Begin Again [Wattys 2013 Finalist]

Chapter 44

Peeta's POV

"Thanks for waiting so long."

Her words echo in my head. Does she mean the waiting is over? And before she fell asleep last night she told me she'd love me forever. She's said that she loves me before, but forever? Is she ready for forever? I have to admit, not a day has passed in the past couple weeks when I haven't thought about it. And when I was moving my stuff around to make room for her to move in, I found something that I swore to my father I would never tell anyone about. I never have. The day that my dad told me he wanted to marry Katniss' mother, he told me something else. When he was younger, he'd saved up money for months and bought a wedding ring from the hob. He had saved it to give to Mrs. Everdeen, but obviously, he never did. He didn't even remember it when he proposed to my mother. He was reminded of it he day he pointed out Katniss to me. That night when I came home from school, he gave it to me and told me to keep it hidden until I found the perfect girl. I've always known that she was the girl I wanted to marry. Now it seems doable, practical. It finally seems right after all this waiting. I don't want to be impulsive, so I decide to ask Haymitch for advice. He's the only person I can think to go to. He'll be brutally honest and, after all, he's my mentor. I knock on his door and he opens it as my nose picks up on the scent of alcohol on his breath. He motions for me to come in and I sit down at the counter across from him.

"What's up, kid?"

"It's time."

"Time for what?"

"Time for me to ask Katniss to marry me."

Haymitch purses his lips in thought before saying, "I don't know."

"Haymitch, you haven't seen her recently... If you can see how she's been with me... Hear the things she's saying. You'd know too."

"Stay here. I'll be right back. Sit behind the couch," he tells me.

Before I can object to whatever he's up to, he's out the door. I just do as he says, trusting him like always. But where has that gotten me? It's too late to turn back, because I hear him and Katniss talking as they come in and sit down.

"So, Katniss, how have you been feeling? We haven't talked since we've been back from the Capitol."

"I'm good, Haymitch. Really good. I feel better than I've ever felt."

"And may that be due to anyone in particular?"

After a long pause, I hear Katniss say,

"Peeta?" I can tell it's a question, but I can hear her smiling.

I picture Haymitch nodding. Then, I hear Katniss speak again.

"He remembered my birthday yesterday. And my present, it was perfect."

"Happy belated," Haymitch says casually.

Then he continues.

"So, you and him... You feel?"

"I feel like I'm in..."

I hear her choking on the words in a way I know I never would.

"Good enough, sweetheart," Haymitch says back.

The conversation continues, but I don't hear it because they walk back out the door. As I come out from behind the couch and sit back down at the counter, I feel my heart beating fast. She said that I helped her get better, that her birthday was perfect. She good as told Haymitch that she loves me. And I love her too. With all my heart. When Haymitch walks back in, he just waves his hand at me dismissively.

"You were right. She loves you. I say go for it."

So it's settled. I'm going to ask Katniss to marry me.