What if?- A Mockingjay Story

Chapter 9

Katniss POV
What if?
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What if? What if he makes a move, tries to kiss me? Or what if he tries to kill me, tries to choke me to death? What if this is going to turn into something it shouldn't? What if there is something bad about to happen? What if this is the beginning of my end?
What if? What if? What if......
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Finally we reach the bakery. Its so modern compared to the old bakery, looking as if it came from the capitol. The front has huge panes of glass looking into the building and above them is a sign hung with the words The Mellark Bakery written across it. The display window is filled with 3 tiered cakes so high you can't see past them and into the bakery itself. Peeta opens the door for me and gives me a light gesture to walk in. As soon as I step inside I am mesmorised by what I'm seeing before my eyes. The floors are marble and polished so well that the lights from the ceiling reflect on them. The floors are a plain cocoa colour and the tables are a simple white colour with a small vases bursting with flowers in the centre of each of them. There is then a glass display case displaying plenty of treats. Peeta leaves me alone for a moment whilst putting the flour in behind the counter before approaching me again. We sit at one of the tables for a moment before Peeta stands up from his seat and says
"I'm gonna go get us something to eat. Any requests?"
I say to him with a small smile
"Surprise me."
He grins before walking away from the table, behind the counter and out of sight. I immediately scold myself when he's gone. What am I doing?! Have I gone nuts?! Was I just flirting with him?! This feels wrong, very very wrong....but at the same time it somehow feels
Kind of right....
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Peeta's POV
I walk behind the counter and halt as soon as I realise I'm alone. I then begin to process in my head what just happened.
I went to get flour in the shop.
I met Katniss Everdeen there.
I brought her back here to see the bakery.
She is here at my bakery right now with me.
WITH ME
She's actually here. This is really happening. I run my fingers through my hair as I try to not freak out. I can't help but feel nervous around her, like I'm afraid I'm going to harm her. I'm afraid of myself and my actions. I rub my sweaty palms off my pants. It takes me a moment before I realise
She trusts me.
She trusts that I'm safe around her. She must or else she wouldn't have agreed to come with me. If she trusts me then I should trust myself. I take a deep breath and smile. It's so unreal, it's as if I'm dreaming. A hand suddenly waves before my eyes
"Um....Peeta?"
I shake my head to pull myself back to reality and find the hand belongs to Jason, an employee who is also a good friend of mine. I say
"Sorry"
I go over to the glass case and begin to pour two glasses of this new drink we got shipped from the Capitol called 'Coca Cola'. I've never actually tried it before but it's supposed to be good. While I pour them Jason comes over to me and says
"What's up with you? You got your head in the clouds!"
I tell him simply
"Look outside"
He goes out and comes back a few seconds later and says
"Holy Crap! Is that the girl?!"
I nod. He says
"You got her here?!"
I nod once more. He starts laughing yet again. He is a very humorous person so he finds almost everything funny. He gives me a pat on the back and says
"Good luck bro!"
I reply simply
"Thanks"
Once I have poured the drinks I place them on a tray along with a warm batch of cheese buns and some biscuits. I then lift the tray in my hands and walk out towards the table where she sits. She looks slightly fidgety and nervous as if she is reflecting my feelings. I place the tray on the table and sit down prepared for whatever is about to come....
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Katniss POV
As soon as he sits down I force myself to calm my nerves yet my feet still tap quietly beneath the table. I scan my eyes across the tray he has just placed on the table. There are two glasses of some brown bubbly liquid, a plate of perfectly iced cookies and......
Cheese Buns....
He remembers. He remembers they are my favourites. I glance up at him and he gives me a small smile. I give a faint laugh of disbelief. I say
"How...you remembered?"
He grins and says
"How could I forget?"
I shake my head still in disbelief. How could something so small, the smallest piece of information about me survive through the hijacking? It's a question I know will never be truly answered. He hands me one of the glasses off the tray while taking the other one for himself and says
"It's a new Capitol drink we got in. It's called 'Coca Cola'. It's supposed to be good but I have yet to try it. I guess now's better than never..."
I nod in response staring at the bubbling liquid in the glass. At the same time we both try the drink with me taking a small sip whilst Peeta takes a mouthful. The first thing I taste is a strong sweet flavour in my mouth and feel the fizziness of it remain on my tongue. I am glad I took only a sip. I look up at Peeta's reaction and can't help but giggle as his eyes are squeezed shut. He's like a child who just bit into a lemon. As soon as he swallows it he laughs and says
"Not that bad"
I reply
"Maybe you should just sip it from not on"
He laughs and says
"Good idea"
I eat a cheese bun and savour the taste I have so long tasted yet not forgotten. As soon as I'm done he asks
"So what do you think of the place?"
I reply
"It's amazing, it really is. It must have taken a lot of work to create this"
He nods and says
"Helping hand here and there but it feels like home, to be baking everyday. It feels almost normal"
I nod. I can a sense of sadness lingering in the air so I begin to try change the direction of the conversation
" so when did you open this place?"
He says
"Last week."
I nod. He continues
"It keeps me busy and well.....distracted from everything"
I understand what he's saying. How it's a distraction rather then a job. After the games we both got so much money both of us probably won't be forced to work in our entire lives. The awkwardness finally lifts when he fills the silence and asks me
"So what's going on with you?"
Well I don't know.... Mourning over the dead, being depressed and you know caring for a baby put on my doorstep.......nothing major. That's what I would be saying if I was being honest. But I'm not so instead I reply
"Nothing really"
He just nods whilst sipping his drink. Once we are both done our food I know that nows my time to leave before things get...deeper into conversation. Begin talking on an uneasy subject,Something I can't cope with. I say
" I really better get going"
I stand up from my seat.
"Let me walk you home"
He says. I open my mouth to protest but then I catch the pleading in his eyes, the persuasion. And I can't help but allow him.
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The walk home is silent with the only sounds filling the air are the crunch of snow beneath our shoes and the whistle of the breeze blowing. Soon enough we have entered victors village and are standing outside my door. Peeta says softly
"I had a great time today"
I can't hide a small smile growing on my face and reply
"Me too"
I turn to open the door but then he says
"Katniss"
I turn back to him and he looks slightly nervous as he says
"It felt great seeing you again..... Do you think we could...do this again...sometime? Like if you want or........"
I cut him off and say
"That would be great"
He grins with a smile that spreads brightness across his whole face. I then mutter a soft goodbye before walking inside and shutting the door behind me. I stay stiff until I hear his footsteps becoming fainter and as soon as I can no longer here them I drop my grocery bag by my side and slowly slide down the door and sink into my knees
Drowning in my feelings