It's A Jungle Out There

Chapter Twenty Five

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Chapter Twenty Five

Ever since I found out that I'm pregnant, it's all I've been able to think about. I'm constantly looking in the mirror, staring intensely at my stomach as if my eyes will suddenly turn into X-ray goggles and I'll be able to see through into the child inside me. When I saw the red plus on the test, I sobbed in Peeta's arms for an hour and a half. It's been a day since then. I haven't called Marvel yet. I don't know if I want him to know. It's his fucking fault that this has happened.Eventually, I know I'll have to. Whether I like it or not, Marvel is the father. He won't be able to stop me from giving the baby up for adoption when they're born but he has a right to know. Besides, the bastard could use having the living shit scared out of him. He's ruined my life and I want him to know that.

It's the day before homecoming and I feel like complete shit. I've been wandering around the house like a zombie, not able to comprehend what this will mean for the next eight months of my life. I've stayed in the same pyjamas the entire time. Mum has instructed Prim to let me have my space because I could easily lose my cool at any moment. A part of me is actually tempted to call Marvel just to get him to come to the house so I can take my anger out on him.

There's a knock on the door. I groan because I'm the only one in the house. I hobble over and answer, ready to send whoever it is away. I've got a pizza in the oven and I'd prefer to eat it alone and wallow in my own self pity.

Peeta stands on my doorstep.

My heart lifts and my mouth falls open. "What are you doing here?" I ask in a mixture of surprise and shock.

"They let me out early," Peeta says.

"And you came straight to me?" I ask, overwhelmed but genuinely touched.

Peeta smiles. "Of course I did. You're the first person I wanted to know I was out. Besides, you could use some cheering up after the past few days you've had."

Just seeing Peeta outside of the hospital lifts my mood impeccably. I throw myself at him, accidentally causing him to stumble backwards into the doorframe. I hold him tight, as if this is just a dream and when I wake up he'll be back at hospital after turning down help from the doctors and I'll still be pregnant but completely alone.I let him in because it's raining and take his jacket to put on the radiator to dry. The fact that Peeta lets me take it from him without complaint shows the huge leaps in progress he has made with his doctors. Sure, I can see his ribs faintly underneath his shirt but he isn't at all self conscious about it.As far as I can tell anyways.

"What about your family? Don't you want them to know?" I ask, taking the lead into the living room.

"I told my dad that I wanted to see you and he was fine with it," Peeta explains.

"Does he know about . . . ?" I look down at my stomach.

Peeta shakes his head. "No. I wouldn't tell him without you expressing that you want me to. Marvel doesn't even know and he's the father so I don't have the right to say anything at all." He steps forward, still lumbered with a small limp from his once broken ribs, and lays his hand over my stomach. It's odd, how comforted I am by the gentle touch. It makes warmth seep into my blood and I grip his wrist desperately, wanting him to forever anchor me through this.

"I'm going to be a laughing stock at school," I say miserably.

"Dating me was going to make you a bit of a laughing stock anyway. They'd think you're mad," says Peeta with a wry smile.