Catching Fire: Peeta's Story....

Chapter 44:

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't been writing for a while! I've been busy with school and church and family! Now I just want to put this out there! I REAAALLY appreciate you guys commenting and voting and reading, but I just want you all to make sure you all know that this is MY story! It's not going to be exactly like Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire. This is the way I like it, and the way I write it and see it in MY eyes! I realize that there are alot of things that are different, like Peeta and Katniss's "interactions", and the fact that she's pregnant NOW, and the fact that random people just pop up at the most random times (that's cause I can't think of what to write so I just throw something in there), and probably much more. I do that to throw twists, so it's not exactly like Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire. I reaaaaally thank you guys for keeping up with me and reading, even though I've been gone and not writing for almost 2 1/2 months. I'd love it if ya'll kept reading and voting and commenting and liking and PASSING ME ONTO YOUR FRIENDS SO THEY CAN DO THE SAME!! I love you guys! Thanks! :)

Chapter 44:

There's a long pause at the table while everyone absorbs this. "And what exactly where you trying to accomplish?" Haymitch asks in a very measured voice.
"I'm not sure. I just wanted to hold them accountable, if only for a moment," I say. "For killing that little girl."

"This is dreadful." Effie sounds like she's about to cry. "That sort of thinking.....it's forbidden, Peeta. Absolutely. You'll only bring down more trouble on yourself and Katniss." I look around at everyone,
"I have to agree with Effie on this one," says Haymitch. Portia and Cinna remain silent, but their faces are very serious. Of course, they're right. But even though it worries me, I think what I did was amazing.

"I guess this is a bad time to mention, that I hung a dummy and painted Seneca Cranes name on it," Katniss says.

This has the desired effect. After a moment of disbelief, all the disapproval in the room hits her at once.
"You.....hung.....Seneca Crane?" says Cinna.
"Yes. I was showing off my new knot-tying skills, and he somehow ended up at the end of the noose," she says.
"Oh Katniss. How do you even know about that?" says Effie in a hushed voice.
"Is it a secret? President Snow didn't act like it was. In fact, he seemed eager for me to know," she says.

Effie leaves the table with her napkin pressed to her face. "Now I've upset Effie. I should have lied and said I shot some arrows."

"You'd have thought we planned it," I say, giving her just a hint of a smile.
"Didn't you?" asks Portia. Her fingers press her eyelids closed.
"No."

We finish the meal in silence, but we rise, hand-in-hand, to go into the sitting room, Cinna puts his arm around Katniss and gives her a squeeze. "Come on and lets go get those training scores."

We sit around the T.V. set, as we watch each of the tributes faces pop and go. "Have they ever given a zero?" Katniss asks.
"No. But there's a first time for everything," Cinna answers.

And it turns out, he's right. Because when Katniss and I each pull a twelve, we make Hunger Games history. No one feels like celebrating, though.
"Why did they do that?" Katniss asks. "So that the others will have no choice but to target you," says Haymitch flatly. "Go to bed. I can't stand to look at either of you."