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

Chapter 14

The next morning it was the tributes parade. All day before that happens I completely ignore Peeta’s room. It felt like forever until it was finally time for the parade but the worst part is, is that I’m not allowed to leave my room until they start training. The tributes will come out by their mentors last name and strangely enough Haymitch Abernathy’s tributes are first and in the chariot I see Gale and Claudia holding each other’s hands but not showing the audience like Peeta and I did. Eventually I get lost in the parade that I don’t even hear the knock at my door and next thing I knew Haymitch was standing over me.

“Why aren’t you at the parade?” I ask.

“I was just about to head there but I went to check on Peeta before I left and when I got there he was having a very strong flash back. Once it was over I asked him if he needed anything and he said you. Instead we just wheeled in a TV and turned on the tribute parade. He’s had a couple flash backs but other than that he’s doing great.”

“Then why are you here?” I ask.

“I was just going to let you know I left the door to his room open so in case you want to go and see him you’re allowed.”

“Why should I, our relationship is over. There is no turning back on what happened and we are getting divorced. Life will go on and we’ll be fine,” I say. Haymitch sits down on the bed next to me and grabs my hands.

“Katniss, he wants to see you, this is great. It would be a great part of his healing process-,” I cut him off.

“You said there could be a chance that he will never be the same,” I say.

“Yeah, I said a chance. But those chances are going downhill fast.”

“Haymitch it’s no use, it’s done and over there is nothing else to do but what he wants,” I say. He looks at me right in the eyes.

“He wants you,” he says. Haymitch gets up and leaves the room. Right before he leaves he stops in the door way. “And by the way sweetheart what happened to you not giving up on him.” He leaves the room and a million things cross my mind. I did say I wasn’t going to give up. And everyone has been telling me that if I give up he gives up. I still want my naturally kind, and sweet Peeta back, but have I crossed the line saying that I was going to give up. I think about this for a while and eventually work up enough courage to go over and see him. When I get in there are doctors are showing him mine and his memories and he seemed pretty calm. But when one of the doctors mentioned my name he started having strong flashbacks. I think he almost got out of the straps securing him down. I can’t take this anymore. I just march right out of there. I guess I didn’t pull enough courage together. He won’t be the same, I know it. Once I got to my room I swore to myself that I would never see him again until he’s his old him. I lay down on my bed and finish watching the parade and go to bed. I wake up with nightmares of me and him in the games and that we both got attacked by mutts. Peeta threw the dog off him and killed it with a stone but I died from the attack. But for some reason I could still see Peeta. He starting giving me mouth to mouth, but then he heard the cannon, and he knew I was dead. He starts crying and gives me one last kiss then leaves. But I can still see him even though he’s all the way to my right. I see him turn into one of those mutts and go and attack Cato, and then it was over. I tell myself not to be stupid to go over to the other side of the bed and cuddle up with nothing but the air. So the rest of the night I just look up at the ceiling wondering if Peeta will ever be him again. By the time it’s morning I’m exhausted, but I go to breakfast with a smile on my face. I walk down the hall and go through a door that had a strong aroma of eggs and toast coming from it. I walk in to see Haymitch and Effie eating breakfast.

“Come on dear, join us,” says Effie. So I sit down and start to eat even though I’m not that hungry.

“So do you think Gale and Claudia have a chance of winning?” I ask.