After Mockingjay

My Choice

My eyes go wide. Gale stars into my gray ones with his. We all sit silently until my mom coughs. I'm still staring though even when I talk to Peeta.

"Go to my room."

He nods and exits. I stand and make my over to Gale.

"Why did you come back?" I hiss.

"Same reason your mom did," he replies carefully.

"Katniss," my mom starts.

I hold my finger up to stop her.

I just scowl at Gale. I'm so angry with him for not coming to me after my trial was over. Betrayal. Gale holds his arm out to me. Just then Peeta runs in and stands between us facing Gale.

"Don't touch her," he said.

"I was just trying to apologize for what I did," he replies.

"You can't," I say pushing Peeta to the side. " it's already done."

I run out of the house and to the medow. I sit in the grass and think. Peeta comes to join me.

"He has a lot of nerve," I whisper.

Peeta stays silent.

I stare into those eyes under the burning sun.

"I know," he says not bothering to whisper.

We sit for awhile silent laying in the grass.

"Let's have lunch at my place," Peeta suggests.

"Okay," I say as he helps me up.

We walk hand in hand to his house.

After we eat I suggest going to my house to grab warm clothes so we could go for a walk in the woods. He agrees. We we arrive at my house notice Gale and my mom are gone.

"Hello?" I call.

No answer. My moms probably with Haymitch and Effie. Gales probably in the woods hunting. I run upstairs and grab my jacket and hat. We I get down stairs Peeta in the kitchen thinking very hard.

"Peeta?" I ask.

He looks up at me and you can see the puzzlement in his blue eyes.

"Did you ever wonder why Gale wanted to apologize?" He mumbles.

And I know why. After all those days I've spent with him he finally apologized. I can't explain this to Peeta he just wouldn't get it. So I shrug, take his hand, and lead him to the woods. We have a deep conversation about how the woods reminds him of our first games. I'm able to talk about Rue and Cato without being scared for the first time. I turn to look in his eyes. He drops to the ground. Un one knee. He holds out a beautiful diamond ring.

"Katniss Everdeen, I have loved you since I first laid eyes on you. Will you marry me?" He asks.

I start to cry with joy. I'm overwhelmed by this action.

"Always," I reply and he stands and hugs me while I cry.

Wait. We can't say anything about this yet. Not while Gales here.

"We can't tell anyone yet," I whisper.

"I know," he says as he let's go of me and kisses me.

We walk black to my house. I make a simple dinner. We don't say anything. There is nothing else to be said. We are the happiest we have ever been. We both shower and go to bed. Later, in the middle of the night Peeta asks,

"You love me real or not real?"

"Real," I tell him.