A Road Trip to Remember (Katniss and Peeta Story)

Part Four: An Early Start

"Katniss, wake up." Peeta says shaking me awake in the car.
"What the, how the, why the. I stutter.
"I couldn't sleep last night so I decided to just pack up and keep driving. We have been driving for 12 hours. It's almost 4 P.M." He says.
"Are you kidding me! How did I sleep that's long?" I say.
"I'm not sure, but we are almost to Cincinnati and I thought maybe we should just stop here."
"Peeta you didn't have to do that." I say.
"I don't sleep very much so it's no problem. Plus the hotel didn't have windows that opened and I can sleep without the windows open." He says.
"We'll still... Wait, how did I get in the car?" I ask and he looks a little embarrassed.
"I carried you." He says.
"Oh." I say thinking how awkward this will be now if I don't say anything.
"Um, yeah let's stop in Cincinnati. But do you think we could get something to eat first?" I ask and my stomach growls.
"Of course!" He says getting of at the exit. We go though another drive thru and i must look like a pig by how much i eat. i just haven't eaten in so long. We are fast to get back in the car for another short drive to Cincinnati.
"So how do you think you slept so late?" He asks.
"Well, now that I've had time to think about it, I wasn't having a nightmare. I could sleep forever in a day if I have a peaceful dream." I say.
"You have nightmares?" He asks.
"Um, yeah. Usually about my dad. I would rather not talk about it."
"I respect that." He says. "But just know if I notice you having one, I will wake you up as fast as possible."
"Um, thank you Peeta. I haven't had anyone to do that since I went to college." I say.
"Well I don't want to see you in pain." He mumbles an I barely hear him.
"What?" I ask because I want to clarify what he said.
"Huh? Oh nothing. Look, there is the bridge." He says and I look to see the bridge that connects Kentucky and Ohio. We are going into Cincinnati.
"Wow." I say taking in the site before me.
"It's an incredible city." He says. "We took a vacation here last year."
"Hat did you guys do?" I ask.
"A lot actually. Do you want to walk across the bridge tonight?" He asks.
"That sounds good." I say.
"We just have to drive to the hotel first." He says.
"Another hotel? I was hoping to sleep in the car again. It's very comfortable." I say and he laughs a little as I allow myself to smile. We go to the hotel and check in, getting some time to shower and change our clothes. I put on some athletic shorts that may be a little to short, but I don't think it will matter. And I wear an athletic neon green shirt. This isn't my favorite color green, but it is green. I walk out to see Peeta in basketball shirt and a Reds
T-shirt.
"You like the Reds?" I ask.
"Yeah, I honestly just love Ohio. I want to move here." He says.
"You should." I say.
"I might. You ready?" He asked.
"Yes sir." I say. I open the door and we walk out of the hotel room.
"We aren't taking the car because its close enough." He says "is that okay?"
"Of course! I love taking walks." I say. We talk the whole elevator ride and walk to the bridge.
"This looks a lot longer than I remember." I say when we get there.
"It's only because last time we were in a car. We don't have to walk in." He says. When he does, I actually feel frantic at the thought of not being able to walk across with him.
"No! I want to." I say. He only laughs.
"Lets do it then." He says. We start walking and I get an idea.
"Lets race." I say.
"What?"
"Lets race." I repeat stopping in my tracks.
"You want to race? How far?" He asks.
"How far can you go bread boy?" I tease thinking of him baking at the café.
"Um, well, yeah let's race. But only to that newspaper stand." He says and I nod.
"One, two, three." I say an we both take off. I easily get ahead of him and I think maybe he didn't want to race because he knows he is slow. I laugh and keep pushing myself until I'm almost to the stand, when I turn around an see Peeta on the ground with his... Leg missing? I rush over to him and lean down.
"What the heck happened!?" I exclaim.
"I always lose this thing when I run." He says putting the leg where his should be like its no big deal. When he does, it looks like a regular leg.
"How did I notice that?" I ask.
"My parents paid to make it realistic. Even feels like flesh." He says
"Why do you have to where that?" I ask.
"There was an accident a few years ago at the Café with a very large knife, some roller skates and a dare gone wrong." He says.
"That sounds like a story for another day." I say a little scared. I stand up but grab his hands to Help him up.
"It really doesn't look like fake." I say.
"No. Not really. Now lets finish that race." He says quickly and takes of running. At first I'm confused but I take off, only to get there to late because Peeta beat me.
"I thought that feel off when you ran." I say.
"No, I just needed a distraction so I could win. So I took it off and say on the ground and waited for you to turn around." He says.
"Oh what!?" I say and he laughs.
"I don't like losing." He says.
"We'll then I think I will have to best you at something." I say.
"Good luck with that."
"And in the words of Dean Trinket, may the odds be ever in your favor." We both laugh at the thought of the crazy, pink haired dean that looks like Niki Minaj.
"Come on, lets go." He says and he extends his hand towards me. I'm hesitant, but he ends up just grabbing my hand from my side and runs. We don't run fast, just a fun jog. We laugh the entire time and it makes me think of some chick flick that Prim would talk me into watching. I entwine our fingers and we keep running until we are halfway across the bridge. We slow down and I start to remove my hand, even though I enjoy it a little, when he tightens his grip.
"I uh, get nervous in bridges. Don't let go." He says. I actually feel happy.
"Okay." And we continue our walk, holding hands, until we get to the other side of the bridge.
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Sorry for not updating! I'm trying to finish my other Hunger Game story!