Run Away With Me (Hunger Games)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

'All I've ever learned from love was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you'

After the subway trip, we are once again walking.

“You know my friends don’t believe that I could spend a day with a girl without freaking her out or me freaking out”

“Why’s that?” I ask, putting my hands in my coat pockets.

“The girls they’ve actually seen me spend time with are those sent by my mom”

“Ah. I understand now” I say, taking the camcorder and taping our little walk.

The buildings had advertisements of shows on Broadway. Suddenly a wave of euphoria came through me, leaving a slight feel of excitement and fire

“Hey guys” I say to the camera, turning it to my face.

“You see this?” I said, moving closer to Peeta, our faces almost touching.

“He’s not gay and I’m evidence” I said with an amused look. I poke my tongue out playfully, still at the camera.

“Yes. I’m not gay and this girl-” he puts his warm arm around my shoulders. “-is one of the best people you’ll ever meet” he said.

I blushed and bit back a smile. He plants a soft kiss to my temple and pulled back.

“Right considering I smudged your face with ice cream” I said, a sarcastic edge in my tone.

“Even though” he grins. He shuts down the camcorder again and puts in in his bag.

“Now that’s cleared up, do you want to see a show?” he asked me.

“It could be fun” I said.

We fell in the ticket line, waiting for our turn to purchase. “Don’t look now but this girl is definitely looking at you” I said to Peeta, low enough that only we could hear.

“Which one?” he asked.

“Girl in the high boots” I replied.

He looked up and saw the blonde I was talking about.

“Not my type” he said, shrugging.

“I guessed” I said to myself.

I saw the blonde move. “She’s moving”.

Peeta looked so pale that I couldn’t help but hold his wrist.

“You’re pale” I told him. “Yeah… Do me a favour?” he asked.

“Depends and why are we talking in hushed voices?” I asked.

“I need her away” he said.

“Do you need me to talk to her?” I asked, wondering what it is that he wanted me to do.

“No. She’ll be mean” he said.

“Just go along with it” he breathed and looked at me. I nodded, not too obviously and his hands suddenly go to my cheek.

“What-“ “Please” he said, not breaking from character. I gulped and said nothing.

His thumb moves on my skin. I know that a blush was appearing.

This gesture was too much for two people who just met. It was alien, foreign and yet so comforting. I squeezed my eyes shut and I hear Peeta say “She’s gone”

And all in a flash, the warmth was gone, leaving me with the cold.

“Thanks” he said.

“Who was that?” I asked.

“My family knows her” he replied.

“Why the sad face?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Nothing”

Liar. I told myself.

Once this is over, I realized that things would change. He’d go back to his friends, me to my empty shell of a dorm with everyone else looking down at me. The thought made something twinge inside me.

“It’s just cold” I told him.

And with that I said no more.