Jessica's Fate

Chapter 78

We were finished with the first movie and took a break, stretching and going into the kitchen to restock snacks and drinks. "So, I totally get what you meant about your obsession." He teased.

"Sorry." I made a face. "Was I too active in pointing out what wasn't in the books?"

He laughed. "No, it was cute." He winked at me. "And you're nothing as bad as I am with the Harry Potter movies."

"Oh, I'm super bad with those too." I said. "But it's a bit more tolerable than some movies."

"I understand that completely." He nodded before helping me take things into the other room and set them up on the coffee table before he ducked into the bathroom for a needed break and I switched the first movie for the second and queued it up at the start menu.

We started in on a second bowl of popcorn while we watched the movie. I tilted my head and pointed at the TV. "One would think she would have just thought to ask how they felt about both of them being with her." I blurted before my eyes widened and I blushed, putting a larger than usual amount of popcorn in my mouth.

He didn't respond right away but chewed some popcorn thoughtfully. "I guess." He said. "But maybe if they'd actually been friends in the first place." He said, taking a sip of his soda and glancing at me.

I felt my forehead furrow. "You think that would have made a difference?"

He nodded. "I think so. I mean, all Gale knows is what he sees on the viewing when they force them to see it. He sees how they have to act in District 12 when they're home, now that they live all the way out in Victor's Village. It's a definite line between them, between wealth and poverty. He is kicking himself for not making a move years ago and he really wishes he hadn't made that promise to take care of her family."

"You think he would have volunteered as tribute?"

"Oh, for sure. As soon as neither of Peeta's brothers did, Gale would have in a heartbeat because who better to watch her back than someone who's been hunting with her, albeit illegally, in the woods because they both knew they had to survive."

I smiled. "Good point. You're going to be an awesome English teacher." I said, leaning over and grabbing some of the chips we were eating before settling back into my seat and watching the movie again.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." He murmured.

"No problem. Will you get to discuss a lot of books or are you going to be one of those, write me a paper every weekend, sort of teachers?"

He laughed. "Depends. Sometimes I'll have to be the paper writing teacher."

"Fair enough." I nodded slightly before we both fell silent, engrossed in the movie. I clamped my hand down on his arm during the arena scene with the monkeys. Don't get me wrong, I love the movies as much as I love the books but I hadn't ever been scared of monkeys until I'd seen this scene come to life in a movie.

Probably because mom always called Luke her monkey boy.

And Owen always teased me that I could cling tighter to anyone than a spider monkey could.

He rested his other hand on top of mine. "It's okay." He murmured, his voice soothing me and my frazzled nerves. "Let's take a quick break." He said, his tone worried.

"Okay." I nodded quickly and reached for the remote, hitting pause.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I inhaled a breath and held it before exhaling slowly. "Yeah. This part always gets me. I like monkeys, I have no fear of monkeys but this scene does me in. The book feels so much ... simpler and not as drastic as this."