Rising Storm

Chapter 4

Peeta

I wake up as a warm body moves away from me. I open my eyes and see  Katniss swinging up onto her feet. She struggles a few moments to gain her balance before she falls back. I put up my hand to stop her and catch her by the small of her back. She turns to look at me as I sit up and push her back on her feet.

"I didn't know you were awake," she says.

"I haven't been for very long," I say.

"Did I wake you?" She asks.

"No," I lie. 

"You're lying," she says. "Because I made sure you were sound asleep before I tried getting up."

"Well, it was about time for me to wake up anyway," I say.

"Peeta, it's only about five," she says. I give her puzzled look.

"Then, why are you getting up?" I ask.

"I don't want Haymitch or Effie to catch me in here," she says. "It might give them the wrong idea."

"And what idea might that be?" I ask her.

"That, that we," she turns red and frowns at me. "Peeta, we're two teenagers who are supposed to be undeniably in love. Do I really have to say out loud what most people would think if they knew I spent the night in your room?" I realize what she means and sigh.

"I don't think Haymitch would," I say. "Last he knew we couldn't stand each other." She looks away from me and starts for the door.

"We still can't stand each other," she says. "At least, we really aren't even really friends."

"Then why did you come in here tonight?" I ask her. "Why did you stay?" She sighs.

"I may not like you," she says. "But that doesn't mean I don't care about you." She slowly walks out and I bury my face in my hands. After all this, I don't know what to think of everything. I thought we had made up. I thought things would start changing. But it appears that I was wrong.

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"So just read the cards and you'll be fine," Effie says holding notecards across the aisle of the transport car. I glance at Katniss, who seems more interested in her autumn leaf patterned dress than what Effie was saying. Remembering what she said last night about knowing what to be able to say, I take both of them from Effie before turning to Katniss.

"I'll do all the talking if you want," I say and she smiles sadly from beneath her carefully combed bangs.

"Thank you," she says. We ride in silence to 11's Justice Building and when we get there, we are escorted as though we're prisoners going on trial. Katniss walks unevenly and her red orange heels click on the marble floors. She starts to teeter a little, but I grab her arm before she falls. She stares out the window at the people being corralled into the square for the required ceremony.

"It's even worse than home," she says. "They have no freedom whatsoever."

"I know," I say. "It's disgusting. They are human beings, not cattle."

"Let's just get this over with," she says as the doors open and we are escorted out onto the stage.

I begin my required speech as a young girl gives Katniss a bouquet of purple and and golden flowers. She looks longingly at Rue's family and that is when I realize why she's so terribly upset. Rue was her only friend in the games. She had been the one keeping her alive after her injuries. If I remember right, she died two days before the announcement was made and I found Katniss. I know I have to do something for these poor, oppressed people. Because when I was fighting for Katniss' medicine, it was Thresh who saved me by killing Clove. We owe both of them our lives.

"And to honor their bravery," I finish. "Katniss and I would like to give one months worth of our winnings to the families of the fallen tributes, because without them, I wouldn't be standing here with the love of my life." Katniss looks at me, completely astounded, and the crowd quietly claps, slowly and nervously. I pull Katniss into a hug to hide it.

"You can't do that," she whispers.

"Too late," I reply. "Now let's get out of here." She looks out at the crowd and steps away from me. She walks towards the microphones.

"I'm not as good as Peeta is with my words," she says slowly. "But I feel that in this case, I can't just leave everything to be said on his shoulders. I may not have known Thresh, but he saved Peeta. And if he hadn't, not only would Peeta have died, but so would I from my injuries. We both owe him more than money or anything could ever pay back." She looks down, a tear sliding across her cheek. "But I did know Rue. Many saw her as my ally, but she was more than that. She was my friend, and she was far too young and too innocent to die the way she did. I now see her everywhere. In the spring breeze through the trees. In the flowers by my house. And most of all, see her in my sister. And I want you to know that I honor her memory today and will continue to honor her for the rest of my life." She steps away and walks back over to me.

We start to walk inside, the whistle Rue taught Katniss rings out. We turn to see an old man holding up the three finger salute. Soon others start, until several peacekeepers grab the old man and start dragging him through the crowd. Others start pushing us back inside of the building. Katniss tries to fight back, but I pull her back inside. She struggles but I finally get her inside just as the door closes and a peacekeeper's bullet goes through the old man's brain. Katniss screams and hits me.

"No," she cries. "What have we done?! This is all my fault!"

"Katniss, this isn't all your fault," I say. Her tears stream down her cheeks and she shakes her head.

"But it is," she says. "All of this is all my fault Peeta. He promised this would happen."

"Who did?" I ask and her face says it all. "Snow?" She nods before looking around and pulling me towards a dark hallway. She looks around for cameras before turning back to me.

"He doesn't believe our love story," she says. "He told me I had to convince him or accidents would be arranged. I didn't know what to do. I was so scared. I thought you hated me. But if we don't make this all look real..."

"Then we're dead," I say.

"Not only us," she says. "Our families and friends too." She starts crying again and I pull her into a hug. "Oh Peeta, I've been so scared."

"I know," I say. "But now I know. We'll be okay as soon as this is trip is over."

"No," she says. "We won't. We're mentors now. They are gonna have this whole love story brought up every year. You know those crazies in the Capitol are gonna want a wedding someday and kids and I don't know how we can ever expect to get through it." I sigh, knowing she's right.

"We'll figure it out," I say. "I promise. Nothing is gonna happen to you or your family. I won't let it." She doesn't respond. At least not out loud. Instead, she wraps her arms around me and cries into my chest as I hold her.