Katniss age 14
2010
Too soon its morning, so I dress and leave before anyone can ask me questions. I wander around until I reach a board that lists activities.
The earliest one is boxing at 6:30 am. Since the cafeteria doesn't serve breakfast until 8:00, I decided to check it out to kill time. I'm inside one of the three gyms they have, but I find no one is there. Maybe I was early? Just as I was thinking of leaving. I see Peeta come in. He's wearing a T-shirt and sweats and he's holding boxing gloves and a jump rope.
"Hey?" He says.
"Is this the boxing class?" I ask looking around the empty gym.
"Yeah. You want to take up boxing?" He says.
"What? You don't think that girl can box?" I ask.
"No! Not at all. It's just really... early. I mean where bakers in my family. So we get up to get deliveries, make donuts and bake muffins before the early rush. Most people don't get up this early." He explains.
"Oh, Well I do. And my dad does. He works at the sawmill and sometimes goes hunting early so..." I say.
"Well, I asked them to have this class last year. The one counselor that was here that got up early enough to teach it, didn't come back. So we don't really have an instructor." He says.
"Oh." I say looking down starting to leave.
"But... I mean, I could teach you what he taught me... if you want. I could use the company. And a sparring partner." He offers.
"Umm, Ok. Thanks." I say smiling. "And what's a sparring partner?"
"Let's start with the basics and work up to that." He says.
Peeta is actually a really good teacher and very patient. In the next few weeks He shows me how to stretch. How to wrap my hands. He finds a pair of gloves that fit me, in the supply closet.
Some mornings we run by the lake or jump rope. Peeta says it's good for stamina and blood flow. He teaches me about foot work. He shows me how to bob, and weave. How to block and protect my face. How to hit a body bag and a speed bag. After three weeks we're sparring with helmets and mouth guards.
I take my breakfast, lunch and dinners, to Clove. I drink lots of water, and in the afternoons I eat the snack provided, which helps. But mostly I'm hungry. When I'm not boxing, I'm practicing my archery. I'm getting pretty good too. But when Gale and Madge start to ask why all my clothes are so loose on me, I start avoiding them all together.
"Ouch! That was a good hit."
"Thanks!" I say to Peeta one morning.
"Katniss?"
"Uh Huh?"
"Why are you doing this?" He asks.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean most people don't want to learn to hit people for no reason. Does someone... hit you?" He asks.
"What is this, an after school special? No. No one hits me." I say.
I keep bobbing and weaving an attempt a swing at him. He ducks easily. I miss. Why is he asking me this? He learned to box and he didn't need a reason like that. Did he?
"I just don't sleep well and this bides my time till the cafeteria opens." I gasp not meaning to let that information out.
"Why do you even care when the cafeteria opens? You never eat anyway." Now he looks shocked, like he didn't mean to let that slip out. How does he know I don't eat?
I swing at him again and he ducks and starts bouncing on his feet. I get closer to him. I swing and miss again which takes my energy down and frustrates me to no end. He swings and I duck and then surprise him with an uppercut and connect. He's a little shaken but keeps coming. Maybe I didn't hit him hard enough.
We are both breathing hard now. He swings and I move. Then he does a right, left, combo but just before he connects, everything goes black.
When I wake, I'm lying on my back on the floor. Peeta is above me. My helmet is off and my face is wet. He looks so worried.
"OH MY GOSH! Katniss! Katniss can you hear me?" He asks. I nod yes. He sounds far away but I shake my head. I try to sit up.
"No! Just lay for a minute. I'm so sorry! I didn't think I hit you that hard. I didn't even feel a connection. Please, please forgive me!" He pleads.
"No, it's okay. I think I passed out before you touched me." I admit.
"What? Why would you pass out... Katniss?" He passes me a water bottle and I sit up to take a sip.
"I can't really breathe in that helmet. And I should drink more water, you know?" I say hoping he's buying this crock.
"Katniss. What's going on?" He asks in a fatherly tone.
For once, I actually want to tell someone. So finally, I do.
Katniss age 17
2013
"Katniss?"
"Oh! Yeah?" I answer.
"It's time." Haymitch says putting his hand out to mine. I take it and he leads me to a little room just outside of the banquet hall.
"I found her, Effie." Haymitch says letting go of my hand and walking away. I've never seen him so steady and calm.
"Oh, good. Ok, Katniss dear. You are our last minute addition, so you didn't get a chance to rehearse. Can you slow dance?" She asks.
"Well, I mean, I've watched other people. But I haven't really... with a partner, per se." I say low so the rest of the wedding party can't hear.
"Oh dear... well that's just... DEAR!" Effie calls for Haymitch panic in her voice.
Just then I feel a big, warm, hand on the small of my back. I would jump from the foreign contact. But it doesn't feel creepy at all. At first I think it's Haymitch, but he walks up next to Effie. Before I can even fully register how to react, I hear him speak.
"Don't worry Effie. We'll be fine, I promise. We will practice for a couple of minutes and she'll be perfect." Peeta reassures her.
"See there honey. Crisis averted." Haymitch says kissing her forehead. He gives Peeta a wink, and tells him to take good care of his new niece. Then walks off again.
"You just try not to sweep Haymitch any further off his feet with your dancing skills. And hey! It's your day, and you look amazing! You should enjoy every minute of it. Plus, I heard from Portia, that worrying causes early wrinkles. Since you don't have any, you don't want to start developing them stressing out about a dance routine." Peeta leans in and almost whispers the part about the wrinkles.
"Oh, Peeta, you are absolutely right. Sweet boy. If I hadn't fallen in love with Haymitch, I'd scoop you up before one of these girls can break your heart and ruin your charming, delectable, disposition." Effie praises.
She pinches his cheek and gives him a wink before leaving to join her new husband. Peeta blushes a light pink and slides around to face me, leaving his hand on my back.
"Hi."
"Hi back." I reply.
"Okay, so just put your arm on my shoulder... like that. Uh Huh. And the other one I'll hold. Just keep your back straight. Head up. Smile... and we are gliding. 1, 2, 3... 1, 2, 3... 1, 2, 3..." Peeta guides me into my first lesson.
"Okay. 1, 2, 3... 1, 2, 3... 1, 2, 3... Where did you learn to do this?" I ask as we dance in a small circle.
"My... Dad... Umm... taught me. In 6th grade. I wanted to go to the dance. I never worked up the nerve to ask... this girl. You're doing good. So just, try and keep your steps kind of small. Are you ready to try a spin?" He asks and just like that he spins me.
"Whoa. Hahaha. I'm surprised I didn't fall." I chuckle.
"Katniss. I'm not gonna let you fall." Peeta says, looking right into my eyes in a way that makes my stomach flip and my knees weak.
"Thanks, Peeta and not just for teaching me to dance, but for a lot of things. I've wanted to tell you that for a long time. And to ask... what happened? Why did you move away and without saying goodbye to m... mostly anyone?" I ask.
All of these feelings come rushing back in, I thought I'd locked away in a box. I guess I'm curious why things ended the way they did with me and Peeta. Maybe he just didn't like me as much as I liked him.
"Alright everybody clear the dance floor for the new couple. Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy!" The DJ announces. We look at each other knowing there's more to talk about.
"Can we talk a little later?" Peeta asks.
"Yeah sure, oh! But I'll have to check on my sister and find out when Gale wants to leave. Okay?" I say and Peeta's face goes a little pale and he nods.
We line up, arm and arm with the four other couples. After Haymitch and Effie start dancing a routine to their song, Fix You by Coldplay, we all head out and form a circle of couples around them. Thank goodness the lights are dim.
Hopefully no one will be able to tell this is my first time slow dancing. We've changed the direction the circle is going around the newlyweds and I feel ungraceful but Peeta keeps time perfectly which gets me on track.
The song switches to Just Give Me a Reason by P!nk and Nate Ruess. Which is really awesome and makes me smile because, it's a popular song I recognize. A young top 40 song, not stuffy. After a little while, in unison, the guys twirl us girls and we are somehow changing floor patterns. But I just follow Peeta. Then he dips me unexpectedly. So does the rest of the group. He lifts me back up and he smiles.
"One more. You got this." Peeta tells me.
The song changes again to Only Exception by Paramore. I almost squeal when they pick us straight up under our arms and spin again! My eyes go wide in surprise. In Peeta's arms though, I feel safe and I grip his shoulders and his smile is huge. Peeta gently slides me back down and pulls me in tighter and I don't hesitate to get closer. I need him to keep me steady. I'm feeling a little woozy.
"You're doing great." Peeta whispers and I blush.
My smile widens. He has got to be one of the sexiest young men I've ever encountered. Thinking of Effie's words earlier, he's also sweet and charming. Uncharacteristic of most good looking, confident, guys. Once, I catch Peeta mouthing the words of the song, which makes me silently laugh at how adorable he is.
At the end of the song, I hear applause and the lights grow brighter. I'm suddenly aware of the audience, which is nerve wracking. Haymitch and Effie bow. Then the couples all bow, including Peeta and I. Then the guests start to clink their glasses. It sounds really pretty but I don't understand why it's happening. Is it a toast? Peeta chuckles lightly at my confusion.
"They want them to kiss." He says.
"Oh." I say and blush again.
This is the first wedding I can remember attending. Is that something I should've known? Haymitch kisses Effie, a very thorough kiss at that. After half a minute, two no, three; wedding party couples start kissing!
I tense in Peeta's arms. I'm extremely nervous.
When I signed on to be a bridesmaid, I didn't know I had to kiss someone! Not just someone, Peeta! Peeta is pulling me closer into a... a kiss? I can't! Not with all these people around!
"It's okay Kat, breath." Peeta whispers in my ear, my heart racing.
Whew! That's why he leaned closer.
"Huh?" I whisper back.
"Those couples are together or married. We don't have to kiss... unless you want to." He says and I can hear him smile next to my ear.
"I... I... I'm glad you would ask permission first." I get out, laughing anxiously.
"Always." He lean back and looks into my eyes.
As I look into his sea colored spheres, something inside me wants him to ask me, right now.
"Ladies and gentlemen. Once again. Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy!" The DJ's voice brings me back to reality.
We let go of each other and clap, then walk off the dance floor.
"Bruh. Seriously? You were crushin' in out there." Thresh compliments Peeta, strolling up to us.
"Well, it's nothing compared to you, but I'm getting there." Peeta says modestly and the two do this elaborate special secret handshake.
"Hey Kat, you weren't too bad yourself pretty lady." Thresh says, giving me a hug.
"OMG! Katniss! That was so cute." Prim and Rue rush up and say in almost in unison.
"Whoa!" I say caught off guard by the two of them jumping up and down giggling.
"You were the prettiest girl out there. Besides Aunt Effie, naturally. She looks down right, radiant." Prim states.
"Yeah, totally! We couldn't help singing along. Can you teach us that routine? You two were awesome." Rue gushes about Peeta and I.
He was pretty awesome.
"You guys are just biased because you're family." I correct them.
"Well, I'm not family and I say, you were gorgeous out there." A voice states from behind me.
"Gale, you're practically like family." I reply to him.
"And you. Who knew clumsy Peeta Mellark had all those smooth moves." Gale says pointing at Peeta.
That was kind of rude. Peeta wasn't clumsy. He may have wanted people to think that. But I don't dare bring that up. What is wrong with Gale? I notice Peeta shakes his head looks down and lets out a deep breath. He looks back up, smirks at Gale and it seems like he's about to say something. I am worried it will be something, deserving of the previous comment.
"Thanks again, Peeta." I say before he can speak.
I smile hoping he knows how truly grateful I am.
"Anytime, Katniss." Peeta says smiling and I get a feeling of déjà vu and butterflies in my stomach.