This story is set before the games, when Katniss and Peeta are fifteen. This idea came to me when I was at the beach with my friends, and I knew I had to write it down! I hope you enjoy it, and, as always, reviews are always appreciated! ;D
Apart from school I had no connections with Peeta Mellark, the youngest son of the baker. He was a Merchant; I was a Seam 'brat'. We didn't mix.
It was during a History lesson that I remembered what happened four years ago, when I was eleven and starving. Peeta threw me bread, knowing he would get a beating for it, but he saved the lives of my family nevertheless.
"District 12's main industry is coal mining." I say, standing at the front of the class and reading out the same report that everyone else has written. Every year in History class we have to do a presentation on the history of our district, but each presentation is exactly the same. Ms Beatrice, our teacher, is at her desk beside me, but is obviously as interested in this subject as we are. My eyes graze the students sitting in front of me. Everyone is half asleep, slumped in their chairs, sweltering in the summer heat. But suddenly, among the tired and sweaty faces of my classmates, I find a pair of piercing blue eyes staring right at me from the second row of rickety wooden desks. Peeta Mellark sits back in his chair, his eyes fixed on me, a small smile on his lips. I tilt my head to one side and frown slightly.
"Thank you for that riveting presentation Katniss." Ms Beatrice says, waving her hand in my direction. The class perks up slightly, enough to realise that I'm walking back to my seat. Before I can get out of the way, Bron sticks his foot out, sending me tumbling to the floor.
"Watch where you're going Everdeen!" He shouts, causing the rest of the class to laugh. I stand and stumble to my seat in the fourth row, folding my arms across my chest and blocking out the class. I stare out of the window, watching the ground shimmer in the heat. When the bell finally rings to signal the end of the day, I stand and follow the class out of the room, heading straight for my locker.
"Hey, are you alright?" Someone asks me, catching me by surprise. I spin around to find Peeta standing behind me; school bag slung over one shoulder. "I saw you fall and was wondering if you were okay."
"If you were so worried, why did you wait until the end of class to ask me? You could have helped me when I was lying flat on my face with the entire class laughing at me." I hiss. His eyes widen and I look down. Where has this anger come from? A minute ago I was looking forward to going home with Prim before meeting Gale in the woods. And now, I'm shouting at a boy I've never spoken to before.
"Katniss, I-I'm sorry. It's just that-"
"It's just what, Peeta? Don't want to damage you're Merchant image by sticking up for a Seam brat like me?" I turn away and set off down the corridor.
"I can explain!" Peeta calls after me.
"I don't want to hear it!" I cry. I'm just about to reach the door when I feel a strong arm pull me back. "Let me go." I say, as calmly as I can.
"Not until you listen to me." Peeta says. I sigh and stare at his hand on my arm until he removes it. "I didn't help you in class, despite wanting to, because of my mother."
"Your mother?" I ask, raising one eyebrow.
"Yes, my mother." Peeta says earnestly, his eyes locked on mine. I find it hard to look away, captivated by the sparkling depth of his eyes. "She asked Bron to keep an eye on me and my brothers, to make sure we didn't go off with someone who isn't worthy."
"Why Bron, of all people? That's just stupid, she can't control you." I say. "You try telling my mother that." Peeta scoffs. "She asked Bron because she's friends with his mother, and knew that if she bribed him with baked goods or money, he would do it without hesitation." I say nothing. That explains why Bron has put on a considerable amount of weight. "So, that's why I didn't help you."
"Why are you afraid of her?" I frown, shifting my weight onto my other foot.
"I'm not, it's just that..." Peeta trails off, looking down at his feet. "Catnip?" Gale walks down the corridor and his eyes flicker quizzingly between the baker's son and me. "Mellark, shouldn't you be baking some fairy cakes or something?" He punches Peeta lightly on the arm, a smirk on his face. Peeta winces and grits his teeth.
"I'll see you later Katniss." He says, walking away and leaving Gale and I standing by the lockers.
"Prim and Rory walked home already." Gale says. I nod, biting my lip. "What was that all about? What did Mellark want?" Gale asks.
"Why did you do that?" I ask. "He didn't do anything wrong, he was just asking if I was alright when I fell over in class!"
"Woah, Catnip, calm down! What did I do?" Gale asks, taking a step back and putting his hands up in the air.
"Mellark, shouldn't you be baking fairy cakes of something?" I mimic his low voice and punch him on the arm, rolling my eyes. "Don't be a jerk." "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Jeez." Gale walks away, shaking his head, and I sigh.
"Gale, wait up!" I say, running down the corridor. "Sorry for yelling." "Don't worry about it. This summer heat can make people do crazy things. Lets get going." Gale brushes it off, flashing me a grin. My shoulders slump in relief. A moody Gale isn't someone you want to hunt with, especially in this weather.
Gale and I bring in an unusually large amount of kills for this time of year, when the hot sun tends to send any prey into the hiding in the shade.
"How on earth did you two manage to get so much?" Greasy Sae asks us when we enter the Hob late afternoon.
"I have no idea. We just got lucky, I guess." Gale shrugs. Sae pays a good amount for two plump rabbits and two turkeys, and then we head to our prime buyers scattered around the district. After visiting the Undersee's house and selling Madge our bounty of strawberries, Gale departs from me.
"I promised Mum that I would take Rory and Vick into town. Posy doesn't cope in the heat, so Mum is staying at home to look after her." He apologises. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay, bye." I say, watching him walk away. "I'll drop by with your share of money later on!"
"Alright! See ya!" Gale calls, walking away down the dry mud road, his boots kicking dust up into the air. I turn on my heel and walk towards the bakery. Mr Mellark always buys squirrels from me, exchanging even the scrawny ones for loaves of bread. I knock lightly on the pale wooden door, the paint peeling, and wait until the door is opened.
"Katniss, fancy seeing you here." Mr Mellark greets me. "How many do you have for me?"
"Eight squirrels today." I say, pulling the animals out and handing them to him.
"Eight?" The baker exclaims. "Well, that surely means six loaves of bread and something sweet!"
"You don't have to-"
"Really, I insist. I'll just go and get them." I nod my head and watch the older man disappear into the shop. I watch the Mellark's pig dig up the ground in its pen and jump in surprise when a loud shout breaks the tranquil silence.
"You stupid, stupid boy! How could have dropped those again?" An angry voice screams, causing me to peer into the shadows of the bakery.
"Mum! I'm sorry, they just slipped!" Someone else says back. I frown and then realise that it's Peeta apologising. Two loud slapping sounds are heard and I wince at each one.
"Aymee! Stop it! It was an accident!" I hear Mr Mellark shouting. "Peeta, take this to the back." I step back from the doorway and see Peeta walk into the kitchen, loaves of bread in paper bags in his arms. "Katniss?" Peeta asks. Although he's standing in the shadow of the doorway, I can still see his shockingly blue eyes widen at the sight of me.
"Hi." I say quietly.
"Here's the bread." He says, leaning against the door.
"Thanks." I say. This whole situation if awkward. "I'm sorry about shouting at you."
"I'm sorry you had to witness...that." Peeta says. I shift my weight again. "What happened? I couldn't see anything."
"Good. You wouldn't have liked it." Peeta mutters.
"Peeta, come here, into the light." I say, reaching out a hand.
"No, Katniss. You don't want-"
"Come here." I say, stepping forward and grabbing his arm. I pull him into the light and gasp, causing Peeta to drop his head. "Oh, Peeta." I whisper. Bright red handprints mark both his cheeks. His mother slapped him.
"So now you know why I couldn't stick up for you in front of everyone." Peeta says bitterly. "But it would be a lot worse than this." He looks up at me, wincing when my grip of his arm tightens. I frown and step towards him, pushing the sleeves of shirt up his arm as gently as I can. "Don't Katniss." Peeta half begs. I continue pushing it up to his shoulder; only to reveal more hand marks littered among burn scars all over his arm. No wonder he winced when Gale punched him on the arm.
"Peeta! I'm sorry." I say, pulling his sleeve back down and throwing my arms around him. He stiffens for a moment before relaxing, bringing his arms around me.
"Don't worry. You should probably get going. I don't want my mother to find you." Peeta mumbles into my shoulder. I pull away and pick up the paper bag I've placed on the floor.
"I'll see you tomorrow Peeta." I say, turning and walking away. When I reach the end of the road, I turn and see that Peeta is still standing in the doorway. I walk away, a smile on my face.