It's been over a year since the accident happened with Snow. Peeta and I went back to the college and everyone seemed so shocked that we were together. Every time I look at him my heart melts. The love shows in his eyes and the faithfulness he had towards me shows every time he holds my hand. I feel that rush of energy when his lips are on mine or when his hands find the hem of my shirt. I won't lie, we have come close to sex a couple of times. But he knows how much abstinence means to me and I think he believes the same way. Which is exactly why things have worked out so well with us. We haven't fought one time after what happened during Thanksgiving break, Peeta still tries to apologize for that. But when he does I usually kiss him to stop his rant. Right now our plane is landing in New York. Peeta agreed to come spend Christmas with me. If he didn't I wouldn't have been able to leave him behind. His mother was very mad about him coming with me, so Plutarch had them flown out here with us. In a couple days after Christmas we will all go to New York City. I lean against Peeta while we wait for instructions to get off the plane. He seems very tense. Not relaxed at all.
"Peeta what's wrong?" I ask.
"Huh? Nothing." He says. The one time I can tell he's lying.
"Yes there is. You seem tense."
"I'm for really." He smiles his dazzling smile and I smile back. Whatever it is doesn't concern me so I will drop it.
"Hey are you two love birds gonna get off?" Ryan asks. He stands by our seats. We are the only ones left and the flight attendants look annoyed because until we leave they can't.
"Um, yeah sorry." We stand, grabbing our carry ins and going to the exit. As soon as we are in the airport I hear screaming. Someone sounds excited. I turn around and see Prim running towards me, using with me, knocking us both down in a massive hug.
"Hey sis." I kiss her head.
"Katniss I missed you."
"I was home 4 weeks ago for thanksgiving." Peeta helps us both up.
"Still was a long time ago." She argues playfully. Then she runs over to Peeta, embracing him. She whispers something in his ear that I can't understand. He just nods his head. Huh?
"What was that Prim?" I ask but before she can answere, I'm lifted off my feet and Into the air. This time it's Finnick who has me in his arms, spinning me around and around. I scream In joy and terror until he finally sets me down. Then I hug him. I didn't get to see him at Thanksgiving because he went out of state, so the last time I saw him was when I left after summer vacation.
"Hey Fin."
"Hey kitty kat." He purrs the nickname he gave me so Long ago. I hear about 5 girls yell my name and Finnick walks over to Peeta, punching his arm playfully. I'm surrounded by Glimmer, Clove, Annie, Joanna, and Madge. We skype all the time so I've seen them a lot more than the others. But it's still good to be able to actually touch them. They all hug me and I hear two guys make their way over to us and the girls get shoved out of the way. Marvel and Cato come up to hug me, making it almost impossible to breath.
"Guys.... Air...." They release me but smirks are on their faces so I can tell they did it on purpose. I kiss their cheeks and I walk towards my mom, step dad, and Uncle Haymitch. I get hugs from mom and Plutarch straight away, they tell me how much they missed me. Then I go to uncle Haymitch.
"Good to see you sweetheart." He pats my cheek. I smile. I can smell the spirits on his breath.
"I can tell your not the designated drive." He rolls his eyes.
"Your home! We should be celebrating!"
"Haymitch you drink when we don't celebrate." I say laughing. "But I'm not getting in a car with you." Then I see him. The tall, olive skinned black hair grey eyed boy I left this summer. He was gone for Thanksgiving too. I rush to him fast than the others, wrapping my arms around his mid section. He rests his head on mine and I breath in his scent.
"I missed you."
"I missed you too." He says. I only stand there, enjoying the smell of pine through his sweatshirt. He always smells like that.
"Hey Gale?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I have my Christmas present early?" He has been taunting me ever since October about the most amazing Christmas gift he got me. Or he said found me. I'm not sure hat the difference is.
"Katniss, it's Christmas Eve. Christmas is tomorrow you can wait." He says. I pull away from the hug and cross my arms.
"I've even waiting since October though." I wine.
"So you can wait one more night." He smiles.
"Yeah sure." I look at the floor.
"No pounting! It's going to be worth the wait."
"It better be." I laugh. We walk back to the others, and I take Peeta's hand. I'm getting a little tired even though it's only 9 am. I look outside at the snow that has claimed about 4 Inches of the ground. And a light snow starting. I haven't seen snow since last year. I missed it.
"Peeta?" I ask as we walk towards the cars. There are four of them because we have Peeta's family. Somehow it's decided Peeta and I will ride together.
"Yes love?" He asks. He gets in the drivers seat, starting the car.
"Can we play in the snow when we get to the house?" I ask like a child. He laughs.
"Of course. We can have a snowball fight, make a snowman, and make snow angels. All of us."
"Yes!" I say happy. Peeta looks so cute with his scarf around his neck, black gloves, and a black jacket. I'm loving his look. He looks over and catches me starring at him. I blush.
"You know, I wish I could be looking at you too." He says.
"Why? I'm not anything to look at. But you. Well you're kind of hot."
"Katniss, I would never call you hot. Hot is a temperature. You aren't pretty or beautiful. You are as radiant as the sun. And don't you ever forget that." He says and I actually awe out loud. I take on of his hands from the wheel and entwine our fingers. I lean my head on his shoulder.
"What did I ever do to deserve you?" I ask.
"I don't know. But whatever you did I'm glad you did it." He says as we pull Into the drive way. I turn to him.
"I love you."
"I love you too." And I accept his kiss. We get out of the car. I see Prim rushing out going towards the front door.
"Rory!" She yells. I see Gales little brother standing on the front porch with some flowers in his hands. I look closer, seeing they are white roses. I gasp.
"What's wrong?" Peeta asks. Our friends start coming towards us.
"Those flowers." I look at them, and all the bad memories of Snow rush back to me. I start hyperventilating and I hold onto Peeta's hand tighter.
"Is she okay?" Finnick asks.
"What happened to her?" Gale says. I don't answer them. Peeta looks but he doesn't understand because I never told him about the flowers Snow constantly had. They see where I'm looking, at Rory giving them to Prim. I think they start to understand that the flowers are the issue.
"Rory!" Gale yells.
"Yeah?"
"Get rid if those flowers!" He yells across the yard. Rory looks confused but walks them inside and the memories leave.
"I'm sorry. Snow used to keep a lot of white roses around the training center. I tell them.
"Katniss lets not think about that." Annie says. I nod.
"Let's play!" Prim yells running outside holding Rory's hand. I smile. I knew she liked him and the last time I heard from her they had gone on their first date. I get hot with a snowball, only to find Cato threw it. Always starting trouble.
"What are you going to do about it?" He smirks. I rush towards him, knocking us down in the snow. Them we are both being pelted with snowballs. We have to try to fight everyone until Peeta runs towards me.
"Peeta." I say backing up. He comes closer with a snowball in hand.
"Peeta." I take another stow before turning, but he grabs me. I'm greeted with snow in my face, sticking and staying there. He laughs at me.
"Oh Peeta darling." I purr getting an idea. He still has me in his arms.
"No. Don't even." His smile fades.
"To late. I love you." I crash my lips into his, now covering his face with snow as well. I laugh when I pull away. We act like kids, playing in the snow and making a snowman. We make snow angels and I get Peeta in the face with a snowball again. This time he kisses me. It's dark now, only the moon and street lights allow us to see. I notice how Peeta's eyes sparkle an the fresh Snow in his blonde curls stand out. I had to go inside for a minute so when I go outside again, I see Peeta standing alone. I break into a run and I wrap my arms around him, he spins, then we both fall into the snow. This reminds me of some thing that happened in a book a read.
"I want to take you somewhere." He smiles.
"Where?"
"A surprise. Let's go." We get up and run to the car. Everyone watches as we drive off with smirks in their faces. KD they know where we are going? It's about 10:30 so it's not like we can go to the shops this late on Christmas Eve. No place would be open. We drive out if the rich section towards the poor section. We head to the seam.
"Peeta?"
"Just be patient." He parks the car in front of my old house. I see a light on.
"A friend of my family moved here recently without much money. So he bought this house. I thought you would like I see it again for Christmas." He says. I get out of the car, kissing his cheek. He is so thoughtful. We knock on the door and a man steps out.
"Hello Peeta."
"Hello Cinna. This is Katniss."
"Hello." I say shaking his hand.
"Please come in. Peeta says you won't be staying long."
"No?" I ask.
"I have something planned." He smiles.
"Did Peeta tell you what I found?" Cinna asks leading us to the kitchen.
"No he didn't."
"Well I found this." He hands me something wrapped up. When I open it I find a picture of my father and me from when I was really young. My dad. It's my dad. I feel the tear fall down my face.
"Where?"
"In the bedroom with a window." He says. That's mine. I'm the only one who had a window. I can't believe I didn't see this before.
"Thank you." I say smiling.
"We would love to stay longer Cinna but we must be going." Peeta says.
"Come back anytime you want." He says. We walk for the... Back door? Peeta takes the picture and runs to the car, putting it in there, and running back.
"Peeta what are we doing?" I ask.
"Just follow me." He says taking my hand. We walk through the woods and I hold my coat tighter. It's cold. We walk for awhile, until we come up to the pond where my father taught me to swim. I smile.
"Katniss?" Peeta asks.
"Yes?"
"Let's go sit by the lake," he says. I walk to where a blanket? A blanket is I. The ground?
"Why is this set up?" I ask.
"Just relax for a few minutes." Peeta says. I lean my head on his shoulder and sigh. We sit there for at least 15 minutes, talking about little things and keeping each other warm.
"Peeta? When did you realized first loved me?" I ask randomly.
"Well, the first day you came to the college. And I tried so hard to talk to you but I failed."
"Really? I would have talked to you." I say.
"I didn't know that. You seemed out of my league." He says and I have to keep back from laughing.
"Well thanks, but I will be honest I should have talked to you. I saw you every week."
"And you always ordered the same thing. One cheese bun and a cup of hot tea."
"I love how you remember the little things."
"I remember everything about you." He says. "Katniss we need to talk." I tense up. Oh no. We need to talk.
"What about?" I ask nervous.
"Something g very important." I start crying.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what I did but I'm sorry. Please don't break up with me,"
"Break up with you? No way!" He says. "Katniss don't cry. I would never
Leave you." He stands pulling me up with him. He wipes away the tears in my eyes.
"Then what do we need to talk about?" I ask.
"Follow me." He leads me to the little house where we stayed the night two summers ago. Peeta says to stay outside and when he knocks on the door to come in. After a few minutes I hear the knock that means it's okay to enter. I see candles like all over the floor, a fire blazing in the corner, and roses. Primroses. What Prim was named after. I smile. I can't see Peeta but I focus on the flowers. I look closer and see they spell something out.
Will you marry me?
That's what the flowers spell out. Then I see Peeta come out of a shadow with a ring in his hand. He walks to me and gets down on one knee.
"Katniss? Will you do me the honor of changing you last name? Will you marry me?" He asks. I'm not really sure how I feel at this. I love Peeta with all my heart, but I do to know if we are old enough to get married. But the thought of being with him for the rest of my life makes me answer him with a smile on my face.
"Yes Peeta. I will marry you." He stands, puts the ring on my finger, and he kisses me. I will get to spend the red of my life with Peeta. I couldn't imagine it any other way.
"Let go back and tell the others." I say.
"They all know." He laughs
"I thought something was up!" I say. I kiss him again,
"I love you Peeta."
"I love you too Katniss." He says and he pulls me closer to him.
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Well there is the end of book one! Hope you enjoyed the long chapter!
There will be a sequel as soon as I finish another story!
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Thank you to so many people who followed this story it really means a lot!:)
I love you all and thank you for over 6,000 reads!!!