In the moments that followed, everyone was in more shock that normal at a Reaping. No-one had known what to say to Mrs Holt, but thankfully a couple of her neighbours had helped her up after she collapsed and helped her into the Justice Building, so she could say goodbye to the only living family she had. I walked back home with Peeta, hand in hand again, as neither of us wanted to feel alone right now.
"You still have the day off?" I asked, tentatively. Everyone knew what an evil witch his mother was, but no-one spoke of it. Peeta especially, because he seemed to take the brunt of it. His father stuck up for him sometimes, but rarely because he was just as scared of her.
"Nah, I, er, better get back. But I can ask if I can have the rest of the day off. It's not as if we are open is it," he grinned. I smiled and walked off back down to my home. Half an hour later, when I was back in my normal clothes and sitting down with a little bit of homework, I heard the door knock.
"Sorrel," I heard Gray shouting. "Peeta's here." I jumped up, brushing the crumbs off my trousers, just as Peeta walked into the living room.
"Gray sent me up," he smiled, wincing slightly. I took a closer look at his eye; a red welt was starting to come up just under his left eye.
"Do you want a cold cloth for that?" I asked, taking him into the kitchen when he nodded. "Come on, sit down. Can you pass me that bowl?" He sat on the chair I pulled out for him and I took the bowl to the tap. When I had enough cold water in, I soaked the cloth in it and took it back over to Peeta. Sitting down next to him, I sighed, and squeezed out the cloth, pressing it to his left eye. I was probably the only one, outside of his family, to know the full details of what happened inside that house. Others guessed, I mean it's not hard when he turns up to school, burns over his arms and barely able to open one eye, but no-one else wants to get too involved. I wasn't going to press him for answers, that's not how our friendship worked, but I knew he trusted me enough to tell me. "Oh Peep, what happened?" I sighed.
"I got home, and went up to her, I said that seeing as everywhere else is closed today, there obviously isn't anything for us to do today, at least not till later on, so could I come over to see you. That was when she turned and hit me. She kept whacking me over and over, screaming the usual -I'm useless, I'm a disappointment to her and if I wanted to leave, then to get out of her sight." Tears started to form in his eyes, so I sat closer and held him. "I looked over at my brothers, but they were just frozen on the spot, not doing a thing as usual."
"Well Peep, you know you always have a home here with us if you ever want to escape," I said.
"I know Solly, thanks," he smiled. "Ok, so what do you fancy doing? I now have the whole afternoon to myself," he chuckled. I rolled my eyes at him, glad he was ok, and chuckled.
"I was just starting my homework if you were up for it," I laughed, moving my legs out of the way of the swift kick he tried to aim at my shins. "Oi, you!" I pretended to be offended, but seeing his sweet face, grinning, his fringe flopped down over his eyes, I couldn't even pretend to be mad. We went back into the living room, to where my homework was, and within an hour, it was done. We spent the rest of the afternoon on the sofa, talking about how Saffron and Mead possibly were. Nova came in at that point, so we shut up, not wanting to upset her any more than she probably already was.
"Do you ever think about it?" asked Peeta suddenly, keeping his voice low.
"About what?"
"Running away. Escaping. Getting away from all this."
"I don't know," I sighed. "I mean I know we are considered the luckier ones because we aren't from the Seam, but it's still not good. Not the answer you were looking for I'm guessing," I smiled, turning to him. "What's brought all this on?"
"Today, the whole Hunger Games. I mean, it's not fair is it. I just, I dunno...... Never mind," he shook his head as Gray walked into the room. The rest of the afternoon was a little more subdued, but I didn't mind. Just being here with him was all I asked for. When dinner time came about, dad asked Peeta if he wanted to stay and eat with us. Peeta shook his head and smiled.
"Thankyou, Mr Foxlee, but I had better get back. They have probably made something for me and I better not stay too late." He hugged me goodbye and I just tried to hold in his scent, before he left, saying "Later, Solly."
"Later, Peep," I smiled.
