Okay so I'm sorry If I take longer to update this week because I have TAKS (a state test for high schools) ALL week... Frustrating? Yes. BUT I promise to try and write as frequently as I can! Thank you for being so supportive and subscribing to this story it means a lot!
No copy write intended. I do not own Hunger Games.
Everyone was staring. Not just awkward side glances from a few merchants. Everyone including seam kids and actually I think a few teachers heading home turned to catch a view of us too. Two kids from completely opposite sides of the district. One well and one poor. I wish that being from the seam was the worst of it though. It was even more distracting to everyone because Peeta is the nice boy who gives everybody smiles and has a huge heart. I'm the cold hearted animal killer who only cares about her sister. I sit in the corner alone while he is always surrounded by friends. How strange are we? After standing awkwardly at the front of the school frozen Peeta clears his throat and suggests that we move and start walking home. The strange thing is though, I can't. My legs are frozen and planted firmly on the ground. Slowly I turn towards Peeta and whisper "I can't move…My legs won't work..." His eyes grow sympathetic as he realizes how much attention this must be for someone who spent her school days avoiding it. He surprises me by leaning down close to my ear and breathing "Trust me" while taking my left hand in his right. This gesture sends chills down my spine and as I turn to look at him with wide eyes he just gives me a smile and starts walking forward pulling me behind him. My feet shuffle carelessly after him as I struggle to keep up.
Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Breathe Katniss. I don't know why I'm allowing a boy to hold my hand let alone a boy I met this morning. He wasn't supposed to even be walking home with me. After we got through the crowd of kids I couldn't help but feel Gales glare burning holes in my back as we walked away. After we were out of sight Peeta unravels his hand from mine and says almost silently
"I'm sorry. I didn't know people would react that way. I figured since me and Gale… but I guess you're different aren't you?"
I look at him quizzically and ask "What? How am I different? I'm a seam just like him!" he looks away from me as he starts to explain.
"Well you see Katniss. You're Miss. Unreachable. No matter how many times someone has come up to you looking for friendship you turn them away without a second glance." He starts but then pauses. As he continues I can see the corners of his mouth turn up into a smile. "But then I come along and ask you to walk home with me and you say yes. I bet you everybody's wondering the same thing I am… Why me?"
I ponder this over for a second. I realize that once again Peeta Mellark is correct! I think of all the times that random people come up to me asking to sit with me at lunch or to share my text book all the while I say the same thing every time "No sorry not today I'm feeling a little sick." You'd think after using that excuse with so many people they would catch on but apparently district 12 children aren't the brightest. I try to come up with reasons I didn't use that excuse with Peeta but as he looks over at me and smiles I realize that he reminds me of Prim. He's so happy and full of life. He doesn't let anyone hurt him with words and he doesn't let anyone hurt the people he loves. The smallest things about him are the brightest. His smile, the ways his eyes light up when he's happy, and the impossible way he always finds good in everyone. I look up at him and mumble "You remind me of my sister."
He looks taken back but then confusion crosses his face and recognition follows almost immediately after. "Primrose is it?" he asks.
Now it's my turn to be confused "You know my sister?" I ask him.
"Yes actually I do" he replies. "About a month ago I was working in the bakery and I saw her outside the window looking at the cakes. I smiled at her but she seemed frightened" That sounds like Prim, she's always scared that someone wont like her if she's caught staring. "She started to run away but tripped and fell so I chased out the door and after her. She was sitting on the ground holding her knee so I knelt down beside her and I told her my name and that she could trust me. She let me take her inside and I cleaned off her scrapped knee and my dad got her a band-aid while letting her eat a cookie. She told me her name was Primrose and that her sister Katniss would be waiting for her at home. She thanked my father and me and left."
Oh…he helped my sister. If he took care of Prim then I must pay him back. I smile to myself slightly thinking of Peeta helping her as she ate a cookie, one of the many things she never got. I stopped walking completely and Peeta turned to face me confused.
"That was really very sweet of you, Peeta" I say as nicely as I can. "Is there anything I can do to repay you?" I hope he doesn't make an impossible request. I don't have much money and were barely surviving as it is... my thoughts are cut off by his voice.
"Well actually…I was just hoping to be your friend."
"My friend?" I repeat. "Peeta I don't have friends."
"Exactly" he responds "I was hoping to be the first" He smiles at me with a hint of caution in his eyes probably waiting for rejection.
I think about how Prim is always asking me to make some friends and to have a life beyond her and our house. But I've never really come around to finding one. Who better than the boy standing in front of me asking to be my friend. I decide I'll give him a chance.
"Yes" I blurt out
"Yes?" He asks confused. I Stop and give him something I don't give anyone but Prim. A smile.
"Yes I'll be your friend" I say and with that I turn my back and walk toward my house, which we were almost at when I stopped earlier. I look over my shoulder and see his face is a mixture of excitement and victory. I turn back to my house when I hear. "Katniss wait!" I stop and turn around again to look at him as he runs toward me. "Can we… you know… hang out?"
"What?" I ask him skeptically.
"You know that thing friends do. Tonight's my night off at the bakery and I really want to spend time with my new friend." He says to me with a look of hope on his face. I think of how excited Prim will be to see him after what he did for her last month and decide maybe it would be a good idea. I can't deny her the chance of smiling at jokes the bakers son tells as he sits in our small house.
"Okay" I reply. "Common, my house is right there." His grin stretches across his face as he realizes that I'm actually allowing him into my life. I don't even know why I am to be honest but maybe I need friend. I can't get rid of the nagging feeling in the back of my mind though, telling me to be careful because he could find out how we are surviving. I've kept it a secret for so long I don't want anyone to know because I decided I need more company then a drunken forty year old man. I realize suddenly that I have an obligation tonight so I quickly add. "Oh I have to do something at eight so do you mind leaving at around seven o'clock?"
He nods his head "Sure, that's around my dinner time anyway"
If only he knew how I had to get my dinner. "Thanks" I reply while pushing the door to my house open.