Begin Again [Wattys 2013 Finalist]

Chapter 34

Peeta leaves to go pack for tomorrow and I walk upstairs to do the same thing. I have no idea what I need to wear, but I assume something will be given to me. The weather is warm, well into spring, so I pack summery clothes. Mostly my plain dresses, a couple skirts, and a couple pairs of shorts I find dumped in the back of my closet. I finish off with shoes, my cosmetic bag, and a sweatshirt that I think belongs to Peeta, which was lying on the floor next to my bed. It smells like him. I throw my duffle bag onto my bed and decide that I need to shower. There are still red marks on my face from where the tears fell and my hair is in knots as a result of sleeping with my head buried under a pile of coats. I turn on the hot water and step into the shower. I let the water flow off my head and down my back, letting the problems of the day flow down the drain. I clear my head of all thoughts except for shampoo, condition, rinse, repeat. When I get out of the shower, I dry off, run a brush through my hair, braid it, and walk out of the bathroom. I look at the little clock that hangs on my wall and the hands read quarter to eight. I decide to put my pajamas on. I pull open a drawer and step into flannel bottoms and a soft cotton teeshirt. Then, I walk downstairs, pull on my boots, and cross to Peeta's house. 

"Peeta!?"

"Upstairs!" I hear him call.

I slide out of my boots, tossing them off to the side of the door, and trudge up the stairs. When I go into his room, he's still packing.

"Wow, isn't it sad that it takes you longer to pack than me?"

"Watch yourself, babe."

I give him a weird look, as to question why he just called me that. He shrugs.

"It was worth a shot."

"No," I let out a laugh. "I liked it."

"Oh did you?" He says, raising an eyebrow.

I nod and take a step closer to him. He closes the rest of the space in between us with one more step and the pressure of his smooth lips on mine. I feel him smile as he kisses me, and I tilt my head back, letting out a laugh. He takes a step away.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing, I just like seeing you happy. It's, um, it's a rare color on you," he says, choosing his words wisely.

I punch his arm and say,

"Don't you have some more folding to do?" Poking fun at his neatly packed back.

He rolls his eyes, but finishes folding the last of his clothes. I sit on his bed and watch as he changes into his baggy sweatpants and pulls off his shirt.

"Burr," he remarks, and slides a long sleeved teeshirt over his head. He usually doesn't sleep with a shirt, which I've definitely come to love about him, but I guess it's cold. And, somehow, I can still see his bicep muscles through the sleeves. 

"I have an idea," he says, again breaking through my thoughts.

He grabs my hand and pulls me down the stairs into the kitchen. 

"No questions," he says, trying to be mysterious.

"Got it."

He turns around and I hear he stove go on. A couple minutes later, he turns around with two mugs in his hands. 

"Tada! Hot Chocolate!"

He beams and my face brightens at the thought of the sweet, creamy drink that I've rarely enjoyed. He places them both on coasters on the side table next to the sofa. We collapse on the couch together and he grabs the remote. His arm wraps around my back, pulling me closer, and I place my head right where it fits on his shoulder. He hands me my mug and I take a sip, letting the warmth fill my insides, like the shower warms my skin and Peeta's kisses warm everything else.

~

When I open my eyes, sun floods the room and the smell of pancakes fills my nose. I sit up and look around, taking in my surroundings. I remember falling asleep on the couch last night with Peeta. I slept through the whole night without stirring. I half smile at the thought, but then I remember that today, were going to the Capitol to be interviewed. But this is the last time. I yawn as I stand up from the couch and follow my nose into the kitchen. I walk up to the stove where Peeta stands and I wrap my arms around his waist, nestling my head in his back.

"Good morning," I hear him say.

I open my mouth to reply, and ask when breakfast will be ready, but I'm cut off by the sound of the door being thrown open. I remove my face from where it's buried in Peeta's back and turn around to see Haymitch.

"Are we all excited?"

He asks. Peeta shrugs and I greet him with my usual eye roll.

"Smells good," Haymitch says to Peeta.

"Fine, sit."

He still slides the first plate of pancakes to across the table to where I sit with my knees to my chest on one of the bar stools. Minutes later, he sits down with a plate for himself and Haymitch.

"You gonna hold up tomorrow, sweetheart?" Haymitch asks me.

"I'll be fine. As long as I can go on with Peeta."

"Well I can't imagine that they wouldn't put you on together," Haymitch says through his last bites of food.

When we all finish eating, I go back home to get changed. I grab my bag and head to the train station where I meet up with Haymitch and Peeta again. When we get on the train, no one else is on it.  It's much fancier than the regular trains, but not as high end as the one from the games. I remember that Paylor is paying for everything, which explains the privacy and wonderful array of food. Haymitch gets on first, immediately managing to find the liquor. Force of habit I guess. I step on with Peeta and prepare for yet another set of boring days on the train to the Capitol.