So many ideas, not enough time. Please let me know what you think asap so that I can continue on the story. Like it always has been, a fav/follow/review will keep this going. My other story will be updated probably this weekend.
Like always, I don't intend any copying or plagiarism of any kind. I have just enough time to write and, unfortunately, have even less time to read some of the awesome stories that are posted on here or any other place. So if I'm taking your idea, that's not my intention. If you should feel that I've stolen something, please let me know just as quickly. Again, I'm just having some fun.
Disclaimer: I own nothing; simply playing with the idea.
Katniss didn't know when her crush on her brother's best friend started. Maybe it was when she was thirteen and he was almost fifteen. He sat with her after school while they waited for her brother to show up. Katniss remembers studying him while he drew the scenery around them. His straight blonde hair shined in the sun and when his beautiful blue eyes caught the light, she swore they changed colors. She had to swallow the heavy lump in her throat as she examined him. She never liked boys before; all her friends did. They talked about how cute so-and-so was but Katniss never felt inclined to participate in those conversations. But that one mundane moment with Peeta, had changed everything for her.
"Um…that's nice." Katniss compliments his picture.
"You think? I think I could have gotten more detail here." He points to the corner of the picture. "And maybe here." Peeta purses his lips as he eyes the picture.
"I think it's beautiful." He gives her a smile that takes her breath away.
"Thank you." He turns back to the drawing. He signs his name on the bottom and gives it to her. "Here. So when I become famous, you can tell them all how you knew Peeta Mellark first." Katniss reaches to take the picture and their hands touch. She snatches the drawing and blushes furiously at the small contact. She wasn't sure what was happening but it had never happened before. She was never uncomfortable with Peeta. He was always around and she was never scared of hanging out with him or Gale whenever they did something. But now, he just seemed so cute and handsome, Katniss wasn't sure how to act.
"Catnip!" They both turn their attention towards Gale. Katniss runs into his arm, hugging him tightly.
"What's up, bro?" Peeta and Gale do some complicated hand shake.
"You taking care of my sister?" Gale asks.
"When do I not?" He smiles at Katniss but she turns into Gale's shirt hoping that it hides her blush. "We going now?" Gale nods as they start the walk towards home. Katniss walks ahead of them. She plays her own little game of avoiding the cracks in the sidewalk as the boys walk behind her. Their loud laughing makes her turn and watch them. Again, she's so taken by Peeta that she hops too close to one of the cracks and loses her balance.
"Whoa!" Peeta's right behind her to catch her. "Almost broke your mom's back there." He tells her with a laugh. She can't fight off yet another blush. "You see, I always look out!" He looks back at Gale before he throws an arm around Katniss' shoulder and walks with her the rest of the way to her house. They did this all the time. She'd jump on Peeta's back for a ride, run to him for a hug just like she would Gale, wrestle, but now, the touching was making her feel weird and all the blushing couldn't be good for her.
When they finally reach her home, Katniss quickly kisses Peeta on the cheek and runs the rest of the way to her house. "Thank you, Peeta!" She yells back and disappears.
Once in the house, she throws all her stuff from school on the floor in her room and peeks through the curtains. Just outside, was Peeta, where she left him, and Gale laughing some more about who knows what. But Katniss' eyes don't leave Peeta. She wasn't sure what was happening but she knew who she could call to find out.
Katniss hops onto her bed and reaches for the phone. She dials the number and prays silently that someone picks up on the other end.
"Hello?"
"Jo? It's me, Katniss."
"You don't have to identify yourself to me…just talk."
"Okay. I wanted to talk to you about boys."
"Why?" Katniss hears her laugh at the other end.
"Because…I think I'm in love." Johanna laughs harder.
"You can't be in love, dummy! We're too young for that."
"Then what the heck is going on with me?! All of a sudden I like Peeta and I don't know why…"
"Oh! You have a crush!" She says in a singsong voice.
"A what?"
"A crush! You like Peeta and it feels like love but you just have a crush…you'll see, it won't last long."
"You think?"
"Yea. He's just nice to you and he cares about you and he's always around so, of course you like him. But he's too old for you anyway. He's like fifteen!" Jo laughs again.
"Okay…you're right. I'll get over it. Thanks Jo." Katniss hangs up the phone and goes back to staring at Peeta who was just about ready to walk the rest of the way to his house. She couldn't keep the smile that was forming off her face. He was too cute. "Just a crush." She tells herself.
Unfortunately, Katniss tried to tell herself that it was just a crush for the next three years.
"Just remember honey, Peeta's coming over to hang out with your brother. If they get too loud, take care of it. Okay, sweetie?" Her mother reminds her as she leaves for work. As soon as her mother was out the door, Katniss bolts for her room. She was currently decked out in sweats and a basketball t-shirt. Her outfit would not do for the love of her life.
Katniss curses at herself for thinking that way. Peeta was a senior at their school. He'd never be interested in a little baby sophomore like her. Even still, Katniss made every effort to dress to impress whenever Peeta was around. Just maybe, she could get his attention.
"What's up, buddy?" She can hear them downstairs already so she had to move quickly. Katniss checks herself over once more in the hallway mirror before running down the stairs to greet him.
"I ordered pizza already. What you say we start up our Call of Duty night with some practice matches?"
"Sure! Let's go." Peeta and Gale share a laugh before they head to the living room.
"Hi, Peeta!" He turns to look at Katniss who's standing on the third step of the stairs. He still looked unbelievably good and Katniss had to bite her lip as she looked him over.
Peeta was a lot taller now. He no longer had any baby fat on his face. It was tone and his jaw so masculine in it's sharpness. Not to mention, he was the captain of the wrestling team so his body was just as developed. How many times had Katniss gone to support him by being at one of his meets? Plenty to know that he filled out his wrestling uniform in all the right places.
"Let me go say hi to your sister, bro." He looks to Gale, who waves him off, then turns back to Katniss with that same breath taking smile. "Hey Katniss!" Oh, and his voice dripped sensuality. He walks over to the stairs where Katniss proceeds to jump into his arms. "Whoa! Did you gain weight?" Katniss gasps in disbelief before joining in with his laughter.
"So, you guys are playing Call of Duty all night?" Peeta still has her in his arms as she looks down into his blue eyes.
"Yes we are. We finally have our entire clan together for one night." Katniss leans into him and hugs him tightly.
"Can I play?" She whispers seductively into his ear.
"You want to play?" Peeta asks.
"Oh no, Katniss! You suck!"
"Hey! I do not suck!" Little did Gale know that Katniss had been perfecting her skills at the game for this very night; for the night she could impress Peeta with her awesomeness. Peeta places Katniss down on the ground behind the couch. "You're just afraid that I'll kick your ass."
"Please! I'm afraid that you'll start crying again!" Gale says. Katniss grabs one of the couch cushions and launches it at his head.
"I don't cry! Besides who was the one who smashed the controller against the wall the last time? Sore loser, much?" Peeta laughs at their interaction.
"Come on, Gale. Our girl's talking a big game…you have to let her play. Even if it's just to save some face because you're getting served bro!" Peeta laughs as he playfully elbows Katniss.
Her plan was to let Gale win the first few games, but really, she still wasn't very good. Her idea of impressing Peeta was falling apart fast. Another idea quickly surfaces though and, hopefully, it would give her a chance to be close to Peeta.
"Damn!" She exclaims. "How do you throw a grenade again?"
"Shit, Katniss! Can't you remember anything?" Gale shouts. Katniss only sticks her tongue out at him.
"Shut up, Gale." Peeta defends. She turns to him with a smile. Peeta winks at her which makes her turn away to hide her blush. "R2." He tells her.
"Thank you, Peeta." She presses the button and it does as she wants. "Ooh, how do I crouch?"
"This one here…" He points out while grazing her hand.
"What about calling an air strike?"
"Geez man!" Gale shouts.
"Can you show me?" Katniss looks at Peeta who's sitting next to her with one arm casually laid out on the top of the couch. She leans into him and shoves the controller into his chest.
"Here." He says as he leans closer and wraps both arms around her. "Hands on the controller." She does as she's told. Peeta places his hands on hers and guides finger's motions. "Now…we're going to go after Gale." He whispers into her ear which makes her shudder in delight.
"That's him there…" She turns to look at him. Her lips are so close to his that all she'd have to do is lean in a couple inches.
"Mhm…" Katniss licks her lips again as she watches how entranced he is with the game. He helps her get into position in the game before he finally releases the hold he has on her hands. "Go for it."
"R2." She says to herself.
"What the fuck?!" Gale yells.
"Booyah! Kill that bitch!" Peeta laughs as Katniss happily throws her arms around him. She could have done that but then she'd never have had the opportunity to have Peeta so close. "That's my girl!"
"Fuck that! You cheated! You looked at my split screen! I want a rematch!" Gale shouts before he sets the game up again.
"You can take him." Peeta encourages.
"With your help, I'm sure I can!" She smiles at him.
Somewhere between then and now, Peeta and Gale had a falling out. Gale had come home angry and Peeta was never seen again. Katniss never knew why they had stopped being friends until this very moment.
"No…I don't believe that. Gale would never-" Katniss tells Johanna.
"Believe it, girl!" Johanna says as she gets more comfortable on her bed. "Your brother slept with his girlfriend! That's why Peeta doesn't come around anymore! I mean… would you really want to hang out with your friend, who slept with your high school crush? I don't think so."
"It just doesn't seem like something my brother would do! Sleep with Peeta's girlfriend? Really?!"
"I know your brother and him don't talk anymore but have you thought about talking to him?"
"I don't know. Wouldn't that be like going behind my brother's back or something?"
"No! You were friends with Peeta too. Just because your brother and him aren't friends, doesn't mean that you two had to stop."
"But what would I say to him? I don't even know where he went to school."
"He goes to Montclair."
"How the hell do you know that?" Johanna shows Katniss her cell phone. It's Peeta's profile on Facebook.
"See? Right there - goes to Montclair University. Go see him."
"I can't!"
"Why not? Come on! It will be fun." Katniss scowls at her. "If anything, you can say you're there for his revenge."
"What revenge?"
"Come on! What better way to get back at the guy who slept with your girlfriend, then to sleep with his sister?" Johanna says with a laugh.
Katniss eyes go wide. "What?!"
"You've been in love with the boy since we were little girls!"
"Yea and it's just a crush." Katniss tries.
"Yea, five years later and you're still crushing. At this point, I think you need to fuck him and get it out of your system."
"Jo, that's not me! I can't go over there and be like, 'Hey, Peeta! I know we haven't talked in two years but we should have sex.' Come on! Not something I would ever do."
"You said you wanted to lose your virginity…who better to lose it to then the man of your wet dreams?" Katniss turns from her friend in thought. Maybe she could go see him and they could get reacquainted or something before she turned to just drastic measures. "Besides, he's a college man, mad props for just doing it because of that!"