I own nothing.

Chapter 6.

It's her last day.

I wakened this morning; sweat dripping of my body and sheets tangled in a ball round my legs. I had spent all last night tossing and turning, dipping in and out of a nightmare where I couldn't find Katniss, she was gone. Terror had tore at my heart as I searched for her in my dreams and every time I thought I found her, she slipped through my fingers again. I had wakened some-time in the middle of the night, my body wrecked with sobs as pain pulsed through me and I hadn't really fallen back to sleep. I had drifted in and out of consciousness after that, afraid of what other terrors waited for me in my dreams. I wasn't going to cope with this very well, I thought wryly.

I hadn't really being coping very well this couple of days I thought grimacing at how hung over I felt. Last night I had gone to a party at the lake that Finn had organised. I hadn't wanted to go but Katniss had urged me to as she had been working her last shift at Hawthorns. I had gotten wasted, something I never did. My mouth tasted like sawdust.

I dragged myself out of the bed and into the bathroom, turning the shower on full blast. Steam filled the room as I positioned my head under the jets of hot water. I closed my eyes and let it run over me as I tried to get my head together. Katniss was leaving late tonight. Nothing could describe the pain the thought of that evoked in me. The past two weeks had been the best of my life. It was shocking how quickly we integrated into each other's lives. We couldn't go a couple of hours without contact, so the thought of her being on the other side of the country tomorrow was kind of difficult to take in.

I was going to talk to her today about it. I had money saved that I was going to use to help me the first couple of months in College but a trip to LA would put it to better use. I just hoped she wanted to continue and try to make it work between us. It wasn't going to be easy, I knew that.

I could almost see her distancing herself from me this past couple of days, the shutters were slowly coming down and part of me understood. I didn't want to get hurt either. I knew there was nothing that I wouldn't do for her and I needed to make her believe that the distance wouldn't change anything. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that we belonged together, I just wasn't sure if she was as certain.

I turn off the water and towel my body dry throwing on my jeans and hoodie. I had already slept later than I planned and I wanted to see Katniss. I lift my phone noticing I only have a text from Finn but nothing from her which is strange but she probably is busy doing last-minute packing.

I bounce down the stairs, grab a cinnamon roll and a juice and head out to my car. My mom is just getting out of her car as I reach the end of the drive.

"Where are you going Peeta?" She looks cross, nothing new there.

"Just visiting some friends" I mutter, not really wanting to get into a conversation with her.

"You're going to visit that girl, what's her name….. Katniss?"

I lift my head and meet her eyes; she knows exactly what her name is. I squint at her trying to determine where she is going with this.

"She isn't good enough for you Peeta." She throws the words out but they don't shock me. My mother doesn't think many people are good enough for the Mellark's.

"You have been running round after her for weeks, making a joke out of yourself. She is using you. That's what everybody is saying." Her voice is rising and a slow red flush spreading into her cheeks.

"Butt out Mom, this has nothing to do with you."

"She is leaving today – let's see how long she remembers you! You are making such a fool of yourself it's actually embarrassing!" She is in full rant mode now so I pull open the door of my car and slide in. As I pull away I can see her in my rear view mirror looking after me with her usual look of disgust.

I blow out a sigh, tension releasing from my body. She is the one person I am not going to miss when I leave Seam. My poor excuse of a mother.

Ten minutes later I pull up in front of Katniss house. It looks quiet as I rap on the front door. I run my fingers through my hair as I look up at the sky and the dark clouds that are rolling in. The door opens and I swing round to see her standing there. She looks different. Her hair is pulled back into a messy bun and her eyes look red as if she has cried recently. It's the coldness that radiates from her that stops me in my tracks though.

"What's wrong?" I ask forgoing pleasantries as its obvious something is up.

She just continues to look at me coldly.

"Katniss, tell me what's wrong?" I ask more urgently. Something is very wrong here.

"You caught me just in time." She bends down to grab a bag I didn't notice beside the door.

"What do you mean – I thought your flight didn't go until tonight?" I ask, panic beginning to fill me.

"We changed it to an earlier one. My Mom and Prim have already left for the airport. I'm waiting on Mrs Hawthorne to come and collect me and take the keys for the house." She shuffles out the door, refusing to meet my eyes.

"What! Why are you leaving early? I thought we would have the whole day together!" I take a breath trying to beat down the fear which is swimming through my body.

"Don't leave yet, can't you stay and follow them later?" My stomach is churning. What the hell is going on?

She stands on the top step of the porch and turns her steely grey eyes on me, I have never seen her look so cold and I'm taken aback for a moment.

"I don't think so Peeta. Why drag it out. It's better this way." She shrugs her shoulders as if it's no big deal. I'm dying here.

"I don't understand, what's happened?" I take another gulp of air, trying to clear my muddled thoughts. "What the fuck am I missing? Last night we were ok and this morning you are a million miles away." I step up beside her and go to put my arms around her. "It will be ok Katniss, please trust me; I don't want to lose you."

She turns and pushes my hands away "Don't touch me!" She bites out.

I take a step back and look at her in confusion.

"I thought everything was going well. I thought you were beginning to feel what I feel." I look at her now, vulnerable and full of love for this girl. "Please… don't do this."

I can see a flicker of something like panic flash in her eyes, but it's gone again before I can be sure.

"You wanted a chance Peeta and I gave you one but it's not going to work." The steel is back in her eyes and she makes her way down the steps. "I made a mistake thinking we could be together. I don't want this. I need to be free to start a new life in LA….. I don't want you."

Agony shoots through me at her words. It wouldn't hurt as much if she physically stabbed me. This is all wrong. I thought we had time, I thought we were going to try. I look down the road as I hear a car approach. Mrs Hawthorn is coming.

"So that's it you are really going?" I shake my head as awareness of what is happening fills me. She is leaving and I don't know if I will ever see her again. "You really don't give a shit do you?" My voice falls to a whisper. "I have spent all this time…..and you really don't care."

She turns then to look at me.

"Don't worry Peeta; I'm sure you will find someone else in no time." She lifts her bag and approaches the car, throwing it in the back seat she turns to look at me and I don't know who she is anymore. "Goodbye then…."

All I can do is stare back. I am in a daze and my heart is on fire as a lump rises in my throat.

"Have a good life Katniss" I mumble as I feel the waves of despair start to close in on me.

"You too" I hear her softly reply and then she is gone.

My world ends, she drives away and I want to die.

Chapter 7 up straight away and all will be explained.