Peeta's POV
Once Annie had left I felt completely and utterly entranced by that girl who, not five minutes ago, sat across the table from me. God... She was beautiful. And damn could she drink. That wasn't attractive... Just an observation.
Not even a minute alone with her and I felt something. What? I wasn't sure, but it took a whole beer for Annie to get back and break me away from my thoughts.
"Finnick!" Annie called him over to our table from tormenting Haymitch. Finnick drunk is like Finnick sober, only... Nope they're the same thing.
"Yes dear?" He asked sarcastically slipping next to her and kissing her.
"You know I hate your alcohol breath." Annie said.
"You don't hate anything about me honey." Which was undeniable, Annie and Finnick were truly in love.
"Keep telling yourself that." She said. "Anyway, we aren't bringing Katniss to bars anymore, understood?"
"Did she puke?" Finnick asked.
"No."
"Did she piss herself?"
"No."
"Did she throw things at people?"
"No."
"Did she sleep with anyone?"
"No."
"Then what's the problem?" Finnick smirked in victory.
"She says alcohol broke her family." I thought about how peculiar this sounded. How a drunk person could say something like that was mind boggling. "So no more bars Finn."
"Sure, sure. Kiss me?" Annie gave in.
I looked at my phone, mom called me...Again. She'd spent the past month and a half trying to tell me not to enlist. But after what Katniss said, there was no way in hell I wasn't enlisting.
All my life I've wanted to do something worth while. Something good. And that's what I felt the army could do for me. Ever since I was a kid I've wanted to help in some way, and I could do just that through the army.
"Who was it?" Annie asked.
"My mom,"
"How is she?"
"Still flipping her shit." I said.
"You are her little baby Peeta."
"Don't ever say something like that ever again." I laughed.
"Peeta... Please, just think it through. Right now there's a war." Annie wasn't too keen on my decision to enlist either. She was like a sister to me, and while I appreciated that, I didn't need one more person telling me who not to be.
"Isn't that kind of the point of the army?"
"There are people dying Peeta."
"I know that very well." I said. "Isn't that the point of a war?"
"Just think this through, I know you're sensitive about what happened to Rye and all but don't let that decide your fate."
Rye had been killed in the terrorist attacks on nine eleven. He was just flying to a meeting and then he's dead... It hit me hard, my mom took it the worst. But I wanted to enlist long before that happened.
"Meanwhile back in the bar Finnick was getting wasted while his two best pals were bumming him the fuck out!" Finnick chimed in.
"Nice Finn." Annie sighed.
"Thank you darling." Finnick kissed his wife. They were dating way back in the eighth grade, when I was in sixth grade and still thought girls had cooties. Finnick was always like an older brother to me and a prominent part of my family. I think he's in all of our Christmas photo's actually, now that I think of it.
"Peeta when are you going to let Glimmer in your pants? She's about to sleep with Jeff out of desperation." Jo said sitting down next to me.
"Never" I said. Glimmer and I had dated back in high school. And yeah we'd had sex, but then there was rumor going around school she was trying to have a baby, and I dumped her. I think she's stalking me now.
"Ugh... Finnick please tell me the new girl is not a slut. I cannot handle another slut in the office."
"Oh she's not a slut," Annie answered.
"Praise Jesus." Johanna sighed leaning her head on my shoulder.
"Aren't you an atheist?" Finnick asked.
"Yeah, I'm also a lesbian what's your point?" She asked.
"Nothing." I said leaning my head on hers. Johanna was that friend, you weren't sure how you became friends with, and you're even more confused about why you were still friends. But come on you can't not love her.
"Don't get too comfortable lover boy. I don't want you turning me straight." I couldn't have even if I tried.
"I wouldn't take you anyway."
"Did you meet someone?" She sat up.
"Sort of." I responded.
"When?"
"Uh..."
"Oh Peeta, not my coworker." Finnick sighed.
"Damn Odair even drunk you seem sober." Johanna commented.
"Thank you, I try."
"Too hard." Annie laughed. Finnick kissed her after she said that.
My mom called again this time I picked up, "Hi mom."
"Hi Peeta, honey." I sighed waiting for her to start crying, "How are you?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you at a party?"
"I'm at Billy's with Finn."
"Oh tell him I say hi."
I sighed again, "Finnick mother says hello,"
Johanna stole my phone, "Hi Mrs. M, It's Johanna... I'm good... Haha... Yeah I'm keeping him in line, but it seems your son has a little crush-"
"Johanna!" I took the phone from her, "You're drunk leave!"
"Nuh! This is the place where you are accepted as a drunk."
"Sorry about that mom."
"It's fine honey..."
"Why did you call?"
"I just wanted to make sure you were doing well."
"Mom I live six hours away... And you called me yesterday."
"I know..."
"Mom?"
"It's just my baby is all grown up now... And I know you've always wanted to do something to help people, but please have pity on your mother."
"Mom-"
"Please Peeta, your father and I love you no matter what but please think about it."
I sighed, "Bye mom."
"Bye sweetheart, I love you."
"I love you too." I closed my phone and looked at my friends. "I should be getting home."
"Bye Peeta. Come by tomorrow?"
"Sure Annie." I went to my car and started driving. I watched the lights pass by as I headed to my house in suburban Seattle. The house used to be my grandmothers. When she passed my dad inherited it. He paid the bills on it while I went to school. Now I pay for the majority of it.
Dad refused to let me pay for the whole house until I got a real job. I was a park ranger back then, just until my papers had processed.
I had hoped that someday I'd raise my children there. Maybe, but if the army was going to take me that seemed like a slim chance.
I slept peacefully and drove over to Annie and Finnick's. For once the sun was shining in Seattle. The air was hot and humid, Annie and Finnick were opening up their pool for the party they were hosting.
"Peeta, what's up?" Finnick asked once he'd answered the door.
"The usual." I said.
"Good we don't need you changing on us." Finnick wrapped his arm around my neck.
"Peeta, can you come and help me out real quick?" Annie asked trying to take off the pool cover on her own. I went and helped her haul it out.
"So Johanna and the others will be over soon." Annie said, "I'll call Katniss later. I hope her hangover isn't too bad."
"She drank ten beers on her first time out, she'll be so hungover she'll still be drunk." Finnick said.
"So Peeta, how is your mom?" Annie asked as we set up a few more things.
"Crying as usual."
"The poor woman." Annie sighed, "I can't even imagine what it's like to go through that."
"Yeah at this rate she'll adopt Finnick and give him both mine and Rye's inheritance."
"Awesome!" Finnick laughed from the other room. "I love your mom Peeta."
"She loves you." I said.
"Honey don't encourage him." Annie kissed Finnick. At about noon Annie called up Katniss.
"Hi Katniss, how are you?" Annie smiled but then furrowed her brow, "You're what?... Grocery shopping?... Aren't you hungover?... Alright then." Finnick and I couldn't help laughing at the ridiculousness in Annie's tone. "Do you want us to drive you?... What do you mean you want to run?... It's ninety degrees... Katniss really?"
Again Finnick and I laughed our asses off. "Okay... Bye?"
"What was that?" Finnick asked.
"She's not hungover at all, she went grocery shopping!" We all laughed at this, "And now she's going to run over here."
"She's a keeper Odair." Cato smirked from behind us.
"You know it, but you can't have her you know that right?"
"Yes sir, wouldn't dream of it." Cato rolled his eyes, the arrogant little prick.
Thresh went and kicked Cato's ass so he fell into the pool. Rue ran up and high-fived him, in retaliation.
"Dude the hell?" Cato gasped. Clove walked over and said.
"It was your ass, it has a gravitational pull."
"Thanks bitch," Cato smiled climbing out of the pool.
"Welcome." Clove said running away. I watched from afar. Those two had been dating on and off the entire time I'd known them. I'd only hoped they'd get married before they hurt each other.
I watched the others jump in the pool and swim around until about three when Annie went to the front door.
Katniss walked out holding gym shorts and a tank top. She wore only a tiny bikini. Damn she was hot.
"Hey there" Finnick waved.
"Hi." She smiled slightly before sitting on the concrete.
"Looks a bit small don't you think?"
"I've had this since I was sixteen and don't ask why." She laughed. I wanted to know why.
"Aren't you tired?" Annie asked.
"Not really." Katniss responded. "I used to wake up at six every morning to keep the farm going. My body is a great filter."
"That sounds dirty." Johanna snuck up on us.
"How do you know it wasn't?" She asked.
"I would hope so." Johanna purred.
"Anyway, what's up?" Katniss asked.
"Nothing really." I responded. We made small talk for a couple minutes before Katniss's phone rang.
"Hello?... Hi baby," She cooed, "How are you?...That's good... Are you doing okay?... I miss you to baby... How's Lady?... Good, take good care of her... Tell him I said hi too... Go do your homework!... Bye baby." She hung up.
"Who was that?" Annie asked before I could. Did she have a boyfriend?
"Oh just my baby sister. Prim." Oh thank god.
"So that's Prim, who's Gale?"
"He's a friend of mine. He's watching Prim and the farm for me until I can sell it to him and bring Prim over here."
"What about your parents, shouldn't they be watching her?" Annie asked.
"Yeah, but my parents... Well parents are a sensitive topic." She shrugged, "Plus she's sixteen, I trust her just not that much. She's less like my sister and more like my kid."
"That's good Prim has a good role model." Annie smiled. Annie and Finnick had been trying for a baby for the past three years. No luck yet, I had felt bad for them, Annie really wanted a little baby.
"Not really." Katniss scoffed, "I'm not a great role model."
"What are talking about? You're bilingual, you have a master's degree, and are now working at a huge foreign policy annalistic company." I said.
"Yeah... I guess." She looked off into space for a moment. I couldn't help but look at her entranced face, so calm and at ease. But thinking hard about something. About what? I wanted to know so badly it hurt me.
"Time to swim." Finnick said lifting Katniss over his shoulder and chucking her into the pool.
Cato, Thresh, Finnick, Johanna, Glimmer, Rue, and I all got into the pool after her. As she tried to tackle Finnick I tried to figure out where she'd gotten those red marks on her arms from.
"Come on Annie Help me out!" Finnick laughed as Katniss shoved him across the pool.
"Sorry darling, I think you deserve this one." Annie smiled. Finnick instead turned around and cradled Katniss in his arms. He then proceeded to throw her at me.
How I caught her I may never know. But I was very thankful to hold her.
"Good catch man!" Cato called.
"Excuse me?" Clove asked. Cato shoved her under the water and wrestled her for a moment before both of them surfaced to make out.
"Peeta, put me down?" Katniss asked.
"Yeah." I said without thinking placing her on her feet. Her body felt amazing in my arms, I wanted to hold her forever.
As night fell, pizza was ordered and a fire was lit in the fire pit.
We all sat around joking, when Cato pulled out a guitar. "Who wants to play?"
"Not you honey." Johanna said, "I've heard him trust me, it's no good."
"Thanks." Cato narrowed his eyes.
"Not a compliment."
"Hand it over." Katniss sat up beside me.
"You play?" I asked.
"One song. I only know one song." She took the guitar and tuned it.
"Wait, will my ears bleed?" Johanna asked.
"Yes."
"Okay cool." Johanna laid back down so Katniss could start.
"When I find myself in times of trouble mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom let it be. And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me. Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be" I didn't hear the middle of the song because I had to stop to note one thing.
She had me in the palm of her hand, I was a goner and I hadn't known her for more than a day. But I knew I was in love with this girl who made everyone quiet. I was in love with this new girl from Montana whom I knew nothing about.
"And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me. Shine until tomorrow, let it be.
"I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me. Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be.
"There will be an answer, let it be. Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be."
"Well I'll be damned." Johanna said.
"I'm not even sure how I learned that song I just kind of did." Katniss passed the guitar back to Cato.
As soon as it was all packed up, rain started to fall from the sky.
"Really?" Katniss asked.
"Welcome to Seattle kid." Thresh laughed.
"What a wonderful welcome." She said. We all ran inside the house. Once inside everyone slowly began to leave.
"You guys need help cleaning up?" I asked.
"Yeah thanks Peeta." Finnick said.
"Well later guys." Katniss said heading towards the door.
"You're leaving?" Annie asked.
"Yeah."
"You're going to walk home like that?" Annie asked.
"Yes?"
"Really? Let us take you."
"I'll be fine really."
"I'll take you." I volunteered.
"I don't want to burden you. I'll be fine really." She tried to get out the door but I was too quick.
I blocked the door from her so she had to look at me, "You clearly don't know this city very well yet."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that you don't know much about city life yet, and that's okay."
"So what don't I know?" She dared me with a snarky smile.
I chuckled at her look, "You'll get raped looking like that so late at night, trust me." I smirked. She returned my look by biting her lower lip.
"Fine."
"Oh good, bye guys!" Annie called.
"Bye tell Finnick I'll see him at work on Monday." Katniss called back before I closed the door behind us.
We climbed into my car, "You live by the company right?"
"Yes." She answered.
"So how are you liking Washington?"
"Considering you just told me I'd get raped?"
"Well only at night." I corrected myself.
"And that makes it any better?" She laughed.
"A little." I responded.
"It's nothing like Montana, but I like it." She said.
"Yeah I get that." I said, "The weather is a turn off for most people."
"Oh I couldn't care less about a little bit of rain." She said.
After a brief bit of silence I spoke up, "So you have a sister?" She nodded, "What's she like?"
"She's my opposite. Sweet, kind, forgiving, adorable, and innocent."
"A sixteen year old innocent?" I laughed, Katniss was wrong, she was all of those things and more.
"Well, I mean as innocent as she can be."
"I get that."
"I'd do anything for her, including move to a whole new city to take care of her." Then I fell even more in love with her. "What about you do you have any siblings?"
"I had an older brother," I said without thinking. I was silent then thinking about Rye. About how unfair it was that he had to die and make my mom paranoid.
She must have noticed my use of the word had because these were the next words out of her mouth, "I had a mom and a dad once too." But nothing followed. We were both in silent mourning, neither of us knew what the other was mourning for, but we offered condolences in the silence.
I had wanted to know more about her once the silence was well set in, but I'd reached her run down apartment complex before I could find the words or the courage to speak up.
"Thanks Peeta." She climbed out of the car and ran to her apartment. I didn't move until she was inside. I watched her disappear into the shabby apartment complex.
I started driving back to Annie and Finnick's. I thought about that song she sang, and how my grandmother used to play that song for me on her old record player. I thought about how beautiful she looked and sounded.
I pulled into the drive way and walked in to help Annie and Finnick clean up. I started helping pick up their house, but was so distracted by the thought of her that I couldn't help much past the living room.
I couldn't stop questioning what happened to her. I couldn't help but wonder why anyone would hurt such a perfect person.
The whole way home I replayed that song in my head. And when I got home, I put it on as I fell asleep.