Chapter 29

Another week passes quietly. Peeta and I have been spending quite a bit of time together. I even decided to take him to the meadow one day.

Although my intentions weren't quite so clear on why I took him to that particular spot, I did know one thing. I want to move on. And Peeta makes me want to.

So I brought him to the spot Gale and I used to meet at. Perhaps I wanted to start new memories. I took him to the edge of the hill, which overlooked the miles and miles of forest that stretched to beyond. "This is our spot," I told him, pointing directly to the oak tree that we were sitting under. It is surrounded by bright yellow dandelions and tall grasses that go up to the middle of my calves. It is perfect. Far enough from the rock Gale and I met at to give us the privacy that I craved.

I was sitting on the couch at my house when I suddenly get an idea on how to help Peeta in my own way. He's sitting next to me, leaning back against the cushions as he watches the television. We hardly use the Capitol product, but Peeta enjoys watching the news, so we've made a habit of sitting together after breakfast to watch it.

"Peeta, why don't you reopen the bakery?"
He sighs, turning the volume down on the television. "I've thought about it, Katniss," he admits, "but I don't think I can. Its just... Its too much."

But I won't let him slip away. Not with that kind of excuse.

I remember walking to the station with Haymitch when Peeta first arrived in 13 months ago. "Peeta, you easily could. There's an empty plot of land in town. Untouched. It has to be yours."

Peeta looks at me sorrowfully. "Well, yeah. Its where my family's bakery used to be."

I try not to flinch when he says the words past tense. "You can rebuild it. Bake. You love doing it. And you can meet everyone in town by doing it. You love people."

"Baking right on top of my family's ashes," he mutters, lifting the remote to turn the volume back up, but I reach out and take it from his hand.

"Peeta, please. Consider it? I think it could really help you."

He looks at me carefully then. My words sink in. We really are trying to help each other. I meet his gaze steadily.

"I'll think about it," he promises slowly before reaching over and reclaiming the remote. "But its going to be a lot of hard work."

"I know. But I'll... I'll help you." He looks startled at my volunteering. "I know I'm not exactly the friendliest person in the world, but I want you to succeed. I-"

"Katniss! Look!" He is pointing to the television screen in excitement, his eyes blazing a brilliant blue. Its all I can do to tear my eyes away from his as I force my gaze to the screen.

The volume is still low as Peeta struggles to turn it up, but I catch the words on the screen just before a commercial comes on.

Capitol prisoners found and released!

I shrug. Why should that bother me? Venia, Flavius, and Octavia are safe. Effie is also safe. Not the same, but still safe. Who am I to care for the Capitol citizens that put me in the Games in the first place?

"Damn, we missed it." Peeta tosses the remote down next to him as I stand next to him.

"Its fine. Its not important," I insist as I pull him to his feet.

He nods before pulling away to stand a respectable distance away from me. The distance of a friend. Somehow, that upsets me, but I push it away. "So what are you going to do today?"

I shrug. "Clean the house. Laundry. Nothing exciting."
He looks away before suggesting quietly, "Why don't you go see Gale?"

My face must deceive my shock because he adds, "I think Haymitch is right."

"So you're siding with Haymitch now?" I regret that the words come out a little more harshly than I intend, but he doesn't seem to mind. In fact, it is almost as if he expected it.

"No. I'll always be on your side," he says, his eyes locking on mine, sending a jolt of energy through me. "But you said we'd help each other. I think this will help."

"How will hanging around the person who killed my sister help me?"

"He's still your friend, Katniss, whether he remembers it or not. It wasn't him who dropped the bombs. And I think you could really benefit by trying to connect with him again." His voice is a little strained at the end and he clears his throat.

Realization hits me. He wants me to go. He wants me to go to Gale. To connect? What does that even mean?

I'm confused then. Does Peeta not want me after all? I look at the carpet beneath my toes, a little hurt. I didn't expect Peeta to love me. Not at all. But to push me away? After we agreed that we were friends? After we agreed to help each other?
"Damn you." He looks absolutely startled at my words, but I continue, a little angrily. "Do you really just expect me to walk out right when we're back where we should be?"

Peeta's mouth drops open. "What? Katniss, I-"

"Save it for later, Peeta, when you realize whats right in front of your nose," I hiss before storming from the room, stopping only to grab a thick winter coat from the closet.

I can hear Peeta calling after me as I run out of Victor's Village, but I don't stop to look back. The hurt comes back. Throbbing in my chest. Why did Peeta's words affect me like that? I grit my teeth, but carry on, not knowing really where my feet are taking me.

Its when I'm halfway through town that I decide to head to the Justice Building. Even if Peeta's suggestion hurt me, I still owe it to him to help him heal too. I resolve to inquire about the empty property space for the bakery as I head towards the center of District 12.

The snow crunches under my feet as I push through town. The snow had stopped earlier this morning, leaving the District covered in a thick white blanket of snow, and now everyone was out trying to shovel the snow into large piles at the edges of the roads.

Children run around, building snowmen and tossing snowballs at each other. They laugh joyously as they slide down small drifts on pieces of cardboard, each clamoring to get a turn.

I shake my head. Christmas was coming soon. I would have to get presents for everyone, which was really not a problem since Paylor still ensured that the few surviving Victors still received large payments of money and large shipments of supplies.

I list off the people I would have to get gifts for. Peeta, of course. Haymitch. The dumb orange furball Buttercup. Sae. Her granddaughter too. Annie and little Finn. Johanna. Gale? I probably should, I concede as I see the Justice Building. Its not too much trouble to get him a gift anyways. He had played the part of my cousin without complaint so I guess I owe him that much.

I'm walking up the steps of the Justice Building, contemplating on what gifts to buy for who when I run smack into someone, almost knocking us both off the stairs.

"Sorry," I immediately mumble, regaining my balance, "I wasn't looking-"

I stop when I see who it is. My eyes take in the thin form of a body who has suffered stress and malnourishment, uncommon now that everyone in the District receives enough food from the Capitol. He looks disheveled, tired. However its the

brilliant green eyes that get to me, the specks of gold inside of them highlighted by the gold eyeliner that traces the edge of his eyelids.

Its Cinna.

"I'm still betting on you, girl on fire."

But something is wrong. Terribly wrong. And I notice it immediately when I step back and look him up and down.

Cinna no longer has his arms.

Horror grips me, but it only lasts for a second before I black out.