A/N: Hello everybody! I hope everybody's having a great Friday.

First off, I'd like to thank everybody who has favorited, followed and reviewed thus far. I'm so appreciative of it all. :)

That said, I hope you enjoy this chapter! This is in both Katniss' and Peeta's point of view so there's a break indicating the change. I'd also originally written this in third point of view but then changed it because my later chapters are from first point of view, so please excuse me if something doesn't really mesh together. However, there is a part near the beginning that changes to third point of view so we can see Gale's insight… so hopefully that won't confuse anybody too much. If it does, I apologize in advance.


I'm perched on a stool in the coffee shop, waiting for my best friend Gale to show up. I'm all but done with my small hot chocolate when he finally does, his hair windswept and with an apologetic expression on his handsome face.

"Sorry I'm so late, Catnip! I had to stay a few minutes longer because a client arrived late," he apologizes, a line of annoyance between his eyebrows.

I wave my hand airily at him and shake my head.

"Don't worry about it. How are you?" I ask, clutching the now cold cup pointlessly in my hands.

"Fine, I guess… another day gone by. At least it's Friday. How are you?" he asks, his gray eyes roving my face.

"Good," I answer simply.

He raises a dark eyebrow and stares at me incredulously.

"Any word on that raise you were going to get?"

My stormy eyes meet his for a moment and then look away before answering.

"These things take time, Gale," I tell him testily.

"Sure, sure… want to head home?"

"You're not going to buy anything?"

"Nah… not a fan of coffee. Besides, it's getting late," he murmurs, glancing at his watch.

"Right. I don't want to leave Prim alone for too long," I agree, standing up and grabbing my tattered purse.

I feel Gale watching me and suddenly smiles, a rare gesture for him. I turn and raise my eyebrows at him.

"You coming or what?"

He laughs and follows me out the coffee shop.

Though I've always seen Gale as an older brother, it seems that these past few weeks I've caught his eyes lingering on me a little longer than usual. His smiles are brighter and his eyes softer. There's not one moment when he doesn't either: pat my shoulder, pat my back or pat my hand. While I first thought nothing of it, I must admit that it had begun to worry me. It wasn't like Gale to be touchy-feely or especially smiley. But since he hasn't said anything, I don't bother to bring it up.

Mustn't be terribly important, then.

For instance, I notice how he's taking peeks at me from the corner of his eye as we walk.

Still, Gale is rather handsome…

It was almost as if the term 'tall, dark and handsome' was coined solely for him. His eyes are gray like mine and his hair is dark and sleek like mine as well. In fact, we look quite a bit alike that we are sometimes mistaken for siblings.

However, thankfully for him, they were not. Gale was, in fact, in love with Katniss. But he had yet to speak up about his feelings. Katniss was always so busy working or spending time with Prim that he never bothered to bring it up. But he felt that he was reaching a point where he would have to speak up or he would burst. Such as in this moment, where he found her to be heart achingly beautiful.

We were getting close to my house and I could see Gale fidgeting, forcing himself to speak up.

"Katniss, I need to talk to you about something important," he mumbles, clearing his throat.

But I hadn't heard him since I'd stopped walking a few paces ago. I can feel Gale looking back at me and probably about to ask what was my problem was when I break into a run.

"Katniss, wait! What's wrong?" I can hear him shout behind me.

Soon enough, he sees it with his own eyes. There's a camera crew and cars all around my house. My mind immediately races, thinking the worst has happened while my heartbeat accelerates and a sinking feeling drops into my gut.

"Prim!" I shout as I get closer to our house. "Prim! Prim!"

I come to a breathless halt and see that my little sister was indeed okay. As a matter of fact, she was being interviewed by none other than Caesar Flickerman, television's hottest announcer and host. I frown in confusion as a blushing Prim answers his questions, prompting me to start walking slowly toward my sister.

Having finally caught Prim's eye, Caesar turns too and smiles a white, toothy grin at me while I can't help but stare bewilderedly at him.

"And here she is, ladies and gentlemen! The lucky woman of the hour! Miss Katniss Everdeen!" Caesar roars fervently.

I shield my eyes from the camera flashes with my hand and stand there, silently baffled, as I try to make sense of his words. He immediately stretches out a hand to pull me forward excitedly, causing me to stumble a little bit and finally stand there cluelessly.

"Tell me, Katniss. How does it feel to have won?" Caesar asks me as if we were in deepest confidences.

"What do you mean, Mr. Flickerman?" I ask, still uncertain what all this was about.

"Oh, Katniss please! Just call me Caesar. And don't tell me you don't know!" he says, feigning surprise.

"I really don't. Care to enlighten me?"

"Playing coy, are we? Nevertheless… you. Winner. Peeta Mellark. Date. Contest. If that doesn't ring a bell, then nothing will, folks!" he exclaims, winking heartily at the camera.

I blink and stare blankly at Caesar, once again trying to make sense of his words.

"Katniss, I-" Prim starts to speak, her face bright pink.

I drop my hand to my side and felt the sudden urge to faint.

"Caesar, are you trying… to tell me that I've just won a date with movie star Peeta Mellark?" I ask slowly, trying to reason out the madness.

"My dear! You can't tell me you don't remember entering! Sure, the contest started two weeks ago…" he says, his expression dulling.

I turn to look at my shocked and equally guilty looking sister, piecing one and one together. I set my jaw and give Prim a stern look before turning to look at the camera.

"Oh! That contest! So silly of me, Caesar! I've just been so preoccupied at work, you know…" I tell him brightly, wiping fake sweat off my forehead and smiling widely as to take any suspicion away.

At my response, Caesar perks up and laughs, wrapping his embroidery-clad arm around my shoulder.

"It happens to all of us, m'dear! So, how do you feel about winning?" he asks perkily.

I press my lips in thought for a second, brain scrambling for a cheery response.

"I just can't believe it, Caesar. I'm in shock and awe," I decide, answering truthfully.

"As you should be, Katniss! Out of the three million entries, you are the winner! Shock and awe indeed!" he chirps.

Three million entries?! Holy groosling!

"That… is an awful lot of entries, Caesar. Are you quite sure I'm the right one?" I joke feebly.

He laughs cordially and squeezes my shoulder.

"Unless there is another Katniss Everdeen in this District, I'm afraid you're it!"

I laugh weakly, feeling my knees starting to knock together.

"Is there anything you'd like to say to Peeta Mellark before you meet him, Katniss?" he asks me keenly.

My eyes widen for a moment and curse Caesar internally for putting me even more on the spot. I open my mouth for a moment but words have failed me. I clear my throat, giving my brain time to compose some semblance of a response.

"I… I just want to say what an honor this is. Unexpected, but an honor still. I don't know what else to say, really…" I murmur, looking away as my face burns red.

"How charming!" Caesar sniffles. "You can be sure that all of us will be betting on you, Katniss Everdeen! Thank you everyone for tuning in! Live from District 12, this is Caesar Flickerman. Goodnight!"

-x-

"So, kid… you wanna look at the girl I picked for you? They're at her house, interviewing her as we speak," Haymitch rumbles as he takes opposite seat of me.

"Haymitch… don't do that. You startled me," I tell him reproachfully.

"We're wasting time, boy. You wanna see her, turn on the tv."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I press a few buttons on the remote. I stare anxiously at the screen, watching the tense girl standing beside Caesar Flickerman. Her dark mahogany hair is gathered in a long plait, her cheeks rosy despite her olive coloring. And oddly enough, I feel my heart beat faster.

"What do ya think? Not bad, right?" Haymitch smirks.

I watch her silently, feeling her awkwardness ooze through the tv and wash through me.

"It happens to all of us, m'dear! So, how do you feel about winning?"

"I just can't believe it, Caesar. I'm in shock and awe."

"As you should be, Katniss! Out of the three million entries, you are the winner! Shock and awe indeed!"

I roll my eyes. Surely Caesar was just boosting the number to make the contest appear more important that it had really been.

"That… is an awful lot of entries, Caesar. Are you quite sure I'm the right one?"

I see some color disappear from Katniss' face despite her joking tone. In fact, I observe that she looks downright faint. I frown and feel myself get worried about this unknown girl.

"Unless there is another Katniss Everdeen in this District, I'm afraid you're it! Is there anything you'd like to say to Peeta Mellark before you meet him, Katniss?"

I see Katniss fidget for a few seconds and feel my heart race faster as she opens her mouth to speak. However, no words come out. I notice her obvious discomfort and wish they would take the cameras off from her; they were clearly what made her nervous. She finally clears her throat as if to give her vocal cords a jumpstart and Katniss stares into the camera once more.

"I… I just want to say what an honor this is. Unexpected, but an honor still. I don't know what else to say, really…"

Her grey eyes look at the camera for another second and then she looks away, her face red. I smile and feel something warm stir inside my chest.

Caesar warbles on and then bids us goodnight. I sigh a breath of relief for this girl, this Katniss.

"Well?" Haymitch presses.

"She seems harmless enough," I answer, trying to downplay my true feelings.

Haymitch sneers and takes a platinum flask out of the inside of his coat pocket.

"From the dopey look on your face, kid, I take it that you're half in love with her already."

I narrow my eyes at him as Haymitch takes a few noisy gulps, not taking much notice of me.

"Don't be planning the wedding anytime soon," he laughs, wiping his mouth with his hand.

"Ha ha, Haymitch," I tell him sarcastically, opening my laptop in hopes of making myself seem impervious to his comments.

"I emailed you her entry to the contest so you know a little bit about her before you meet her. I also emailed you all the details but since I'm here right now I might as well tell you. We're flying her out on Sunday morning… figured I'd give her a day to get herself together and pack. She's going to arrive at around noon and will be immediately taken to her hotel room. She can use that time for leisure until it's time for your date. 8pm sharp, at Chez Jean Paul. Dinner and dessert, no drinks because the paparazzi will be there and it's imperative you're both alert. Jean Paul had been pestering me about you and so I figured this was the perfect time for you to go to his restaurant. You take her back to her room, give her a kiss goodnight and you're on your way back home. Next morning, we board her on her plane and she goes back home. Capisce?"

"That's it?"

"What do you mean, 'that's it', boy? Oh… did you want more than a goodnight kiss from her, is that it?" he leers at me, wriggling his eyebrows.

I roll my eyes once more but can't deny the swooping feeling that passes through my stomach at the thought of kissing her.

"Don't be disgusting, Haymitch. I just meant that such a big deal for one date?"

Haymitch barks out a laugh and takes another drink from his flask.

"So, you're trying to tell me you want to spend more time with this girl?"

I can feel my cheeks burn but I try to stare Haymitch down.

"No… I'm just… I… damn it, Haymitch. You always twist everything. I just think that you went through all this trouble of selecting one girl out of hundreds for me to date to just see her once, kiss her goodnight and then send her on her merry way," I reason.

Haymitch ponders this for a moment.

"You're right, kid. But what if you don't like her?"

"Why wouldn't I like her, Haymitch? She seems pleasant," I shrug.

"Don't judge a berry by its color, boy."

"Yes, I know that, conscience, thank you. What if… we just wait? I let you know how things go on the date and we take it from there?" I suggest innocently, my heart thumping madly at the chance of spending more time with Katniss Everdeen.

"Sounds expensive," he mutters. "But if it's what you wish, then so be it. After all, this was to find you a girl. Sorta."

"Look, if you want, I can pay for any expenses after her day is up. It wouldn't be a problem," I offer, hoping desperately to have her stay more than one day.

"You're funny, boy. But money isn't the problem. Thanks for offering, though. I'll let you know. I'm off now," he grunts and gives me a salute before slouching off.

I open the email containing Katniss' information excitedly. I stare hungrily at her picture for minutes. She wasn't exactly smiling but she wasn't serious either. Yet I still smile like fool upon seeing her. From what I could tell, her hair was in its braid down her back and she appeared to be wearing some sort of suit.

Is she a business woman? Lawyer?

Name: Katniss Everdeen
Age: 22
Height: 5'4"
Profession: Secretary

Ah, secretary. That makes sense, I suppose…

Talents: Singing

She sings? Her voice is pleasant and soothing, I can just imagine how her singing sounds like; probably like a chorus of angels.

Hobbies: Dancing, cooking, archery

I raise his eyebrows after reading her last hobby.

She's an archer? That's sort of a strange hobby for a 22-year-old woman… then again, who am I to judge what makes a person happy?

Likes: Outdoors, food, reading

I smile at the list; she sounded like someone I could get along with. Plus the 'food' answer was comforting. I am so used to going out with girls who order salads so they can stay thin. But from what I saw she looked to have a nice body…

Dislikes: Poverty, famine, bad weather

She sounds like a humanitarian. This makes me feel a little guilty. I've extra money to spend and I've never donated to a charity. Not that these issues have never been important but I've just never thought much about it. I'll need to see about that.

I continue reading her entry and feel like I am truly getting to know a part of her. Also, I realize just how ridiculously excited I am looking forward to meeting her.

I'm glad Haymitch didn't ask any stupid, overly fan girl-y questions. If there's anything I need to know, I'd like to find out in person. No doubt I would have been slightly turned off if she would have answered "OMG, I LOVE PEETA MELLARK! HE'S SO HAWT!" Still, she doesn't seem the type.

I look at her sphinx-like smile and serious grey eyes once more and smile right back at her picture.

This, for once, is a date I'm looking forward to.


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Have a great weekend and until next Friday, ya'll.