My dandelion-Everlark fanfiction

Chapter 22

"Are you sure it's safe?" Peeta asks me as I step deeper into the water. The water is only up to his ankles, as I am almost fully in.

"Yes. Completely. Now come on", I say and give him my hand. He takes it and comes to me.

"It's so refreshing, but yet warm."

"I know", I say and dive under the surface. The last time I swam here was with my father. This certainly brings back memories, but in a good way. Positive memories. When I come back above, I hear Peeta sigh.

"I was getting worried."

"There's no need to get worried", I tell him. "Okay let me show you some simple strokes", I say and show him the very basics. I swim a few strokes away from him, then turn back and swim again towards him. But when I get close to him again, I see his eyes are closed, jaw is tighten and his hands are in fists.

"Peeta?" I ask carefully.

"Can we play real or not real?" he asks without opening his eyes, but I can't help but feel relieved, knowing that this is not a bad attack.

"Of course", I say a bit worried.

"You tried to teach me to swim once before too. In the quell. Real or not real?"

"Real. Not for long though." I see him nod, then breath out and think for an other question:

"You tried to drown me. Real or not real?" I know that he can't help his thoughts, and they are not his own ones, but still I feel a tiny bit hurt.

"Not real", I say I say almost mad, not at him, but for Snow.

"You wouldn't do that. Real or not real?"

"Real. I could never do so." His jaw relaxes, so does his hands, and he opens his eyes.

"Sorry", he says with a sad expression before taking my hand.

"You don't need to apologise", I say. He nods and takes a deep breath.

"So, you were showing me some basics. Could you show me that one more time please? I promise to pay better attention this time."

"Of course", I say and show him one more time the very basic strokes I did earlier. He seems to get the hang of it pretty quickly and soon we're swimming and racing each other. I am ahead and just before I'm about to cross the finishing line - which happens to be a branch, that has fallen of a tree - he grabs my left ankle and pulls me backwards, causing me to go under the surface. When I come up, he has the stick in his hand and he's grinning widely at me.

"I won!" he yells and grins teasingly.

"You cheated!" I yell back at him and then swim forward. The water's getting deep here and only when I'm on my tiptoes, I can reach the sandy bottom of the lake and have my face above the water. I reach to take the branch from his hand, but he jumps a bit higher so I don't get the meter, or so, long wooden piece.

I tiptoe closer to him and reach up my arm, but he holds it too high up. "Can't reach it?" he asks with an annoying face, and puppy eyes. I just glare up at him, but then think of a perfect strategy. I lean in even closer, and closer and then even as my chest touches him, I keep on moving forward, forcing him to take a few steps back. Then a few more, and a few more and then I just give him a bigger push with my hands, causing him to fall on his back. But of course it doesn't hurt, because he is fully in the water. Only his head goes under for a while, and his hand comes lower so that I can reach the branch. I take a grip of it, but so does he. He pulls me under as well. And I can't help but smile on the play fight we're having. He yanks the branch away from me and then pokes me with it. Hard. My smile turns into a questioning look.