Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Hunger Games. It all belongs to Suzanne Collins.
Chapter 1 Peeta
"Speesh, I am speech! Foatin like a mockin jay and stingin like a cracker jacker!" Graham squealed with delight while shoving a cheese bun in his mouth. "See what you started Peeta, now all my son wants to do is race cars instead of going into the family business" states Rye as he ruffles my nephews blonde curly locks and wink at me over his shoulder. Mellark men have either been bakers or thrill seekers for as long as we can remember. My oldest brother Wheaton runs the Mocking Jay Co. which houses out brand. Under the umbrella the company houses both our bakery/food division as well as the racing division. How the two ended up married is another story for another time. But let's just say my Grandfather Chaff was a racing man and often took my father Haymitch to the track to deliver the catered food. Grandmother Alma was a strict woman who was more worried about the bottom line and not the finish line. It took a lot of years of hard work but secret family recipes and a marriage of catering with the speedway brought the fortune my grandmother always dreamt of. With that in mind my grandfather and father could indulge in their number one pass time: fast cars and betting!
Years after my grandparents passed away my father had practically ran the business into the ground. Luckily for him behind every great man is an even greater woman. If rumors were true Effie Trinkett-Mellark had strung up, dried out and then turned my father's world upside down with the announcement of impending fatherhood. Wheaton was born 9 months later to be followed by Rye, then me and last but not least Prim her pride and joy. Mom is the COO over the bakery/food division while dad runs our race car powerhouse. Rye took a knock for all things baking as a kid and now runs the original Mellark Bakery. His wife Johanna is the team physician for the race car teams and is the scariest woman live outside of my mother. The shit she can do with an axe and throwing stars means Graham and Clove will likely not be dating until way into their early 20's. Wheaton is still the perpetual bachelor much to my mother's dismay. Prim at 17 is the pride and joy of District 12. She is everything good a fairytale princess should be on the outside but is hell on wheels when it comes to her alter ego of "wannabe drag racer."
"Hey Rye what can I say all the kids and women love me?" I say as I throw a dish towel at him and swipe a cheese bun for myself. I'm not entirely being narcisstic. Since I started racing for MockingJay I haven't been without attention from the female crowd. But Cashmere left a bad taste in my mouth when it was evident she was with me for the fame and not because she genuinely liked me. Unfortunately I wish I could have figured that out before finding him balls deep pounding into her in the hay loft during the Harvest Festival. At least I wasn't that stupid to wet my dick in that cave.
"To bad the one woman you would love to give your personal autograph to will not give you the light of day!" came laughing out of Gale's mouth as he entered the shop. Gale has been one of my best friends since high school. He was in Rye's grade but always looked out for me particularly when Gloss and Marvel Everdeen gave me shit for "looking" at their sister. It wasn't like I was going to every get a chance to even talk to her between her older brothers and twin Cato the men in her life made it clear "no boys were allowed." Her dad Hunter was lethal with a cross bow and Lilly her mom was not a shrinking violet. The guys at school swear she had made it clear she would poison any boy who came on to her. Given she ran the local medicine shop nobody wanted to test out that theory. No it seemed the only place Katniss Everdeen was going to stay was in my teenage fantasies and hard on dreams.
"Hey, Gale here to pick up boy wonder to head to the track?" said Rye. "Yeah Effie has some huge announcement about putting MockingJay Racing into the 21st century. You know it's going to be a big, big day!" stated Gale in a high pitched voice. "Good. If you guys can take over these maple éclairs to Jo that will really win me some brownie points after our fight last night. I'll be looking forward to the next part of the pregnancy where the "fuck me" hormones come out!" exclaimed Rye. "Shit TMI dude. We did not need to hear that." Gale grimaced. "Good thing I was setting up Graham in the back Rye. Not sure a 3 year old is ready for that conversation yet. Where's Clove?" I stated as a gathered my gear. "She's making rounds with her mother. I think Jo wants to do violent things to Doc McStuffins because that's all Clove wants to do is now follow her round and cut things open." chuckled Rye. I laughed with him as where Graham was every bit my brother with blonde unruly curls and gentle nature Clove his 5 year old daughter would scare most grown men like her mother Jo. Clove had jet black hair and deep brown eyes and loved fiercely like the Mason women before her. She drove mom crazy with her constant fighting and crawling in the mud, but my dad loved to egg her on and wouldn't have her any other way.
"Ok let's get going Gale before mom send out the cavalry looking for us." I stated. We made our way to the speedway in comfortable silence. Panem Speedway had the history of racing legends on its track. The only other speedway that had that much history was the Capital, home to our biggest rival Snow Industry and Racing. Standing on the race track was an everyday occurrence since I could walk. I loved the smell of hot asphalt on a sultry Florida day. There was something about the roar of a car's engine that causes a shiver to go down my spine. Speed was in my blood. I loved the adrenaline rush and the screams of the adoring fans when I came barreling across the finish line. This was my home and my life. No time for woman when I needed to focus on the upcoming season. I was no longer a rookie and needed to start showing that I wasn't a one year wonder. The newest member of our team was going to be announced today and I was looking forward to having a grunt to be under me.
"Holy shit who is out there tearing up the track Finnick?" I angrily yelled. "Calm your tits Mellark that's Everdeen our newest teammate. Haymitch wanted me to have the Everdeen team show us what they can do." Finnick explained not even looking up from hi clip board. "Ah fuck you mean to tell me they signed fucking Cato. He gave me so much shit in high school over the boner I had for his sister. Although now that I think of it, it will be fun to given him all that shit back and then some now that he'll be the rookie. I thought he was a big deal on the monster truck circuit" I rushed out watching the stock car finally start to slow down to the pit area. Finnick watched in fascination as she fastest 3 pit members we had ever seen made their way to the car. He started the stop watch and watched one member get all four tires changed out in record time. One went to the hood to check things over while the other slid under the car as if they were sliding into home plate. The closer we got the car it was evident that the Everdeen team was unlike any other we were accustomed to in these parts. I could tell by the way the protective gear hugs their curves and based on their size all 3 crew members were women. "Ah fuck an all female pit crew! That is going to be staring in my nightly porno for the next week." States Finnick with a low whistle. "How the fuck did Cato end up with an eye candy crew?" I said a little louder than I intended. Just as Finnick is about to answer my question his eyes fall on the red head slamming the hood shut. "Well hello angel. Pray tell why a goddess has decided to get her delicate hands dirty on a little ole engine?" purred Finnick before he added "Finnick O'Dair race car god at your service."
I'm pretty sure hell froze over and I will see the pigs flying at the farm tonight because what happened next has to go down in history. The red head rolled her eyes and walked away without even shaking Finnick's hand. "This is Madge" she states while she pointed at the blonde with ocean blue eyes, "and that's Delly; the blonde bimbos". Madge extended her hand and stated "Nice intro bitch. I'm Madge the fastest quick change with tits east of the Mississippi." "Ha you're the only quick change with tits east of the Mississippi Madge. I'm Delly by the way. And the red headed whore is Annie Cresta. She can hot wire about 30 different types of cars and take apart your engine to render you stranded in less than 40 minutes. I wouldn't piss her off princess Finnick because she is also pretty good at slashing tires. "chuckled Delly with her hazel green eyes. "Yeah these delicate little hands are magic at lots of things and not just cars lover boy" Annie winked at Finnick before she walked over to help Everdeen out of the car. "I think I'm in love" whispered Finnick. "Where is this Everdeen dick anyways? Can't get out of the car on his own?" I joked as I turned in the direction Annie went.
As the driver got out of the car I was faced with every dream and vision I had had for the last 4 years since Everdeen got shipped to boarding school after getting caught drag racing. The driver removed their helmet to expose two long complicated chestnut colored braids. She zipped down the front of her jump suit to reveal a pale orange bikini top with sweat glistening off her perfect mounds. I couldn't do anything but stand frozen to my spot. "Ah fuck me…" I trailed off as Finnick chuckled softly. Katniss slowly made her way over to where Finnick and I were standing. She politely made introductions with Finnick and he was wise enough to saunter off in the direction that the Everdeen pit crew went. The last thing I hear before I hit the ground is "Hi Peeta. I'm not sure you remember me." Yep it's going to be big, big season.