Living In The Summer Sun

Rating: T to M

Summary: Katniss goes to visit her aunt and uncle every summer at their house by the beach. She mostly spends time with Prim and her friend Gale. However, Prim is not going this year and Gale seems to have more than just friendly intentions for Katniss. To make matters even more complicated, a new family had recently moved down the street and the youngest son (Peeta) seems to want to get to know Katniss. She is torn between the guy she always thought of as just a friend, and the intriguing new guy who is threatening to steal her heart.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Hunger Games, no copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 3: Thrown Off Guard

A/N: First of all, you guys are great! All of your reviews mean so much to me!

When I got back from the bakery, my aunt was watching TV in the living room. I wanted to talk to her about my upcoming dinner with Gale.

I plopped myself down on the sofa next to her and sighed.

"What's wrong Katniss?"

"Gale has been acting funny lately."

My aunt raised her eyebrow at me. "How so?"

I chewed on my lower lip in nervousness, it was difficult for me to express my feelings about people, and I didn't want my aunt to get the wrong impression. "I don't know. He's been very attentive since I arrived."

"Attentive?"

"Yeah, like he's been touching me more often, and well...he asked me to dinner tonight."

My aunt gave me a little smile and then gently shook her head. "Oh Katniss, you don't know?"

Know what? What was she talking about? "Don't know what?"

She placed her hand on my shoulder and sighed. "Gale likes you honey."

I was confused, of course he liked me, we were friends. "Yeah, I like him too, we're good friends."

She chuckled at me softly. "No, he likes you, in a romantic way."

I felt my jaw drop at what she had just told me. It made sense though. The way he had been acting ever since I had arrived showed that. All of the touches, and 'friendly' kisses, how he insisted on taking me out to dinner. "Oh."

"How do you feel about him?"

How did I feel about him? That was a good question. I liked Gale, but did I like him? "I...I don't know. I never really thought of him in that way."

My aunt shuffled closer to me. "He's a nice boy, why don't you just go to dinner with him and see how things go?"

I nodded. "Okay, I'll do that."

I got ready for dinner, dressing in a white skirt that flowed to my knees and a light blue camisole. I braided my hair to the side and slid on some flip flops.

When I came back downstairs, my aunt caught me. "Let me put a little bit of makeup on you."

"Okay, but not too much."

She smiled and took me to her room in front of her vanity mirror. "I'm just going to highlight some of your best facial features."

My aunt swept some shimmery powder across my face, applied some mascara to my eyelashes, and then added just a hint of lip gloss to my lips.

I liked the look. It was nice, without being too over the top.

Gale arrived right on time.

"Wow, you look great," he said as his eyes traveled from my face downward and back up again.

I felt myself blush at his compliment. "Thanks."

Gale looked good as well. He had on a cream colored polo shirt and dark blue jeans that fit him nicely.

He took me to his car and we headed off. "Where are we going to eat at?"

"The Boathouse Grill. I wanted to take you somewhere kinda nice."

The Boathouse Grill was a more expensive seafood restaurant located at the end of town. It was classy and elegant, but not fancy enough to require formal attire.

"That place is kind of expensive, isn't it?"

Gale's dark gaze flickered over to me for a second before he responded. "It's no big deal. I can afford it. I wanted to take you somewhere nice."

I felt my heart racing in my chest, but I couldn't be quite sure if it was because I was excited to be on a 'date' with Gale, or frightened by the idea of being more than friends with him. "Oh, well...uh thanks."

When we finally arrived, Gale led me to the entrance to where the hostess was standing. "Reservations for two under Hawthorne."

Damn, he made reservations for us? This was serious.

The hostess smiled and led us to a table for two by the window.

Gale and I talked throughout the whole meal. I was comfortable talking to him in our normal, friendly way, but I was apprehensive that he would change the topic to something that I wasn't ready for.

Thankfully, he didn't say anything out of the ordinary while we were there. I breathed in a sigh of relief as we exited the restaurant. Maybe my aunt was wrong and Gale just liked me as a friend and was trying to be nice to me. He had yet to really come on to me so I was hoping that I was in the clear.

When we arrived back at home, Gale parked in his driveway and shut off the engine. I got out of the car quickly, hoping to make it next door to my aunt and uncle's house before things got too awkward between us.

However, Gale got out and followed me. "Let me walk you to the door."

I laughed nervously. Things were taking a turn for the worse again. "No, that's okay, I'll be fine."

"Please Katniss."

I sighed. He only called me by my real name when he was in a really serious mood. "Okay."

I let him take me to the front door.

"I had a good time with you tonight."

I swallowed the sudden lump that had formed in my throat. "Yeah, thanks again."

I went to turn my back to him to unlock the door, but he caught me by the arm and swung me around. I looked up at him, knowing what was coming, but unable to stop it.

Gale leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips. I was caught between wanting to push him away and wanting to pull him closer. Part of me screamed that he was just a friend and that we shouldn't be kissing. Another part of me enjoyed the feeling of being kissed; it had been a while since the last time anyone had even shown any interest in me whatsoever and it was nice to feel wanted.

The kiss was brief, lasting only a second or two. Gale didn't try to deepen it or push me further, instead he just smiled. "Goodnight Catnip."

I stood there in shock over what had just happened. I managed to squeak out a goodnight before racing into the house and up to my room.

As I expected, my aunt came into my room moments later. "How did it go?"

I sighed and buried my face against my pillow. "He kissed me."

"What did you say? I can't understand you when your face is in the pillow."

I lifted my head up to face my aunt. "He kissed me."

She nodded. "I see. Did you enjoy the kiss?"

That was the question that I was currently faced with. "No...yes, I don't know!"

"Are you still confused?"

"Even more so as of now. I need to be alone please."

"Okay dear, if you need anything let me know."

What I really needed was for someone to sort out my feelings for me.

All of the sudden, I heard my phone ring. Thinking it was Gale, I groaned and picked it up.

It wasn't Gale, it was Peeta.

"Hey Katniss."

"Hi Peeta, what's going on?"

He paused for a moment before responding. "Are you busy tomorrow evening?"

What the hell? What did Peeta want now?

"No, what's up?"

"Me and a few of my friends are going up to The Pier around five. I was wondering if you would like to go too?"

The Pier was a boardwalk/amusement park. It boasted good food, shops, games, and a few rides as well. It sounded like fun to hang out with a group of people, plus I figured that distancing myself from Gale for a while might help me sort out my feelings, so I agreed.

"Sure, where can I meet you at?"

"I'll be by the Merry-Go-Round at five to meet up with everyone."

"Okay Peeta, I'll see you then."

"Can't wait!" He sounded excited.

I hit 'end' on my phone and placed it on my nightstand. If Peeta hadn't have told me that a whole group of people was going to be at The Pier, I might have thought that he was asking me out. That was all that I needed, two guys after me. I had just wanted to come here and relax this summer, not worry about dating anyone. I just wasn't the type of girl who went around dating a whole bunch of guys just for the hell of it.

As I drifted off to sleep that night, my thoughts went from Gale's kiss and my indecision as to whether or not I had enjoyed it, to Peeta and our plans for the next day. I couldn't deny that Peeta was very attractive, but I really didn't know him that well yet.

How did I get thrown off guard by two guys in such a small amount of time?

A/N: Things are about to get a lot more interesting for Katniss! Please review and let me know if you like how the story is going so far. Thoughts for next time: What will happen between Katniss and Peeta at The Pier? Will Katniss ever figure out her feelings towards Gale? Will she develop feelings for Peeta?