Catching Fire (Katniss loves Peeta)

Chapter 7

"Do other people think like that too?" I ask.

"Yeah, mom's friends and my middle brother. Don't worry my dad is the same one the topic." He points out.

"At least your Dad doesn't care," I state. By now we are on Haymitch's steps.

"I'm so sorry about my mom," Peeta says shaking his head as we walk in. His blonde curls bounce everywhere. I can't help but smile.

"Haymitch!" I scream as we walk into his house. I hear some mumbling in the kitchen.

"Bet you he got drunk and passed out, again," I say.

"He always does that," Peeta says. We are wrong. We walk into the kitchen and see Haymitch trying to cook on the stove.

"I'm drunk uh?" Haymitch says looking at me. "I guess not, but I'll wager your hungover," I say.

"You both must have been drunk from what I heard last night. It's a miracle her mother didn't hear, she would have killed you both already." Haymitch says smirking.

"Haymitch, stop trying to annoy her," Peeta says.

"Lover boy taking up for you sweetheart?" Haymitch asks. He knows.

"Don't call him that," I exclaim angrily.

"Are you protective over him? That's a new twist. Normal it's you in the background rolling your eyes while he protects you." Haymitch says. I just start crying. I can't believe Haymitch said that. He knows I feel awful about pretending in the arena and now he brings it up.

"Haymitch!" Peeta yells.

"What?!" Haymitch asks annoyed.

"Why did you do that?! You know it hurts her, and you did it on purpose!" Peeta yells.

"It's fun," Haymitch says. I just stare at him. I've stopped crying but I still feel awful.

"It's not fun to us!" Peeta yells.

"I've never heard that before," Haymitch says sarcastically.

"Haymitch we are sorry we checked on you. I can't believe you would purposely do that to her." Peeta says. Peeta picks me up and carries me to his house.

"My family leaves for work about 11:00 they were about to leave when we walked out. I think your Mother would throw a fit if she saw you crying in my arms, so I'm taking you to my house."

"I can't believe he would mention that," I whisper.

"Katniss we discussed it. I'm not mad. You love me now so why does it matter?" Peeta says.

"Because I faked it once upon a time," I say as Peeta sits me on the couch.

"I'm okay now. I am." I say still trying to convince myself. I'm not though. I lied to Peeta, whom I love. I don't know why I couldn't have realized I loved him in kindergarten like he did with me.

I have to convince Peeta I'm okay or he will feel bad.

"Let's just watch TV," I say. And we do. We just watch TV while I calm down. "How about we just leave early?

"Yeah, it'll take a little while to get there anyway," Peeta says. The clock says its about 11:30. We get up and before we leave Victors Village I drop in to tell my mother we are going to the school.

The school isn't that big. It's actually small if you think about it. I don't know why you have to go to school. If you are going to be a coal miner what does reading do for you? We walk into the office to tell them we are here. They let us go back and tell us Prim is at lunch. I know where the cafeteria is. I used to have to go there and sit alone most of the time, every weekday.