Two new chapters in like 5 minutes? Wooooooo!
I'm late to choir but the teacher doesn't seem to mind, I take a seat in the back of the class, the room being split into four levels, short rises so when everyone stands the people in the back can see and be seen, "Took you long enough," I smile at Annie.
"I was preoccupied," Madge and her share an 'oooo' before the teacher comes in. He's a talk dark man with very short hair.
"Good afternoon everyone," Mister Cinna greats, "We have a new…" he flips through his papers, "student with us today… Katrina?" I wave a little.
"Ah there you are," he motions for me to come forward. Awesome…
I stand in front of the class, marks form my abuse to show, "Tell us about yourself," I look down at my sneakers.
"Not much to say," I have so much to tell, so many stories, but none I want to share. None I can share…
"Alright… What about favorite music… What do you like to listen to?"
This I could answer, "I love Mumford and Sons, oh! and Adele," I go back to my shoes, "I had their CD's back home," all of my possessions were evidence seeing as they were bought with drug money.
Cinna nods and smiles, "Good choices, now I need to pull you aside and put you in a section, it'll just take a few minutes," he pulls out of the room and into a smaller room with a piano and closes the door.
"This must be very hard on you, the move and everything," I nod as he sits down at the piano, his skillful fingers playing the beginning of Someone Like You.
I wait a few frames before I open my mouth, "I heard, you're settled down… That you've found a girl, and you're married now… I heard that you dreams came true… Guess she gave you things, didn't give to you," I tahe a breath, "Old friend, why are you so shy? Ain't like you to hold back from the light…"
I wonder when he'll have heard enough of my bad singing to send me to another class, but I continue, admittedly enjoying this, "I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvited, but I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it. I hoped you would see my face and that you'd be reminded, that for me it isn't over…"
There's a pause in his playing as I reach the chorus, "Never mind, I'll find, someone like you… I wish nothing but the best for you, too. 'Don't forget me,' I begged. I remember you said sometimes it lasts in live, but sometimes it hurts instead…" he finishes playing.
"Beautiful…" I dig into the ground looking down, "I could put you in either alto or soprano… But I have a chair open in soprano," I nod, "So you don't have to move your seat. Hang back a little today we practice after school once a week, every Wednesday from three to four."
I nod and head back to the room and to my seat.
I study the sheet music during the class only singing when he's giving me specific instructions. We're singing Phantom of the Opera, I didn't hear the song ever before this day, it's so haunting and beautiful.
I manage to find English on my own, taking the free seat next to Peeta, "Well, you don't have a black eye," he picks up my hand and examines my knuckles, "Or bloody knuckles… Choir went well?"
Nod looking at the stains on his hand, "Painting?" I ask turning his palm over, he grins and nods.
My back pack grows heavier and heavier throughout the day full of books Peeta tells me to not bother putting in my locker unless I don't need them at night.
The bell rings at 2:30 ending the day, and a mind numbing math class about the use of the formula that measures the area of a circle.
"I have to go talk to coach Abernathy," I sling my backpack over my shoulder, "Are we still going to the park?" he just nods.
"I'll text one of them that we're running late?"
"You don't have to go with me I'm not… totally lost?"
He grins, it warms me up, "One yes you are, and two you don't have a cellphone, I can't let you out of my sight or you may get lost," I roll my eyes.
"Come on…"
I'm lead by Peeta to Coach Abernathy's office right outside the locker rooms. On the wall are several track trophies and a framed picture of the girls track. I see her, Katniss, she's beaming her tight black shirt with the word "West" across the chest only different from the rest by the C at the top. Captain?
Her name was everywhere in this room, well mostly on a two sided chart listing various track events, most of which Katniss Everdeen held the record.
"I'm not going to bullshit sweetheart, I want you on the track team. Looks good on college applications," was I going to college? "You're a great runner, gets you out of class a few times for meets, actually six times to be exact." It's not that that persuades me, it's the freedom I felt while running.
"Yeah, I'll do it," the old man's face lights up.
"Great we have practice Tuesday's and Thursday's, meets Friday and sometimes Saturday. One second," he dials his phone, "Hey princess, get in here," he hangs up and before long a haggard looking woman comes in, she's a platinum blonde, short as anything, and oddly familiar.
"This is Miss Trinket, she's the cheerleading coach but she helps out with women's track. This Effie, is going to be our new record setter," I shake the woman's hand.
"Nice to meet you, now if I could get back? Those girls are going to break their necks! Ugh!" Abernathy rolls his eyes.
"Women… Am I right?" I let out a nervous laugh.
"Can I uh… Go? I have, something," he looks up, seeing Peeta outside.
"Good to see Mellark out of his shell again, thought we were going to lose another," he spins around on his chair, "Tell him I expect him at wrestling practice tomorrow, sixteen year olds don't make varsity every year," he says loud enough for Peeta to hear as I leave the room.
"Erm… That," Peeta just shrugs, biting his thumbnail.
"He's just mad because my brothers are leaving for college this year," we walk out to the student lot were everyone's waiting with the addition of a younger girl.
Her blond hair is down in two braids and she looks up at me, her eyes growing immediately sad, "What did I do wrong?" I whisper to Peeta while we're still out of earshot.
"That's Katniss's baby sister, Primrose, you kind of look like her from afar, especially with that hair, she always braided her hair…"
"Hi I'm…"
Primrose opens her mouth, "Katrina, they were telling me about you," the girl, no older than thirteen looked at me apprehensively before hugging me kind of like a limp fish, she lingered for a second, "It was nice meeting you Katrina, but I have to go home and help my mom, tell Aunt Hazelle and Uncle Steve we'll be there Friday," Gale nods and she ran off with a wave, and I couldn't help but notice her shirt bunched up in the back like a duck tail.
The park was outside of town, about a five minute drive after the last of many car dealerships as quaint buildings turned to a lush green forest.
I felt that tugging on my heart, I've never felt more at home.
Peace Valley Park was an eight mile track that bordered a manmade lake tucked away in a lush forest with several over grown meadows and rolling hills, it seemed to make my blood sing.
"I've been living in the wrong place my whole life," I told no one in particular as we got out of the car.
There were people running with their dogs, riding bikes and pushing large expensive strollers packed with kids who'd never know what it's like to go hungry or bounce from home to home never knowing the love of a parent.
"Sometimes it takes a few tries to get it right," Finnick told me, I just nod, glad that they're not weird about the whole foster kid thing. Maybe they were just humoring me...
I could hear the honking of geese on the water and the occasional splash as a man threw a toy in the water for a Labrador to retrieve.
"Suburbs strange enough for you city girl?" Gale asks joining me in the shade, everyone else was throwing around a frisbee.
"How could you tell?" I lean back on my arms and look at the sunlight through the leaves.
"Well, you look at everything as if it's going to jump out at you, or that you recognize it, but can't remember where from," I shrug.
"I just make comparisons to the city everywhere I go. Like at school today? Kids actually listen, and try. I even try," I chuckle, "My last teacher, in Philly, I told to fuck off before running out of the school."
"You do that here Lisa Mellark will bite your head off, she's a good woman, but she wants the best for her kids, no matter how they're put in her life…"
I open my mouth, "Watch out!" Johanna shouts as the red disk coming straight for us, I wince preparing for the hit but a gust of wind carries it up into the top branches of the large oak we sit under.
"Damnit Jo! That's three!" I stand up looking at the tree as everyone gathers to contemplate how to get it back.
"I got it," the only climbing experience I had was up and down Ronnie's fire escape and a few chain-link fences. I could even get over barbed wire with little to no injury. This was new territory, but I was up in the strong green branches before I could think twice. I seemed to know just how to get up to the next branch, every shift of my footing.
"Be careful, we don't need you breaking your neck on your first day," I roll my eyes and pull myself up one more. The wood gets dryer and the leaves brown but with a shake it seems as if the branch will hold my weight. I grab the disk and drop it to the ground where Madge catches it before shifting my weight.
There's a loud crack as the dried branch I trusted with my weight gives under my feet. What's another broken bone?
I don't hit the ground though, "You can open your eyes you know," I crack one eye open not realizing the movement had stopped, Peeta's brow was furrowed, "Here you have a caterpillar in your hair," I can see it, the inching furry little worm crawling up a loose piece of my bangs.
I panic, flailing my arms and legs knocking us both to the ground, "Get it out! Get it out! Get it out!" I hate bugs. Hate bugs.
"Stop freaking out then, you're the one that climbed up a tree with a nest in it," I look up and see the webby mass that looks a lot like spider webs. That must be the nest…
"Here…" he puts the bug on my hand and laughs as I suck in air, "See, he's not so bad."
"Ew! Just get it away!" I squeal trying to pull my hand from Peeta's warm grasp, he picks the creature off and sets it on a leaf, chuckling at me the whole time.
She came to me in my dreams, Katniss.
"You're dead…" there was a gold light coming from her heart like a leash onto my body, "you can't be in my room…"
She just smiles, and gives me a glair, "I was dead…" she walks up to me, we're floating above my sleeping body.
"Was? You don't seem very alive to me, I can see through you…"
She looks at me, a knowing smile on her face, I watch her eyes, stare at my heart where there is no gold cord to a body. I'm a disembodied spirit, "I wasn't really alive… Until I died. It sounds like a load of bullshit, I know. I'm not sure if these are my thoughts or your left over thoughts… I have your memories, all of them, but mine are coming back, slowly… Now they're just kind of bits of nostalgia… Like how we felt in the park today…" there's a thump that comes from Peeta's room andshe walks forward, through the dresser then the wall. I have to follow her, though she's not hard to find with the bright gold light. She floats above Peeta's bed where he sleeps, his pillow held tightly in his arms, knuckles white and face contorted in pain.
"He's having a nightmare…"she says glumly sitting on the edge of the bed, "I was the only one who knew about them," she looks up, her ghostly silver eyes studying me.
"Why are you telling me all of this?"
"Because I don't know who I am, you have to remember…" I don't question her.
"We were eleven at the time, it was just after a hurricane and the creek leading into Peace Valley was flooded. I still don't know why he was there but I lived right by the park… I saw his red jacket in the water… He was drowning… I pulled him to safety and well…" she looks up, smiling, "Breathed life into him…"
"He's afraid of water?"
"Not as much as before… And I only know of the nightmares because…" she smiles sadly, "That doesn't matter now. He watched me die… That's what he sees now," she placed her spectral hand on his forehead.
"Peeta… Wake up…" she whispered lovingly, his eyes snap open, "Everything is going to be ok, I'm finding my way to you, slowly… Like that day at the park," she strokes his hair though her fingers lightly penetrate his skull, "I just have to remember…" she rests her forehead against his and he seems to calm.
"What do you mean?" she just gives me a sad smile.
"I don't have a lot of time… This," she motions between us, "Cost me a lot, I'll need to spend a few days laying low, you may feel some fatigue, or confusion. It's all natural… Well, supernatural, but you're doing great, helping them, setting things right. Prim will come around the bakery more to see you… She sees me in you." She gets up and walks to the mirror her silver eyes meeting my dark brown eyes in the reflective glass. Peeta has since fallen asleep, "Protect her until I can, she's so young… But had to grow up so fast… Oh and for dresses tomorrow, don't get anything green."
"Green?"
"No, I was buried in green, even if Madge insists put your foot down, go for something bold, something red," she grins, her pale face and silver eyes lighting up, she fixes her spectral honey brown hair, "Don't be afraid to go to him," she tells me before taking my hand as the cord pulls her to my body, we sink in together but I feel a sense of being an invader in my skin.
My eyes snap open, it's 2 am, and now I'm sure I'm crazy, dreaming of dead girls. I hear a groan in the next room, "Peeta…" I mouth, opening my window and crawling onto the fire escape without a second thought, his window is wide open, like it was in the dream.
"Don't be afraid to go to him…" her voice tells me as I cross the short distance from his window to his bed I lay on top of the sheets between him and the wall, my arm snaked around his waist. He relaxes at my touch, "Everything's going to be ok…" I whisper, still confused, though it felt so right.
At 5:30 a crash downstairs woke me up, though my companion slept through it having grown up around the early morning noise I was sure, at some point he rolled over and wrapped his arms tightly around me. I slip from his grasp and tiptoe to the window just as Lisa knocks on the door.
"Peeta, your dad needs you downstairs, time to get up," he groans and looks up, his sleepy eyes find mine just as I have one leg out the window.
"I'm sorry," I mutter crawling across the fire escape and into my room, crying by the time I get to my room, how can I explain this? I'll surely be sent away now…
I hear water running in the bathroom and his heavy footsteps down the stairs before I hear his laughter, light and carefree… I pull my covers to my nose and try to fall back to sleep, instead I decide to get up before Lisa has a chance to knock on my door.
"Good morning!" she chirps as I come into the kitchen and pour myself some coffee, "Want some breakfast? Thomas ordered extra goat cheese so I was going to make omelets, though the twins aren't getting up any time soon…"
"Senior skip day?" I ask sipping at my coffee.
She beats eggs, not waiting for my answer, "The third one this month," she groans and pours the yellow eggs into the pan, "I swear, they'll never graduate like this," I play with my wet hair, I'd probably never graduate either. Peeta'll tell his dad he woke up with me in his room and they'll send me packing, I'll have another name in my shoe by the end of the week.
"She sets down my plate in front of me, two pieces of toast, creamy white cheese and pieces of green spinach poke out the sides. I can't help it, I dig in.
The cheese is tangy and absolutely perfect, "I think this might be the best thing I've ever eaten," I admit once I've finished, she just chuckles as one of the twins stumbles down the hall.
"Katrina?" Lisa asks me as I drain my coffee, "Could you bring this down to Peeta?" I gulp, "He didn't have breakfast before he went to work, and he has practice today."
I nod as the one twin slams his head on the table, "Shiiiiiiiiit," he hisses before sitting up, "Ryan!"
There's a pause before he takes a deep breath, "Ryan!" he shouts.
"What!"
"Get your ass up, we have practice today, and if we skip again coach'll rent us out to cheerleading again!" I hear thumping from down the hall but pick up the plate meant for Peeta and head downstairs, winding the corner and entering the warm bakery. I tap Peeta's shoulder lightly as he kneads a ball of dough, he looks over his shoulder as I set the plate down.
"Your mother wanted me to bring this… I can… I can go..." I hang my head but his flour covered hand grips my wrist. I try to pull away but he's stronger, I flinch, "I'm sorry please don't hurt me."
He studies me for a second, then softens, "Why did you come in my room last night?"
I relax, but don't make eye contact, what do I say? I had a dream were your dead friend told me about your nightmares and told me to go to you? That would make me crazy!
"You were having a bad dream… I heard you," I tell him quietly, but a sane person wouldn't crawl into bed with someone, "I just did what I would want someone to do for me…" I admit.
He sits down and begins to eat, "How did you know about my nightmares?" he asks glumly.
'I dreamt about your dead friend and she told me' yet again, crazy.
"I told you, I heard you," I sat down across form him, he's still unconvinced, "Maybe someone told me… In a dream that you needed my help," I say quietly, "Never mind... it doesn't matter…" I stand up, "You don't have to worry about it ever happening again," I turn to leave, picking up his empty plate but he grabs my hand. I look down at his lost puppy-dog eyes. He wasn't built to deal with the hurt like I was.
"Kat, wait… Don't… don't go," I nod and take my seat again, "To be honest… It was nice holding you…" I blushed and looked out the window at the rising sun, "I woke up and you were there, holding me, figured might as well," he continues working as I watch the muscles in his arms flex, "So who told you to come to my aid?" he asks cocking an eyebrow, pulling me from my trance.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you… Ok?" I checked my reflection in his spoon, I managed to pull back my black mane into a loose bun to look nice with the black long sleeve and jeans I was wearing. My eyebrow's could use some attention but I'd ignore them until I could get my hands on a pair of tweezers. Finally down to the feature everyone told me made me look dangerous… My dark brown eyes… Only, the eyes staring back at me were steel grey. I set the spoon down, the color draining from my face.
"Katrina?"
I stand up, "I-I have to get ready for school…" I mumble running from the shop and upstairs to my room, locking the door behind me so I can examine my face in the mirror. I pulled at my lids, put my face almost flush with the mirror, sure enough my dark chocolate eyes were now steel grey.
I felt the tug on my heart, "Remember…" I whisper, but it wasn't my whisper.
"Get out of my head," I sunk to the floor, my hands at my temples, "Stop, if you're haunting me, it's not funny girl," I hiss quietly, no one needs to hear this.
"Remember…" I whisper again, before the tugging goes away.