Pregnant in the Quell

Chapter 25

I'm walking home from my therapeutic hunt, even though I didn't actually kill anything. Today was the first day I've been out and walked more than a few metres to Haymitch's house. He was the one who persuaded me to go hunting again in the first place. I've never considered running away, I always had her to look after, but today it crossed my mind. Run away, just live in the forests, a simplistic life. But as I walk back to the Victors' Village, I know that I could never leave.

I'm not paying much attention as I walk past the first few houses, but as I get closer to Haymitch's and my house, I see something - someone. And it's definitely not Haymitch. At first I refuse to believe who I might be seeing, but as I take a few more steps, my mind is certain. My feet are suddenly planted to the floor, and I almost trip up. He seems to have heard that.

And 'he' is Peeta.

He turns around, and for a minute, neither of us say anything. We're too far away from each other for the eye contact to be embarrasing, but I still can a see a pink blush on his cheeks. He's holding something, flowers. I realise only after a few seconds, that they're not just flowers. They're primroses. Tears spark in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall down my cheeks. The first time in ages he sees me, he can't see me broken. However, my voice betrays me when I call out his name.

"Peeta." I say it as a statement, 100 percent sure that it is him. This time I know it's not a hallucination. I've had many of those now to know the difference. I step towards him, slowly, not wanting to see, desperate, even though, quite frankly, I am.
"Katniss, I..." He clears his throat and then starts again. "I thought Prim would've have liked these. Primroses," he finishes. Her name sends a jolt through my body and I think he saw too. Eager to change the subject, I try and think of something else.

"Does Haymitch know you're here?" I ask.
"I didn't even know I was coming home until yesterday so I told him last night." He replies hesitantly. Once a wave of sadness passes through me. "Why didn't you tell me first Peeta?" Tears build up but this time I let them flow freely down my cheeks. He flinches, obviously not liking the sight he's seeing. I wouldn't either. "Katniss, I uh, thought, I just maybe," he stutters. Now I'm king of getting agitated. I just want him to spit out it out and so tell him so. "Look, you've had the worst time and I just didn't want add to your stress." He blurts out.

Suddenly I do something I least expect someone like me to do. I hug him. I forgive him for everything. Since I've been back here, this is the first time a different emotion ignites inside me. Hope. Maybe we can start again. He hugs me back with fierce determination.