The Star-Crossed Lovers from District 12 (Wattys Finalist 2013)

Chapter 2

One thing runs through my mind, why would Peeta ask Gale to come and visit on our five year? Tonight I was going to tell Peeta that I loved him for the first time since our first night together. Tonight was suppose to be special, to not only me but Peeta also.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Peeta thought it would be a good idea for me to come and surprise you since we haven’t seen each other since the Rebellion ended. I knew it was a bad idea. Peeta, I knew I shouldn’t have come,” He says and starts to walk out the door. I run up to his side and when he turns around I wrap my arms tightly around his neck. I missed him like crazy. He hasn’t talked to me ever since I told him I loved Peeta, which is why he moved away from me. Gale slowly wraps his arms around me, not sure if he can trust me again, but eventually he is squeezing me hard to.

“I missed you Gale.”

“I know. I missed you to Catnip.” I smile. I let go of Gale and turn around to see Peeta smiling because I’m smiling. He loves to see people smile, he told me it made him feel good on the inside even if he wasn’t the one that made them smile. I turn back around to Gale but he is barely smiling. I can tell something is bothering him. I’ll ask him later. I walk back up to Peeta and I pull him out the back door so we could have a private conversation.

“Peeta, thank you for bringing him here, but why did you? Gale doesn’t really like you because you took me out of his life and put me into yours,” I say.

“Which is exactly why I brought him here. I want us all just to be friends because I know you, and I could tell that you haven’t been the same without him,” he says. He’s right. I’ve felt different without him. I felt like a piece of me was missing, but I just ignore it.

 “Well I guess we are going to have to have a bigger dinner,” I say “I will just leave you two.” So I give Peeta a kiss goodbye and run home. I slam the door shut and curl up in a ball by the front door. I will have nightmares tonight. I just pull myself together and start to cook. It is only about thirty minutes when Gale walks through the door.

“Peeta said he will be home after the bread is done,” says Gale while walking into the kitchen.

“Okay,” I say while stirring the stew. It is dead silent between us for at least fifteen minutes until Gale starts to talk.

“So, are you and Peeta engaged, or still dating?” That’s a odd first question to ask since we haven’t seen each other in a few years. I just pretend that it isn’t and answer.

“No, we are still dating,” I say in a non-caring voice. “How about you, any one special back at Two?”

“Well there is this one girl, but we have only been seeing each other for a couple of weeks so it is not too serious,” says Gale.

“Really, what is her name?”

“Claudia, she is a Capitol citizen. And I don’t live in Two anymore, I live in the Capitol with her now” says Gale. Why didn’t he call me to tell me about this? He never tells me anything anymore. I’m really starting to hate it. He sits down at the dinner table, then it just gets dead silent again for about another five minutes until Peeta walked in. Thank goodness he is here because things were starting to get a little awkward. Peeta gives me a kiss on the cheek and sits down next to Gale. I served dinner, and everyone ate in silence. Peeta tried to get a conversation started but he could tell that no one wanted to talk. After dinner Peeta started conversation again.

“Katniss, you want to go on a walk?”

“I would love to, but I got to clean up.”

“Don’t worry Katniss I got it,” says Greasy Sae.

“Are you sure?” I ask.

“Yeah, you go, have fun.”

“I’ll help her to,” says Gale. I smile. Peeta and I head out the door and start going towards the woods. He grabs my hand as if he knew I started to get a little nervous because I have not been in the woods since we were doing propos. I start to squeeze Peeta’s hand as we get closer to the collapsed fence. Right before we walk into the woods I freeze in my spot. Peeta lets’ go of my hand, grabs me around my waist and looks me in the eyes.

“Katniss, you can do it. I will be right next to you the entire time, and I will protect you from any harm. If it be physical or mental I will be here for you. You trust me right?” I nod my head, and wrap my arms around his neck. He gives me a kiss on my forehead then grabs my hand. We start to walk into the woods and I am holding onto Peeta’s hand so tight that nothing could break it apart.

“Do you think you could give me a tour?” he asks.

“I guess, what is there to show you?”

“Show me your most memorable spots.” I just give my head a nod. I showed him up in the trees where Gale and I would sleep when the fence is on. I showed him the rock we hid behind when we saw the red head Avox girl get carried into the sky. And I saved the best for last, the lake where my father and I would go, and that is where we decided to sit and watch the sunset. Peeta sits on the ground and I sit next to him.

“Isn’t the sunset beautiful tonight?”

“Yeah, but not as beautiful as you,” says Peeta scooting closer. I blush. Peeta put his arm around me. I have to ask the question that has been bothering me for a long time. He’s never told me this.

“Can I ask you something?” I ask him. He nods his head. “Please be honest and don’t hold back but, do you love me?” His face goes into shock but doesn’t hesitate to answer.

“Katniss, I love you with my whole heart. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. If you weren’t with me you know I would have nothing to live for.” That is exactly how I feel about him. “These past five years have been the best of my life even though for some of it you were faking being in love with me, and I was high jacked, but it still will always mean a lot to me because you were with me during it.” I feel warm water running down my cheek. He takes his thumb and wipes it away and then kisses me. He begins to tear up also.

“I love you so much. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I felt like we starting to drift away from each other.” He smiles.

“After all those years I loved you and the three years I’ve been with you? I would never lose you again.” I laugh a little. “With all of that said and done I have something to ask you. Please be honest and don’t hold back.” I have a feeling on what he is going to do after we just poured out our hearts to each other, but we have only been together for three years to the day. Other than what I am thinking I have no clue. But then I see that sparkle in his eye so now I know that what I was thinking is what he is going to do. He is down on one knee now and I have no doubt. “Will you marry me?”

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