Chapter 15: Speak Now

I'm awoken by Prim. She shakes my shoulder, "Katniss wake up." I open my eyes to find them droopy and red from crying. I look over to my sister as she gives me a sad smile. She grabs my hand, "Hey, come on it's your wedding day." I shrug and look outside. My mother comes in and sees me. I take a look at her face and see that she as well has a sad smile. I want to burst into tears. She comes over and holds me. She doesn't say anything but caress my hair. She feels my pain. This is why I vowed never to fall in love. And look at me now crying over Peeta. Prim wipes my tears with her cloth. I calm down and whisper, "Okay, I'm ready." My mother says quietly with a shy smile, "Then lets get you ready."

I take a bath in rose petals my mother had gotten. She helps me brush my hair. As I emerged from our bathroom bathed, she takes me to the room. And there on the bed is her wedding dress laid out. A cream colored short simple dress. I shake my head and look at her, "I can't wear this. It's yours." She shakes her head, "No now it is yours." I put it on and let her recreate my hair into an intricate braid up do. She lets some curls at the side of my face and Prim hands me a mirror. I look at myself and for the first time I don;t look like myself. I look so mature. A woman.

I get up and hug my mother. She whispers, "I know this isn't the way you expected it to be, but you look beautiful anyways and I hope you take this lightly. Please give Gale a chance." I nod and we hear a knock at the door. "It must be Gale. We need to leave to the Justice Building." I announce. Prim goes to answer the door. She squeals, "Gale, hello!" He says, "Hi, Prim. Is Katniss ready? We need to move to the Justice Building now. There are Peacekeepers watching everything." I come out of my room and say, "I'm ready."

He stands there stunned. I'm guessing it's about the way I look. He gets his words out, "You look… beautiful." I smirk, "I've been told. Thank you." Gale says, "Mrs. Everdeen I will be taking Katniss and we'll be wed." She nods and we hurry to the Justice Building. As we approach we see Peacekeepers and two lines full of couples waiting to be married. I try not look for him, Gale asks, "May I take your hand?" I nod and he takes it interlacing his fingers with mine. As we assemble in line, we are being watched. My neighbor, Leevy is in front of me with another Seam boy I've seen. I look around and see people look at me and Gale and smile. Like they are laughing at us. I grip Gale's hand tighter, "Why is everyone looking at us?" Gale opens his mouth to say something but Leevy answers for him. "Because you both are getting married." she says. I'm baffled. "What?" I ask.

She shrugs and says, "We all knew it would you and him. Since everybody already assumed it would be you and him." I snicker in anger, "We are all getting forcibly married and all everyone is thinking how they knew that we would end up marrying each other?!" Gale hushes me, "Katniss, lower your voice Peacekeepers are hearing you, You've caught their attention." I whisper, "Of course I've caught their attention. I want them to know I hate them." He shakes his head and his lips turn into a thin line. He stares at a couple intently. I lean into him to see who is getting married off. And my breathing falters. I see Peeta signing his papers. He hands them to the clerk and another piece of paper. He takes Madge by the hand, and turns around I assume to lead them back to the bakery.

They come towards us. Madge comes towards me and hugs me. We don't say a word while we hug each other. Madge being my only friend understood my pain about getting married and not having children, She lets go to hold my hands, "Oh Katniss you look so beautiful." I smile, "You're looking as lovely as your always self." She smiles and I dare not look at Peeta. Madge says tells Peeta, "Would you like to say congratulations, Peeta?" He nods and turns to both of us, "Congratulations to both of you." I try to keep my face as emotionless as possible so Gale won't know. Gale says, "Thank you, you and Peeta as well." She comes over and gives a Gale a hug too. He hugs her back, not something i've ever expected of Gale. He hates Town people, and especially Madge. He turns to Peeta, and turns his head slightly to me. Peeta gets the message. He comes over to me and hugs me. I hug him back and I try not to make it obvious of our previous interactions, He whispers in my ear so only I can hear. "You look so beautiful." He lets go and says, "Congratulations." I reply in a emotionless tone, "Thank you. To you as well." He nods and takes Madge's hand and leaves.

I don't look back at them. I look ahead. I try to get past that one moment, where I forgot that I was marrying Gale, and not Peeta. I try to focus on how the line is moving. As we are the next couple in line, I feel Gale tense up. I ask him, "Are you okay?" He turns to me with a solemn face, "I should be asking you that." I say, "I am fine. Thank you for asking. I just felt you tense up." He shakes his head, and says, "I am okay. We are going to get married, we should be happy." I put on a sad smile as we approach the desk, "We should."

The clerk asks, "Names?" Gale answers, "Gale Hawthorne, and Katniss Everdeen." She pulls out these expensive papers, and asks us to sign, "Katniss Everdeen, you will know be known as Katniss Hawthorne, any other name you try using you will prosecuted, and taken into custody." I sign my new name. Gale signs his and the lady gathers the papers up and says, "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Hawthorne. You have one month to conceive a child." Her last words hurt me, for I never want children.

We exit the Justice Building, just in time for me to see Peeta staring at me at a far distance. He turns his head as soon as he sees me. I wish I had not seen him. Gale takes my hand and says, "Would you like to go Mrs. Hawthorne?" I don't even try hiding my sadness, "Yes." We walk hand in hand to our new home that is located in a region where the Capitol wants all the newlyweds to live. Reaching our assigned home, Gale asks, "Are you ready to go in?" I want to shake my head, I want to scream no, and I want to run. But I fake a smile and lie, "Yes, I am ready."

So such a sad chapter. I am sorry I haven't been updated but I'll try harder. Please Review! Favorite! Follow! "Don't say "Yes", run away now. I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door. Don't wait or say a single vow. You need to hear me out. And they said, "Speak now." -Speak Now by Taylor Swift.