What if?- A Mockingjay Story

Chapter 74

What if?

What if I am a terrible godparent to Hailey? What if I shouldn't have been picked as her godmother? What if I 'm overreacting here? It can't be that hard. What if I should stop worrying so much, about everything? Nothing good ever comes of it...

What if? What if? What if...

--

The bell rings, pulling me from my worries and thoughts to draw my attention back to reality. I walk out to the counter just as Gracie walks in the front door, a boy trailing behind her with a soft smile and holding his hand. She comes up to the counter and says to me with a shiny smile

"Hi Katniss"

I reply

"Hey Gracie, who's this?"

I gesture to the man behind her who now steps out into my full view. He's tall, taller than her in fact. His hair is black, brushed back in a neat and simple style. He looks at me with strong brown eyes, his posture and manner seems quite polite. I can tell by this as well as his suit that he is a business man. Gracie links her arm in his and says

"This is my boyfriend Ben. Ben this is Katniss Everdeen, my friend"

He puts out his hand which I shake as he says with a strong smile

"Honour to meet you Katniss"

I grit my teeth yet continue to smile. Gracie says

"We're going to go meet everyone else out back"

I nod as they walk past and let out a huge sigh once they have left. An honour to meet you. A sentence with anyone who I haven't properly met greets me with and it bugs me. Because I know exactly what they mean. Oh Katniss Everdeen the mockingjay it's honour to meet you you cold hearted murder that lead us all into rebellion and war. No, apparently I'm the only one who thinks like that. What they think is probably Oh my god Katniss Everdeen the mockingjay! As if I'm a celebrity. I don't want to be known as the mockingjay anymore I want to be known as just Katniss, the ordinary girl. But unfortunately that's an unachievable dream with my past. It's as if I have the word MOCKINGJAY written in bold capitols along my forehead everywhere I go. Everyone who tells me that it's an honour just pulls me back closer to the past. And that's a position I never want to be in again, my past is war and violence. Something that no longer exists in this world.
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About 20 minutes later Ben leaves again. Gracie stays, throwing on an apron and taking over the counter for me. Since Sophie is not here today I don't have much to do. She insisted on staying with Haymitch and Effie for the day to help Haymitch. Haymitch is planting in the garden during his spare time and of course when it comes to nature Sophie is completely enthusiastic. Of course they didn't mind so I left her with them for the day. I walk into the kitchen and walk over to Peeta who sits at a counter. A piping bag in hand his focus is completely on the task in hand, watching the cake before him as he decorates it with detailed piping. I stand beside him as he finishes the bottom border, by then he senses that he is being watched and puts the piping bag aside and looks at me with that unique soft smile that only he possesses. He says

"Hey"

I pull out a stool from under the counter and taking a seat beside him I reply

"Hi"

I ask him

"How do you pipe like that? It's amazing..."

He takes my question literal and asks me

"Do you want me to show you?"

I reply

"I'm not good at that kind of stuff, don't have the patience or the concentration"