I had a couple of people asking for Peeta and Katniss to become boyfriend and girlfriend, and I'm making a promise now that it will happen, but you're all going to have to wait for it. That's all!
Number 4, Trident Lane, Net Road
Chapter 7
Peeta got home safely on Saturday, and kept his promise by texting me every five minutes. I slept in on Sunday morning, tired from everything that had happened in those two days, and didn't do a lot other than clean the house and message Peeta. We send four kisses to each other now.
But now it's Monday morning, and I have to get up for school. I'm excited about seeing Peeta again, even though it's only been a day since we saw each other, but I'm dreading seeing every other human being. Even Gale, who might not know anything about what happened that Friday night. Everything just seems so daunting right now.
It's 08:35 when Gale knocks on my front door, and I open it, slinging my bag onto my shoulders with a knot in my stomach. He looks less cheerful to see me than usual.
"Gale," I say as a greeting. He smiles slightly.
"Katnip."
We walk in our usual silence, and I wait for him to speak first. After about five minutes, he finally does.
"Is everything okay at home?" he asks, and it's not just a casual question; when I look at his face, he seems serious and genuinely concerned.
"Why do you ask?" I reply, my fear of his reaction about Friday night no longer on my mind.
He frowns. "I saw you leave your house late last night. You were gone for a long time, and I thought you might have run away."
For some reason I feel guilty for this. Surely if he'd seen me leave my house, he'd seen me come back? And therefore seen Peeta and I together?
"No, I just needed a walk. I needed time to think about my mum and stuff," I lie, not sure how else I can get out of this. I guess I could just tell him the truth, but for some reason it just feels wrong; talking to Gale about my love life just feels weird.
He nods, but doesn't look convinced. "Must have been some walk. I waited an hour before I went to sleep, and you still weren't back."
I'm so glad that he didn't see me with Peeta. I don't know how he'd feel about it, but I doubt it would be a feeling of joy. "Yeah, I went and sat in a park for a while."
"I'm sure you did," he says dryly. I don't reply. The more I say, the less he'll believe me.
We arrive at school and I give Gale a long hug goodbye to try and distract him from his thoughts, which seem to be making him moody. We barely see each other at school, as he's a few years older than me, but most of our free time on the weekends is spent with each other... Shit. I didn't spend any of my weekend with him. Hopelessly trying to make up for being a terrible friend, I decide to invite him back to mine after school. He agrees with a confused smile, and I walk into the building alone.
I take my usual seat in my registration room, and five minutes later exactly, Peeta takes the only spare seat next to me.
"I presume it's okay for me to sit here?" he says, grinning with his pure white teeth. I blush and nod, moving my bag off of the seat so that he can sit down. "How coincidental that the only spare seat is next to you!" His eyes are so delightful that I feel a smile grow on my face. I try to remind myself that everything that happened at the weekend between Peeta and I is a secret, and that the only person who would know anything is Finnick, although he probably just thinks that Peeta and I were having a bit of fun, rather than actually really liking each other.
Mrs. Judi takes her seat at the front, and the room becomes quieter. I stare forward, knowing that Peeta hasn't taken his eyes off of me since he arrived and desperately trying to keep my cheeks from becoming any purpler than they already are.
"You are so beautiful," he murmurs, and I bring myself to look at him. He looks transfixed, like he's seeing something new for the first time. I take a deep breath and try to be as comfortable with him as I was yesterday.
"Thank you," I say, feeling stupid as soon as I've said it. He chuckles and sits back in his seat, finally taking his eyes off of me. I do the same, and a few seconds later, his hand is on the top of my knee. I look at him and he looks back, smiling in a way that convinces me he doesn't mean anything sexual by it.
Calm down, my conscience scolds, he's not that kind of person.
As Mrs. Judi starts the register, I place my hand on top of Peeta's and he intertwines his fingers in mine. A wave of calm runs through me as I feel his soft hands locked with mine, and I stop blushing so ridiculously.
"Ah, Peeta," Mrs. Judi says, and he looks at her with a smile, still holding my hand beneath the desk. "Decided to join us at last? I didn't get a chance to meet you on Friday."
Peeta takes his hand off of mine before he talks. "I am very sorry about that, Mrs. Judi, but it's a pleasure to meet you now." How does he do that? Just talk as if he's practiced everything he says for a month before he says it? Every word he says is so confident, so assured, so well designed. I sound like I need a speech therapist whenever I talk to someone I haven't known for more than a year. Mrs. Judi looks pleasantly surprised, and she continues the register with a smile on her face.
Peeta and I stand outside our registration room after the bell has gone. He keeps giving me this look that's somewhere between adoration and awe, and I don't know what to do with myself when he does it.
"When will I see you next?" he asks quietly, taking my hand in his. I look around, hoping someone doesn't see. A young girl walks past and I pull my hand away, frightened that somehow people will begin noticing us. He looks hurt, and gives me a fake smile before walking off.
"Peeta!" I shout, louder than intended. His face is sad and confused as I walk up to him. "Peeta, I just don't want people to see us," I try explaining, my voice rushed and panicked. His expression doesn't change.
"Why not? If I'm an embarrassment to you, you should just tell me."
"No, not at all!" I exclaim, although I'm not entirely sure myself why I don't want people to see us together. "It's just that... It's just..."
"Just what, Katniss?" he says, his face still a picture of hurt.
"It's just that you're you, and I'm me, and people will end up thinking less of you if you're with me," I say, feeling like I've just declared my soul. It's not that I think I'm ugly or anything like that, but I'm smart enough to know that Peeta is in a much higher league than I am, and I feel like I'm going to drag him down. Plus, in the back of my mind I'm still thinking about how I don't want to hurt Gale – but I won't tell Peeta that.
Peeta looks relieved, but not particularly happy. "Katniss... You don't seem to realise it, but there are so many boys in this school that want you. I'm just lucky enough to have you."
To have me? Does that mean that I'm his? That's what we are, we're each other's? Is that what he's saying? I hope so.
"But you could do so much better," I reply, meaning what I say. Peeta could have his pick of the whole litter. More so than Finnick Odair.
He shakes his head. "There isn't any better than you, Katniss." Before I can say anything, his mouth is on mine, pulling me into a passionate, warm and wonderful kiss, holding my waist as our mouths move slowly against each other. I put my arms around his neck and even though I hear people walking past, some muttering, I don't push him away. What do I care if people find out? Peeta said I was his,and that's something to be proud of.
"Excuse me, lovers," a male teacher's voice says from a meter or so away. We pull away quickly, and I see that it's Mr. Abernathy, the headmaster. He's not strict, but he does a good job of running the school, despite the rumour of his drinking problem. "I do believe you're meant to be in class?"
"Yes, sir, we apologize. We'll be on our way now," Peeta says in a formal, polite and charming manner. Mr. Abernathy laughs.
"You, sweetheart," he says to me, "you keep hold of him – he seems like a keeper." He laughs heartily and then continues on his way. Peeta and I beam at each other, before parting ways and heading to our different lessons.
Peeta comes and finds me at lunch time when I'm sat on a bench with Madge, both of us just soaking up the sun. He sits down next to me after saying hello to Madge, and Madge makes her excuses to go. I feel bad for her, because I doubt Peeta would have minded her staying.
"I spoke to Finnick in Science just then." His voice is neutral, but his face is watching mine closely. Although my stomach jerks at his words, I look to him expectantly for him to continue. "He really is sorry about the whole thing. In fact, he told me he isn't going to have any more parties for a long time." The information makes me feel uneasy. I don't want to be the reason that Finnick stops having fun with his friends, or be the reason he feels like shit; I saw him in Science, and he looked miserable.
I sigh. "I'm over it." Peeta nods and we stop talking about it. He takes a sketch book from his bag and starts drawing a dandelion that's a couple of feet away. My eyes follow his hand, and he's incredibly good at it. I'm fascinated, but he puts the book away after only sketching the outlines.
"Why did you stop?"
He smiles casually. "I'll paint it when I get home."
"You paint as well?"
"It helps with decorating the cakes."
"Have you decided what you're baking me yet?" I joke, and he gives me a cheeky look.
"I have, actually."
"I'll look forward to it."
We stay on that bench for the rest of our break, and when the bell goes, we exchange a long kiss. I wonder if everyone's kisses feel as good as Peeta's, and I'm inclined to say probably not. I don't see Peeta again all day, not even after school has ended, but Gale is waiting for me outside the front of the school building, as always. We walk back to my house quietly, and head straight in. Gale shouts a hello through the house and Prim responds immediately, already back from school. My mother is silent, of course. Gale and I take our shoes off and go upstairs, sitting up against the headboard of my bed.
"Peeta Mellark, huh?" he says in an almost annoyed voice, and my stomach drops to the floor.
