The Bet

Chapter 26

Peeta POV

I hadn’t even thought about the upcoming Hunger Games with all the drama that has been going on. It has come by so quickly, too quickly in fact that I haven’t had a chance to even talk to Katniss about it. What if either one of us were chosen? I don’t think I could live with the fact of Katniss dying with me watching, helpless or with Katniss watching me die unable to give her one last kiss goodbye. I know for a fact if she was chosen and I wasn’t chosen as the boy tribute I would volunteer. I would probably be the first one in our district to do so in decades, but I couldn’t deal with myself not being with her in her time of need. I would protect her as much as I possibly could. I would die for her to win and I knew if it was down to the last two people, Katniss and I fighting for the victor’s crown I would kill myself so she could win. I know she would probably stop me, but I would never let her die over me.

Today, exactly one month ago was the day I proposed to Katniss and the day before the reaping. Everyone is on edge as to who will be reaped to participate in this year’s Hunger Games. So I thought everyone is probably in some need of a little fun before it turns into weeks of sorrow and heartbreak for yet more parents from district 12 whose child will die in the games. I remembered what Katniss, Madge and Gale were talking about a month ago, about going to the lake that I took Katniss too and we still haven’t gone there yet. So I thought today would be the perfect day for it. The day before, I told everyone to meet me at my house around 10 o’clock as I have a surprise for them. They didn’t seem too keen as everyone the day before the reaping are usually in tears or in horror because they don’t want to be chosen, but I made them all come because this will hopefully get their minds off everything.

Just after 10 o’clock everyone arrives and they ask where we are all going, but I tell them that it is a surprise. They all follow me to the fence and through the woods.

When Katniss remembers what path we are on I can tell that she knows where we are going, but she keeps quite so that that others are surprised when we get there. After another 30 minutes of walking, Madge starts winging about how far away this surprise is, just to joke around I tell her that it is another 2 hours away. Which makes her nearly give up as her feet are starting to get sore. I can tell she hasn’t walked around for a long time before, but Gale picks her up and puts her on his back and carries her all the way to the lake. Once we reach the lake Madge’s face lights up.

“Wow this is absolutely beautiful it is just how you described Katniss!”

“Yeah it is. Come on let’s get in.”

“But I can’t swim.”

“Don’t worry I’ll teach you, lets jump in together.”

I’m sure Madge would jump straight in if she could swim so her and Katniss take off their clothes and shoes leaving their underwear and bras on. Katniss then takes her hand as they jump in together and she helps Madge get used to swimming around. Then Gale and I both take our shirts off, pants and shoes leaving behind our underwear. I jump straight in with my new swimming skills and Gale gradually gets in to get used to swimming around.

I love the feel of the cool water against my skin as I slowly swim around the lake. It’s so refreshing I could spend all day in here. During the next couple of hours we have the best time of our lives. We have splashing competitions for who can make the biggest splash when jumping in and we all just enjoy each other’s company. When I guess it must be sometime after 1 o’clock Gale and Madge are swimming around together and so are Katniss and I. They then start kissing and we don’t really take any care of it because we don’t want to pry on them being intimate. But after a while it gets a little uncomfortable, I guess they must be really getting into their kiss. I hear moans come from inside Madge’s mouth so we decide that we should give them a little privacy.