Everybody Talks: Sequel

Chapter Two: Goodbyes

****Katniss' POV****

A few days ago we got the worst news possible which meant that every eligible boy over the age of 18 is going to go to war.
Some of them leave today, some left yesterday and some will leave tomorrow. All of the boys I know are leaving today. That means today is the last day I'm going to see Peeta for months. I think it will probably be six months.
We're driving to the airport at the moment. Just me and him. I've taken his car because well... I don't know. It just feels right.
It isn't a particularly long drive but it will still feel shorter than it is. These past three days have gone so quickly and I really didn't want them to.
Peeta rescues across the car and puts his hand on my thigh. "Are you going to move into the house?"
"I don't know. I'll have to really. It's the only place I have."
He sighs, "I don't want you to be alone though. It's a long way from everyone else."
"I know. Don't worry about me though. I'll sort something."
"Okay. Be sure that you do."
"I will. It's going to be hard without you Peeta."
"I know Kat. It will be hard for me to but I'll write to you as much as I can and we can Skype when I get the opportunity. Like I've said I'm not going into combat as soon as I get there. We're just going to am army base where I'll be assigned groups and missions and things like that so I'll try to contact you as much as I can, Okay?"
I nod my head, "Okay. It's not the same as having you here though Peeta."
He sighs again, "Please don't make this harder than it is Kat."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."
I pull up in the car park and get out with Peeta. He grabs his one bag, which is a backpack, from the trunk of the car and slings it on one of his shoulders. He takes a letter out of his pocket and passes it to me. "Don't open it until you feel you need it badly. I don't know when the next time you'll hear from me is so save it until a really bad moment."
I nod and put it into my pocket before wrapping my arms tightly around him. I bury my head in his chest and breathe in his sent of freshly baked bread and cinnamon. I don't ever want to let go of him. I just want to stay here with him in my arms and me in his but I can't have that, no matter how much I wish it I'll have to say goodbye really soon.
He kisses the top of my head and holds me close to him too. After a few minutes he let's go of me. When I look at him he has tears in his eyes and I have the same.
"I love you Kat." His voice cracks at the end of what he was saying and it breaks my heart more.
"I love you too." My voice sounds thick with tears already so who knows what state I'll be in later.
He kisses me softly and then takes my hand and we walk inside to see everyone else is already there, his father and his brothers, but his mother is absent, Annie, Finnick, Glimmer, Cato, Clove, Marvel, Johanna, Gale, Delly and I notice some more people I recognise and know from school, including Thresh.
We, as in the careers and the victors, gather around in a group and all of us look like we're going to burst into tears at any moment. A lot of 'I love you's are said and I make sure to hug everyone in our group of friends and also Riley, Peeta's older brother who has to go too.
By the end of the hugging we have all shed a few tears and it's not going to end there, we all know that.
After around ten minutes I see Haymitch walk through the doors looking surprisingly sober. His eyes scan around the room and I can see how utterly heartbroken he is to witness this. He thought that we'd all go off to further education or jobs and have great futures ahead of us but instead the boys he's seem transform into men are going off to fight and many of them will not make it back alive.
He seems to spot us and walks over to us and hugs each of the boys. Then I notice something I didn't before, Johanna has a back pack with her too.
"Jo, why do you have a bag?"
She just looks at the ground, "I'm sorry."
I knows exactly what she means but I refuse to admit it, "What do you mean you're sorry. Please tell me what I'm thinking is wrong." Everyone turns to look at Johanna and I feel more tears building up in my eyes, "Tell me you're not leaving too."
"I'm going with them."
I start to get mad but really I know it's mainly because I'm upset "You had a choice! Do you understand how many of these people wish they would have too!"
"I know but I want to go Kat. I want to do something instead of being stuck here. Besides, there's no one left I love."
Annie steps in now and you know things are bad when Annje steps in and is mad with you, "How dare you say that! What about all of us, we all love you! Don't you dare throw that back in our faces!"
Johanna just shrugs, "I've made my mind up."
That's the final straw for me, I just lose control of my emotions and dissolve into tears. Peeta pulls me close to him and it bury my head into his chest again and he holds me tightly to him. I feel him kiss the too of my head just as an announcement comes on saying that it's time for everyone to board the plane.
Peeta undoes his arms from around me and instead of hiding away in his chest I lean towards him and fit my lips to his in the perfect way that they do.
It doesn't last long because he has to go, "I love you Peeta."
"I love you too Kat."
He turns to look at Haymitch and smiles, "Any last advice?"
Haymitch smirks, "Stay alive." And I can't help but feel annoyed with him for saying that, it was highly insensitive in the current situation and he knows it. Maybe he just said it to try and lighten the mood, he always tries to do that but he isn't the best at it.
Everyone says one last goodbye before the boys and Jo have to walk away to their flight.
None of us say anything. We just watch them walk away with silent tears streaming down our faces until our loved ones are out of sight.

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~Lauren:) xx
(asdfghjklaurenn)