The Everlark Family: Book 1

28 - School

Peeta and Rye had recovered from their sickness within a week. It was just enough time before the kids went back to school from winter break.
Peeta and I walked the kids to school, watching them skip ahead of us, singing school hymns happily.
When we reached Rye's preschool, the three of us waved goodbye, watching him meet up with the other little boys and girls. Willow sighed. "How can he become friends with kids so quickly? I wish I was that way."
Peeta held on to her hand. "Don't worry about that, you'll make lots of friends. Come on, Will."

I remained silent while we walked to Willow's elementary school. There was something so overwhelmingly familiar when Peeta and I walked to that place. It was the same school I had went to as a child. I had studied there, met Gale there--I had lived the poverty-stricken life in that school. Aware of so much more than a child should have been aware of: wars, death, starvation. A population of suffering people. Now, however, the school had been remodeled in a way that looked much more bright; the scratched and dirtied walls had been painted over.
The playground was still the same. A few monkey bars and a tiny jungle gym. I remembered watching Gale climb the monkey bars with ease as a child. He thought he was something, I thought he was something. 

Peeta and I stood outside of Willow's classroom door. Her eyes were brightly eager to learn. "Goodbye!"
"Have fun, sweetheart." Peeta said. I smiled and waved as the door shut behind her.
"God, I never thought we would be watching our daughter go to the same school we went to." I sighed. Time had flown too quickly. Peeta nodded, then a moment later he spoke up, "Remember when you sang that valley song?"
"Yeah, how could I forget? My voice was so raspy and awful."
Peeta chuckled. "It wasn't awful, but it was pretty cute. I had such a crush on you."
I hated to admit that I never knew Peeta in school, at least I never talked to him, or noticed him. Mostly because I preferred being alone, with the exception of Gale. 
Peeta sighed as we walked off the school property.

Cameras began to flash at us once again. He leaned into my ear and whispered, "I miss the old days."
"What do you mean?" I tried my best to ignore the cameras that hid in the distance.

"When everything was just us. Don't get me wrong, I love the kids, but I just miss when it was you and me."
"That's why they invented something called a romantic getaway. I just don't know what we could do about the children."
"Well, Dane could watch the kids. He did last time."
"Yeah, true. Where could we go?"
Peeta shrugged, holding my arm closely to his. "It was your suggestion, what would you like?"

I thought for a minute or two. "W could take the train to. . . I don't know, maybe we could just see where it takes us?"
Peeta nodded. "Spontaneous, I like it. When?"
"Whenever you want."
"For how long?"
I shrugged, looking up at Peeta's eyes."Five days, a week."
"I like the sound of a week. Hey, we could leave on Friday since that's when I have a break from the bakery."
I reached up to kiss the side of Peeta's soft face. "We're such good planners."

It had been four hours since dropping off the kids. Peeta tied his boots, preparing to leave so we could pick them up.  
"You know," he said as he stood up, "I'm getting pretty excited for that train idea of yours."
"Oh, you mean the romantic, second honeymoon?" I showed a small smirk.
Peeta leaned into me, kissing the crook of my neck. "Mm, yeah."
"Peeta." I said, referring to his continuous kisses. "We can't get carried away. The kids will hate us if we're late."
Peeta grunted, understanding that I was right. "Okay, let's go get those monkeys."

Within ten minutes we arrived at Rye's preschool.
"Hey, bud!" Peeta welcomed as Rye walked to meet us. His eyebrows were furrowed as he came to a stop and stomped on the ground.
"What's wrong, Hun?" I asked Rye, looking into his squinted eyes.
"School gets out at one."
Peeta looked down at his watch. It was one-forty-five. "Oh," Peeta cleared his throat, "sorry, Rye. We must've gotten Willow's school mixed up with yours."
Little Rye nodded absently. "I'll let it slip."

Seven minutes of walking and we arrived at Willow's school. The elementary students came flooding down the stairs in a sea of kids. Boys after girls, girls after boys. A stampede of children running and yelling and talking. Loudly. From kindergarten all the way to sixth grade.
Willow was the last one to come out, talking with her friend. Once she laid eyes on us, she dismissed her friend and came running to us. Eyes alight with excitement. "Hey, Mommy, Daddy. Guess what!"
"What?" Rye answered before we could.
"A retired soldier came to our class and talked about the war that happened years ago!"
A shock clouded over Peeta and I's face.

"His name was Mr. Hawthorne. He looks like your same age. Did you know him?" Willow asked.
I shallowed hard, looking to Peeta for something to say. He glanced back at me, clearing his throat, then looking back down at her. "Uh--no, I don't think so."
"Aw, that's too bad. He said something about fighting in a war because of this president named Snow. Oh and he mentioned something about the Hunger Games too. Our teacher said we'd start to learn about it this week."
I almost froze. Gale. The Games. The killing. The destruction. Was it that time already? The time for her to learn about the haunting truth of what Panem used to be? Most importantly, the haunting truth of us, and what we used to be. I swallowed again, staring into Peeta's eyes.

"Did you ever hear about the Hunger Games? I'm sure you were alive when it happened?"
I could feel Peeta in an uncomfortable situation. I was too. It was awkward and unapproachable.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, I did."
I bit down on my lip. In a matter of time Willow would be reading all about 'Panem's Saviors', Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. That put a sickening taste in my mouth.
"Well," I finally spoke up, "let's go home. It looks like it's going to snow soon."