Gummy Bear Kisses

Chapter Thirteen

*three weeks later*

"Effie-"

"Don't Effie me, Katniss! There's nothing I can do about it!"

"Cancel it!"

"I can't, don't you think I've already tried that?!" That's when the tears begin. I pull my knees to my chest and bury my face in the pillow that's in my lap. I sob into the pillow as I feel the weight shift on the couch. I feel a hand gently rub comforting circles on my back, but nothing can comfort me now except Peeta. Peeta, oh, Peeta. He's going to be heartbroken. Just like you, Katniss. "W-When are w-we sup-p-posed to l-leave?" I ask, continuing to sob. "Would you hate me even more if I said tomorrow?"

"D-Don't play w-with my emotions, Effie, I'm serious," I reply, wiping my tears, my fingers blackening with running mascara. "I'm not playing, Katniss," she says quietly. I look at her and the tears begin to flow again. "L-London?!"

"Y-Yeah-"

"That's l-like five thousand, f-four hundred and forty-something miles away f-from here!"

"Five thousand, four hundred and forty-eight miles away from here to be exact," she mutters. I cry harder at the thought of Peeta and I being five thousand, four hundred and forty-eight miles away from each other for six months. Just as if thinking about him makes him appear, there's a knock at the door. Effie stands up and opens it. Peeta stands there, a bouquet of yellow roses in hand. "Kat- Kat?!" He moves past Effie and to me, where he sits down beside me. Effie shuts the door and excuses herself to her quarters to give us some privacy while Peeta puts the bouquet down on the coffee table. He wraps his arms around me and I turn my head, allowing myself to cry into the crook of his neck. He rubs my back soothingly and I feel myself relax under his touch. "Kat, Baby, what's wrong?"

"I don't want to leave you," I cry into the crook of his neck, which makes it come out muffled. "What?" I can't bring myself to say it again. I continue to sob, turning my body so that I can wrap my arms around his neck, which I do. He pulls me into his lap, where I wrap my legs around his waist and his arms wrap around my waist. "What's wrong, Babe?" He asks me once I sit up and look him straight in the eyes. He wipes aways my tears. "I-I don't want t-to leave you," I repeat, breaking out into another fit of sobs. "W-What do you mean?"

"I-I-I," I break down when I see his worried, blue eyes. He cups my cheek in his rough, calloused hand. "Katniss, what do you mean?"

"I-I have to go, Peeta," I say in almost a whisper. "W-What do you mean you have to go? W-Where?" He asks me, his eyes beginning to become glassy with tears. "F-For a role, I h-have to go to L-London," I cry. It's almost as if I can hear the shattering of his heart. Crack, crack, crash. He holds me tightly as I lay my head on his shoulder, crying in the crook of his neck once again while clutching his shirt. His jaw clenches, he sniffs a little bit, his eyes are threatening to spill, yet he still doesn't cry. He sighs. "Katniss, sit up," he commands softly. I sit up and his hands slide down to my hips. "Baby, don't cry," he tells me before gently wiping my tears away. "But P-Peeta-"

"Don't cry, Katniss. I've learned that crying won't fix anything. I could cry for days, we could spend our last days together moping around and sobbing, but we're not going to do that."

"W-We're not?" I ask as he begins to kiss my tear stained cheeks. "No, we're going to spend our last days together appreciating the fact that we'll always be together and that when you get back we'll see each other." Peeta, always so optimistic. I don't even bother to correct him on how many days we have. "It's n-not that simple, Baby," I tell him honestly. "Why not?"

"W-When I get back, I'm g-going back to L.A." He ponders this. "So, y-you're not coming back to Panem?"

"No," I answer, beginning to cry again. He wipes my tears as usual. I'm sure I look like a complete wreck now, but he probably doesn't care. "Katniss, I-I want to show you how much I love you-" I crash my lips against his and unbutton my jeans. He breaks away. "K-Kat, Baby, I didn't mean like this," he chuckles slightly. I blush profusely and quickly button my jeans back up. "I-I knew that," I reply as he laughs. I sniff and wipe my face before laughing myself. He leans in and pecks my lips softly. "When are you leaving?"