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

Chapter 3

We both know my answer. I kiss him. I have never seen Peeta so happy. He puts a ring on my finger, and I throw myself into his arms so hard that he falls to the ground. I lift my head up and lock my eyes with his.

“I love you so much,” I say.

“I love you more,” he says. We both smile, and he kisses me. That was the first kiss in my real engagement. That kiss, right there meant the world to me because it just came from my future husband. I could tell that my personality has changed since Peeta and I got together. But it didn’t change for the worst, it changed for the better. Instead of being the person that only used to smile in the woods, I am now the person that smiles wherever I go, especially when I’m with Peeta. Peeta and I got up, and he just opened up his arms and I went right into them. We watched the sunset go down without leaving each other’s side. When we got home Gale and Greasy Sae were washing dishes in the kitchen.

“Greasy Sae, Gale I have some news,” I say. Greasy Sae comes up to me and gives me a hug.

“Let me see it,” she says. Her mouth drops when she sees it. “That is a beautiful ring, better keep him around,” she says. I laugh.

“How did you guys know? He just proposed to me like an hour ago.”

“When you left the bakery I told Gale that I was going to propose to you, but I didn’t know when or where to do it. So Gale told me to do it after dinner when the sun is setting by the lake. If it weren’t for him I would have proposed to you in the bakery or something like that,” says Peeta.

“Well I still would have said yes, but how did Greasy Sae know?” I ask.

“I told her when we were washing dishes,” says Gale. I just nod my head.

“Hey, I am going to go get ready for bed, will you help situate Gale in the basement on the couch?” I ask. Peeta nods his head and head down into the basement.

 I go upstairs and start getting ready for bed with two things on my mind. The first was that I couldn’t believe that I was going to marry Peeta. The second was how many times I was going to wake up tonight with nightmares because of what has happened today. With Gale here it will trigger memories of hunting and Thirteen and the Games.  And with me marrying Peeta it will bring up memories of the arenas and him being hijacked and not loving me. I have to catch myself on the bathroom counter at the thought of Peeta not loving me. I am so deep in thought I don’t even hear Peeta come into the bathroom. All I can hear is a fuzzy “Katniss.” I thought I was going to faint, but Peeta was there for me like he said he would be and gets my attention again. He makes me drink a glass of water and sit down. “You okay? Your face was so pale you looked like a ghost.”

“Yeah I’m fine,” I say.

“Are you sure, because you know you can tell me anything.”

“Yeah, I guess I was just dehydrated, I’m fine though really,” I say getting into bed.

“Okay, but if there is something bothering you, you will tell me right.”

“Right.” I would have told him but he will figure out tonight when I am having nightmares. Peeta finishes getting ready for the night and climbs into bed. He puts his arm over me and kisses my cheek.

“I love you,” he says.

“Love you to.” The night went pretty good. I was having dreams and not nightmares, and I thought I was just over reacting until about two a.m. I woke myself screaming. I was covered in sweat, my face wet from tears, and I was shaking a mile a minute. Peeta wakes up from my scream as well.

“What’s wrong?” he asks in a worried voice. I just wrap my arms around him, bury my face in his shirt, and just start crying. He begins to rub my back, kissing my head, and telling me that it was just a dream. After I finally calm down he asks

“Want to tell me what happened?” I nod my head. We lay down with our arms wrapped around each other.

“It was us in the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games, you died from blood poisoning. I knew I had nothing to live for so I was going to kill myself, and then the next thing I knew I was in Eight watching all of the wounded getting killed. Then I was at Snow’s mansion in a cell right next to yours. Snow asked me if I loved you, and I said yes. Then he asked you if you loved me, and you said no,” I say starting to cry again. “You said if you could you would kill me right then and there.”

 “Well Katniss it was just a dream, I would never want to kill you, and I do love you. I always want you to know that, okay?” says Peeta. I nod my head. “Katniss, look at me.” His bright blue eyes lock with my dark grey ones.

“We are going to get married and live with each other forever. You know why?” asks Peeta.

“Because we love each other,” I say.

“That’s right,” he says. Then he kisses me, and it makes me feel a lot better knowing that he wasn’t lying when he said he would be there for me. “Now let’s go back to sleep.” I don’t disagree and get comfy in his strong arms. When I did fall asleep I never let go of him.

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Not a suspenseful ending, I know...but vote if you liked it and comment what you liked and disliked

Love, Bookjunkie001