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He has locked the front door, emptied the bins, cleaned the popcorn machine, checked the rows of seats for anything hidden, turned the lights off.
She’s still there, though. Beautiful, even as she cries.
She’s crumpled in her seat, holding her knees to her chest. She has been since the film has ended, since the usual Friday crowd has left.
In the deafening silence, he hears her sobs echoing.
She is the fiercest, strongest person he knows. He can’t believe Katniss Everdeen is here, a few feet away from him, and he doesn’t have a clue what to do.
He, Peeta Mellark, Captain of the Debate Team, known for his way with words is rendered speechless.
He just knows, knows deep down inside that there is something he can do. That he has to do something.
Action. He can do something at least.
He walks towards the entrance, taking his set of keys out of his pockets, quickly finding the one that fits into the small iron box on the side, and turns it right, locking the doors.
“We’ll be trapped inside now.”
Peeta startles when he hears her voice. So thin and sad in the dimly lit hall, it touches him.
He takes the key out of the box, before he turns.
“We’ll go through the employees exit.”
“I’m sorry, I should go….” she starts to stand, trying to erase the tears from her face with the sleeve of her blouse.
“No!” He almost shouts, too afraid of letting her go. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Stay as long as you wish, I’m in no rush to go home.”
She looks at him, half standing, half sitting against the wall. Peeta gestures to the spot besides her.
“Do you mind if I sit with you?” he asks, happy his voice is not quivering.
She sits back down, moving the purse that’s sprawled on the floor to her other side.
“I’m not a good company.” She whispers so low he’s not even sure she intended to say it out loud.
He moves to sit beside her, taking extra care to not touch her, sighing in relief as he settles in. The day has been long, with wrestling practice and the late shift at the theater.
She doesn’t say a word. She just sits, staring at her hands.
“I don’t want to go home,” he starts. He doesn’t know what to say next. Maybe it’s already too much.
“Because of your mother?” she asks under her breath, her voice just above a whisper.
He’s startled, again. Is it possible that she knows? That Katniss Everdeen of all persons know what’s happening at the Mellark house?
“I saw her, one day….” After a slight pause, she continues, “She beat you. I tried to tell people, but nobody believed me. I swear, Peeta, I tried … “
He looks at her. He can see her gray eyes shining with tears. Her gaze is unwavering, without any pity, only sorrow. Only pain.
“It’s okay. It’s better now, she …” he takes a breath before he’s able to go on. “She doesn’t hit us anymore. Someone told my dad, he made sure to put an end to that. They’re divorcing, actually. But I still don’t want to go home.”
She nods, before she extends a hand, as if she wants to touch him, before she stops, letting her her hand fall onto her lap.
She turns her head, looking straight in front of her. At least, she’s not crying anymore, Peeta thinks.
It feels strange to be able to talk to someone about his mother. About the abuse. Learning she tried to help him when even his closest friends had turned a blind eye pretending not to notice the cuts and bruises or his swollen eyes, has been something he didn’t expect. Maybe someone did listen to the young girl after all.
He’ll never know.
They sit in comfortable silence for a few seconds, or maybe minutes, he can’t tell.
It feels good to sit on next to her.
“Are you hungry?” he asks, standing up. “We have leftover popcorn, Skittles, I think I could find a Kitkat or something like that.”
“Sure, why not ? Nothing like a healthy diet…”
“Right?” he smiles his answer. “Come over, pick whatever you want.” Peeta opens the door to the counter where the sweets are stored. Katniss grabs a red packet.
“How much is it?”
“Don’t bother. It’s on the house.”
“Peeta, no, I can pay.”
“I know you can, I just want to give it to you. Will you allow it?” Peeta asks, looking straight into her eyes.
She returns his look, the gray of her irises so deep he’s under the impression she’s scanning his soul. He holds on, not moving.
“I’ll allow it,” she finally says, opening the packet full of chocolate treats. He hides his smile and takes his own treat before heading towards the soda dispenser.
“I have Coke on the rocks if you want?” he says, pouring two cups. He hands her one, and follow Katniss as she goes back to sit on the floor.
She nibbles at her Kitkat for a few minutes, sipping her soda in between, and he does the same, taking discreet glances at her.
“You don’t want to know why I was crying?” Katniss whispers, just high enough for him to hear.
“No…” At his answer she turns her head to look at him. Disbelief is clear on her face. “I mean, of course I’d like to know. But not if you don’t want to tell me. That’s your story to tell, not mine to ask.”
She nods, and her face softens. He can see she gets what he wanted to tell her. That she understands he’ll respect her privacy.
“My dad…” she starts. As soon as the words leave her mouth, he can see the tears pooling in her eyes, again.
He doesn’t say a word. She doesn’t need them. He just takes the glass of soda from her trembling hand, puts it down on the ground carefully. He’s surprised when her fingers find his, as he holds onto them.
It’s like she’s taking strength from him.
“He’s in the hospital… he … he’s dying. But I can’t go. I can’t, Peeta. I just can’t say goodbye to him. He can’t leave us … he can’t leave me… I … I just .. can’t …”
Peeta is almost rendered speechless.
Almost.
“Of course you can’t. He’s your dad. How can you imagine living the rest of your life without him?” He shifts slightly, to be able to face her. “It’s something nobody would ever blame you for not doing, Katniss. But it’s something you might end up regretting not doing one day.”
Tears stream down her cheeks unchecked.
“It’s too hard… I’m not strong enough…”
“You, Katniss Everdeen, are stronger than you think you are.” She shrugs, brushing aside his words. How could she not know how strong she is? “Maybe, all you need is someone by your side. Your sister, maybe? Your mother?”
“You know Prim?” she asks, surprised.
“Everybody knows Prim, Katniss. Where is she, now? At the hospital?”
Katniss nods, looking at her hands, again.
“Do you want to go to the hospital?” Peeta asks softly.
Again, he sees her nod, before she adds, “I’m afraid…”
He knows she’s not afraid of the dark, of the ghosts of the night or something as stupid as shadows.
“I can come with you.”
The words are out of his words before he can think about them. They seem … natural?
Their effect on Katniss is immediate. She looks at him.
“I can’t ask you that.”
“You’re not asking. I’m offering.”
“Still, I can’t accept.”
“Of course you can. I’ll walk you to the hospital, then I’ll go home. Nothing more.”
She stands up, dropping his hand in the process. He feels himself slumping back against the cold wall. She’s leaving, probably upset to stay with him any longer.
“Okay,” she says, as she extends her hand to him. He grabs it, surprised at her strength when she helps pull him up.
“Okay?” He’s not sure what she’s agreeing to.
“Will you come with me to the hospital?”
–
They walk the few blocks to the hospital side by side, stealing glances at each other from time to time, not talking.
He lets her walk few steps ahead as they arrive, letting her take the final steps.
He’s just glad he could be here for her.
He’s turning to start the walk back home when he hears her voice.
“Peeta?” he looks at her over his shoulder. “Would you mind coming with me to …”
She doesn’t finish.
He knows what she asks for. To help her make the last steps towards her father. Maybe the most difficult ones.
He nods, turning to face her again before walking back to her side.
“Together?” he asks, extending his hand, this time.
She nods, as she grabs onto him tightly. He knows she can’t answer, he can see the tears in her eyes.
They climb the stairs in silence, step after step. Her hand shaking in his.
They walk in a long corridor, not seeing anyone, hearing anything. Her focus is on a door, somewhere on the right.
Peeta sees the struggle she’s facing, as she looks between the door of the room, and the exit at the end of the corridor.
He lifts his other hand to Katniss’s face, forcing her to look at him.
“Some walks you have to take alone. But for all the others, I’ll be there if you need me”.
She falls into his arms. He can feel the tears on his tee shirt, on his skin even. He knows she needs to let them out before she goes to see her father.
She’s crying into his shirt, yet he can’t help being surprised at how good she feels in his arms. That she’s just tall enough so her head reaches the top of his chest, that her hair are a breath away from his lips. He feels like he could hug her forever and not get bored.
Suddenly, it’s over. One second, he’s hugging her, the next one, she’s entering her father’s room.
There’s something that makes him stay.
Something he can’t explain.
So he stays.
He sits on the floor, opposite the door to Katniss’s father’s room.
He waits.
And waits.
He’s there when she steps out, crying again. He’s on his feet in a flash, taking her in the circle of his arms.
“I said goodbye,” she whispers to his skin. “He’s … he’s gone.”
She cries until she doesn’t have anymore tears left.
He stays.
Always.