Chapter 8
-Peeta-
I just want the party to end so Katniss and I can be by ourselves. But the party goes on for several hours and everyone seems to have fun.
"Finn go and play with Cassidy", Annie says to a nagging Finn.
There aren't many kids at the party.
"But she's a girl", Finn complains.
Cassidy shoots lightning with her eyes at Finn, clearly that she feels offended.
"Finn!" Annie says warning. "Run along, go on, and take Cassidy with you, and be nice!"
"Yeah yeah", Finn sighs and take Cassidy's arm and pulls her away.
"I can walk by myself thank you very much", Cassidy sputters to Finn and pulls away from his grip.
She sticks her nose in the air and walk away from him. Finn looks like he wants to yell at her, but he just follows her and doesn't leave her.
Annie sighs.
"I really don't know what's up with him nowadays", she says.
"Oh well", our old friend Beetee says, sitting in his wheelchair. "If he's anything like Finnick, he'll appreciate pure beauty soon enough".
"Yeah he'll fall head over heels for that young lady", Haymitch chuckles.
Pollux raises and eyebrow and get an expression on his face that says he'll not allow it to happen.
I understand him, I do, I mean Cassidy is his little girl after all.
"Oh Pollux, Cassidy will soon grow up, just you wait", Felice says an takes Pollux hand in hers.
Pollux shakes his head as if he forbids Cassidy from growing up.
Everyone laughs.
"But it's not a bad thing to appreciate beauty", I say.
"No, you've never had a problem with that Peeta", Plutarch agrees merrily. "And look where it has brought you today".
Katniss blushes but looks a bit grumpy.
"On you it sounds like Peeta is the only one who can appreciate things, you know I had to be here or he couldn't get married and I chose to be here", Katniss says insulted. "And I chose to be here because I love him and appreciate him and not just becasue he's nice, very good looking and can bake and paint, no truth to say I appreciate everything Peeta is".
Everyone looks intently at Katniss. Everyone knows how serious she is, me too, you can easily tell when she's lying and telling the truth.
I take Katniss hand hand holds it tightly.
"But Katniss, how did Peeta propose to you?" Plutarch asking curiously.
I freeze. I look at Katniss and she smiles.
Everyone within earshot turns their heads curiously towards us and soon the whole party stops. And I suddenly become very aware of the cameras.
"Okay", Katniss says eventually. "Story time".
*A year earlier*
-Katniss-
"Peeta!" I shout as if I have a problem.
I really shouldn't do that because whatever Peeta's holding he just drops when I shout like that.
"Peeta!"
KRASH ... BOOM ... KRASH, the next second Peeta's standing in the doorway to our bedroom.
"Katniss what is it? What happened? Are you hurt?" He asks anxiously and enters the room.
"No", I say, shaking my head. "No everything is fine with me Peeta".
"So what is it?"
"I just missed you", I say with my best puppy face.
Peeta laughs.
"You know I was just in the kitchen right?" He asks.
"Yep".
"Katniss there was something else", Peeta says and sits down on the edge of the bed beside me. "I've said it before and I'll say it again, you're a terrible liar".
He's right, I wanted something. But now when I think about it, it's not something I want to ask him. I would lose all my dignity, no I'd rather keep it.
"Oh well", is all I say and start to pick on a button on Peetas green shirt.
I put my head on Peetas shoulder while I still pick at the button.
Peeta puts his arm around me.
"Katniss would you like to go out tonight?" He whispers.
"Of course I'd like to, where?"
"It'll be a surprise".
I hate surprises, but I just nod. I start massaging my ring finger on my left hand, when I know that he looks at me. Even though I don't whant to talk about it, maybe I could send hints to him about what I want.
Peeta doesn't seem to see what I do and that's when I feel the smell.
I frowned upon the smell.
"What's that burning smell?" I ask.
"Oh my godness, the bread!" Peeta exclaims and flies up from the bed and rushes down to the kitchen.
I can't help but to laugh. Oh Peeta.
Later that evening I'm wearing a blindfold. I hate it, I can't see what's in front of me or what danger is ahead of me. But Peetas hands on my shoulders and the warmth of his body calms me down.
"Okay, now I take off your blindfold", Peeta says finally when we've stopped.
We're in the meadow. He has laid out a picnic under the big willow.
Candles, a blanket to sit on and only one blanket to keep warm. I like how he thinks there. It looks so cozy and we sit down.
Suddenly Peeta takes up a loaf of bread and stands up a bit aways from me. He throws the loaf so it lands a few milimeters from my feet. Just like when we where eleven.
I look wonderingly at him but he tries to look innocent. I look at the bread and take it up.
There is a crack in the middle of the bread. I break it up and see a dimond ring sparkle in the glow of the soft candle lights.
Peeta baked a ring in the bread. I look up at him again, but this time he's on his knee a few milimeters in front of me.
I look into his beautiful clear blue tear filled eyes.
"When I threw the bread to you when we where children it was actually the first time I think you saw me and I loved you before that. You light up my days and make my life worth living despite the fact that I have bad days at some point. We've had some pretty hard days, you know everything with Stella, and I wouldn't have been able to go through that without you. Without you, I have absolutely nothing. Without you, I am nothing. So Katniss Everdeen would you do me the greatest honor of marrying me?"
Peeta is crying now. I notice that even I cry.
"Oh Peeta of course I want to", I cry. "Yes Peeta yes, of course I want to, oh Peeta I love you so much".
Peeta takes the ring from me and puts it on my ring finger.
I throw myself over Peeta and tackles him to the ground.
He laughs and I put my lips against his warm and steady once
*Present*
-Peeta-
It's completely silent when Katniss is finished.
"You baked in a ring into a bread loaf?" Johanna asking in disbelief.
"Yep", I reply. "For us it means a lot, for me because it was the first time she ever saw me..."
"... and for me because he saved my life, I would've starved to death otherwise", Katniss says.
"It sounds really beautiful", Plutarch says crying mild. God what a drama queen he is. "Peeta you sound like a real romantic".
"Plutarch I don't know if you heard, but he baked in a ring into freaking bread loaf!" Johanna says and shakes her head.
I can't help but to laugh.
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-Josephine 💋