Sorry it took me so long to write this chapter, I've been very busy with school work lately.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES! ENJOY! Also I apologize for any incorrect punctuations! :)
Chapter 4. The Lunch in
Katniss: It's been two weeks since I told Peeta the news that I've been cheating on him with Gale. A week ago I was worried about him and how he was adapting to the events that have come, so after my usual Sunday hunting routine with Gale, I paid him a visit. He wasn't doing well. His blond hair was tangled up in a greasy mess. His eyes were red and puffy. His skin seemed paler and it looked like he'd lost weight. The sparkle of hope and joy that was once in his eyes is now gone replacing it with sadness and anger. I tried to help him get back on his feet but he just tried to convince me to come back to him. I felt so heartless when I told him I couldn't go back to him and that my heart belongs to Gale. After that he got so furious he told me to get out of his life. Even though I knew he was clearly drunk, those words hurt me like I was being impaled on a sharp blade. I ran out of his house crying and heart broken, knowing it was my fault that's caused him to feel this way and to act this way. That night I dreamed of the night when we got back from the Victory Tour. That was the night I realized it was Gale who I really loved not Peeta.
Flashback: I sighed in relief as the train halted to a stop in district 12. "It's good to be home" I say as Peeta and I stand up. "I agree" Peeta says as he leans in to kiss me. He wraps his hands around my waist and pulls me closer. We're soon interrupted by Effie's enthusiastic voice "Time to go! We've got a lot of planning to do before the Harvest Festival tonight!" Haymitch stumbles in after her, flat-out drunk. "Why don't you two lovebirds save the romance for the cameras?" He says in disgust in response to our kiss. We could smell the scent of alcohol on his breath even though we were across the room from him.
The Harvest Festival was always one of the happiest moments of my childhood. It's when, the tour reaches the victor's district, a massive dinner is held on the day of the Harvest Festival. And since our district is one of the poorest districts, it's a much-needed chance to fill our stomachs. In District Twelve our bakery would make mouth-watering pastries for the celebration, which always took place in the Square. Everyone from the Seam and the Merchant Area would gather in the Square and share each of the crops and textiles of the district.
Peeta and I walk off the train hands entwined with one another. Immediately a swarm of capitol paparazzi crowds us as we step on to the platform of the train station. We quickly answer a couple of questions for the cameras before Effie escorts us into a car and we head off to our new houses in Victors Village.
When we arrive, Peeta and I glance at each other for a moment. The house looks nice, way fancier than a normal house in district 12. And compared to my house in the seam it looks like a mansion. Even though it's nicer than my house it will never be my home. My house in the seam is my home. That's where I've created several memories with my family and spend all of my childhood in.
As I toured my new house I felt guilty. Every room, every piece of furniture looked fancy and expensive with a capitol look to it. I had all this luxury, a big house, new clothes, more food than anyone in district 12 could ever imagine and a boat load of money that I can spend on whatever I desire, while the rest of district 12 continues to struggle to make money and gather food for their loved ones, as I once did not too long ago.
When I finished looking around the house, Effie looked at her fuchsia pink watch corresponding to her vibrant pink outfit she's wearing. "Good Gracious! Katniss we have to get you ready for the festival this instant," she squeaked. Effie quickly took my wrist and dragged me into the bathroom to shower. Before she leaves she says "And Katniss? I am to remind you that you can shave your legs tonight. Your prep team thought it was unnecessary to wax your legs since you will only be dressed up for one night." "Well at least now I don't have to worry about getting my legs waxed" I thought to myself as I stripped off my cloths.
As I hopped into the shower I let the hot water run down my body. I scrubbed some shampoo and conditioner that smell like apples into my hair and washed my body thoroughly with soap so my prep team won't have to make me shower a twice again. In the end I quickly shave my legs with a few minutes to spare before my prep team comes. In those few minutes I take my sweet time to soak in the warm water. Because of the victory tour I haven't had the time to take a break. I sigh in content and let my muscles relax for bit.
It's not long until my prep team barges in and interrupts my break. They turn off the water and wrap me in a towel. After I'm all dried up they hand me a fluffy robe. I put the robe on letting its soft fabric fall against my shoulders and they begin to prep me for the festival.
They don't waste any time and get right to prepping me. First they applied some sort of weird smelling cream into my hair, to soften it up I guess. They braided my hair into a hairstyle called the long braided where they braid the front of my hair with my bangs but leave the rest of my hair down. Then they move on to nails. They put a pretty coat of sparkly red nail polish on my nails. When I move my hands around the nail polish gleams in the light. Once my nails were completely dry they applied make-up to my face. Blotting blush to my cheeks, smoothing eye liner and mascara to my eyes, smearing crimson red lipstick onto my lips and add this powder stuff on my face that makes all the marks and scars from the hunger games and past hunting accidents go away, leaving my face totally flawless. When they're done making me look pretty they take a step back and look at me from a distance. They examine their work and smile in satisfaction.
When they clapped I heard an extra person clapping and sure enough standing in the in the doorway is Cinna, smiling at me brightly with kind eyes while applauding my appearance. He somehow convinces my prep team to leave the room. They obey and go out into the hall. Cinna shuts the door and approaches me. I run into Cinna wide spread arms. It feels so good to see him. I haven't seen him since we were in the launch room to send me into the hunger games.
"Cinna, it's so good to see you" I say before releasing my hug. "Me too Katniss. I'm so relieved you're still alive. I don't mean to rush but we don't have much time. Now are ready to see the dress I made for you tonight?" A big smile spreads across my face and I nod. In my opinion Cinna is the most talented stylist in all of Panem and the outfits he designs for me are always magnificent. Plus he's the only person I'm willing to get into a dress for, especially since he made it himself. "Is it red?" I say grinning. "Correct" he says as he opens the closet and takes out a breathtakingly beautiful red dress. It's a red cocktail ball dress. He slips the dress over my head without messing up my make-up. The red fabric has a silky texture to it. It's strapless and has a black ribbon built in around my waist. The dress comes down to my knees and the color of the dress makes my face stand out.
"It's gorgeous Cinna." I say turning his way. In reply his finger moves around in a circling motion which is my signal to twirl. I do as I'm told and twirl. The dress flows out making my twirling look more graceful than it is. "Like it?" he asks. "I think this is one of my favorites. You've really outdone yourself." I say while looking at myself in the mirror. "I wanted you to wear something that's elegant yet also comfortable". "Is it red because I'm the girl on fire?" he nods. "That and it's the harvest festival, I wanted you to wear something that screams autumn" he says proudly.
Suddenly were interrupted by squeals of joy and excitement. "Katniss you look astonishing" my prep team shrieks in awe. I give them a slight smile for their nice compliments. When I look at the clock its 5:55. I'm going to be late to the festival! If I'm late Effie's going to lecture me about how I should always be on time and all that boring stuff. "Oh my goodness, I'm going to be late. I have to go. Thanks Cinna" I say starting to leave the room. "Wait Katniss" Cinna shouts. I freeze in my tracks at the doorway and turn toward him. "Don't forget your shoes" he says sliding the high heels across the tiled floor. I quickly jam them on my feet and run out the door, almost breaking an ankle in the process.
I get to the square barely on time. Just enough time for Effie to not lecture me. During the festival I ate a lot of just about everything. Most of what I ate was meat. I ate salmon kabobs, a roast beef sandwich, my favorite soup from the capitol lamb stew with dried plums and much more.
It was nice to see all the citizens of district 12 eating to their heart's content. I think they deserved a full stomach for once in their life. By the time the festival ended almost all the food was gone and Haymitch stole almost all the liquor in the festival and stored it away in his house. Luckily nobody really drinks alcohol in district 12 so he was off the hook this time.
When the festival was done I stayed behind and helped clean up the square. While picking up leftover food scraps from off the ground I bumped into Gale." Gale it's so nice to see you again" I say hugging him tightly. "Me too Catnip" then he gives me one of his signature grins that always makes me blush. " I meant to stop by your house to see you earlier but Effie had me go straight to prepping for the festival" I say in a disappointing voice to show him I meant what I said. "It's okay. I knew you would come to the festival anyway" the way he said it made me feel suddenly distant from him. Like he's trying to hide something from me. "Do you want to come over to my place after this?" I suggest. He shrugs and says "sure" which makes me wonder what's going on inside that intelligent, sneaky mind of his.
After we finish cleaning up we head back to my place. " Do you want something to drink" I ask as he plops himself on the couch. "I'm good" he says with a bored tone that's starting to irritate me." So how have you been? How's your family?" "I'm fine everyone's struggling as usual but we're getting along. Game has been difficult to capture lately but I've been managing" he says his voice not sounding any happier. Finally it just gets to me, I let out all my frustration with him. "What going on with you Gale? You've never acted like this with me before the games…" that's where I stop my sentence and realize maybe it was the games that's made him act so strange. "Is it the games? Is that why you're acting like this?" I ask softly. That's where he finally starts to open up, starts to act like the Gale I'm used to, my Gale. "That's part of it… Man, I hate snow for inventing this children killing game. He shouldn't be allowed to live and the worst part of it was that you were in it. Of all people YOU!" now he's starting to shout. "Why did you have to volunteer? I needed you… I still need you. Living in district 12 without you was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. And not only because you help me put food on the table for my family but because…" "Because what?" " Because I love you!" he admits. I'm speechless at his words. I had no idea Gale felt this way about me. I just stare at him with a motionless mouth not knowing what to say or how to react toward this and wide eyes, my grey eyes staring back into his equally grey ones.
It takes me a moment to formulate words but I eventually do. "Gale, I don't know if I like you in that sort of…" I don't get to get to finish my sentence because next thing I know Gale takes hold of my face and kisses me. It was a harder kiss than I'm used to but due to his quickness and element of surprise I liked it. A warm sensation courses through my veins as he pulls his lips away from mine. But to my surprise I don't want him to stop so I lean in and kiss with full force. At first he's just as surprised as I was when he first kissed me but he quickly got used to it and started kissing me back. "Do I have feelings for Gale?" I think to myself as we start to kiss more passionately. I must be going insane for even thinking such a thing yet here we are in my living room kissing our lips off. How is this happening? Gale has only ever been strictly my hunting partner and a friend, never more than that. But I could give him a chance…
All of a sudden I take him by the wrist and lead him upstairs to my room. And things take off from there.
Peeta: A week after Katniss broke my heart she visited me to see if I was okay. She tried to help me but I no longer want anything from her anymore. In fact I want absolutely nothing from her. It's nice of her to try to help me but she should just stick to her own life. It's been three weeks since she visited me and she must be really concerned about me because earlier today Delly called to see how I was doing. Even though she didn't mention anything about Katniss I knew Katniss asked her to check up on me because we haven't seen each other in a while and we never talk to each other anymore.
Delly is an old childhood friend. We spent every waking moment with each other pulling pranks on our parents, making pastries in the bakery and playing hop scotch (our favorite childhood game) in the square until we turned 13 when I thought it was best to hang out with other people. Ever since I said that we've only waved to each other in the halls at school and I would talk to her when she would come to the bakery and purchase something. Were still friends but not nearly as close as we used to be.
She called to ask if I wanted to have lunch with her later in the week. I said no at first but then she started pleading so I just said yes to quiet her down. When I hung up the phone I randomly went around my house and explored as if I was a child searching through a house I've never been to. I came around a corner and entered the study. There were tons of books stacked neatly on a big shelf in the corner of the room but only one certain book seemed to stand out from all the others. It was my sketch pad. I opened it curious to see what images of sketches were hidden inside. I flipped through page after page examining each drawing and remembering the memory of when I drew it. But I stopped on one page and stared down at it blankly. It was a picture of Katniss. I drew this picture a few months ago when the victory tour was just beginning. That night I was restless and couldn't get to sleep. I was sleeping with Katniss making sure she wouldn't get bad dreams. She always seemed to sleep better when my arms were there to comfort her. During the night I got bored so I took out my sketch pad and drew Katniss sleeping. The moonlight came through the window and shined down upon her hitting her body at just the right angle so she looked beautiful and peaceful. I remember that night so clearly I felt as if it happened only last night.
Flashback: She sleeps there exhausted from the last couple of days. Grabbing the nearby sketch pad, I begin to sketch her there sleeping. The moonlight from the window peers down upon her body making it just right, so I start to picture what she would look like by a lake at night with the moon so bright and high in the sky.
Her hands drape over her chest and the strands of hair covers her eyes. This time around I sketch the hair just as it falls, gently touching her forehead and over her eye brow. Her lips a soft rose color that looks sweet to the touch. It curves almost into a smile that leads me to believe that she is dreaming of something happy.
Her hands are slender and yet well defined. I can still see the scar on her forehead from the cut of the knife that Clove did to prevent her from getting my medicine in the end of our first hunger games. You can still see the jagged cut of the blade, the memory of that day, seeing it on the television screen.
I see her fingertips, the bow string has made the tips calloused. They're still as soft as I had ever felt yet I can see the hunter in her. The sheet covers one of her legs while the other one just sticks out. Her olive colored skin, combined with the moonlight gives it a silver color, almost like a precious stone.
At the very end, I see her toes. Her high arches due to the boots and the constant hiking in the woods. Her toes are perfect, probably has barely changed since she was born. I wonder how she looked when she was born, did she have the same cute smile, or the same toes? I think to myself as I finish giving the final touches to my sketch.
The lunch in with Delly crept up on me when I didn't see it coming. But eventually it came and I just want to get it over with. We met at the square and she asked how I was doing. I just tell her the same answer I say to everyone who asks me that. I just say 'good'. If I asked someone to look into my eyes and tell me what they see I bet they couldn't see anything. I bet they couldn't see through the pain, the sadness, the hurt. All the things that I've been through are clouded into my eyes so they couldn't see it, so they couldn't see the pain I've been feeling.
But since its Delly I tell her a little more than I usually tell people. I tell her about the breakup with Katniss but as usual I lie and say I'm taking okay. She apologizes about the break up but the next sentence that comes out of her mouth surprise me. She says "Moving on and starting to date someone else is a good way to move on. And you know what? I think I know just the right person you should start dating".
I tried my best to leave it at a cliff hanger. HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER! READ AND REVIEW IF YOU WANT MORE!