My jaw drops a tiny bit. I knew he was into art, but I thought he'd at least be in Art 3, if they even have that! "Ah, Mr. Mellark! Great to have you finally arrive. Class, Peeta will be my assistant for this class. Say hi," Mr. Wallace tells us to do; the room suddenly fills with "Hi, Peeta!" I'm the only one who doesn't say anything.
Mr. Wallace calls out people's names and tells them where to sit. I sit in the middle row on the right side of the classroom. Thankfully, no one sits with me, so I have all of this extra room for my stuff.
"Miss Everdeen," I look up to Mr. Wallace, "Since our first project is a partner assignment, I'm going to have Peeta work with you."
"Great," I say half sarcastically. I don't know what it is, but I just don't want to work with him. But at the same time, I want to just so I can get to know the kid better; see if these rumors Gale tells me are true or not, like the one where he dates girls only to hook up with them, or if he's nice to people to start, then becomes an asshole.
He comes and sits down next to me and breaths in deeply. I can tell he's trying not to look at me for some reason. "Uh, hey Katniss," Peeta says to me quickly. I ignore him and write down some tools I need to get for this class. "It's weird how we finally have a class together."
"We've had classes together since kindergarten. This is just the first class we've had together since 8th grade," I say in a rude manner; I didn't mean to sound rude, it just came out that way.
"Oh, right. That is true, I guess." I reply with nodding my head, trying not to talk to him more than I really have to.
"The person you are sitting with will be your partner for every partner project we have this year. Our first assignment is to draw something they like to do. It will be due by the mid quarter mark. Good luck!"
Mr. Wallace calls me to his desk, "Katniss, Peeta's first drawing assignment for Art 3 is to draw a person, and I was wondering if he could draw you. Since he has nothing else to do this class really, it'd work out. You'll do it? Great! You'll get a tiny bit of extra credit for this. Thanks," he says answering for me. I look over at Peeta for a moment, who is cleaning some paint on a table, and awkwardly walk back to my desk.
Once class ends, Peeta looks like he's about to say something, but he looks away and walks right out of the classroom. "Alrighty, then," I say, and then go to my locker. Gale was leaning against it waiting for me. "How was art class with Mellark?" he asks me.
"How'd you know that I-"
"Glimmer and Madge told me," he interrupts me, "I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd get mad."
"Me? Mad? Never! Just a little pissed you didn't tell me! Oh, and to top it all off, our first assignment is with a partner, we have to draw something that interests them. Oh, and he has to draw me for his Art 3 class." I explain. Gale laughs and I slap his arm.
"Sorry! It's kind of funny to me! Come on, let's go home." He says motioning me towards the general direction of the parking lot. I sigh and walk off to my car.
I get home faster than usual; I guess I just couldn't wait to get out of that place. School's never really been my favorite. It's not that I don't do well, I get A's and B's, but maybe it's because I just don't enjoy the people there besides Gale and Madge.
My mom tried to ask me about my day, but all I say is fine. Ever since Dad died, she's been blocking herself from the world and I'm the one whose left taking care of my litter 12 year old sister, Prim. I get my mom to sign some annual school papers and I leave to go pick up Prim from her first day of 7th grade.
"Hey! Give it back! That's my toy!" I hear some little girl yelling on the playground at the elementary school. I stop for the crosswalk. I look over at the group of kids playing and chasing each other and having fun. I remember my first day of kindergarten.
About ten years ago, I started kindergarten at Oakwood Elementary. My mom decided to be unique and braid my hair into two braids instead one. I remember being so nervous, yet excited to meet new people. I walk into my classroom and the bell rings.
"Welcome everyone! Sit down! I'm you're first teacher, Miss Harding. I wanted to start this scary first day of school with a very happy song. Does anyone know The Valley Song?" my hand shot right up. She smiles and gives me the head nod to start singing. I begin and everyone soon follows my lead.
I smile at that memory. I hear the door slam and see Prim get in. "Hey, Little Duck! How was your first day back to school?"
"It was awesome! I met a new friend, Rue; she's new. She's coming over this weekend! I'm so excited," Prim says. She goes on and on the whole way home about how she's excited for this school year unlike the past. I feel happy for her; I just wish my day went as well. One new friend would have been nice. "So Katniss how was your day?"
"Did you just ask me how my day was?" I question shocked.
"Yeah, you always ask me, so I decided to ask you for once. How was your day?"
"Uh… fine, I guess. Hey, you know who actually talked to me today? Peeta Mellark. He's in my art class!" I tell her it may seem weird to tell her these things, but I love and trust Prim a lot.
"Peeta Mellark? He's so cute! You're lucky. Maybe he'll like you, you're definitely pretty. I wish I looked like you," She says.
"Oh, no. I wish I looked like you, Little Duck," I say as we get out of the car, "you better tuck in that tail!" I say, fixing her shirt.
Prim smiles as we walk inside. Mom stares at us as we come in, she asks how Prim's day was; she says it was great. I go to my room and was about to call Gale, but I don't. I just sit there a bit and think of what Gale and Prim said, about how that think Peeta could possibly like me. It'd be quite interesting if he did. But then again, he's popular. And I'm just your plain old Katniss Everdeen.