I woke up the next morning to insistent knocking on the front door. What a joyful way to wake up on War Free Day! I was already nervous and jittery thinking about it. I just hoped nothing would happen to hinder my already mournful day. I never realized how wrong I was.
I slid out of the protective cocoon of Peeta's arms and put on my dressing gown hastily to go see who was knocking on the door at such an ungodly hour. Turns out it would have been better if I hadn't. When I finally got to the door and opened it, I saw the last person I expected to, or wanted to see. It was Gale.
He didn't say anything. He opened his mouth and closed it a few times. I didn't know what to say either. I just opened the door, wide enough for him to enter, and gestured for him to come inside. He did so and sat on the couch, while I went to my – I mean our – room to see Peeta still sleeping soundly. I took a quick and subconscious shower, with all my thoughts on why Gale was here. As soon as I was done, I walked out and put on some clothes. I then woke Peeta up. He woke up still looking half asleep. He looked at the clock, and then adorably pouted.
'Why did you wake me up so early?' he asked me in a babyish voice. I smiled at him, and then whispered 'Gale is here.' Immediately he became alert and said:
'What? Why? When?'
'I don't know. All I know is that I need you when I talk to him.'
He looked at me with an intense gaze and finally nodded. He too took a very quick shower and hopped out. After putting on a pair of pants and shirt, he came to me and interlaced our fingers together. We slowly went to the hall, where Gale was. When we entered, I saw him standing, and looking at the photo of Prim on the mantle on top of the fireplace.
I cleared my throat and his neck turned so fast that there was an audible crick. I mentally winced at that. That was when he saw Peeta. He then looked at our interlaced fingers with an emotionless expression on his face. He then looked back at me, with a scrutinizing gaze. Not liking such scrutiny, I was forced to break the ice.
'Hi Gale, so nice of you to drop by, especially today.'
He looked at me and said, 'Hello Katniss. How have you been doing?'
'I've been well. How about you?' The conversation seemed pretty bland and formal, nothing like what I was used to with Gale. Before the entire ordeal, our conversations used to be blunt and straightforward, nothing like this beating the bush conversation. I slumped on the couch with a sigh, and decided to ask him.
'Why are you here?' I asked him, bluntly.
I could practically hear the flinch. Peeta came and sat next to me. He put his hand on my knee subtly, giving me the reassurance that I very much required. I slowly removed my head from my arms and looked at Gale. He looked almost broken.
You might have wondered about why I wasn't screaming at him for Prim's death. One reason was that I did not want to relive the torturous moment. The other was the fact that no one knew whose bomb it was in the first place, so I definitely couldn't blame him. But I think both of us knew that we were kidding ourselves about this. We both knew it was his bomb, but I couldn't be mad at him. He had given a lot of things to me and my sister, especially when I was in the Hunger Games, and if not for him then my sister would have surely died earlier.
He looked at me and then said, ' I am sorry for disturbing you now and for the fact that I killed your sister.'
I looked at him. I did not know what to say. I couldn't tell him that it was okay. We couldn't kid ourselves, after knowing the truth. I couldn't be expected to accept his apology, especially in this case. I didn't even know if I could forgive him in the first place. And on top if that, I didn't expect him to be so blunt in blurting out the truth. He probably thought it would be easier for him and his heart if he said the truth aloud. But did he ever think of me? No. Of course not. Couldn't he think how hard it would be for me to accept the truth especially today? I couldn't say anything, so I just nodded, and went to the kitchen, where I was sure that they couldn't hear me. Once I was there, the well-constructed barriers in my heart, which prevented my emotions, crumbled and I cried.
Peeta's POV
I watched her as she almost sprinted out of the hall. I could sense an emotional breakdown coming on, but before that I had to see of Gale. I turned on him, furious. I then asked him:
'What bought this on?'
'The fact that I realized that I killed Prim. What is too you, anyways?'
'I love her, you dolt. She loves me too. Why do you think she almost sprinted? She is about to have an emotional breakdown. Do you have any idea how much pain she puts herself through? Every day she feels like she should have died, and not others. And what do you think of coming and being so blunt about Prim's death? Do you have any idea of how much she grieves everyday? Do you know how much I had to persuade her to come to the War Free Day? You might have thought that it would be easy to just come and spill your guts and go. But did you once think of her reaction to it?' I was breathing hard by the time I finished my rant. I couldn't bear to look at him in the eye. 'Get out, Gale.' I told him and stormed towards the kitchen, where Katniss was. What I saw, when I got there, broke my heart.
Katniss had curled up in a foetal position and was crying heartbrokenly. I quickly rushed to her and I held her in my arms, as she cried her loss and heart ache against my chest. I let her cry. I couldn't bear to see her like this, but I knew that she had to let it out. After a long time of me rubbing her back soothingly, and muttering sweet nothings in her ear, her sobs subsided. She then lifted her head from my chest, and I kissed her on the forehead, before helping her to her feet. I then led her to the restroom, and waited outside, as she did her business. After she came out, I asked her, 'Are you better, now?'
She nodded before giving me a quick hug. She then led me out of the house, and we set out to the War Free Day celebrations, fingers interlaced.
