Everlark- The Years After the Epilogue *Editing*

Loosing The Boy With The Bread

Peeta was cowered in the corner crying, not just sobbing, but crying uncontrollably. I rushed to his side. My arms were just about to wrap around him when he stood up and threw me across the room. ‘’YOU’RE A STINKING MUTT KATNISS’’. He screamed at me. I opened my eyes, shaking with shock, as Peeta, my love, had thrown me into his filing cabinet.

‘’Peeta’’, I cried out. ‘’Please, stop. It’s not real.’’ Tears had started to fall down my face.

‘’MUTTS DON’T HAVE FEELINGS, STOP CRYING YOU STUPID, STUPID MUTT.’’ He said looking down on me with a look of disgust, he spat down on me as my tears continued to fall.

‘’Peeta please’’, I whispered in the silence, my voice shaking. I stared into his eyes, willing the boy with the bread to come back to me.

‘’ DO NOT ASK ANYTHING OF ME, DO NOT ASK ME FOR PITY AND DO NOT ASK ME FOR FORGIVENESS.’’ He said as he pulled me up by my hair, slamming my head against his bookcase. He raised his hand, his fingers curling into a fist ready to punch. I had to try one last time.

‘’Peeta, baby please. Please don’t do this. It’s not real, your thought it’s not real. Please come back to me, baby please, please’’, I begged. His arm was just swinging round when I saw that look in his eyes. That look of realisation. I breathed out heavily, as his fist lowered. I had my dandelion back. He raised his hands infront of him, looking at the blood and at himself in utter disgust.

‘’Oh my god’’, He said. I stepped forward to hug him, but he stepped back. ‘’Katniss, what have I done to you’’, a tear sliding down his face. I stepped forward again, but he ran to the other side of his office screaming. ‘’No, don’t come near me. I’m a monster. What have I done? I’m so, so, sorry Katniss.’’

‘’Peeta you’re not a monster, but the kindest man I know. Don’t apologise it’s not your fault, come here we’ll talk about it. I’ll get Mum to take the kids back to district 4 for a couple of days and it’ll just be me and you alright? It’s okay, it’s going to be fine.’’ I’d slowly been walking towards him as I spoke, I crouched down beside him and hugged him tight. ‘’Shh it’s going to be alright. I love you.’’

‘’Katniss, I can’t believe I’ve done this to you, I’m a monster, I’m a monster I’M A MONSTER!’’ He screamed, tears streaming down his face. He gently prised my hands away from him and put his head in his knee’s rocking, crying and hurting. After about 10 minutes, he looked up, still mad with himself. He lifted his hand to touch my head where I’d cut it, he took his hand away as I winced at the pain. ‘’Here, let me clean you up’’, he went into his cupboard and brought out some towels, wipes and a bandage. Slowly he cleaned up my head and tied a bandage around, securing it in place. He stroked my hair, whispering how he loved me. ‘’I hate myself for doing that to you Katniss, I don’t know what happened I j-‘’

‘’Shhhhh, it’s okay, come on let’s get the kids and phone my mother’’, I said, helping him up. He grabbed my hand as we walked out of the office to get them both. Willow rushed from her booth.

‘’Mum what happened, are you alright? What have you done?’’ Peeta’s grip tightened, and he closed his eyes trying not to cry at what he'd done.

‘’Silly me, once you’d rushed off I slipped and banged my head.’’ I said ruffling Willows hair.

‘’You should be more careful mum, you could’ve been hurt.’’ She said asif she was my mother.

‘’I know dear, hey how would you like to go stay with Grandma for a bit and take a while off of school?’’ She nodded enthusiastically and we headed up back to the house. Once we’d got back, Peeta went off to pack their suitcase and I rung my mother. ‘’Hey mum, can the kids come stay with you for a while please? Yes they’re fine, just me and Peeta need some time together. Yes we’re fine too. No, I’m sure Johanna won’t mind taking them. Okay, Love you too. Bye’’’.  Just as I came off of the phone there was a knock at the door and I turned around to see Johanna standing there.

‘’Well aren’t you going to give me a hug?’’ She said leaning against the doorframe. Once she’d seen my bandage she came rushing over. ‘’Wait what’s happened? Don’t tell me you fell over again.’’ My mouth had gone dry and I couldn’t speak. Before saying anything I hugged Johanna, I had missed her. Afterall she was really my only friend. I sensed someone behind me, so I turned around to see Peeta and his head around the door. Johanna looked up and ran over to him. ‘’Hey you! Oh I’ve missed you come here! How are you?’’ Peeta didn’t say anything either. ‘’Wait what’s going on between you two, come on you can tell me’’

‘’Johanna will you do me a favour? I know you’ve just got here, but please can you take the kids to my mum’s. We need some time alone right now. Maybe we can catch up some other time?’’ I said. I felt so bad for putting our plans on hold and making her come down here. But I was right. We needed time alone. By the look on her face you could tell she had figured out what had happened.

‘’Yeah sure, I’ll see you both soon. It’ll be nice to spend some time with my favourite niece and nephew, where are they anyway?’’ Later, when it was time to say goodbye, we both gave Willow and Rye a big hug and then with one word they were gone.

‘’Always’’, Willow said as she walked out the door, turning her head and leaving us both. I turned around to face Peeta.

‘’Katniss, come here’’, he said. I made my way over to him and buried my head into his neck.

‘’We’ll get through this, I promise.’’ I whispered.

‘’Together?’’ he asked.

 I tell him ‘’together’’.