What if?- A Mockingjay Story

Chapter 92

What if?

What if today was just a dream, it feels like a dream? What if today is a path to our future, a promise that the future holds good things for us? What if today is the beginning of the rest of our lives together? What if this is real, this is the proof that there is more joy to come in our lives even when Sophie is gone?

What if? What if? What if...

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When I awake in the morning I am alone, the bed sheets sprawled across the floor and the sun shining in brightly blinding my vision until I sit up. That's when it comes into focus, the little piece of paper addressed to me on my locker with the words

"Happy Birthday Katniss"

written on the front and only then am I reminded its my birthday. My 22nd Birthday is today. Every time my birthday comes along I always can't help but think how fast my life is going by. Every time I blink it's another year, when I breath it's another minute, when I smile it's a lifetime. It's all just going too fast for me to process but I don't care, that's the joy of roller coasters after all. You don't analyse things but just go with the flow, don't process the bad just fly to the good almost immediately. That's my life right now, and I love it. I grab the note off the locker and move over to the window to read it in the light of day

Dear Katniss,
Happy Birthday my love. 22 years, I love you more than anything in the world and am so lucky to have you in my life.. And just to show you how much you mean to me I have organised an entire day of events. Sophie is out of your hands for the day, she is with Haymitch and Effie so you do not have to worry. All I need you to do is stay inside and come out only at 6 O'Clock and then meet me in the meadow. I'm not going to say much more but please follow these instructions so I can make this your best birthday yet. Much love,

Peeta xxx.

When I go downstairs my breakfast is already made, laid neatly on the table with a vase beside it filled with beautiful flowers letting off a gorgeous scent into the air. As I eat I wonder what Peeta has planned, his surprises are almost unpredictable. He really makes an effort on days like this, he treats me better than I deserve.

Today I could definitely say feels like one of the longest days of my life. One of those days where you turn on the TV but are really more interested in watching each second tick by on the clock. I feel fidgety, unsettled. Peeta knows me well enough that in some ways I do not like surprises, I do not like waiting. I have always been impatient, demanding at some points. It's just who I am. But being like that is not helping in this situation in which I must wait 6 whole hours indoors for a moment to come. At 1:30 I hear a knock on the door and by the time I have answered nobody is there but a package lies on the doorstep, wrapped in colourful polka dot wrapping paper. I take it inside before ripping off the wrapping, my anxiousness suddenly being taken out of the paper as I rip it to shreds before tossing it into the trash. I open the box slowly and take out the contents one by one. First is a drawing, a picture of what looks like a girl, a woman and a man in front of a cake. I identify that it is our family almost immediately. On the side is Effie's writing obviously writing for Sophie

To Mummy,

Happy Birthday. I love you.

Love Sophie.

I smile and hang the picture on the fridge with the many others before returning to empty the box. Next I pull out a beautiful headpiece, immediately recognisable as one of Effie's creations. Lately since the triplets have been less trouble she has had more time to herself in which she focuses on fashion according to Haymitch. I hold the delicate headpiece in my hands and admire it, the small diamonds glistening in the sunlight. I put it back in its crepe wrapping so it doesn't fall or break and read their card