Hi! I've been plenty busy with midterms and papers and I probably will have a hard time finishing the next chapter too, but here's Chapter 42! Enjoy! Review to let me know what you're thinking!
Chapter 42
Peeta tells me that he has work at the bakery to do, which leaves me the perfect time slot to go back to the Hob and pick up his present. He is sitting with me on the couch sketching quietly while I watch him with mild interest. I'm not looking so much at what he's drawing, but instead at the concentration etched so deeply into his features when he's concentrating hard at the task at hand.
"Thom decided to include upgrades to the bakery's structure," he explains, not looking up as he tilts his head and scratches his pencil along the paper. "Its supposed to help it hold up against earthquakes and whatnot. Stronger infrastructure, I think."
He holds up his sketch then, revealing a picture of Buttercup, who happened to be lying on the floor directly in front of us in the exact same position. I laugh.
"I'll be a little late for supper," he says then, handing me the sketch pad and pencil before getting to his feet. "Thom wants to go over the plans, even though I'm sure he'll do a good job no matter what."
I nod in agreement. I'm pleased that the bakery project is going so well for Peeta. However, even though it could easily be opened before the new year, Peeta had postponed the opening because of our extended trip to the Odair's to celebrate the holidays.
"I never apologized," I say quietly. Peeta turns then, confused.
"Apologize for what?" he asks, moving to stand near me.
I shuffle in embarrassment. "For the one time you were late," I end up mumbling. And to be completely honest, I really didn't expect Peeta to have been doing anything else that day but mourn his dead family. But seeing that girl with him had set me off.
His hand moves to caress my cheek. "You mean when I was talking to that girl in front of the bakery weeks ago?" I nod, flushing.
"I don't usually act like that," I say. "I was just worried about you and when I saw you with her, I didn't know what to do."
Peeta smiles a little at this. "Well, the reason why I was a few hours late was because some workmen stopped by to scout the property for building plans. Thom came by later to talk to me about costs and sign some more contracts. I really didn't mean to stay out that long."
Shame burns my ears. It took weeks for me to even apologize to him and I feel like some scolding mother who reprimands her child for disappearing.
Peeta takes my silence as a cue to go on. "As for the girl, I'm not even sure who she is. She came by and told me she remembered me from school. Apparently, she was impressed that we had made it out of two Games and a war. She thought I filled out more than when I was on the school wrestling team!"
This ignites a foreign irritation in me. Is that all she cared about when talking to Peeta? The size of his muscles? What about everything he's been through? Did she not ask him how he's doing? If the nightmares he experiences at night have ceased? If his episodes are any easier to deal with?
This must show on my face because Peeta's hand moves along my jaw and trails down my neck. A shiver rips through me. Desire.
"But she doesn't get me. Not like you do, Katniss." His hand rests right along my exposed collarbone, the heat from his palm seemingly increasing my heart rate ten-fold.
I don't know who leans in first, but Peeta's lips graze across mine lightly. This soft touch blows me away. Its so powerful. The feelings that I have for him. And I'm desperate to understand exactly what they mean.
He doesn't seem to mind at all when I press my lips harder against his. Nor does he seem to mind when my hands move up to rest against his chest.
He also doesn't seem to mind the knock at the door that interrupts the nice fog that settles over my mind when his arms wrap around my waist.
I break away but he doesn't release me, keeping his arms around me. "Do you want to get that?" I ask breathlessly, struggling to straighten my thoughts.
"Not particularly," he breathes back, pressing his forehead to mine.
I reluctantly pull away from his hold, immediately missing the feel of his warm arms. Peeta stares after me, his lips parted as he returns his breathing to normal. His words have such an effect on me that I know if I didn't answer the door now, we could probably ignore the whole world and not have a single care.
When the door swings open, I'm half surprised to find Gale and Cinna standing on my doorstep. Gale smiles at me knowingly, his grey eyes warm. My own lips tilt up to match him.
"Sorry, I hope we weren't interrupting anything," Cinna says quietly, but Peeta shakes his head before I can respond.
"Not at all. I was just about to go confirm some details with Thom," he says, grabbing his scarf from the coatrack. "You're always welcome here."
As he makes for the doorway, my hand reaches out and grazes his shoulder, making him pause and shoot me a questioning look. I'm almost embarrassed to say the words, but part of me is also worried about him and just wants to keep him safe. "Be careful."
He breaks into a grin, his blue eyes affectionate. "Always," he responds before he leans over and places a kiss on my cheek. He disappears out the door shortly after, leaving my cheeks flushing red hot where his lips had touched me.
Gale is smirking at me when I turn back around. His eyes are teasing but they speak out to me in amusement. Told you.
"So, what are you two doing here?" I ask nonchalantly, trying to change the subject.
"I was helping Cinna today," Gale says. It never occurred to me that Gale would volunteer his time to help Cinna. They seem like such polar opposites. But when I remember that this is a new Gale, a Capitol Gale, I scold myself. Gale has a new job now. I'm not quite sure what it is that Paylor stationed him here to do, but if he's helping Cinna while he's here, then I can be nothing but grateful for his help.
"We were just dropping by to check in," Cinna says.
"I have to go pick something up from the Hob. We can talk on the way there," I say. I make sure that the house is locked before I meet them outside.
Gale wanders off back to his own house with the excuse that he is tired from working earlier. I don't ask why. He just wants to give me and Cinna some privacy.
Cinna walks beside me calmly, his presence soothing. "How are you and Peeta?" he asks.
"Good." I don't like to elaborate. Aren't relationships supposed to be private?
Cinna smiles. "Its nice to see you two together and well off."
"Yes," I admit. And its true. I feel better than I had in years. Perhaps ever since my dad had died. And it is all thanks to Peeta.
We arrive at the Hob, busier than ever with people rushing to get dinner from the food vendors. Cinna follows me through the crowd with little difficulty as I make a beeline for the jewelry merchant.
She's still working on yet another piece, her thin fingers working in almost a blur as she bends and molds the trinket in her hand with strange tools. She doesn't even look up when I arrive. "Katniss."
I nod as she puts down the medallion she had been working on so diligently. She looks up then, but she seems startled when she notices that Cinna is accompanying me. "This is Cinna," I introduce, but I know it probably isn't necessary because he had been televised nationally for his 'girl on fire' theme during my Games.
Cinna is staring at the ground and I don't have to ask him to know that he still feels ashamed of his amputations. I can almost feel his embarrassment radiating from him, its so strong.
"You look very nice." Cinna's head shoots up at her compliment. There's absolutely no sarcasm or pity in her words. Just honesty and truth.
She holds his gaze evenly. "I'm Brita." I'm surprised that my normally fluent stylist is speechless, but the moment doesn't last long because Brita pushes a box towards me. "I hope its what you wanted. If not, I can make adjustments."
I open the box as she turns to Cinna and falls into small polite conversation with him. The polished locket shines in the Hob's lighting, reflecting tiny dazzling beams from its surface. The edge contains a smooth ridge that frames a golden Mockingjay emblazoned on the surface. The Mockingjay appears almost completely realistic, frozen in mid-flight with an arrow in its beak. I had contemplated whether or not to change the arrow to a paintbrush. However, I selfishly wanted Peeta to have a piece of me with him at all times, even if it was just represented through the arrow the Mockingjay held.
I flipped the locket open, my fingers unlatching the catch easily. It is empty inside, a space that needed to be filled with a photo of some sort. However, the intricate designs on the edges astound me. Brita must have put a lot of effort into this locket. The details never fail to astound me. Flame-like marks cover the locket, surrounding the Mockingjay. It almost would appear as if Peeta were wearing a smoldering golden pendant rather than a simple locket.
Its more than I could have ever hoped for. And I know Peeta will love it.
I turn to Brita to find her and Cinna engrossed in conversation. She seems to maintain her pleasant, calm demeanor as she talks with him. An occasional smile graces her lips, giving her a charming quality as well that I've never seen before. However, its Cinna who gets my attention the most. He's alive again. He stands taller, his eyes shine with life. His chin held high. He almost looks like the confident man I met in the Prep Room.
My gawking must catch their attention because Brita reaches over and takes the money I have placed on the table. "Thanks. Any plans for the holidays?"
"I'm headed out to 4," I say.
Brita smiles. "We were just talking about Christmas time. It seems Cinna was about to spend Christmas alone with his assistants, so I offered to keep him company."
Cinna nods, but I can see the delight on his face. Even when we say good-bye to Brita, he seems to glow.
I smile to myself. Perhaps its not just me who is discovering the opportunity to heal and rediscover.