What If

Chapter Six:

The Interviews

My heart raced as I heard the announcer call Peeta's name. I had just finished my interview and I was still shaking from the shock of turning into the Mockingjay rushing through me.

I stumbled back to my seat as Peeta gave me a reassuring smile. I sat back down and watched, unsure of what Peeta's plan was.

Peeta greeted Caesar with a grin. Caesar Flickerman looked the same as ever but with a new hair and makeup color just for the Quartee Quell.

The interview was normal, boring, even. The two briefly bantered like last year about the food and the people and, of course, the showers. Then Caesar's tone grew serious.

"So, Peeta," Caesar said. Peeta nodded, listening intently. All eyes from the crowd were on him. "We all know there was certain wedding that was supposed to take place. And I think that I speak for everyone when I say I am disappointed it didn't take place."

Peeta sighed and hung his head, earning sympathy and a chorus of awwws from the crowd. "Well, you see, Ceaser, it did happen."

The crowed gasped, along with Caesar. I tried my best to smile lightly but not give anything away. I didn't want to ruin whatever Peeta had in mind, and what he had in mind I wasn't sure of.

"Do tell!"

"In Twelve, we have this marriage tradition called a toasting," Peeta explained. I knew the tradition well. I hadn't attended many weddings, but everyone in Twelve knew about it. Peeta went on to explain the toasting to the capitol audience, who we're hanging off of every word from his lips. "So, Katniss and I had a toasting, but in secret. You see, we just couldn't wait for our wedding at the capitol and we kept it secret as we weren't sure how Katniss's mother would feel."

Caesar nodded as the crowd went wild. "I see. Wow, Peeta. I have one question. Now that you know you're headed to the games again, do you regret doing this secret wedding? Are there any regrets?"

Peeta sighed, a fake look of sadness growing on his face. "No. I mean, I'd have no regrets if....if it weren't for the baby."

And with that, the crowd went wild. The outrage was larger than ever seen before in a Hunger Games interview. People were rising out of their seats and booing. People actually wept in the crowd.

But all I could focus on was Peeta. How did he know? Was it really that obvious? And if so, how come he didn't talk to me about it? How come he kept pretending he was oblivious? And why, god why, did he display it to everyone in the capitol?

And then it hit me. He didn't know. This was his bombshell like he'd dropped last interviews. He didn't know that what he'd just assumed was a lie was the truth. He was just feeding into the crowd, unaware he wasn't lying to them.

Suddenly, before I could stop myself, my hand reached down towards my stomach where my dress had been loosened by Cinna.

Then the buzzer rang and Peeta walked back towards me, looking smug. When I saw him, I instantly pulled him into a hug.

And I decided right there and then I was going to tell Peeta the truth, the real truth the second we had a moment alone. He deserved to know what was and wasn't the truth, especially if the entirety of the capitol already knew it and he didn't.