Runaway Bride

Runaway Bride

“She walks down the aisle, her smoky eyes shining with emotion, her firm pace over the corridor framed with lilies at the edge. The skirt of her white dress flutters when she walks, accentuating her curves. She wore just what he chosen for her to wear on this magical day.

The church is full of life, more than a hundred people gathered here to join the couple on the most important day of their lives. There were anxious looks on the faces of most of the guests but this time, she’d do it. She loves him.  

While she walks to him, not breaking eye contact, he mouths   love you to her, and she mouths back a me too. She is almost there, only three more steps, so he extends his hand and she takes it timidly. He pulls her to him and kisses her soundly. She only breaks eye contact to accept the kiss, and as soon as it ends he smiles winningly, but her expression changes. Sheer terror invades her eyes. She looks frantically in all directions, taking in the exit, the people, behind the altar, . She appears to have find what she was looking for and   starts running.

Some guests have moved towards the exit, blocking the access. She is starting to hyperventilate and heads like a caged bird to an open window on the right side of the church. She climbs, ripping her beautiful dress in the process, revealing white running shoes instead of heels.

Waiting outside the church with the engine running was Finnick Odair, 12th District School’s swimmers instructor.

She ran again, quick as lightning.

And that, my fellow readers is my friend, Marvel Adam’s story. Abandoned at the altar. All dressed and tousled, a fool in front of family and friends. Heart-broken. Trying to understand how on earth this has happened to him.

He confessed his story to me, devastated, angry and still very much in love with that cruel woman. You might be thinking, everyone is entitled to change their mind, and I couldn’t agree more with you, but seven times?

Yes, you’ve read it right. Seven times.  She   made seven poor bastards fall in love, made them surrender at her feet, bought her an engagement ring that she would never return. She will had said yes and then together they would start planning the wedding of his dreams only to watch her flee the same way she’d done in previous times. Letting them think that they had reached heaven only to run without a second thought, not caring about kids, bridesmaids, priests or guests,- anyone! If the door was closed, she’d find another way out, and usually the next victim was the man who helped her run.

If we’re talking about a fear of commitment, this would definitely be the most extreme case I’ve heard about. What motivates a woman to get engaged and get to the altar, dressed in white seven times? What makes her run? Perhaps she finds pleasure in destroying daydreams and long-imagined fantasies. What is her malicious intent? Because it is the thing we love most that destroys us.

Or could this be a battle against male kind… Does she enjoy the suffering of her masculine counterpart? Is she out there now, looking for her next victim? Be careful my loyal reader, she is Katniss Everdeen, the mantis, the black widow…the runaway bride.”

  Peeta

“Peeta, Ms. Cartwright is waiting for you in her office,” the secretary calls. Delly Cartwright is the editor at the newspaper I work for.

“Tell her to keep waiting, I’m writing the final details on my article,” I reply staring straight at my computer.

“She said it was urgent.” That gets my attention.

She appears at my desk. “What’s going on, Dell?” As soon as she lay eyes on me she pulls her chair back and crosses her arms over her waist, leaving what she was doing on the computer. The look she directs at me from those big blue eyes make me step back.

She breathes deeply, taking her time and then, after exhaling, she says, “Let’s see, what you think is going on Peet?”  She gives me that look that only women can give, the special one that leaves you wondering at which of all your stupidities they have caught you. But a quick search of my memories confirms that I can’t find anything.

Delly and I had what you might call a relationship of convenience. We’re not dating, but whenever we need a release we, well, let’s say we help each other to get rid of stress, we do each other the favor, but it has been a long time since our last date. Problems began to invade the workplace and in a silent agreement we both decided to postpone our encounters. I don’t think I would’ve forgotten if we had one but I ask anyway. “Did I forget a date?”

“Peety, I love you, but that is not going to happen, ever again. I’m dating Thom now, remember?”

“Well, then what is this all about?”

“The Everdeen girl sent a letter to the paper. She accused us of been unethical, and reckless, not taking into account a woman’s reputation. She threatened to sue us for defamation! She called us unprofessional and you, an asshole, which I agree with.” She finishes with a smirk.

“I had my informers!” I yell childishly, trying to convey my indignation.

“Yes, Peeta, please tell me about your informers because I’m pretty sure you don’t even mention him in the article. Wasn’t he a drunk you knew at some bar?”

“He wasn’t just a drunk! He was one of the grooms!”

“Do you even realize how that sounds? You pay ears to a drunken guy, hurting because his fiancé left him at the altar. He just wanted to discredit her! You didn’t even bother to verify the information. You should be thankful the paper is not facing a lawsuit. I’m really sorry Peeta, but I have orders to let you go.”

I take all the things on my desk and put them in a box, swearing under my breath that this is not the way this is going to end. My reputation is on the line and I’ll prove to everyone that what I stated in my article was true.

So I take my final paycheck and buy a train ticket to district Twelve.

____________________________

Katniss

“There! I got news from the paper, Jo,” I claim while I enter the beauty parlor. “That dickhead won’t talk lightly about a defenseless woman ever again. The chief editor called me and told me they took measures in the matter.”

“I wouldn’t precisely use defenseless as a word to describe you, my dear brainless, but way to go with the letter thing girl!” My best friend celebrates with a yelp while she keeps painting Mss. Trinket nails with purple and yellow polka dots.

“And that’s what you got from what I said? I’m just so happy they will finally put him in his place. How dare he to speak that way about me? And how bad a judge of character am I? I remember I used to think how sweet he looked whenever I saw his portrait next to his column…such a sensationalist asshole, that man!”

“Writing such spiteful words to a nice lady like you, he has no manners!” Ms. Trinket complements my angry ramble.

“I know! But he will be fired for that Ms. Trinket, I made sure of it.”

“I wouldn’t exactly use nice or lady either.”

“Shut up, Johanna!”

“Okay firecracker, just chill, he didn’t exactly lie, did him?” Johanna says mockingly.

“Are you even my friend? How could you say that?” I ask resentfully while I lean under the sink trying to fix the leak Jo reported.

“Forget it, I really don’t want to fight today. This thing in my belly will probably make me do something stupid like cry, and I’m really not in the mood today for that.”

Johanna is very pregnant with my friend Gale’s baby. It wasn’t exactly planned so, although everyone around her can tell how thrilled she is, she will never admit it.

“I wouldn’t raise my arms in victory yet, Brainless, although the mass of reporters left town, there is a rumor that there is one left asking questions about you.”

While Johanna continues attending Ms. Trinket I decide to get the work done that I came to do. I squeeze the faucet with my pliers and ask Jo to turn the on the water. “Done. I don’t think it’ll drip anymore. I only had to change a gasket and tighten it. I won’t charge you today, Jo, but if you ever imply that awful reporter is right again, the bill will triple the normal charge.”

“Fine.” She says tightly.

“I have to go, Gale is waiting for me.”

Gale and I are partners at the town mechanic shop. We started fixing cars when we were kids, his father taught us the business. It’s not exactly every girls’ dream job, especially in a small town like this one, but hey, I was never a girly girl anyway. And I kind of love   my jobs- all five of them.

I’m beneath Mr. Undersee’s old Mustang trying to see what the problem with his suspension is when I hear the special; I’m not in the mood to be nice voice of Gale. He was working on a Jetta motor just before the bell chimed.

“I’m here looking for Katniss Everdeen,” a sheepish, male voice says.

“I don’t know who she is,” Gale answers curtly, making me shake my head. After that horrible article, reporters came from everywhere trying to interview me or Finn, or anyone willing to give them a piece of information, so I smile, knowing what he’s doing.

People in Twelve are loyal. We’re used to protecting each other so they left as soon as they discovered it would be easier to draw water from rocks.

He must have discovered my hiding place because he coughs and hits the car gently, “Uh, Mss. Everdeen, is that you in there?”

I decide to come out slowly, almost threateningly. I threw my best terrorizing scowl at him, closely mirroring Gale’s.

Reporter boy stares at me for a long time. I suppose I manage to intimidate him because he diverts his looks and stares to the floor awkwardly. “Sorry to interrupt you ma’am. I’m Peeta Mellark,” he introduces himself, reaching out his hand. I’m about to clean my hand with the flannel in my pocket, but as soon as I hear his name and take a long look into his blue eyes I realize who he is, and decide to leave my dirty, grassy hand just the way it is.

I take his hand. “What can I do for you Mr. Mellark?” Gale frowns at me, he can tell I’m onto something by my sweetened un-Katniss voice.

“Please, call me Peeta.”

He explains he is here to interview me, and mend fences. I try to pretend to be very willing to hear everything he says, to Gale’s astonishment, until I point to his face with a wave of my hand.

“What is it?” Peeta asks.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but you have a stain over there,” I point to his face.

“Where?” He starts rubbing his face, trying to clean the invisible spot.

“To your right, no, a little more to your left, right there…there you go.”

“Thanks,” he says.

“Look Mr. Mellark, I honestly believe you already say all the irresponsible things you wanted to say. I don’t want to keep wasting my time talking to you, I have much work to do and a wedding to plan.”

“Again?” His eyes pop open in surprise.

“Good evening Mr. Mellark.”

“It´s Peeta,” he calmly reminds me.

I go back to my place under the Mustang while my gigantic friend with a pissed gorilla expression invites the intruder to go.

_______________________________________________

Peeta

I leave the shop frustrated with the little progress I achieved.

People who a little while ago looked at me non pleased, and suspiciously, are laughing my way, even the woman with orange hair who hit me with her bag in the middle of the street, smiles at me when I pass across from her.

I see my reflection in the window of a store and notice my face stained black. I touch it carefully with my hand. It’s grease.

Damn woman.

I need to go to the hotel to clean myself, I’m hungry and moody and just craving a unhealthy meal. I go to the dinner across the street, salivating already over the burger I’m going to eat.

I can’t believe my eyes when a very attractive waitress in a bold mini skirt asks me in the surliest tone I’ve ever heard directed at me , “We meet again Mr. Mellark.”

“I’d really appreciate if you’ll call me Peeta… I thought you worked at the mechanic shop. By the way, grease in my face. Good one. Very mature,” I smile condescendingly. Katniss expression closely resembles that of someone sucking a lemon.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about but I don’t give a shit either. May I take your order?”

“So, you have two jobs.”

“Obviously Sherlock.”

“Really, what’s wrong with Peeta?”

“Coffee, tea?” she snaps.

“A soda please, and a burger. Your turn.”

“What?”

“Now it’s your turn to answer my question.” I as if I was talking to a small child.

“Yes, I have more than one job. I have five of them if you care to know. I’ll be right back.”

“No wait, I want to talk to you, just a couple of questions.” Five jobs? She has to be joking.

“What makes you think I have the slightest intention to answer your questions?”

”Come on Katniss, I’ve been unfairly fired because of you, don’t you think I deserve at least that?”

“Unfairly?  God, you have some nerve.”

“Indeed. Sweetheart, I’m one hundred percent positive that everything written in my article is completely truthful.”

She looks straight to me, she has deep grey eyes, and I feel like I’m about to be swallowed by extremely hot lava, only the hot lava is a petite woman scowling at me, “Don’t call me that,” she points at me and I swear I get goose bumps.

I’m so frustrated, how on earth am I going to get information if the whole town is on her side and she is as closed as a clam. Not to mention she hates my guts.

On her way to the kitchen a pair of arms take Katniss around her waist and pull her backwards “Hello kitten,” a seductive voice tells.

I pay attention. The man could easily be a movie star, strong, and tall. Katniss turns in the man arms and Peeta’s eyes goes to Katniss hands, now slowly roaming the guy arms up to his shoulders, then she encircles his neck with her arms and kisses him passionately. Peeta also notices the diamond ring on her finger.

Definitely another victim.

_________________________________

Katniss

The first thing I see coming out of the kitchen, is my fiance smiling face, sitting at the table with that man, both laughing loud. I scowl at them and walk warily to the table with the tray on my hands.

As soon as I get to the table, Finn’s hand is around my waist, “Honey, I’m telling Peeta the story of how we met.”

“Peeta?” I answer, my mouth as stiff as my words.

“Come on Katniss, you know my name too, I’ve repeated it enough,” city boys says. Smiling like the Cheshire cat, “and yes, my good friend Finnick was telling me how you ran away from your last wedding, in his van. Hilarious, don’t you think?”

I remain silent, throwing deadly looks at Finn, hoping that at some point he takes the hint, but I don’t think will that happens anytime soon. I place Peeta’s food on the table as slowly as I can so I can keep listening, and Peeta says, “Finn, I just want you to answer a couple of really simple, harmless questions.”

“Sure buddy, whatever you need.”

“Finn, buddy?” I ask with a warning look.

“Hon, he said harmless, relax. They will be harmless, won’t they Peeta?“

“Of course, which is Katniss favorite food?”

“Sweet bread is Katniss weakness.”

“What kind?”

“Danish”

“Her favorite color?”

“Blue, like mine.”

What? Am I invisible or something? I am so pissed that he is asking all of this questions about me that I don’t realize when I start shaking Peeta’s soda can. He looks at me from the corner of his big blue eyes, but it seems that he is looking without really notice, his attention is on Finnick’s responses.

I leave the can on the table, “What do you think Mr. Mellark if you let me enjoy the company of my fiancé for a while? Come on honey, I’ll take ten,” I look intently at Finn, with purpose, so he realizes what I’m trying to say. I can’t find another way to drag him away from the reporter and sex is Finnick Achilles heel.

Finn raises his eyebrows suggestively, “I can work with ten,” he promises while he gets up, quick as a lightning, pulling me to him as we walk to the back of the diner.

_________________________________________________________________

Peeta

There’s something in this scene that I just can’t place   but rubs me the wrong way. In fact, there is a point that I have to look away. I focus instead in my soda and open it. Now I get what Katniss is doing. All the agitated gas explodes, and I turn into soup. A soda soup.

Everdeen 2

Mellark 0

The next day, I decided to pay a visit to Katniss again, I try to remember where she was yesterday at this hour so I walk to the mechanic shop. It is closed, and there’s a note at the door in   sloppy handwriting that says “We open tomorrow at 7:00, I’m at the Archery field.”

What’s going on with this woman? Apparently she changes jobs like she changes fiancés.

Nobody gives me the right address to the park, neither an explanation of her nomadic whereabouts, but after walking twice around town in circles two times, I’m starting to figure out where everything is. Finally I found the entrance to the park. I look around trying to find he. When I finally do it is a the shooting range he is standing in front of the bulls eye, holding  a bow firmly, I have to admit, she looks magnificent, like the goddess Diana . She straightens the cord, releasing the arrow, hitting the bulls-eye center. Well, wow.

I don’t notice I actually expressed my admiration out loud until she turns to me slowly, still holding the bow. The look in her eyes terrifies me because it seems like she is ready to shoot again. Something tells me it would be a smart move to raise my hands, showing my rendition, so I do, but she releases the arrow anyway. I shot down scream, covering my head with my hands.

When I dare to peer between my fingers, still on the ground, she is standing in front of me, lowering her bow calmly, as if nothing had happened, so of course I start seeing red,   both humiliated for almost shitting my pants and infuriated because this woman has simply gone too far.

“Are you crazy? You damned psycho!” I yell, enraged.

She simply cross arms and looks at me with a bored face. Then points something behind me.

I turn to where she is pointing to see another bulls-eye in a tree behind my back, with another arrow at its center.

“You almost killed me!” I accuse, feeling the veins in my forehead bulge.

“I never miss,” she answers matter of factly.

“What? Is this a joke to you? Do you think this is funny?“

“Do you think it’s funny to stalk me? To show up everywhere I go, to annoy my friends with your stupid questions and your stupid way with words, and your stupid puppy eyes?”

“See? You did that on purpose!”

“Of course I did it on purpose,” she says approaching me slowly but walking slowly, , like a predator. “And you know what? Maybe you can use this for your research.  I was about to go to the Olympics in archery when I was younger, so I guess you can conclude that my aim is excellent. If I wanted, I would not have missed.” I never could have imagined that such a small person could look so threatening, but I feel a bead of sweat trickles down my temple.

“So please, don’t be dramatic, it is you who just come into a private shooting lesson. My student went to collect the arrows he shot, I’m practicing while he returns.”

“I didn’t know I was intruding and that doesn’t give you the right to shoot me!”

“I didn’t shoot at you!”

“God, I can’t believe you, woman!” I rub my hair harshly in pure desperation.

At that moment, a little boy of about fourteen years old looks worriedly at Katniss. “Miss Katniss, is everything okay?”

I realize that amidst our screaming match, we’d walked right up  to each other, both blushing, throwing killing looks at each other, and our breasts almost touching. Katniss notices too, and takes a step backwards, frowning deeply, “Yes, yes, don’t worry Rory, Mr. Mellark here, was just being his old dense self.”

“Um, okay,” says the boy, awkwardly, looking suspiciously at me.

Katniss carries on with their lessons, as if she had not just threaten me with death.  

After a while she starts looking increasingly exasperated with my presence there.

The helpless boy pulls all his arrows far from the target  again,  she sends him to find them, and she approaches me.

“Why are you still here?”

“I’m writing your story. Last time, you called me irresponsible, this time I will investigate thoroughly. Let’s say I’m watching you in your habitat.” I smile wide.

She takes a deep breath, obviously understood my not so hidden insult. She turns  her back to me  and tells the boy who’s getting back, “The lesson is over for today Rory, I’ll see you on Thursday.”

I watch with satisfaction as Katniss leaves, stomping and muttering under her breath. The boy approaches me. “Seems that my girl doesn’t like you.”

I’m taken aback by his statement “Your girl?”

“Well, she isn’t yet, but she will be. I know Katniss will still be single when I’m older, and I’m going to marry her. You’ll see,” he says with his chest puffing out, clearly very proud of himself, “I’m just preparing the ground in the meantime., You know winning her over.”

Poor guy makes me chuckle.

At night, I find myself in the first place where I felt welcome since my arrival in town. I’m sitting in Katniss modest living room, surrounded by her family, and her little sister, Prim, is showing me some pictures of her and Katniss when they were small.

Prim looks nothing like Katniss. She could be my little sister, blue eyes, blond hair, while Katniss has a beautiful colored olive skin, long, brown hair, and stormy, grey eyes.

Katniss’ mother looks a little strange, like something is off with her.  Different, as if she really wasn’t here  in this place. But still, she has served me a cup of tea, that I hope doesn’t contain a laxative. After, sitting in a chair facing the window, indifferent to what happens around her.

Haymitch, Katniss’ uncle, is sitting in front of me, staring. Its unnerving. He has a glass with white liquor in his right hand, and he is smirking smugly, as if his inebriated state allow him to see beyond what other mortals can see.

The only thing that hinders the warm family picture is the expression of deep tragedy in Katniss face. She sits next to her mother, visibly upset with my visit and the attention everyone propagate me.

When she walked through the door of her house after work, and she found me in the living room, looking at their photo albums .The expression in her eyes was priceless, simply indescribable. And it hasn’t changed since an hour ago.

Prim is infatuated with me, because hey, I can be pretty charming when I want to be, “Mr. Mellark although I think the report you made about my sister was pretty wicked, I appreciate you being here today to amend its failure and do justice to her, She is the best in the world,  you’ll see. ”

“Peeta,” I tell her, winking.

She blushes and shows me another album, both sisters wearing braces. Katniss buries her face in her hands.

Mellark 1

Everdeen 3

___________________________________

“Look Peeta, this is Katniss on prom night, didn’t she look beautiful?”

Prim shows him my picture with the blue dress that belonged to my mother. Beside me is Gale. He wasn’t as tall and brooding as he is now. I hope he won’t recognize him.

“This is not the guy of the auto shop?” shit, “Please don’t tell me he was one of …”

“Yeah boy, sweetheart here hasn’t left anyone alive. We suspect that poor kid Hawthorne is the one to blame for this whole situation, he was the first, wasn’t him?  He must take some responsibility in this mess, don’t you think?” Haymitch crackles as if he has said something hilarious.

I’d had just about enough of this man on my house and I know Haymitch will have a field day with this subject. He enjoys to give me hell about it, so I stand, and snatch the album stopping this intrusion, “Mr. Mellark must be very tired, he’s has had a long day chasing me around town. It’s time for him to leave.”

“Oh not at all Katniss, it’s a pleasure for me to follow you around. Is been a quite interesting experience, without a doubt, and I asked you to call me Peeta.” He beams at me, his blue eyes shining with mirth, for some reason I find myself clenching my thighs, which pisses me off even more, if that’s even possible. “I have no hurry to leave, you have a lovely family.”

“Well, I worked all day and I still have one more turn at night, I’m exhausted and need to rest before going out again.”

“Katniss, that is not polite,” Prim admonishes me.

I try to mentally count to ten.

“Another job? At these hours? Where?”

“Nowhere. It’s not any of your business.”

“Kat, don’t be rude. Peeta, she plays today with her band in the village pub. You should go to hear her sing, she is just wonderful and this could be great for your story.”

“Prim!”

“What? You are!”

I groan loudly as I stomp to my room.

  Peeta

The last chords of a song sound when I get to the bar. From where I’m standing I can’t see anything so I look for a place as close to the stage as possible. On the way someone calls me, “Peeta, come sit here!”

Finn is sitting at the first table, motioning with his hands for me to join him, he is almost glued to the small stage set up on wooden columns, “Tonight, you’ll hear the voice of an angel, my friend,” he says, almost at the same time that a new song starts playing.

Walking down the sideway

Looking for innocence

Trying to find my way

Trying to make some sense…

Katniss is wearing a simple tank top and a pair of jeans and is swaying slightly to the   music of an acoustic guitar. Her face is the most relaxed I’ve seen since I arrived. She is even smiling and it looks good on her, but the earth opens up and swallows everything around me when she starts singing.

It really is the voice of an angel. My skin erupts in goose bumps and I find that I can’t look away. I’m not even sure if I am blinking.

When the song ends I still feel lost.  I think that some part of my mind remembers them saying it was the last song and they’re going to take a break, so I know I need to start functioning again. Katniss leaves the stage, heading to the table, eyes focused on me,  there is an infinitesimal fraction of time in which her eyes seem as lost as mine are in hers, but is gone before I can be certain if it ever happened, if it was real. Finnick pulls her to sit on his lap, she frowns at me deeply after that.

“Here is my girl,” claims Finn kissing her neck.

I look down, suddenly uncomfortable with the scene.

Before leaving the bar, I find that Seneca, bassist of the band was also one of the ones abandoned at the altar, number three I think. He has a curious aspect, wearing a ridiculous beard, I try to deduce what all these men have in common but I find nothing yet. I ask if he’ll be willing to answer a couple of questions and he readily agrees. I don’t particularly like this guy or his answers, and I can’t understand how he managed to get girl like Katniss to almost marry him. But I interview him anyway before calling it a day.

I feel emotionally drained, I don’t really know why images of Katniss cloud my mind and despite the super comfortable hotel bed, I can’t find sleep. I must be more obsessed than I thought, and perhaps what I’ll do next is not the healthiest solution to my obsession, but I will do it anyway.

The sooner I finish with this investigation, the sooner I’ll get all this outta my system.

I take my notebook and post-it, and sit at the table on which I am working with my computer. It is an old habit I acquired since College.

I take the disc Prim gave me, and put them on the player.

Katniss weddings.

Gale stands proudly at the church, his best man at his side. Stoically waiting next to him, they look like brothers so, they must be.

Prim and a big brown eyed girl, her short hair tinted green, which is certainly a much younger Johanna, are the bridesmaids, waiting too.

Katniss shows wearing a discreet white halter dress, hair pulled back, tears in their eyes.

Families in the front pews as is customary, all crying with happiness when Katniss walks to the front.  Gale reaches out and Katniss looks set to take his hand, but something changes in her expression, she suddenly runs the same corridor through which she just entered,  everyone present at the church looked completely astonished. People start running after Katniss, except for Jo, who approaches to comfort the groom while the camera continues filming.

Cato Snow, who was interviewed today after Gale, is the next wedding. Prim has every disc enumerated.  The wedding is ostentatious, guests are nearly hidden between the excess of flowers in the church. Katniss’ dress, ample, full of little crystals, her hair loaded up, she barely looks like herself, I don’t think she feels like herself either because she is frowning while she walks. I frown too, she doesn’t need all that makeup…anyway, and she runs again.

Nobody makes a move to go after her this time. But the incredulous looks predominate.

Seneca, the bassist player, is waiting outside on his bike. She jumps on and they ride away.

Next wedding, Seneca, just as Marvel said, she had the next one ready and waiting for her, helping her run. Everything is completely different. She wears a tiny, white, mini dress, it wraps her body like a glove, the girl looks stunning as hell. who would’ve said so the way she hides her body under those jeans she insists on wearing all all the time… this time someone tries to intercept her when she runs, but Thresh helps her up into his truck.

Yep, Thresh is the logical next one, and the wedding is much more modest, the number of guests have been reduced, but in the video you can watch the guests making bets before the ceremony, Gale is accompanied by a blue haired Johanna, hugging her and they both seem to be closing a deal with Haymitch, Chaff is responsible for collecting the money, Prim shakes his head disapprovingly, and Miss. Effie takes annotations of the bets running at the church. Obviously those who bet that Katniss will run, rejoice when she does.

Marvel is the protagonist in the following wedding, which we all have heard about, and I don’t feel in the right  mood to put in that video and see  Katniss dressed again to marry another man …

I try with no success to find a common thread that all these stories, a reason… but each fiancé is as completely different from one another as they can be, the churches are decorated differently every time … her family is always there, Gale, Johanna.

Townspeople seem to love her despite what she has done. I think if I were a man, friend or brother of one of the poor bastards abandoned at the altar, I wouldn’t be a big fan of hers, but apparently people here are willing to forgive her every fault. It seems like Katniss Everdeen walks on water…

I open my notebook still lying on bed the next day to see who’s next in my hunt for Katniss-ex-fiancés-interview list. Eagerly, I get up to get under way to Gale Hawthorne’s business as soon as possible because the curiosity to talk to him is gnawing me although I know this task will be anything but easy.

As expected, tall, dark and handsome is not happy to see me. At all. But who is these days anyways?

His greeting of “the fuck you want?” followed by the sight of his big back, leaving me standing at the door made me feel unwelcomed and a little intimidated, but I consider myself a person of quick resilience. So, I recover and my capacity to persuade manages to make him agree to answer a couple of my questions. That and maybe that I needed to threaten him with coming back every day to pamper him with my pleasant presence.

“I understand you were the first one she ran from at the altar. How can you still work with her and see her every day?”

“Catnip and I have been friends since before I can remember, I wasn’t about to lose he. Our friendship will always come first.“

“Catnip?”

“Yeah, it’s a nickname I have for her. She acts like pisses her off, but I know it doesn’t. It’s ours,” his voice lowers a bit and if he didn’t appear so be angry all the time, I could tell that he sounded almost wistful.

So as the reporter I am, I take the opportunity,  "Are you over her?”

“Of course I am, I’m married now, with her best friend, Johanna.”

“Johanna?”

“Johanna Mason, yes,” he rubs his hair and continues, “Look man, I won’t help you discredit Katniss if that’s what you want from me, actually I think you need to thank her that I haven’t broken that pretty face of yours after the article you wrote about he. She asked me not to. Yes, we were about to marry, yes, she ran away, but our friendship is bulletproof, we overcome all that, and believe me, I’ll shoot bullets for her.”

Although the threat in his eyes doesn’t go unnoticed, I decide to stretch the rope a little more. "Well, just allow me to ask you a couple of harmless questions.”

“As long as they really are harmless,”

I nod reassuringly “Her favorite color?”

“I never ask, but I’m guessing red, like mine.”

“I understand that she works in a bakery too, what is her favorite bread?”

"Ginger bread. She always saved at least one for me, each time I went to see her, because she knew they were my favorite and we shared that too. Catnip and I are very similar. ”

“Mmm. And does she like them? ”

“She always ate them without hesitation; I would say that she loves them.”

“Well, that’s it, unless you object I’m planning to pay a visit to your wife,”

“Good luck with that!,” he laughs loudly, such a serious man having such a fit of laughter makes me wonder what it is what I’m going to run into.

___________________________________________________________________

Katniss

To take me to this state of rage is something that not everyone gets to accomplish. But this man, stalking me at the bar yesterday, and today Gale told me he went to see him again, has me fuming. As if that wasn’t enough, my treacherous baby sister confesses that the gift she made to Peeta were the videos of my wedding, well, weddings.

So, I am not angry, I’m furious, ballistic, crazy, ready for anything, and I don’t fucking care how stupid or reckless I may seem.

In order to be a good hunter, you need to be very silent. It is the most important skill, only this time I  take that skill farther. I sneak in Peeta’s hotel, trying to go unnoticed by the receptionist, I move on my knees. I head to where the fire escape is and climb up to the fourth floor, where I take a hook from my braid and stick it in the lock. It wasn’t very hard since I worked as a locksmith once.  .

I’m in.

I look everywhere, open the closet, open his suitcase, and I can’t help but smell one of his shirts, surprising that the aroma pleases me when clearly the owner makes me nauseous. I put it back as if it were on fire and look on his night table. Next to the window are the videos of my weddings, that little traitor gave him. I place my bag over the small table, where I discover a lot of post it’s glued to it. Huh, this is where the bastard sits to write all his lies

Curiosity leads my eyes over the notes

Different guy/ Different favorite color?

Favorite kind of bread changes with every fiancé.

Will she get married this time?

And 50 more notes like that, but the ones that actually hurts me have this written on them.

Is she indifferent to other people pain? She doesn’t realize she has a problem.

What the hell attracts them to her?  She is not particularly pretty.

Rude, selfish, self-absorbed…

I get angry and pull all the notes of, ball them up, and throw them across the room shouting fuck you to the absent man. Is then when I hear the lock of the door, and I try to flee but the window is closed, I hide in the closet, hoping he won’t discover me here. Praying that whoever enters will Darius, the bellboy, who has always had a thing for me. I’m sure he would let me escape.

My hands are shaking and cold sweat is damping my t shirt, at the sound of   whistling coming into the room, he must have noted the mess I left because it suddenly stops. I know it’s him, Peeta, because of the noisy footsteps, they really are so loud that I can deduce exactly where he is walking. I hate him.  Does really he have to make its presence felt in every place he is? This guy is insufferable.

“Katniss?”

Shit, he knows I’m here. But how?

“Katniss I know you’re here. How about you spare me the fun task of looking for you? I initially thought about calling the police but I’m only guessing you’ll get away with that no matter how illegal it is  , right? For some reason people in this town love you and I imagine that even the police will find a way to let you out of this. Don’t you think it would be nice for us to make some kind of deal? Because I know the police will be worthless but I have enough evidence to document your intrusion and add it to my article.  How does this sound, ‘Runaway Bride is also a criminal’?”

I leave the closet defeated, trying to hide that his words scare me but the bastard smiles knowingly, “How did you know it was me?” I ask petulantly.

“I don’t think that you’ve taken the trouble to sneak up here, break the law, taking things without consent, put them in your backpack, again illegally to leave your backpack over my bed?”

Stupid, stupid, stupid me.

“What kind of deal?” I mutter, trying to deflect my red face caused by my idiocy.

“I want an interview.”

“No way.”

"Why not? it’s a fair thing to ask! ”

“Because you’ll use your damn magic with words to make me look awful.”

“And what do you propose then.”

I’m sure I’m going to regret this but something keeps me going anyway, “I really don’t want to talk to you, I feel it’s like I’m going into the lion’s den, I’m simply not good with words and you’ll seek ways to get me say what you want me saying, but you can follow me around, see that things are not the way you’re implying. Either way, it’s what you’ve already been doing. I’ll back up every single word when you publish it, as long as they’re biased in what you actually see. You can be my shadow for a week.”

“Okay, I’ll take it.”

I extend my hand to close the deal.

Why he didn’t let go of my hand? In order to help myself shake the burning sensation his hand is leaving in mine, I take another hurried decision, "I have an appointment with Cinna tomorrow, my wedding dress designer, you may go with me, if you want to.”

“It’ll be my pleasure,” he says staring at me with those stupid blue eyes.

_____________________________________________________________________

Peeta

A soft noise at my door interrupts my dreams. It’s so hard to sleep lately that I decide to ignore it and try to hold to the pleasant picnic at the meadow going on in my dreams, but I can’t reach the faceless brunette sitting on my lap just a few seconds ago, I can’t taste the strawberries she was putting in my mouth anymore.

I forget the undress state in which I fell asleep last night until he heard a voice say, “I came for you, not for Peeta Jr.”

I snap my eyes open to see  a very amused Katniss smirking at the threshold,  "Are you crazy? What are you doing here?“ I stutter as I begin to frantically cover my body and red face with the sheet.

"Okay, okay just chill, I have my appointment in half an hour and I figured that as you’re used to showing up unannounced I go, you wouldn’t mind if I did the same, but that’s okay, I’ll wait outside while you take care of Peeta Jr. Looks like he needs it.” She says heading to the door.

I try to get over the embarrassment of thinking how long Katniss could have been watching me in this state. Did she like what she saw? I’ve heard that I am not ill-equipped, so to speak.

I’ve had never been shy but still leave the room avoiding ther gray eyes. This girl has a knack for breaking my schemes.

I wait, sitting outside the dressing room, reading the newspaper while Katniss enters with the store owner, Cinna who seems to feel a genuine affection for her and she for him.

“What do you think?” a soft voice asks, I look up and she is turning on her feet, allowing me to see her dressed in her white beautiful dress.

Making an effort I manage to answer, “It looks good,” and I cough   trying to hide the break in my voice, and I again take the newspaper that I dropped when she show up.

“It has to be better than good if you’re reading the newspaper upside down.”

The truth is that she looks as radiant as the sun, but when I finally decided to tell her and recovered the rhythm of my breathing, she has returned to the dressing room. But she surprises me again walking to me “Picture it,” she demands “Picture me, wearing this, walking down the altar.”

She looks straight into my eyes and my heart physically hurts.

  A/N: I wasn’t planning on making this story a multichapter one but this month was really hard for me and took a lot of work to find the time to write what I get to write. I have the rest of the story written in Spanish, which is my first language, so as soon as I find time to translate and send it to my betas I’ll post the rest.  Please let me know your thoughts, good and bad, doesn’t matter, I can take constructive criticism, helps me get better.

I want to thank the wonderful girls who helped me correct this chapter:

Titania I know you are so busy, working and “mommying”, but you always find the time to be nice and encouraging and help me get the best out of my stories. I really appreciate it.

Alwayseverlark: I like the team we’ve made, a lot, this isn’t our main language but we put our best effort in helping each other translate and give ideas, I’m so glad I found you; and now an extra special thanks for the beautiful banner and the perfect song suggestion.

(BTW the song is “Looking for paradise”/ Alicia Keys)

And to Peetabreadgirl who is always so sweet to me and help me with her edits and suggestions.