Catching Fire: The New Story

Chapter 52

Katniss's POV

Prim, finally, allows me to start walking again. Going downstairs myself. Getting food. Anything meaning to move by myself. Pain shots to my sides once in a while. But I let it go. I try to worry Prim less. She knows I fake not feeling pain, yet she never repeats 'bed rest.' I'm glad. Those are the worst words to hear. I know I should go back and sleep but I have so much energy I wish I could release in the woods. Yet, when I ask everyday, they laugh and say no. Even Peeta. I groan and my mother starts about how I could injure myself more. Or even worse. The baby. Which makes Peeta decline more.

I don't listen though. I know I put so much to myself going into the woods and all, but it's what I enjoy. The only thing pleasant that I do, never mind, did, everyday. Now Thread's taking it from me so I can sit on the couch and do nothing with so much money in my hands for enough food to feed the whole district. Yet, they still starve. And Snow does nothing to help.

My tight shirt exposes my growing belly. My fathers jacket keeps it lightly exposed if you were far from me. Peeta's hand sits on the big bump and the other plays with my hair that's laid across the ground. My head rests on his lap as he sits on, what used to be grass, which is still snow. My legs are sprawled out on the lightly greenery filed with the whiteness of the cold and I let my eyes close, imagining myself in the woods rather than in my giant backyard. Maybe my girl/boy could play here with Posy. We could sit and watch them run around. And I could teach Rory how to throw a knife. And Vicky can learn from Prim how to heal. Then my mother and Hazzelle could talk and watch us all.

I start giggling when Peeta rubs my stomach, which turns my mind to him and away from my daydreams of the future ahead of us. I open my eyes and see him smiling. I let mine drop when notice his cheek. I sit up, with Peeta confused why I broke the happy moment we were creating. My hand traveled to his intense features. Once perfect and smooth. Now a bump on his jaw line and a dark bruise. I flinch when I lightly run my thumb over it and he winces.

"What happened?" I asked as gentle as I could. He stays quiet and moves my hand from his face. Yet, he never looks me in the eye. His eyes stay lingering on the snow. I look at him. "Peeta. Just tell me." I say in a more serious voice.

"Nothing, Katniss. Don't worry yourself. How about we go inside and-" he starts. But I stand a little bit too quickly. I start my declination of why he shouldn't tell me, but how I got up made me fall back to the ground. I'm glad Peeta caught me in time before I hurt myself more, making bed rest for me another living hell. I groan when a pain came to my stomach.

"Are you okay?" Peeta asked, extremely concerned. I nod my head, biting my cheek. "Let's get you inside." He says pulling me up carefully.

I rush his hand off my arm. "No. First, you have to tell me what happened to you cheek? Who hit you?" I asked. He tried to pull me inside with nothing said from his lips. I pull him back in front of me. His height towered over me. So I looked up at him, the bruise in a better view.

"No one Katniss. I bumped into something." He lied. He's such a bad liar. He eyes never came on me. He just looked away. He can't get away with that. He should've looked me in the eyes.

"Tell me." I demanded between my teeth. He knew I was to the point where I was extremely angry. I've only done this twice in my life, it almost got me killed those two times. I can't control myself all the time. But I can to only let my bad side come out twice.

"My mother." He said. I calm myself before I run to the bakery and snap at her for hurting him. I know his family doesn't care for him. I mean, he lives in this big house with too much money and his family still lives above the bakery, working their hands day and night to make some change. Like Hazzelle. Her hands go to blood and bone to wash clothes for food for the kids. I kick myself for all of this.

"Stop going over there Peeta. They don't want you." He cuts me off.

"I don't care they're my family."

"Then, why are you living alone!? Why aren't they with you?! Why does your mother beat you?! They're not your family Peeta!" I scream. I hear a front door slam closed and can see Haymitch leaving his filthy house from across the street. He starts crossing the street.

"Then who is Katniss?! Who is?" He asks, first his voice is loud and angry. Then sensitive and broken. That hurt me deep inside.

"I am. We are." I say placing his large hand on my stomach. I smile and wait for his. He's still looking down in disappointment in his less-caring family. He finally looks up and smiles bigger than ever. I pull him down to hug him. He's tall. But not as tall as Gale. I always feel so small when I'm with them. But I do feel very much loved.

"And what are the two star-crossed lovers up to today?" I turn and see Haymitch leaning on the frame work of the backyard door. I wrap myself with my thin jacket, shake my head and go inside. Passing Haymitch, who did indeed smell horrible.

"What's her problem?" he ask, thinking I can't hear him from the big office where I once talking to President Snow. Which was just across the hall.

"You." Peeta answers, I hear him walk inside. I smile. My Peeta. I try to keep in my laughs as Haymitch comes in grumpy and slumped. He plunges into a rocking chair along with Peeta on the other side of him. A table between. They start a chess round and I watch them. They'd have the most random conversations. But they kept it going. Moving it from one thing to the other. I eventually got bored of such a racket, I got up and walked around. Looking at each book and studying which one I should read. Prim said all of them were amazing. But, so many. It was difficult to choose. I finally picked a fairytale book. The cover red-violet with golden letters. It looked brand new. I opened it and started on the first page.

Peeta finally won. "Yes!" he said. I looked up to the clock. It was already five. I'd been reading for four hours. Haymitch came at one. So their game lasted four hours. Must've been interesting. Peeta stood and shook hands with Haymitch.

"I'll get you next time, boy." He said with a smirk.

"You can try Haymitch." I smiled at Peeta. Chess was something he could actually beat Haymitch at. Prim called for dinner. We all got up, left the big office and entered the dinning room. It's mahogany tables were carved with swirls I let my fingers trace for hours watching Prim do her homework. Or cook. Or just sit there and study it.

Peeta pulled me a chair. I sat and thanked him. He pulled himself the one next to mine while Haymitch did the same with the one to my right. Prim sat in front of me and our mother to her left. Plates of meat sat in front of each of us. We all said our thanks then dug in. I was starving. Reading for four hours. Well. It takes up time.

We all gradually got into conversation about the new Peacekeeper, Thread. We all hated him. All the prison poles around the district stood high and bloodcurdling. Luckily, no one has yet to come from a whipping. Images of Gale tied to one pole in the square come to mind. I close my eyes and try to block everyone's words about it. It's as if they get louder on no command. My head starts to pound.

"Excuse me." I finally say. I stand and stumble upstairs to my room. Where I lock the door shut and scatter myself onto my soft, dark brown bed.

Ugh. One am. My head hurts. Sry. I always update super late. But good stuff is coming up. Hang right. VOTE if you liked it. COMMENT what you think. AND if you have ideas. Don't be afraid to ask. FOLLOW me if you would like to be updated when I update this story. Thanks :* byyyee!!! goodnight. Or good morning. Or good afternoon. Whatever. Byyyyee!!!!

~Jez