Catching Fire (Peeta's P.O.V.)

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

(Special shoutout to Secret_Liar who made the awesome new cover. Sorry for the wait you guys! I really rushed this -hence why its short. Enjoy?)

I sit in my house, rubbing my hands together in more frustration rather than the cold outside. Snow lines the road to town that I'll be trekking soon for dinner with my family. Since we've been back in Twelve things have been different. I spend too much time trying -without success- to distract myself from my fake engagement. Its not easy since everywhere I go someone congratulates me. Still, I light up my whole face with a smile and thank them. My life hasn't been as dull as its starting to become. I still go meet with friends and decorate cakes with my father. But everything seems pointless. Katniss is distant. Haymitch is drunk. My mother's mood swings between proud, pitying, and scolding are exhausting. And its hard being around my friends because of everything they don't know. Distractions are not easy to come by.

The one thing I thought would be most efficient as means of distraction go was painting. With my victors money I can buy real pastels and acrylic paints and paint on real canvases. I've been trying to paint something, but I'm not sure what. First I was sure it was the dress Katniss wore in Eleven or our engagement party in the Capitol, but every time I mix colors they come dark coal like colors. And every time I draw a brush across the canvas my strokes look crooked.

My hands start to sting a little because of all the friction and I drop them, giving up on releasing all my frustration at the engagement, my painting, and my family. I figure it wont hurt to head out early, I could stop by a Dresden's to say hi.Still I take my time and walk leisurely to my room where I put on a thick, warm clothes, knowing how cold it is outside. I remember that there was time where I didn't have all the warm clothes that I needed, that there are still many in District 12 who cant come outside today because they'll freeze.

Walking out of the Victor's Village I see a small figure who can only be Katniss walking on the path into the Village. When we had just arrived back into Twelve, seeing her had been bittersweet. I spent almost all my time away from her longing for her, but when I was with her the acting was like salt in a fresh wound. It's better now and when I see her I smile welcoming. It could be my imagination, but she seems happy to see me. Happier than usual.

"Been hunting?" I ask, trying not to sound disapproving even though I dont completely understand why she still risks her and her family's lives with it.

Something goes through her mind, I can see, but she just says,

"Not really. Going to town?"

"Yes. I'm supposed to eat dinner with my family," I nod.

"Well, I can at least walk you in," she says, clearly with an ulterior motive, I don't say anything though.

It would be a lie if I said that I'm not used to Katniss's pretenses. It would also be a lie if I said the little ones bothered me.

"Peeta, if I asked you to run away from the district with me, would you?" she asks.

In the privacy of snow banks and the deserted trail I can see why she's asking this question now. Still I stop us in our tracks so the conversation isn't rushed.

"Depends on why you're asking," I say, my tone clipped, I know she wouldn't really run.

President Snow wasn't convinced by me. There's an uprising in District Eight. We have to get out,"

How could he not be convinced? Even I was convinced in a way.

"By 'we' do you mean just you and me?,"  I think about it for a second. If she wasn't hunting, then she must have been meeting with Gale in the woods. She must've already asked him. She seems distraught, giving me a good guess of what he said, "No. Who else would be going?"

"My family. Yours, if they want to come. Haymitch, maybe," she shrugs.

Why is she trying to jump around it?

"What about Gale?" I ask, trying not to sound reproachful.

"I don't know. He might have other plans,"

I don't know Gale well, but from what I do know, if there's an uprising he'll be heading it. I try not to look to amused and give Katniss a small smile, I know it hurts her.

"I bet he does. Sure, Katniss, I'll go." I say, I mean it too.

"You will?" she looks happily surprised.

She didn't think I'd go?

"Yeah. But I don't think for a minute you will," I say.

"Then you don't know me. Be ready. It could be any time." her eye brows furrow, she pulls her arm away and walks off ahead of me.

I am stable on my leg from the capitol, but I still cant get a quick start just at anytime.

"Katniss," I call, almost desperately.

She's fast and light on her feet, I wont be able to catch up if she starts to run. And this conversation shouldn't be left off like that.

"Katniss, hold up," I call after her again.

Luckily she stops and kicks around snow with her feet, spreading coal dust everywhere as I catch up.

"I really will go, if you want me to. I just think we better talk it through with Haymitch. Make sure we won't be making things worse for everyone." I say, about to explain that Haymitch is likely to say its not a good idea, but it isn't, but for reasons that Katniss will understand when I hear an odd whistling sound. Has someone been listening? Before she can say anything I quickly say.

"Whats that?"

We're close to the square and now that we're less focused on each other we're quickly aware of the whistling. I know its something bad, it could be something meaning that we we're being listened to.

"Come on," I say to Katniss and best as I can on my leg jog to the square.

There's crates against the wall of the sweetshop and because of the thick crowd we cant see what is drawing the attention. I am relieved to know that it was certainly separate from us. I step up onto one of the boxes and see it as the crowd gasps. The whistling was a whip, cracking through the air down onto an already bloody back. Gale Hawthorne's bloody back. Above his head is a turkey. He was caught.

The first thought in my head is how that easily could have been Katniss. Katniss, who is standing right next to me about to step up onto a box. I push her down- she cant see this. And she cant be here.

"Get down! Get out of here!" I insist, stepping my own way down.

Her face is scrunched up as she says "What?"

In a rush I try to convince her to just listen, although I know its probably impossible.

"Go home, Katniss! I'll be there in a minute, I swear,"

She pulls away from me and looks towards the crowd but I am already headed towards it before I can see what she does.

I have to stop this. I'm not even sure what I'm stopping or who I am stopping. I just know it has to be stopped. I work my way slowly around the crowd, they seem reluctant to let me pass. I look back, hoping to see Katniss sulking on the road back to Victor's Village, but I see her forcing her way through the middle of the crowd. I walk faster and give up trying to be polite. I shove through people who are all focused on the cracking of the whip. I see Katniss reach the front, gaping. I look up at the scene while pushing through. A new peacekeeper, not one of the old ones, who I didn't really know anyways. Probably one from the Capitol sent by Snow to make a scene. Their mission was more than successful.