I never knew how much victors were pampered in the Capitol. They hired entertainers as we eat. After making small talk with others, an announcement tells us that we can go to the top floor. As avoxes take away our trays, Finnick catches me examining the way they move.
"Unfortunate, isn't it." he says, as we make our way to the elevator. As the door is closing, that same girl pushes it open with her hand and slides in. She stands in between Peeta and I, causing our hands to disconnect.
She starts to say something, then Finnick pulls her aside and aggressively whispers in her ear. They bicker back and forth in hushed voices until Finnick says no to whatever she is begging to do.
"Eh hem. What's going on? Are you two alright?" says Peeta.
They become silent and stare at us like we are caged animals.
"This is Johanna Mason, district 7." he nervously introduces her.
"Nice to meet you-" I start but she interrupts.
"I just don't understand! Is this an act between you two or not?"
"Johanna, god shut up!" Finnick shrieks.
I give her such a nasty look, that I wouldn't want to see it myself. The elevator door opens and Peeta follows me out before I can scream at anybody. I look around on the top floor. Tables of dessert surround us. A humungous bathtub is in the corner to the left. Next to it is a smaller bathtub with steam coming out of it. So many more things to do, yet I don't want to enjoy any of it. I think of the other people in other districts who would kill to be here. Literally. Everyone in this room killed to be here.
"Can I talk to you for just a moment?" I ask Peeta.
I bring him to a corner of the room where I thought no one would hear us.
I take his hand and gently put it in mine.
"Peeta..." I trail off.
"You know that I need you. Right?"
his mouth lifts into a shy smile.
We talk for a few minutes, enjoying the environment of no one bothering us. I get a pit feeling in my stomach as I look over his shoulder. Johanna has been standing there. For how long exactly? I pretend not to see her walking toward me. She pushes in between us.
"We got off on the wrong foot, love birds. I really see the chemistry." I feel as if she is being sarcastic, still not believing my feelings for Peeta, and I would say no children so soon, but I have to ask;
"Toast babies?"
"Yeah. Toast babies. Girl on fire and the baker boy. Bun in the flaming oven equals toast babies. When's that going to happen?"
"We are teenagers." exclaims Peeta.
She nods unconvinced, and whispers to me before walking away laughing.
I stand there, expressionless.
"What did she say to you?" he questions.
"Something inappropriate."
I dread the rest of the night on this disaster of a top floor. Every word or touch I exchange with Peeta, I feel like I'm being stared at and violated. You would think I released a sex tape or something with these glances. As Peeta takes pictures of the room with Prim's camera, I finally sit back and try to enjoy myself, knowing that my little duck would want that. We sit on the edge of the big bath tub called a pool, and stick our feet in while making small talk with the others around us. Peeta cracks a joke, I laugh at it and he snaps a picture on the camera of me.
"Why'd you do that?"
"Because Prim would like to see you smiling." he slides himself closer to me, turns the camera around and I show my teeth as he takes a picture of the both of us. He presses a button and the digital photo shows up on the small screen. His smile is so beautiful it makes mine look weak. He simply doesn't have to try to be perfect.
A couple people start to say goodbye and leave, and we are finally among them. The next morning we are free to roam the Capitol. Which I'd rather just nap. Home is where I'd like to be. The rest of this trip is useless. I take a dreamless nap, and am ready to kill anyone who tries to wake me up from it.
"Hey." Peeta gently shakes my shoulder.
Too soon, Mellark.
"Whaat?" I groan into the pillows.
"You've been asleep for over four hours, I thought you were dead." he jokes.
Four hours?
"That long?" I should've woken from a nightmare by now.
"The longest you've ever slept, at least that I remember." he says.
I grab his hand tiredly. My eyes close again before I can say anything.

A/n hey sorry this is short. A couple of you were saying that you couldn't see this chapter and then it never showed up, the reason is I accidentally published and unpublished it... In fact, I made that mistake a couple of times! And also I never got to properly thank you all for over 1700 reads! That's such a good start for me and I really appreciate each and everyone of you. Please comment here what you want me to write about in the next chapter, the reaping is coming soon.
-j