Love Story

6: I Love You

Katniss POV
I giggle in Peeta's arms as he slams the bakery doors shut. He is carrying me bridal style all the way from the party to here.
"Peeta!" I whine as he starts running towards the back stairs. They built a house above the bakery and now the Mellarks live here.
"Katniss, we are al most there!" Peeta says looking at me. His blue eyes show happiness and love. My eyes probably show that too.
We pass the kitchen where Mr. Mellark sits eating dinner.
"Hey Mr. Mellark!" I shout as Peeta runs in the kitchen.
He chuckles. "Call me Stuart. It was nice seeing you Katniss! I'm sorry!"
"Nice seeing you too and thanks!" I say back. Peeta gives me a confused look.
He puts me down finally and kisses my forehead.
"Is there something I should know about?"
I sigh. "Yeah let's go to your room."
Peeta nods and grabs my hand. He pulls me towards a plain white door and opens it. I walk through it first and gasp. The walls are a sunset orange color, his favorite color, and his bed is blue. There is a bathroom, closet and a window that's slightly open. A painting hangs on a wall next to his bed. It's of a girl with dark curly hair and grey eyes. I gasp realizing it is of me.

"Peeta did you draw that?" I ask in shock.
Peeta shyly says, "Yeah. Do you like it?"
My eyes widen and a smile forms. "Like it? I love it! Peeta who is the girl?"
He smirks. "The girl is the most beautiful girl in the world. Stunning. She is as radiant as the sun. Do you know who it is?"
All color leaves my face and I look down. "No."
Peeta wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me closer. "It's you. Your the girl I drew. When we moved, I couldn't stand being that far from you. So I decided the best way to see you is to draw you. Every night before I went to bed, I started a picture. Than I would finish it the next night. And I would repeat it over and over. That last night I was there, I picked a picture I really felt was good and that you would love. And I painted it. So here it is. Hanging on my wall."

Wow. A smile forms on my face and I cup his face in my hands. "I love you Prince Peeta Mellark."
Peeta chuckles. "But I'm not a prince anymore."
I shrug. "You aren't a prince anymore. But your my prince."
He smiles. "Than you have to be my princess."
I giggle and we kiss. The kiss lasts a few seconds until I pull away.
"I need to tell you something."
He nods and we sit on his bed. It's comfy.
Peeta grabs my hand and looks into my eyes as I take a deep breath and explain. "After you left me at the ball, I was confused. I just thought you had to leave earlier. That was my thought until I didn't see you at all around town or at our meeting place. I knew Annie and everyone else knew something. So I yelled at them. Demanding an answer and when they told me, I went in shock. I never left my room. Only to go to the bathroom and occasionally eat. I missed you and was confused. I kept thinking the same things and questions. Was it me? Was I the reason you left? So I passed the bakery one time when I finally came out of my room. It was closed. My thoughts changed a little. Than something happened."

I pause and breathe as tears form in my eyes. "Your family kept this part of what I'm going to tell you from you. They didn't want you getting upset. My dad- he started to not feel well. It happened around the time I finally awoke from my so called depression. My family thought it was a cold and so did he. Until this one night. Prim was at mom's and I still had to pack. I finished packing and I walked downstairs. I shouted bye to my dad but there was no response. So I walked into the kitchen."
Tears fall from my eyes and Peeta wipes them away. A pained look is on his face. I continue.
"There my dad was laying on the ground. I think he fell out of his chair. Running up to him, I grabbed a phone. I called the police begging them to hurry. Than that's when I checked my dads pulse. He barely had one. I didn't know CPR or whatever it's called. They arrived and took him and me to the hospital. Mom and Prim came right away as soon as I called. They would never understand how I felt. First, you left. And now my dad was sick."
"My dad is fine now. The doctors said he has cancer. Leukemia to be exact. He's better now. They let him come twice, but he was rushed back to the hospital from attacks. Along with missing you and my dad suck, u had nightmares. They were about l-losing y-you Peeta."
Now my cries turn to sobs. Peeta doesn't need me to finish. He pulls me into his lap and cradles me. I sob into his chest.
"Shh. I'm so sorry Kat." He coos.
I nod and kiss him. "I love you. I really do."
Peeta hugs me. "I love you too. Don't ever forget that."