Finding the Missing Piece: Book 4

Chapter Fifty-Three

Katniss POV- (Later that day)

"You know how my mom use to hit me and yell at me?" He asks softly.

"Yeah."

He sighs deeply and rubs my arm, "After they died, I started feeling that way again, not abused but worthless and stupid."

I freeze, not knowing what to say.

"The reason I came to school here was to get away from the girls there and all the people who knew about my mom." He mumbles.

I always tease him for women going crazy over him but I never really remember how he hates that attention.

How he hated all the girls at his old school and how he tolerated the ones here.

Everyone had a crush on him I found out.

I frown but again, I don't say anything.

"I wanted a fresh start. Even though home was the same but the first day, we met and I knew I wanted to be your friend." He says softly, "And I thought you were beautiful and different than all the rest."

He has been spilling everything to me the last couple of hours.

Things I know and things he's never dared to tell me or anyone.

All of his thoughts and feelings.

"That first day, after you decided you wanted to be friends, I just couldn't stop thinking about how kind it was of you. I never had anyone do something like that for me, without wanting something in return. You didn't want anything but friendship that first couple of days. You still couldn't begin to understand how happy you made me that day." Peeta explains quietly.

And I want to tell him he doesn't know how happy he made me that day either.

How he came into my life and made it all better.

How he changed all of our lives for the better.

"When we got into that stupid fight, which was my fault, I was so upset. My mom didn't lay a hand on me or even speak to me those few weeks. I think that's the only time she actually felt sorry for me."

I just listen attentively to him, soaking up everything he tells me, loving the trip down memory lane, even though it's a glum one.

He's still upset and I'm upset too but I'm going to listen to what he has to say.

He deserves that much.

"That night, my dad dragged me out of my room and you were there, crying, that broke me. I promised myself I would never be the reason you would cry again and look what I've done." He scoffs and lets out a deep breath.

I close my eyes, my head still on his chest, just listening to him speak and his heart beat.

"I'm sorry about every time I've ever hurt you. None of it's been intentional but it's hard not to get hurt or hurt people."

"I know it's hard. Sometimes, I feel like all I do is hurt you but like you said, it's never intentional." I mumble, my voice raspy.

I haven't spoken in hours.

I may have said a few things before to purposely hurt him, to make a point but I didn't know how deeply it affected him and that was wrong and I regret it.

"I remember how that night, we had our first kiss in my bedroom." Peeta says and I know part of the reason he's been so devastated is because that was special to us.

And I know for a fact that's one of his fondest memories we share, mine too.

My first kiss.

Our first kiss together.