The Third Everdeen

Chapter 16

I barely said goodbye to my family before I was rushed into the train. I sat down by Peeta, he put his arm around me and I rested my head on his shoulder, we listened to Effie do what she does best, talk.

"Fabulous food, fabulous wine, the massages, spa treatments. I told them nothing but the best for my two Victors. It all needs to be....."

"Fabulous?" Haymitch guessed after a large gulp of some alcohol.

"Exactly!" Peeta and I exchanged a look of amusement, "Now the schedule is a bit of a bear. 12 days, 12 Districts. But it's mostly parties, celebrations, adoring fans to greet you at every stop along the way, and then we wrap it up in the Capitol/ All you need to do is give a few speeches, wave to the crowds, and enjoy your time in the spotlight. You've earned it."

At her words I sat up and I furrowed my brows in distaste and anger, "What?"

"Lily," Peeta warned putting his hand on my back and rubbing it, he knew how upset I was getting.

Effie turned to me, "I said, 'enjoy it Lily, you've earned it."

"By killing innocent kids," I snapped, I got to my feet and walked out.

"Young lady..." Effie sounded like she was about to scold a toddler, I didn't listen to her.

On my way out I passed a surveillance room where some Capitol workers were watching a monitor. They caught me looking and closed the door so I wouldn't see anything. I walked into the back lounge and sat on the large sofa that had a large window to see out the back of the train. I pulled out my mockingjay pin from my pocket and fiddled with it as I watched us zoom through the forest out of 12.

I heard the door open and close, "I'm really not in the mood to be scolded. I don't need a lecture. I'll apologize to Effie later." Not getting a response to whoever entered the room; I turned and saw it was just Peeta. He walked over and sat by my side, "Sorry, I thought you were Haymitch."

"You don't have to apologize to anyone. I know how stressed you've been, and how you've been trying to adjust with everything. Just know that I'm here for you, whenever you need me. I'll always be here for you"

I gave him a small smile and took his hand in mine, "Thank you."

He smiled and laughed, "You know, I hardly know anything about you. well, except that you're beautiful, smart, stubborn, and good with knives."

"Well you pretty much summed me up," I laughed looking at the crystals he called his eyes.

"No, there's more than that," he rubbed circles with his thumb on my hand.

"Peeta..."

"See, Lily. The way this relationship is going to work, we have to start telling each other the deep stuff," he told me in a joking tone.

"Deep stuff huh? Like what?" 

He thought about it for a second, "Like...What's your favorite color?"

I looked at him with the straightest face i could muster, "You've gone too far."

He chuckled and I giggled, "Seriously though, what is it?"

I looked at his eyes, "Blue," his smile widened, "What's yours?"

"Orange."

"Like Effie's hair?"

He laughed, "No, not that orange. More like a sunset kind of orange," I smiled remembering the sunsets I used to see in 12, the colors were beautiful.

Suddenly we entered a tunnel. There was a spark of loose wiring and in a split second I saw a red shape zoom past us as we sped on, my mind made it out to be my mockingjay symbol.