Valley Song: A Hunger Games Fan Fiction

Chapter Five - Spring

Waking up to the sun shining was a strange feeling. Every gray cloud dispersed to some other District, 12 now free from its gloom. Peeta's head throbbed with pain, but despite that he felt hopeful. Everything was going to be better today, he could feel it. 

He dressed in a rush and ran downstairs to a breakfast of dried fruit and cold mash. "Son, your face." His father took hold of his chin, looking at the bruise near his eye. He loved his father, but his concern often came late. He never intervened in his mother's punishments. She held that power over their family. 

"It's fine father. I'm fine." He pulled away. "I don't even notice it." He smiled brightly.

My father resigned. "Today is going to be warm. I have a feeling the bakery will be slow today. Everyone will be outside enjoying the weather. It's a better cure for the mood than baked goods." 

Mother came into the room. "They better buy. People need to eat Abram." And what she meant was that they needed to eat. 

When my mother looked at him she flushed slightly. Her face became tight, like a stern mask. She opened the door. He heard her grab a pail from the side of the house, the one used to water and feed the pig.  

He hurried to finish his breakfast, eager to go to school. His friends were gathered in the hallway. As soon as they saw him they gathered around him. No one mentioned his face. They all knew his mother's temperament. His friend Edrig lightened the mood with a joke, and we all laughed, though Peeta wasn't paying attention to what he said. 

Another friend leaned and whispered "That Katniss girl is looking at you." 

He froze in place. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck raise. He didn't want to give anything away, especially to his friends. And looking at her would mean confirming what happened with the bread. Instead, he laughed louder. 

He was embarrassed, but not about the bruise on his face. He didn't want her to feel any obligations to him. He did the right thing because it was the right thing. Nothing owed, no embarrassment, no shame. 

He felt her near, the air changed, became electric. He used all his determination not to turn towards her or acknowledge her in any way, the exact opposite of what he wanted to do; what he's wanted to do since the day he first saw her. Instead, hr looked at a spot just above Edrig's shoulder, which gave him a peripheral view of  her when she passed. 

There was something different about her. She seemed lighter than she had in months, since the mine explosion. And no wonder. The past months she was like a shell turned inside. Now, she walked straighter, and with purpose, less like a leaf shaking in the wind.

He never thought he could be more aware of Katniss Everdeen, but today he was. He watched her for signs of acknowledgement of what happened between them. As much as he didn't want her to feel an obligation, he knew he was lying if didn't want this to be a reason they would begin to be friends. 

He stared at the back of her head and noticed the change in her hair. She switched the double braids for a single braid. In that moment, as if she sensed him contemplating her braids, she flicked her hair when she turned in his direction. He was careful not to let her catch him staring at her, and responded by turning in his chair towards Edrig. The bruise on his face prickled. 

Edrig glanced towards her. Peeta was thankful he didn't say anything. He just acted like they were in a conversation about something. 

"So, do you need help with the writing assignment? I'm writing about the cat I saw. You remember that? I know it didn't belong to anyone in town. I always wondered if it came from another District."

Peeta nodded, only half understanding what Edrig was saying. He hoped Edrig would give him a signal that she stopped looking. 

"What do you think?" 

"About?"

"The cat. Should I write about it?" And in a lower voice he added, "she's not looking."

Peeta nodded. "You should write about the cat, but I wouldn't mention the theory about it being from another District."

The rest of the day passed swiftly. He walked home alone, but slowed his pace home. He saw Katniss with her sister. They began walking toward the Seam, with her sister talking animatedly all the way. 

He admired Katniss' patience with her, leaning towards her and listening. It was apparent to all who saw them together that Katniss loved her sister more than anyone. 

In that brief moment, Katniss looked up at him. Heat rose to his face. He turned away, but couldn't help looking back. He wanted to catch her eye again. Why was he such a coward. One more chance. Today he would finally talk to her. 

He saw it happen in his mind's eye. He would run up to her and say, Hey. He wasn't sure what he would say after that. Maybe could offer to walk her home. They would walk together to her house. They would talk and become friends. She would introduce him to her mother, and then they would offer him tea. 

Instead, when he turned back she wasn't looking in his direction. The spell broke.  She was plucking a weed out of the ground, and she was smiling. Can you be jealous of a weed? He wanted to be the one to receive her smiles, not the stupid weed. 

He sighed. Katniss didn't look in his direction again. She and her sister walked towards the Seam while the rest of the town gathered in the square, enjoying the sunshine. Katniss and her sister were swallowed from view by the crowd. 

He continued to look in the direction where Katniss and her sister walked. There was nothing but the shadow of them walking towards the Seam. He decided there was nothing left for him to do, but return home before his mother noticed. 

A few steps further and he saw the weed Katniss pulled from the ground, a dandelion. His mother didn't like them because they overtook the yard. We plucked them only to throw them to the pigs. Now, with this single dandelion in his hand, he put it in his pocket for safe keeping.

He reached the door to their kitchen, paused, and looked to the spot wear only yesterday he saw Katniss drowning in the rain. He was ashamed that he never went to her. Even now he was afraid to look at her, much less talk to her. Would it always be this way?