The Boy With The Bread

Chapter 45

Katniss POV
"Prim, Prim, Primrose," I breathe into her hair, stroking it as I have done so many times before. I open my arm to let my mother come in, and for a good five minutes we stand there in our little embrace. Since I've turned into an emotional wreck since the Games, I cry and cry until Prim begs me to stop. I finally look up to see Gale and his family hugging, Effie tearing up at all the family moments, and Cinna smiling widely. Then to my surprise, I see a familiar blond boy, standing next to a taller boy that resembles him, despite the fact that the older boy doesn't have blond hair and blue eyes. Peeta Mellark.

Why is he here? Of all people? It's more possible that President Snow would be here than Peeta Mellark. I still remember him, and I always admired him for some reason I could never place. I still don't know why I'm secretly beaming inside that Peeta Mellark is here to welcome me home. The other boy must be his brother. For once, I feel kind of proud of myself for winning the Hunger Games. Surely Peeta Mellark is proud of me, right? After all, I went from a tiny (well I'm still tiny but whatever), weak fatherless girl who scrounged around for food like a rodent to a strong, now wealthy woman, no matter how unstable I may be.

Prim grabs my hand and speaks excitedly. "Katniss! I want to introduce you to some people!" She drags me to Peeta Mellark and his brother. I immediately felt nervous.

"Hi Katniss! Or should I say Girl on Fire? I'm Sali. You're sister here is great." The tall dark haired boy shakes my hand confidently. His attitude and height reminds me of Cato... My hand is limp in Sali's strong one. It was almost as if it was Cato in a different body.

"And this is Peeta!" Prim exclaims happily. Peeta Mellark steps forward awkwardly and sticks out his hand for me to shake. Again, I limply place my hand in his and shake it. His hand is warm and strong and safe.

"Hell-o Sa-li. Hell-o Pee-ta Mell-ark." I say robotically. It just occurs to me that I call Peeta Mellark Peeta Mellark and not just Peeta. Prim laughs at my awkwardness and stiff movements. She drags me back to our mother, who promptly kisses our foreheads. I bring them to Effie, Cinna, and Haymitch. Haymitch, of course, is drunk. He was angry that I tricked him into drinking water and made him sober for an hour or two. Frankly, he needs it. Haymitch tipsily laughs and hugs Prim and my mother, throwing his head back and repeating, "Good times, good times." Effie babbles on about how adorable Prim is and how sweet. She also complains about the smell of District 12. To me, it smells nice and fresh and homey. Capitol people. Poor Prim looks half scared to death, with Effie's gloved hands pinching her cheeks. Prim enjoys Cinna much more, and I am so thankful to have someone like him in my life.

The Mellark's leave, after Prim tries to make Peeta and me talk to eachother (which failed terribly. Peeta ended up sputtering random words and I ended up crying because I am emotionally unstable I think, which made him try to comfort me which made Sali and Prim guffaw). Prim and I took Cinna and Effie on a tour, which both horrified and fascinated them. Since Effie had to come here every year, she was a bit used to our district, but she had only ever been to the Justice Hall and the Town Square. Effie kept fanning herself, as if it was going to make the "smell" go away, and Cinna tried (way too hard might I add) to act like he loved it. I didn't expect them to love it, after all, they are from the Capitol. Now, we are in my new home in the Victor's Village. Victor's Village is the small part of town where it's actually a nice neighborhood with fancy, large homes that have running water and ventilation. My new home is a million times better than my tiny old home, but nowhere near as luxurious as the Capitol apartments.

"So, Prim," Effie speaks up brightly. We are all seated around a long dinner table, and by 'we' I mean my family, the whole Hawthorne family, the Mellark family (Prim insisted they come), Haymitch, Cinna, and Effie. The tension is almost too much for me, but Effie and Cinna's attempts at lighthearted small talk make me want to laugh.

"So, Prim, do you have a best friend?" Before Prim can speak, Effie starts up again. "I remember when I was in school, those were lovely times. I had a best friend, named Olivia. She's an escort now too! Isn't that exciting! We have come so far since our little schoolgirl days!"

"Mrs. Everdeen, this meal, really, it's quite delicious." Cinna compliments, even though he and Effie barely touched their plates. Even Gale and I have grown accustomed to the fancy, rich Capitol foods that this stew tastes bland and unappetizing. But I eat anyway, knowing that my mother will be on my case if I didn't finish.
-----------------------------
Lots of things have been haunting me lately. We finished dinner and we all are crowded in our fancy new living room, complete with an expensive all-inclusive television. Somehow, I ended up in between Gale and Peeta Mellark. I mentally tell my self to start calling him Peeta, and Peeta only. On the TV screen, there is a commercial featuring a blond girl that looks exactly like Glimmer. But then I blink a few times and the girl actually has brown hair and looks like Rue! Then I'll blink some more and the girl transforms from tiny, innocent Rue to fierce yet sweet Clove. "Clove's" piercing blue eyes bore into mine, and she rants about how I was supposed to save her. Yet I blink again, and the commercial is just a normal yet pretty girl who wears about 200 pounds of makeup.

"Hey, that looks like Levia huh?" I say, trying to lighten the mood. Both Peeta and Gale are stiff and tense next to me, and have hard looks on their faces.

~flashback~
"Katniss! What do you got there?" Gale asks. I hurry back to our sleeping area and show him what we got. He smiles when he sees the dolls, but his face hardens when he sees the cake. "Only one person could've made that," He practically growls.
"Uh, no. Prim and Sali and... Peeta made it!" I tell him childishly. Well obviously they made it it says so right on the cake.
"I knew he was trouble..." Gale mutters under his breath.
"Who? Also, do you know who Sali is? That is nice of him to make a cake for me but I don't know who him." I blabber as I inhale the sweet scent of the baked good. "Can we eat the cake like right now?"

"Peeta! That's who!" Gale yells suddenly. He just annoys me so much! He is so stuck up with his blond hair and blue eyes and being the baker's son. Ugh. And Sali is his older brother, who actually isn't that annoying. But go ahead, eat the cake, why should I care." Geez. What's Gale's problem?

"Well I think they are nice."

"You never even talked to them!" Gale snaps.

"Gosh. What is up with you tonight? Whatever. Let's just eat it I'm hungry."
~Flashback ends~

As I sit between the two boys, I can see Gale out of the corner of my eye, sending Peeta an occasional death stare. What does he have against Peeta? The boy seems like a nice one. After all, he did help me that night. I clear my throat, and Peeta gives me a small smile. I spread my lips apart to match him, but I probably look like a freakish clown. There's just something about Peeta Mellark that makes me nervous, makes me act in an embarrassing way. I can't place it, and I certainly don't like it.

Gale doesn't like it either, because he snatches my hand and kisses me hard on the lips. My eyes widen and I feel the inside of my lips grinding against my teeth. When Gale finally pulls away, I spit and wipe my mouth in disgust. I can hear Prim's tinkly laugh in the background and a gasp from Peeta. I turn my head slightly to see Peeta fake coughing to cover his chuckles. I frown at Gale.

"What was that?" I snap. "You think it's okay for you to stop talking to me altogether and then just kiss me?" I don't care that our mothers are watching or anyone for that matter, I just want to make Gale mad and make him stop.