Hey guys, alright this is my first fan fiction, I have no idea where it came from but I have a pretty good idea of where its going. Hope you like it :)
It started in the small town of Peekskill, NY in Westchester County. There were the old friends turned married couples who unintentionally started their families around the same time and worked in their families business as they had for as long as they can remember. They would get the business passed down to them and start the same cycle with their children. Its just the way it was. No one ever really left the small town. They've all been with their lovers since at least high school. Of course there are those who get "married" in elementary or become boyfriend and girlfriend in middle school. But they usually last. Because love is strong.
There were the old friends since birth who would later become the Odairs and the Crestas, The Masons and the Hawthornes, and of course the Mellarks and the Everdeens. They were the twelve friends who were never separated when they were children. Of course over the years that never changed and they only became closer and eventually married each other.
Then they moved out of their parents home and got their own. First were the Everdeens, who moved into a beautiful home in the middle of the street called Mockingjay Road. Next were the Hawthornes who moved into the corner home. Eventually the houses on that same street began to be for sale and of course the other best friends moved into the homes. Well, all except the Mellarks. They stood at their lofty apartment above the bakery they were taking over from the grandparents. But don't fret, they weren't left out. Not too long after, Mrs. Mellark got pregnant with the first of three boys and together the Mellarks decided to buy that house across the street from the Everdeens.
Mrs. Mellark was on her second baby when Mrs. Hawthorne received the news that she was expecting. Not a year later, The Odairs found they were a few months in the pregnancy. And well, you get the idea. One by one they began to find out a bundle of joy was on the way.
Their children were the best of friends, just like them. They expected their children's lives to be as fun as theirs. Growing up with each other, getting married, taking over the business, and having kids.
But of course there had to be a rebel sooner or later...
Wake up in the mornin' feelin' like P-Diddy
Grab my glasses I'm out the door I'm gonna hit the city
Before I leave brush ma teeth with a bottle of Jack
'Cause when I leave for the night I ain't comin' ba-
"Muhmow" I answer. The other end is silent and I curse whoever woke me up from my hangover. I sit up from the bed and clear my throat.
"I said HELLO?"
"Oh, oh my god. Katniss," I hear Annie say on the other line.
"Oh hey Annie, what's up?" I ask. I look to the clock and see its 4 in the afternoon. Damn!
"Well, uhh..." I hear her take a deep breath before she starts again. "Its Johanna."
I sigh. "What with Johanna?"
"She got into an accident. Really bad. Drunk driver and stuff. We don't know if she'll make it." My eyes widen and im speechless for a moment before I jump off the bed.
"Im on my way." I manage before I hang up. I feel as if my knees are going to give out and my head is going to fall off. I may not have ended things well with everyone, especially Johanna, but its not as if I hate her. No matter how many times I told her and everyone else I did, I could never. I take a quick shower because im sure no one would appreciate me smelling like booze on my first visit home since I left to New York City after high school five years ago.
I quickly wash my hair also because why not? I dig through my clothes and unfortunately it seems I have to do laundry. I grab the most casual dress I have. A body hugging red short sleeved dress that lands mid thigh with a small V-neck. Short I know, but its a party dress and it seems to be all I have. I've been pushing laundry to the side. I put on my studded diamond earrings with the necklace to match, a single diamond held on a silver chain. Lastly, I put on my white Louis Vuitton's then grab a whole bunch of clothes, shoes, utilities, and essentials and shove them into multiple duffels and purses then head out the door and down to the buildings parking lot.
I load everything into the backseat of my blue 1982 Toyota Corolla then hop in the drivers seat and take off. Of course the traffic to get out of the city takes a while and I almost hit a person or two but once im on the main road im above the speed limit and cutting the regular 3 hour drive in half.
After spending the entire ride worrying about Johanna it isn't until I see the Welcome to Sleepy Hollow sign that I slow down and begin to get nervous for myself. How will everyone treat me? Other than the yearly happy birthday and happy holidays texts I haven't really had a real conversation with anyone since I was last here. Other than Annie, but that's because Annie just gets everyone.
About thirty minutes later I am greeted with the sign Welcome to Peekskill. I get off the exit and drive past all the amazing huge houses and trees. Not too long after im arriving at the few streets we call the town. I see the book store my fathers probably in right now, and the apothecary that mothers in also. I probably seem like a bad daughter, but I can see them later. I see the Mellark Bakery and hesitate if I should go in or not. I park the car at a corner where the bar is currently closed and text Annie where to meet her at.
MY HOME, JUST WALK RIGHT IN.
I look back to the bakery and decide against it. I should just go straight to Annie so I can see Johanna. But first I got to call my boss.
"Katniss! Hello!." Effie shrieks.
"Hello, Effie. Im going to have to take a few days off work, I have a family emergency and I had to drive back to my hometown." Effie knows some basics of my past.
"Oh, dear. That's very unfortunate, are you alright darling you don't sound very well?" She asks.
"Its just hard." I answer, not wanting to give specifics.
"Yes, yes, of course it is. Tell you what, you haven't taken many sick days since you started working here so how about a paid vacation!"
"That's fine, Effie. Just put in my two weeks then." Might as well take a little break. Maybe a week here and a week back at my apartment. Effie agrees and we hang up.
Katniss turns the car on and heads the barely five minute drive to Annie's house. Rye Mellark had been eyeing that car from the bakery window since it parked, knowing it looked too familiar. It wasn't until he saw it backing up from the parking spot that he spotted the wavy chocolate brown hair and realized it was Katniss. He gasped, leaving his mouth hanging open and gaining attention from Bannock and his father.
"What, what is it?" Bannock asked.
All Rye did was point to the car heading out the spot and beginning to drive down the road and make a left and said, "Katniss Everdeen!" Then ran out the door. Bannock ran after him.
"See you later dad!" All Mr. Mellark did was chuckle and shake his head. 'Seems like the groups getting back together.' He thought.
Katniss stopped at a stop sign a few streets from Annie's home and looked in her rear view. Coming up the small hill she just drove were two man running in the middle of the street. One was waving his arms around and they were both screaming things Katniss couldn't understand so she drove on slowly.
"Katniss! Wait up! Katniss! Katniss!" I didn't realize who they were at first but when I did I came to a complete stop until they reached up to me breathless and leaning on the rolled down windows.
"Rye! Bannock! Oh my god!" I smiled.
"Hey... Kat..niss!" Rye gets out.
"Katniss... how are y... you?" Bannock asks.
"Im uhh, good!" I say while nodding. Rye looks into the backseat then back to me.
"Good god women, are you moving back or something?" He asks.
I shake my head. "Nope. Just staying for about a week." I didn't mention Johanna cause I didn't know if they've heard. They seem to have not.
"So your going back to your parents now?" Bannock asks.
"Im going to Annie's now actually."
"Well don't mind if I do!" Rye says and gets in the shotgun.
"Oh come on, man. I gotta sit with all her stuff back here now." Bannock says as he hops in the back. I start driving.
"Wow. Do you realize you look like you belong in a range rover?" Rye asks.
"Right! She looks way to hot and expensive for this crap." Bannock says.
"Hey! This is my baby! Or did you guys forget? I don't think I will ever get rid of this car. She rides perfectly fine anyway." I defend myself.
"Ahhhhh, theres the Katniss we know and love." Rye says. I park in front of my parents house which is next to Annie's and we all get out and walk to her place.
"She told me to just walk in." I say as I open the door. Theres laughing and music playing in the yard. I follow Rye and Bannock. As soon as Rye slides the door he yells,
"Party's here!" Everyone turns their head and I immediately feel out of place with my clothes and Channel handbag.
"Katniss!" Annie yells and runs to me and gives me a hug. I smile and hug her back. I look back to our friends and see Johanna glaring at me. I just stare at her confused.
"Why is she here?" I ask Annie as I walk closer to where everyone is. Johanna gets up.
"Why am I here? Why the fuck are you here?"
I Look to Annie, who's walking to Finnick, then back to Johanna. "Annie said you were in the hospital." I look back to Annie.
"Did I say that?" Annie plays off. "I don't think I said that." She shakes her head with a smile on her face and I roll my eyes.
"Why would you lie like that Annie!? What the hell is wrong with you! I nearly killed myself on the way over here. Im sure its illegal to cry while your driving. I almost hit a guy and his dog on my way here! I was going nearly ninety miles until I reached Sleepy Hollow! And I just called my boss and took two weeks off work!" Everyone just keeps staring at me. I sigh. "Im sorry. But really, you had to say she was dying?"
Annies about to speak when Finnick interrupts her. "We thought that was the only way you would come back. Its been five years, Kitty."
"You came because you thought I was dying?" Johanna asks.
"Well yea. Your my best friend."
"I thought you hated me." She says.
"I could never hate you, Jo." She just nods.
"Even after the things I said? I said some pretty fucked up things I wish I didn't."
Its my turn to nod. "We both did. But it doesn't matter anymore. Can we just put this in the past?"
"Deal." She says.
I smile. "Deal."
"Come here." She says and we embrace one another.
"So we're all good?" Gale asks.
"Gale!" I yell and run to hug him. He laughs and ruffles my hair.
"Missed you, too, Catnip."
"How is everyone?" I ask him.
"Theyre fine. Posy would be happy to see you."
"She must be so big!" I exclaim.
"Kitty, I never got my hug." Finnick says. I roll my eyes playfully and hug him.
Strong arms then wrap around my waist. "You didn't forget me did you?" I hear a familiar whisper in my ear. I smile and turn around to see the blonde hair and blue eyes I've missed so much.
"Never." He opens his arms and I immediately go into them. "I've missed you." I say into his shirt.
"I've missed you, too. So much." His arms tighten around me by the second and I giggle. "That hurts, Peeta." He pulls back and smiles.
"Sorry." He smirks. "No im not." I roll my eyes.
Peeta Mellark. I don't really know what to say about him. We both know we had huge crushes on each other since forever but just never really went for the whole dating thing. I mean, yeah, we've kissed. And we have talked about a relationship. But we both knew it wouldn't last. I always wanted to go to New York. He wanted to stay here and be a baker. I guess we just didn't want to start something and not finish it. We both knew what we wanted to do and it obviously wasn't the same plan.
"So are you guys just hanging out here?" I ask as I turn to everyone else.
"Basically." Gale answers.
"Aren't you guys suppose to be working?" Peeta asks his brothers.
Bannock huffs, "Rye was stalking your girlfriends car then ran out calling after her so I told dad we would see him later and ran out."
"What the hell, you guys just ran out?" Finnick asks. I start laughing.
"I was at a stop sign when I saw two guys running up a hill, yelling." I laugh even harder. "Rye was waving his arms around like he was drowning."
Everyone starts laughing.
"Katniss I don't mean to be rude but why are you dressed like an expensive hooker? Even your makeups smudged." Finnick asks.
"I completely forgot about my makeup! I had a hangover when Annie called this morning-"
"It was four in the afternoon!" She interrupts.
"So I had to change out of my party clothes and I guess I forgot my face." I explain.
"But why are you dressed like that?" He asks again.
"When I was looking for clothes I realized I hadn't done laundry so I had to wear my party clothes. This is the most decent party dress I own."
For the next few hours we talk like the last five years didn't happen. I talk about the city life and what I've been doing.
"I basically have different friends for different activities." I say.
"What do you mean 'activities'?" Peeta asks.
"Like for shopping, I have some friends for that. Or if I want to go to a bar or a club or find out if there's a party somewhere, there's another group of friends for that. I even have friends that I just eat with. Isn't that weird, we literally just call each other if we want to go out to eat or if there's a new restaurant or something." I explain.
"That's sort of cool." Gale says. "You wont get bored of being with the same people."
I shake my head. "Sometimes I just want to be with the same people instead of separating everyone. And their just friends. Sometimes I just want my best friends, you know? Best friends that I can do anything with."
"Then why didn't you just come back?" Jo asks. I hesitate to answer.
"I just wanted to explore other things I guess. I mean the city life isn't bad when you have money. Trust me its definitely shit when your broke, I struggled so much for about three years and I did want to come home. I even packed and was on my way over here one time. But then I realized that I was starting from nothing. I wasn't going to get what I wanted easy so I had to try harder. I didn't want to give up."
"Are you happy?" Peeta asks. I already know the answer. I've always known. I just don't want to seem like a failure so I bend the truth.
"Yea. But I do get homesick a lot." Everyone just stays silent. We continue talking or a while and I realized Peeta seemed to be a little annoyed or angry at times. I'll have to talk to him alone soon. It isn't until Annie says that her parents will be home soon that I decide I should go home.
"No offense, Annie, but I don't want to see your parents right now. Especially dressed like this." I say goodbye to everyone and head next door where my parents are making dinner. As soon as my mom sees me her eyes get watery and rushes to hug me, as does my dad. We have dinner and talk about my life, how New York is. How home has been. Seems like nothings changed. I go up into my bedroom. The three teal and one chalkboard painted wall reminding me of back then. I go to my chalk wall and see its exactly the way I left it and I cant help but laugh. After graduation we were all so happy and just wrote a bunch of stupid things. 'We're done with school bitches!' Is written really big with drawings and things surrounding it like,
Shrek called, he wants his face back
On Wednesdays we wear pink!
Doin Hoodrat thaaangs
I can be your, FAN TA SEEEEE
Bay bay I like it!
Ale Alejandro oh :)
My chick bad, my chick hood
Tears start falling from my eyes as I remember how happy we all were that day. We graduated then got lunch at Greasy Saes. After, we came back to my room and just hung out while our parents were getting dinner ready in Peetas house. I hear my phone buzz so I go to my bed and unlock it.
Peeta: Everything alright?
I look out the window to see him looking out his. We used to do this just about every night. I smile and text him back.
Just reminiscing, im fine
You positive?
I give him a thumbs up and he gives me one back.
Goodnight Peeta
Goodnight Katniss
I still have my clothes in the car so I go to my drawer to see what pajamas I have. Barely anything. Great. I grab a pair of gray shorts that now fit like booty shorts and a plain red tank top that almost fits like a crop top then head to bed.
Did you like it? don't be afraid to tell me what you think :)