Hunger Games 1. Chapter 1

**apter 1 **

"Peeta, son, can you handle the bakery while your mother and I go witness the wedding ceremony for Graham?" My fathers ask me. I look up from my cake decorating and frown.

"The front and back?" I ask queasily. He slaps my shoulder and lets out a hearty laugh.

"Of corse not son! Rye will work the front and you will work the back." I nod.

"I can do that." I tell my dad with confidence. He nods and hands me a paper. "Whats this?" I ask.

"Well my boy, since Graham married into the sweet shop business we need a helping hand around here. I hung flyers up around town, if anyone comes by the back of this paper will tell you all you need" I nod and examine the back of the paper.

"Gram!" My mother yells. "Let's go, my favorite is to be wedded it 4 hours" my father pulls on his coat and walks out the back door with my mother into the dusty filled air of district 12. Rye comes bustling in the back, he smiles at me and steals a cookie.

"You know stealing is punishable by death" I warn him while going back to decorating.

"Yeah, yeah what ever. I don't think district 12 is going to miss one cookie Peeta." He finishes the cookie and looks around the kitchen. "I hate this place" I look up at him with burrowed eyebrows.

"You hate the bakery? Rye, we grew up here, how can you hate it?" I ask him curiously.

"Peeta, the bakery is crap! I hate it here, waking up at the butt crack of dawn to make some flipping bread. Not being able to hang with friends after schools or weekends unless it's our day off, it sucks and I can't wait to marry a girl. If I'm lucky she will have a place where I can go."

"So, I can have the bakery?" I ask hopefully. He looks at my with slightly raised eyebrows.

"Please, be my guest." I smile wide and go back to frosting. "You actually like it here?"

"Love it" I tell him. The door rings in the front cutting our conversation short. "Better get that costumer" rye sighs and goes out to the front. I continue frosting this cake with a steady hand, there's a knock at the back door. I wonder who it could be. I put down my frosting bag and wipe my hands on my personalized apron, I walk over to the back door and swing it open. "K-katniss" I stutter. My father didn't mention her coming by to trade.

"Oh, uh, where's your father?" She ask looking behind me. She looks into my eyes and quickly flits them away to the ground.

"Um" I scratch the back of my neck and look down. "He's, uh, he's witnessing my brothers marriage. They are going to be a while, I'm in charge. What can I do you for?" I ask. She looks up at me, she study's me for a second than shakes her head slightly.

"Squirrels." Is all she says. She flings her game bag off of her shoulder and places it on the floor, she squats down and opens it up. "I, uh" she looks up at me. "I had a good hunting day today, I have 4 squirrels." I nod and squat down like her. "What are you doing?" She ask wearily.

"I thought you...wanted to show me" I trial off. I stand back up and so does she. "Well, katniss, I've never done this so you will have to help me out" a scowl comes to her face.

"Okay...um" she looks around, whats is she looking for? No clue. Finally her eyes land on me and I get butterfly's. "Well, I bring the squirrels and your father gives me one loaf of white or wheat bread for each squirrel" I nod.

"Do you want to come in?" She shakes her head. "Alright, I'll be back" I run upstairs and get a card bored box from my small room. I come back downstairs to the back door and hold it out to katniss.

"Whats that for?" She ask looking in the box.

"The squirrels." She laughs a little. I did that! I made her laugh but I don't know what I did to make her laugh.

"Are you scared to touch them?" She ask picking one up and pulling out the arrow. I make a face and try to fight my gag reflexes. She smiles and places the squirrel in the box. "I'll take that as a yes" I nod and look up as she does the rest. "All done Peeta" she says while closing the box.

"Thank you" I turn around to put the box down but I don't know where to put it so I just drop it on the floor and kick it to the side. I hear katniss laugh again, that's twice! 2 times! This girl doesn't give me or anyone the time of day at school. She usually just has a scowl on her face and keeps to herself but today...at my back door, man oh man! She's smiled, talked and laughed all with me!

I walk to the front and get 4 loafs of wheat bread. I box them and throw in 2 cupcakes and 6 cookies. I bring the box to katniss and hand it to her. "oh, wow. Your father usually just wraps them in napkins" she stuffs the box in her game bag and I make a weird face that I can't hide, she just squished the cupcakes. "Uh, thanks Peeta" she starts to walk off, I run after her and stop her.

"Katniss" she looks alarmed and worried. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanted to tell you about the job opening." Her eyebrows knit together.

"Are you offering me a job?" She ask. I nod. "No"

"No?" I question.

"Yes"

"Yes?" I question again but this time with happiness in my voice.

"Peeta, no I don't want the job. I don't need or want charity. Plus, I have my hands full, there is no way I could do that" she tells me.

"It's not charity, it's a job. You get paid for work" I step closer and pull the paper from my apron. "I have all the information right here" she eyes the paper for a while than shakes her head.

"No, I don't know how to bake." I shake my head.

"You don't have to bake, you would wash dishes, sell bread in the front. Stuff like that." I will not take no for an answer. I don't know where I'm getting the courage and nerve to talk to katniss, the girl whom I've loved since age five but since I have it, I'm going to put it to good use.

"I'm seam, your town. No townie would want to come in and be assisted by a seam girl." She counter argues. I sigh.

"You will say anything to say no to this job, won't you?" I say with a laugh. She crosses her arms and puts her weight on one leg, the scowl never leaving her face. "Just think about it. Any questions come ask me and I can answer them." I take a pen from my apron and click it. "May I?" I gesture to her crossed arms. She rolls her eyes and gives me her hand, I take it with a smile. I write down,

'Mellark bakery job.

15 dollars a week.

Ask Peeta for questions. :) say yes! It would be fun working with me'

I click the pen so it goes back in and force Myself to let go of katniss reads it and smiles down at her hand. "I'll think about it." Is all she says. Before I can respond she's pushing past me and I'm watching her lovely figure walk away from me.

xxxXxxx

3 DAYS LATER

I'm sitting under a tree with my friends at our school, its lunch and it's blazing hot outside. I take a bite into my sand which and look around at my surroundings, everyone is sitting in the shade either alone or with friends. I see rye walk by with his girlfriend Zu, she's sweet and her father is a dentist, there's been rumors if they make it out of this last reaping their set. Rye seams to be real fond of her and treats her right, which is good. She's the only girlfriend he hasn't brought to the slag heap which means he's serious about her, I'm happy for my brother.

"Peeta!" I snap out of my thoughts and turn to my friend jake.

"What?" I take another bite of my sand which and wash it down with some water.

"That Everdeen chick you like so much is making her way over here." I choke on my water and look where here's looking, and sure enough she's on her way here. I stand and wipe anything that happens to be on my pants off and walk the rest of the way to her.

"Hi katniss" I say sheepishly with a small smile. I haven't talked to katniss in 3 days although I've seen her in class, she was sullen and kept to herself just like always. But today, she seamed happy, she had that happy mood she had 3 days ago at the bakery.

Katniss grips her book tighter to her chest and looks down at her feet. "I, uh" she shifts her feet and looks up at me. "Is that job still open?" She quickly ask. I smile.

"Yes, of corse. Would you like it?" I ask her with hope dripping in my voice. She looks around than back at me.

"You swear it's not charity?" She demands.

"I swear it" I make a cross over my heart.

"Okay, I'll stop by after school." She says than looks back down at her feet, I don't want our conversation to end here so I say the first thing that comes to mind.

"Did you like the sweets?" I ask. She looks up and a small scowl comes to her face.

"Oh, about that, I told you no charity and you went ahead and did it! I traded you four squirrels and that was suppose to get me 4 loafs of bread, even. Not some sweets that I could never afford."

"You usually trade with my dad, not me." She opens her mouth to say something but I cut her off. "My father trades 4 for 4 but I, I trade a little more because you are after all, risking your life for food and trading it away. You deserve some sweets in your life" she gives me a small smile. "So are you still angry?" I ask.

"I wasn't angry" she says. "I was- I'm not used to your kindness" she stutters. "Uh, I'll see you after school" she quickly turns and walks away. I walk back to my seat with my friends and plop down on the grass again.

"Where did all that courage come from?" Michel asks, shocked.

"No clue" I say still a little dazed. "All I know is I get to work next to the girl of my dreams everyday." I smile wide and go back to eating my lunch.


	2. Chapter 2

**chapter 2**

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The last bell gesturing that school is out just rang, I quickly put together my Papers and books than shove my way out the door. I quickly walk out of the school doors and spot katniss, she's talking to prim and gale. She said that she would come to the bakery after school but, since were going to the same place I figured we could just walk together.

I start to make my way over when Regina pops up in front of me, rumor has it that she's at the slag heap every weekend with a new guy. "Hi Peeta" I force a smile.

"Hello Regina" she touches my forearm and gives me a seductive look.

"It's Thursday, what are you doing today? And don't say working because I know you have Thursdays off." She warns with what she must think is a sexy pout, it's really not. I look over her shoulder and see katniss glaring at us, I wonder why. She has no reason to be jealous, actually there's no way she could be jealous. I turn back to Regina and answer her question.

"I have to work, my thursday off was last week." She steps closer again, our chest are almost touching.

"Well maybe we can arrange something for after curfew?" She smiles up at me. I look over her shoulder again and see katniss walking off.

"Sorry, not interested" I say quickly. I push past her and run after katniss but not after I hear regina huff in frustration. I finally catch up to katniss. "Hi" I breath out. She keeps walking, pretending like I'm not there but I know she knows I'm there. "Katniss" I lay a hand on her shoulder, she stops and spins around to look at me. Katniss forces the scowl on her face to disappear and clutches her books tighter.

"Oh, hello Peeta." She looks down at the ground.

"Were you ignoring me?" I ask. She shakes her head and spins on her heel.

"We- we should get to the bakery." She tells me then starts walking off at a slower pace. I easily keep up with her. "So since, um Gramcracker married-" I cut her off with a uncontrollable laugh, she smiles and look up at me curiously. "Whats so funny?"

"His name his Graham, not Gramcracker" she turns tomato red with embarrassment.

"Oh" Is all she says. She turn back to the path were walking on.

"I'm sorry" I apologize for laughing. "Please continue." She nods slightly and glances at me.

"So... Graham, married so that means mr. Mellark and yourself would need a helping hand?" She ask.

"Yeah, rye is graduating high school this year and hopefully aging out of the reaping. So when all that happens he is going to propose to Zu, their pretty serious, and he would marry into her family business." I tell her, she nods along the whole time and occasionally glances at me.

"So when you- if you age out you would get the bakery?" She ask me.

"Uh, yeah." She gives me a soft smile. "It's going to be one lonely bakery" I say out loud.

"Why is that?" Katniss ask me. "Aren't you going to be set with Delly or...Regina" I make a face at both of their names.

"Delly is practically my sister, we grew up together and Regina..." I just shudder which rewards me a small laugh from katniss. "I have my eye on this one girl but she doesn't know I like her or anything like that" I look at her, her eyes are focused on the ground.

"I'm not the person you go to for love advice" she practically whispers."I never want to marry" she tells me.

"You'll be lonely too" I say and immediately regret it. She snaps her eyes up to mine.

"No...I have prim" I shake my head a little.

"But she's going to grow up and marry" she sighs loudly.

"I Know, I know. Gale...he wants to marry me but that leads to children and I just- I just can't do it" I frown a little.

"Aren't you and him dating?"

"Oh hell no" she responds immediately which makes me do a happy dance inside. "He's like my Delly but- but his name is gale."

"So he's Like your sister?" I ask jokingly. She laughs and shakes her head.

"You know what I mean." I chuckle a bit then focus on the path were on. We walk in silence for a few minutes until I say.

"If you never want to marry and get lonely you can always come to the bakery to hang out. And, there will always be a job open for you." She looks at me with a scowl and stops dead in her tracks. "Did I say something?" I ask stopping too. She shoves her book in her bag and crosses her arms.

"I don't get it. Why? Why are you so nice to me. We've never talked unless it was for a school thing and even then it was short and to the point. But now, why now?"

"Why now what?" I ask.

"Why are you talking to me, offering me a job, telling me if I ever need someone to hang out with because I'm lonely that you will always be there. Why are you being so nice and talking to me now?" She finishes with a huff and blows a strand of hair out of her face.

"We- we should keep walking" I cower down to her and continue walking. I don't know why but I just couldn't- I couldn't answer her.

"You aren't going to answer me?" She calls out. I shake my head and continue walking, I turn and see her walking behind me with her arms crossed and a small pout on her face. She angry though, I can see it in her eyes.

xxxXxxx

We just arrived at the bakery, 15 minutes before my shift starts. We walk through the front door, rye is working the counter. "I'm going to get my father, stay here" she gives me a thumbs up and walks over to the side. I walk behind the counter and through the back, I find my father mixing a bowl of dough. "Dad" I say. He looks up and gives me a smile.

"Hello son" he responds. "I have a list of things for you to do. It's with Rye in the front."

"Okay. I brought katniss here-" he makes a face and turns back to mixing. "W-what was that face?"

"Well, all I've ever heard come from your mouth is katniss this, katniss that. And now she's here with you, you can spend the day with her, I can do your work." he says. I put my hands on my hips in defense.

"I do not talk about her all the time" I counter argue, not very well might I add.

"Son, you talk about her 75% of the time-"

"Okay, okay" I cut him off while waving my hands in the air. He starts laughing and I allow my hands to drop down to my sides. "Anyways, she's here for the job" he wipes his hands off on his apron and pushes past me.

"Why didn't you say so? Oh and that means you still have work" he says before walking through the door. I throw my hands in the air and follow after him. My father is checking the stalks real quick and Rye is talking to katniss, she has a small blush and a smile on her face. I rush my father over there, I don't know what Rye was talking about to her but I intend to find out.

"Hello katniss" my father says cooly and gives her a nod of his head.

"Mr. Mellark" katniss says and stands up from where she sits.

"So, my son here says you are here for the job" she nods. "Okay, it's yours. You start tomorrow and you have the after school hours with Peeta, he'll fill you in on his schedule" my dad starts to walk off and katniss looks stunned.

"Y-you aren't going to ask me questions?" She ask. My father turns around and smiles.

"Katniss my dear, I've been trading with you since you were 12 and I used to see you before that when you were with your father. I don't need to ask you anything, I trust you" she nods.

"Thank you" she calls out before he walks through the door, he turns and gives her a smile and gives me a knowing wink.

"Why don't you come upstairs with me and I'll fill you in on your schedule" she nods slightly and comes towards the counter. Rye puts his hand up, stopping her in her tracks, and pulls me aside.

"Mom is upstairs" he whispers to me. I nod and pull out a notepad from the drawer. I take the pen from Ryes ear and go around the counter.

"My mother is upstairs" she makes a face and shakes her head. "I know I feel your pain but" I lean in. "It's worse living with her" she smiles a little.

"I can't imagine your pain" I laugh and walk outside with her trailing behind. I look around, there's no where to sit. "What are you looking for?" She ask.

"A place to sit" she looks around and then walks off. "Hey! Where are you going" I call out. She turns slightly and waves for me to follow her. We go around the bakery to the back, she sits down under a tree...'The tree' actually. I plop down next to her, she sits Indian style and I sit with my legs sprawled out. Katniss hands me one of her books and I start to write out the schedule in it, abandoning the notepad I brought in the grass.

'Everyday after school from 3:30 to 7:30. Days off are every Thursday and every other weekend. First weekend off is this week, first Thursday is next week. ' I close the book and hand it back, she opens it up than looks at me.

"What?" I ask.

"You didn't mark the page" I turn red with embarrassment. Katniss starts to flip through the page while I run my fingers through the grass just enjoying my time with katniss.

"What was rye talking about with you?" I ask suddenly. She shrugs her shoulders, her eyes never leaving the book.

"I didn't really talk to him but...he sure does talk a lot. He had lots to say" she looks up and give me a small smile that warms my heart every time. "He- he said you liked me when we were little." My breath catches in my throat and my heart stops. Why would Rye tell her that? Why would he do that to me? I'm just now finding the courage to actually talk to her and I'm surprised she actually gives me the time of the day. This girl, this beautifully incredible girl keeps to herself all the time. Never smiles, never laughs, never response unless she has to but now, now she's talking to me and smiling at me freely. Rye of corse had to throw it all away and tell her how I feel about her.

I feel her hand on my shoulder, I'm pulled out of my thoughts. "Peeta, it's okay. Everyone has a childhood crush and everyone gets over it. Your over it right?" I look down at the pen in my hands and don't respond. "Y-you still like me?" She ask. I nod once, it's now or never. "I'm the girl you have your eye on?" She whispers. I nod again, not trusting my voice. Katniss shoves her book in her bag and stands up, I look up at her. "I'm gonna go, see you later Peeta" then she runs off, literally runs off. I swear I'm going to kill Rye tonight.

xxxXxxx

The next day I go to school with a black eye and bruises all over my arms, I'm forced to tell everyone that my brother and I fought some, which is true but most of the bruises are from my mother. The same goes for Rye. Katniss wasn't at school today, hopefully she will come to her first day of work.

I sit under a tree in the school yard, the bell rang at 2:45 but I don't work until 3:30 so I have some time. I sketch a couple cuddled up under a tree together, they look like 9th graders. It seems like people get set younger and younger these days which isn't good because the odds are one of them gets reaped and then their worlds are crushed. We have- "Hi" I'm startled and pulled from my thoughts, I look up and see Prim.

"Your the bakers son, Peeta, right?" I nod. "Good" she plops down and looks at me with a big smile.

"Uh, hi?" I question. She laughs and pull the sketch book off my lap.

"Oh my word, this is amazing!" She exclaims. I smile.

"Thank you" I look around. "So, what are you doing here...with me?" She shrugs and hands back my book.

"Rory got detention, again might I add, and katniss said to walk with him. He's walking me home, which I don't mind" I give her a small smile.

"Seems like you like this Rory guy" she blushes a soft pink and looks away. "But that doesn't answer my question" she looks back at me.

"Oh! Why am I here with you?" I nod. "Because I want details. Katniss said you like her!" I feel heat come to my cheeks and I quickly look away. "Oh don't be embarrassed. I think it's perfect!"

"How is it perfect?" I ask and snapping my attention back to her. She smiles excitedly.

"It's perfect because then you guys get married, katniss will be a bakers wife and I can have cookie galore!" I laugh at her wild imagination, we both know that will never happen but it's nice to think about.

"Prim," I start "you and I both know that won't happen. Katniss and I are just coworkers now, I don't think were friends after what happened at the bakery yesterday" she laughs, laughs right in my face. I give her a confused look.

"PRIM!" We both turn our heads, a boy who resembles gale stands across the yard waving his hands around.

"That's Rory" prim stands up and dust off her dress. "Listen, I know katniss better than katniss knows herself and I know for a fact that she's starting to like you, I mean what other guy has she openly smiled and laughed with?" Prim asked me, I shrug. "Exactly. Katniss told me how kind you are and she likes when you laugh and smile. My sister is happy when ever she comes home after being around you and talking to you Peeta" I'm shocked at Prim's words, there is no way they can be true. "Believe me or not but I know my sister and you my friend, make her happy" she bends down and kisses my cheek then runs off to where Rory is standing.


	3. Chapter 3

**chapter 3**

**sorry guys, I've been slow with updates lately.**

I walk into the bakery and I'm greeted with a hello from katniss. I smile and walk over to her. I lean forward on the counter and say, "Hey, you weren't at school today" she nods and puts her notepad back in its spot.

"I was trading and hunting, there's no point in school. It's not like it makes your career in life" I nod in understanding but at the same times it worries me.

"If your not sick and you miss more than a week of school your mother will be fined katniss" she rolls her eyes and stands from where she sits.

"Peeta, I've lived in district 12 the same amount of time you have, I know what will happen" she walks over to the hooks where our aprons hang and takes mine from the hook, she walks back over to me and stretches up to place it over my head.

"What are you doing?" I ask with a half smile. She gives me a look like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"I getting you ready. Rye said that one of my many task was to put and the aprons on you...and him of corse. There's this whole other list of weird stuff too but hey, I'm getting paid well for the first time ever." I start laughing, like a mad man. Leave it up to my brother to give her crazy jobs that she does not have to do. I finally control myself and look at katniss, she's looking at me like I'm an idiot then her face changes a little but I can't quite but my finger on it. "I don't have to do any of those ridiculous things do I?"

I shake my head. "No, what ever he told you don't do it. If it seems practical then ask me or my dad." She nods her head and takes a seat again.

"Your brother is an ass you know that?" I look down at her and laugh a little.

"Oh, I know" she smiles and turns in her seat. I walk in the back and throw my things in the corner, rye is the only one in the back. "Where's dad?" I ask.

"Oh he's out with mom, going to some dinner thing at the book shop." I nod and tie my apron. "So Zu wants to go out tonight and I know-"

"Go" I say simply while looking at my list of things to do. I glance up at Rye, he's standing there with a face of disbelief. "You've covered for me before, just be back before curfew and I'll handle mom. Alright?" He nods and throws off his apron, I watch him scramble around the room then out the back door. I start to prepare to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies when katniss appears in the door way, I smile and wave her in.

"Regina is here for you" she says with a sharp tone. I roll my eyes and groan.

"Can you make something up for me?" I ask, trying to sound sweet.

"Or, You can go out there and handle the costumer" she says then walks back to the front. I sigh and follow her out there, she's sitting at her stool again helping a women from the seam, she must know her. Regina sees me and rushes over to where I stand.

"You needed to see me?" I ask. She leans against the counter and smiles wide.

"My parents invited your parents over for a late night dinner thing, so I was thinking you can leave this seam brat here with your brother while you come out with me." I shake my head immediately.

"No, rye... Can't handle the bakery himself and katniss here just started so I can't possibly leave." She huffs and rolls her eyes

"Peeta" she starts. "I just want to get to know you better, you are the cutest boy in school and I just want to spend sometime with you."

"I'm sorry Regina, I can't. Please leave unless your buying something." She pulls out some coins and holds her hand out to me. "Oh no, I don't do that anymore. Katniss does, please get in line" I glance at katniss, she's smiling at my comment. "Have a good day" I say then go into the back.

xxxXxxx

I watch katniss close up, she switches the sign and locks the door from the inside. We closed up an hour early because it's been a slow day. I sit on the counter, swinging my legs and just observing her, she's beautiful.

"Well what now?" She ask while looking down at the floor. I hop off the counter and pull 2 cheese buns from the case.

"We eat some cheese buns" I say holding it out to her, she slowly takes it. "We usually only eat the things we bake to sell when it's been in the case for 3 or more days but these just came out of the oven. Mother will never know because I baked Extra" I say with a smile. Katniss bites into it and her eyes shut in pleasure, she even lets out a soft moan. I push away my dirty thoughts and fight my smile, this girl drives me crazy.

"That was delicious" katniss says while wiping the crumbs off on her pants, she finished it quite quickly.

"Thank you, it's my specialty" she smiles then quickly averts her eyes from mine to the floor.

"I should go" she says quickly and starts to make her way behind the counter. I don't want her to leave so on impulse I fling my legs over the counter and stand in front of her, she look up at me with amused eyes.

"Don't go" I say, I fight the urge to pull her close to me and kiss her. Now would be the most perfect time but I would probably scare her off.

"Peeta, it's like 6:45 and-"

"And you don't get off until 7:30" she just looks up at me, a little confused I think. "I guess you can go but I'd like it if you stayed" I step aside, giving her enough space for her to pass through but she never does. She just stares at her shoes, deep in thought.

"What would we do if I stayed?" She ask, in a whisper like tone. A smile spreads across my face.

"Well we could...we could talk?" She looks up at me, her grey eyes meeting my blue.

"About what?" I shrug and walk to the door that leads to the back, I push it open and nod through the door.

"About what ever we want" I say, offering a small smile. She looks at her bag on the floor, then back at me. I guess she decided to stay because she walked past me and took a seat on a high stool at the metal island tables.

xxxXxxx

"I'm not very good at talking...or making friends. " Katniss says as I take a seat across from her.

"I consider us friends, are you okay with that?" I ask, she looks at me for a while then shrugs.

"I thought you wanted me to be more than a friend?"

"Oh I do" I say right away, I compose myself and give her a more subtle answer. "I mean- I would like to be set with you, marry you even but..." I trail off. We fall into a awkward silence, I shouldn't of answered her like that.

"I should go" she says after a while, I really messed up. I finally get a chance to just sit and talk with her but then I go off and start the conversation horribly.

I stand up and grab her wrist, she looks at me alarmed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that" I say, she shakes her head a bit.

"You didn't scare me, I should just get going" I let go of her wrist and scratch the back of my neck. I watch her collect her things, she stops at the door and turns to me. "Did you see prim today? My little sister?" I nod, thinking about the conversation we had. "Did she seem...overly happy? I know you help out in her class and I was just worried for some odd reason." I frown, I actually didn't see her in class today.

"She wasn't in class but I saw her after school, she came to talk to me." Katniss walks away from the door and comes closer to me.

"W-what did she say?" She ask curiously. I shrug.

"Ask prim" katniss narrows her eyes, she turns and leans on the counter, looking deep in thought. Suddenly, she's running out the door. I run after her, I can still see her slim figure running towards the seam. "Katniss!" I call out, she turns and waves.

"I gotta go!" She calls out frantically. "Sorry!" She turns and starts to run again, I smile and can't help but think that this has something to do with prim and I's conversation.

xxxXxxx

THE NEXT DAY

Finally, my weekend off. No school, no homework, and no working! I get up and go to the restroom,I quickly brush my teeth and use the toilet then go to the dinning room. My mother and father are sitting at the kitchen table, I sit down and take a piece of toast from the stack of toast in the middle of the table.

"Use a napkin" my mother says coldly. She tosses one at me and I spread it out like a plate. "I heard you brought a seam brat here for work." I look up at her and nod slightly. "You better put her to work, scrub the floors and all the things we don't like doing." I just look down and bite into my toast, I don't get my mother sometimes. "You were actually thinking for once, higher a seam brat to do the dirty work." She laughs lightly and continues eating, I share a glance with my father.

"So, son, what shall you be doing today?" I shrug my shoulders.

"I'm not sure-"

"Your working today" my mother says plainly. I look at her confused. "Don't give me that look, you want the bakery. Rye doesn't want the bakery so he's going out with Zu" I shake my head and stand.

"I'll get ready then" I start to make my way to my room when I hear my mother call me back.

"Clean up your napkin, idiot" she scoffs, I do as she says. "Go get the seam brat also, your father and I are going out." I nod and walk back to my room. As I get dressed I think about what I'm going to say, katniss hunts on her weekends and I clearly stated she had this one off. If I don't come back with her my mother would make me fire her for sure. Maybe I can say I made a mistake and next weekend is her weekend off, but who would work the front next weekend?

I sigh in frustration and yank a brush through my hair, I quickly tie my shoelaces then walk back into the dinning room where my parents are. "I'm not exactly sure where katniss lives" clearly a lie, I watched her walk home everyday from school. "So... I might be a while. Is it alright if the bakery opens a little later than usual" my mother stands and smacks the back of my head.

"Are you stupid boy? You have an hour to get back here with the seam thrash or she is fired!" I nod.

"1 hour, got it." I look at my fathers watch, he hands it to me and then I'm out the door. I'm just praying katniss hasn't left for hunting yet.

xxxXxxx

As Katniss's house in the seam comes into view I notice an angry gale at the door. I can see katniss in the door way moving her hands like crazy, she's most likely angry too. I decide to go a different way so katniss will see me coming from behind gale and not the side, I don't want to sneak up on their argument.

As I'm making my way back towards katniss house, from a different angle, this time I see Rory and prim standing outside clinging to each other while katniss is still in gales face yelling at him. Prim's eyes light up when she sees me, I give her a small wave and continue coming closer. Prim runs up to me and throws her arms around me, she starts to cry. "Oh thank goodness your here Peeta!" She exclaims and sniffles a bit.

Katniss's head snaps towards me and prim, her eyes soften a bit and she comes over, kneeling down next to prim and gathering her in her arms. She's not that nice to me though,

"What are you doing here?" Katniss says angrily. I look up and see gale glaring at me, I look back down at katniss.

"My mother said I had to work today, Rye is going out so I need someone to watch the front for me." She looks up at me, her eyes soften and she stands.

"Peeta I can't, I have prim and I-"

"She can come too, the bakery is all mine today." I offer her a warm smile and she gives me a small one back.

"Prim go get ready, your coming to work with me." Prim smiles up at me and runs inside, taking Rory with her. Gale stomps over, katniss rolls her eyes. "Why are you still here." She ask while giving him a frustrated look with her famous scowl mixed in.

"I want to know why you won't go hunting with me!" Gale demands. "We've taken the risk for this long and now all the sudden you have a job with the baker-"

"And a threat from Regina Welsh!" She hisses. "She threatened to tell when the reaping rolls around! That means the capital gets involved and if the capital gets involved we die! Probably on national tv and our family's go down with us."

"If you quit then you can still hunt! It's your piece, your quite. You are so happy in the woods! Damn it katniss. Just because baker rolls around and offer you a charity job your going to stop hunting? He probably just wants to get in your pants." Gale nudges my arm. "Don't you bakers boy?" I shake my head.

"I respect girls" I say angrily. Katniss steps besides me and slips her arms around mine.

"Unlike you. Peeta promised that this job is not charity and I believe him. I think it's best if you go" katniss says calmly. Gale looks between us and laughs.

"He's already fucking you, slut!" Then he storms off, before he's completely gone we hear him yell.

"Fine! Fuck the bakers boy! The offer to be my wife will only be open for so long!" I shake my head a bit, but katniss decides to respond.

"Why don't you just marry one of your slag heap bitches! They're like walking diseases!" I laugh and katniss smiles, gale just continues to walk off. He angrily kicks a bucket which causes katniss and I to laugh.

I look down at her. "Are you okay?" She looks up and shrugs.

"I'm fine" it's the perfect time to kiss her, to just duck my head down and kiss the girl of my dreams. I'm about to take that chance when I hear little kid giggles. We both look over, prim and Rory are in the door way giggling. "Whats so funny?" Katniss ask.

"It's not funny. My 'crazy idea'" prim uses quotation marks. "Is going to happen" katniss and I look at how were standing, her arms wrapped around mine and our body's pressed together. We immediately step away from each other, prim and Rory giggle again. I smile and cross my arms.

"Lookie here katniss, we have 2 love birds on our hands." I gesture to how close prim and Rory are standing and their joint hands. Katniss smiles.

"Aww, how cute!" Prim and Rory pull away from each other with deep deep blushes, Katniss and I laugh.

"Alright" I clap my hands together. "Off to the bakery!" Prim squeals with excitement and runs over to me. I swiftly pick her up and put her on my shoulders, I look over at katniss and she has the brightness smile on her face.

"It's crazy how you and prim are already so comfortable." Katniss tells me. I'm about to respond when prim puts her face in front of mine.

"Can you carry Rory too?!" Prim ask excitedly. I smile and shake my head.

"No, only one person per ride." She giggles then sits up frantically.

"Wait! Is Rory aloud to come to the bakery?" I hear the sadness in her voice, like someone is going to tell her no. Katniss shakes her head and gives her a sad smile.

"No, were going to take him home." Katniss says. I feel prim trying to get down so I hold on to her tighter, I don't want her to fall. She gives up and sighs loudly.

"That's not fair katniss! I'm always with Rory on the weekends." I look at Rory, he's standing awkwardly by the door. I feel bad, prim wants to hang out with him and katniss is dragging her to the bakery.

"He can come." I say quickly. Katniss looks at me with wide eyes.

"No Peeta, it's fine, he can go home. They'll get over it. Plus you can't have a bunch of kids running around while you work." I laugh.

"Why not? My father did and I want that some day too. Don't worry, I'll put them to work." Katniss sighs.

"You are too nice, you know that?" I nod my head and shrug which makes prim giggle wildly. Katniss takes Rory's hand and we start are walk to the bakery.

xxxXxxx

"See, where here. You don't have to hold my hand anymore" Rory snakes his hand out of katniss's grasp and she rolls her eyes.

"What happened to my little Rory?" She ask while pinching his cheek. He moves his face away and swats his her hand.

"Little Rory turned 12 and went to Jr high." Katniss laughs, I smile and swing prim off my shoulders.

"Alright. My parents are inside and don't know that I'm bringing you 2" I point at prim and Rory. "So you guys can go play-"

"We don't play." Rory says, cutting me off. "Were to old to play." Prim nods in agreement. I share a glance with katniss and fight back my laugh, children these days.

"Okay" I say dragging out my word. "Then go over to that tree and have a mini date" I tease. Prim turns bright red and Rory looks the other way. "Stay there until we call you in." Rory nods and quickly walks off with a bright pink prim trailing behind.

"Do you think they like each other?" Katniss ask me. I chuckle and give her a pointed look. "I'll take that as a yes" she says quietly. I nod and gesture for her to follow me inside, my mother is waiting behind the counter impatiently.

"Where were you?" She hisses. I glance at katniss, she's glaring at my mother.

"I couldn't find her house, luckily I caught her on her way back from the meadow." My mother nods and throws my apron at me.

"Rye left already with Zu and your father and I won't be back until district curfew. Make your own dinner." I nod and watch her pull on her coat. A soon as she walks through the door leading to the back i run to the window. I watch my mother and father walk off hand in hand, I let out a sigh of relief.

"Now that she's gone, let's have a fun day at work." Katniss breaths out a small laugh and goes outside to get prim and Rory. I go to the back and pull out all my ingredients, prim pushes the door open and sticks her head in.

"Can I help decorate?" She ask in a small voice. I smile and nod.

"Of corse! When things need frosting I'll get you, will you ask Rory if he wants to help with baking?" She nods and pops her head out of the door, Rory comes is a few minutes later. "Hey" I toss him my hold apron, I got to big and it looked real awkward on me. My father got me a personalized apron for my birthday, it says my name on it and everything.

Rory puts it on and comes to stand by me. "Isn't it the women's job to cook?" He ask. I look at him with a frown, where would he get that idea? Men can cook, I'm not cooking anyways, I'm baking. "Sorry if I offended you, that's what Gale said. Men bring the food home and women cook."

"Well, I'm sorry if I offend you but I think that's wrong. What if the girl can't cook?" Rory laughs a little.

"I don't know, the man cooks?" I smile and nod slightly. "What if the man can't cook either? I mean, we don't have much to eat anyways, if it were me I would burn it. Then it would taste bad." I shrug.

"My brother burns lots of things, I learned to scrap it off." Rory smiles again, it's annoying how much he looks like gale but I'm grateful that he's nothing like him.

xxxXxxx

"And that's it." I say while shutting the oven and hitting the timer. "We can frost the cupcakes, cakes and cookies now. You can go with katniss or you can stay with prim and myself." Rory looks at all the delicious things to frost and bites his lip.

"Uh..." He points to the bags of frosting. "That looks fun." I chuckle and pat his back.

"I'll get prim and tell katniss-"

"Is all that true?" Rory cuts me off. I turn to him with burrowed eyebrows.

"Is all what true?" I ask curiously. He looks down at his feet and shrugs. "You can ask me." He looks up and nods.

"Okay...uh. Is it true that you gave katniss a job for charity and in return you get sex? Is she your...slut? Or whore?" I shake my head furiously and walk over to him.

"No no no no! I would never ever do that, I'm not that kind of person. I don't know why your brother gale said those things." Rory nods.

"Okay so is the other thing true? The one about katniss not wanting to marry gale because she loves you? Oh and you guys are going to get married and we can have free cookies and stuff for life?" I chuckle.

"Well some of it's true. I do like katniss very much and I would love to marry her but she never wants to marry. From what I hear, she doesn't wants to date or marry gale, I don't think she's into relationships." Rory nods and jumps up on the counter.

"I'm glad she doesn't want to marry gale because I want to marry prim...we just need to get through our first and last reapings. Oh and all of them between." I smile and pat his shoulder. "I think you and katniss are perfect for each other, hot and cold, sweet and sour." I laugh.

"Thanks but I think katniss and I are just going to be friends."

"No, just ask her for one chance, she'll give it to you. I know katniss and she can be very persuasive if your sweet about it. Just go for it." I pat his back.

"Okay Rory" I say very sarcastically. "As soon as you make a move on prim." His cheeks heat up, I laugh lightly. "Exactly, now, let's frost some deserts. I'll go get prim."

xxxXxxx

I watch Rory and prim ice the delicious deserts we made, I occasionally gives them tips or teach them a new way to frost. Prim smiles and wipes her hands off on the apron I gave her, she smiles at her plate of cupcakes. "Peeta, what do you think?" I lean over and smile at her plate.

"They're beautiful!" I tell her. She smiles. "Go show katniss." Prim nods excitedly, she hops off the counter and runs off to the front with her plate. I wipe off some frosting - a lot of frosting actually, from Prim's station.

"So are you going to talk to katniss?" Rory ask, he never looks up from his cookies that he's frosting. I smile and lean against the counter.

"Rory, I told you, I'll ask katniss when you make a move on prim- actually when you kiss prim" he looks up and gives me a pointed look.

"What makes you think I won't kiss her?" He ask.

"Because your 12, you blush when I comment on how close you guys are standing and you aren't dating."

"That doesn't mean anything." I laugh with a shake of my head. "So you think it's not going to happen?"

"At least not for a while." He's about to respond to me when prim burst through the door.

"Peeta katniss needs you, a costumer refuses to be helped by a seam girl- not her exact words but what ever." I stand up straight and nod. I walk out to the front and see katniss sitting at her stool, she looks highly annoyed and frustrated.

"Oh Peeta!" I women screeches, I know her as Mrs. Penelope.

"Hello mrs. Penelope. Is there an issue here?" I ask walking towards katniss and standing behind her, she looks up at me with a scowl.

"Is there a problem? Well you can say that again because there's a huge problem! I came here to get my bread like I do every Saturday and she- This...ugh" she pretends to shiver. "Is sitting at the desk, I don't want seam thrash helping me. This is not the hob! She should not be here and I refuse to let her help me." I nod, hiding my anger.

"With all do respect my mother is allowing her to be hired here and she's a very valued employ here." She comes forward.

"Your mother is allowing this?" I nod.

"Yes of corse, my parents run this bakery together." She throws her hands up.

"Fine." I smile and give her a nod, I'm about to walk away but katniss reaches behind her back

and grabs my hand. I pretend to check the stalks as katniss helps the very annoying mrs. Penelope.

Mrs. Penelope just left as a- well just a costumer. She didn't show any emotion after I came out here and settled things down. "Well, my first rude costumer." Katniss says with a sigh. She spins around in her chair and looks up at me.

"Yeah, she was always a bitch- I mean she was always rude." Katniss laughs.

"Look at mister innocent cussing." I roll my eyes.

"I'm not innocent." She laughs a little.

"Okay, sure" she says very sarcastically.

"What ever." I say, she smiles and looks down at her lap. I walk over to the door and lock it, I flip the sign to say lunch and walk over to katniss. "Are you hungry?" She looks up.

"Uh...yeah, I have like 3 dollars." She hops off her stool. "I'll take prim and Rory to the hob." She's going to grab her thin coat but I stop her.

"We have left overs upstairs. My father said I can have the rest because it's going to go bad today." She shakes her head.

"It's your job to pay me for the work I do not to feed me at my lunch." I throw my head back and grown.

"You are so stubborn." I bring my head back down to look at her. "Please, I'd like to think of us as friends and friends have lunch with friends. No matter who brings the food." She shakes her head no. "Please, it's going to go bad and I can't eat it all myself."

She gives me a pointed look. "I'm the stubborn one?" I shrug. "Fine." She sighs. I smile and start to walk to the back with her trailing behind me, I open the door and see prim and Rory kisses from were they sit. "Oh my god!" Katniss exclaims. They pull away and look at us shocked. Prim turns a bright red and runs into the bathroom, I look at katniss, she looks shocked.

I wave my hand in front of her face. "Kat-" she smiles and runs over to Rory before I can finish my sentence. She pulls him in a headlock and ruffles his hair.

"Aww! You do got the hots for my little sister!" I laugh, katniss really let's go and just enjoys herself around these kids and I'm glad she's opening up and letting her childish side be shown around me. Katniss kisses the top of his head and walks over to the bathroom where prim ran inside, prim lets her in quickly.

"Your turn" I hear Rory say but I'm so lost in the moment I don't comprehend what he's saying. I walk over to the table he's at and take a seat.

"What?" I finally ask.

"Your move" I look up at him and realize what he's talking about. It's my turn to get the girl of my dreams.


	4. Chapter 4

**chapter 4**

MONDAY

I'm walking to school alone today, Delly is home sick and rye is walking with Zu. I defiantly didn't want to be the third wheel. I haven't seen katniss since Saturday, I actually got one day off and it was glorious. All Sunday I sketched pictures. I went to the meadow and captured the scenery, the meadow is beautiful and I'm lucky that no one is hardly ever there. This morning I Decide to take the back way to school, I couldn't sleep much last night so I got up much much earlier than needed to start my morning shift, which means I have about an hour and a half until the first school bell rings.

I pull on my gloves and clutch my books tighter, it's been cold lately. I see a figure standing further down the path, they're looking off into the woods. As I get closer I realize it's katniss. "Kat?" I call out. Her head snaps to me and she smiles a bit, I approach her and smile wide. "Hi"

"Hey Peeta, I didn't know you took this path to school." I shake my head.

"I usually don't but I left the bakery much earlier than usual today so I decide to take the back way." She nods and looks back to the woods. "What are you doing out here so early?" She shrugs.

"Prim and Rory wanted to walk together today, but I guess gale had been teaching Rory how to hunt so we had to leave much early today. She just ditched my ass about 10 minutes ago" I look around and frown.

"So you stand on this path staring off into the distance all creepy like?" She looks down and laughs a little.

"Yeah, I guess so. Just passing time, nothing much to do. It's lonely sometimes, especially now that my little sister has a boyfriend." I laugh, she looks at me with a small smile.

"Young love." She nods. "Well, if you have all this free time you can spend it with me." She tilts her head from side to side.

"That's a idea, I was thinking about talking to gale but he's always so angry. You are much more fun to be around." I smile wide, she thinks I'm fun to be around. She smiles back and nudges my arm with hers. "What are you thinking about?" She ask. I shrug

"Nothing much" I push a piece of hair, fallen from her braid behind her ear. She blushes and looks down at the floor, I blush a bit too. "Go on a date with me." The words come out of my mouth before I can say anything, she looks up shocked a little.

"A- a date?" She ask quietly. I nod, might as well go with it now that I've said it. "Peeta- well I, - you" she stutters, I smile and take her hand in my. She doesn't pull away, instead she looks up into my eyes.

"Yes, a date. It will be fun, I promise I'm not a creep." She just stares at me for a while, then, she nods. A smile breaks on to my face. "Yes!" I can't help but pump my fist in the air, she laughs a little and I smile down at her. "Thank you, you won't regret it." Katniss smiles softly at me.

"I know, I trust you"

"You do?" She gives me a pointed look and nods. "Good." I nod my head in the direction of school. "Want to start walking?" She nods, we start to walk down the path that leads to school. I then realize were still holding hands, I slip mine from hers and I hear katniss laugh softly. "What?"

"You can ask me on a date but you can't hold my hand?" I stop and look at her. "What?" She turns and comes up to me.

"Well, I didn't know you would be comfortable with it. Were not set and-" she puts her gloved hand over my mouth.

"You asked me on a date, I-I said yes to it because I'm..." She searches for the right word. "I feel safe with you, I'm very comfortable with you." She removes her hand and smiles. "I...I-I like you Peeta." I smile and step closer to her, I take her face in my hands and smile down at her.

"You do?" She nods, I see her blush. "Can I kiss you?" I whisper, we search each other's eyes for a while until she says,

"Yes" I bring my lips down to hers and lightly kiss her, she slowly puts her arms around my neck and pulls herself closer to me. The kiss is nothing hot, no make out session with tongue like how rye explains that it is his favorite type of kissing. It's was sweet, it was full of passion and it lasted longer than I thought it would. When we pull away I flutter my eyes open, my blue ones are met with her beautiful grey ones. "That was my first kiss" she says with a small laugh. "Pathetic huh?" She ask me.

I shake my head no rapidly. "No, that's not pathetic. I'm honored to be your first kiss." She smiles softly, I remove my hands from her face. I lightly peck her lips and take her hand again. "Let's get to school" she nods and we start back on the path to school.

xxxXxxx

LUNCH TIME

I walk out to the grass field and look around for my friends, I can't seem to find them anywhere. I checked the lunch hall but since it's cold outside it's absolutely packed in there. The hunger aching in my stomach wins me over, I sit down under a tree and lean against it. I just started to eat my sandwich when I feel someone come up behind me, I turn and see katniss. "Hi" she sits next to me.

"Hi" I can tell she angry, she's distant and when she's upset or angry she gets distant. This morning she was at peace but something must of happened today. I nudge her shoulder, she glances at me. "What?"

"Are you okay? Your acting different from this morning." Her cheeks flush red a bit, probably from the memory of this morning.

"I'm fine Peeta. I'm just mad at gale, he's being stupid." She pulls her legs into Indian style.

"What did he do?" She gives me a weird look. "W-what?"

"You ask a lot of questions." She says very irritated. I look away from her, I guess I shouldn't push her so much. Katniss sighs loudly. "Sorry" she says simply. "I didn't mean to snap like that, I'm just so frustrated." I look at her.

"Talking helps." She sighs and looks at me. "Seriously, if you tell me I could possibly help you."

"Alright" katniss turns so she can look at me, she places her bag in her lap and leans her elbows on it. "Gale saw us this morning and he started to bother me about. Um, well, I told him about our date and he lost it. He said it's probably going to be at the slag he, that you just want a good fucking then your going to fire me and throw me to the side." I roll my eyes.

"I'm not like that, you know that. Right?" She nods and places a hand on my leg.

"I know Peeta, remember, I trust you." I smile, she leans in a bit and I go the rest of the way. Our lips meet and we share a short sweet kiss again, I can definitely get used to this. When we pull away I remember my lunch, I hold it up for katniss to see.

"Want half?" I ask. She shakes her head. "To bad" I rip my sandwich in half and hold it out to her, she just stares at me stubbornly. "You can kiss me but you can't share lunch with me?"

"Fine" she takes it and starts to eat, I start to eat my half. We sit in silence until katniss ask. "Did you call me kat this morning?"

"Yeah, why? Do you not like it?" She shakes her head and smiles a bit.

"It's fine, I like it." I kiss her cheek and she blushes.

"Good." The school bell rings, telling us it's time for class again. I stand and pull katniss to her feet, we walk towards the school hand in hand. "I just remembered that we don't work until 4 today." She stops and looks at me confused.

"Why?"

"I have wrestling, my match is at 3 and Ryes is at 4. Rye is going straight home to work with my father and as soon as my match ends at 3:30, hopefully no over time, I rush over and work from 4 to 7:30."

"So our shift starts at 4?" I nod.

"For a week and a half it will be like that." She smiles.

"Okay good, I'll be in the stands watching you. That way we can rush to work together." I smile, she's acting like were set and I love it, I really really love it.

"Perfect" the late bell rings, we look at each other and run in side urgently while laughing.

xxxXxxx

I just finished my wrestling match, I won and I'm happy to say it didn't go into over time. I walk out of the boys locker room and see katniss waiting on a bench, I walk over and kick her boot. Katniss looks up and smiles. "Hey" she says.

"Hey, ready to go?" She nods and stands up, we walk out of the school doors and start to make our way to the bakery.

"You did good" I look at her and smile.

"Thank you" we walk in silence the rest of the way to the bakery, when we walk in I see my mother at the counter. "Mother" I nod in her direction, she stands from where she sat.

"Good your both early." She throws my apron at me and slams the note pad down at the counter. I'm relived when my mother walks through the door but she quickly comes back. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. Your father and I will be going to dinner at the book store again, Rye is going to Zu's for dinner so make your own. And you" she points at katniss whom sits on a stool at the counter. "Be nicer to the costumers, a seam brat can't just be hired here and not smile at the costumers, make eye contact with them for the love of god! I don't need more of my friends coming to me and telling me that you, the stupid seam trash in the front of the bakery is not giving 110%! Got it?" Katniss nods and does a mocking solute.

"Yes ma'am." My mothers shakes her head with disapproval and walks out of the front. I lean on the counter and smile at katniss. "What?" She ask with a smile of her own.

"Nothing." I'm about to kiss her again when Rye bust through the door.

"Whoa- what did I just walk into?" I pull away and stand up.

"Nothing, nothing. You better get going-"

"No no no, you finally grew some and asked her out? Did it happen? When you age out are you going to be set?" Rye ask with hope but at the same time he's mocking me.

"Well, we need to go on our first date first" katniss responds before I do. Rye looks at her then back at me.

"Wait wait wait. You haven't gone on your first date but you've kissed already? That's suppose to happen on the date." I shake my head.

"Just go Rye, it doesn't have to go that way. It's not some law." He puts his hands up in mock surrender, he starts to back up through the door.

"Okay okay, I'll catch you two love birds later" he says with a snap and a wink. I'm about to tackle him but he dashes through the door. I turn to katniss and smile.

"Well, it's just us here. It's to cold for customers, and it appears to be that my father and rye did all of today's baking." I tell her while checking the stalks. "So that means that we sit here and wait for customers, if any dare to walk through this cold cold weather." I hop up on the counter and swing my legs.

"So we just sit here?" Katniss ask. I nod.

"Yeah, we just sit here. We- we could have our date now if you want." She looks at me with a shrug.

"If you want..." I look around and shake my head.

"No, a bakery isn't what I imagined for our first date." She spins in her chair, when she's looking at me again she ask,

"What did you imagine?" I smile a little and think back to all those memories.

"Well, I've liked you since I was 5, so as we got older our first date changed. When we were five I imagined us sitting in my backyard with cookies and playing tag or something." I look at katniss, her face is pale and she looks worried. "Did I say something wrong?" I ask.

"Uh- Peeta are we making a mistake?" She ask quickly, her eyes never meeting mine. I don't say anything, I just look at her. I knew this might be to good to be true, the romance, the kisses that come so freely, just...everything.

"I don't think us being together is a mistake." I respond barely above a whisper. I feel her eyes looking at me, staring at me, but I keep my attention on the floor.

"I think we are Peeta." She finally says. "We don't mix well, seam and town. You know the story of my mother and father, she left town for him." I turn to her quickly.

"Yes, because they were so in love. Your mother broke my fathers heart because she loved another man, she went seam for him. The women goes with the man most of the time katniss, you would come and live with me. We could be happy together."

"What about the games? We could still be reaped-"

"If you don't want to be with me just say it." I cut her off, I can't handle her dragging me along on a thread just to cut me off. If she doesn't want me she just needs to say it, spare my feelings.

"I don't think it's a good idea." She repeats. I hop off the counter and nod

"Okay" is all I say. I rip the paper that has our shifts on it, I'm going to rearrange it. Just as I'm walking away katniss catches my wrist, I turn to her. "Yes?" I hardly croak out.

"Don't be angry Peeta, please don't hate me. You have to understand where I'm coming from." I shake my head.

"I don't hate you, I could never hate you." Katniss rises to her feet with a small smile, she comes closer to me.

"You promise?" I nod. "Good. So, uh, were still friends right? I don't want to lose you, I'd like for you to stay in my life." I nod again, not knowing what to say. She smiles a bit but it disappears as quick as it came. "Why do you have this?" She takes the paper from my hand and scans it over.

"I was just going to change some stuff around" I respond awkwardly. Katniss looks up at me with urgency in her eyes.

"You were going to change our shifts weren't you?" I don't respond, I look down at the ground below me. I thought it was a good idea moments ago, for us to see less and less of each other would be for the best. "Why?"

"I- well you didn't-" I stutter.

"I thought you would understand where my heart is, how I feel about relationships. I thought you could be mature but I guess I was wrong. If we can't be together then you don't want to see me?" She hisses. "Fine" she thrust the paper against my chest and drops my wrist. "Go on and change it" I'm taken back by her anger, I stumble a bit as I watch her sit back on her stool.

"Why are you so angry with me?" I blurt. She looks at me with cold hard eyes, she's about to respond when I cut her off. "I'm not gale, I don't want you to have you and show you off like your some prize damn it. You've known how long I've liked you, loved you even and you just took my heart and played with it. You acted like we could be something, like you really liked me then you ripped it in half, dropped it at me feet and laughed. On top if that you played the totally cliche 'I still want you as a friend' break up shit but now your the angry one. Why? Because I want to change some shifts around! Katniss you have to understand where my heart is, you just broke it and it would be a little easier for me if I didn't have to see you so much because it would just remind me how much I am in love with you." I take a deep breath and wait for her response, she stares at the floor while I stare at her. She doesn't say anything.

The door rings and I look over, it's luke. A seam kid who's mother just married a peacekeeper, it's been the talk of the town. I look over at katniss, she's just siting there. I roll my eyes, irritated with her actions and look over at the boy. "Hello Luke, welcome to Mellarks bakery. Cold out isn't it?"

"Oh yes, I frozen down to the bone Mr Mellark." I laugh a little.

"Please, call me Peeta. Mr Mellark is my father...and brother." He chuckles a bit witch makes me smile. "I'm not old yet. Any how, I'm going to the back and katniss here will help you." Luke nods in my direction, I mimic his motion and walk into the back. Before the door closes I'm relieved to hear katniss speaking with the customer.

xxxXxxx

It's closing time at the bakery, we had zero to none customers today. I've been sitting in the back all day just staring at this paper, I've decided that I'm not going to change the shifts. No matter how hurt I am by katniss I still have amazingly strong feelings for her and I will fight for her. By my actions earlier this morning, I know for a fact that she will be mine.

I walk out to the front, katniss is siting at her stool not even aware I just came in. She's just doodling on the note pad, I lean over her shoulder a smile. It looks like a little alien and a little astronaut, we learned about those in science. "How cute" I say, she turns and looks up at me. "You knew I was here?" I ask, completely expecting to startle her.

"Yes" she response with a small laugh. "You have very loud footsteps." I blush with embarrassment.

"Not a good quality." I say as I stand up straighter.

"No, it's fine." Katniss smiles a little. "That way I know your coming." I smile back at her. I reach over her and pick up the note pad, it's a nice drawing.

"An alien and a astronaut right?" I ask without my eyes leaving the page. I hear her snort.

"No, it's suppose to be be me and you" I laugh a little. "Your this one." She points to the alien looking one, I start laughing again.

"Oh I know, it's horrible! I just wanted to say sorry but I'm not very good with words."

"When your angry you are" she shrugs a little with a blush. "Can I keep this?"

"If you want it I guess. I don't know why you would."

"Because it's my apology, and it's accepted." I pocket the paper and place the notepad back on the counter. "Kat, I'm sorry too-"

"Stop there, you are not going to apologize to me alright." I tilt my head from side to side.

"I kinda already did." She stands up.

"Apology not accepted."

"I still said sorry though." I point out. She laughs and drops her head into her hand.

"I can't win with you" she groans. I chuckle.

"Nope" katniss raises her head from her hands and smiles at me. My eyes meet hers and on impulse I kiss her. She allows it for a while until my tongue swipes the bottom of her lip, she pulls away frantically. "I'm sorry." I say and let go of her hips, I was so lost in the moment I didn't realize I had her pulled flush against me.

"Don't say sorry" she breaths out. I chuckle a bit and rub the back of my neck. "We should close up" I watch her has she shuffles around, locking the door and switching the sign. When she's done I lock the cash register and place my apron on the hook, katniss shuts off the lights and we walk into the back together.

I walk her over to the back door, we stand there for a second in a awkward silence. "I didn't change the shifts." I say, just trying to fill the air with words. Katniss nods and rocks on her heels.

"Good to know. Ill uh- I'll see you tomorrow." I nod. She pushes open the door and she walks out. I watch her walk down the dark ally. It hurts seeing her walk away, I know I'm going to see her tomorrow but I just can't leave us like this.

"Katniss!" I call out, she turns and comes back a few steps.

"Yeah Peeta?"

"One date, that's all I ask of you. If it doesn't go well then we will stay friends." I can't see her face in the darkness but the moon gives off enough light for me to see her figure.

"I don't think it's a good idea Peeta."

"Give me a chance Everdeen" I hear her laugh which makes me smile.

"One chance Mellark. One chance to sweep me off my feet." And with that she starts her walk home again.


	5. Chapter 5

**chapter 5 **

**sorry it took so long! Ugh I feel bad, feel free to yell at me in the reviews**

Rye walks into my room, I jump up and run to him. He throws his jacket on my bed and gives me a questioning look. "You okay?" I shut the door so our parents won't hear.

"No I'm not okay, I need your help." He lays on my bed and kicks off his shoes.

"With what? Lady problems?" I nod, he sits up. "I was joking. Smooth talking Peeta who has every girl that walks into this bakery fall like putty into your hands needs help?" I rub the back of my neck and smile. "Yeah, you know your a flirt. You just don't put it to good use."

"All of those other girls don't matter rye. My heart belong to katniss, I have one shot." He stands up.

"No, that girl is all over you. She was going to let you kiss her... In public!" I shake my head.

"No no no, she took it back. She thinks that me and her are no good together because were seam and town. Before she left she said that I have one chance to sweep her off her feet. What do i do?" I plead. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

"What you do on every date you've brought girls on, picnic in the towns meadow." I shake my head, I don't want to do that. The towns meadow isn't good enough, everything is dead and it hurts to sit on.

"Not good enough. I always bake something and bring them there, it's the same old story. Katniss is the love of my life-"

"What!?" Both rye and I turn, were faced to face with my mother. I didn't hear the door open. "You love that seam brat?!" She hisses.

"M- mom, what-" she walks up to me and smacks me in the face, that's going to leave a mark for sure. I back up a little and hold my face, I glance at rye, he's standing Quietly off to the side.

"Is that why you hired her? So you can be with her while were gone?" I shake my head no, she steps foreword and I shake my head again. "Answer me with words you idiot!"

"I hired her because she needs to feed her family, nothing romantic is going on with us. She's set with gale" I lie to her.

"But you fancy her?" I nod. "Rye get out" he's about to object but she pinches his arm roughly, he gives me a apologetic look and obeys her command. As soon as the door is shut my mother is hitting me roughly, I feel the trickle of blood come down my nose. My arms feel pain for being hit so many times and my face hurts like hell. By the time she's done I'm on the floor, I'm in such pain and all I want to do is stop the blood, cure the bruising and go to sleep.

My mother stands over me with her hands on her hips, she points at me with her index finger. "I want you to fire her and you are never to be with her again." She kicks my leg roughly then walks out of my room, slamming the door behind her.

xxxXxxx

THE NEXT DAY

I'm walking to my first class when I see katniss talking to gale, she has a small smile on her face and gale is laughing. I put my head down and walk past them, I don't want her to see my scars and bruises that my mother left on me. I can feel her eyes on me, I just keep walking. I run into this guy name Jeffery, he knocks me to the ground. He apologizes right away and tries to help me up but I'm suddenly self conscious. Everyone is starring at me and my bruised face, I have a urge to run, I need to get out of here. I get up and start to run out of the school, everyone's eyes are still on me and I hate it.

As soon as I'm outside, I look around. Where to go? There's no where to go in this stupid district, I hate it here in 12. I start to walk to the seam, I can't handle going to town. As soon as I cross the line I have no idea where I'm going, I'm just walking at this point. I look around, people are looking at me weird. I look down to hide my face but I don't think it helps very well.

I end up winding through houses, I passed katniss's house about 30 minutes ago. I have no idea where I am, all of these houses look deserted. I look in the window of one of the nicer seam houses, no one lives here. I try the door, it's open so I decide to go in. I look around just to make sure no one lives here, as soon as I'm positive the house is empty I sit on the couch that came with the house.

"What happened to your face?" I jump to my feet at the sound of someone's voice, my heart is racing and I'm ready to fight for my life at any given moment. "Clam down, it's just me." Katniss appears from the dark hallway, she runs her fingers along the thin wall as she makes her way over to me.

"How- how did you get in?" I ask stupidly.

"The same way you did, the door." I nod, still a little confused on what she's doing here. "I obviously followed you, just in case you were wondering."

"Why?" I ask, I take a seat on the couch and catch my breath. My heart is slowly going back to normal speed.

"Well..." She sits next to me. "I know you saw me... Earlier and you avoided me-"

"You were with gale" I say before she can continue any further.

"So because I was with gale you couldn't talk to me? You made this whole big deal about being set and if we can't be set you'd like to be friends. I don't get you Mellark" she finishes angrily.

"You don't get it, you are the desire of the school. Every boy wants you but they're to scared to talk to you, plus they all think your set with gale." She rolls her eyes.

"I don't care about all that, what I care about is your face." She turn my face gently to see it better in the light. "What happened?" She asks.

"Well R-"

"I know it wasn't rye, it was your mom wasn't it?" I move away from her touch. "Why do you let her?"

She ask suddenly.

"Why do I let her what? Who?"

"Your mother" she explains. "Why do you let her abuse you? Your bigger, stronger than she is. You can defend yourself and I don't mean by hitting back. Use your voice, catch her wrist, do something! For god sakes Peeta you can't let her do this anymore, your not a child." I shake my head.

"It's not that easy katniss, you just wouldn't get it. Your mother doesn't abuse you."

"Not physically!" She practically shouts. She stands up and starts to pace, she stops in front of me. "My mother abandoned me at 11, with my 7 year old sister. She took my childhood away from me and forced me to grow up! She doesn't pay attention to us, she didn't feed us, I took out tesserae every chance I got when I turned 12. I wasn't that happy little girl anymore Peeta, she abused us verbally, on the inside, mentally, and I've never recovered."

"Then we know how each other feels. We know the pain that our mothers have caused us. We understand each other." I tell her, trying to calm her down. "There's no need to yell at me, please just sit. I don't need a lecture or someone shouting at me." She sits next to me, but she's not quite calm yet. There's no sense in clamming her anyways because I'm going to give her unpleasant news that's going to upset her all over again.

"You should see my mother actually, she can treat the wounds well. We've had money now so we can afford, just a little, to stretch that extra penny. She's home today, want to go?" I look into her eyes, all the anger in her eyes has fled and she she generally wants to help me. I can tell, this job, the money, has done her well. She has a weight off her shoulders and I'm about to throw it all back on, this is to stressful for me. I feel like I'm about to burst.

The stress starts to get me, I have this over whelming feeling inside. I have the urge to cry, I blink back tears and tear my eyes away from hers, I furiously wipe my eyes. This action alarms katniss, "I'm fine" I say quickly, she's kneeling in front of me and has a worried look on her face.

"Did I say something? Was it because I shouted? I'm sorry Peeta, I'm...insensitive to other people. Your obviously in a time of need and I made it worse." I shake my head and remove my hands from my face, I'm trying my best to not cry.

"It wasn't you katniss, I was just thinking about something's my mother said. Something's that I should tell you but can't find the courage to." She stands up and looks around looking a little lost. I can't help but smile. "Lost there?" I ask playfully despite how I feel right now.

"Yes" she says with a small laugh. "When prim has a problem she usually climbs into my lap and I run my fingers through her hair has she explains whats wrong. I have no idea what to do with... You" I chuckle at her explanation.

"You can just sit, and be patient with me." She nods and sits next to me on the couch. I turn a little so I can see her better. "Please don't hate me, because this is tearing me to pieces." I feel the tears forming in my eyes, threatening to spill. "My mom... She beat me last night because she over heard rye and I talking. I was talking about my feelings for you and she was listening, she said I was to never spend time with you again and that your-"

"Fired?" Katniss ask calmly. I look down at my hands at nod. "Okay" katniss say simply. "I'm fired." My eyebrows knit together.

"Your okay with it?" I ask, shocked, my head shooting up to look at her.

"No, that job really helped me" she looks down at her hands. "I can go hunting again." I'm broken at this point, I stand up and walk to one of the empty rooms and lock the door. I sit on the bed and begin to cry, I sob uncontrollably. My mother ruined everything in my life. Katniss is being open with me, talking to me, allowing my to be closer to her. I was helping katniss by giving her a job that took a weight off her shoulders, she was less stressed because she knew she had a income that could feed her family. I had a chance, had is the key word, had a chance to sweep the girl whom I've loved since I was 5 off her feet. I finally had a chance and my mother takes it and shreds it in seconds, leaving visible wounds all over me.

I'm finally down to the occasional hiccups when I make the design that I'm not giving up on katniss and that katniss isn't fired. I'm going to march down to the justice building and get the forms for early business partnership. If I were to be reaped the bakery would go right back to my father but if I have both of my parents consent then the bakery is mine. This of corse is usually used for when the couple is to old but have teen children or if they just need a break and want to retire earlier than they should. I know my father will agree, his back aches and his arms are weaker. He has trouble kneading the dough now these days, a retirement from years at the bakery will do him good. And as for my mother, my father might be able to convince her. She doesn't do anything anymore anyways, I do the stalks and count the money, I do all of the paper work she used to do. As soon as I learned how it was my job, so was the baking and the frosting. It's like I run that bakery anyways, I will not take no for a answer.

I stand from where I sit and walk back into the living room, katniss surprisingly is still sitting on the couch. I walk over and sit next to her, she removes her face from her hands and glances at me. "You can keep your job" I say, she looks at me highly confused.

"You said that your mother-"

"I know" I cut her off. "I'm going to ask for early business partnership. The bakery is to much to handle for my father these days, even with his small shifts and my mother doesn't do anything anymore. I just need their signatures, I know she will sign if I say I fired you but as soon as those papers are signed the you have your job, I can even pay you more." Katniss searches my eyes for a second, then she shakes her head.

"Peeta, you can't. If your doing this for me then I- I...forbid you." I shake my head.

"It's not for you, it's for me. I practically run the bakery, rye is hardly ever there, my father needs a well deserved break, a retirement if you will-"

"I hate that word!" She blurts. "Seam don't get a retirement Peeta, they get fired and a low pay for the rest of their life's if there lucky to get up into old age."

"I don't know what els to call it, that's what it is and my father deserves it." I counter argue. She opens her mouth to say something then she quickly closes it, what ever she was going to say she decided not to and that was probably for the best. "As I was say before, this will benefit everyone."

"They can't move out though" katniss points out, I knew this already but I nod my head.

"I know, but you see how it is when we have our shifts. They are never there." She stands from where she sits.

"Then it's settled, I'm fired until further notice." I nod and stand from where I sit, we jokingly shakes hands. "Now let's go, wouldn't want peacekeepers to find us in is one of the nicer houses in the seam."

"Why is that?" I ask as we walk out the door and start to make our way to where ever she had in mind.

"I'm not sure, they added these houses a few years back but when ever a seam couple is assigned to a house they assign them to an old one." I nod and look around at my surroundings, were starting to get back into the older houses.

I follow katniss silently, we suddenly come to a stop and I bump into her causing her to fall to the floor. "I am so sorry" I apologize quickly and help her to her feet, she dust herself off.

"Why did you stop?"

"I was thinking about where to go." I give her a questioning look. "We can't go to school, they will question us..." She trails off then shakes her head a little. "We could go to my house but my mother has a patient there and his brother, Seth, he keeps hitting on me." She says in disgust.

"How do you know he's not just being nice?" I tell myself more than her, to calm my jealousy.

"Asking me what I'm doing tonight so we can go to the slag heap is not being nice." She starts to think again, I just stand there kicking a pebble around. I really don't care what we do, I just don't want to be alone. "Were going to my house." She says quickly then starts to walk off again. I catch up to her.

"I thought you didn't want to."

"I want my mother to help with your bruises and what ever els you have." She stops and touches my forehead. "This here" she moves her hand to my cheek. "And here weren't cleaned, it's already yellowing witch means infection."

"Dr katniss" I say while giving her a wink. She chuckles.

"No, I just remember my mother telling me that from when I was little and scrapped my knee."

"Alright, Everdeens residence it is."

xxxXxxx

Katniss walks straight into her house I slowly follow her, once I'm fully in the house she shuts the door. I look around, her house is nothing compared to mine or the newer seam homes but it's fairly nice. Katniss gestures me to follow her, we go down a short hallway. When we enter the living room I also see the dinning room and kitchen joint together except the kitchen has 2 walls and a high counter.

On the dinner table lays a sick man, mrs Everdeen is placing a damp cloth on his head and Seth is sitting at a chair examining his worn down jeans. "Mother" katniss says softly while walking over, everyone's eyes land on her.

"Katniss" mrs. Everdeen says simply wile wiping her hands on a wash cloth. "Aren't you suppose to be at school?"

"I didn't go today, I was with Peeta" she gestures to me. "He's injured." Mrs. Everdeen gives me a warm smile.

"Ah yes, the bakers boy. You know, you were at his birth katniss." I raise my eyebrows and katniss shakes her head a bit. "Your mother wasn't able to make it to the town healer in time, I just happened to be in town visiting an old friend when your father came running out frantically for help. It was actually quite funny, your father held katniss while I aided your mother to help get you out, afterwards you and katniss laid in the same basket while I fetched birth forms and helped your mother out."

"Mom, I think that's the most I've heard you talk in years." Katniss says in small shock. Mrs. Everdeen nods and wipes her hands again.

"Never mind that, you didn't come to hear birthing stories you came for medical aid. It the least I can do for giving my katniss a good job. Please, take a seat on the couch." I walk around to the living room area and sit on the teal couch, katniss sits down on a big leather chair across from me. Mrs. Everdeen comes over to me and starts to dab things on my face, she moves the collar of my shirt and shakes her head. "What did you do?" She ask.

"Uh-" I make eye contact with katniss, she give me a small nod. I'm sure she wants me to tell the truth but I can't, my mother has taught me better than to tell someone what really happened. "I- brother, and wrestling." She chuckles a bit.

"Where? In the gravel?" She ask while pulling things out of a small black bag.

"Yes, in my backyard."

"Well I would suggest you don't do that anymore." I nod with a small smile. Mrs. Everdeen moves the collar of my shirt again, she moves it farther and lets out a breath. "Take off your shirt" I look up at her, I didn't hear her correctly.

I cough a little with a small blush. "Did you say take off my shirt?" She nods.

"Yes, you have cuts and bruises everywhere." I glance at katniss and shrug a bit, I remove my shirt and place it on the seat next to me. Mrs. Everdeen walks away mumbling about special Medicean, I look of at katniss and see her staring at my chest.

"Are the bruises bad?" I ask looking down, I hadn't even notice the cuts surrounding the bruises. It's probably from my mothers many rings. When katniss doesn't respond I look up at her questionably, she sits there with wide eyes full of lust looking at my chest. I wave my hand around, "uh, katniss?" She blinks a few times then looks away with a furious blush.

"S-sorry" she stutters. I smirk and wave her off

"None sense, I'm...flattered?" Her mother comes back before katniss can answer, she keeps her eyes trailed on the wooden floors while her mother works on me.

"My my, working in the bakery sure does give you defined muscles" mrs. Everdeen comments. I blush awkwardly and katniss shrieks,

"Mom!" Mrs. Everdeen chuckles and bit.

"Oh clam down katniss, it's not like I want anything from him. I'll leave that to you" I laugh loudly and katniss hides her face in her hands.

"Please mother..." Mrs. Everdeen smiles a bit,

"Alright, alright" mrs. Everdeen finishes her work on me in silence, as soon as she's done she places my shirt in my lap and stands. "I'm going to give you some lotion type Medicean, it should help with the soreness. Remind me before you leave" I nod and pull on my shirt, mrs. Everdeen walks away just as katniss is standing.

"Let's let my mother be with her patient." She says quietly while gesturing for me to follow her. I stand and walk behind her, just as she passes Seth he reaches out to touch her but I catch his hand. Seth looks at me in shock, I shove his hands toward him and continue following katniss.

We come to a small room, I walk in after her and she shuts the door. "Is this your room?" I ask while looking around.

"And my mother and Prim's." She walks over to a bed and takes a seat. "This is my bed, my mother sleeps over there and prim sleeps with who ever she wants to that night." I nod and sit next to her.

"How did your mother and father have, uh, you know... Grown up time?" She chuckles and sits back against the wall.

"I didn't know it when I was little, but I realize now. As soon as prim could toddle around they would send us to the meadow to pick flowers and dandelions. When it was cold they would bundle us up and we would go to the forks house a could doors down, every Sunday we would alternate." She tells me with a small smile. "Now I understand why."

"The forks? Is they're children in our year?" I ask, that name rings a bell.

"Yes- she was at least. Sally fork, my best friend until I was 11. Everything fell apart then..." I nod remembering Sally fork, she was 12 but she was in our grade for some odd reason. It must if had been her birth date. Anyhow, Sally fork was reaped her first reaping, I remember watching her give katniss a hug since she was right there on the side then walking confidently up to the stage. She died within the first 5 minutes of the games starting, right after that, her father died in the same mining accident katniss's father did.

"Sorry for prying at the bad memories." Katniss shakes her head a little.

"It's fine, but yes she was in our grade and her brother is Prim's year." We fall into a silence I can't help but think this silence is my fault.

"Sorry" I mumble, even though I have no idea what I'm saying sorry for.

"You apologize a lot." I look up at katniss and see that she has a playful smile. I smile back and return my attention back to my hands.

"Sorry" I internally yell at myself while katniss laughs. "It's a habit I guess."

"It's a bad one, your too much of a push over."I shrug a bit with a small smile, I love this playful side of katniss. "Well, I don't want to sit here all day."

"It's better than being in school." I say, then it hits me. School, my wrestling tournaments! "Shit" I stand quickly and grimace at pain coming from my side.

"Whoa" katniss stands and holds my arm. "Whats wrong?"

"I just remembered, my tournaments." Her mouth makes an 'o' and she nods. I watch her get a piece of school paper and rip it in half, she pulls out a pencil and walks out the room telling me to sit and she'll be right back. When she comes back she places her pencil back in he bag and gives me one of the half sheets. I read it over, it's a note from mrs. Everdeen stating that I was in critical condition and needs to be excuse from wrestling. "My mom is going to kill me." I say to myself, katniss comes to my aid and squats down in front of me.

"No she's not, she did this to you. You can't get in trouble for her doing this to you." She stands and collects her bag. "Were going to the school and giving our teachers this then were excused for the day."

"How?" I ask, I've never heard of such a thing. Being excuse from school is not heard of here in 12.

"My mom can do that, she usually does it with young seam kids but she's giving us a break I guess. We should get going, before first period ends." I collect my bag and start to make my way to the door but then I remember something and stop.

"So were only excused from first?" I turn to look at katniss.

"You ask a lot of questions. Trust me, just let it play out. It will be fine." I nod,

"Alright, let's go then. Oh, and if this works-"

"When it works" katniss interrupts with a smirk. I smile and roll my eyes,

"Okay when it works lets go to the justice building to get the papers." Katniss nods and shoves her paper in her pocket.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I can go hunting and you can go back to working with your brother, find someone els?" I shake my head, I look deep into her beautiful eyes.

"This is for me katniss, your just a bonus" I tell her and give her a sweet smile that makes her blush. I'm leaning into kiss her when we hear a cough from behind us, I whip around and see Seth. We both let out a sigh of relief before we deal with him.

"Oh, wait until Regina hears about this." He says with a hearty laugh.

"Who cares what Regina thinks, she's not my girl and were not set." Seth chuckles and gestures to katniss.

"And you two are? That won't last." I shake my head angrily at him.

"No were not together" not yet, I think to myself. "And we could be a couple if we wanted to, just butt out Seth." He laughs again.

"The school is going to love this, we needed some fresh gossip anyways." He starts to walk away but I call out,

"I'll tell Sarah you were with Marilyn at the bon fire last week." He comes back in an angry shock. "And you were trying to get with katniss."

"No please don't, I won't tell anyone about your little love fest here." He begs. "I love Sarah, I need her."

"Were still going to tell Seth, your not treating girls how their suppose to be treated." I glance over my shoulder and look at katniss, she has her arms crossed and is glaring at Seth. "Now, if you would you excuse us, we have places to go and people to see." He steps aside and I allow katniss to go before me, after she passes I walk after her and we leave Seth standing there worried out of his mind.

xxxXxxx

I follow katniss into our school, we come to our class door and stop. "All you have to do is give the teacher the note, he is going to give you a yellow signed piece of paper."

"You've done this before?" She nods.

"You can't get a fine doing this, it's requested for the best. The schools allows it, I do it every time we go to the mines as a field trip...then I go to the woods so I can be with my father." I give her a nob but I'm still feeling quite queasy about this, my mother is definitely going to find out and it will result in another beating. "Come on then" I hear katniss say before she pushes open the door. The class and the teachers head snaps toward us when we walk in.

"Why are you late?" He demands. Katniss pulls her note from her pocket and I do the same, our teacher collects them and reads both over. "Peeta, you went to a seam healer? Why didn't you go to the towns healer?" He ask.

"It was way to far from where I was and katniss found me and took her to her mother." I lie, because it doesn't say how I got injured.

"You were in the seam?" He ask. I glance at katniss and nod.

"Yes, I was making a early morning bakery run to an old women in the seam and... These seams kids took it and injured me badly. Please don't tell my mother, she will be highly upset that I didn't deliver." He sighs and pulls out two small yellow pieces of paper, he hands one to each of after he signs it.

"Get out of here" he says plainly, katniss and I turn on our heals quickly. As soon as the door closes I turn to her excitedly.

"That's it!?" I ask, my voice cracks and katniss snorts. "You snorted" I say with a smile.

"Shut up" she playfully punches my arm. "Your voice cracked."

"Let's just go?" I ask, she nods quickly and we walk out of our school as quickly as possible. Once we get out side katniss turns to me.

"We have to go to Prim's class first, I need to let her know that she needs to walk home with Rory." I smile.

"I don't think she'll have a problem with that." Katniss laughs lightly.

"Me either, come on her class is this way." She pulls me gently by my wrist as she leads the way, soon were in the middle school section. I look around the halls, remembering all the good memories but mostly the ones about katniss. Before her dad died I used to see her walk these halls with no problem, walking, skipping, singing, ignoring the idiots and me... The idiot who was and still is crazy in love with her.

We come to Prim's class, I look at the classroom number and groan. "Please tell me this isn't the teacher who I think it is." I ask katniss, praying to god she got a classroom change.

"Peeta Mellark, welcome back to mrs. Sibbys 6th grade history class." I give her a look and she laughs, "don't be a baby, come on. She loved you."

"I think it was you she loved, I was the 'annoying little man trying to be a hunk for the ladies'" i say with a smile, remembering when sibby said that to me. It wasn't my fault the girls were talking to me, I just wish katniss was one of them.

"I remember that" katniss says with a small laugh. "So you can relive the memory, come on" she opens the door and pulls me into the class room, everyone look at us and sibby squeals when she sees us.

"My oh my!" She walks over and gives katniss a hug, I watch katniss stiffen. I try to hold in my laugh. Sibby turns to me and smiles. "Looks like the little man grew into a actual man." I hold out my hand.

"Nice to see you again mrs. Sibby." She shakes it willing, the big smile never leaving her face.

"What brings you here?" She ask, witch is soon answered by prim running up and throwing her arms around katniss. I watch Sibbys eyes soften, "she's just like you katniss..." Katniss looks up, there's pain in her eyes as she registers the true meaning of our old history teachers words.

"How about we let them talk?" I say to sibby, she nods and leads me to the front of the class where her desk is.

"Class, this is Peeta Mellark. You may have seen him around before, his family owns the bakery. Raise your hand if you've seen him before." Everyone's hand shoots up, I look around and smile awkwardly. I turn to sibby.

"I'll just sit over there in the back while you teach." She nods and I quickly make my way over, I sit down in the empty desk and smile. This was my old desk that I would get moved to almost everyday because I was a distraction, but the real reason is because katniss sat an arms lengths away from this very seat. The boy in katniss's old seat turns around, it's Rory.

"Hey Peeta."

"Hey Rory." I whisper, copying Rory's voice.

"Are you and katniss together yet?" He ask with a smirk. I laugh and little, I'm about to respond but Sibbys voice roars through the class.

"Peeta Mellark! Rory Hawthorne! This class is not for talking, it's for the history of Panem! Turn in your seats." Rory turns with the roll of his eyes and I stay how I was. "Peeta Mellark, I warned you once don't make me give you a detention." My eyebrows shoot up and everyone's eyes land on me, I look over at katniss. She's shaking her head a bit at me.

"Mrs. Sibby I'm not in your class anymore" I say, slightly confused on whats going on.

"Damn right your not. Come here" I walk over to her, she hands me a folded piece of white paper. "Get out of my class now, wait in the hall." I put my head down as I walk out, I can hear Rory laughing along with his friends. When I get in the hallway I look at the paper, I have detention on Friday.

Katniss comes out and laughs. "Is that a detention slip?" She ask.

"Yes" I respond shamefully with a hint of playfulness.

"Yup" katniss pats my shoulder. "Just like 6th grade." I pocket the paper.

"Let's just go, I have a lot of paper work to fill out." Katniss nods and we start to make our way out of the school.

xxxXxxx

We just arrive at the justice building, katniss and I walk to the back where a small office is located. A small women sits at a desk, writing down in a notepad and talking on a phone. I've never seen a phone besides in our history classes. When the lady hangs up she jots something down and looks up with a forced smile, "what can I do for you?"

"I need the forms for a early business partnership." I say while stepping forward.

"Okay" she spins around in her chair and pulls out a large packet of papers, she sticks it in an envelope and hands it to me. "Follow the directions and have it in no later than 6 today. Have a nice day." She dials a number on the phone and gestures with her hands for us to leave, katniss and I walk out.

"This is a huge packet." I say while feeling it, katniss looks at me.

"We can go back to my house, you fill it out there and as soon as your done you can go home and get it settled with your parents."

"Okay sounds good." I start to walk with her trailing close behind. She's done a lot for me today, she let her wall down and ran all over with me, just for me. I stop and turn to her, she bumps into my chest and I wrap one of my arms around her waist. I gently kiss her lips, when I pull away I look into her eyes. "thank you katniss, for all you've don't today." She blushes.

"Your welcome Peeta." I let her go, she looks a little disappointed but she hides it well. We start walking again.

"You know, I still owe you that one perfect date to get you to fall for me." I tell her with a smile.

"How could I forget?" I shrug and nudge her with my arm. I'm about to respond when I hear crying, I look around and see a toddler crying in the street. I start to run over to the little girl, but I'm still in ear shot when I hear katniss say quietly to herself. "I think I already have."


	6. Chapter 6

**chapter 6**

**school is interfering with my updates big time! I'm sorry, feel free you cap lock yell at me in the reviews. Anyways, this is just a filler chapter! The real stuff happens in the next chapter. **

"Whats wrong sweetie?" I ask the little girl while kneeling down, forcing what I thought I heard katniss say out of my mind.

"I hurt my knee and lost my mom." I nod in understanding and pull her to her feet, her knee is...not where it's suppose to be. I fight my gag reflex on how gross it looks and call over katniss.

"Kat! Come looks at this." Katniss comes jogging over,

"Oh dear lord!" She shrieks when she's sees the little girls knee. "What did you do?" She ask while sitting her back down.

"I was running, trying to find my mom and I fell." She explains with tears gushing down her cheeks.

"She probably twisted sideways when she fell and... That happened." I tell katniss, stupidly I might add.

"Yeah, we can take her to my mom." Katniss takes what I have in my hands. "Carry her."

"What about my mom?" The little girl demands.

"Do you want to fix your knee or find your mom?" Katniss ask annoyed yet has a sweet ring to her voice.

"I..." She starts crying all over again. Katniss throws her hands up in frustration, not knowing what to do.

"How about we take you to a nice lady to fix you up and on the way there we look for your mom." The little girl stops crying and looks up at me with her big watery eyes.

"O-okay." She stutters. I smile and gently lift her into my arms, I stand and start to walk. "My mommy looks like me." I look down at the little girl and frown, everyone in the seam looks the same. How are we suppose to find her?

"SAMANTHA!" We hear through the streets, the little girl perks up in my arms.

"Mommy?" She questions while looking around, then I see her. A women who so much resembles this little girl, long black hair not brown. A small mole under her eye, huge brown eyes, a short thick build yet at the same time so... Womanly, girly, beautiful. "There she is!"

"Samantha!" The women comes running towards us, I smile and meet her a little of the way. "There you are, I've been looking everywhere my dear." The women gasp when she sees her leg. "Oh dear lord, what did you do?!"

"She fell." Katniss says from beside me, I completely forgot she was here. "It look like it's dislocated from the angle it's at."

"Are you a healer?" The women ask hopefully.

"No, my mom is. Come on." Katniss turns on her heel and starts to walk to her house, the women and I follow after.

xxxXxxx

Samantha and the women, who's name is Jody, just left the Everdeen residence. I've been filling out these papers and conversing with Jody all the while she was here, katniss has been very quite.

I sign the last thing I need to sign and drop my pen in pure happiness. "Done!" I chant. I look over at katniss, she's staring up at the celling from where she lays on the floor. "Want to go to my place with me, for my parents to sign this."

"Not really." I frown and scoot closer to her.

"Why not? We've spent the day together so far, and it's been pretty great."

"You should ask Jody." I tilt my head a little, confused on whats what suppose to mean. "Don't give me that look."

"But I don't know what you mean by that." Katniss sits up quickly.

"You were all over Jody and her kid. As soon as you found out she just aged out of the reaping you were tripping over yourself to talk to her." I shake my head a little,

"Katniss I was not. Why are you freaking out on me like this?" She snaps her head to mine, pure anger in her eyes.

"I think you should go Peeta." She says calmly beside all the anger she has built up inside.

"Alright." I place all my papers in the envelope and stand. "I'll see you tomorrow." I walk out of her room, highly confused on what just happened and maybe even a little hurt.

xxxXxxx

I walk into the bakery, I waited until the school bell rang to start walking here. "Good, your early." My mother says as I walk through the door.

"Yeah, I need to talk to you and dad."

"About what?" She demands while cleaning up her station.

"Can I talk to you and dad at the same time?" I ask.

"Aren't you suppose to be wrestling?" She ask, completely ignoring my question. "Because if your ditching I swear-"

"Mom!" She looks up at me, startled. "I'm not ditching, I was excused because of what you did." Her eyes widen and fill with anger, she opens her mouth to tell me off but I speak before her. "Don't worry, I know the drill. Burned in my head since grade school." She relaxes a bit.

"What was it that you needed to talk about?" I switch the sign to 'be back later' "what do you think your doing boy!" She yells while coming at me with a rolling pin.

"Mother! I need to speak with you and dad. At. The. Same. Time." She comes up to me with a raised hand, but I don't back down. I step forward and tower over her, I stare her down until she finally backs off. "Very well then." I step around her and go to the back, she follows after me.

"Son, aren't you suppose to be wrestling." My father ask when I enter the kitchen. I shake my head and sit at the island.

"No, I was excused because of my condition." My father looks at me then nods, as if he knows what happened. "I need to talk to you both though." I say while pulling out papers and a pen. When I have everything settled out on the table I look up at both of my parents, "I want early partnership." I say.

"W-what?" My father ask and my mother just laughs.

"Nice try." Is all she says.

"No no no, I'm serious. I practically run this bakery anyways, I do everything and pick up all of the needed shifts. I wake up earlier than everyone, I'm here before my shift, I do the books and handle the money. It's like I own it all anyways." My mother and father share a glance then to my surprise, my mother picks up the pen first.

"Did you fire the seam brat?" My mother ask quite rudely. I nod. "Alright." She quickly signs the paper and slides it to my father. "The boy is right...for once." She mutters the last part.

My father sighs and signs the paper. "I know you'll do good son. Just make sure you keep rye here until he's aged out."

"Sure thing." I quickly collect the papers and shove it in the envelope. "I'm going to turn these in right away." My mother rolls her eyes and walks out to the front.

I watch my dad run his hands across the counter as he goes back to his station. He sighs loudly. "Dad, it's not like I'm taking it away from you. You'll still live upstairs, I can't stop you from coming down here to bake."

"I know son, you should get those papers in now though." I shake my head.

"No, not now. I'm not leaving you like this, there's something wrong." My father turns to me, he has a angry look in his eyes.

"I'm telling you to go, so go." I nod once and collect the packet. "Be back before curfew. I'll pick up your shift."

"Alright dad." I say quietly as I walk through the back door.

xxxXxxx

In my hand, I'm holding the paper with the stamp of approval. In my hand, I'm holding the paper that allows katniss to have her job back. The paper that gives me the freedom to run the bakery. The paper that will make things better from here on out.

I stuff the paper in my pocket and start to jog towards the seam, I stop dead in my tracks when I realize katniss was upset with me. And I don't even know what for! I sigh and slowly start to walk that way, this pace feels much better anyways. I'm still very sore.

When I arrive at the Everdeens residence I knock firmly on the door, prim answers happily. "Peeta!" She squeals, unable to contain her excitement. "Katniss has been moody all day...well from what my mother tells me is that she just been like this since you left."

"Yeah, about that, may I speak to her." Prim nods quickly and allows my entrance. "Thanks prim."

"You're welcome Peeta." I walk down the short hall to the only bedroom in this small house. The door is closed so I knock twice, katniss swings the door open.

"May I come in?" I ask.

"I don't know, may you?" I give her a weird look.

"Kat, that doesn't make sense." She snorts with a shrug then moves out the way. I walk in and sit on her bed, she sits on the floor and goes back to what ever she was doing with her arrows.

"Why are you here?" She ask quietly, focusing on her arrows still.

"I'm here to offer you your job back. The was kinda the plan, remember." I remind her.

"Yeah I remember, but I'm not taking the job." She stands and wipes off her pants.

"Why the hell not?" I demand.

"I just- and you..." She trails off with a stutter.

"You what? I what? What did I make do to make you hate me." She crosses her arms.

"Everything! Everything you do either makes me smile with... I don't even know or frown with annoyance. I don't get it, you are giving me all these- these...feelings that I've never felt before and I hate it! I'm confused all the time thanks to you" She finishes her rant with a huff. I blink a few times and take in what she said, it sounded like she was trying to tell me that she has feelings for me.

I decide to not address that now. "So you don't want the job?" I ask stupidly. She bows her head with a laugh.

"That's what you got from my outburst?" I tilt my head back and forth.

"I picked up some other stuff, but we don't need to talk about it now." She gives me a great full small smile, I give her a wink which causes her to look away with a blush. "So is that a yes on the job? I'm really going to need a helping hand."

"I- I don't know Peeta. Gale-"

"Gale?" I frown and stand so she's in front of me, I turn her face gently so she's looking up at me. "Tell me this. If gale is really your best friend, and you really liked this job and it really truly helped you then what is he doing? Why is he telling you none sense? And why, why are you listening." She moves back and looks away.

"He's trying to help me out Peeta. We've known each other forever and he knows I miss the woods. Plus, I do good with my game."

"In the spring and summer sure. But what about the winter? What about the fall? No money coming in, no plants to pick."

"Well I'm sorry I'm not a townie!" She shouts a me.

"Being a townie has nothing to do with this! He is depriving you form a stable job! A job that can feed your family, patch your clothes, buy the thigs you need. And you are throwing it away." She looks at me angrily.

"You only want me to have the job because you love me!" She shouts back. I throw my hands in the air and let them slap down on my thighs.

"Katniss, are you serious right now?" She doesn't respond. I collect my paper from the bed and walk out of her bedroom. Prim and her mother are in the small hallway.

"Peeta-" I shake my head and pat Prim's head, I give katniss's mother a nod of my head and I show myself out of their small house.

xxxXxxx

SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY

I walk into my first class and take my assigned seat by Delly, she smiles at me excitedly. "Peeta guess what?" I pull out a pencil and a piece a paper before I respond. I'm not in the mood for her none sense, I'm still upset over katniss and I plan on confronting gale.

"I'm not in a guessy mood. How about you tell me." I turn to her and give her smile, she blushes. Delly has liked me since we were children, I've always known but I just don't like her that way.

"Oh okay." She composes herself and smiles wide again. "A school dance is coming up! The first one in 13 years!" I rub my ear at her screeching.

"Well that great. What kind of dance is it?" She claps and pulls herself closer to me.

"A formal dance!" I'm really not to happy about it being a formal dance, id much rather it be like our district dances or our bon fires in the winter. "Is that wonderful Peeta?" I nod a little and turn back in my seat.

"I guess Del." she grabs my knees and jerks them towards her so were face to face again.

"What is with you?" She ask angrily. "It's a formal dance, you can ask any girl you'd like and there's no doubt that they wouldn't go with you. All of the girls here at school swoon over you."

"I'm not going to ask you Delly. I don't even know if I want to go" Delly's expression turns sad, she lets me go and turns in her seat. "I'm sorry del, I just-"

"If it's not katniss, it's nobody." She says softly. And before I can respond, our teacher starts the lesson.


End file.

Hunger Games, Humor, Romance