Catching Fire: Peeta's POV

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

The audience sits in an awed silence. Caesar reaches out a hand, touching the still smoldering headpiece. "Feathers. You're like a bird."

"A mockingjay, I think," Katniss says raising her arms slightly. "It's the bird on the pin I wear as a token."

Caesar hesitates before speaking again. "Well, hats off to your stylists. I don't think anyone can argue that that's not the most spectacular thing we've ever seen in an interview. Cinna, I think you better take a bow!" he exclaims gesturing to Cinna. Cinna takes a small bow.

The audience, which has stayed silent until this point, breaks out in a wild applause. An applause so loud the buzzer is barely heard. I pass Katniss on my way up for my interview. My eyes on the ground. An idea has formed in my mind. An idea to tug on the Capitol's heartstrings. One that may open their eyes, somewhat, to the horrors of the Games. They wouldn't want us to go through with the Games. We're there supposed star-crossed lovers.

I take the seat on the stage next to Caesar. The interview starts with a few jokes. But I can't concentrate much on the interview. My mind is elsewhere. Should I go through with the pan I just came up with?

"So, Peeta, what was it like when, after all you've been through, you found out about the Quell?" Caesar pries.

"I was in shock. I mean, one minute I'm seeing Katniss looking so beautiful in all these wedding gowns, and the next . . ." I trail off.

"You realized there was never going to be a wedding?" Caesar asks gently.

I pause, making my mind up. I look at the audience waiting for me to speak. Glancing down at the floor before I turn my attention back to Caesar. "Caesar, do you think all our friends here can keep a secret?"

The audience laughs. A secret on live TV?

"I feel quite certain of it," Caesar says leaning forward slightly.

"We've already married." I almost whisper. From the corner of my eye I see Katniss bury her face in the skirt of her dress. The crowd gasps in shock.

"But . . . how can that be?" Caesar sputters.

"Oh, it's not an official marriage. We didn't go to the Justice Building or anything. But we have this marriage ritual in District Twelve. I don't know what it's like in the other Districts. But there's this thing we do where a traditional song is sung. Then we make a fire, toast a bit of bread, and share it."

"Were your families there?" Caesar asks, slightly leaning forward again in his seat.

"No, we didn't tell anyone. Not even Haymitch. And Katniss' mother would never have approved. But you see, we knew if we were married in the Capitol, there wouldn't be a toasting. And neither of us really wanted to wait any longer. So one day, we just did it. And to us, we're more married than any piece of paper of big party could make us."

"So this was before the Quell?" Caesar inquires, digging for more information.

"Of course before the Quell. I'm sure we'd never have done it after we knew," I say, acting like I'm upset. Truthfully, am I upset, but not for the reason I'm about to give Panem. "But who couldn't seen it coming? No one. We went through the Games, we were Victors, everyone seemed so thrilled to see us together, and then out of nowhere--I mean, how could we anticipate a thing like that?"

"You couldn't, Peeta." Caesar says putting an arm around my shoulders. "As you say, no one could've. But I have to confess, I'm glad you two had a few months of happiness together."

The audience breaks out in applause. Katniss looks up from her dress, smiling, tears shining in her eyes.

"I'm not glad," I stressed. "I wish we had waited until the whole thing was done officially."