Catching Fire: The New Story

Gamemakers have Secrets too.

Katniss's POV

I feel Peeta's kiss linger on my cheek. It tingles where his lips met my warm skin. I watch him disappear into the crowd, not looking back to see if I was looking. The crowd's drunk laughter and loud conversations blur out my own drunk thoughts.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Everdeen," Plutarch says. "Or may I say, Soon-to-Be Mrs. Mellark."

I turn to the short man and smile. I give a school girl giggle, feeling my cheeks blush at the thought. I can't get out of my head that this is the man responsible for this year's Quarter Quell. Peeta left me with this despicable man to dance with.

"Hello to you, too, Mr. Heavensbee."

"Would you care to dance?" he asks, waving his hand forward for mine to take. No, I would not. I don't want anyone's hands on my. Beside Peeta's.

I don't say that though. I only smile politely and nod. I am too frightened to speak, knowing that my drunk words will not be the right ones. We begin the dance with a bow and my left hand connects with his right. His other hand sits at my waist, mine sits on his shoulder. We move along with the rest of the dancing crowd, the slow song flowing from the instruments played above us.

"So, how have you liked your Tour?" Plutarch asks, keeping the air mild with small talk. I can feel the bigger picture he is aiming at, he is a sneaky man. He is too close to the president to trust.

"It has been delightful," I say slowly. I only half lie.

"Good. I wouldn't want you and Mr. Mellark to have a bad trip," he says with a smile. "Now, tell me the truth."

I frown and glare at him. He gives me a smirk.

"No need to fear me, Miss Everdeen. No one can hear our conversations. Even so, they are all too drunk to remember."

I continue to glare while I say the truth. "Well, it's been a bit antagonizing for me. Everything seems too big and rich for my liking."

"Ah, someone who knows how I feel," Plutarch chuckles. Changing the subject he says," Your pin in beautiful."

"Thank you," I say with a genuine smile.

"Would you like to see something beautiful?" he asks. I nod, confusion written on my face. He drops his hands, allowing mine to fall back to my sides. He reaches inside his coat, taking something from the hidden pocket. I see it reflect all the lights on its surface. The little compact is gold, attached to a chain that leads its way into the darkness of the inside of his coat.

"It's one of a kind," he says in a whisper. Plutarch runs his thumb over the transparent cover of the watch gently, and a second later my Mockingjay shines in gold. I smile.

"It is beautiful," I whisper. I tilt my head to look at it before the Mockingjay disappears. I have to blink back the dizziness from all the drinks we had earlier.

"Thank you. Just don't go around telling people of it. I don't want people making copies," Plutarch says, with amusement in his eyes. "Like I said, one of a kind. Like you."

I nod. "Promise."

He sighs. "Well then, I must be going. Or I'll be late for my meeting."

I tilt my head as he checks the watch, running his thumb over the cover and bringing up my Mockingjay. "What meeting? Why this late?" It was almost midnight, we would be leaving late afternoon tomorrow.

"Because, it's a secret meeting," Plutarch says with a devious smile. "Nice meeting you, again, Miss Everdeen."

"My pleasure," I say and shake his pudgy hand. He walks off and disappears into the crowd. I stand alone for a minute, staring at the spot both Peeta and Plutarch Heavensbee have gone into. But the Capitol citizens don't allow another minute of me being alone. They practically scream and rush over to me, complimenting me and asking questions. I smile and try to listen when all they are doing is screaming their names and words I don't catch.

"Katniss! Katniss!"

"Oh, Katniss, your clothes...!"

"You look so beautiful tonight!"

I smile through it all, trying to get out of the crowd that has surrounded me. I feel so hot, I can feel the sweat drip down my forehead, running down my legs, sticking my hair to my neck and back. I rub my fingers against my palms and feel the anxiety. I only remember being claustrophobic the times I went down the elevator shaft into the mines.

"Have any of you seen Peeta?" I begin asking the crowd. Everyone I ask shakes their heads and continue on with the questions. They don't see me shaking, my fear and worry. They only care about my clothing and hair and talent and family, my life, my Peeta.

Once I can't breathe, once everything was getting far too much for myself to handle, I finally yell, "Excuse me!" I run from the crowd, they are baffled at my absence. I rush over to two grand doors and push them open. I rip off my heels and hold them tight. I run.

The mansion is unfamiliar, so I stay on the same floor as the party. I don't remember much of what I see, it is all a blur. Flashes of colors and wallpaper with gold designs.

"Katniss!"

I hear someone suddenly cry. I stop, I am in the middle of an empty hall. I look around, trying to find the familiar voice. I run back from where I came. I turn corners I don't remember taking and run down halls I don't recognize. I turn one last corner before giving up and I bump into not anyone other than Peeta. He catches me from trying over my dress.

"Thank you," I say, breathless. He nods and pulls me into his arms. "What's wrong?" I ask. He lets go and looks at me at arm's length.

"You!" he screams. And I am surprised. "You've been gone for more than an hour! Everyone said you just disappeared through some doors! You were talking with some people and you just left!" Peeta is sweating with worry and fear. I am confused and he sees it on my face. That explains why I am so breathless. I could swear I have been in these halls for only a few minutes. "Are you okay? Why did you leave?"

"I'm fine. Actually, I was looking for you," I admit, sheepishly. Peeta nods again, and brings me back into his arms.

There is a feeling you get at least once in your life, maybe more. The feeling of free falling into oblivion. I feel like I am falling now, in Peeta's arms. Yet, I know somehow, he would always catch me in his strength. And I would do it at all over again: fall and land in his arms. Over and over and over again. I have had this feeling many times in my life, over the course of years and months apart. Physically and mentally. In the woods with Gale just a few years ago, I was fifteen. We were hunting one random summer day, I was climbing around to get a better aim from higher up. I didn't realize I was standing on such a thin branch, but I assumed it would hold me for the few seconds before I jumped off to another, thicker one. I shot the animal dead from where I was when suddenly, I had the feeling of my feet slipping from underneath the branch keeping me up. I heard the crack a second too late. It was a real feeling, a frightening one. I feel down from about twenty feet up. Gale found me and carried me how as I was injured and in pain. That happened twice, once with Gale, and once with my father as a young girl. I felt clumsy then, but I know I couldn't stop myself from that mistake.

In the arena, stepping off the platform once the Games began, felt like hours had gone by before my feet hit the ground and I was running. When the bell run for a mining accident all those years ago went off, I felt like I was falling into my nightmare. Now, it isn't a feeling of fear falling into Peeta's arms, over and over again. It isn't. Peeta's arms tighten around me and he catches me without his knowledge of knowing. He never lets me fall with the fear of hitting the ground dead.

"You are definitely not okay, Katniss," Peeta says, pulling me out of my jumbled thoughts. I feel dizzy and fuzzy again, the liquor hitting once again. My eyesight becomes blurry the longer I keep my eyes open. My legs feel weak and my mind rushes. "I'm taking you to our room for the night."

I can only nod, getting dizzy again. I don't want to be stubborn for once, I want to listen and lay down. Peeta wraps his arms around my waist, kissing my temple once more before half dragging me back to our room. We will share one now. It won't be brought up for gossip and giggles at exactly what we do in each other's room. We are engaged now, we are considered adults with this ring on my finger.

Although we aren't, I feel safer than I have in a long time.

*

I hate the end of the school year. I never have time for anything yet I give up so much. Forty more days.

~Jez xo