Fragile

Chapter Thirteen: Her mother/Her past comes to the surface

It was now a week before Katniss's eighteenth birthday. It had been a long time coming, and Peeta was honestly excited. He had been waiting for this ever since the day he met her.

Katniss sat at their small kitchen table, scrolling through her phone as Peeta made breakfast. Ever since the night about Delly, they've been closer to each other; more opened with each other. Katniss decided that she could be comfortable with him, so with that being said, she stopped wearing the oversized sweaters around him, and stuck to more fitted clothing, which Peeta didn't know she even owned. She started to become the girl she used to be, still having the same love for flower crowns.

He sat a plate of breakfast in front of her, and she thanked him. He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "What do you want for your birthday?" He asked her, sitting down across from her.

She pondered this before smiling. "You would be nice," she laughed softly. He chuckled.

"You already have me. Ask for something else."

She picked up her fork, beginning to eat as she thought to herself. "What about a date? Like, a decent one. We've never gone on a date before."

He smiled. "Perfect." She smiled back, her phone beginning to vibrate in her hand. She looked at it.

Elizabeth/Mom 💙

Katniss excused herself from the table and answered it in the living room. "Hello?"

"Katniss, Sweetie, I talked to Gale earlier. I need you two to come home."

Katniss crossed her arms over her chest. "Why?"

"Katniss do not ask any questions. Just know it's urgent."

"I-Is it Prim?" She asked quietly, getting worried. Before she left, Prim was her everything even though she didn't do much with her after Matt came along.

"Katniss, Prim is fine, and I just said don't ask any questions–"

"Okay," Katniss sighed. "When do I need to be there?"

"Gale is coming to get you. You two should be here by tonight."

"B-But that's late notice. What if–"

"You'll be here tonight." And with that, her mother hung up. Katniss sighed, going back into the kitchen.

"What's wrong?"

"My mom is sending Gale for me and we're supposedly going home," she said, sitting down. Peeta inaudibly swore under his breath. He and Gale still weren't on good terms, and he honestly did not feel like fooling with him.

"When are you leaving?"

"Today. He's probably on his way," she said quietly, getting up to go pack. He followed her.

"Katniss, I can't go," Peeta said.

"Why not?"

"I've got work all week this week and no one can cover for me..." He trailed off.

She sighed. "Oh..."

"Yeah. How long will you be gone?"

She shrugged, continuing to pack quietly. She then walked to the bathroom, coming back with all of her toiletries and putting them in her bag. Peeta knew she wanted him to come, but he knew that with both his job and Gale, it wasn't going to work out. He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, kissing her neck gently. "Hey, I'll make it up to you when you get back," he said softly, kissing her right below her ear. She sighed softly, biting her lower lip. He smiled, knowing he's won this round. He kissed her neck several more times, and even left a small hickey, pulling away with a smirk as Katniss touched it gently. "Remember me by that," he said slyly, kissing her as a car horn honked outside.