Summary: Being rich has it's own problems, and Katniss doesn't like a single one of them. Whilst arranged marriages aren't that well, Katniss Everdeen must face her own problems. A blast from the past, a love triangle, death, decisions, seeing who she is, and most importantly, the pen. And the mysterious blue eyes. Which is more important to her, to her heart? Filling out her families's wishes, or doing what she wants and doing it her way? She has to decide, doesn't she? Or will she risk it all and take risks? AU Katniss/Peeta
Her name was Katniss. Everdeen. She was a female, a wealthy one at that. Olive skin and grey eyes, she seemed so... what others would call, plain. Nonetheless, she was the gem of her family, her being one of the only offspring in her families new generation. Her and 3 others. 4 children in the entire family and extended. All the others were adults or seniors, and only one young. Ish. Adult. Her family, was called Everdeen Corp. One of the wealthiest companies in the world. Her other young relatives were all male, so Katniss was immediately a bargaining chip from birth. She was irreplaceable, for at any time, her family could auction her off for the highest bidder and get profit. If they were failing, and below the poverty line, they could easily sell her off to prostitution and get the money she brought back. But, the most likely option at the moment was for Katniss to 've married to someone within their interests. A loveless marriage probably, and it was strictly business. Katniss knew this, ever since she was a child. Love, was apparently not in their best interest right now. Oh well. She would have to deal with being the child of Everdeen Corp.
12 years old. The age of puberty. Horomones. Well, for many of her peers. Many boys were growing facial hair, getting erections when seeing those of the opposite sex, and having fantasies of having sex with them.. Somethimes, when aroused, Katniss would notice that they would thrust into the air , on the other hand, were starting to look more attractive to their male peers. Big breasts, something that all men loved. They immediately love girls who have more to squeeze. The over girls started to have their periods, and they started having serious relationships. First base. Second. Those words were spoken rather often than not. Whispers traveling from the ear of one teenager to another, like a sickness or parasite, forcing it's host to pass on the news. The so called "news" ended with Katniss Everdeen. The innocent one, the prude. She was rumored to never have even had contact with a non-family male. Which, of course was incorrect. She had been in regular physical contact with males quite often. When she shook their hands,
Right now, Katniss Everdeen was attending a fancy social gathering that her "aunt" Effie was holding. She was quite extravagant in her ways, and her practices were always questionably abstract. For this particular event, one was required to wear the coat or fur of an animal in their clothing. No leather or wool was allowed. For the particular event, her father wore a hat of genuine mink. Katniss wore something rather simple, and wasn't as extravagant, She wore a small scarf of down, from a shedding chick, It didn't require an animal to be killed, or abused. All around her, although, the other people attending the gathering wore extravagant garments of rare and endangered species. One woman boasted that her hat was made of the only finest feathers of the elusive mockingjay. Certainly still alive, but rare to see, and the chance of catching one was nearly impossible. Others wore extravagant, but not as much, garments like peacock hats, crocodile gloves, One woman screamed that her lingerie was made of cheetah coat. She was lead away by a rather lustful looking man and exited the scene.
By 8:00, everyone at the place was drunk, or at least really buzzed. Katniss watched as they committed their lustful acts, rash and impulsive. She watched as Effie rubbed her arse into the butler Haymitch's groin. They both moaned and laughed their heads off during the act. Being one of the only "children" there, Katniss felt out of place, and sighing, bid the drunken adults goodbye, and stepped out into the hall, She rather wished she was with her best friend, Gale, but he wasn't rich, or important to her family, so he stayed at the estate. He was her bodyguard, the same age, but freakishly strong. He was also her personal butler, but also… her best friend. He was looked down upon by her family, but Katniss was the only one that took him in, treated him as equal. He was in the edges of the slums of Panem, called the Seam, starving to death, when Katniss was nearly mugged by some random stranger. He came in, like a prince in muddy rags, and fought them away. He could hold his own against them, growing up in the Seam. Katniss, amazed at his bravery, asked him if he would like to be her bodyguard, and butler. He said yes.
Wandering through the great halls of aunt Effie's mansion was she, marveling at the decor and the paintings and sculptures. She found herself standing at the entrance of Effie's garden. butterflies fluttered through the air, and she whistled. A simple tune, a sort of test, something she was taught by her mother. Complete and utter silence. Then, the whistle, reenacted. Then another, and another. Soon the tune rang through the garden, like a chorus of notes. She watched in amazement as she saw it, the elusive mockingjay fly from tree to tree. With a laugh, she attempted to run after it, jumping over stones and plants, and not paying attention to her surroundings. Cold. She plunged face first into water, and, panicking, she flailed, only sinking even lower. She closed her eyes and sank, She gave up. Her lungs burned, and she was forced to inhale, Instead of air, water. Along with pain came unconsciousness. She sank. Then, a hand reached out and grabbed her hand, lifting her up, up, and away. She was smacked on the ground, and her stomach was pushed aggressively. Then, lips on her mouth. Consciousness woke her up like a slap in the face. The innocent thought of breathing air into her was gone, and instead, it deepened into a kiss. Wait. What?
The mysterious figure leaped off of Katniss, as she got up, coughing up water. She had kissed the figure, not a simple Heimlich maneuver, but a full on kiss. She put her hands to her mouth, staring in shock. Blue eyes stared at her, also in shock, before they disappeared. A pen fell from the person, and she crawled over to pick it up. Engraved in the metal was a name, Peeta Mellark.