Through These Doors (PeetaxCato)

Chapter 9-The Other Side

Peeta

I woke up in Cato's bed in our house staring at the ceiling. What had I done last night? What had I been thinking?
I thought of Gloss and I thought of Cato...who was it that I loved the most?

I looked at my sleeping boyfriend. What the hell had I done? I felt so bad about hurting him like I had done yet Gloss had given me what I needed most...to be loved and admired, to feel noticed again...the way Cato used to be...

I looked at my phone and noticed Johanna and Katniss had blown my phone up with texts once again. They wanted me and Courtney to meet them at Starbucks, so I decided to stop by Courtney's house and pick her up.

I wore my favorite Doctor Who t-shirt and blue jeans and I left a note for Cato saying I had gone out. I didnt know whether he would miss me or not...but hey at least I tried to let him know where I was...

Courtney answered the door when I knocked.

"Hey, Courtney, Katniss and Johanna sent me over here to get you. You're going to Starbucks with us." I said.

"Okay, great! I haven't been there in a while..." she said as she grabbed her purse and we walked to the car.

We walk there because its only a block away...and Courtney is very quiet.

"You okay?" I asked her.

"No, not really." she said as she looked down at the ground.

"Is it Hannah again?" I ask.

"It's always Hannah." she whispered as a slight tear fell off her face.

"But you are here now, and the memories can be forgotten." I said.

"These will never go away though, Peeta. What Clay and I suffer will always be with us...we will heal but the scar will still remain." she said as we walked onto the patio at Starbucks....

Cato

I woke up and remembered today was a very special day...Clay and I were hanging out today! How excited I truly was at the thought of getting to see him. I didn't know why but I was slowly becoming obsessed with him.

When I got to Courtney's house, where Clay was staying at, I looked up to find him on his porch. I walked up to him and found him playing Candy Crush Saga on it. I love that game....

His green eyes sparkled in the early morning sun, and his tiny brown freckles stood out in the wind. He looked absolutely beautiful.

It was Sunday and I decided I would invite him to Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary, the church I attended. I needed to go mainly because I had not been there in forever and plus this would be a new experience for Clay.

"Hey." I said softly.

"Hey" he said back.

"Wanna come on an adventure?" I asked him.

"Sure." he said as he started to smile. God he was so cute...Peeta though.

We got in the car and drove to the church. Clay looked amazed at how regal it looked sitting all by itself perched on a hill. I remembered the first time I had gone on an impulse because I admired the castle-like facade of the cathedral. Pretty soon, I got hooked on the faith and its mystical nature.

Clay walked in and saw the statue of St. Jude and he began to admire its color and design. It truly was a beautiful representation of the saint in all his fine glory, plus he IS the saint of desperate causes and times were pretty desperate...

I showed him how to dip his fingers in the water basin near the entrance to the sanctuary and make the sign of the cross, then bend down and make the sign of the cross yet again and then go inside one of the aisles and sit down in a pew.

"So, you're Catholic?" he asked me as we sat down.

"Yeah." I whispered, taking in the holiness of the place.

I showed him how to pray the rosary....and as we both recited the timeless prayers a sense of peace flooded the room. Clay's face looked less worried and he seemed better already.

As Mass began and we stood up to sing the hymns, Clay sang as best he could. I tried not to laugh at his high notes....

And I also tried not to kiss him in the house of God....

Katniss

I saw Peeta and Courtney walk into Starbucks and order their drinks. Peeta with his usual cold brew, and Courtney with her double chocolate chip frappe.

They walked over to us and sat down and I honestly had to ask if they were okay.

Courtney nodded silently and Petta said "Yeah? Are you?"

"Always." I smiled at them.

"So what's new, bitches?" Johanna said as we laughed.

"Well I finally found out where my Lana Del Rey albums went..." Courtney piped up

"Did Clay steal them?" Peeta laughed.

"No it turns out they were in the box with my old clothes headedfor Goodwill....I almost donated them..." she laughed.

I had to admit that was kinda funny.

"Did Cato tell you he came by the house last night?" Courtney added.

"No...." Peeta said, taken aback a bit.

"Yea he came tosee me and asjed if he could get Clay out of his shell."

I noticed Peeta shrink back....and I knew what he was afraid of....that Cato was cheating on him...

Song of the Day; One Last Time by Ariana Grande