She saw his car pull up that Monday. She supposed they traded off driving. She peered harder. He and Madge were singing something. "What're they singing?" Gale squinted.

"I hope it's Katy Perry," Prim giggled. "Not enough boys admit to listening to her."

"We can't Prim. It's in the Boy Rules," Gale said very seriously. She rolled her eyes. He laughed. "Madge! Over here."

The blond girl waved as she climbed out of the car. She jogged ahead of Peeta a few steps. "Hey Gale!"

"What were you singing?" he asked with a shy smile.

"Oh no, you saw us?" She turned around. "Peeta, they saw us singing."

He looked at his feet awkwardly. "Yikes. Well, at least they didn't hear us."

"So…what were you singing?" Gale leaned in to Madge, taunting her gently.

"I'll never tell!" she giggled and ran into the hallway, daring him to chase her. Prim laughed and waved goodbye as she walked off to her homeroom.

Katniss took a deep breath and turned back to Peeta. She found he was already slipping into the crowd of incoming students rushing towards morning homeroom. "Peeta! Wait!"

He looked genuinely shocked that she called to him as she elbowed her way through protesting students to reach where he'd stopped. "Hi," she said breathlessly when she finally reached him.

He looked around, as though she would be speaking to someone behind him. He responded slowly. "Hi."

"Um. That was really nice, what you did. With the jar for Prim. Um…Thank you."

He shrugged and looked at the lockers behind her left shoulder. "The freshman president said she's first in her class this year and a full tenth of a point higher than the next GPA in her class. She should be rewarded for working that hard." He offered a nervous twitching smile.

They stared at each other. She felt the hair on her neck stand up. She wanted to thank him for so much more. "Well-"

"Are you coming on the senior trip?"

"What?"

He looked like he was surprised he'd said it himself. "The senior trip."

"Oh. No."

"Oh." He watched students pass. "Why not?"

She sat back. "I need to send Prim to Florida instead."

"Well, we're going to Florida."

"What?"

"We changed it," he said quickly. "From the Outer Banks. To Disney." He flashed the awkward smile again. "Yeah, I know we're kind of old, but most of the teams haven't been, so…we're going."

"The school's letting you?"

"It's not through the school. It's just the kids. Well, those of us that are going to be 18 in spring."

"Oh."

"So. Are you going? You could room with Prim," he offered. "I think it's the same long weekend-"

"I...can't."

"Oh." He frowned. His shoulders seemed to sag a little.

The silence grew again.

"I should go to homeroom. Bye."

She spun around and dashed down the hall as the late bell rang.

LINE BREAK

"The beach?" Katniss groaned as she looked at the flyer stapled to the bulletin board.

"Bristel learned to surf over spring break," Gale murmured. "I'm willing to bet she strong-armed her field hockey team into voting for her theme." He turned. "I voted for Paris."

"Well duh," Katniss snorted.

"Shut up," he smiled. "What did you vote for?"

"Um. Space," she mumbled.

"Really?" he frowned. "Didn't think you were into science."

"It just…seemed like a cool idea," she brushed off. "I guess it doesn't matter. It's not like I can go."

"I'm sure you'll have $50 leftover with as much as you work, Catnip." Gale watched the cheerleaders head out to the practice field with interest. "Fifty isn't so bad…" he trailed off as the last girl bent over to tie her sneaker.

"I'm not going alone. You can go to any other dance with your friends but not prom," she said firmly, punching him in the arm.

"What?" he jerked back to attention. "Oh. I'll go with you," Gale offered.

"Are you kidding? Madge is already looking for a dress to go with the corsage she's picked out for you to give her. She'd cut me."

Gale tried not to laugh. "Well I'll take you and she can take Peeta and we'll swap when we get to the dance."

"No way in hell."

"I thought you guys were friendly now? Madge said he gave you a ride home from work."

Katniss made a note to hate Madge again. "Not lets-go-to-prom together friendly. More of oh-yeah-you're-still-alive friendly. Besides," she muttered, "he hasn't even come back by the store in a month."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Lay off."

"Kat, you really need to let go and trust that not everyone is out to use and abuse and abandon you. If I hadn't been held back, would you have any other friends this year?"

Katniss went quiet and stared at her shoes.

"Shit, that's not what I meant. You've got Madge. Even if you don't want her. And I know you and Delly did that Shakespeare project together…but…you're really cool and people want to know you. You gotta trust that."

"I know…I just," she sighed. She lowered her voice. "The girls in middle school made fun of my mom 'cause she's always tired and never does her hair or makeup. She doesn't have time anyway. And how do I know guys aren't like my dad? Hang around until times get hard and then take off with a 22 year old waitress."

"You've hung out with me forever."

"Yeah, but you've been my neighbor since we moved here. You're not like a 'guy' guy."

"How emasculating, thank you."

"You know what I mean. You're practically my brother."

"And I'm telling you that you're okay. People like you. They don't give a shit about what happened in the past. I like you, Katniss. Which, as a girl, is a pretty big thing coming from me."

"God I can't stand you!" she laughed.

"Tough luck, I'm your only friend," he grinned.

She smiled to herself.

"I wish you were going."

"Hunh?"

"To Florida," he explained. "I bet you'd have a great time. Prim, Madge...Peeta."

Katniss felt her stomach twitch and she was glad to see the blond braid appear in the hallway.

"Prim! Over here," she called out. "She saved you from a punch," she told Gale.

"Whatever."

Prim wove in and out of the departing students, clutching an envelope in her hand. She looked worried.

"What's this?" Katniss nodded to the envelope.

Prim pursed her lips. "It's a reminder."

"For what?"

She glanced up nervously at her sister. "They want the deposit money this week. To hold my spot."

"Oh. Okay, how much is it?" Katniss said, taking the form from her.

"Three hundred," Prim whispered.

Katniss breathed a sigh. "I have $307 in the jar. Remind me to give it to you at home."

Prim's shoulders sagged. "I wish you weren't working so hard for this, Kat. I've barely seen you in weeks."

"I'm sorry, little duck," Katniss moaned, guiding Prim towards the door. "I just really want you to go. It means a lot to me for you to go."

"I don't want to if it's too hard on you and Mom."

"It'll be fine, Prim," Katniss soothed as Gale held the door for them. "I'm not even working a double this weekend. We can have lunch on Saturday together. Let's make waffles."

"Yes!" Prim squealed quickly. She covered her smile. "That wasn't supposed to be that loud."

Katniss and Gale laughed.


"It's $24.36, this is $23.00."

"Oh, c'mon, baby. I don't have the change."

Katniss set her jaw at the slicked-hair college student stroking her hand. He leaned over the counter and she could smell the beer emanating from his skin. His friends laughed and leered as he tried to seduce her out of $1.36.

"I can't give away merchandise," she scowled. "Either put something back or borrow a couple bucks from your friends."

The college kid rolled his eyes and looked over his shoulder. "You guys got a dollar?"

"C'mon, don't be a bitch," the tall, lanky boy in the football jersey scolded her. "Just give him the fucking chips already."

"It's my job," she demanded. "Pay me for them or put 'em back."

"Cunt," the greasy-haired boy spat at her. He knocked his ice slush off the counter and up-ended the basket of snacks he'd picked out over the counter. Cellophane bags scattered everywhere and slid across the linoleum in a puddle of sugary water. "Let's get the fuck outta here."

The boys left a trail of destruction behind, knocking over magazines and a display of energy shot drinks.

She stared at the mess. She was shaking. She brought her hands up to her face to steady herself. It was only 9:00pm. The rush hadn't even picked up yet.

She gritted her teeth and grabbed the mop and rags from the manager's closet and hurried to mop up the ice slush before it slipped under the display counters and attracted ants. She gingerly picked up the dripping snack bags and put them back in the plastic basket to wash later.

The door chime sounded.

"Just a minute, please watch out for the – "

"Katniss?"

She closed her eyes. "Watch out for the wet floor."

Peeta was standing in a circle of spilled pornography magazines. His wide eyes were on her. "What happened?"

"The college kid rush," she fumed, wiping down the chip bags as she put them back on the shelf.

"Fucking drunk idiots."

She looked up in surprise. She couldn't remember him swearing before. He bent down and started gathering magazines away from the expanding puddle. He worked for a few minutes before he spoke very quietly. "Some drunk kid hit my dad's car four years ago. Lucky he didn't kill him. Drove off and left him bleeding in the old bread truck." His voice was hushed and angry. "If I ever find out who did it I'll hit them with a brick."

She glanced at him briefly and set the basket on the counter to haul over the mop. "I read about that," she murmured. "In the paper."

He didn't say anything and stacked the magazines back in the display. He started collecting the energy shot bottles.

"You don't have to do that," Katniss said quietly. "I can do it."

"It's fine." He lined the bottles up on the counter. "Kids knock over the crayons we set out in the bakery all the time. Have to pick them up or they get stepped on."

She mopped the floor and rung out the blue raspberry-tinted water in the utility sink in the janitorial closet. She set the mop back in its station and walked back out behind the counter. She realized he was finished and watching her. She felt warm.

"Thank you."

"They're not going to come back, are they?"

"The guys?"

He nodded.

"Don't think so. I wouldn't give them free food."

He frowned and nodded again. "Do you have my number?"

"What?" She blinked.

"No, I don't think you do," he mumbled to himself. He looked around the counter. "Can you give me some receipt paper?"

She pressed the feed button slowly and tore off a few inches of paper. He picked up the pen she left out for credit card transactions. He took the paper and scribbled out a string of numbers.

"This is my cell. I'm over at Bristel's, we'll probably be there a little while longer. If you need anything, call me."

She took the piece of paper and stared at it. He furrowed his brow. "What the hell did she want to eat?" He looked down the aisle of snacks and wandered away from her. She looked at the paper in her fist until she heard him coming back.

He stacked the Doritos and sodas on the counter and fished a stack of ones and fives from his wallet. She glanced at his white eyelashes and shoved the receipt paper into her pocket.

"Um. $8.97."

He handed her two fives.

"Keep it," he said as she counted out the change. He collected the sodas and chips into his arms. "For Prim's trip."

Her eyes followed his taillights out of the parking lot.

She sighed as a sedan of girls pulled up into the vacated spot. Katniss watched the tallest blond girl vomit in the trash bin outside the door. She stumbled to the curb and a brunette with too much eyeliner hurried in asking for water and Pepto. Katniss pointed her down the aisle wearily.

An hour and a half later she watched two boys get into a fight over the ice cream cooler. She ran to grab the phone and call the police when she heard Brooks' voice.

"That doesn't seem very nice," he said. She turned around to see him picking up one of the boys around the waist and the other by his shirt collar and dragging them towards the door. "You go fight outside where you won't ruin the ice cream."

He deposited the stunned boys on the sidewalk and came back inside. He walked around Katniss, who stared at him blankly, punched in on the time clock and pulled his bird photos out of his pockets.

"Th-thank you. Brooks. Thank you."

"People want to eat that ice cream," he said seriously. "No one should ruin ice cream."

She laughed weakly. "You are so right."

"You look tired. Do you want to go early? I can clock you out."

"Yes," she sighed wearily. "Thank you. I'm very tired."

She looked out the plate glass doors. The boys had started yelling at each other again, right on the sidewalk. Their girlfriends in the car were egging them on, leaning out the windows to yell obscenities. Katniss sighed. She walked into the back room and grabbed her jacket.

"Um. Brooks? Do you think you could walk me to the door? I don't want to get in the way of their fighting."

He nodded, glancing to the door. He followed her and pushed open the door for her. She stepped outside and the boys froze to see Brooks looming over them. She ducked to the side of the building and waved goodnight to him. She wanted to take off running.

Headlights washed over her knees when she stepped down on to the cracked asphalt of the parking lot and she jumped. Her eyes flitted over to the Civic logo. She was relieved and anxious at the same time. She needed to thank him. For everything.

"Hey, did you want a ride?"

Brooks stuck his out of the door. "Katniss? Are you all right?"

She nodded. "Yes, Brooks. It's Peeta."

His face lit up. "Hi Peeta! Samuel really likes peanut butter! Crunchy. Not smooth."

Peeta waved and rolled down the window. Katniss noticed Bristel in the front seat, eyeing her with curiosity. "That's great, Brooks!"

Peeta climbed out of the car to open the back door for Katniss. "Sorry," he muttered, shoving crates of files and binders over to the seat behind Bristel. "Got a lot of last minute stuff for government."

Katniss sat down in the vacated seat. "Thanks. Um. Hi Bristel."

Bristel looked over her shoulder. "How long have you been working here?"

"About a month."

"You should have a mace."

Katniss sat back, her cheeks burning. She couldn't tell if Bristel was trying to be funny or not.

Peeta sat back down in the driver's seat and slammed the door. "It's right, then on the left?" Katniss mumbled an affirmative.

"I don't think I could work at a place with nutso customers," Bristel continued. "I worked at that snowball stand at the park last summer and I could barely stand people after a week. And I smelled like banana from that leaky syrup bottle." She looked over at Katniss. "How can you stand smelling like hot dogs?"

"I think she smells delicious," Peeta laughed, catching her eye in the rearview and winking.

Katniss felt her stomach twist again. What is it about him?

"You would think that," Bristel rolled her eyes and turned in her seat to face Katniss. "We're not going to work on government stuff at my house anymore. He's eaten everything in my fridge."

"If you kept something besides tofu I wouldn't get so hungry."

"Soy is very good for you! Do you like tofu, Kat?"

"Not really," she pondered. "I think I've only had it in miso soup, though."

"Oh my God, we should go get sushi!" Bristel gasped, punching Peeta's arm. "That's what I want to eat."

"Is Kyoto open this late?" he glanced at the clock.

"Yeah, it's open 'till one on the weekends."

"Okay. You want to come with?" he asked the rearview.

Katniss looked up in surprise. "To dinner?"

"Well it's second dinner for me," he grinned at her. "But yeah."

"You have to change your shirt," Bristel added quickly. "I can't smell hot dogs and eat sticky rice at the same time."

"Oh. Um. No, that's okay. It's really late. I should get home."

"It's not even eleven," Bristel protested.

"I'm sorry, I'm just tired," Katniss smiled politely. "It was a long shift. Prim's expecting me."

"I heard she won the essay contest for the midwest region," Bristel grinned, eyeing Peeta. "She's going to compete at Disney World?"

"Yeah," Katniss flushed. "She's going to read her essay against the other twelve contestants and they'll pick the best."

"Those are good odds," Peeta smiled gently in the rear view. "Especially for a kid as smart as your sister."

She felt buzzing in her head. The car slowed and she realized they were outside her house.

"Thanks, again," she muttered, crawling out of the car. "And for earlier."

"No worries," he nodded. "Keep my number. Call me anytime."

She nodded, feeling awkward and wanted to get away from the car. "Thanks," she mumbled and dashed for the door. She ran up the stairs and fumbled for her keys.

As his car pulled away she heard Bristel ask, "What was earlier?"