DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters found in this story - they were all created by the darling Suzanne Collins.

"Katniss, you are being a crazy bitch!" he screams. If he would just come closer, I'd hit him. "So what if I want you to meet my parents? Is that really such a bad thing?"

I jump off the sofa, already feeling the effects of anger-fueled adrenaline. "I don't want to meet your goddamn parents, Gale! I've tried to say it nicely, but obviously you're not listening!" I start to laugh, a little maniacally if I'm honest with myself. "I'm not putting on some charade to make your life that little bit easier! What do you ever do for me?"

"Baby," he says as he lowers his voice. Some might think this is an attempt to soothe me, but I know him too well. He's trying to convert the anger tangibly rolling off his body into sex appeal. "We've been together for two years now. Don't you want to meet them? You're usually complaining that I never act like I care. Is this not showing that I care?" My theory about the whole sex appeal thing is further supported when he strides towards me, eyes smouldering, that smirk he knows I love so much on his face. He thinks he's won this round. He leans in to me, close enough that I can breath in his sharp, cool scent. Close enough for me to kiss.

Close enough for me to physically assault.

I slap him as hard as I can, feeling the raging sting on the palm of my hand.

"Do not use that against me!" I scream. "You don't care, and we are not together!"

I storm out of Gale's dorm room, slamming the door behind me. He is such a prick. I'm so glad that I came to his after the gym, as I'm still in my trainers. Since he picked me up and I don't have a car, I'm going to have to run to my dorm, which is fine by me. Even though my earlier workout was crazy, I could really make use of the angry-energy-fused-with-pent-up-sexual-frustration coursing through my veins.

As I leave the dorm building and pick up the pace, a bunch of freshman guys sitting on the lawn in the quad start catcalling and shouting vulgar things my way. I glance over at the obvious ringleader of the group, a handsome boy with platinum blonde hair and cunning green eyes. He looks so familiar.

"What's up, girl on fire?" he says, snickering with his friends. "Caught anything new yet?"

Ah. He must be related to Glimmer; I knew I recognised the eyes. Glimmer is studying paediatrics, like me. We share most of our lectures and electives and get very similar marks, though I almost always have the upper hand. Maybe that's why she's such a bitch.

"Shut your three year-old mouth," I snap. 'Girl on fire' is the not-so genius nickname Glimmer made up a few years ago when her older boyfriend snubbed her off at the spring mixer and hooked up with me instead. She thinks it's the height of intelligence to spread rumours about me and some sexually transmitted disease I have that burns … well, down there. Of course, I don't actually have anything like that, but one of her evil minions saw me at the pharmacy buying some cream that probably looked like some skin ointment and, soon enough, 'Girl on fire' was the newest torment in her endless repertoire of insults. It makes me laugh to think that, in reality, it was just some lube I later tried out with her ex-boyfriend.

Blonde-dickhead jumps up from the grass and begins to walk towards me. I don't feel physically threatened, but my muscles begin to tense up, just in case he gets too close.

"I'm just messing around, sexy," he says, looking at his friends instead of me. "I mean, you probably do have something in your box that's infectious, but I'd still give you a crack-" is the last thing I hear before I hurtle myself at him, ready to break his face.

Just as I reach him, my fist flying forward to get in a decent punch, a strong hand from around my side grabs my airborne wrist and whips me around so fast that everything becomes a blur. I see a wall of muscled flesh, a tangle of golden hair and orbs so blue they look like sapphires before I'm pushed to the side. As I turn back around to face whoever stopped me from reaching my target, I'm shocked to see the freshman on the ground, blood pouring out of his nose, crying in pain.

What I'm more shocked to see is the specimen standing over him.

The small glimpse I received of the man that pulled me away is nothing compared to what I see now. Perhaps I'm just noticing more because Gale and I haven't had sex in a couple of weeks, but this guy is so hot that even a bloodied little imbecile screaming in pain on the ground cannot capture my attention.

The guy leans down to grab Glimmer's relative by the collar, pulling him up off the floor with ease. He points a threatening finger in his face. "How dare you talk to a lady like that," he seethes.

Despite my confusion and anger, seeing the little shit's eyes pop wide open in obvious fear is enough to keep me silently smiling in the background.

"N-no," he stammers. "I didn't m-mean it, I swear – she's my s-sister's f-friend, it was a j-joke –"

"Didn't look like much of a joke to me," says the stranger. I get a glimpse of his face; he looks murderous. Maybe it's time to intervene.

"Leave him be," I say, stepping forward. "He's not worth it."

Almost immediately, the stranger drops the boy back on the ground. After landing on his ass, the scared-shitless kid jumps up and runs back to his horde. If he had a tail, it would be between his legs.

As soon as he reaches his posse, he turns back around and seems to think he has power in numbers, even going as far as to puff out his chest and stare right into his attacker's eyes. The message is clear – you'll pay for this. But the stranger only has to step forward once for them all to scatter off in different directions, quite obviously terrified.

As the hype of the situation wears off, I'm left with the facts: this guy just completely got in my way and stood up for me like I'm some damsel in distress. As if I need taking care of. All of a sudden, the blind rage I've felt today turns to him. I almost feel like hitting him, but it seems a bit harsh considering he did make me smile, so I opt instead for a dramatic exit, rolling my eyes and jogging towards the other side of campus where my dorm lies.

It's really sort of embarrassing how quickly he catches up to me. I'm quite fast, but he appears out of nowhere, jogging with ease by my side. He clears his throat as if to say something, so I push myself harder, forcing my legs to hit the ground faster and faster until I'm nearly sprinting, but the adrenaline is wearing off and I start to feel fatigued. He stops as I stop and stands in front of me as I catch my breath.

"Look," I say, staring at the ground. "Thanks for whatever that was, but I really didn't need your help. It was nice, but all you did was stop me from doing the same thing you did." I stop talking to catch my breath, but he stays silent; I can feel his eyes burning a hole in the top of my head.

I look up and instantly wish I hadn't. One glance into his ocean eyes and I melt, and he sees it pretty clearly. Needing to get away from the intense heat I feel that has nothing to do with the running, I walk around him and continue on towards my dorm. As I turn the corner into a small passage between two science blocks, I hear his footsteps coming in my direction. Needing to get this over with, I turn around and brace myself for whatever he decides to do. For all I know, he could be some freak-rapist that preys on weak college girls.

He turns the corner and stops when he sees me standing there, waiting for him. We are no more than two yards apart.

"Hi there," he says. And then he smiles so bright that almost forget he nearly killed some kid that was giving be trouble less than ten minutes ago. This guy is simply the most beautiful looking person to ever exist.

More adrenaline begins to pump around my body, but this kind isn't made because of anger; it's there because my brain has sensed I'm about to do something incredibly stupid that requires insane amounts of courage.

Without missing a beat, I grab his white t-shirt with both hands and rip him towards me. The amused shock on his face is the last thing I register before I smash my lips into his. It doesn't take long for him to kiss me back – before I know it, his arms are around my waist, pulling me so close that every inch of my front is touching him. Warmth spreads through my chest as I kiss at his delicious lips; they taste like flour and blackberries. I push him up against the brick wall and force my tongue inside his mouth, hearing him softly moan as I do. The sound is so strange from such a huge guy that I snap out of my stupor.

What are you doing? my brain seems to ask. Do you think heavily making out with some obviously older guy in the middle of the campus is going to help anything?

Usually I hate my conscience, but today, she's right.

I push him off me, a little too roughly for him to not understand the clear message – no more. He obliges immediately, but I can see the lust in his eyes. It almost makes me come back for more, but instead, I continue down the passage.

"Don't follow me," I growl behind me. When I step out of the passage, I turn back to see if he's still there. He is, leaning against the wall, apparently trying to breathe evenly. Our eyes meet, and I feel sort of stupid that he's caught me staring after my departure. He smiles and my stomach double knots itself, prior to doing a cartwheel. He is so beautiful.

When I turn back around to keep walking, I hear him shout in a deep, masculine voice.

"The name is Peeta."

I don't turn around to face him. That would be way too embarrassing.

Instead, I smile like a madman the whole walk home.

So, that's it for the first chapter! I just needed to get this out ... please, R&R your hearts out. Hope you like it! More to come, based on what people think of it.

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