I Love You To The Moon And Back

Chapter 8: Our Mothers

Peeta P.O.V.

The next day, I take Katniss out for a milkshake.

'Alright, if you guess what my favourite taste is, then it's my treat', Katniss says. I shake my head.
'No, I offered you a milkshake, so it's my treat', I say. She smiles.
'Alright, if you guess my taste right, I'll take you to the movies', she says. My eyes widen.

'But that's way more expensive than ice cream!' I object. She holds up her shoulders. 'But if you have it wrong, you'll treat me', she says. I nod.

Think, Peeta.

'Strawberry?' I guess. She shakes her head. 'No! Now you have to take me to the movies!' she says happily. I smile.

I'm already happy that she doesn't pay for anything.

'So what is it?' I ask. 'Chocolate', she answers. I nod. 'And what's yours?' she asks. I laugh. 'No, you have to guess it, too', I say. She chuckles.
'Alright. Eh... Blueberry?'
I have to keep my jaw from dropping.

'Yes! How did you know?' I say. She holds up her shoulders. 'Don't know.'

We sit in a park, on a bench, drinking our milkshake.

'So, what's your family like?' I ask. I can see that I scared her with my question.

Oh no.

'Eh... You don't have to answer that if you don't want to', I say quickly.

'My mother has a new boyfriend. And I don't like him. He's too rich for my taste. And my mother's acting like a teenacher', she says. I look at her.

'I'm sorry. I didn't know', I say. She tries to smile. 'You couldn't.'
'What does your sister thinks of him?' I ask. I remember that she told me about her sister Prim.
'She likes him. But she's too young to understand', she says. I decide to keep silent now, I don't want to have her in an awkward situation.

'How's yours?' she asks. Now I'm the one who's scared.

Why did I ask her about her family? I could know that she would ask me the same question!

'Eh...', I start. She stares at me with those big, beautiful, grey eyes. 'My family has a bakery in town. My whole family works there. My oldest brother doesn't live home anymore', I say. She frowns.

'And your mother?' she asks.

No. No. No. I don't want to tell her about my mother. That she abuses me. And that she almost beats me to death sometimes.

'She's... Eh...', I mumble. I can feel that I am starting to blush. I get nervous and I want to get out of here.

'Peeta? Are you alright?' Katniss asks. I don't even hear her clearly.

But suddenly I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look beside me.

'Is it bad?' Katniss asks. I nod. 'You can tell me.' I nod again.

'My mother beats me. Everytime that she gets a chance, she beats me. I don't know, I think she just likes it to see me in pain', I say. Katniss' eyes wide.

'Peeta... That isn't normal!' she says. I chuckle. 'I know. My father tries to help me, but she just won't stop. She beats my brothers also, but not as much as me. That's why my oldest brother has moved', I tell her. She sighs and then she hugs me. Really tight. And I love it.

Katnisss P.O.V.

It really scared me, the story Peeta told me. So I didn't know any different, than to hug him. I have my arms around his neck, and his hand lay cautious on my waist.

'I'm so sorry', I whisper. I can feel that he starts to smile. 'It's okay', he says. We pull apart and I look into those beautiful, blue eyes that seem to look righg trough you.

How can anybody want to hurt a sweet, gentle, funny and hot guy like him?

I smile at him. 'So... We both have fucked up mothers', I say. Peeta starts to laugh. 'Yeah... I think so', he says. 'Peeta, I don't want to come home to my mother and that... Freak', I say. Peeta looks at me. 'I understand... Do you... Maybe... Want to come with me?' he asks. I look up at him. 'And what about your mother?' I ask. 'Don't worry, I promise that she won't do anything to you', he says. I roll my eyes. 'No, silly, what about you?' I say.

'My mother always wanted a girl. And she's waiting for me to come home with a girl. She's afraid that I'm gay', Peeta says chuckling. I have to keep myself from laughing.

Maybe his mother will think that I'm his girlfriend...

'Okay, I'll come with you', I say. He smiles and we stand up. We walk together to his home.

'Hey, mom', Peeta yells through the bakery. 'Hello, Peeta', I hear a crappy, abrasive voice say. I see a little, darkhaired woman walk into the bakery. She wears a smeared apron. She stops walking and stares at me.

'Peeta... Who's this?' she asks. 'This is Katniss. A classmate and a friend of me', Peeta says. The woman studies me and frowns.
'Hello', I say awkwardly.
'We're going to make some homework', Peeta says as he leads me to the stairs. I walk upto them but I can hear that Peeta's mother stops him.

'You have the choice of all the girls in the world, and you come home with that?' she whispers. 'Mom!', Peeta objects. He walks up to me.
I feel offended by the remark of his mother, but if I believe Peeta, she's never happy, with anything.

*********
Hello!
A longer chapter this time.
I hope you guys liked it!
As you know, I'm dutch, and 2015 is almost over for me. I wish all the people who are reading this and al my loved ones, a spectacular, special and healthy 2016 with much of love, happiness and joy!
Love, -xxx-