I'm Already There

Chapter 2

Katniss

"He called her on the road
From a lonely cold hotel room
Just to hear her say I love you one more time"

I quickly hit the skip on Pandora before the song can get any further. I used to love that song. Now each time I hear it, I'm reminded of Peeta and how he isn't just a phone call away. He's the one who has to call me. I can't ever know when he'd be able to talk to me. I'm busy writing down notes when I hear a knock on my door. I look up to see my roommate, Johanna, coming in.

"Hey Brainless!" she says.

"Hi," I respond as I turn off my music and close my notebook.

"You want to go to a party?" she asks and I laugh.

"I'm nearly four months pregnant," I say gently rubbing my swollen abdomen. "A party called Prom kind of put me here and I don't think partying is a good idea." She laughs and sits down on the edge of her bed.

"You heard from the baby's dad lately?" she asks and I feel a lump form in my throat.

"He's been busy," I reply, not really wanting to talk about it.

"You should call him," she says. "I know that if some poor boy knocked me up, he'd never be rid of me."

"You have no business scrutinizing my child's father when you don't know what's going on," I say standing up. "He doesn't just have a phone on hand. I have no idea what address to send a letter or anything to. Until he contacts me, I can't know anything. We're expecting a baby and that's all he's ever wanted for us and he can't even be here." I feel the little fluttering kick of my baby as I start getting upset. I hold my hand over it and feel the little thumps of her feet against my palm. A tear runs down my cheek and I quickly wipe it away.

Johanna stands there speechless and then with gentleness I didn't think my sharp tongued dorm mate possessed, she helps me sit down on my bed and carefully helps me sit down. She rubs my back and I find myself still fighting my tears.

"I'm sorry," she says gently. "I didn't know you two were still together."

"Of course we are!" I say raising my hand to show off the iridescent pearl that adorns the golden band on my finger. "Where do you think I got this?" She holds my hand up to look at it and shrugs her shoulders.

"I guess I just thought it was a normal piece of jewelry, being a pearl and all," she says and I laugh.

"He asked me just after graduation and since we were both only eighteen and he worked for his dad after school, he didn't have enough for even a little diamond. The pearl was a gift from him on our first date, we went walking by the lake, and he stole it back to put it in the setting," I say. "He worried me to death that I lost it."

"Where is he now then?" she asks.

"He's in Afghanistan," I say. (Sorry if this isn't right. I'm not quite sure where marines go and I really am just trying to get this story going. Feel free to correct me.)

"He's a soldier?" she asks. I nod.

"A marine," I confirm. "He started training just after I found out I was pregnant. I told him a little before he left. We're both terrified that he'll miss the birth of our child."

"Oh," Johanna says. "I'm sorry. You never said anything."

"It's none of anyone's business," I say. "It's just my life."

"I'm sure he'll call you soon," she says. "How long has he been gone?"

"He left three weeks ago," I say.

"He's bound to get in touch sooner or later," she says and then, just like magic, my phone rings. It has an unlisted number so I tentatively answer it.

"Hello?" I ask tentatively.

"Hey Baby," I hear Peeta say and I start crying.

"Oh my gosh, Peeta!" I say and I hear him laugh. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," he says. "Its really weird not being able to talk to you every day anymore."

"I know," I say. "There's been so many times I've wanted to talk to you but I don't even know where to send a letter."

"I'm sorry sweetheart," he says. "I promise to write you as I can." I feel uneasiness in his voice and wipe away a tear as our baby kicks again.

"How are you Peeta?" I ask him.

"It's hard," he says. "I'd love to lie to you and say its great over here, but you're smarter than that. But you don't need to worry too much about me. I'm not in any real danger."

"I'm gonna worry anyway," I say. "As long as you aren't next to me, I'm gonna worry."

"How are you?" he says, trying to change the subject.

"An emotional wreck," I say. "I cry during infomercials. It's really embarrassing. But school is good and there's no hiding my belly anymore." I I hear him laugh and that brings on another round of those little butterfly kicks.

"I wish I was there to see that," he says and I smile.

"She started kicking last week," I say. "It feels like butterflies in my stomach and its really distracting. She reminds me of you."

"She?" he asks and I sigh.

"It's just a hunch," I say. "I'll find out for sure in two weeks. The doctor's say she's growing well. They set my due date on Valentine's day."Even though its not possible, I swear I hear Peeta smile through the phone.

"That's great Kitten," he says. "Its just wonderful."

"We both miss you," I say and I hear him sigh.

"I miss you too, but I've got to go now," he says. "I love you." I feel tears running down my cheeks as I reply.

"I love you too," I cry out and the phone goes dead.