Begin Again [Wattys 2013 Finalist]

Chapter 15

Peeta's POV

I know it now. I know I love her. I don't think I'm capable of loving anyone else. When she hurts, I do too. When she sings, I feel peaceful. When she accepts my help, I feel like I have a purpose in this life. And when I'm with her, my heart beats faster. The way it used to. I'll do anything I can to make her happy. That's love. Yesterday was bad, with the graves, but we got through it.  And we'll get through anything else. Together. I know that I'll have her again one day. And I want it to be soon. I spend the next couple of hours cleaning the kitchen. When it's done, I set the lopsided chocolate cake from yesterday on the table and I quickly frost it. I frost it for Katniss. I frost it like a fire. Orange, red, and yellow flames cover the cake. It has a ridiculous shape, but I still know that I'll bring it to Katniss later. Not now though, because I have plans.

~

I look at my watch as I stand alone outside the temporary deli. And then I see her blonde hair and huge smile as she runs towards me with open arms. Delly Cartwright is finally moving back from District 13. 

"Peeta!" She cries as I greet her with open arms!

"Delly! I'm so glad your back how have you been!?"

"I've been good. But I needed to come home. I'm glad I'm back too. I just, this is where I'm from. Well, you know how it is, you came back."

I buy us both lunch and, because there's nowhere to sit, we walk across the town square and sit on a rock wall in an area where it's relatively quiet. Many parts of the district boom with the noise of construction. Through bites of her sandwich, Delly says, "You look good Peeta." I smile at her, remembering the last time that she saw me was in 13, and I barely remember my time there, indicating how bad it must have been. 

"Thanks Delly!"

I say wiping the bad memories away and putting on a smile. She giggles and I ask her about her experiences in 13. She recounts it to me, smiling all the way, but I know she's lived through a version of hell as well. I recognize that smile. It's not fake, it's just broken. Underneath it is hurt. So when we stand up to throw away our trash, I pull her in for a hug.

"Your gonna love being back here," I tell her.

"I know. Hey! Wanna come see my new house!?" Delly says.

"Yeah sure!" I reply, and we walk back through the square. As we head to her house, Delly stops to talk to an old friend of hers. She introduces me and I find out that he's part of the crew that's working on the rebuild. As we're about to continue, he slaps my arm and says, "Hey Peeta, we could really use some more muscle on the crew. You want a part on the volunteer team?" I look at Delly, who nods, and I happily agree before we continue walking to her house. Once we get there, we have coffee and continue to talk before she agrees to walk me back home. I really enjoy the company of my best childhood friend. So when we arrive at my house, we hug goodbye and make plans to meet up again after my first construction shift. Before she leaves, she comments, "Oh yeah, we never got to talk about her. Next time I guess." And she signals her head to Katniss's room where she stands, hair dripping wet from a shower, looking down at Delly and me. 

"Oh yeah," I reply to Delly with a laugh. "Trust me, that'll take more than a couple hours." And I wave goodbye and go into my house to get the cake for Katniss.