Finding the Missing Piece: An Everlark Story

Chapter Ninety-Seven

"I apologize for bringing it up. I must be going now. I hope you two have a safe trip and enjoy your time." Mrs. Everdeen says and stands from her seat.

Katniss and I rise from our seats too.

We lead her to the door and each of us embrace her with a hug.

"Take care of my baby." She whispers into my ear as we hug.

"Always." I whisper back.

"Goodbye." Mrs. Everdeen says to us both as she opens the door.

"Bye." Katniss and I say in unison and you can hear the fake smile in Katniss's voice.

"I love you, both."

"We love you too." I say and she goes.

I slowly shut the door and Katniss just stands there with an angry expression that soon turns to tears.

"Katniss, why are you crying?" I ask her, concerned.

This makes more tears fall down her face.

I wipe them away and brush the hair away from her face.

"I am so mad."

I laugh a bit, I kneel down so that I'm eye level with her. "What?" I ask her, laughing.

"I said that I am mad. I'm mad at my mom but I just didn't want her to go, even after she asked that stupid question. I don't want to leave but I'm so ready to get out of here." She says frustratedly.

"Katniss, you shouldn't be mad at her. We are leaving for quite awhile and I doubt we will see her again until Christmas. And us leaving is an opportunity for you and her to start over new every time. I don't want to leave either, this is our home but it's time for a new adventure together. A new start and a new life away from District Twelve." I explain to her.

"Look at me?" I ask her nicely, taking her hands into mine.

She stubbornly turns her head in my direction.

"It is time for a new start somewhere else. One day, we can start again here or somewhere totally different. The places we go and the people we see might change but you know what will never change?"

"What?"

"That you and I will always be together no matter where we go or who we are with. We are in it together, forever. We get to start every single new adventure together and I think that's pretty special."

"Yeah."

"I know that you don't like change but it will be okay. I promise you that." I say, gently taking hold of her cheeks.

Tears begin filling her gray eyes again.

"Katniss, don't start acting like this, please? Come on, just look at me?" I say and her eyes are still focused on something in the distance.

She refuses to look at me, now.

"Is this really how you want to end our last night here? Us fighting or not talking to each other. Don't you want to have some fun or at least not be mad or sad?" I say, a bit frustrated with her.

Finally, she slowly moves her eyes to mine again and it causes us both to smile just a little.

"I'm sorry. I just, I don't know what to think right now and I can't believe she asked us that." Katniss says.

I put my hands on her shoulders.

"I know but just don't let little things upset you." I say and hope that I didn't just say the wrong thing.

I hold my breath and wait for a reply.

"Peeta, that question she asked wasn't little. All those damn questions people ask us about our relationship aren't little. Those questions are life-changing decisions that only you and I make. It's not up to them to make them or decide when it's time and their butting in helps nothing. This change isn't little either, we are leaving our home." She says.

I just look at her while think about what she is telling me and I know she is right.

She shrugs her shoulders, waiting for an answer.

These questions are all our decisions.

It's no one else's and it's not their business.

They shouldn't be asking when those things will happen because we aren't really sure of that ourselves and the pressure helps nothing.

I understand now why Katniss always gets so frustrated.

"You're right and I know that it is frustrating but you can't let it bother you. Either way, it's up to us to so don't let it effect us." I say and she turns and walks away from me.

I can see that she is still upset by it all and the fact that we are leaving our whole lives behind is hitting her hard. L

I know she is still adjusting to life without Prim and then to leave her mom and her home is tough so I just need to be patient with her.

And besides, that is what a big chunk of love is.

Love is patient.

Patience.

I roll my eyes at her actions but I really don't mean to do it, it's out of frustration because of her stubbornness.

She can just be so difficult sometimes and I wish she wouldn't shut me out.

I pack the entire kitchen by myself and go into the art studio/bedroom that was so full of life and color to find the walls bare and white.

The guest bed has been stripped completely.

The desk and shelves removed.

They will be sent along with the rest of the furniture to storage.

I walk into Katniss and I's bedroom that I also find stripped of all detail.

The walls removed of my many paintings and the dresser with the mirror that Katniss and I shared glances in.

I look to my side of the bed that was always surprisingly neat and then Katniss's side that was messy with the tons of clothes she could never decide on wearing each day.

I look at the bed and see the only thing that still holds any meaning to the room.

A girl that I know so well.

She has gray eyes, and dark hair and has a face that gives off so many different expressions, in which even her scowls, I find beauty.

Katniss is already fast asleep.

She must've been exhausted and upset because she always waits for me to come in.

I frown at the thought of Katniss being upset at me or anyone, really.

As I strip off my day clothes, I get into bed in nothing but my underwear.

I turn to face Katniss and begin thinking of tomorrow's events.

Tomorrow, we leave for college and tomorrow is the day we start our new life together.

I just hope we get to dorm together.

I fall asleep satisfied with my life, despite tonight's events but I know it will blow over by morning.