You Only Live Once

Chapter 9

"God Peeta, it had to be the first thing you did the moment we arrived! I didn't even have time to take a picture!" I scold Peeta.

"I told that I was going to lick it, why do you look so surprised." Peeta grumbles loudly, although I know he is finding the situation funny.

This afternoon Peeta and I went to visit the Liberty Bell, and we were sent out by the security because Peeta did go forward with his plan of licking one of Phili's most important and well known monuments. I'm actually impressed we weren't banned from the city, or the state.

I scowl at Peeta and take a bite at the pizza me and Peeta we're sharing.

"Come on Katniss. That was hours ago! For how long can you hold a grudge?" Peeta says, almost pleading.

"You'd be surprised for how long I can do it." I huff in response, not trying to look him in the eyes. In someway, always that I look at his cerulean blue eyes, I loose all my strenghs, I can't controll myself, and always end up giving in to his will. When he says those two words 'Come on', I feel like I'm loosing myself, all my fight and end up softening to him. The simple way Peeta pronounces my name gives me shrills, as if he had just casted a spell on me.

Peeta leans over the table and reaches for my arm, squeezing it lightly. "Please, Katniss. Look at me." he pleads. I bite on my lip, trying to resist to his request. Peeta shakes me slightly "Please, Katniss. I'm sorry."

I find myself looking up, locking my eyes with Peeta's. Immediatly I feel mesmerized by them, how come I never noticed his eyes? They are two small ponds that reflect a whole different world in them, they are the dephs of never ending the sky, they are a infinity of unknown universes that I want to discover. They're like Peeta himself, full of wonder and mystery.

When I realize it, I'm leaning in, not once taking my eyes from the two pieces of sky in Peeta's face. I'm almost reaching his lips with my own, when Peeta's voice brings me away from my dazze. I stop dead in my tracks, trying to understand what I was about to do.

"What did you say?" I say, trying to cover up the fact that I was about to kiss Peeta. I don't think he noticed, or if he did, he's hiding it well, taking a bite from his slice of pizza.

Peeta chuckles, his eyes closing momenterily, and I imeddiatly feel empty when I stop seeing them. Even his laughter seems filled with the same essence of marvel Peeta's being spreads all around him. "I said that I wanted to make it up to you."

The words don't have a second meaning, and they're filled with a certain innocence that only a small child could possess, but I still find myself bustling on the inside. I blush deep pink, and look down trying to hide it. When I look up again, Peeta is giving me one of his curious gentle smiles, as if I am fascinating. "How do you intend to do that?" I ask, rather awkwardly.

"I was thinking that ,maybe, tonight we could spend the night at a hotel, instead of sleeping in the car." he suggests.

I blush deeper, but Peeta seems unfazed by the way his words sound, although I'm not impressed by his naive being. That's one of the things that amaze me the most about Peeta. After all that he suffered, he still is as innocent as he was as a child. I can't stop but feeling jealous of him, the way nothing seems to changer his spirits, and I envy him for it. "Okay. But I really don't mind with sleeping in the car. I find it comfortable." I omit the part that what is truly comfortable about sleeping in the car, is being able to listen to Peeta's light breathing for the whole night.

"Don't lie, Katniss. I know you'd much rather stay in an hotel room."

I shrugg, looking down, not wanting for Peeta to read me the way he always does so well.