First of all, I'd like to thank you for the reviews I've gotten! I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but it's nice to know that at least someone likes my stories!
So today, you guys are meeting Peeta's older brothers! Tell me what you guys think of them in the reviews, or private message me!
"How about this movie?" I point to a comedy and Katniss smiles and nods, her beautiful grey eyes shining. I hint her things that tell her that I like her. So far, she hadn't slapped me or kicked my ass, something I'm thankful about.
I know who Katniss Everdeen is. From what I've heard, she's intimidating and tough. She doesn't really care about what others think about her, and I admire that. And judging from yesterday and today, I only notice her shyness and laughing, something that sounds odd coming from I still gladly appreciate it, because I doubt many guys have the chance to have her stare into your eyes. And her letting you look into yours.
We watch the movie, laughing until we are told to shut up, which makes us laugh even harder. I love her laugh. It's hoarse and deep, but you still know it's coming from a girl.
"That," breath, "was," breath, "hilarious!" Katniss says, panting for air after all of her laughter. It causes me to laugh, making her punch me in the arm and I mock fake hurt. She must have thought that I was actually in pain because she scrunched up her eyebrows in worry, making her look adorable.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't actually mean to, I mean-" Katniss starts but I just smile wide.
"I was kidding Katniss, I doubt you can make a scratch on me," I joke, fully aware that although she is petite, she can beat me up easily. It's not like I'm scrawny, Katniss just packs a mean punch.
"Wanna try me?" She laughs, balling her fists, throwing them in rounds, making me laugh so hard I can't breathe.
"I think not, Everdeen," I say, "but why don't be go to the bakery instead of beating the shit out of each other?" She grins and says yes, so we head to the bakery.
I still can't believe I'm hanging out with the girl of my dreams.
OxO
"Show me how to make something!" She says as we sit behind the counter, watching Rye take orders while my older brother, Josh, kneads bread in the back of the bakery.
"Sure," I say with a smile.
I pull out ingredients for cookies- something easy enough. I give her instructions and she barely follows them, telling me that she's going a different route, winking. Katniss Everdeen, winking?
"Peeta, I think you got something on your cheek," she says after putting flour into the bowl. I feel my cheek and I don't feel anything, so I knit my eyebrows in confusion. "Here, lemme get it for you."
She then quickly puts her hand into the bag of flour, grabbing a handful, then throwing it at my face.
"Oh, it's on Everdeen!" I yell and take a raw egg. She runs and laughs at the same time, looking ready to stumble to the floor at any second. I grab her arm and pull her toward me, then splatter the egg onto her head.
"Bring it on, Mellark!" Katniss shouts as she grabs a handful of cookie dough from the bowl, running towards me, faster than any guy on the track team. I unsuccessfully make some quick turns around the island before running into the very back of the bakery, an area only seen by employees.
I see Josh raises his eyebrows as Katniss and I run around the room, laughing so loud that the customers probably think that we're mental.
Katniss finally aims and throws the wad of cookie dough at me, hitting my back. I fake death, falling to the floor, as if the dough were a bullet.
She jogs over to me, panting and giggling at the same time, switching as if she didn't know which one to do.
"One, zero, Everdeen!" Katniss cheers as she throws a fist in the air, Josh clapping for her. I laugh and get up, brushing off the dust from the floor, although what I should be really doing is wiping my face off from being hit with flour.
"Peety, why don't you and your girlfriend go clean up?" Josh smirks, Katniss' cheeks turning a bright red.
"She's not my girlfriend, Joshy poo," I snicker at his ridiculous pet name his ex girlfriend had given him. It had stuck after she had came over for dinner and even after they had broken up, the name stayed.
"Whatever you say. Katniss, you know he writes in his diary, 'I love Katniss Everdeen' onto every page," Josh lies. Katniss rolls her eyes. I'm glad she doesn't believe it. She doesn't seem to be the gullible type, despite today's fake pain at the movies.
"Josh used to put underwear on his head and wouldn't take it off, even in public," I snicker. I remember my father showing me photos of my brother at two years old, a pair of underwear sitting upon his head, walking around the grocery store like it was a hat. Josh's face turns beet red as Katniss can't stop laughing, her face turning red also.
"Hey, I helped many people with their toilet plunging problems," Josh jokes, awkwardly trying to laugh it off.
I roll my eyes and whisper into Katniss' ear, "Do you want to go outside? He thinks he's cool." She nods and we walk outside, into the breezy cool air. Without thinking, I grab her hand. But she doesn't seem to mind it because she gives my hand a gentle squeeze.
"Well, I guess cookies are out, what do you wanna do now? I ask, looking into her eyes. I can't help but get lost in them, grey like silver.
"How about I call up my friends and we can all hang out at the square?" Katniss suggests. A part of me wishes that Katniss and I could just spend the evening together by ourselves, but another part of me wants to meet Katniss' friends and be accepted if Katniss and I ever date.
Which will never happen.
Katniss tells me that she needs to get her friends, who are currently sleeping at her house. She gives me her number and agrees to meet at the square when she texts me.
Then it hits me.
I have Katniss Everdeen's number.
OxO
I go back home and change out of my flour covered shirt and pants, clothes that were this way even before the food fight with Katniss.
"Going on a date, Peety?" Rye smirks, standing by the door as I tie my shoelaces before going out.
"I wish," I confess. Rye wiggles his eyebrows, knowing who I'm talking about. Hell, he's known who I'm talking about now for ages! I developed a small crush on Katniss in kindergarden, which is now a little bit of love.
"Aw, Katniss Everdeen has finally talked to my little brother, how sweet," Rye teases, "you know I'm making fun of you whenever she comes by."
"Rye, please, no! This is my one chance to finally talk to her. Do you realize how hard it is to talk to her? She's popular yet so shy and closed off, it's nearly impossible for her to not turn you down! I don't embarrass you in front of your girlfriends, you don't embarrass me around Katniss, deal?" I ask, pulling my hand out for a shake. At first, Rye pretends to be hesitant and pulls his hand in and out, but eventually laughs and shakes my hand.
"Now the question is, will you embarrass yourself in front of Katniss?" Rye asks and leaves the room.
What if I do embarrass myself?
Damn you, Rye.
OxO
I pull my phone out as I hear it vibrate and I pray it's Katniss. I've been waiting an hour now, walking around in circles around the bakery.
Katniss: hey, we're ready (:
Me: okay, cool
I wave goodbye to Rue, a girl who had just started working here at the bakery, and open the door to be greeted with the weather that seems perfect for walking around.
I walk to the square when I wonder who Katniss will bring. I've already met her friend Johanna, the girl known for being able to beat people up. I only pray she doesn't bring her guy friends, Finnick and Gale. Although I've never talked to Gale, I know about the rumors of Katniss and Gale dating. From what I gather from today, Katniss doesn't seem like the dating kind of person, she would rather be friends with guys than be together with a guy.
Has she friendzoned me yet?
I take the whole time to think about how I could ever win over her heart until I realize I'm at the square when I spot a group of girls with two guys. Gale and Finnick, I think to myself. Of course.
Finnick Odair is something of a living legend at Panem High School, Since he won the Sixty-fifth state swimming championship when he was only fourteen, he's still one of the youngest victors. Being from California, he was a natural swimmer, so the odds were already in his favor, but what no trainer could claim to have given him was what I heard my friend, Delly Cartwright, call, "extraordinary beauty". Tall, athletic, with golden skin and bronze-colored hair paired with what girls call, "incredible eyes".
I know that if Finnick was single and had an interest in Katniss, I would stand no chance. But luckily, he has a girlfriend, Annie Cresta. I notice her in the group too, spotting her dark brown hair flowing down her back.
"Peeta!" I see Katniss run over to me, enveloping me in a hug. It's a surprise at first, but soon I hug back. She looks up at me and smiles with her grey eyes and I swear I fall in love with her even more. I notice that her hair is free from her braid, wavy and long. She looks beautiful. But she always does.
"Quit making out, come join the rest of us," Johanna yells, turning Katniss' cheeks bright red.
I laugh and say, "We don't really mind, we'll meet you later when we're finished!" Katniss' cheeks turn even brighter, but she laughs along as we walk closer to the group. I don't even notice that I'm holding her hand until I see Annie look at our hands clasped together, raising her eyebrows at Katniss. I quickly release my hand from hers.
"So whataya wanna do?" Madge asks, her blonde hair bounces from her ponytail, secured with a pink bow. I mentally sigh in relief when I see her holding Gale's hand, but I know it could mean the same way that Katniss and I hold hands. Friendly.
"How about we go to Subway? I'm starving," Johanna groans, holding her stomach, earning a laugh from Katniss.
"Sure, I think we could all get something to eat," Gale approves. We walk around the square until we find Subway, and I find my hand holding Katniss'.
Again.
I definitely don't mind it. And it's nice to know that I'm not the one to grab her hand, but she is.
And I don't know if I'm the only one who thinks this way, but if I keep the same attitude I'm in while I'm with her, maybe, just maybe, Katniss and I could have something.
But then I think, yeah right.
What do you guys think about Peeta's older brothers? Rye is around eighteen and Josh is about twenty.
Also, if this does come up in the reviews, Katniss and her group are quite popular at Panem High School. Peeta is also popular, but I don't think he notices it. He's a people person, if you guys didn't notice.
One more announcement: the chapters will be a little longer! It's hard to write chapters for me since I like to write cliffhangers.. Which usually cut off pretty quickly when I write. But I seriously promise, next chapter will be a couple hundred more words longer.
So was the chapter boring or great? Tell me in the reviews!
Thank you again for the feedback I received!
-Alison
