A/U: By far, this is one of the longest chapters I've written so far. I really liked writing it, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

It's Saturday night, and Peeta Mellark is in my room, comforting me in my bed as I cry. How did I get here? To be honest, I'm not even sure. But here we are. I guess it all started after the end of classes yesterday, on Friday.

I walk out of Biology alone. I had stayed behind so Madge could walk out with the cute boy in class she's obsessed with (Marvel, just his name makes me gag, or is that more morning sickness?). The things I do for friends. Giving Peeta my virginity, being ostracized for Madge… I am hardly paying attention and I run smack dab into Peeta, himself. With an 'oomf', my backpack slips off my back and papers scatter the halls. Ugh.

"Hey, Katniss!" His voice jumps about an octave-and-a-half. I raise my eyebrows at him and he coughs nervously. "What's up?"

"Just walking out of class- oh and spilling all my stuff across the school." I glare at him.

He laughs and starts picking my stuff up. "I'm real sorry, Katniss. I didn't mean to."

After all my stuff is gathered, he stares at me expectantly, with an odd smile on his face. "So… how are you?"

Puzzled, I respond. "Pretty good, I guess. Darius is leaving, which is a bummer-" Peeta cuts me off.

"No, I mean, how are you?" He gestures to his stomach. I roll my eyes and grab his collar, dragging him down a secluded hallway. The next 'class' of the day is lunch, and I don't mind being late for that. Our cafeteria leaves a lot to be desired.

"Could you be more subtle?" I snap, as I half-heartedly shove him down the hall. He just laughs at me.

"Katniss, in a few months, your stomach is going to be anything but subtle," he says in his annoyingly adorable Peeta way. I continue to glare at him in what I'm sure is my typical bitchy way. He just continues to laugh and pulls me in for another hug.

"What are you doing tonight?" he murmurs in my ear. I jerk back in shock.

"Cleaning up Haymitch, taking care of Primrose and watching T.V., why?" My tone sounds so guarded and it makes me wince. Must I always be this suspicious?

Peeta shrugs. "I'm going out to a party and I was wondering if you'd wanna go with me."

I snort. "Not sure drinking is the best thing to do in my condition."

"All the better," he smiles. "You can take care of me when I get sick."

I roll my eyes. "The situation needs to be reversed, actually."

"You'd never let me." Peeta responds without any hesitation. I stare at him in shock, and watch his face flash through all the different emotions before settling on regret. "I didn't mean it that way…"

"No, it's fine." My voice sounds different to me, and I know it's the hormones speaking. "So, why so anxious to go to some party? Wanna make sure you get your last bits of fun in before this" I wave my hand to my stomach, "happens?"

Peeta looks flabbergasted. "Katniss, you know that's not it…"

"What, is that obnoxious Glimmer going to be there? Or what about Clove? Bet your mama would love that… a girl named after a spice. She'd fit right in around the bakery!" Peeta's family owns a delightful bakery full of the most wonderful cakes and desserts… I've only sampled them a few times, and that's either when he brought them to school to share, or as presents to me and Prim. We're too poor to buy our own, and his mom would die before shelling out charity to the likes of me.

"Katniss, stop it right now…" Peeta's tone is warning, but I don't care. I try to begin speaking again when he covers my mouth with his hand and glares at me. "Shut up!"

I back down, and my mind pulses with a strange mixture of pissed off and… strangely, turned on. I shiver and try to block the feelings out.

"I wanted you to come with me as… as like a date. I know we're best friends, but I just… I dunno. I really like you, Katniss."

My heart sinks. Literally sinks. Lunch is slowly ticking by, but my stomach is feeling too many emotions to eat right now. I kind of have to puke again.

"Me?" Is all I manage to squeak out before Peeta blushes.

"I don't expect this to turn into anything immediately. And I'm not doing this because of the baby. I'm doing this because… well, you sing beautifully. I know you think I've never heard you, but I have. And your skin is the prettiest color ever. And your hair is like silk. And you're never afraid of anything. Fearless Katniss." Peeta reaches over and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. I stand perfectly still, but close my eyes when his hand drags across my cheek. It lingers there, and he rubs his thumb across my cheek bone.

I feel my skin heat up at his touch, and remember two months ago in a wave. My body pulses. I want so badly to kiss him and pull him into a janitor's closet.

I have to pull myself together. "Peeta… I can't... I didn't know you felt this way. And while you are like, one of my best friends, and the nicest guy in school, I can't say I feel that way yet. I don't know how I feel. I don't love people… Just Prim." Peeta's face falls, but I raise a finger, gesturing that he wait a second.

"But. I can't say I'm not… attracted to you. And I have to admit that I did initiate our… experimentation. So, because you were so good at humoring me, I'll return the favor." Peeta's face lights up. "I'll go to this party with you under one condition."

Peeta smiles. "Anything."

"You have to watch any and all movies of my choosing all Saturday day and night." I smirk, thinking about all the gory-horror films I'm about to subject bread-boy to. His face falters, but he sighs.

"You drive a hard bargain, Everdeen, but I'll do anything for a date with you."

"So, this is a date?" I ask, tilting my head in almost a… flirtatious way? Wait, what am I doing?

Peeta gulps, obviously thrown off by my behavior, and his face flushes a bright red. "It's a date."

I nod with a naughty grin on my face, and walk off, paying extra attention to the amount of swing I put into my hips. I feel Peeta's eyes on my body the entire time, and I can't help but smile. I've never felt like this before, never acted like this.

And to be honest, I love it.

"I look awful." I glare at my reflection. Why I let a thirteen year old and the Mayor's daughter pick out my outfit is beyond me. They have me in some frilly top that's supposed to highlight my boobs (it makes me look like a pirate) and skinny jeans that are beyond skinny and have reached levels of torture. I kick at the floor, where my ankles are twisted into impractical heels- all clothes borrowed from Madge. Primrose sighs.

"Katniss, you are beautiful. Peeta's going to have a heart attack when he sees you."

Madge nods, and I huff at the both of them.

"Hello, two months pregnant here? Just because I'm not showing doesn't mean I don't feel fat in everything."

Primrose stares at me for a long time, and I can see the gears in her head turning. She commands me to strip, while Madge sits me down in a chair and begins to do my hair. I wanted to just pull it back in my typical braid, but Prim told me that leaving it down would create an illusion of mystery and allure.

I wanted to tell her that there isn't anything mysterious or alluring left for Peeta, but I decided against it. Prim's too sweet for my sour attitude.

Madge is wrapping my hair around some kind of heated rod, and it's turning my normally straight hair into dark, wild curls. She starts doing my make-up; Primrose is still going through the big pile of clothes that Madge brought over.

Prim exclaims when she finds something for me to wear, and tosses it at me. I feel the material, it's soft and slightly worn. I hear Madge give a slight hum of approval, and I get curious over the shirt. Fortunately, Madge finishes my makeup quicker than it took to do my hair, and I can look down at the top.

It's a light green color, almost grey (like my eyes) and soft. It's a scoop neck and cut directly under my boobs, so the stomach flares out (effectively hiding any pudge). My sister has also thrown over a pair of my own jeans, baggy and ripped. She grabs a belt from Madge's bag, and places the jeans where they belong. Finally, she hands me a pair of converse sneakers. They're Madge's, a nice black color and super comfortable. I turn to look at my refection and gasp.

The shirt fits my body perfectly, and the jeans only accent the added curves I've gained. My hair is loose and curly, and the make-up doesn't take over my face, but simply accents the colors and contours of my appearance.

I turn to look at Madge and Prim, and try to keep my face as somber as possible. "I guess it's okay."

The two squeal and pull me in for a hug. I feel happier than I have in a while.

Scratch that. Any happy feelings I'd been experiencing are shot.

I'm at this stupid party with Peeta, who's been hovering for an hour. And the looks I've been getting are out of this world. Girls are glaring, boys' eyes are staring at my chest, and quite frankly, this entire escapade has been far too intimate for my liking.

"Are you having fun?" This is his fifteenth time asking me since we arrived. I've been playing nice, but now I'm just cranky.

"Define 'fun'." I shoot him one of my sharpest looks. Prim swears I practice them in the mirror, but that's ridiculous. I was born with this never-ending anger.

Peeta sighs. "I'm sorry… We should have just gone to some diner for food. I didn't mean to push you into this…" He looks distraught. He's had a few cups of beer since arriving, and with every passing minute he gets more and more touchy-feely.

Now it's my turn to sigh. I'm just a big meanie. "I'm not trying hard enough, Peeta, it's my fault."

Peeta's desolate expression brightens to what one might call a manic smile and he pulls me into a tight hug. Clove, who's been hovering by Peeta the entire night, lets out an indignant gasp. After hearing that, I remove myself from his embrace. I don't want people looking at us, but a cursory glance around the room tells me I'm out of luck- half the room is staring in awe.

Peeta Mellark and I holding hands, that's normal. Us hanging out together every day; it happens. We finish each other's sentences, thoughts, and lunches. We have spent every day together since the day we met.

However, everyone had me pegged as Gale's girl (which, yuck. Gale doesn't shower enough for me, and he has a definite temper problem) and Peeta as, well… the guy to land a girl like Glimmer and Clove.

Peeta and I hugging has now set off a catalyst that I'm not sure I want to see the other end of. I excuse myself to the bathroom, and quickly walk down the hall. I try to control my breathing. Peeta calls after me, but I don't look. Once I'm locked safely in this tiny room, I let my shaky breath out.

Maybe people won't see this as our first date. Maybe they think ol' Stick In The Mud Katniss is finally branching out. Maybe they can see that Peeta is drunk as a skunk and just being overly affectionate.

I may have been slightly excited about going out with Peeta, but I never imagined this scenario. I thought I'd be the cool, calculated girl, who makes not-drinking look cool. Instead, I ended up looking like Peeta's baby sitter who's following him around desperately. Plus, the entire party just played peeping Tom and now thinks they know something they don't.

I grab a random washcloth and rinse it with cold water, and dab it across my sweaty brow. My phone chimes, just once.

Haymitch bought me a cell phone on my birthday this year. He said he knew I'd always be a wanderer, but this was in case I ever needed him.

I know he thinks of his family when he looks at my phone, because, if only he'd have had one when he was my age, his family might still be alive. Or, at least, he wouldn't be the only survivor dealing with ghosts.

I open up my phone and see a picture message from Gale, with the caption 'what the hell?'

It's the picture of me and Peeta hugging. Someone must have snapped a photo downstairs. I want to throw my phone against a wall.

Gale must be livid. He hates being left out, but will never admit it, and this probably struck him from left field.

I take in a deep breath, throw my shoulders back, and march out of the bathroom. I bump right into Peeta, who must have been waiting for me. He looks like he's sobered up.

"I want to go home." I tell him, stiffly. He doesn't have the energy to argue, just nods and follows me down the stairs. People are hooting and hollering, but I give them the finger and storm out the front door, all the while holding back tears.

This fucking sucks.

When I pull up to Peeta's house, he tries to talk to me. But I'm still staring out the front window, silent. I've been silent the entire way home. I hope he gets the hint.

"I'm really sorry, Katniss," he says after a pause, and climbs out of Haymitch's old car. He let me borrow it, snickering about my 'first date'. I would have punched him if it hadn't been a nice gift. I see a flash of light out of the corner of my eye, and can only assume his mother's been spying at us. Wonderful.

As soon as Peeta shuts the door I speed off. Haymitch would call me a crazy person, Primrose would call me mean, but I didn't care.

I couldn't let Peeta see me cry.

"What's wrong?" Primrose cries out as I stumble through our front door. I've been bawling my eyes out as I was driving home, blaring some old CD I found of Haymitch's. My hair is wet from the tears, my make-up must look awful, and I had to pull over to puke not once, but twice, on the way home.

"I hate parties." I sniffle, trying to hide my face from Primrose.

She runs and hugs me, as I sob into her shoulder. I really didn't want to be crying on my twelve year old sister, but I can't stop. I hate being pregnant.

"Sweetheart?" Haymitch sounds surprisingly sober. I slowly turn to look at him, and his face is an open book of fury. "Do I need to go show that Mellark boy a thing or two about respecting women?"

I shake my head but before I can explain, he barrels on. "Or is it his bitch of a mother running her mouth again?" The words are grinding out; I'm surprised he hasn't exploded.

"I can handle pushy boys and bitchy moms, Haymitch." His unexpected show of authority has shocked the tears out of me. "It's the nosey party-goers and this" I gesture down at my stomach "new wave of emotions I can't deal with."

Haymitch shakes his head at me. "Why are you letting a bunch of high schoolers get you down? You never have before. "

I can't respond, so I shrug and wipe the rest of my tears away. "I'm gonna go shower."

"Sounds good." Haymitch's eyes haven't left my tear stained face, so I scowl and leave the kitchen. Leave it to Haymitch to make a situation go from catastrophic to annoying. Wait. I guess that's a good thing.

Fuck him for being right.

The next morning, I wake up to twenty three texts on my phone. Two from Peeta, one more from Gale, and the rest from random numbers. I guess I'm not as invisible as I think I am, everyone in the school district seems to have my number.

"Saw you and Mellark- do his buns taste as good as they look?"

"LOL it's Cinderella and Prince Charming"

"If he kisses her, will she turn into a princess?"

The least original, finally, is a single word. I'm assuming it's from Clove or Glimmer, one of those stupid girls, because it just says "Slut".

Cute.

Regardless of how much I say I don't care, this really does bother me. Gale's text just seems hurt- "Why didn't you guys tell me?"

I might not talk much about him, or to him, but that's because he's so busy lately. He's been a dating fiend, as well as taking up at the grocery store, organizing stock. He doesn't go to the shooting range nearly as much, and to be honest, I didn't know how to tell him that I not only fucked the other third of our perfect friendship, but am also knocked up.

There was just no tactful way of putting it.

I throw my phone on my bed and watch it bounce away. I want to throw myself on my bed, too, and sob, but Primrose pads into my room. "What are you doing up?" I ask her. I'm more of a morning person, while Prim likes to sleep in.

"I dreamt that you ran away," she tells me, in her point-blank way, and pulls me into a hug. "Don't leave me."

I sit on the bed and cuddle her close to me, like she is a baby. "I promise I'll never leave you."

She straightens out and nods. "So what exactly happened last night?" I immediately feel the hot flush of humiliation run through me, and she shakes her head. "Tell me, it'll make you feel better."

I don't want to tell my little sister that her big sister is now the slut of the school. Thank God I didn't wear anything that exposed more (like I would); I can't even imagine the field day they'd have over that.

I'm about to brush off the situation completely when my phone buzzes. I get a frantic look in my eyes and dive for it- but Prim reaches it first. She opens it and gasps.

On the screen is the infamous picture, and with the caption: "Are you banging him and Gale? Whore."

Prim's eyes search mine for answers that I can't give her, and I see tears welling in the corners. "Prim, shit, please don't-"

It's too late. "How freaking dare they, Katniss?! Who is this? I can't wait to show this to Gale and Peeta… And-and Haymitch! That'll show them!" Primrose's anger is so sweet, like a kitten spitting for the first time. I would laugh if I wasn't so depressed.

"They already know. Well, Gale does. And he's- he's not exactly on my side…" Primrose shakes her head.

"I highly doubt that your best friend would ignore you in your time of need!" Her tone is so proper that I can't help but smirk.

I pull her into a hug. "He didn't know."

"How could you not tell him?!" Prim blows up, not that I don't blame her. I hide from her accusing eyes and stare at the comforter. "Nevermind, what does Peeta have to say about all this?"

I shake my head. "He texted me but I didn't read them. I was too busy looking over my… fan mail." I take my phone back from her hands and scroll through the texts until I reach Peeta's. There is one from last night- probably after I dropped him off- and one from sometime this morning.

"Im sorry tehy did that 2 u". Literate. Nothing like my- I mean, not my Peeta, but nothing like the Peeta I know. I shake my head. Stop arguing with your thoughts!

Primrose reads over my shoulder and coos. "Drunken texts are so cute." I snap my attention to her.

"You better not be getting drunk texts from anyone… Especially not Rory…!" Primrose rolls her eyes and points at the phone, signaling that I need to read the other text.

"Katniss, I'm so, so sorry about last night. I made an ass of myself and left you alone. Please, call me as soon as possible. Peeta."

If her first reaction was obnoxious, Primrose's response to this text is downright nauseating. "Omigod, he is so adorable." She practically swoons. My little sister. Swooning.

I shove her off my bed and she tumbles down, laughing all the way. "You can't fool me, Katniss Everdeen. You liiiiiike him!" She sings, in her typical, out-of-tune voice. I glare and she runs out, giggling madly.

I throw my body back onto my bed and try to bury my head into my pillow. I'm about to doze off back into a nap when the phone buzzes one last time. Reluctantly, I open it up.

"Didn't know she could afford to pay for her dates."

Groan.

"Katniss, there's a guest for you!" Primrose's sweet voice calls from the living room. I haven't moved from my bed since this morning, aside from the three times I puked, and I'm not in the mood for company. It's either Madge, who will want to gossip about my first 'date', or Gale, who's here to yell at me. I dig my face further into my pillow.

Prim doesn't call again, so I'm hoping she's told whoever it is that I'm sick and not up for friends. When I hear foosteps trailing to my room, I assume it's Primrose. Haymitch is out with some lady friend, and left us alone for the night. This usually means some kind of delivery- Chinese take-out or pizza- but I'm not feeling the greasy food. Instead, I just want waffles.

"Buzz off, little duck." I call warningly. "Or I'll projectile vomit on you."

"Please, don't." A surprisingly deep voice responds. I shoot up from my pillows and my eyes fall on none other than Peeta Mellark. "Hi."

"What are you doing here?" I respond, and glance at my alarm clock. It reads 6:09, and I'm in shock at how long I've been in bed all day. Immediately, my hands find my messy hair and try straightening it out.

He shuffles awkwardly, as though he doesn't know what to do, and then looks at me. His expression is helpless, and my heart goes out to him- if only for a second. "I'm here to apologize. Formally."

"You don't have to." I pull my hair into a braid and relax. I feel stronger with my hair in its usual form.

He gestures to the bed in question and I nod. He sits down beside me and sighs. "But I do, Katniss. I let the excitement of the night take over and made a mistake- and in turn, I hurt you. I was just so excited to bring you out with me, I didn't even think about people's reactions…" He starts to explain, but I raise my hand to silence him.

"It's not your fault that people hate me." I say, simply. He gapes.

"No, they don't hate you, I just didn't do this properly. A gentleman would introduce you as his girlfriend, and punch any guy that looked at you funny. A gentleman wouldn't let any girl call you any name under her breath, and a gentleman wouldn't leave his girl alone and upset." His eyes flash with anger, and my stomach twists with a mixture of guilt and… horniness? Ugh- pregnancy hormones.

"I'm not even upset about what everyone is saying about me. That's expected. But what they say about you- that's what kills me." I don't know how to talk anymore, so I hope that's enough. Peeta nods in understanding, but his tone is slightly incensed, still.

"But, Katniss, they were awful to you, and I was too oblivious to do anything. That's not okay."

I shrug. "Well, I forgive you… as long as you help me find a way to explain this to Gale."

His eyes widen. "Shit."

"Shit is right! He's hurt." I explain. "I didn't have the heart to tell him before, when I was planning on… getting rid of it. And by the time I decided to keep it, well, I just-" Forgot. I forgot to tell my best friend.

Peeta reaches out and grabs my hand. "Well, either way. I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere, Katniss."

His words are so reassuring, and his eyes are so full of honesty that I can't help it. Tears stream down my face as I sob.

"I'm sorry, what did I do?" He asks, his tone panicked. He thinks he's hurt me.

"No, no. It's just-" I hiccup. "I didn't expect you to want to stay."

Peeta gives me a look that says 'why not?' and I explain.

"Most guys just leave but you stayed." I pause to sniffle, and he gets up and grabs me a tissue. I take it gratefully and blow my nose. "You don't care that I'm ruining your life."

"How are you ruining my life? You-" Peeta stops, and shakes his head. I'm about to enquire what he was about to say, when my stomach rolls painfully. I jump up and run to the bathroom.

I make it just in time to vomit for the fifth time today. Baby is really unhappy with me today. My retching sounds awful to my own ears, and there's no food left to cough up, just bile.

Peeta's hands are reassuring me on my back the second I hunch over. I moan gratefully. "Thank you." I reply, as I finish and wipe my face. "Can you hand me-" I point to the toothbrush and he complies quickly. I scrub my teeth thoroughly before spitting in the sink.

"Gross."

"You do that a lot?" he asks. "I'm so sorry."

I am about to say something mindlessly, but then stop short and laugh.

"What?" He asks.

I stop laughing for a second. "I was about to say, it isn't your fault… but it kind of is!"

The laughter turns to tears again before I can react and I'm crying in my bathroom. Peeta grabs my arm and leads me carefully to my bedroom, where he puts me on the bed and follows suit, cuddling me carefully.

"Anything you need?" he asks, running his hand over my braid. It feels nice, and I push my head into his hand like a cat.

"Yeah… waffles would be nice."

Peeta gives me a befuddled look, and then laughs. "Oh, Katniss." He says.

I watch him leave and think to myself- this isn't so bad. He is here for me. He wants to be here, and doesn't care about ruining his life. I'm not sure his mom knows yet, but when she does… will it matter? He'll be old enough that she won't matter anymore. He and I- we're great friends. Friends who kiss and flirt and cuddle, but friends. And we can do this. We can raise a baby in a happy, healthy environment. For the most part.

I'm filled with happiness.

Happiness that is only matched by Peeta walking back into my room with a plateful of waffles.

He laughs as I inhale them greedily. I almost don't notice the way his arm slips around my waist.

Almost.