Dear readers, I've been known to never finishing a story hahaha except well maybe like one of three but yeah, why? Well because I start doing other things and well, it gets forgotten. So I promise now that this story will definitely get finished, I swear my eternal soul on it OK, but y'all gotta help me by submitting reviews, cuz I actually wanna know if people are reading my story, if not then what's the point of making em...sooo YAY! Hahaha. Anyway onward to the story of Peeta Mellark and Cato...Henderson...yeah...I'm no good with last names, ahem. Enough chit chat. Read :)
It was that time of the month again. The time where Peeta, along with his father, would go to District 2 for an entire week to sell their rolls of bread to the more 'privileged' families. Peeta hated going to District 2, everyone stared at him as if he were some kind of infectious disease, yet he knew it made his father feel safe whenever he went along with him. Plus, it would also get him away from his intolerable bitch of a mother. 'Every month,1 week, not so bad' Peeta thought 'Could be much worse'.
Peeta packed his sorry excuse of clothing into a potato sack that he modified into a backpack, and went towards the kitchen to find his father wrapping the last loaves of sweet bread and put them in his plastic containers. He glanced at Peeta and smiled sadly "Things are gonna change one day for you son, you'll see" Peeta looked down glumly and gave a quick nod.
They walked to the District's train station that was lightly guarded by the Capitol's peacekeepers. If it weren't for District 2 paying their ride, Peeta and his father would never be able to afford it. Unless of course they decide not to eat for an entire month...which obviously would assure death to anyone.
They sat down, and the train started moving. A sudden voice came on the intercom "We hope you have a pleasant ride to District 2, and don't forget, the 74th annual Hunger games will be in just 3 short months, may the odds be ever in your favor" end of transmission. Peeta clenched his fists with rage. He hated the Capitol, he hated every damn so called 'privileged' person out there. 'they sit there living in their own luxurious world pretending not to see the pain, hunger, and sadness of the rest of the world'
"Whoa there, don't want to make your knuckle bones break out of your skin" his dad said, snapping Peeta out of his short tempered rage. Peeta chuckled "Sorry dad, I'm just nervous about the reaping"
Peeta's dad frowned "Don't worry about it son, they can't pick you" Peeta pursed his lips, he always said that, when in fact they can pick him. His dad just couldn't think about it. Yet Peeta has thought about it over and over. Imagining other tributes just like him fighting to the death in some hazardous arena for the Capitol's entertainment. How would he die? A knife in his gut? Some kind of disastrous infection? Or maybe someone with a kind heart would just snap his neck and make it end quickly. One thing was certain, if he were reaped, he would never be victor.
"Now arriving in District 2, enjoy your stay" the annoying voice on the intercom said. They got out of the train and were now on District 2 concrete floor. "Put your pin on" his dad ordered.
That was the rule, when visiting an outside District, you were supposed to put on your own Districts symbol, his being the Coal in the mines with a number 12 on it. That was how people recognized him. He didn't mind though, to him it felt like he was showing them that there were other places that were suffering while they sit there and frolic in the fields or whatnot.
Once Peeta and his father put the pin on, that was when everyone began to stare and look away as if they were not noticed. Peeta just kept looking forward with a stern face. The shack where they stayed at was not bad, but not good either, Peeta was still grateful though, at least he had a place to stay.
He laid his 'backpack' down on a small table while helping his father unwrap the loaves of bread. As usual, a paper was on the wall listing all the families that requested their bread. A total of 5 families. Not bad. Usually it's 3. Peeta looked off into nothingness just thinking of what his purpose in life was, was he destined to be a baker for the rest of his life and do this and only this?
Peetas father chuckled breaking Peeta out of his trance, "Quite the thinker today huh? Why don't you stroll around the city, it'll take your mind off things, I'll go deliver the bread" Peeta was concerned.
"No dad, I don't like leaving you alone with these kind of people, they're cruel and you know that." "Oh your old mans got some fire left in him, I'll be fine, you go, have fun, and who knows maybe you might make some friends along the way." Peeta raised a sarcastic eyebrow that yelled out 'you're not serious are you?' but then sighed in defeat. "Alright...but just be careful, and don't let them talk to you like dirt! You are a person, and make sure they know it!"
His father put a fist in the air "Yes sir!" Peeta giggled and hugged his dad, "I love you Dad"
"I love you too son, now hurry along, bread don't have legs to deliver themselves you know." Peeta grinned and walked out of the shack.
District 2 was not that rich but it did make District 12 look like a lump of dirty coal, while this city stood as a shiny diamond. Peeta walked along the unknown streets, of all the times he had been here with his father, he never really explored the town.
Out of nowhere he heard grunts, screams, and roars. He ran towards the sound thinking someone must be in trouble, only to find a large field with lots of kids his own age, practicing with many, if not all, kinds of weapons. Knives, swords, spears, hell even butter knives. They were all focused and exerting a powerful aura. One teen caught his eye though. He was huge, but not in the fat kind of way, but pure muscle. He had shiny blue eyes, and soft blond hair. He wore some kind of track suit with a huge number 2 on its back. He was wielding a sword and slicing a dummy with grace and power. Peeta was entrance by this boy.
"Are you gonna move or shall I make you move?" Peeta turned to see a girl with a fierce face and dark black hair, she wore the same track suit, but wielded three small knives in her right hand. "What are you talking about? It's a free District, you don't own the field" Peeta replied with a hint of regret.
The mysterious girl squinted her eyes in a glare. "Well that may be, but your blocking my target" She pointed behind Peeta and sure enough, there was a big target with lots of chipped marks on it...all in the center. Peeta widened his eyes in embarrassment "Oh" he said feeling real stupid. The girl smiled "yeah...now scurry along, unless you want one of these in your throat" he backed off to the side, still feeling that damn embarrassment...with guilt? "Mind if I watch?" Peeta said.
He wasn't really interested in watching the girl but it was his way of saying he was sorry. Peeta hated feeling guilty for everything! The girl smirked "So you wanna watch the great Clove throw some knives do ya? Fine, but just don't bother me...unless of course its a compliment" So her name was Clove huh? Peeta thought. Peeta sat down on the dry grass behind Clove and watched as she threw her knives with incredible accuracy and force. Each one hit the center, and she made it look so easy. "Wow" Peeta blurted out and made Clove chuckle. "Always a pleasure to know I have a fan"
After roughly an hour of never missing, she called it a day. "Alright guy, show's over I'm going home" Peeta stood up and wiped the grass off his raggedy jeans. "You're really good, I wish I knew how to do that" Peeta said in admiration. Clove looked at him sternly "Well, I can show you a few moves if you come tomorrow...but I'm not telling you all of my secrets! Be happy that I'm actually even offering this!" she had that fire in her eyes that looked like it would never go out.
Peeta laughed nervously. "Yeah, that would be...cool...my name's Peeta" he said putting his hand forward for a shake. "Be here by noon tomorrow...or not, I really don't care" Clove turned and left.
God I hate District 2 attitude! The field was empty, and Peeta decided to sit by a tree and relax a little. He closed his eyes taking in his temporary freedom, and opened his eyes again. He heard an angry grunt that surprised him. Hadn't everyone left? It came from behind his tree, and he slowly crawled to the other side. Sure enough it was that same boy slashing away with his sword against wooden dummies. He had sweat all over his body and was panting heavily...as if he was trying to prove something.
He stopped, for a moment and locked eyes with Peeta. The fierceness in his eyes would not go away. Peeta bit his lip in curiosity as the boy continued to watch him in stillness. "Cato!" another boy shouted, "Stop training like an animal and get over here! It's chow time!" The boy, who apparently was named Cato, looked at Peeta for a few more moments then headed off dropping his sword on the ground as if he had a million others.
Peeta wondered why he even looked in his direction, most, if not all, people in this place avoided him and never even looked at him Yet this boy, this beautiful boy looked at him...beautiful? Sure, Peeta knew he did not like girls, from a very early age he knew, but he swore to himself that he would never even consider liking someone from this hateful District; and he didn't! It was just a measly contact of the eyes, that's all, hell, he wouldn't have even known his name if not for that one guy.
Peeta stood up from his crawling stance and walked back to the shack, seeing as it was getting dark. He found his father laying in bed with a red hand mark on his left cheek. 'Those Fucking bastards!' he yelled in his head, letting the anger stir and brew inside him. If he could switch places with them, then he could show them how he felt, and what it's like to be treated like some dog!
He laid in bed next to his sleeping father. "One day dad, things really are gonna be different" Peeta whispered letting the drowsy sands take him to deep sleep.
When he awoke his father was gone and a note was in place instead.
Went to Deliver more bread, go out and have fun again- Dad
Peeta crumpled up the note, his dad was avoiding him. He washed his face with a bucket of water and went off to the streets of District 2. It was very lonely today, only a handful of people were wandering around. All of a sudden a hand gripped his shoulder firmly. "and where the hell were you!?" he recognized Clove's voice and turned around. "You see this?" Clove held her wrist up in Peeta's face that he now realized had a watch on it. "It is 3 o' clock! You are 3 hours late! Not that I care or anything but I do not get stood up!" Peeta smiled at her which made Clove go all pouty. "Don't smirk at me! I could kill you instantly...now I will forgive you this time but...not again in the near future OK!?" I gave a nod and Clove started leading the way back to the field.
All the people were there again, even Cato, who looked like he was glued to his sword again, he glance at Peeta for a mere second but then looked away. Peeta stared at Cato until Clove intervened "Yo, schoolboy, I'm over here." Peeta looked at Clove and grinned slyly. "Good, now that I have your unwanted attention, I'm gonna show you this once and ONLY once." Peeta nodded in understanding.
"You grip the blade of the knife with your index and your thumb, make sure your thumb is aligned with the blade, then you swing your arm back, and when you throw, lean in to it, and there" Clove took a knife and did exactly what she said. The knife stuck in the center almost instantly. "Now you go"
Peeta took a knife from Clove and copied exactly what he saw Cove do. The knife flew onto the target but not in the middle. It landed far to the right, but it stuck. "Not bad Peter, not bad at all, I'm such a great teacher" she said smiling to herself.
Cocky hoe Peeta thought with a smirk on his face. "It's Peeta by the way, and thanks"
"Yeah yeah whatever, anyway, theirs a festival in District 2 tonight, wanna come?" Clove asked with one eyebrow raised. "I mean I don't care if you come and all, I was just inviting cuz I'm so damn nice and charitable" The word charitable burned his mind and made him angry.
"No thank you, I have to go take care of my father, you know us poor people, always having to worry about family." Peeta said with hints of anger. Clove had a confused look on her face not realizing what she had said. Peeta glared at her, and quickly walked away, but not before taking a last look on Cato, who was now staring at him with those blue eyes that held such fire in them. Even then Peeta glared at him, and walked away.
He decided not to go back to the shack just yet, seeing it was still early. He wandered through the streets some more until it actually did get dark. He went back to the field, knowing Clove would not be there anymore. He sat under that tree he grew a fond of. How could he be so stupid? He had actually forgotten people here were cruel and cold, he should have known she was just being charitable to the poor pathetic baker boy from District 12.
He was so angry, he did not even notice when sleep took a hold of him.
"Get up" a foot lightly kicked him on his side. His vision was blurry from sleep but it started to get clearer and clearer until he saw Clove's face of stone in front of him. "What do you want?" Peeta asked coldly. "Come to make a charitable donation to the lower class?"
Clove scowled "OK look, sorry if I offended you or whatever... I was being dumb...and whatever." Clove looked away into the distance. Peeta could tell it was hard for her to apologize, so he hid a smile. "apology accepted" he said softly. Clove looked at him with a cocky smirk "Idiot" she said offering a hand to help Peeta up, which he took.
"I'm guessing you slept the whole night here?" Peeta took a few seconds to register what she had said and freaked out. "Oh man! My Dad's probably worried like hell!" Peeta looked at Clove for some kind of approval and got a sigh out of her. "Go ahead jeez, I'm not your master or anything!" Peeta smiled, maybe not everyone was so bad in this district.
He ran off to the shack only to find it empty yet again, without his father in sight. Instead there was another note in place.
Peeta, Thought you might have spent the night with some new friend or whatnot, if you're reading this, I've gone off to deliver more bread, the sweet breads a big hit! Hopefully then our lives can change with a bit of luck. Anyway, be back soon.- Dad
He was still avoiding me, sooner or later he'll have to come back to face him. Peeta's back ached from where he slept in the field. He laid down on the bed and took a nap.
He was suddenly in the Hunger Games, and almost all the people he had seen on the field were there fighting to the death. Even Clove was throwing knives at some random girl. Then he saw Cato coming after him with that fierce expression and a large steel sword in his hand. Peeta looked at him in terror as he stopped right in front of him. He lift his sword and struck down with no hesitation.
Peeta instantly awoke and it was morning again. He was really sleeping a lot. Thankfully his father was not gone, and was next to him snoozing away his exhaustion.
Peeta shook him and his fathers eyes opened. "Morning Dad" Peeta said with a seriousness to his voice. "Morning kiddo, haven't seen you in a while"
"Dad, I'm going to get right to the point, who hit you?"
Peetas dad's face darkened. "Don't worry about it son, it was just a scratch"
"Just a scratch!? Dad, I told you to not let them treat you like dirt! You have to stand up for yourself! Fight back!" Peeta realized he was yelling and sighed heavily.
"I just don't want them to push you around" Peeta muttered. His father looked at him sadly "I know son but...what choice do I have...they're our top clients, if we lose them...well...that's the end for us."
Peeta grit his teeth. He was right; As much as he hated to admit it, he needed these people in a way to help him and his family survive. "I'm going to go deliver more bread today"
"I'm coming with you, and I will not take no for an answer"
Peetas dad looked as if he were about to say something but just nodded in defeat. With that, they packed up and went to the houses of the day...or house to be more exact. Their was only one family that wanted bread today...The Hendersons?
And that ends chapter 1, I gotta be honest, it is so not good, at least for me because their isn't much Cato and Peeta moments, but hey, have you forgotten that Henderson is Cato's last name? Hahaha so that'll be fun for the next chapter. Also I'm involving Clove a lot in this for a reason, that will be known I the future lol anyway thanks for reading, leave a review please and I'll see you on the next update.