• Forever •

Chapter 27

Chapter 27:

When I get back from Haymitch's the rest of the day is all a blur. My hair is styled, my makeup is done...twice. Effie thought my first look made me look too old. "Remember she's only 18." She said. My gown is put on and my shoes are placed on my feet. I got Effie to agree with letting my wear flats after about 15 minutes of arguing. The wedding starts in about half an hour, yet it feels like days. While everyone is finishing getting themselves ready I go over my vows and make sure they're perfect because I know Peeta's will be magnificent.

Finally everyone's ready and I'm ushered into a car to take me to the meadow. When we arrive I see about 20 people sitting facing a small alter covered in flowers. I can just catch the back of Peeta's head before I'm whisked off to the side out of everyone's view and am greeted by Haymitch.

"Hey Haymitch." I say.

"Hey." He says. "You ready?" He asks.

"Yeah." I say as my palms start to sweat.

I hear someone playing a violin as I peer over the tree to watch Effie and my mother walk to their seats followed by Annie and Johanna, with Finn in Annie's arms.

Once I see the pastor raise his arms and everyone rise I know it's my turn to begin my walk down the isle.

I lock arms with Haymitch and everyone turns toward our direction as we slowly make our way toward Peeta.

I will never be able to describe the look on Peeta's face. All I know is that I will never forget it. It seems like centuries before we make it to Peeta. Haymitch lifts up my veil and kisses my cheek. He's about to head to his seat but I embrace him. He whispers a "Good luck." In my ear and he's off to his seat.

I make my way up to Peeta and hand my flowers over to Annie who is standing to the side of the alter with Johanna.

"Welcome everyone to this wonderful occasion!" The pastor says. "Today Katniss and Peeta are about to start the rest of their lives together. I understand this ceremony is to be short so let's get straight to the vows." He says and everyone in the audience chuckles.

"Peeta, join hands with Katniss and you may begin your vows."

Peeta grabs both of my hands and stares into my eyes. Somehow he's made it seem like it's just us two standing in the meadow confessing our love for one another.

"Katniss," he let's out a breath. "I don't know what, but there is something about you I can't ever let go of. You make me happy, you make me be myself when I'm around you make me crazy and weird around you. It's just you and only you. All your little details, and your personality makes me happy. Even your existence. One thing I know is that I love you. I love you more than all the words on this earth can describe. I've experienced it all. I've seen tears streaming down your face. Your eyes, so innocent, so pure, so broken, so honest when you cry. I've seen you smile like a fool. I've seen your eyes sparkle when you laugh and smile. And even though I see you through your worst times and bad, I continue to love you and I always will. I'm glad I met you and I hope you never leave my life, because I would never find someone as perfect as you to fill that spot."

I'm still mesmerized by his words. I'm bawling and I can hear hear sniffles among the crowd. Peeta takes his thumb and wipes a tear away from my eyes. "I love you" I whisper to him.

"Well it's going to be hard to follow that." I say sarcastically. Everybody chuckles.

"Peeta, over the past few days trying to write my vows, I thought about our past an everything we've been through. The whole time I just kept thinking of how much I love talking to you. How good you look when you smile. How much I love your laugh. I day dream about you on and off, replaying our conversations: laughing at funny things that you said or did. I've memorized your face and the way that you look at me. I catch myself smiling at all the little things you do. I always wonder what will happen the next time we're together. I know that I'll eventually forget our conversations, but honesty I don't care because I cherish every moment I have with you. If someone ever asks me about when I fell in love you I can honestly say it was the moment I laid eyes on you. It may have took me a while to figure it out myself, but looking back as soon as you gave me that bread, you would always hold a special place in my heart. The first time I ever looked into your eyes for real, I knew I would never be the same. The many nights we spent apart after the war I realized something. I realized that when we aren't together I feel this longing that only being with you could make it disappear. So after thinking about what to write in my vows there was one common theme in all my memories. We're always there for each other. And in that moment, recalling our lives I learned that I need you. Every second of everyday and I won't function otherwise, because I will always need you."