Life Hurts but Heals

Chapter 16- Hope

I sit there in a leather chair across from him with a desk in between us. (A/N this reminds me of Katniss and Snow in Catching Fire before the Quarter Quell)

"So, Jordyn, I know you've been in here for weeks in a row, and I began to like you, as a friend, and I've noticed our friendship improve the more we've seen each other. I just... I just... wanna tell you something, but I'm afraid that... it-it'll make matters worse," he says like a terrified puppy.

"Please," I reply calmly, "I've probably seen and heard worse. Have you seen what's been happening to me lately? I have no family and four friends; there possibly can't be anything make my life worse."

"Are you sure?"

"Hit me with your best shot..." I cross my legs.

"I-I... like you, okay! I know we've only known each other for a little while, but I see potential between us," he takes my hands into his, "I think we were ment to last."

His deep blue eyes stare into mine, and I know I can't stay with him. I love Carl, and I can't go out with a guy that works in the hospital where most of my family have died. It's just too much to bare, right now especially.

"Jordyn, please, hear me out. I understand that this may be a little too much right now, but every time you leave, I get so scared that I will never see you again, and that I will lose you, forever... I can't let that happen, and the only way that I know that will happen is to have you in my arms."

He stares into my eyes, trying to make eye contact. I am not going to let him get in between Carl and me. He almost died, and I'm not going to do that! Plus, I love him! I love him!

"Peeta, I just-I just can't do this. Carl and I are together now, and that's the way I want it. Plus, he almost died, and we have risked each other's life to save each other. You can't tear us apart that easily."

"Is that what you think I want? All I want is for you to be happy, even though if you're not with me. I just couldn't bare to keep that on my chest any longer! And I saw you on the news about how you and a few other people were missing from the prison. I looked high and low, left and right to find you, and I thought I'd never see you again, and, like I said earlier, I can't have that to happen. I will cry my eyes out every night, fussing at myself for knowing I could have done something. That's why I need to know you're mine. So... you'll be safe."

"Peeta, do you really think that I'm not safe with Carl? He is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I'm not going to let you come between us! Carl is my world, and-"

"Well, if he cared about you the same way I do, he wouldn't have just let them take you!"

"He didn't! He got knocked out, and so did I! It was not his fault! It was my dumb ex-boyfriend that got us in all if this mess! So don't you dare start blaming him for all of this crap you and Finnick started!"

I start to walk out of the door, but he just continues talking, "I didn't plan any of this with Finnick!"

"I didn't say you did! You and Finnick are messing with my head, and Carl knows to help a girl out, not to confuse her even worse! This conversation is over, goodbye!"

I put my hand on the door handle, but I turn around with a smart-elic smile on my face, "Oh, and if you didn't want to lose before, you just have."

I walk out and run down the hall to Carl's room, but then I quickly remember that he is asleep. I really need to talk to him.

I just walk to the lobby, and I see Foxface watching the TV in the corner while Daryl and Nicole are talking about something with smiles on both of their face. Who knows what they're talking about?

I sit beside Foxface because I don't want to get in between whatever Nicole and Daryl are doing, but I can't concentrate on the TV because there's too many thoughts running through my head.

Why would Peeta like me? I've only known him for three weeks. He might be another Finnick, and I can't afford to have another Finnick right now, especially with Carl almost dying. If Peeta actually cared, he would have waited for a time where I wasn't so stressed to tell me that. All of this is too much.

I try to concentrate on Nicole and Daryl's conversation, but they're talking about what they would do if this or that happened to them; so I don't really care.

I look at Foxface, "Are the always gonna act like this when they're around each other?"

"I think so," she says not from the TV, "I think from where they've been lonely forever and they've finally found someone that feels the same way, they're gonna be really close friends, and I have a feeling they're gonna get wen closer."

"You think? Nicole literally sat on his lap."

We both laugh and look up at the TV. This conversation has calmed me down a little, and if has calmed me down enough to we're I can concentrate on the TV. I just hope that I can see Carl soon.

"Guys, I'm hungry," Nicole says.

"Yeah," replies Daryl, "and maybe by the time we come back, Carl will be awake."

"Sure," we all say at the same time.

We run out if the lobby and down the concrete steps like a gang, but we drop our jaws when we see the car. The passenger door is open with everything almost gone.

"We forgot to lock the door," I say with my jaw dropped.