Stay • Everlark (REVAMPING)

13. surprise: part two

Katniss:
I don't know what say. It all flashes in my head before I can make sense of it. Birthday, People, Party, Peeta, Ring. It's going around and around in my mind and I must have blacked out for a few seconds because when I come around I'm still stood staring at Peeta beaming at me.

"Surprise." He says, bursting with anticipation.

I can't even speak. "What?" I stutter, my eyes getting glassy.

"Katniss. Without you, I'd have nothing. You're my life. I know it'll be okay, because we have each other. I can't live without you." Peeta says, smiling,  his eyes glossing over.

That's the sappiest thing he's ever said, but I find myself smiling anyway. "That's the cheesiest thing you've ever said, but I love you too." I whisper. When I say it, I mean it.

"What do you say?" Peeta asks. That brings the tears forward and they stream down my face. I haven't cried in the day for weeks.

"What do you think? Yes." I reply. I'm starting to laugh from the giddiness. The same kind of laugh as when Peeta's heart starting beating again.

Peeta gets up and comes over to me to put the ring on my finger. The ring itself looks so out of place on my scarred, slender hand. It's beautiful, though. The pearl which I've been looking for for months, is held by a simple silver band. The thing that stands out the most is the thin diamond band that twists with the silver one, complementing each other perfectly.

"How did you do this?" I ask, in awe at how simple but perfect it is.

"I'm a man of many talents," He jokes. "No, I actually got in touch with Effie, she almost had a heart attack when I told her my idea. She wanted to come and propose to you herself."

"Typical Effie." I pause, "Thank you."

"What for?" Peeta turns his head slightly in confusion, but not too much so that anyone but me doesn't notice it.

"You know what for." I laugh, I usually unintentionally scold him in situations like these, but I'm too happy to snap.

"How long have you been planning this and who knows?" I have a lot of questions with very little answers.

"Three months? And Haymitch, your Mother, Annie and Johanna knew about the get-together, but only Haymitch and Effie knew about the ring. I wanted to do it all myself but Effie insisted." Peeta says like it's the most casual thing in the world.

"Three months? That's way too long to be—"

I assume Peeta didn't want to listen to me object and complain. He stops me with a kiss. It feels like the kiss on the beach. That thing comes back like it always does, but it's different. It controls me.

I continue the kiss, the sensation through out my body still there. Peeta touches and plays with my hair, twirling it between his fingers. I don't pull away until I remember that I have to breathe. We just stand there. Peeta's eyes studying my features. I'm half expecting Johanna to come and interrupt.

"You're so beautiful." Peeta whispers.

If he makes a comment like that, I'd turn away and blush angrily to myself. But there's no way out, so he chuckles at my face burning red.

"Don't even go there." I hiss, he's dying to make a comment, I can just feel it.

"And we're back." He laughs casually, "Wasn't planning too."