Undercover Sweetheart [everlark]

nine

Katniss
Today is the day we should be arriving at the Capitol. I'm kinda nervous to start at a new school, but now that I've gotten to know Peeta for a few days, I know I won't be alone.

I curl more into Peeta's chest. I want to freeze this moment and live it forever. My eyes shut of their own accord.

Last night was a restless sleep. I had the nightmare in which my father dies. Every time I have that dream, I scream for him to run, but it ends up being too late. Then I see him blown to bits.

When I was only eleven years old, he died in a mine explosion. Gale's father died that day, too, in the same accident. Our families waited at the mine jaws, praying harder than ever. But with each miner rescued, we lost more hope. Finally, we were informed that there were no survivors left.

From that point on, I became the sole provider for my family. I couldn't count on my mother, because when my father died, she seemed to enter a permanent trance. She's been useless to us.

So I started hunting, which my father had taught me, to put money and food on the table. Then I met Gale in the woods. He's been my hunting partner ever since. We both take care of our family, and help each other's.

The one thing that keeps me going is my sister Primrose. She's four years younger than I, and she's almost like my child, because I've taken over the role of guardian. If I hadn't, we would've been thrown in the orphanage, and Prim doesn't deserve such suffering.

But how will she manage without me? She's only twelve, and I'll be gone for years.

I'll write a letter to Peeta's father, the baker; he's always loved Prim, and I'm positive he'd see that she's well fed. He's called us the daughters he never had. But I can't imagine being in a home with three sons; boys are dogs.

When I woke up in Peeta's arms last night, I had no clue what to say.

The only thing that had broken through the mist of fantasy was his gentle voice. "Katniss, it's okay. It's Peeta. I'm here. You're dreaming."

"Stay with me," I whispered tiredly.

"Always."