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

Chapter 24

He wraps his arms around me.

“Katniss,” my dad says starting to choke on his words. He pulls back and kisses me on the forehead. I go and sit down next to Peeta and he puts his arm around me. I can’t believe he actually showed up. I really thought he wouldn’t come. I’m still a little shocked that he came. I thought he would walk out on me. Leave me to have no parents, like Peeta. I am crying tears of joy. He is my everything right now. He came. He loves me. I am about to have my first conversation with my dad in ten years.

“Dad, why did you wait five days to come and see me? I thought you abandoned me again?”

“It’s a long story.”

“We have nothing but time.” He sits down, takes a breath and begins.

“Well, a couple weeks before the explosion you know I wasn’t home that much?” I nod my head. “Well instead of working in the mines, I and all the other miners went deep into the tunnels in a plan to overthrow the Capitol. Apparently the Capitol sent in spies and we got caught in the act. On the day of the explosion, Peacekeepers disguised themselves as coal miners and were heavily armed. We were planning on overthrowing the Capitol in a week when we were attacked. They threatened to blow up the mines if we didn’t go to the Capitol with them now. Most of us surrendered, including me. Some people fought like Gale’s father.Eventually the Peacekeepers just gave up and blew up the mines. The people that surrendered got out safe, the people that fought were most of the ones that were pulled out of the mine. Gale, your father was one of them. He fought and survived the explosion so the Capitol took him. He is alive. He’s just too afraid to meet you, but if you want to meet him he is a few doors down.” Gale takes a deep breath and he begins to choke up a bit.

“Do you think he would want to see me?”

“I know he would.” Gale gets up and walks out the door. I hope it goes well with him. He’s probably really nervous, but at least he knows that his father is fine, as well as mine.

“So if you were kidnapped by the Capitol how are you here?” asks Peeta curiously.

“Well, us miners were the first Rebels to rebel against the Capitol. We had a pretty good plan but all we did was hijack the hovercraft since there was twenty or more of us and only a dozen Peacekeepers so it was pretty easy. We eventually crash landed the hovercraft on the outskirts of Nine. We stayed out in the woods for a couple of years until we were found by some people that escaped their district. They helped us get fake district ID cards and we lived in Nine for a year. We never went to work though. We found an abandoned house and we would go there every day to think of ways to overthrow the Capitol. When we heard that the victors went back into the arena, then escaped and were going to overthrow the Capitol, we were on our way to Thirteen immediately. We were about halfway there because we were on foot when we found out that you were in Capitol. We decided to keep going to Thirteen so we could help when you guys when you came back. We came in time but I and Gale’s father weren’t ready to face you guys. So we became citizens of Thirteen after you guys left. But if it weren’t for us staying in Thirteen, Katniss you would be the only one alive right now and Paylor would still be out there.” I go up and give him a hug.

“Dad, I love you. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome sweetheart.” He kisses my cheek. Peeta leans up and shakes my father’s hand. I smile.

“Sir, you saved my life. Thank you, if it weren’t for you I couldn’t be with your lovely, beautiful, caring daughter,” says Peeta. He smiles and gives me a kiss.

“Oh, that’s right, ‘The Star-Crossed lovers from Twelve.’ Well I’m pretty sure this Rebellion is over, you can leave the act behind now,” says my dad. Peeta and I just look at each other, since we don’t know what to say. He still thinks it’s an act. He was in the few district citizens that knew about our spiel. I barely choke out any words.