I wake up when I feel Peeta getting off the bed. He's getting dressed to go out to the bakery. "Hey." I mumble, only half-awake. He smiles an kisses my cheek. "Hey." he replies, pulling his jeans on.
"Is Finnick going with you?" I ask, yawning. He nods, and leaves the room. He must be going to get Finnick and Prim. I don't get up until I hear the door shut.
I get out of bed and have a short shower. Once I am fully cleaned I step out from the water rushing down on me, dry myself and get dressed; a pale blue dress, almost completely identical to that of my mothers, which I wore to the reaping of my first time in the arena, besides for one thing - there's that stench of blood and roses; the smell of Coriolanus Snow. I search the breast pocket, and find a small piece of fabric, the color of the dress, that is producing the scent. I go downstairs and start a fire, simply to burn the fabric. Once the fire is flickering, I throw the fabric into it. The flames burn the fabric quickly. "Fire beats roses." I say. I have no need to worry about what Snow hears; we both publicly announced our hatred for each other. That'll happen on a larger scale, eventually. I add, but this time in my head. Even though I don't fear Snow, I don't want him taking family away from me, or me from them.
I find some cheese buns Peeta left for me. They've gone cold by the time I get my hands on them, so put them in a "microwave", to re-heat them. Once I hear the "beep" of the microwave, I pull out the cheese buns, which wasn't the best idea. The cheese buns burn my fingers. Nothing major, but painful, nonetheless. Thankfully, as a result of my time in the arena, I've learned to deal with burns, first and second degree. I put the cheese buns on a plate, before rushing to the sink. I turn on the tap and let the cool water flow over my burnt fingers. How did Peeta live at the bakery? I will never know.
I spend the day in the house; sitting on the couch and watching some Capitol drama. A blonde man named Hero, who resembles Finnick Odair, besides for the Capitol-esque flamboyancy, is on the screen. It's very Capitol-like, the show. I don't really pay attention until they start arguing. A woman, named Bellona, who is apparently based off Annie Cresta, is beautiful, though she must think her hair is disgusting, not being a neon color. She is shouting at Hero about her pregnancy, and how it will ruin her looks. Hero simply says get rid of it, but she wont. "WHY BLOODY NOT!?" I shout at the T.V. "YOU DON'T WANT THE BLASTED CHILD, SO WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU KEEP IT!? IF YOU EVEN REMOTELY CARED FOR LIFE, YOU'D GIVE UP YOUR 'FIGURE'" It takes me a minute to realize what I did, and just how foolish it was, and I start laughing at myself. I can be so foolish sometimes, but who can blame me? I'm nothing in comparison to those Capitolites. I have only ever met two Capitolites who had any common sense; Cinna and Effie, although Effie seemed to be one of the most stupid people in Panem. She was able to hide her hatred; her rage towards the Capitol. I feel terrible that she ever had to wear those preposterous pink wigs. And she had to grow up in the Capitol. How hard would it have been, to know that what you and everyone around you is taught is wrong? I will never know. Effie was stronger than me. She fought her whole life, while living there, and she had to be an escort. Poor Effie. At least she doesn't any more. And Cinna, the man who gave me inspiration; who gave me my name. I miss him deary, but there's no point moaning about it; I can't bring him back, but one day, one day, I'll get revenge for Cinna and Effie; for Finnick, Annie, Johanna, Prim, Gloss, Cahsmere, Enobaria, Mags; I will get revenge for all of them. Eventually.
I must have fallen asleep, for when I next look at the clock, it's 5:47. "Peeta will be home soon." I tell myself. Surely enough, ten minutes later, Peeta and the children are coming through the door; a cake box in Peeta's hand. "I made a cake!" Finnick exclaims.
"No," Prim corrects him,. "We made a cake, silly."
"Prim, always right, aren't we?" Peeta smirks, and I can't help but snigger. Prim scowls at us.
"No Primrose, scowling is your mother's thing!" I tell her. Peeta laughs at this, and Prim's scowl stays the same. Finnick can't help but laugh. Prim joins in with the laughter.
"So, what's for dinner?" Finnick asks once we stop laughing. Prim giggles
"Honestly Finnick, are you ever not hungry?" This makes Peeta and I smirk.
"Well, I was thinking some lamb stew." I say proudly. "I'll even make it."
"Okay Katniss, but only because you're making dinner." Peeta says. "I'll go sit down with Prim and Finnick."
"In the dining room." I call as they leave the room. It's easy really, to be the happy family, but we can't be a happy family, not when the Games and Snow are there to haunt us. It's just cruel. But one day the Games will be no more, even If I'm not alive to see it. Making the stew is quite simple; I take out a few tins, empty them, and cook the contents. That's all. But to the Capitolites, doing that is as hard as competing in the Games. So so foolish.
Once it's done, I bring the lamb stew into the dining room. I sit between Peeta and Prim. "So, how was today?" I whisper to Prim, before taking a mouthful of the stew.
"It was good." Prim says bluntly.
"She could lift them no problem by the end of the day." Peeta murmurs into my ear. I smile, swallowing some stew.
"Good. Not much left to learn. Here, anyways. I think she should work on her fire-starting. It can help to get a quick fire started; give others an obstacle. If she's being chased by someone who has a mêlée weapon, a fire in front of them wouldn't really give them an advantage, would it?" I say. Peeta nods.
"She can work on knot-tying during training; give Madson some company." Peeta adds in. Madson is the coach for knot-tying. He was trained in a school that teaches practically everything you would do in District 4. Industrial, that is. He's one of the kindest coaches, and a friend of Peeta's. I nod in agreement, and dive back into my food.
Finnick and I finish our dinner at the same time, and I take mine and Finnick's plate into the kitchen, and put them into a machine that cleans the dishes and cutlery, called a "dishwasher". It's a very complicated machine, with much more buttons than needed.
When I head back into the dining room, Peeta and Prim are in a deep conversation, which ends shortly after I enter the room. "Daddy and I were thinking," Prim begins, sounding childish. "And I wan't to look for a reaping dress. Prepare myself. I want to look my best if I'm being sent to the Capitol." Prim sounds a lot like Madge, on the day of my reaping.
"Okay, we'll look for a nice dress for you to wear." I agree.
"Hey, Katniss." Peeta calls, as a turn to leave the room. I turn back to face him. "That dress looks beautiful on you. Almost as beautiful as it did when you were sixteen." I can't help but smile, blushing slightly. Prim giggles, sounding like a complete merchant. Then I remember she is.
"That dress was probably burned before I turned seventeen. This dress, I asked for it to be specifically tailored. A reminder of my mother." I say.
"What was auntie Prim like? and Grandmother?" Prim asks.
"Well, as you know, when I was eleven, my father died in a mining accident. My mother fell into some very bad…" I stop to think of a suitably word. "Depression. She was too ill to work, so auntie Prim and I had no food. One day, I took some of auntie Prim's baby clothes to the hob, to try and get some money for food. No one bought them. At the end of the day, it begun raining, and I dropped the clothes in a puddle. I didn't even pick them up. I thought of looking in the baker's bins for some thrown away food, but they were empty. Then your other grandmother, Peeta's mother, came out and shouted at me to get away. I walked away and sat at the end of an apple tree. I had no energy to go home; I couldn't see auntie Prim like that; still starving. I heard more shouting, and I thought Mrs. Mellark was coming out, but it was Peeta. He had "accidentally" burnt some bread," I emphasise 'accidentally'. "And threw it to me, risking punishment. It was slightly burned in areas, but perfectly edible. Peeta saved me. And auntie Prim. I never quite trusted my mother after that."
"Then, five years later, at auntie Prim's first reaping, she was reaped. I volunteered, and then your father was reaped. I wore one of my mother's dresses, one from her days of being a merchant. The dress I am wearing right now is a replica of the one I wore to that reaping."
Prim nods, and asks "What did auntie Prim wear?"
"She wore a skirt, and a white blouse that was slightly too big for her. It kept un-tucking at the back, and making a duck tale, so I called her my little duck." I smile at the memory.
"Alright, enough story time, it's time for bed." Peeta yawns.
"What time is it?" Finnick asks, fighting off a yawn.
"It's 10:30." Peeta answers.
"What!?" I exclaim. "10:30!? I should be in bed!" Prim laughs at this. "That's enough from you, little duck." I say, standing up.
Peeta and I take Prim and Finnick to bed, before heading up ourselves. I sleep a nice sleep, without any nightmares, only dreams of the happiness shared today.