Everlark: Midnight

Chapter 18

Katniss felt her smile grow larger as they got closer to their destination. Peeta was walking beside her, and she watched as his head lifts to the sky. He saw the bright blue of the sky and the whitest clouds he's ever seen.

As Katniss glances ahead she can see the crystal, clear, calming waters only yards ahead of them. She looks back to his face as it remains lifted to the sky and calls his attention.

"Peeta, we're here." Katniss softly says waiting for his eyes to meet hers. Once they did, she sees a spark of excitement light up in his eyes. She shifts her stare to the water and Peeta follows.

Only steps away from the dark black sand, surprise takes over Peeta and he stops in his steps, letting go of her hand. Katniss unexpectedly looks back at him and sees his stunned expression.

"I never knew there was a lake back here." He whispered to her, still astonished by the beauty and surprise. "It's so...." Katniss knew what he was going to say so as he spoke his next word, she did too.

"Beautiful." They say in agreement. Peeta's eyes finally find hers and a wide smile forms on his face. He began walking forward again, and Katniss now saw the pep in his step as he grabbed her hand and pulled them to the shore.

"My father and I use to come here a lot during the hot summers." Katniss said looking at the clear lake. She felt a quick pang of hurt at the mention of her father, but as she felt Peeta's thumb run over her knuckles she instantly returned to reality. She was happy here, this place always had good memories, and now she was here with someone she loved, again, ready to make new ones. She had a new appreciation of this place with Peeta here with her.

Wait, did she just say love? She did, she finally said it to herself. It wasn't hard because her feelings for him had always been there but now they were... they weren't different but now she knew she wouldn't lose him, they intensified, unquestionable. She could admit the feelings she felt and there was no way of him being taken away from her after, he'd stay with her, he'd be safe.

"You coming?" Peeta yelled to her from bottom of the sand. Katniss was instantly woken from her thoughts and say Peeta start to underdress, ready to swim the day away. She smiled at him as he ran into the water. "Come on!" He yelled up to her again.

She quickly jogged down the edge of the water and stripped into the suit she had put underneath her clothes and smiled giddily at Peeta as he came back up to the shore, waiting for her.

As the water dripped from every part of his body, he walked up to the shallowest point of water, holding out his hands for Katniss to grab onto.

As Katniss stepped forward, she intertwined her fingers in his, and that initiated Peeta to walk backwards into the deeper water. As they stood in the clear water that was up to their waist, Peeta spoke.

"Now, are you a no wet hair, type of girl?" He jokily asked followed with a large amount of laughter. As he continued to laugh, Katniss pushes her feet off the lake's bottom, jumping as she placed her hands-on top of Peeta's wet hair, shoving his head under the water.

She can see as he goes under that he's taking in a great deal of water as he continued laughing. She leans her head back in triumph as her laughter erupts. But suddenly, she feels her legs lose their footing. Peeta grabs hold of both of her legs and pulls them from underneath her.

As her body submerges into the water, she takes in the same bucket of water that Peeta engulfed. She then swims to the top of the water and as her head hits the surface, she hears Peeta's chuckles.

She stands again and she feels an identical smile to Peeta's form on her own face. She can see from Peeta's expression that he does not expect her to react again, so she takes the opportunity. She swings her right leg around both of his, and pulls it through, so that his legs collapse just as hers did.