Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, alerted and favorited. To be honest, I'm not sure where this story is going. I'm just making things up as I go along. Let me know if you have any ideas on where this should go! Please also feel free to suggest scenes and stuff like that.
"You stayed pretty late tonight, Kat."
Katniss turned around to see Peeta smiling at her as he took off his toque. She nodded as she put on her jacket over her kitchen uniform. "There were a lot of dishes," she said, tossing her braid over her shoulder. "Lots of customers who want your food."
"My delicious food, according to you," Peeta said, smirking. He glanced at the dark office behind him, as if to make sure his mom was really gone. He looked back at the now blushing girl in front of him. "Can I give you a ride home?"
Katniss stared at the blonde boy smiling at her. She remembered the previous night.
"Is it the maitre'd?"
Katniss made a face. "Eew! He's 45, Gale!" she exclaimed as Madge laughed.
"How about one of the waiters?"
"No, Gale," she said as she opened the door to the apartment she shared with Prim. "Why are you so sure it's someone from the restaurant?"
"You blushed Kat," Madge replied for Gale. "Besides, you said so yourself, you go nowhere except home, the bar and the restaurant. If it was someone from the bar, we would know."
Katniss blinked at Madge as Gale made himself comfortable on the couch. "I—Well-," she stammered. "I also go to the Seam!" She smiled as she thought she got herself out of that hole.
Gale let out a laugh. "Nice try Kat," he said. "But if you met someone at our store, I would know about it."
"Crap," Katniss muttered to herself.
Madge sat down beside Gale, her pale face turning red. "Just tell us Kat. We'll stop teasing you, I swear."
"We? I'm not swearing to that!" Gale protested. Madge elbowed him.
"Is it the sous-chef?" Madge asked, smiling.
Katniss shook her head. "Nope," she replied, smiling.
A light turned on in one of the bedrooms. "Crap, I think we woke up Prim," Katniss whispered as Gale and Madge thought of more kitchen people they could throw at Katniss.
A petite blonde, blue-eyed girl walked in the kitchen sleepily. "Oh hey Kat, Gale, Madge," Prim greeted them, yawning. "Did you guys just get in?"
Katniss nodded. "Yeah, sorry we woke you, Prim," she said, grinning at her sister. "Did you have dinner?"
"Yeah, I saved you some," Prim said, sitting on one of the kitchen chairs. "That lamb stew Peeta gave you was so good, I almost finished it all."
Katniss blushed as Gale and Madge exchanged a look. "Oh, you should have finished it," she said, hoping against hope that the other two didn't notice her blush. It was dark, after all. "If you really wanted to."
"No, it's okay," Prim said, getting up and stretching. "You know I always save you some when Peeta gives us food." She yawned again as she headed to her bedroom. "Well, goodnight, I still have class tomorrow. See you later Gale. Goodnight Madge."
"'Night Prim," Madge replied as Gale waved. As soon as the bedroom light turned off, Gale and Madge turned to Katniss.
"It's the chef," Gale said, grinning widely as Madge nodded. "It's Peeta, the chef!"
Katniss grimaced. "No, it isn't," she said, knowing they would never believe her now.
"Sure, it isn't."
"Shut up."
"Katniss?" She blinked, trying to focus on her conversation with Peeta. His smile was gone now, replaced with a look of worry. How long had she been standing there, looking like an idiot?
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, trying to smile. "I spaced out a bit. I guess I'm tired. What were you saying?"
Peeta nodded and smiled again. "I asked if I could give you a ride home," he said, slowly. "May I?"
"You don't have to," she said, shaking her head. "I can get home by myself."
"I know you can," Peeta said, grinning. "But it's late. This isn't a very nice neighborhood." He put on his jacket and ran a hand through his hair. "It doesn't help that you're really pretty."
"No, really, it's fi—What?"
It was Peeta's turn to blush. Katniss stifled a laugh when she realized he was starting to look like a tomato. "I said this wasn't a very nice neighborhood," he said quietly, not meeting her eyes.
Katniss decided to let him off the hook. She nodded and shrugged. "You're right," she said, smiling at him. "Lead the way."
Katniss nodded her head to beat that was coming from Peeta's car speakers. She was surprised that riding with Peeta didn't feel awkward at all. They weren't really friends, after all. Technically, he was her boss. Then again, he always gave her food to take home to Prim so maybe he did think of her as a friend.
"So what do you do for fun?"
She almost jumped at the sound of Peeta's voice. She took a deep breath to collect herself before she answered. "Um, I—I don't really do anything for fun. I work two jobs because my sister is in med school," she replied quickly. "But I guess you can call my other job fun. Not that working at the restaurant isn't."
Peeta nodded as he turned a corner. "What's your other job?"
"I—well, me and my friend Gale—sing at the Capitol," she said, smiling for the first time since she got in Peeta's car.
"The Capitol?" he asked, as he slowed down when they neared a red light. "That bar on 8th? I've never been there. I wish I could see you sing."
"You can," Katniss said, grinning. "We are the Mockingjays and we're here on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays."
He let out a laugh as he pulled over in front of her apartment. He got out of the car and opened her door. She smiled at him as she got out of the car. He watched her walk up to the door. "Is—Is your friend Gale your boyfriend?" he asked suddenly, looking intently at her.
"Oh god no," she said as she turned around, laughing. "He's a friend. We've been friends since we were kids."
"Oh," he said, still not smiling. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Why are you asking?" she asked, the smile fading from her face."
Peeta put his hands in his jacket pockets and shrugged. "No reason, just curious."
Katniss crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't have a boyfriend. I don't really have the time for it."
"I see," Peeta said, the smile reappearing on his face. "Well, goodnight Kat."
"Goodnight Peeta. Thanks for the ride," she said, taking her key out of her pocket and starting to open the door. "Drive home safe, okay?"
"Yeah, thanks Kat," he said, watching her as she closed the door. He smiled and said loudly, "You're gonna make time for me, Katniss Everdeen. You're gonna be mine someday."
He jumped as the door opened again. "Did you say something, Peeta?"
"No—just—goodnight Katniss."