Since the Beginning

Sleepover With Katniss

Chapter 7

~Peeta POV~

"LET US TAKE HIM!"

"I NEED SOME KIND HELP AROUND HERE WHILE YOU THREE ARE GONE!"

David, Rye, and I sit against Momma's and Daddy's door, pressed to the wall with fear.

"WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO LEAVE HIM HERE WITH ME!?" She screeches.

"OH, LIKE YOU DONT KNOW, YOU JUST TRIED TO DROWN THE POOR BOY LAST WEEK," this makes me tense against David's stomach which I'm pressed to. He rubs my arm reassuringly. "AND IT'S NOT EVEN LIKE

"SEE IF I GIVE A DAMN, HE'S NOT GOING WITH YOU." And the discussion's over. I sit, frozen. Daddy has to take Rye and David to baseball camp ALL week in District 11. And mommy won't let me go with them. Which means it's just me and mommy. Alone. With rolling pins and baths to drown me in. And no one there to stop her. I feel David's hands on my shoulders.

"Hey, it'll be okay Peet. Just stay around Kat." I shake my head, my eyes filling with tears.

"She'll hurt me at night," I whimper, wiping my eyes on my hand. Rye stands up, pulling us both up with him. He takes our hands and silently leads us to their room and we all sit on his bed.

"Bubblegum?" He says in a low voice, passing his large pack of gum to both of us. We both take a handful of gum and unwrap them, shoving them in our mouths and chewing hastily. We stay silent, no one has anything to say about the situation. No one has anything to say.

•••

I shake with terror, looking through the closet for Rye's bat. Today's the day daddy, David, and Rye leave. My hands shake as I pick up the heavy wooden bat and I drag it behind me, through the empty living room and down the stairs, through the kitchen and back to the bakery. The rest of my family are in there, the boys checking bags and equipment while mommy watches them.

"I got your bat," I say, handing him his heavy bat.

"Thanks Peet." He says, messing up my hair. I smile a little despite my nerves, and sit against the display case. They fiddle with their bags, squeezing the bat in with their equipment.

"Well we're ready to get going here." Daddy says, looking from me to mommy. I suck in a bit of air and my eyes fill with tears and I want to disappear into the display cakes. I jump up and run into daddy's arms, hugging him around his waist. He picks me up and I bury my face in his neck, latching onto him with everything I have.

"Don't go," I whimper, letting my tears fall freely. "Please don't leave me here," I sob. His grip tightens and he nuzzles my shoulder.

"Oh Peeta, shh, don't cry, it's only a week," he says soothingly. I cry harder.

"She-she'll hu-hurt me, daddy, and you can't stop her!" I whisper so only he can hear me. He pulls me back just enough to look at me. I see tears ready to spill over in his eyes.

"Shh, buddy. Just do like I said; hang out with Katniss during the day, be a good boy at night. Just like I taught you. You know how to be a good boy, right?" he asks softly. I nod shakily, latching onto his neck.

"K-keep your head d-down, keep your m-mouth sh-shut." I hiccup. He smiles sadly and smoothes my hair.

"That's my boy. My perfect little boy." He sighs, pressing a kiss to my forehead. He looks over to mom to make sure she's not listening. He then leans in close to me. "You deserve none of this. If I had known she would turn out like this, I never would have married her. But if I hadn't, I never would have had my perfect boys." He pulls Rye and David closer to his sides. "But you deserve none of that. You deserve all the luxuries of life, for all you're worth, Peeta. You deserve crowns and jewels, not being hit like that. But that's only one person who doesn't love you. There's tons of people who find you amazing. There's three people right here who love you. And I know for a fact Katniss loves you like a very very close brother. And tons of other people, so don't listen to one person who calls you mean things. Because you're so loved, Peet. So loved." He whispers. I sniffle and wipe my eyes on my shirt.