A Road Trip to Remember (Katniss and Peeta Story)

Part Nine: Change of Plans.

We have driven for I don't know how many hours now with almost no stops. We sometimes find an exit to eat and use the restroom but that's it. It's like how it was before we stopped at Cincinnati. Actually, Peeta hasn't said anything about Cincinnati. The walk, the movie, the nightmare, and most importantly the game. The kiss cam to be exact. I don't know about him, but I enjoyed the kiss. I have never kissed anyone before so it kind of made an impression on me. I wish I could have kissed him longer but he pulled away which made me think he didn't like it. It made me cry too but I hoped he wouldn't notice. He started talking about the game and I knew that the brief moment I had with him, whatever I felt that made my chest stir was over. I try to make small talk on this awkward car ride but I'm not sure what to say. I don't think I can bring up the kiss in anyway because if he thought of it as only a kiss to make everyone in the stands stop shouting, and he finds out that it meant more to me, it could ruin a new friendship. But do I maybe like him as more than a friend? I can't keep things like that on my mind. I have to do something. Talk about something. So without thinking I blurt something out.

"Do you want to stay with us?"

"What?" He asks.

"My house isn't much. Maybe a middle class family house and I know you aren't used to that but would you like to stay with us for awhile?" I say.

"I wouldn't want to be a burden Katniss." He says.

"You won't be. And I would hate to see you drive all the way across country, drop me off, and then drive right back. There is a lake near our house and a forest. You can see something other than the city life."

"Well, um, maybe. If it is alright with your mother." He says.

"That won't be a problem."

"No?" He asks.

"She can't deny you as a guest in our house. And if she does, just pretend to be sick and she will let you stay and take care of you."

"I could never lie." He says.

"Don't think of it as lying. Think of it as... acting." I say.

"Acting. Well, that will be new to me too." He says.

"What? No it won't."

"I have never acted a day before in my life." He says.

"Not true. The first night in Cincinnati when we walked acrossed the bridge and you sat down with your leg." I say.

"That wasn't acting though."

"It convinced me." I state.

"That's not hard to do."

"Gasp." I say sarcastically. "What ever do you mean?"

"I convinced you to ride all those rides at Kings Island." He says.

"You foreced me onthe last one."

"Did not."

"Did too!" I exclaim.

"Okay maybe a little." He says and an awkward silence follows. We passed New York city about 2 hours ago so we are almost to my home town. I'm starting to recognize places around us. I'm getting excited so I grab my phone.

"Mind if I make a phone call?" i ask.

"Go right ahead." He says with a small smile. I dial Gale's number but quickly hang up. For some reason, I don't think talking to Gale while I'm in a car with Peeta is a good idea. So I call Prim.

"Hey little duck." I  say when she answers. I hear Peeta snicker.

"Hey Katniss. Where are you?" She asks.

"About 10 minutes away. Why don't you call my friends over." She says.

"I already did. No one could come today." She says.

"Well that's dissapointing."

"But me, mom, and uncle Haymitch are here so you will have the same amount of fun." She says.

"Oh yes. Mom sitting in the chair completely ignoring us, Uncle Haymitch passed out drunk. That will be fun." I say.

"You will have me." She says.

"An that is what I'm most excited about." I say.

"So do we get to see Peeta?" She asks.

"Yes! Actually, I think he is going to stay with us for awhile this summer. Noy sure how long but he will be there." I tell her.

"Good! I want to meet him." She says.

"Well you will in about 5 minutes now." I say.

"Okay see you soon."

"Alright love you Katniss." She says.

"Love you too Prim." I say and I hang up. I hear Peeta laugh a little more and I grow a bit annoyed. I don't understand what is so funny.

"What?" I say.

"Nothing. How is your little duck." He says. Oh. So that's what he is laughing about.

"She is good. She is excited to meet you. And I only call her that because when she was younger she loved to wear this white blouse and tan skirt. But the shirt never stayed tucked in in the back so I would fix it for here and say, 'You better tuck in that tail little duck.' So that's how that started." I say.

"Well I think it's nice for you and your sister to share a relationship like that. And she is happy to meet me?" He asks.

"Yes she is. I want her to meet you too." I say. After that, I just give him directions to my house in the country. I watch as my house grows closer and closer and closer. I can finally see it and he parks in front of it

"I know I have said it before, but thank you so much. I'm so happy we got in the accident or I would have had a far more boring trip." I say.

"It's no problem Katniss." He says. "We better get in there. Prim seems excited to see you." We walk to my house and up the stairs. Peeta holds one of my bags and stands right next to me as I open the door to find it dark. I flip on the light switch and hear about a dozen people yell 'surprise!'