IV

You lot were peeking out our conversation already". Peeta said. The twins simultaneously answered in pretension; "We didn't see anything" before bursting into laughter. The house was built in the shape of a cottage. Three small rooms and a kitchen which had a little dining table in it. They were not the most frivolous or flamboyant family, but they were happy and comfortable. Mother had just come back from her sewing. That was her profession which she loved so very much. She was responsible for everything including clothing her family put on. They greeted her. Father was always known to come back late from work. It was like his daily mantra so they would always be done with supper before his arrival. The sun was already setting. The sun set at an odd time. On the twentieth hour of the day everyday. Like it waited for them to complete their daily task and fall at a time pleasing to them.

The next day Peeta went to the market to to get a few items for dear old mum. He consequencially bumped into Marianne who engaged him in a conversation. He wasn't as stern ss before, a rather optimistic approach this time for he went to bed the previous night with shards of interests in her kind of person. And as if the gods had answered his wish to see her in an unorthodox way, there she was picking onions at the stall as happy has ever. It was like she'd never experienced sadness. He asked why she picked so many onions. "Oh I see you want to talk to me now" she said; smirking at him but looking at what she was picking. "I don't know but your basket seems rather full already. Perhaps you'd like to ease your stress by transferring little into my bowl" he pleasantly asked. "I wouldn't want to bother you now would i?. Marianne Said. He insisted, she concurred at the fourth incessant insist.

For some reason he was more open than the last day. He was ready to talk to her and to let himself be known. He was strangely drawn to her. Perhaps for beauty or for the mere fact of what ticked her happiness to overload everytime. As opposed to Peeta with siblings, Marianne had a very quiet childhood. Traipsing along the village a little younger seeing only the good in people. "Do you think everyone in this world can be good?" She asked Peeta. "If everyone was good life would be boring I suppose." He said. To him evil had to counter good and vice versa. It could never be a one sided domination. "I don't think your perception of the world is right Peter" she said. "Peeta" He said, correcting her for the second time.The boy didn't like his name mispronounced. He avoided answering that question by ferrying the correction of his name.