As usual, everyone greeted us at the table with laughter. Gale looked disappointed that I came with Peeta, but nonetheless smiled when I took my usual seat next to him.
This evening I sampled a number of dishes until I felt like I ate enough. Excusing myself from the table, I made my way to my room to shower for the night.
Ever since I was granted my room, a schedule gradually formed. After I am done showering, Prim comes in and combs out and braids my hair while we talk. Once she leaves, Gale spends a few minutes saying goodnight to me. My mother always comes in right after that to give me a cup of warm milk and to tuck me in. But today, a new addition to my agenda was introduced. Half an hour after my mother left, someone knocked softly on my door.
"Coming," I called and hopped off my bed to get the door. Peeta was there, standing a few feet back. When I opened the door, he smiled.
"Mind if I join you?"
It felt good to curl up next to Peeta's side again. I felt guilty for doing it in such close vicinity of Gale, but I put a "do not disturb" sign on my door so I had no unexpected visitors. The maids had handed them out for us to use as we wish.
I tried hard not to imagine the hurt and disgust on Gale's face if he knew that Peeta and I often, and comfortably, sleep in the same bed together. With that unnerving thought in my head, I fell asleep with my head on Peeta's shoulder.
In my dream, I was back in the clock arena, dragging the old mentor, Mags, to the water. She resisted and gabbled nonsense words, trying to avoid the water at all costs. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, her eyeballs twitched back into her head and she went still. A small trickle or blood ran from her mouth and into the ocean. Even though it was only a tiny stream, the sea soon filled up and turned into a churning sea of blood. The air turned hot and sticky, making it hard to move.
I looked over at the dead mentor and gasped. Her wizened old body had begun to reform. The curly white hair grew and straightened, turning jet black. Her skin stretched tighter over her newly formed muscles and turned a dark shade of brown. Now I was no longer looking at Mags the old mentor. Instead, she was a small, scared black girl that I immediately recognized as Rue. I sharp pang of sadness twisted in my stomach as I looked at the girl, who was still alive.
I dropped to the ground and did my best to shield her from any kind of harm, but it was too late. Stumbling backwards, I could just see the point of a sharp trident sticking grotesquely out of Rue's ribs. Looking up, I see Finnick, sweating heavily with his arm still outstretched in the motion of throwing the trident at Rue.
With no warning at all, Finnick transformed into a deadly animal, fangs dripping with blood. His eyes were the light green of the real Finnick and his coppery fur rippled in the hot wind. A second mutt appeared at his flank, and I recognized him with a cry. With sandy blond fur and brilliant blue eyes I only knew to fondly.
No, this was just a bad dream. It had to be. There was absolutely no way Finnick and Peeta transformed into mutts right before my eyes. Rue's body tumbled from my arms as I tried to make a run for it, but I couldn't move at all.
Before I knew it, two- inch- long fangs were piercing my body. Blood sprayed from each would like a punctured spray-paint can. Pain flowed freely throughout my body as the two deadly mutts' teeth found purchase on my skin, over and over.
"Katniss!" someone yelled in the distance. Yes, thanks for noticing me as I lay here getting devoured by two of my good friends. "Katniss!"
My eyes shot open. I wasn't back in the arena. I was in my own room, sweating through the covers next to Peeta. Not the mutt Peeta, but my Peeta. His eyebrows were scrunched together in concern.
"Are you okay, Katniss? You were thrashing around and moaning in your sleep."
I shivered. "They are just my usual nightmares. I'll be fine." What I really needed right now was some dry pajamas (mine were soaked in sweat) and a large glass of ice water. I didn't worry too much about waking mother and Prim up because they were use to me crying in my sleep.
In the bathroom I took a shower of cold water and pulled on a fresh, white gown. After filling myself up with ice-cold water from the sink, I went back to the bedroom. A tiny clock on the wall stated that it was 6:00 in the morning and breakfast starts in an hour. I didn't want to go back to sleep, so I crawled in bed and sat up against the wall with Peeta. "I'm not going to risk any more nightmares. You can go back to sleep if you want, but I am staying up until breakfast." I said to Peeta.
"No thanks. If you are staying up, I'm staying up." Peeta sat up with me and shook his shaggy blond hair out of his eyes.
I figure; if we aren't going to sleep, then why not talk. "Look, Peeta, I am sorry that I reacted badly yester-"
"Don't be," Peeta interrupted. "I'm sorry that I sprung it up on you so fast. Even though it was true, not all truth needs to be spoken. I am just wondering what will happen now. Has President Snow died? Have all of the districts been eliminated? Is there even a possibility of having a normal life after this? Does it still matter if we keep up the star-crossed lovers' thing? Will we have a choice to get married or not? Would it affect things that you aren't carrying my child?"
"I don't know the answer to any of that… I wish that we were allowed to hear some sort of news. For now, I think it's smart to still continue with the star-crossed lovers' thing."
Peeta closed his eyes and smiled. I loved the beautiful, serene look on his face when he did that. I was content to stare at his face all day.
All day only lasted for another five minutes, when Peeta's eyes reopened. To my dismay, they were filled with confusion and sadness.
"What is it?" I asked him softly, putting my hand on his cheek.
"I realized something." Peeta grimaced, but when he didn't elaborate, I spoke.
"Well, what did you realize?"
He lowered his blue eyes and swallowed. "We don't really have to be star-crossed lovers anymore."