Catching Fire (Katniss loves Peeta)

Chapter 17

"I hung a dummy and painted Seneca Crane's name on it." I announce. Everyone stops the whole 'Peeta you idiot' and starts with the 'Katniss you complete idiot' looks. Even our stylists join in.

"I can see why you two are perfect together, you can't even do private training sessions right! This is your second year in the boat Katniss! The Capitol wants you both targeted by the enemy, so they gave you high scores. But guess what? The Gamemakers aren't going to go easy on you now either! You've just killed yourselves!" Haymitch screams in rage.

"I'm sorry okay.." I say.

"How did you even know about that Katniss?" Effie asks.

"It was supposed to be a secret? Well when President Snow told me he made it seem like everyone knew." Effie leaves the room and heads down the hall. Cinna just shakes his head and stares at the ground.

"Both of you just go on. I can't stand to look at either if you at the moment." Haymitch says carelessly.

"Something to drink, please!" He calls as we walk down the hall. Well, Haymitch is back.

"That went well," I say once my door shuts.

"Haymitch always makes things go so well." I laugh lightly.

"You wanna know something?" I ask. His eyebrows curve up.

"What's that?"

"I'm really tired. And I'm going to sleep." He shakes his head.

"There is the loud, rebellious girl I love." I grimace at him.

"I'm joking. Go to sleep, Katniss. I'll be here for you."

My heart leaps about a mile when he says the last part. I know he loves me, and I know I love him, but there isn't anything better than hearing him say things about always staying with me.

"Always," I respond laying down on the bed.

"Always." He mimics sits down next to me.

"Did you know I used to watch you? From a distance I mean, I didn't stalk you." I find myself blurting out. I hate blurting out things. He arches his eyebrows, his blue eyes staring intently into mine.

"No, but I watched you." I didn't know that at the time, but he told me last year. He takes his shirt off throws it towards the door.

"You were popular," I state quietly staring at his abs. He rests his chin on my head.

"I had a few good friends, and they had friends, and so on, that was it. You were normally what I paid attention to anyway."

"Why did you ever like me Peeta? I'm thrilled you're my husband and I love you soo much.. But why did you have a crush on me out of everyone else there is? I'm not the prettiest. I wasn't popular.."

He moves his chin and raises mine to meet his.

"No your not the prettiest your the most gorgeous woman in Panem. It doesn't matter if you are popular. You are Katniss... You just have this energy that radiates off you. And your voice is why I started liking you." My unbelievable cheeks decide to heat up.

"You know I didn't have a pregnancy glow in kindergarten." I point out. He ignores me.

"You hooked me like a.." He pauses and thinks for a few seconds. "A siren!" Maybe I need to call the hospital for him.

"What's a siren?" I ask him carefully. He smiles.

"My grandfather told me this story about these girls with mermaid tails, sirens, that lived in the ocean and they would lure sailors to their death by singing. And that my wife, was you."