to say something. I know I promised myself to be honest but it's not my place to say anything.
"Hi, Peety, it's been a long while. Was it 2 years?" she said.
"Oh yeah, something like that" he said.
So it is HER.
I remember Madge talking about HER. She told me that she had been Peeta's first girlfriend. They broke up mutually because she would be leaving him. But even when she left, Peeta did not date anyone.
Once again I feel out of place in loving Peeta. First, his bestfriend now his ex-girlfriend. Why am I always competing with blondes? When will I get to have him to myself?
I know Peeta said he likes someone now even if I am unsure if it's me but could his feelings for her still be the same. Does he still love her?
PEETA
"Hi, Peety, it's been a long while. Was it 2 years?" she said.
I was cut from my recollections of her.
"Oh yeah, something like that" I said.
I was staring at her with mixed emotions after 2 years. I almost forgot I was with Katniss. "Ah I'm sorry this is Katniss, she's my ah…friend" I finished weakly.
How do you introduce to your ex-girlfriend, the girl you love now? And how do you introduce the girl you love when she doesn't even know about it yet?
"Katniss, this is Delly. We go way back" I said.
"Oh I see. Glad to meet you" Katniss said with a small smile and shook hands with Delly.
"Same here" Delly said smiling back.
I looked at Katniss wearing an unreadable expression.
"I gotta go Peeta. I still need to finish my part of the assignment. And I think the both of you should catch up." Katniss said, gathering her stuff before starting to leave.
"Take care" I said.
"Yeah" she said then walked away.
At the pit of my stomach, I have a gnawing feeling that something's not right.
KATNISS
I went home alone today. It has stopped raining.
Too much of everything is bad for you, even rain.
Too much rain and you get mud.
Sometimes it ruins your new shoes making you stick to the mud. Sometimes you get splattered on by a passing vehicle. Sometimes you slip and fall, the mud too thick, even the rain can't wash it way.