Mentors

6

Peeta hops off the train first with our two bags, and he offers his hand to me. As my feet hit snow, I take in my surroundings at the train station. We're finally home. I see my mother and Prim, along with Gale's mother, but not Gale. Prim leaps over to me and wraps her arms around both Peeta and I.
"I missed you two." She says.
"We missed you, little duck." I say.
"How long have you guys been waiting at the station?" I ask my mother.
"A while," she answers, "we should start walking back to victors village."
"I don't want to walk, mother." giggles Prim, as she smiles at Peeta and bats her eyelashes.
"Oh, alright. Come here, Primrose." Peeta says, offering to carry her.
"Are you sure about that, Peeta?" I chuckle.
"Of course he's sure." says Prim as she hops on his back.
Mother and Hazelle offer to carry our bags, but I insist I hold them, since they are light weighted anyway. I watch them as we make our way into town. Peeta jokes around with her, pretending to drop her, and flipping her upside down every once in a while. The mixture of their laughter brings a warm smile on my face. My mother's, too. Hazelle doesn't seem too interested, she just talks with my mother about Gale. Usually she will always make an effort to talk to me, and ask how I am doing. As we are walking to the open gate of victors village, Hazelle says goodbye, and Peeta is about to place her down when Prim objects. "Into the house!" she instructs. I open my front door and he runs up the steps and into the living room, flipping her onto the couch.
"We have to do that again!" says Prim.
"Maybe another time, Rosie." he messes her hair with his hand.
Rosie. No one has that nickname for Prim, and I guess Peeta is now claiming it. I hope Peeta will be with us enough to be able to use that name for her again.
"Mom," I walk into the kitchen with Peeta.
"It's early afternoon, how about I go and come back, maybe Peeta can help me make dinner for you guys later on? Is that alright with you, Peeta?"
"That sounds great." he grins.
"I suppose if you feel like it, go ahead," my mom smiles.
We bid them goodbye and walk next door to Peeta's home, in which he lives in alone.
We walk up to his bedroom that has been painted a soft, muted, orange color.
"Wow," I say, "it sure looks cozy." I sit on the bed.
"I guess." he says, hanging his clothes in his closet, trying to clean the room for me.
A mandatory program pops up on the television downstairs. Peeta insists we go watch it. I take his hand and walk into the living room.
Caesar introduces President Snow.
"It is time to announce the quarter quell. This year will mark the 75th annual hunger games. We will honor it by switching up the games entirely this time around." he pauses, and looks directly into the camera, as if staring right though me. He takes out an envelope and opens it.
"As a reminder to the rebels that the Capitol remains the strongest power, two parents will be reaped and have to choose which child they want in the Games." The television shuts off right after.
"Oh my god." I cover my mouth with my hand.
"So what they're saying, is if you are a parent and have more than one child, then you're going to be put in the reaping bowl?" Peeta asks.
"Yes." I squeak.
"Katniss," he whispers.
"Yes?"
"Your sister won't be reaped." he runs his thumb across my hand.
"How could they make parents choose what child they put in the games?"
I rest my head on his lap and close my eyes.
"I don't know, but victors are immune to the reapings, and your sister won't have any other siblings to have your mother be placed in the reaping bowl."
he assures me, combing my hair with his fingers.
"Don't you have an older brother?"
"I have two." he replies.
"Not to scare you, but aren't you worried that-" I start but he cuts me off,
"Don't worry, I don't care if they are to be reaped. Well, I guess I would care. But I mean, you're so brave and kindhearted to volunteer for your sister. As for them, they said they would always look out for me. As soon as Effie called my name they backed up and pushed me forward, thinking I were being sent straight to die."
I try to imagine his older brothers, who must look like him.
"Well, look where you are now. Alive and filthy rich."
"I really don't need wealth or fame, as long as I'm with you."
"That's too sweet to be true." I smile.
I hear him exhale a laugh.
"Can I take you somewhere?" I ask him.
"Depends." he jokes.
I zip up my jacket and he puts his shoes on. I take his hand and we head toward the woods. A place where I would always go with Gale. I feel as if I should introduce Peeta to the lake. A place in which Gale never has been brought to. That way, me and Gale will have the woods and Peeta and I will have the lake.
As we get to the other side of the fence, I hook my arm around his and lead him through my familiar surroundings. We are discussing what we should have for dinner when I hear a voice cut us off.
"Katniss?" I turn my head before the rest of me to see Gale, sitting on a log.
I stay silent.
"I didn't know you were back." he says.
"Your mother did. She would have told you." I see through his fib.
He stands up and walks over to us.
"Hello Peeta, nice to see you." he holds out his hand. Peeta shakes it, giving him a smile and a nod.
"Thanks, great to see you."
"Where are you two heading?" asks Gale.
"It's so stuffy at home, I thought we could get out." I reply.
"Well, see you around Catnip, Peeta."
he nods, and turns right around and walks away in the direction he came from.
We continue walking to the lake. I haven't been there in who knows how long.
The calm lake is breathtaking, and it leaves him speechless.
We rest on a rock that sits in the beginning of the water.
"I should take you here in the summertime. We could go swimming." I say.
"I'm not the best swimmer." he chuckles.
"I could teach you. My father taught me."
I don't know what made me decide to share the place my dad would take me to Peeta, but it feels like a right thing to do.
We sit in a comfortable silence until we decide to go back.
As we walk through the door of my house, my mother and Prim look at us.
"Did you see what the quarter quell was?" Prim asks.
"We did. Now we have to mentor children who will be angry that they have been chosen for the games by their parents." says Peeta.
"We should.... Do something about it." exclaims Prim.
"Like what? An uprising? Highly unlikely, little duck." I say.
She sighs, and walks up to her bedroom.
As we call Prim down for dinner, there is an embracive knock at the door.
"Who is here?" my mother asks.
"I invited Haymitch." I say, helping Peeta set the table.
"Oh. Alright then." she opens the door and let's an almost sober Haymitch in.
We try to make dinner as least awkward as possible. Of course my mother has to talk with Peeta.
"So, honey. How has your family been doing?" she asks.
"Not quite sure, I haven't seen much of them. I don't work at the bakery anymore, I dislike seeing my mother."
I didn't think Peeta would even want to talk about it. He knows that I know his mother hurts him. I've seen it upfront when he tossed me the bread.
"And why is that?" Haymitch asks.
"Oh, well she hates me. Not my brothers, only me. She would take everything out on me physically."
The table is silent for a second, which in the moment, feels like hours.
"So, your mom used to beat you?" Prim asks. He nods his head slowly.
"Why? You're so sweet." claims Prim.
"Because she wanted me to be a girl."
"What?" I say.
"I agree, it's messed up." he puts his chin in his hand.
"How about we change the subject. Prim, what did you do in school while I was gone?"
"We learned about the other districts and their uses. And we did a project on victory tours. All the kids and teachers love and basically worship me because of you, Katniss."
"Is that a good thing?" I ask her.
"Yes it is, I guess. I have lots of new friends. They always ask for my candy from the sweet shop."
"I don't know Prim, just make sure you know who your real friends are. Teenagers can be odd." I say.
Peeta baked an apple pie. The timer on the oven goes off, and I come with him to retrieve it.
"This smells amazing." I exclaim.
He helps me clean the counters and we talk in the kitchen until they wonder where we've gone.
He brings out the pie and serves it with ice cream.
"All in favor on having Peeta make dessert everyday." Prim says, staring at her plate.
After we finish eating, I lay on the couch. Haymitch thanks us for dinner and heads home, and Prim goes upstairs to shower.
I overhear my mother and Peeta talking in the kitchen as he helps her wash dishes.
"Thank you, honey." she says.
"It's no problem, really."
"I mean in general. Thank you for being such a sweet boy to her. She seems so happy to be around you. She hasn't had a lovely young man like you in her life. In fact, she hasn't had any man in her life since her father died. You really should influence her to see all the good that can be made by her in the world."
I sit back on the couch before they can tell I was listening. My mother worded her thankfulness correctly. Otherwise I would be angry with her. All of the good that can be made? Why would words like that come from her when she spaced out for years after dad died?
I'm just thankful that my mother is back on her feet, and so am I. Not dead with my head detached from Cato. Peeta walks into the living room and drapes his arm around me.
"I should probably head home, love."
"I'll walk you home."
Although it's only a few houses away, he doesn't object.
I close the door behind me and lace my hand with his as we take the short walk to his house. We get up to his doorstep.
"Thank you for having me, it was a pleasure being there."
"Your welcome." I exhale, and cold air comes out of my mouth.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" he says.
"Tomorrow." I reply.
"Okay, goodnight." he kisses my cheek.
he starts to open his door.
"Peeta." he turns around, and I step up to him an give him a long, lingering kiss. I wrap my arms around his neck, until I stop to breathe.
"Goodnight." I whisper.

I wake from nightmares, and angrily throw my pillow at the wall. I'm filled with sweat and tears that make me sticky. I sit in the darkness of my room and silently cry until it tires me out.
I'm sweating, so I get up and stomp over to the wall and open my window, letting the winter air fill my bedroom. I remember how Peeta always sleeps with the window open. It must be so much better than being trapped in a hot room to have nightmares in. I pass out in the middle of my bed shortly after stripping myself of my shirt and pants.
A/n: ooo, who do you think really sparked the rebellion in my fanfiction?
I'll try to update next chapter asap