author note: alright, short but important chapter :)
if anyone is looking for a beta-reader, go check out my beta profile :)
and the quote of the day will be... Haymitch !
"Nice to finally meet you sweetheart, although from that entrance, you aren't all that sweet are you."
disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games, nor the characters.
Yesterday was supposed to go smoothly. We were in our last year, Madge, Katniss, Drew and I were supposed to graduate smoothly.
This was not the case.
Because at exactly 4:16 in the afternoon of March 9th, someone called.
I picked up the phone, after my father told me it was for me. He had a strange smile on his face, excited and proud.
At the time, I didn't know what to make of it.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Hello," the voice was deep and raspy. "is this Peeta Mellark?" the voice asked.
"Yes," I said.
There was a slight pause where I thought whoever called had hung up.
"My name is Haymitch Abernathy, and we are interested in signing you to Snow Labels."
I couldn't breathe. Was this true?
"Are you serious?" I asked disbelievingly into the receiver. Haymitch chuckled, low and raspy, and replied.
"Yes Mr. Mellark, are you interested?" he asked.
"HELL YEAH I'm interested, let me get Katniss and w-"
"I think you misunderstood me." My heart started to plummet.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"Well, Ms. Everdeen has a beautiful voice, but unfortunately, Mr. Snow has only asked for you to come in."
I couldn't breathe.
I was handed the opportunity of a lifetime, but without Katniss.
My complete other half wasn't going to come on this journey with me.
"Just me?" I clarified.
"Just you," Haymitch confirmed. "trust me kid, if it were me making the decisions, you and sweetheart would have gotten this call a long time ago."
My heart started beating faster and faster. For a moment, my breath hitched and I was blinded by visions of flashing lights and wild aupplause.
But the thought went as soon as it came.
I wouldn't do this without Katniss.
"I'm sorry Mr. Abernathy, but could I call you back? I need to discuss this with my family." I said, feeling a little deflated.
"No problem, just don't take too long alright?"
I nodded and bidded my farewell. But before I hung up, he shouted.
"Peeta wait!" the phone went back to my ear in an instant.
"Yes?"
"I just want to let you know that I am going to do everything in my power to get Ms. Everdeen signed as well. She's got a beautiful and unique voice that doesn't deserve to go to waste."
and with that, the line went dead.
I spent the entire night in bed just thinking. After a few hours of not being able to sleep I stood up and slumped into my desk. I took a glance at my computer.
I was still signed into our YouTube account. We were successful on YouTube, and I noticed in the comments someone chanting the name Everlark. I wondered what they meant by Everlark will Prevail, but I thought nothing of it.
I held my head in my hands, and my gaze caught onto the framed picture on the corner of my desk.
It was her photo. She smiled brightly into the camera, her hair loose and wavy and billowing in the wind. She was caught in mid-laugh and the shutter went off at the exact time she glanced at the camera.
It was a beautiful picture, the background a meadow of yellow dandelions.
If anything was clear, it was my feelings for her would not go away anytime soon, and I wanted to tell her. She never dated, and she never had a boyfriend.
And that was the moment, I knew that I would never go anywhere without her.
That was the moment I knew I loved her.