Title: Cool For The Summer
Ship: Peeta/Gale, possible other ships.
Rating: M, just in case. There might be M rated stuff later. Also, there is going to be drinking and all that jazz.
Disclaimer: I obviously don't own anything. Things probably would have ended differently if I did.
Author's Note: Hi guys, this is the first chapter of a story I pretty much planned last night. I just kinda had the urge to write something Peeta and Gale so I did. It's a high school AU, so basically any character from the books is probably going to be mentioned. Reviews and criticisms are welcome. P.S. this is probably gonna be really cheesy and predictable, but whatever.
"... And remember students, the end of year dance has been postponed because of the damage caused to the auditorium in the storm. So, instead of it being this weekend, it will be in two weeks time."
Peeta sighed as he sat at his desk and looked up at the clock. Seven minutes until the final bell of the school year. Seven minutes until he and his friends were free to get up when they wanted, do what they wanted and be who they wanted. His fingers drummed on the edge of the desk. Time seemed to go slower whenever he wanted it to go quicker.
More announcements concerning student safety during the summer droned out of the intercom. Principal Snow's voice conveying the feeling of impatience they were all feeling. Everyone wanted to be on their break. It had been swelteringly hot so far this summer and sitting inside while the sun had been shining was killing just about everyone who had to sit inside the school - teachers included. And with the weather forecast promising even higher temperatures in the followings weeks, summer vacation couldn't come quicker.
"... In conclusion, stay safe, stay alert and don't get into any trouble. Have a good summer."
As soon as the word summer was said, the class erupted into cheers and chaos. Everyone began to shove books into their bag and wish each other a good vacation. After what felt like only seconds of goodbyes, everything grinded to a halt. There were still four minutes till the bell and it seemed as though everyone had said their goodbyes. Peeta turned his head to look at their teacher, who had also packed up all of her things and was ready to go. Peeta's eyes drifted to look at the pupils around him. It seemed that Peeta wasn't the only person looking at her expectantly. Mrs. Coin, a stern woman with shoulder length grey hair who looked about fifty, sighed. Looking up at the clock, she held her hands in the air in a sign of defeat.
"Hell, I want to go home just as bad as you do. Now, get lost. But, I get to leave first."
The students all stood waiting for her as she leisurely walked out of the classroom. She purposefully made a show of taking a long time, torturing her students one final time before the summer. Peeta rolled his eyes as she turned and smiled at them from the doorway. "Now, you lot can leave."
Chaos erupted as students clamoured to get out of the classroom. Mrs Coin had hurried out of the way to avoid the stampede heading in her direction. Before he knew it, Peeta was out of his dreary classroom and in one of the busy hallways of Panem High School. It looked as though pretty much every class had been let out early, with Peeta's class being the last.
By the time the bell went, Peeta had reached his locker. Finnick, his best friend and owner of the locker next to his own, was already emptying his out. Peeta clapped him on the shoulder, a smile growing on his face. "Happy summer, man." He congratulated to the bronze haired swimmer.
Finnick returned his smile with a grin that lit up his face. "I dunno why, but I feel like I've just gotten out of prison and released onto a tropical island." Peeta laughed, entering the combination into his locker. "I've finished with my locker, so I'll meet you outside with Katniss and Madge by my car if you still need a ride?"
Peeta hulked several textbooks into his bag, increasing the weight of it severely. "Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes. This won't take me long." Once Finnick walked away, Peeta took down all the photos stuck to the inside of his locker and grabbed anything important, putting them into his bag. All that was left to do was take all the old paper, notes and forgotten about letters to the trash can and he could finally leave. He screwed the papers into a ball and set off towards the exit, planning to dump the rubbish into the bin by the exit that lead to the parking lot. On his way, he walked past several of his friends and people he knew from different classes. The blond boy wished them all a good summer and promised to hang out with each one, knowing full well that he would probably see all of them at someone's party or at the pool.
Reaching the exit, he saw he wasn't the only person who refused to let clearing out their locker stop them from leaving school any quicker. Gale had dragged the bin - which usually sat just inside the exit - so it was next to his locker. Well, over six foot, he towered over most people in the corridor. Gale was dark haired and olive skinned. His broad shoulders and thick set arms made him look as though he could pick up Peeta and throw him over his shoulder if he got in his way. While he never advertised it, the taller boy obviously worked out frequently; the way his t-shirt clung to his arms and chest gave that away. He was the boy that the girls always cooed and whispered about. He was quiet, almost seeming shy but he emanated a powerful sense of composure and confidence.
Peeta approached Gale's locker. He had never really spoken to him before but he knew that the olive skinned boy was quite good friends with his friend Katniss, so he couldn't be unfriendly. "Hey, mind if I throw this in the bin you seem to have claimed?" He joked.
"Hm?" Gale looked up from the sheet of paper he was reading, obviously contemplating whether he would need it or not. "Oh, sorry... Yeah, sure." He replied, deciding to just throw the paper away without much hesitation. Peeta nodded his thanks and threw his ball of paper in the trash. He was just about to turn and leave when Gale spoke again. "It's Peeta, right? You're friends with Katniss, if you're who I think you are."
"Yeah, and uh, you're Gale. She's mentioned you a couple of times."
"Correct, I guess I'll see you around then." Gale gave the blond a smile. "Have a good summer."
"You too, see you around." Peeta turned and walked out of the doors onto the bright student parking lot. He blinked a couple of times, letting his eyes adjust to the sudden change from the dim corridor. Once down the steps, Peeta held his hands above his eyes, shielding his view from the sun. Looking around, he spotted Finnick and Madge leaning against the side of Finnick's beat up, blue car. Katniss was sat on the bonnet, sunglasses on. As he made his way over to his friends and his lift home, he could hear Finnick's laugh. Peeta couldn't help but smile. These were the friends that he was going to spend his summer with. These were the people that he was unconditionally happy with.
"Where the hell have you been?" Madge - a pretty, blonde girl - questioned. "We've been out here for ages and I do not have sunscreen on." Peeta and Finnick both laughed at this. Out of the four of them, Madge was the only one who seemed to burn easily. Katniss's olive skin, which Peeta noted was not unlike Gale's, and Finnick's naturally tanned skin pretty much kept them safe and Peeta was fine as long as he wore sunscreen.
Peeta, still smiling, replied "Well, let's go then. We can't let Madge burn. Anyway, we have a summer vacation to enjoy."
xxx
Peeta hopped out of the shower. It was the first real day of the holidays and he had gotten the two hours his mum required him to work out of the way. His family, the Mellarks, owned cafe which they lived above. His mother had decided that he and his brothers had to do at least three two hour shifts each week during the holidays. She said it would stop them being bored and would give them the money they needed to enjoy their summer. Peeta hadn't really complained about the work. He liked working in the cafe, having done it before free of charge, but now his mum was offering money to do it. There was no way he would refuse.
After getting dried and putting on a pair of blacks and a plain white t-shirt, Peeta checked his phone. He had the normal notifications he always had in the morning: a few from facebook making him aware of whose birthday it is, one from a game he had downloaded begging him to come back and play and a message from Finnick. He opened the message.
Finnick: Hey bread boy, when you've finished being a slave for your parents, come keep me company at the pool? Lifeguard duty is incredibly slow today.
Peeta smiled, quickly typing a reply.
Peeta: Fine, fish boy. I'll be there in ten.
Peeta put his phone down on his nightstand. He shed his jeans and opted for a pair of navy swimming shorts instead, figuring he may as well get a swim in. It was the hottest day of the year so far, after all. He heard his phone vibrate and he went over to pick it up. Another message from Finnick. He opened it as he went to get a towel from the bathroom to take with him.
Finnick: Took you long enough to reply. Katniss replied instantly and was here in five. See you in a bit. x
Peeta pocketed his phone, knowing Finnick was joking. He went down to the bakery to let his parents know he was going out, before heading off to the pool where Finnick worked.
Finnick worked at a pool that was located in the centre of town. It was a housed in a building near the centre of town that also held a gym and a kids play area. The pool was always busy during the summer no matter what the weather because of the inside and outside pools.
Upon arrival, Peeta paid his entrance fee and walked towards the locker rooms that lead to the pool. He didn't bother to use a locker for his stuff, preferring to keep his clothes, shoes, towel and phone with him as he knew Finnick had his shift at the outside pool today. He had no plans to stick around in the locker room until he hear someone call his name. He turned in the direction of the voice, seeing Gale stood at a locker, smiling at him. He was stuffing a bag of what looked like gym clothes into the locker and he was wearing an outfit not too different from what Peeta was wearing - shorts and a t-shirt. Gale closed the locker and walked over to Peeta, towel thrown over his shoulder.
"You here for a swim?" Gale asked as they began to walk out of the locker room and towards the pool.
"Yeah, Finnick lifeguards here and he's asked me and Katniss to come and keep him company." Peeta smiled at the taller guy, having to tilt his head up slightly to make eye contact. "What about you?"
"I'm uh, meeting up with Madge at the gym. She's asked me if I could help her get into shape, not that she really needs it." Gale replied. The two got to the door for the gym and they paused. "This is where we part ways then. I'll see you later, Peeta." Without waiting for a reply, he walked through the doors, leaving Peeta in the corridor.
Continuing on his own, Peeta thought about what little information Gale had provided him with. Gale and Madge? Since when had Madge and Gale been friends? Had Katniss introduced this? More importantly, why did Peeta care so much? So what if Katniss had introduced them. It had nothing to do with Peeta. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he pushed open the door that revealed the outside pool.
The sound of small children shrieking and water splashing around reached Peeta's ears instantly. The sight of it all followed when stepped outside. He could see Finnick lounging in his lifeguard chair, paying no attention to the pool but to Katniss who was sat on the edge of the pool with her feet dangling in the water. When they noticed him, Katniss waved and Finnick sat up straight in his chair.
"Here he is!" Finnick announced. "He's late to reply to texts, he's late to the car after school. And now, he says he will get to the pool in ten minutes, yet it took him fifteen! Peeta Mellark everybody, our favourite later friend."
"Oh shut up, I'll have you know I was here in ten minutes," Peeta said, defending himself against Finnick. "I ran into Gale, you know, Hawthorne in the locker room and he said he was going to the gym with Madge. Did you know about that, Kat?"
Katniss shook her head, "No, I didn't even know they knew each other."
"I don't even know why I care. So what if they know each other?" Peeta said, taking off his shoes and joining Katniss on the edge of the pool. "Why's she going to the gym anyway?"
"She always says she gets out of breath running up the stairs in her house. I thought she was joking but maybe it's true and wants to get fit." Finnick supplied. "Anyway, this conversation is not the entertainment I expected when I asked you guys to come keep me company."
"Sorry we aren't good enough for you, Odair. Maybe you should have asked that Annie girl that you're always gushing about to entertain you." Katniss countered.
Before Peeta knew what was happening, Finnick's foot had connected with Katniss's back and she was in the water. She stood up, the water coming to just above her waist. Her brown hair, which Peeta had just realised was the same colour as Gale's, clung to her forehead and shoulders.
"I hope there is another lifeguard on duty, for your sake, Odair because I am going to drown you for that." Katniss shouted. Finnick just laughed which only seemed to make Katniss angrier. She climbed out of the pool. "Come here, Odair, the water's lovely."
Finnick lept out of his chair and began to run, Katniss quickly taking chase. Peeta laughed as he watched his friends dodge and weave between countless young children, making fools of themselves in front of what seemed like a quarter of the town.
Now this is what Peeta expected from summer.
Author's note: Sorry this chapter is such a mess and didn't really go anywhere. I swear the next one will have some actual plot to it. Please leave a quick review, much appreciated.