Coming Soon-There’s No Crying in Baseball!
Super cool edit by @alwayseverlark Thank you! 😊
Anybody in the mood for a little PRye (Prim/Rye, I don't know what their fan name is, if they have one)? This popped into my head, so I ran with it.
*** Oh, Peeta, your brother! He made one last play for Prim before we left…
Mr. Mellark was too old to be drafted, being over 45 as he was, though he probably would have been exempt anyway due to being in an important industry, baking. And his eldest, Wheaton, was exempt, due to providing him assistance with the bakery and the subsequent land partially owned by the Mellark and Everdeen families. When Katniss and Peeta married, it was decided that the land would be conjoined, and with Mr. Everdeen gone, there needed to be men to work the land, even though it was usually Katniss and Prim doing the work anyway.
But Rye, it was possible he could still be drafted. Mr. Mellark didn’t need two able-bodied men at home assisting him with baking. His wife, and any number of women could help with that; however, if they could make the case for the Everdeen farm, perhaps he would remain out of it. As for Peeta, he had volunteered.
Well, Peeta, Rye strode right up to Prim, grabbed her by the waist and kissed her hard on the lips. He even dipped her back like in the movies.
“You-you pig!” screeched Prim, wrenching away and shoving him off her once he’d brought her back up. “How dare you!”
Rye just chuckled and grinned like an idiot. “I’ll wait for you,” he said, giving her braid a little tug.
Prim gaped. “But I don’t want you to!” she protested.
Rye either didn’t process this or chose to ignore it because then he said, “I’ll write to you everyday!”
“It’s not like she’s going off to war,” I reasoned, partly annoyed, partly amused.
“She might as well be!” Rye lamented like the big baby he is.
Defeated, Prim sighed and turned away.
“We better get going,” I told her. Prim nodded.
“I’ll go with you,” said Rye. “I’ll take you to the train station.”
I was about to say no, but we were running very late, and your brother had the truck. So, much to Prim’s chagrin, I agreed. I made Prim sit up front while I sat in back in the bed of the truck.
At the station, we said our goodbyes to your brother.
“Goodbye, Rye,” I said, preparing to haul hiney.
“Goodbye, Katniss,” he replied. “Bye, Prim.” He practically whimpered my sister’s name, and I shook my head, the smallest of smirks playing on my lips. He really was hopeless.
As we were speed-walking off toward the platform, I commented, because I couldn’t resist teasing her once in a while. “Well, isn’t that sweet,” I said. “You have someone waiting for you at home when you return.”
Prim made a garbled noise in her throat and rolled her eyes. “Please don’t tell him where to write me.”
“I won’t,” I told her with a little laugh. “But I can’t guarantee Mother won’t.”
“Oh!” I thought Prim was reacting to the idea of Mother sharing our contact information with Rye, but it was the train she’d seen. It was pulling out a few minutes ahead of schedule.
And so, we ran. We ran as fast as our legs could carry us.
After we’d caught up to it and hopped on, with a literal helping hand, we settled into our seats.
Prim was seated next to the window; I looked out past her head and noticed Rye standing there.
“There’s Rye,” I said, pointing out the window.
Prim scowled and refused to look, but when I turned away, I saw out of the corner of my eye that she looked out the window. Rye was still standing there. He waved.
Prim threw up her hand in a stiff, static wave‒I supposed just to be polite‒and then she turned her head and stared out straight at the front of the train, ignoring the man passing by outside the window.
I’d always assumed Rye’s affections for Prim were totally one-sided, but then I noticed Prim touching her lips. It’s not that I can blame her; I’m sure the Mellark men know how to kiss. I only have experience kissing one of them, but he sure can... Anyway, after she touched her lips, Prim shot one last look back at Rye as the train rushed past the station.
