Disclaimer: I own nothing! Never have, NEVER WILL!

AN: This and a slightly AU fic, so the characters will be slightly different but I will try my best to make them as close to the book as possible. Now, Happy reading.

I have been in love with her for the past eleven years. Eleven years since my father had unknowingly pointed out the love of my life at the tender age of five. I think back to the memory fondly it is one of my favorite memories of her because she was so full of life and love.

I walked down the street my small hand locked into my father's larger one; I couldn't keep the smile off of my face as we reached the end of the road and the grass of the school yard. My two older brothers had already disappeared into the crowd. I almost felt overwhelmed by all the other children and their families.

"You see that little girl over there?" I hear my father's voice break through my thoughts. I follow his outstretched arm and see a girl wearing a very pretty red plaid dress her long brown hair placed in two simple braids down her back and an attached red ribbon placed in both of her plaits. She is kissing goodbye to her parents and I watch as her mother lowers the baby in her arms thats wrapped in a soft brown blanket so the girl can kiss her baby sister or brother.

I look back to my father and nod my head, "I was very much in love with her mommy as a young man and I had intentions to marry her before she decided to marry him." He tells me his voice softens as if he is telling me fond story of his youth but I also hear the slight sadness in his voice as well. In my mind I couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't want my daddy, he was handsome, kind, a great baker, and made sure that we were always happy.

"Why would she do that?" I questioned. He looked down at me and squeezed my hand a little, "because when her daddy sings even the birds stop to listen." He then smiled widely, "Off to class, I'll see you later today!" and with that my dad turned to leave and I glanced back across the grass to where the girl with red ribbons was and seen that she was already walking into the school.

I quickly ran in as well to see where I would be placed, and to my pleasure she and I were placed in the same classes. Her name was Katniss Everdeen, and after listening to her sing in music class I knew that I would marry her someday.

The light knocking on the bakery's back door brings me out of my thoughts; maybe my aspiration in music class that day could have come true if life didn't love throwing curve balls. Times were hard all around in District 12 never mind losing one of your parents which unfortunately Katniss had. Five years ago there was a mine explosion and a lot of good people passed away, in a matter of minutes families were shattered beyond the point of repair mothers were expected to not only play mother but father as well. Luckily the Capitol supplies the families with enough money to last a couple of months in which time the women are expected to find their own means of income. That lone curve ball, led me to my first conversation ever with Katniss Everdeen.

It was a rainy spring morning the enitre week had actually been continuous rainstorms; it was as if the rain were trying to wash away the sadness of the mine explosion almost a year ago washing away all the coal in the area, trying to tell the residents of District 12 to move on with their lives. The time for mourning was over.

I heard my mother yell for someone to get out of our trash or she would call the Peacekeeper on them. I lifted my head to look out the window to see Katniss run away, my breath caught in my throat trying to process the event when I dropped the bread into the fire just long enough to burn it to the point of being unsellable. I then heard my mother turn her voice to me. "Peeta?! What the hell is wrong with you?" I watched her grab the bread from the fire quickly then growl realizing it wouldn't be sellable. "Throw it to the pigs you fool and don't ever make this mistake again." I then felt her smack the back of my head with her hand and she glared at me on her way out of the room. I quickly gathered up the three loafs of bread and ran to the back door glancing out into the rain where I had hoped she would still be.

Finally I seen her under the apple tree, curled up in a small ball watching the rain. I quickly ran out into the rain and met her under the tree. "Here, take these and go home before she actually calls them on you." I say shoving the bread into her arms. Her tired grey eyes slowly look up to reach mine and I finally realize exactly how bad off she truly was. Her entire face was sunken in with signs of starvation. I think back trying to remember the last time I had seen her mother come through the town to buy the necessities every family needed to survive.

I honestly couldn't remember. I felt anger towards this woman who left my Katniss to fend for her family by herself. "Peeta-" I hear her start to say when the loud screeching of my mother calling for me comes from the house. I instantly run back without looking back until I'm safely inside.

My father opens the door revealing Katniss and her hunting partner Gale. I frown; this was the downside to that curveball, having to be the sole provider in a family of three caused you to do whatever necessary to get food on the table. This led to her meeting up with Gale Hawthorne, a pang of jealousy hit me as it always did when I see the two of them together.

"Perfect shot as always," I hear my father say. I glance back over my shoulder from sweeping the bakery floor and my blue eyes meet Katniss's grey ones. "Thank you, Mr. Mellark." Gale answers for her.

Neither one of us have spoken since that rainy spring day. I hear her soft velvety voice that is always the same tone, never a pitch higher or lower, come through the room and my eyes move down to her perfectly curved pink lips, "This is much too much in trade for these squirrels."

I roll my eyes slightly, if there is one downside that I could think about of Katniss Everdeen it is that she does not accept pity or help. If you attempt to give it, she will call you out on it and flatly refuse it. Which brings me back to that day under the apple tree, maybe she was too hungry to refuse the bread.

I hear the door shut and my father praising the meat. I suppose I'll never find out because I haven't the courage to talk to her and she tends to keep to her sister, Gale, and Madge. Madge and I were pretty good friends but not close enough to where I could easily ask questions about Katniss without Madge getting suspicious. Huffing at my cowardice I slam the broom back into its place and walk out of the room up to my bedroom leaving my confused father back in the bakery.

I sit in history class one row behind and two seats to her left; I have the perfect view of her. She has her brown hair in a single braid down her back with a simple brown tie holding it together. She is wearing a light blue cotton dress I've seen her wear times and times before and her brown boots set aside just for school. I love seeing her in school, it is required for girls to wear either dresses or skirts and it's a nice change from her usual pants.

Her ankles are crossed and all of her upper body weight is on her right arm as she holds her hand to her cheek following along in the history book, I follow her hand to the curve of her cheek and up to her nose and down to her lips. The lips I dream about kissing and making mine, a vile thought crossed my mind and I can't help but wonder if Gale has had the privilege of kissing her.

I glare at the thought of it, only to raise my eyes to meet hers which only allow a slight glance of confusion before looking away a slight flush on her pale face. Had she thought I been glaring at her? I groaned and decided to actually pay attention to the teacher before she calls the peace keepers and accuses me of stalking her.

When the end of day bell rang I follow my friends out into the courtyard and see Gale and his brothers and Prim waiting on her. I look around and find her in the crowd rushing over to them a small smile on her face. Gale smirks and places his arm around her shoulders which to my joy she pushes off laughing and they begin their long walk home.

I exhale in defeat; I could never compete with him. He is exactly what Katniss needs in her life. Whereas I… I trail off, what would I be able to give her that Gale Hawthorne couldn't or already hasn't.