Everybody Talks: Sequel

Chapter Twenty Four: Double Date

***Katniss's POV***

I look at myself in my mirror as I fix my hair. I put my hair in a braid because I remember Peeta always saying he liked it braided. I pull on my boots that go over my skinny jeans, and I get the warmest coat I can find. It is December after all, and it is cold! I grab my phone and purse before rushing out the door of my bedroom. Downstairs, my prince waits for me. We don't have much time together, but we will just have to make the most of it. I run down the steps, probably faster than what is safe, but I don't care. Peeta always seems to catch me when I fall. At the bottom of the stairs, I see his blonde hair. His arms open wide for me and I run into them.
"Ready?" He asks kissing the top of his head.
"Ready." I let him go but I take his hand, it's not every day I will be able to hold it so I need to make the most of it. We walk towards the front door where we walk out to my car. Peeta will be driving, and he quickly opens the passenger door for me. We begin to drive towards Marvels house to pick up him and Clove. I think they are officially together, but I won't say until I know for sure. Ever since the guys got home 3 days ago, They have been spending a lot of time together. They are going out with Peeta and I tonight, seeing a movie and then maybe dinner or something afterwards. But they are the ones who asked us. We pull up to Marvel's house and I see him walk out with Clove, dressed exactly like Peeta. They have to wear camo pants and shirt, or a white marine shirt. (Sorry if I got that wrong) Both of them have on their camo pants, white marine shirt under their camo jackets because it's freezing.
"Hey guys." I say when they get in the back seat.
"Hey." Clove says putting on her seat belt.
"What movie are we seeing?" Marvel asks.
"Actually, I thought we would ditch the movie." Peeta says, taking me by surprise.
"I thought we..." I trail off.
"I have something better planned. And, because Marvel and I are soldiers, it's free."
"Peeta, stop being cheap." Marvel jokes as Peeta begins to drive off.
"I'm not cheap, because this will be a lot better than the movies." He begins to drive while we make small talk, and listen softly to the radio. Peeta keeps switching the station to the news, and I keep changing it back. At some point, I grow angry and I just turn it off all together. There is a silence that I can't say is awkward, but it isn't comfortable. Peeta reaches his hand to turn it back on but I smack it.
"All the news will be talking about is the war, and I don't want to hear about it." I say and for the rest of the car ride, he keeps his hands on the wheel. Clove and Marvel talk in the back, and at one point Clove leans her head on his shoulder. I stare at my engagement ring and I feel remorse for not letting Peeta listen to the news. He has the right to know how the war is going while he is away, but my memories just came back and I don't want to waste this time thinking of the war where he will be sent back to. Because I've missed a lot with him. We pull into the fanciest restaurant i n town, which I also know is the most expensive.
"Peeta, are you sure it's free?" I ask him.
"Yes." He gets out of the car, probably aggravated with me for turning off the radio. Oh well, he will get over it. We walk inside, Clove and Marvel are holding hands. Oh yeah, they are totally together.
"Reservation for Mellark, table of four." Peeta says.
"Oh yes, right this way sir." The man leads us to a booth, where I sit next to Peeta, even though he seems to be keeping his distance a little. I reach for his hand and after a minute, he takes it.
"You can listen to the news on the way back." I whisper to him.
"That's not it Kat."
"What is it?"
"We will talk later." He whispers and begins to look through the menu.
"So Clove, when did this happen?" I move my finger between her and Marvel.
"Um, well, when they left for war we started emailing each other, seeing as we were basically the only ones who had no one to talk to. Jo didn't want to talk to anyone and everybody else had someone they were dating. So we started talking and by the time he came home, I was overly excited to see him. I guess you could say at the airport we become official." She smiles at him.
"Well congrats man." Peeta says, high fiving him.
"Peeta? How is this free?"
"Our General, Boggs, he has set it up that we eat free at whatever restaurant we want, every night we come home for a visit. It's a marine perk."
"I didn't know about this." Marvel says.
"That's because he doesn't like you, so he didn't tell you." Peeta jokes with him, "Actually, I'm not sure why you don't know. Maybe you were to busy thinking about Clove and didn't hear him." Peeta and I end up laughing, clove cracks a smile, but Marvel just blushes! We look over the menu and we decide on our order, our waiter coming back with the most delicious looking food in the world. When I take a bite, it's like I've died and gone to Heaven.
"This food is amazing." Peeta says.
"I think you could do better."
"I'm not sure, this is pretty great." Clove says with her mouth full.
"You got a keeper Marvel..." I say. We keep eating our amazing food, until we are all full. Even with or stomachs about to burst, we order dessert because you know, it's free. When we finish, we go up the cashier where Peeta tells them about Boggs, and they literally rip up the check. Marvel and Clove went to the car already, so as we are walking out, trying to decide what we are going to do next, I see Johanna. And she is with a boy!
"Peeta look." I say pointing to her and this boy holding hands. Who is that?
"Oh my gosh..." Peeta says, trying to hold back from laughing. "It's James."
"Your brother?" I ask in shock.
"Yes! Oh this is to good, I'm calling him." Peeta oulls out his phone and dials Jame's number. From here we can hear his phone ringing, and Peeta let's me listen when he answers it.
"Hello?" James says.
"Hey bro, what's up?"
"Nothing, just taking a walk. Why?"
"No reason, just seeing if you wanted to hang out."
"Um, I'd actually rather take a walk right now. I have some things on my mind."
"Like what?" Peeta asks, from here we can see James looking at Johanna not knowing what to say.
"Uh... Um, nothing important." That's when Jo hit his arm, because he referred to her as nothing important.
"Ouch, that looked like it hurt." Peeta says and we both begin to laugh.
"Wait, What?" James looks around and he sees us in the crowed.
"Oh you son of a-" Before he can cuss, Peeta ends the call. We walk over to them, but they aren't holding hands anymore.
"So what's up with this?" I ask looking at Johanna, knowing it's making her uncomfortable.
"We are going on a date, you have a problem with that?" She is trying to sound unaffected but she is blushing bright red.
"No, not at all. When did this happen?" Peeta asks.
"At the airport, when you went off tell off mom, and Katniss smacked me, Johanna came over to see if I was okay."
"His face had a hand print on it Kat, you hit harder than I thought." Johanna laughs.
"Well, you two enjoy your date. We have other places to be, more people to see, but James be home by 10." Peeta says sternly.
"Sir yes sir." James salutes him. We walk out and laugh at the fact the Johanna is not only on a date, but it's with James. We get into the car and we begin to drive for the local park. On the pond, people are ice skating and music is playing. Every year close to Christmas, they always set up an ice skating rink here.
"Oh yes! We are skating?" I say to Peeta.
"Yes ma'am." We all get out of the car and we begin to walk towards the rink. Halfway there though, we notice something to our left. A woman, who looks to have two kids with her, is being held at gunpoint.
"Peeta." I whisper with fear in my eyes. He looks over as well, drawing the attention of Marvel and Clove. They are further away from the rink, it's dark and no one is paying attention to them. Mainly because you can barely see them.
"Kat, call the police." Peeta says. "You and Clove stay back here, Marvel. Black Op, Eagle Claw. I'm left you're right up high." Marvel nods and runs off to the right, while Peeta runs to the left. Before they go, the each grab the gun they carry. They have the right to openly carry, and I guess their general likes them to have a gun at all times. I call the police, but I'm watching them run towards the woman, barely visible. I tell the dispatcher where we are, what is happening, and I'm trying to identify the man but I can't. I have no good look at him. They say they are sending troops, but they better hurry and get here. I keep watching the man, he looks angry. Will she not give him money? Or jewelry? Does he want her kids? Finally, I see Peeta step in front of the woman and children, gun pointed at the man, but Peeta is guarding them with his body. Almost as quickly as that happens, Marvel jumps out of a tree and tackles the man to the ground. Peeta puts his gun back, Marvel now pointing his at the man, and he grabs the two kids. He runs them back to us, telling them just to stay calm. When he little boy and girl have almost finished crying, that's when we hear a gunshot. Thinking Marvel shot the man, or the man shot Marvel, all of our heads snap up. But upon looking, we see the woman has fallen to the ground halfway to us. Peeta curses under his breath, and begins to run to her. We hear a terrible crunching noise, and then a scream. Marvel broke the gunmans hand by stepping on it, forcing him to release the gun. I run to Peeta and the woman, a bullet wound through her stomach. Peeta removes his jacket, and then his shirt, placing the white marine T-shirt on the wound.
"Apply as much pressure as you can, I will go wait for the cops." I run off towards the road I know they will be coming from. If I'm completely honest, I just can't stand the blood. Clove has taken the two kids over to the car where they cry frantically. I see the flashing lights of cops, firetrucks, and an ambulance. I also see people running away from the skating area, going to their cars to watch from safety. Police rush in, taking the woman in the ambulance and grabbing the man for the car ride to the hospital. His hand is broken after all. The police come to the kids, taking them to the cars where they are looked over for any wounds. I go to Peeta, shirtless in th cold winter air, and I wrap my arms around him. I feel a warm liquid touch my bare hands and I know it's the woman's blood.
"Are you okay?" I ask him.
"Why wouldn't I be?" He asks as if It was a ridiculous question.
"That was such an intense moment. I would have froze up, but you seemed so calm about it."
"That's nothing compared to what I do over seas." He says rubbing circles in my back. That's the first time I realize it. Peeta may be the loving, romantic guy that left me six months ago. Even though I forgot him, his love for me never faded. Even though he will still bring my flowers, or teddy bears, or send me good night texts, I've lost part of him. The very core of him will be forever changed, always rock hard and tense. He will never be at ease, he will never be comfortable. Nightmares will haunt him, and flashbacks of things that have happened at war will flood his head. As much as I wish it hasn't, this war has changed him permanently. I won't ever have the same Peeta that left six months ago, because something about him will always be different.
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-Hannah