Catching Fire (Katniss loves Peeta)

Chapter 14

"Except possibly when it come to you." I smile a small girlish grin that I thought I would never be able to make. The music begins and I see the wide doors opening for the first chariot, hear the roar of the crowd.

"Go time I guess."

We climb into the chariot. "Hold still," I say and straighten his crown.

"Portia says we are to be very above it all. And I'm supposed to stand in front of you."

"Why?" I ask confused.

"To look like I'm guarding you." He responds rolling his eyes. He steps in front of me, only slightly though.

"Where are they?" "I don't know." He responds. "Maybe we better go ahead and switch ourselves on." We do, and as we begin to glow, I can see people pointing at us and chattering, and I know once again, we will be the talk of the opening ceremonies. I stare at him trying to catch a glimpse of his face and remember how last year I actually wanted to kill him. How the tables have turned.

"Are okay?" He asks worried pushing my hair out of my eyes. "I'm fine." I say giving him a convincing smile. The first chariot goes through the doors and I grab Peeta's hand. "I am about to go to sleep. I can not wait till we can go to bed." I complain. Peeta rolls his eyes.

"You have to eat dinner first." He reminds me. Oh my the Capitol delicacies!

"You look beautiful." Peeta lies.

"I don't and you know it." I state. "You look perfect." By now he's turned around towards me. I just raise my eyebrow. Our chariot starts rolling and Peeta turns back around, facing forward. I state straight ahead. Above notice of the people yelling and pointing and Peeta and I. Despite the whole 'stare-straight-ahead' thing I can't help but see us on the screen.

We look breathtaking. The way we are portrayed. It doesn't make me look weak like I'm hiding. Standing tall and the 'stare ahead' thing help me look like I'm being brave. Besides people saw me from last year. "You can't take a compliment can you?" Peeta asks. I'm kind of in the middle of something.. But I say, "Well in my defense I was telling the truth."

He sneaks a quick glance at me. "Take the compliment. Say thank you." I huff. We stop in city circle. And Snow starts his lame every year, speech. "Thank you, Peeta."

"You are welcome. Not hard was it?" He asks.

"No, I guess not." I say spitefully. I look up and notice Snow watching me. I automatically take a step to hide behind Peeta. The horse starts walking again and we continue forward. I step off the chariot first, then Peeta. I notice the other victors all talking together. I notice Haymitch talking to Chaff and Seeder and pointing at us. Well at least I can talk with Peeta. Then Haymitch and 11 start walking towards us.

"Time to meet people.." I mutter to Peeta.

"Katniss and Peeta this is Chaff and this is Seeder." Chaff kisses me on the lips. Eww! I'm married! I back up into Peeta who is laughing. He wraps his arms around my waist protectively. Seeder looks scared and keeps glancing at Peeta and I but she still shakes our hands.

By now the peacekeepers are ordering everyone into the elevators. Haymitch grabs ahold of my hair loosely (which I should punch him over) and Peeta grabs my hand weaving through the crowd and into the elevator. Right before we all go into the elevator Johanna Mason, District 7, gets in the elevator as well.

"You two look amazing. I wish I had Cinna." She says facing the doors putting her hair down. "I'm District 7, lumber, trees. I'd love to bury my axe in my stylist's face." She takes her jewelry off. Johanna is dressed as a tree. Which isn't the worst costume I've seen, but it seems pointless to remind her that.

"So, what do you think? Now that the whole world wants to sleep with you?" Really?

"I don't think the whole world wants to sleep with me.." I say dumbstruck. She turns around. "I wasn't talking to you." She says sassily.

"Oh, okay." I say rolling my eyes. "Wanna unzip?" She asks Peeta. My face starts to burn. I'll kill him in his sleep if he says yes. I'll kill her for saying that much. I stare at Peeta with a curious look.

"No thanks." He responds raising our hands.

"I will." Haymitch responds smugly. I roll my eyes and look up at Peeta shyly. I mouth "Thanks." Johanna is now completely bare. Nothing on and I'm about to drag Peeta out of the elevator on whatever floor we are on. I'm not even going to see if he's looking I don't want to know. I try to stare at the city behind us.

The elevator dings as we stop on the 7th floor. "Thanks. Let's do it again sometime!"

"Thank you." Says Haymitch. He looks at us. "Johanna Mason, District 7." "I really don't care." I state. Haymitch chuckles and Peeta rolls his eyes. The elevator dings again except this time it is on floor twelve. I walk off the elevator and accidentally run into Effie. Anyone but Effie. Effie will ramble a bunch of stuff about manners to me.

"I am so sorry Effie. I didn't see you there." I exclaim.

"It is okay Katniss." Hold the horse, did she just tell me bumping into her was okay? Effie Trinket queen of manners? I stare at her for a second.

"What is something wrong?" She asks and moves her wig nervously.

Something wrong? No everything is a perfect land of lollipops and rainbows. I raise my eyebrows. I try to walk past her, but she catches my arm.

"I did not mean it like that Katniss. I meant is something wrong with my attire because you were staring." She says softly. What is up with her she's acting nice? Not all 'I think I'm going to annoy Katniss today'.

"No nothing is wrong with your attire Effie." I walk off to my bedroom pulling Peeta behind me. Before I get to far I notice Darius. No! All the times I say around the Hob whiling he teased me and he ends up here?

Thanks for reading!! 

~K.D. Howell 😃😘😘!