Hello my beautiful readers! Well...it's Wednesday again and that means it's time for another update! Thank you all so much for the reviews/views I received on the last chapter. You all light up my world! 3 Now. Onto today's chapter!
"Hi Peeta!" Annie squeaks out happily.
"Oh! Hey—Annie?"
Annie springs forward to give Peeta a hug and her red curls bounce everywhere. Peeta stiffly hugs Annie back. He is obviously just as surprised as me at Annie's enthusiasm. I cross my arms shyly and feel my teeth chatter from the below freezing temperatures. Annie releases Peeta quickly and snaps her head around to me expectantly. I look down at my boots and just hope I can leave before Peeta invites us in.
"Hi Katniss." I look up and see Peeta's crystal clear blue eyes looking down at me. The cold weather allows me to blush without it showing up so clear that Peeta makes me nervous, when I'm around him.
"Hey Peeta." I keep my arms crossed and tug on Annie's arm so that we can leave. She shakes me off and elbows Peeta softly in the arm.
"Katniss is pretty thin and boney…don't you think Peeta?"
"Annie. She can't really help it…depression takes a lot out of people."
"I'm not depressed! I shout, it echoes through what sounds like all of twelve. "This is why I don't talk."
Annie just shakes her head and rolls her eyes at me.
"You are just the spitting image of happiness tonight, aren't you Katniss?" Annie laughs at her own joke and just widens her emerald eyes at Peeta. He shakes his head as if he were in some sort of a daze and scratches his head in what he thinks is ignorance on our part.
"Oh! I'm sorry…would you guys like to come in?"
He stiffly, and nervously opens the door wider. Annie looks back at me and I subtly shake my head no, despite the wonderful aroma coming from Peeta's house. I mouth the words no and she nods in approval. I turn to head back to my house and I feel her grab my wrist and turn me towards Peeta and his house.
"We would love to. Thank you Peeta." He nods and motions for us to come inside.
Annie leans in close to me and squints her eyes in suspicion and what looks like... expectance.
"Katniss Everdeen. Play nice." She then flashes her special Annie smile and happily pulls me into Peeta's house… "Annie I really don't-" Peeta's eyes relax a little when he sees me flash an embarrassed smile. He flits his eyes away and walks over to the oven and pulls out a pan of food. It's cheesy buns, my stomach growls at the delicious smells surrounding me. I throw my arms over my stomach in hopes to muffle the noises, it does mute them…but it's too late, both Annie and Peeta have heard my stomach's desperate cries for food. Annie giggles and walks over to Peeta.
"Mind if the pregnant woman takes some of your food?" Peeta returns her question with a small nod and smile.
"You can have some too Katniss. I have too much food and not enough people to eat it. Help yourself."
He shakes his head reassuring me it's okay. But after all I have put that boy through it doesn't seem right to invite myself into his house and then eat his food. Annie pushes Peeta out of the way playfully and sets down a large plate full of different foods.
"Are you kidding me? You're literally a stick and you're scared to eat some food. Now eat." Peeta smirks and nods towards the plate. I sit there refusing the food for only a couple moments, eventually the hunger gets to me and I sink my teeth into the cheesy bun. I moan out in happiness and breathe in the smells of the rest of the food and shovel in a few bites. I cast my eyes up and see a glowing Peeta.
"Thank you. It's good."
"No problem. I'm glad you actually feel up to eating."
I nod and finish my plate with ease. Annie hasn't stopped talking to Peeta and cramming her own face with food since I began eating. When Peeta takes my plate Annie quickly throws her numerous plates and cups into the sink where Peeta is washing dishes. "Peeta…my ankles are hurting. Do you mind if I lay on your couch in the other room for a little while? Katniss can help you with the dishes." Annie smiles at me and mouths the same thing as before we entered the house, "Katniss Everdeen, be nice." I widen my eyes in horror of having to spend more time with my fellow "tribute". Peeta looks back at me and half smiles.
I rise to my feet and take a few unsure steps towards the sink. "Here's a towel, you can dry." He tosses a towel towards me and hands me a wet plate. I dry it in silence and to be honest I don't intend on speaking another word to Peeta Mellark until I have to tomorrow when he comes to finish tearing up the floors. After five plates I begin to relax and realize that he's not going to talk either…I was wrong.
"I'm thinking about trying to finish tearing up the living room floor tomorrow."
"Okay." I breathe under my breath.
"Sorry I couldn't get the whole room finished today. I was too panicked after that wood chip hit your eye." I can't help but let out a single laugh at how guilty he feels about that.
"You took a sword to the leg, and tracker jacker venom for me. The wood is nothing Peeta. Really." The corners of his mouth turn up a little at the memories. Peeta drops the last dish back into the water, turns toward me and stares into my eyes.
"You put yourself at risk to the careers, you almost ate nightlock, almost killed yourself in the fog, and kept me in the squad during the war…all of that…crap…to save…me. I-I-I don't want you to be angry with me when I ask you this…and if it makes you uncomfortable you don't even have to answer…but, why? Why would you do all of that to save me. Yet you're scared of me now?"
My mouth gapes open for a second. Do you really want to talk about this? Are you comfortable saying this? Wait. Saying what? You're don't even know what you feel for this boy. You can't see past those who fell in all the games and war. You can't lie…and you definitely don't know what you feel. Don't lead him on.
"Sorry…that was a terrible question. And it's even more terrible of me to put you on the spot like that."
"No…it's alright. I've asked myself that a couple times. But I'm a depressed mess, Peeta. And I'm most definitely not worth waiting on…" Peeta cleans the last dish and hands it to me. I no longer feel scared by his presence but I question every move either of us make. What do you feel for him? I dry the dish and put it on the bottom pantry. I stand up; Peeta slowly and gently reaches towards my face and tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear. He half smiles and walks out of the kitchen.
I hear a high pitched squeal "Peeta Mellark! You can't scare me like that! Pregnancy bladders are uncontrollable when you scare me like that." Annie busts through the living room door in a fit of stupid sounding giggles. "Well…now I have to go back to your house. Peeta startled me by popping up when I first woke up and I peed my pants." I look down and see an obvious stain on her pants. I cover my mouth to restrain the laugh that wants to escape.
"But I'd be more than fine if you stayed."
"Annie Odair!"
"Oh come on! Is it so bad I want to see my two best friends, and star crossed lovers, get together?"
Annie grins like a happy five year old and skips out the door. I shake my head and turn around and realize I'm face to face with Peeta. His face heats up red and he takes a step back.
"Sorry…Umm. So…"
"I better get going Peeta…I don't trust a pregnant Annie running around the house alone."
He silently chuckles and nods in agreement.
"Bye Peeta." I feel my mouth wanting to turn up in a smile at the cause of Annie's quick exit. I hide it immediately. Don't lead him on and leave him to think you're happy with your life...that I'm repaired and ready to start a new with him.
"Bye Katniss." Peeta tucks the same piece of hair behind my ear and leans in closer to me and whispers something so quietly that I barely can make it out.
"I'd wait for you." I am taken back to when I said I wasn't worth the wait…and I can't help the chills that cover my body when he says that.
My cheeks threaten to turn red so I turn away and walk out the front door.
I listen to the snow crunch beneath my feet and I try to figure out what it is that I feel for Peeta. I shake my head at the thought of having to search for any kind of emotions that my body could possibly contain. I walk up my front steps and realize I had avoided the pathway; this was my first time walking in the snow covered grass. I let out a crooked smile and I touch my lips in disbelief that I actually smiled for real. I then reach out for the door handle and swing the door open without any kind of regrets.
"Hey Katniss!" Annie walks out from the kitchen with a giant bag of something. I walk closer and the bag reads in giant blue letters Sugar Cubes. Annie crunches them happily and holds her hand out
"Sugar cube?" I take a few and can't help but laugh. I take a seat next to Annie who has her feet propped up on the arm of the couch. I touch her stomach and feel baby Dillan move around,
"Annie…he's so big. Do you not think he should come out already?"
"Well the baby is going to be big before it comes out Katniss…It can't be tiny or he won't live."
"Right, stupid question…sorry."
"It's fine Katniss. I agree Dillan is getting pretty heavy to carry around inside of me."
"I can only imagine."
"Sugar cubes help to calm him down, only a couple more weeks until he's out for good."
I slowly nod and stand up in hopes I can get to bed before I'm questioned by Annie.
"Hold it right there Ms. Everdeen! You haven't told me about what's with you and Peeta!"
Annie rolls to her feet and waddles after me down the hallway. Annie climbs into the bed with me so I can't escape her questions.
"I know there is something there on Peeta's side of the star crossed lovers."
"Annie…I really don't want to talk about this…"
"I'm your best friend's wife…and I hope that I'm actually your friend as well…because you're my best friend Katniss, I tell you everything."
"I know you do. You're right, Finnick was my best friend. But you are too Annie."
"Alright that's nice. Now tell me what is with you two!"
"I don't even know, Annie…I am barely capable of taking care of myself, I don't feel anything but the occasional angry spell…and when I'm with you I'm happier then I normally am…but I don't think I'm capable of any kind of love, responsibility, or even caring for somebody."
"I'm going to go get some water."
Annie scoots out of the bed and right before she reaches the doorway she slips and falls. I jump out of bed and run over to her. "Annie! Are you okay?" I squat down next to her and shake her shoulder. When Annie turns over and laughs her head off.
"Yep you're definitely not capable of "caring"."
"Annie! That wasn't funny."
"It kinda was…and that showed us both that you're capable of feeling things. Now show Peeta that."
I blush and crawl back into bed. Annie waves goodnight and goes into the room across the hallway and we both fall asleep.
The morning arrives quickly and I find I haven't had but one round of nightmares. I stretch and think about what I should do for the day. Peeta's coming! What starts as panic turns to a weird feeling in the bottom of my stomach…I haven't felt this since when I was with Peeta on the beach during the quarter quell. There's no way I am feeling this way.
I refuse to accept it, but I spring from my bed and shower off quickly. I pull on a blue shirt and jeans and braid my hair as I walk down the hallway. I look into the hall mirror and nod in the improvement of my appearance now that the black bags under my eyes are slowly fading.
I hear a knock at the door; I quickly walk over, swing the door open, and I'm pretty shocked by what I see…
Alright that's it for this week everyone! Review and I'll PM you a review! But, what did you think about today's chapter? Hate it? Love it? Let me know! I am considering changing my update day to Thursdays if that's alright for you guys! Thank you again for the support on the last chapter and I hope to talk to you all soon! Stay wonderful 3
~Freezethemoment