"STOP!"

I run through the woods with all my might. I hadn't noticed with all the adrenaline shooting through my veins that Peeta was far behind me. I fall to the floor giggling like a fiend, when he finally catches up to me he looks so out of breath, he throws himself next to me and joins my laughter.

"I told you I don't like being tickled!" I yell, hitting his shoulder in a playful manner.

"Awwww, come on you know you love it when I tickle you!" he says, playfully. As he throws his hand behind his head to gaze at our ocean blue sky.

It's true; I love it when he tickles me. It's one of the few things that make me laugh uncontrollably. I'll never admit that to him though, because it will give a lot more of a reason to tickle me and I don't want that to happen. Sometimes I swear I'll end up wetting my pants by the way he makes me laugh. The laughter always reminding me of how free and open I can be with him. He was my anchor when everything started to fall apart and I can't help but smile at my best friend. I stand up and extend my hand to him; he brushes the leaves that are clung to his shirt and takes my hand.

"Where to Miss Everdeen?" He asks with his 1000 watt smile. The very smile that he only ever gives me.

"I'm not sure Mr. Mellark. How about we go swimming?" I ask, smiling back at him.

He takes my hand as we head toward the cabin my dad showed me when I was a kid. Hands intertwined. Our walk's silent, the way they usually are when we go on walks. We're both content with the silence—it's comfortable and soothing. All you can hear are the loud steps coming from Peeta's toes. It's difficult for him to ever be silent in the woods. It used to make me mentally slap myself because he will never be as quiet as I am walking through the woods but at other times it's a calming feeling. It reminds me he's with me like he's always been.

I can't think of a day where Peeta wasn't there for me with cheese buns and a shoulder to cry on. It's been a few months since I lost my father. And it took a big toll in my life. I felt lifeless without him and it didn't help that my mother turned to depression to cope with her loss. I knew how she felt and every time I wanted her to hold me or assure me that things were going to be okay, she did the exact opposite. She would just in her bed for days. It was always me who ended up telling her that we were going to be okay, that daddy would still be with us even if he's gone. Whenever my mother would have nightmares I was the one that would cradle her in my arms and soothe her back to sleep. It hurt me to see my mother this way, so weak because her husband died. I swore to myself that I would never fall in love since then. I don't want to end up like my mom; I don't want to fall deeply in love with someone to have them ripped away from you.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Peeta asks, shaking my hand a bit. For a couple minutes I just tuned out of the world. It always happens now but Peeta's always there to bring me back.

"Nothing. Peeta, I'm okay." I answer, biting my bottom lip.

"You're a terrible liar. You now that, right?" He states the obvious with a chuckle coming out his throat.

I sigh, "I know I was just thinking about how after my dad died I became the mom for my own mom. Kind of ridiculous, huh? I mean whenever she has nightmares I'm there soothing her back to sleep. Whenever I have nightmares I wake up from thrashing in my bed with no one to comfort me." I say, pouting.

Peeta pool of blue launch to meet my eyes. I can never put my finger on why, but looking into his eyes always makes my stomach flip a little. They're an amazing bright shade of blue that would make any girl melt.

"I can comfort you, you know."

I do know that.

One day while we were in the meadow Peeta was drawing his little sister Prim a picture. He took me along so I wouldn't be stuck at home with my mom but I knew that he just really needed the company as much as I needed to get out. After a while of staring at him in awe of how consumed he gets when he draws I started to drift off to sleep. I ended up having a nightmare while we were in the meadow because I didn't know I was screaming and crying until I felt arms enveloped around me and 'shhhing' in my ear assuring me that's everything's okay. It took a while to calm me down but he was patient, like he always is. When I finally okay he planted a kiss onto my check telling me that I was screaming for my father. It wasn't news to me that I was screaming for my dad, he's the sole reason of my nightmares.

"I know you are, Peeta." I say, smiling at him.

"Race you to the lake!" he laughs, letting go of my hand.

"Hey! That's not fair you had a head start!" I yell after him while chasing him down.

When I reach the lake Peeta's already in splashing around in his boxers, the sight of him splashing around like a five year old made smile. I don't feel like swimming so I just take off my shoes, roll up my pants, and sit in the grass with my feet swirling around.

It's warmer than I'm use to but it's relaxing, as it always is. I stare off around me as I remember the times I would spend with my dad out here while my mom was at the hospital. Uncle Haymitch offered my dad a job that made him travel around all the districts, but every single Sunday morning we'd spend our swimming. After my father was promoted, our time started to dwindle down more and more until it was rare to see him outside of our home.

I just began to spend more time alone as a kind. It didn't matter either way because I enjoy being alone. I'm not much for words or making friends, I only seriously have two good friends in my life. One's playing around in the lake making silly faces at me while the other one is probably at home reading. Madge is my other best friend. She's really quiet at first but once you get to know her she won't stop talking. We partner up for school projects a lot and sit next to each other during assemblies. Over the years we became closer and closer. At first, it was awkward because we're not like most girls. Clothes bore me to tears and we don't usually gossip about boys or who's dating who. But when she showed me how she plays the piano— I fell in love with the instrument, she tried to teach me how to play but I mostly just liked to hear her play it. After a while I started to take her to the woods and realized she wasn't too fond of getting wet, so we'd spend most of our times picking strawberries from a bush my father showed me when I was younger. She absolutely loved them and every time we came, I made sure to bring a bucket for her to take as many as she wanted home.

"HEY!" a splash interprets my thoughts. "Peeta! Don't splash me!" I yell, sticking my tongue out at him.

"Okay! I guess I'll have to bring you in here!" he shouts, coming towards me. I try to stand up but I'm too slow by the time I try to get up he already has me in his arms pulling me underwater.

"PEETA!" I try to sound angry with him but a giggle escapes my lips and doesn't make my yell not too convincing.

Peeta silently laughs as he throw a wink my way and I can't help but notice how attractive my best friend really is.

Peeta's handsome, he's not the tallest boy in school but he's of good height, with a nice muscular figure, and nice blonde curls that fall to his forehead. He could honestly spend weekends with any girl he wants but he spends them with me. I hear what people say about him in the hallways—girls mostly. They like him; they think he's handsome, or in other words "hot." I give them the reason but I don't think that gives Peeta any justice because he's more than looks. Peeta's the sweetest and most selfless person I have ever met. Sometimes I wonder if he knows the word 'no' because he usually comes up with a compromise if things seems to be odd, but he never just flatly answers 'no'. Unlike me, I don't like something and I become sullen and hostile, he just plays it off like nothing's wrong.

"Well now that you're in the water I guess you'll have to swim with me!" Peeta smiles, splashing more water my direction.

I dive in underwater and swim toward him but he sees what I'm up to so right when I reach him. Peeta grabs me effortlessly and cradles me in his arms, twirling me around in circles while my feet slightly hit the water.

"I-I'm geetting ... di-dizzy! Stoooooooooop!"

Peeta's laughter rumbles against my stomach as he walks toward the edge of the lake and sits me down. "Great, I'm all wet." I sigh. "At least you have dry clothes to change into!" I point to the direction of his clothes scattered around.

"I think you forgot that we decided to bring clothes and put it in the cabin out here." Peeta comments.

/

"Mom?" I whisper, making sure I don't make any noise just in case she's sleeping.

After drying ourselves and changing into fresh clothes Peeta walked me home before his shift at the bakery started. He promised he'd call me tonight but that usually doesn't happen. He gets too tired from carrying all those 100 pound sacks of flour; I don't blame him for wanting to sleep.

No answer.

Right as I begin to climb the steps of my house the phone begin to ring. I effortlessly glide down the steps as I pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

"How's my favorite niece?" a rough voice asks.

It's Uncle Haymitch.

The fact that he'd say I'm his favorite makes me laugh because I'm his only niece, my mom being his only sister with one child.

"Hi, Uncle Haymitch!" I greet him.

It's a relief to have him call. He's the only person other than Peeta that I can be myself around. My mom used to say I remind her so much of him. The months following after my father death I began to notice exactly what she meant by it. Sometimes without even speaking we know what the other one is saying.

"How's your mother? Still in bed?" He questions, softly.

I know it tears him apart to hear his sister act like this. Every time he comes over and my mom hears about it she decides to straighten the house and make dinner for him so he won't worry for her. It doesn't fool him though; you can see the vacant look in her eyes even if she smiles.

"I just got home from being out. I haven't seen her all day but she made dinner yesterday."

"Out with the blondie?" He snickers to himself.

Haymitch loves Peeta, you can't resist from liking him. We've known Peeta for years and he's the sweeter one out of the three boys.

"His names Peeta! P-e-e-t-a! I've told you many times not to call him blondie." I scoff.

"Sorry to offend your boyfriend." He scoffs.

"Uncle! He's not my boyfriend."

"Sure sure, sweetheart." He laughs. "Anyways, I didn't call to talk to you about blondie. I wanted to know how your bills are going."

"They're okay. We still have a lot of dad's savings..."

After my dad died my mom wasn't capable of doing anything. I started to pay the bills, buy the groceries, clean the house, learn to make dinner, and make sure to keep myself presentable. If anyone found out my mom couldn't take care of me I would be sent to a foster home and I love my dad too much to have anyone tear me apart from his wife even if she was pretty much lifeless.

"Okay, that's great." His voice sounds pleased. "I'm even more content with offering your dad that job now than when he was alive, great employee though, probably one of my best." Sadness is coming from his end of the phone, even though I can tell he's trying to hide it.

My uncle and my dad were best friend when they were younger, being the same age and all. My uncle had a hard time when he found out his sister and his best friend were dating but he loved them both so much he couldn't stop them from being together.

"How's Effie?" I ask, changing the subject from my dad.

Some topics are still to raw to talk about.

My uncle got married to this rather cheerful woman from the Capital a few years back. We knew her for Capitol accent but apart from all of that Effie's a lot of fun, and thanks to her my Uncle has his head screwed on straight. When he stopped spending so much time with a bottle clung to his hand he said it was because he was trying a new 'health kick', but we all knew it was because of Effie.

"Talking up a storm like always, she keeps asking about you actually. That's why I called. Effie and I were talking and she was thinking that we could move out to District 12. I think it's a great idea. Some of these Capitols are freaks." I laugh. "We were thinking of having you move in with us, your mother as well. You know how she can't have kids." Haymitch's cheerful attitude falls.

I know how much he wants a child of his own. But I've always been like his daughter and now that my father gone he's become more overprotective.

"And we see you like our daughter. What do you say?"

I'm silent. Should I live with them? I know if I move in I will never have to worry about cooking or having to pay the bills. Effie will be in charge of cooking and they also have a few people that help them around their home. It would be nice to not have to worry about those kinds of things and being in this house is sometimes too painful. But if I do move I feel like I'll be forgetting my dad, I don't think I want to leave the house he picked out for his family to grow up in. But it was also meant for his family to grow up in, and he's gone. Might as well say my mother's gone as well with her constant moping around in bed. I never see her smile like she use to when my father was around. I'm not going to say I'm the same Katniss I was—I'm not. She's gone too but at least I try to go on with life. But I owe that to Peeta if it wasn't for him I would have probably turned into my mother over time.

"He'd want this, sweetheart."

As always being miles away he can still hear my thoughts without me even being in front of him.

"You can think about it though. Effie and I are actually going to be there in two days to see the houses for sale. Maybe you can help us pick one out."

When it comes to my uncle I turn into Peeta, I can't say no. "Okay, that sounds great." I smile into the phone.

/

"Peeta? Wow... you actually called I didn't think you would." I laugh.

"I promised you! I know sometimes I promise and I don't call but I wouldn't want you to think that I break promises all the time." I can feel his smile through the phone.

After my uncle hung up, I took a nice long warm shower and decided to read the book I chose for my AP English class. We need to have it finished by Friday. I'm not much of a reader I'd rather do labs, things with my hands but I can't afford to fail another class, and to my surprise I actually love the book Looking for Alaska by John Green. I was so into it I couldn't stop myself from jumping when Peeta's phone call rang throughout my room.

"Well now that you haven't broken your promise. What do you want? Because you just interrupted me from a book."

"Katniss Marie Everdeen! You're reading a book? I have to call the District 12 Times, have your picture in it and everything!" He says so surprised it actually kind of insults me.

"Shut up! To my defense this book isn't stupid, it actually seems to mean more than all those princesses falling in love crap." I mutter. "Once again, what do you want Mellark?"

"I just wanted to know if my best friend wanted to hang out tomorrow. I'm going to movies with a couple of people and Annie really wants to meet you." He pauses. "Before you say anything give it a chance, I know you don't like groups of people but I want people to get to know my best friend."

I hate groups of people. Especially hanging out in them, I don't like being surrounded by people. Peeta's a year older than me and he is on the popular side. That's another reason I'm surprised he spends so much time with me, he has so many friends.

Before I can even answer he rushes, "I'll pick you up at 2 in the afternoon so we can each lunch and then meet everyone up! Wear something nice. Okay? Bye Katniss. Sweet Dreams!"

Then the line goes dead.

I just stare at my phone debating if I should call him back and say 'no' or if I should just let it go. Before I make up my mind I just turn back and drown myself into the book.

Maybe I should go out, it can't be that bad.

/

"What are we even watching?" I whine while he's pulling up to the Cinema.

Peeta showed up to my house at two in the afternoon on the dot. He took me to this small diner with amazing lamb stew called Sae's and convinced me into watching the movies with his friends. It wasn't like me to give in so easily but if it wasn't for Peeta I would be at home right now doing nothing, because Madge is out of town with her father and my mom's in bed sleeping.

I really need to make new friends.

"The Avengers. You like superheros, don't you? Or would you rather us watch something mushy with loveeeeeeeeeeee?" Sarcasm is obvious in his tone. He knows how much I hate sappy love stories. Things like that don't actually happen in real life.

Peeta turns his car off and gets out of it to open mine. Wow what a gentlemen, I chuckle to myself. He just gives me a smile knowing what I'm laughing about. I always laugh when he opens doors for me. It's weird because no one ever does. Growing up I was always seen as one of the boys. I would never dress girly. Only on special occasions and I hated make-up. So boys never held the door open for me or anything and if they did I would punch them in the arm saying I could do it myself. Things started to change when I began to fill in and it didn't help that my dad died because I became more isolated, boys never noticed me and I never noticed them.

"I hear it's fantastic, Prim wouldn't stop talking about it when she came home yesterday. But then again Prim thinks anything's fantastic." He grins.

Before I can even say something a girl with long auburn hair jumps into Peetas arms. He loses his balance for a bit but regains it and hugs the girl back. I've seen this girl before in school, she's the same age as Peeta, I think she's called Annie but I'm really bad with names. I'm better at remembering faces.

After they untangle from their hold Peeta gestures to the girl, "Annie, this is Katniss." he says, smiling his famous smile towards me.

"Oh my god! Finally! Gosh Peeta, where you hiding her under a rock?" she pull me into a hug "I'm Annie. It's so nice to finally meet you. Peeta's talks about you all the time. I've been dying to meet you! You're prettier than he says you were."

I glance towards Peeta to see he's slightly blushing. I just smile and shake her extended hand, "Nice to meet you, Annie."

"So who else is coming? All I remember is you mentioning Johanna and Finnick." Peeta's asks, obviously stating his question towards Annie.

"Johanna isn't coming anymore her and Gale got into some big fight and she said she didn't want to come if he comes. And you know Gale, he's just not going to show up because Johanna's throwing a fit. Finnick's still coming I think he'll be here soon. Cato's coming, he's bringing his girlfriend Clove. Marvel as well and I think Glimmer's coming with him." Annie says cheerfully. She reminds me a lot like Effie minus the sometimes Capitol accent, I think if they ever met, they'd be good for each other.

I've heard the names before. How did I let Peeta convince me into coming? If they all make it that means I'll be with a group of ten and that's more than I'm ever use to.

I hate crowds. During lunch it's usually just me and Madge and sometimes her friend Delly. She was usually the one that would keep the chatter when we were sitting down, Madge and I were usually quite or nod to everything she says.

My eyes focus on the girl walking our way. She has a small figure but even from far away you can tell she has confidence, it's all in the way she walks. She has bright brown eyes and short brown spiky hair. Peeta starts waving at her, "Hey Jo! I thought you weren't coming!"

"Just because Gale wants to be an ass doesn't mean I'm just going to stay at home all Sunday." She states coming before us and pulls Peeta into a hug resting her head into his chest.

Jealously pangs in my chest because it's different than how he was hugging Annie. His hug with Johanna seems more sentimental.

Why am I jealous? Peeta and I are only friends.

When Johanna lifts her head from his chest and pulls away from the hug she stares at me, "Hey, you're Katniss! What did Peeta do to get you here? Tie you into his car and tell you to act like you want to be here?" Her eyes squint as she laughs.

"Something like that." I laugh.

She smirks, hitting Peeta in the arm. "I like her."

There's yelling coming towards us and we all turn to see who it's coming from.

"No Glimmer we are not watching The Vow!" a tall skinny boy, with blonde hair, and green eyes walking our way yells.

"WHY NOT? I don't want to see the vengers!" the girl with a sleek figure and the prettiest long blonde hair I have ever seen asks,

"First off it's the AVENGERS!" He chirps.

They're already in front of us and before he can continue Johanna cuts in. "Why's pipsqueak here?"

The blonde girl pokes her tongue out at Johanna and the boy answers, "She's only allowed out if she's with me. She was telling mom how she hates that we never hangout or spend time together as siblings should. Mom bought the load of crap and said I had to bring her to the movies." he sighs.

"Yeah, so we should watch The Vow!" she yells again.

"Ew gross." Johanna laughs. "Why doesn't she just watch The Vow on her own, Marvel?"

"My mom said I can't let her out of my sight. I thought I was coming to hangout with my friends. NOT BE A FREAKIN' BABY SITTER, GLIM! You couldn't have just waited to see Gloss at school? You just HAD to sneak him in the middle of night and not be quiet about it?"

"Whoa! what?" Johanna gasps.

"I snuck in my boyfriend at two in the morning. We weren't quiet enough so mom found us in the basement. She escorted Gloss out before she yelled but after he left it was chaos. But it's not like it was my first time sneaking him in!" Glimmer whines.

"Awwwwww! Little Glimmer has a boyfriend how cute!" Annie's practically jumping in the air.

"Annie! I'm fourteen! I'm a teenager! I'm not little."

"You act more like a baby then a teenager." Marvels mumbles.

"Ewwwww gross don't tell me Cato's going to act like that with the girl all night." Johanna says, gagging and pointing. We all shift our eyes to see a tall blonde and a short brunette making their ways towards us. They seem very comfortable with each other since he has his hands wrapped around Clove's waist and is either whispering into her ear or kissing her neck, I can't tell.

I recognize her from school as they come closer, she's my age and a year younger than most of the people here. I've talked to her a few times; she's shy but has this look that can scare the living crap out of you. She's mostly Delly's friend and we've talked a few times here in there since she's in my gym class and was my partner for the volleyball unit at school. We were both pretty bad but we were better than Madge and Delly, they're awful.

"Shut up Johanna! Don't act like you and Gale never act like that." Marvel laughs.

Johanna throw daggers at him.

"I think it's cute!" Annie chirps.

Johanna scoffs, "Of course you do."

"Hey Katniss." Clove says once they're in front of the circle we've managed to form.

Marvel, Glimmer, and Cato all look my way and I feel my cheeks begin to turn a shade of red. I've always hated attention, I'm more of the person that blends into the back I hate being the center of anything.

"Umm, hey Clove." I say with a weak smile and a little wave.

Peeta's by my side and puts his arms around my shoulders giving me butterflies. "Sorry. Cato, Glimmer, and Marvel. This is Katniss." He says looking down at me. "Katniss this is Cato, Glimmer, and that's Marvel." He states, pointing at every single one of them.

"Well well well! Mellark finally brought you around!" Marvels says, smirking towards Peeta. "How rude of you to keep a girl as pretty as her to yourself, Mellark." He winks.

I blush harder.

"Don't make her feel uncomfortable, Marv!" Glimmer screams. "I'm Glimmer, like Peeta said. Marvel's little sister. Nice to meet you," she smiles, extending her hand to me.

"Hi, Glimmer." I respond, shaking her hand.

"Hi, Katniss." Cato says with a smile.

"Everyone this Clove," he says, lifting the hand he has a grasp on. "Clove this everyone."

Annie laughs, "You're doing it wrong! She deserves a better introduction that that! Hi, I'm Annie. This is Peeta, Johanna, Glimmer, Marvel, and you already know Katniss!" She says, proudly.

"Hi, everyone." Clove shyly responds.

"I thought she wasn't coming, Finnick!" a tall man with broad shoulders, dark hair, and an olive skin tone says.

The guy he's yelling to which I now know is Finnick is a tall guy, with bronzed hair color, beautiful sea green eyes, and a nice skin complexion. "Awwwwh, come on Gale. Anyways, if you want I'll keep all of Jo's attention." The guy winks toward Johanna.

"Keep your hands off of me. Both of you." Johanna says, pulling Peeta into the Cinema. "Plus, I have Peeta here."

"And who's this pretty lady?" Finnick eyes me up and down.

I begin to wish Johanna hadn't dragged Peeta inside. It would had made everything a lot less awkward.

"That's Katniss!" Annie smile, tangling herself around Finnick's waist.

"Nice to meet you, Katniss. If you ever get sick of the blonde one you know who to call." He winks at me.

"Finn! They're only friends." Annie squeals.

"Oh, then that means we can spend all the time in the world together without it bothering Peeta," he says, throwing his head back laughing.

I just smile.

Clove appears to my side and pulls my arm. "Sit next to me in the Cinema, I don't really know anyone here."

Thank God. I don't know anyone either well except Peeta and her.\

I reply, "Sure.

When we go inside Peeta and Johanna are laughing about something. So, I decide to just stick to Clove. Annie pulls me from Clove's side and asks me to go get refreshments with her so I just follow her.

"Sorry about Johanna." Annie says, sadly. "She's only like this when Gale and she are fighting. Both of them always hog Peeta, though. If Gale was here first it would be him dragging Peeta inside, he wouldn't be draped over Peeta like Johanna is but they'd be joking around with him."

"Are they dating? Gale and Johanna?" I ask concerned.

"No one really knows. We all know they have a thing or feelings for each other but they've never became official. Then sometimes Johanna has dates with other guys. Gale doesn't really date other girls but it's not like we never find him fooling around with another girl. Johanna and Gale are crazy for each other. We all see it. They just don't want to admit." Annie sighs.

"Oh." Is all I can offer her.

"That'll be $25.38." says the man behind the counter. Annie hands him the money as I gather the buckets of popcorns and she pulls drinks from the counter top.

/

"THAT MOVIE WAS INCREDIBLE!" Marvel screams once we're in the parking lot, jumping up and down like a little kid would if they got the newest toy out on the market.

Clove and I just laugh.

I sat next to her and Peeta during the movie. Johanna and Gale ended up making up, well I'm guessing because they were all over each other during the movie. I was comfortable sitting between Clove and Peeta. Clove was in Cato's embrace the whole time and by the way they were acting, I think they missed half of the movie. My head was on Peeta's shoulder the whole time and he would run this thumb over the hand he was holding.

It made me feel safe—like he always does.

"It really was amazing. Hmmm, Prim wasn't lying." Peeta comments once we're inside his car and driving away.

We said goodbye to everyone— almost everyone. Johanna and Gale were nowhere to be found.

"It was. I loved it." I smile.

"Annie wants to take you shopping soon by the way." My eyes widen so he continues. "I'm going."

"It's not that, I think I can spend an afternoon with Annie. It's just... I don't do the whole shopping thing. I'm awful at it. Clothes bore me. The only reason I have nice clothing is because of Effie."

"Then I guess it's a good thing I'm going. I'll be of much better assistance to Annie then you'll be." He teases.

It's only seven o'clock so once he pulls up to my drive way I stick my head toward the window as he levels it down.

"Want to come?" I offer Peeta to come inside.

"No thank," he politely declines. "I've still got some Algebra II homework."

Slacker.

He pushed himself from the driver's seat and place a sweet kiss onto my rosy cheeks.

"See you tomorrow, Kat." He whispers.

"Y-Yeah," I choke out.

Then he drives away.

Once I'm inside I brush my finger over the place his lips met my cheek and throw myself onto the couch to dream.

First Hunger Games FanFic and first FanFic I've ever written!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games!