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

Chapter 16

“Hey,” he says while sitting up. I realize that he’s not strapped down or in handcuffs.

“Hey, you must be doing better,” I say.

“Yeah, Haymitch came in here and took off my handcuffs and I feel amazing,” he says.

“Peeta that’s great.”

“Yeah, but I still get the occasional small flashback, nothing bad though,” he says. He gets out of his bed and holds both of my hands.

“I’m me again Katniss. They came up with some type of medication that works like no other,” he says while rubbing my hands. I know what I have to do right now. I let go of his hands and take his ring off my finger.

“Peeta, if you’re really back will you please take back you’re ring and not divorce me?” I ask with a lot of hope in my voice. He takes the ring.

“Katniss, from now on I am going to make a promise with you. And this is a promise that I will keep for as long as I live.” He looks me right into my eyes and my heart pounds.  “Katniss from now on no matter what condition I am in I will never again take off this ring because I will never divorce you. I love you Katniss.” He slips back on his ring and kisses me. I have my old Peeta back. I have gone through the last wall separating us. Finally.

“You’re back,” I say.

“Who says I ever left.”

“Peeta I love you so much, and I missed you so much,” I say starting to cry. He wipes my tears away with his thumb.

“Katniss, don’t cry. There is nothing to cry about,” he says. I start crying again.

“These are tears of joy Peeta. I’m happy. You’re back to normal. I haven’t seen you like this in a month,” I say burying my face into his shoulder. He wraps his strong arms around me and kisses my head.

“I missed you to Katniss. I love you so much it hurts,” he says. I just wrap my arms around him as tight as I can and tell myself I will never let go. Once I gather myself we lay down on the bed and wraps his arm around me and turns on the TV. The only thing on is the tributes ratings, but I could really care less about that. I have my husband back. I missed him so much and for the first time in a month my life has felt normal again. The way Peeta is acting in front of me right now is remarkable. I couldn’t even tell that he was hijacked for a month because he still has his charm, friendliness, and most important the most beautiful smile. I cuddle up close to him so tight that nothing could separate us. While they were doing the rating, me and Peeta were catching up on lost time. I tell him how it was terrible at night without him, and he tells me how bad his back hurt after sleeping on that table for a week, but once Gale and Claudia’s score some up next Peeta and I drop dead silent. Out of the ten or eleven of us we all gave the tribute a number and that tribute would get the average of all the numbers. Most of the tributes got two’s or three’s, except that one tribute. He got an eight which probably shocked everyone in the Capitol.

Finally it’s Gale and Claudia because for some reason they went last. Claudia’s number was first. I gave her ten. I don’t know what the other Gamemakers gave her. When her number comes up I was actually shocked. She got an eleven. The same score I got when I was in the games the first time. Then Gale’s picture comes up. I tighten my grip on Peeta’s hand and take a deep breath. He gives me a kiss on the head. I gave Gale and eleven because personally he did better than Claudia. The number that flashes up on the TV about made me throw up. I gave him an eleven while the others gave him low numbers. His average was a 6. Peeta and I look at each other both with shocked faces. Did they do this because he was my “cousin” or because he was a rebel? I don’t know but what I do know is that my face is pale white. Peeta gets up and gets me a cup of water then lays back down with me. He makes me drink every last drop then starts to stroke my hair.