Effie's Diary

The Evening

Chapter 3

---

Katniss POV

I avoid eye contact with Peeta for the rest of the evening. Being the social butterfly that she is, Effie strikes up a conversation. "How've you been, Haymitch?" she asks. "Fine." he says.

I realize that this dinner will consist of small talk and awkward tension. When Effie sees that Peeta has prepared her chocolate covered strawberries, she screeches in excitement. "Peeta, you did this just for me?" she asks, astonished by the assortments of white, dark, and milk chocolate on the strawberries. "Yes." he replies firmly, grinning slightly. When dinner is over, we all head back to our rooms. I go into the bathroom, and when I'm about to get undressed, I hear a knock at the door. I turn the knob, and the door pushes open quickly, and Peeta grasps me in his arms. He kisses me, for what seems like forever, and then lets me go. "Peeta..." I mumble into his shirt, my head resting on his chest, as he embraces me.

"Katniss, I knew this day would come. I am the happiest man on earth." And with that, I know that he accepts the fact that I am pregnant. I smile, knowing that we will have a child of our own, and we will both be happy. Then, the games flash through my minds. Peeta must've read my thoughts, because he now embraces me tighter. "Don't worry about the games, Katniss. President Paylor won't let them happen again, I promise..." he says persuasively. He releases me, and I start to get undressed and take a shower. I get out, and put on my pajamas. I hop into bed, Peeta holding me tight in his arms, warding off the nightmares.

---

Effie POV

While I snuggle into bed, I think of Haymitch and I's conversation as we walked to the Mellark's. I recite it in my head,

"Effie?" he says.

"Yes, Haymitch?" I reply, smiling.

"When are you ever going to take that damned wig off?"

"What do you mean?"

"Remove all of that Capitol crap and reveal your real self."

Offended by his comment, I say, "I do, but you'll never see me like that, because it's only at night, when I'm asleep." He smirks after that, which most likely means he's up to no good.

I then write the conversation in my diary, and snooze.