My prep team woke me up in the morning. They all broke into large smiles when they saw Peeta's arm around me as we slept. I gently pushed him awake, and his eyes widened as he took in the light. He got up, gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, and walked back to his room to prepare for the day. This was the day we arrived in the Capitol.
The prep team had just started to do my hair when there was a knock on the door. Cinna came in.
"Haymitch needs to see Ivy right away. I'm to escort her there," he announced. Flavius threw down his comb angrily. Venia began to cry. But Octavia helped me get up from the chair they had put me in and gave me to Cinna.
"Do you know what's going on?" I asked.
"Not at all. But Haymitch seemed anxious," he replied. I gave him a small nod and remained silent as he led me to my mentor.
When we arrived in the middle car, I saw Peeta had been summoned too.
"Ivy, what's happening?" Peeta asked as Cinna exited the room.
"I was going to ask you the same thing," I replied. Someone behind us cleared their throat obnoxiously, and we both simultaneously turned to face the source, Haymitch.
"What's this all about, Haymitch? We have an interview in a couple hours," Peeta said, sounding slightly irritated, yet worried.
"That's what this is all about," he said to our confused faces. "You're not doing enough."
"Enough?" I shouted indignantly. "We've been practically ripping each other's clothes off at every dinner. We've been seen dancing alone in parties…"
"And caught sneaking away. We're proving we're in love. Haymitch how is that not enough?" Peeta finished with an exasperated sigh.
"More districts have been causing problems," Haymitch said. He waited for a second to let the information soak in. Peeta and I hadn't done anything for the unrest.
"Then we really haven't done anything. Haymitch, we're too late!" I cried. Peeta held my arm, making my heart beat harder than it already was.
"No, we still have another option. It would give the districts something to think about other than… rebellion." Haymitch aimed his gaze at Peeta.
"What? What is it? We need to do it!" I exclaimed. I really didn't want a war to begin because of the actions Peeta and I did to stay alive, and any option was better than no alternatives at all. I heard Peeta give a little gasp beside me.
"Haymitch, you mean…"
Haymitch nodded.
"What? What does he mean? You said no more secrets!" I reminded them. Peeta gulped and then gave a small chuckle. He looked embarrassed.
"You'll find out."
"No, tell me now!" I yelled.
"Believe me, sweetheart. You want to hear this later," Haymitch laughed.
"But…"
"But, it's time to go get ready, sweetheart," Haymitch said, nudging me out the door.
"What about Peeta?" I asked. My arms dropped to their sides in shocked disbelief. "Unbelievable. You two are going to talk strategy without me, aren't you?"
"No. Really, Ivy, this is okay. I promise," Peeta said, holding my arms again. I looked up into his face and stared really hard, eyes squinted. I decided to trust him.
"Okay. I'll see you later then," I muttered. He kissed me quickly on the lips.
"See you soon," he smiled.
I walked away, feeling strangely happy. Even though there was a rebellion starting right under my nose, I felt unaffected. I still had Peeta, the only person that was of upmost importance to me. As long as he was safe, I was sane. And no amount of rebellion could change that.
Cinna dressed me in a bright red gown and gave me dramatic makeup. The dress was floor length and went straight down. But when I spun, the skirt flared out around me, like the skirt had more fabric than what was shown. I looked elegant and grown up.
"You are the Girl on Fire again," Cinna smiled. I twirled one more time and hugged Cinna.
"I can't thank you enough," I murmured. He laughed.
"Oh, Ivy. I've only given you a couple dresses," he stated. But Cinna had given me more than that. He was my friend, and he had given me advice. Cinna was always there when the prep team was too much, and I felt like he almost understood me better than a person should be able to understand another human. I began to feel like I owed Cinna. But I didn't know how to repay him.
"Thank you," I repeated. Cinna pulled back from me and put his hand on my head like I was a young child.
"No, thank you," he smiled.
Cinna and I walked back to the group. Peeta and I were escorted to the stage by Peacekeepers. He held my hand and was fidgety. I didn't say anything at first, but after a while, all the squirming and tapping feet and brushing his hand off on his pants began to get extreme.
"Nervous?" I asked.
"Just a little," he said. I nudged him with my shoulder.
"You're a natural. Don't be nervous. Everyone that's going to be out there loves you," I told him, "including me." Peeta looked down at me, smiling.
"Okay. We can do this," he squeezed me hand. We heard Caesar announce our names, and we walked out onto the stage, hands entwined. Caesar gave me a hug and shook Peeta's hand before inviting us to sit down on the couch. I sat next to Peeta, a little more formally than I had the last time we had an interview with Caesar. But my head was on his shoulder, and every so often my eyes would glance up lovingly at Peeta as he is interviewed. The lights shone against his profile, making it look as though Peeta was glowing, like when the sun hit his face the same way in the Games. It made me want to reach out and brush his cheek; I wanted to glow too.
Peeta would squeeze my hand every so often, almost like he needed to remind me, or himself, that we were sitting together. Once I had sat on this stage, wondering if I would ever be there again, living. But I had survived, but only done so with consequences.
"Ivy. Your dress is simply breathtaking, as usual," Caesar pointed out. I hadn't been in most of the conversation, but I knew I Caesar would include me sooner or later. I had been content with just letting my head sit on Peeta's shoulder the whole night.
"Thank you, Caesar. Cinna is brilliant," I said, looking up at my stylist.
"Your stylist really has done a fantastic job with your dresses, Ivy!" Caesar said, gesturing up at Cinna, who gave a modest nod to the thunderous applause. Cinna didn't even offer a smile, and he looked completely different from the Cinna I had hugged earlier.
"He's wonderful," I agreed, still smiling up at the stylist balcony.
"You look wonderful!" Caesar said, giving me a large smile.
"Isn't she the most beautiful girl you've ever seen, Caesar?" Peeta interceded before I could thank Caesar. I felt my cheeks burn.
Peeta and Caesar continued talking together while I blushed. I couldn't remember if there was ever a time Peeta had called me beautiful. I never thought of myself as pretty. Could he truly find me beautiful?
"So, you two? Any plans for the future as of now?" Caesar asked, looking far too happy. I tried not to stare too closely at his lopsided, fake-looking, smiling cheeks as I answered.
"Not that I know of…"
"I'm glad you asked, Caesar," Peeta interrupted me. "I've got something planned." I turned to Peeta, so immensely confused with him.
"What?" I asked in a low voice, almost like a warning. But Peeta grinned and got down on one knee. My heart began to pump faster, and I got lightheaded. But I forced myself to concentrate on what was happening. What was happening? What was he doing? I found myself lost in Peeta's eyes, trying not to stop breathing. But my breaths slowed down, time slowed down, and all I could hear was Peeta's voice.
"Ivy Undersee," Peeta started. He couldn't get much else out because the crowd was screaming. He started to laugh and waved a hand to shush the crowd. Once they quieted, he waited a second in the silence, beaming at me. Smiling at me like this is really what he wanted, like he was so happy. "I love you, so much. And I need you to be in my life. The moments when we're apart, even if it's just for a minute, I feel empty inside. In those moments, I realize that whenever I'm empty, it's because you're not there. And from now on, every moment I see your face, I want to turn to everyone I know and be able to say that you're all mine. I want to have you by my side always. You're the most smart, courageous, kind, beautiful person I've had the pleasure of meeting. So, I'm asking you, begging you really, if you would marry me?"
I squeaked.
"Please," he added, softly.
No words came out of my mouth. Peeta continued to give me a lopsided, close-mouthed smile, patiently waiting for me to come to my senses.
But I doubted I ever would.
Was this actually happening? Did Peeta just propose?
"Am I dreaming?" I asked aloud. My voice sounded far away, like a different person was talking for me. The crowd laughed at my comment. Peeta started to look worried, and then I realized this was all real.
"Ivy?" Caesar asked. I took a deep breath, realizing I had forgotten to breath. Peeta's eyes gazed into mine. His question rung in my ears.
Marry me? Marry me? Marry me?
Suddenly, the words hit me hard.
Marry Peeta!
"YES!" I shouted as loud as I could. "Yes, yes, yes!"
Tears streamed down my face as Peeta got up from the ground and pulled me into a hug. His lips collided with mine. My hands set themselves on his neck as he lifted me up and spun me around in the air. My skirt flared out around us, and the crowd was on their feet, shouting for us.
Peeta set me on the ground. We stood there facing each other for a couple seconds before he swooped down and kissed me again. I squeezed my eyes shut, enjoying this moment.
It was what I had wanted. And I guess it was what Peeta wanted too.
It took a lot of coaxing, but eventually Caesar got Peeta and I to calm down and sit back down on the couch.
Caesar and Peeta make a couple of more jokes, all the while Peeta holding onto my hand. His thumb made circular motions on my hand, and I felt so content. I didn't want the interview to end. But suddenly, I began to wish it would. President Snow started to walk up onto the stage. To congratulate us I supposed.
Peeta and I stood up to greet the president. Snow grasped Peeta's hand and gave it a firm shake. Then he turned to me and gave me a hug. I saw Snow glancing at Peeta with raised eyebrows but tried to think nothing of it. This was my night.
Snow pulled back from me.
"Congratulations," he hissed. I gave him a smile.
"Thank you," I replied. I tried not to choke as the words were coming out. Snow's breath smelled like blood, like he had been drinking blood by the gallon. Maybe it was just my imagination, but my nose started to clog up with the stench, and it was hard to breathe. I took deep breaths through my mouth as Snow walked to the side of the stage. Caesar announced us one more time. As the anthem blared, Peeta grasped my hand. I examined his face, but he had a mask of joy over whatever he was feeling.
The ceremony ended, and all of the citizens began to run to the dinner. Peeta and I were led off the stage. Before we left for the dinner, Peeta put his arms around my waist and spun me to face him.
"So," he said with a large smile.
"That's why I couldn't know," I whispered to him, "you wanted it to be a surprise."
"We wanted you to react the right way. It was our last attempt at settling everything, you know?" he muttered in my ear. I laughed and nodded.
"Did I react the right way?" I murmured. He kissed my cheek and didn't answer. But I knew I had. Because I acted exactly as I would have acted if this hadn't been a plan.
A plan.
Everything went from good to bad when I realized that Haymitch planned this. Peeta planned this. Was it even real? It was fake again, just another attempt to call everyone.
Stop, Ivy.
This had to be real. It had to be. Would Peeta have agreed to do it if he didn't love me? Who would want to be stuck with someone they didn't love for the rest of their life just in an attempt to stop a war?
No, I was determined to believe this was real.
Peeta had asked me to marry him because he loved me.
And I loved him.
*A/N Wow, I even don't know what to think about Peeta's feelings right now. Talk about confusing! Review with what you think is going on in Peeta's mind.*