Chapter 7: The Catalyst & Catharsis
A/N: Okay, sooo sorry! I know I broke my word that updates would come more frequently. I've just been in a funk. I can't tell you how many times I wrote, rewrote, cut & pasted, and edited this stinkin' chapter! Ever have all these ideas come into your head at night that sound so good, but when you wake up in the morning and turn on your computer, you have a complete brain fart? Yup, that's been me the past few weeks! Besides, the DVD came out and, duh, I've been vegging out to that a couple times a week! Thank you anyway for the reviews, PMs, and faves.
But I digress. To those that are like me and actually read this lengthy A/N, thanks. I feel like I know you too. To those that don't…oh, I guess they're not reading this anyway!
Disclaimer: Thank goodness I don't own The Hunger Games! I'm pretty sure it would've flopped had I been the mastermind behind it. Thank you, Suzanne Collins!
"Grandpa, what are those banners they're hanging up?" Prim asked, taking notice of the group of men standing on ladders underneath the patio's awnings. It was the first time my mother, grandparents, and I all had a day off to spend together since we got here nearly a month ago. Sitting there in that restaurant was like déjà vu. We were seated at the same table on the veranda where we had met them for the first time. Apparently, it was my grandparents' usual seat, with the usual view, and the usual… wait staff. Peeta had already taken our drink orders and was currently waiting on another table.
I hadn't talked to Peeta for almost a week after Madge's house party. For reasons I couldn't quite point out, it became awkward to talk to him. Delly reassured me that nothing eventful happened that night. She only informed me that Peeta had carried me to the car after I had passed out and, despite the heavy make out session she was having with the hot, older-looking guy, Delly felt it was a "girl's girl" thing to do to accompany me back home since she had invited me. They had both helped me back to my bungalow and into bed without waking my mother or Prim. Thankfully, my mother worked early the next morning, so I didn't have to explain my slight hangover.
"I believe those are for the annual triathlon event they started a couple years ago," Grandfather answered Prim's question as he craned his neck to try to have a better view if the large yellow tarp that was being fastened to the railing.
Grandmother nodded her head. "Oh, yes, the one Seneca Crane sponsors. He raises a great deal of money for his foundation."
"Seneca Crane? Why does that name sound familiar?" I asked.
My grandfather lets out a slightly condescending chuckle. "Seneca Crane? He's a big time movie director! He's directed Capitol Games, District 12, The Dark Days… any of those ring a bell?" I shook my head. "Well, nevertheless, he raises money to support the performing arts in schools by hosting this triathlon every summer. The winning team earns a cash prize or a scholarship to a prestigious private school."
"Katniss, honey, you should enter! You're athletic!" my mother chimed in.
I flashed her an incredulous look. "Mom, I think grandfather said 'team', right Grandpa?" I looked at him for confirmation. He offered a lazy nod. "I assume that means more than one person and, if you haven't already noticed, I don't exactly have friends here."
"Well, how about Atala's boy? You seemed to get along at the gala," my mother offered.
"You could ask Peeta!" Prim suggested overenthusiastically, disregarding our mother's suggestion.
I swear, if I didn't love that girl to pieces, I probably would've killed her about five times already this summer alone. The intuition Prim had well beyond her years was one of her most lovable qualities. I just wished she practiced a little more discretion with her notions and stopped using them for such evils as playing matchmaker with Peeta and me. Truth be told, Peeta and I were actually getting along alright and had gotten to the poit where I might have considered asking him to partner up with me for something like this, but after Madge's party, we've been playing what felt like a mutual game of hot potato. The worst part was I wasn't even entirely sure why.
"Ask me what?" His deep voice sent a shock through me, causing my body to immediately stiffen as if an actual bolt of lightning had hit.
Prim began to answer, "If you can –"
"Bring me another fork!" I interjected in a panic. "I dropped mine on the floor."
Everyone at the table aimed their quizzical looks in my direction. I trained my eyes on the dark green cloth napkin that rested across my lap, folding and unfolding its edges repeatedly. I didn't satiate them with any answer or explanation, nor did I look up from my perfunctory task, not even after Peeta had placed a new fork at its place setting in front of me and pulled out his memo pad to take our orders. I conveniently hid my face behind the menu, continuing to avoid eye contact with him.
"Katniss?" my mother called to me. "You can give the young man the menu back now."
I reluctantly handed the folder back to him, his own hand brushing lightly against mine as he took hold of the menu sending a blush from the tips of my fingers to the tips of my ears. Peeta slowly pulled away, leaving me feeling both relief and longing. He disappeared to place our orders and the conversation at the table picked up once again.
"Well, nevertheless,Katniss, if you do decide to participate in the race and find someone to partner with, it would be a great opportunity for you. The prize is very generous," my grandmother added before finally dropping the subject.
I lolled lazily on the chaise allowing the relentless rays of the sun to bite my skin and the cool ocean breeze to alternately soothe me from excessive heat. It was the perfect balance of weather to enjoy on my day off. Even though I spent my work days perched on this same beach, it was far more enjoyable to let the white noise of waves crashing, seagulls squawking, and crowds talking fade into the background than to pay close attention to every detail occurring in this same scene, ready to spring into action.
I usually considered myself to be somewhat independent. Others have used the words recluse, hermit, loner, and, until I got to high school and started attending school with Gale, I was even called a lesbian. And while I was indifferent to the ignorant opinions of my peers, I wasn't really any of those things. I rather enjoyed the company of those close to me. I was actually missing Gale tremendously. We hadn't spoken in over a month since we left the original apartment. Come to think of it, I never told him we transferred to the country club, so he probably didn't even know how to get hold of me. I knew I should have called him, but the coward in me was simply too afraid to face the reality that Gale and my relationship had taken a turn I wasn't sure I was ready for. Yes. Being independent seemed to be my comfort zone, so even I was surprised to find myself in the company of Delly and Madge, sunbathing on the beach.
My two blondes companions were scantily clad in their next-to-nothing bikinis, sprawled out on their chaise lounges, letting the sun bake their perfectly trimmed figures. I, on the other hand, was wearing my modest one-piece bathing suit which happened to cover even a little more than my lifeguard suit. As per usual, Delly was doing most of the talking. Madge, I learned, was a bit more quiet natured, like myself. She didn't contribute as much to the conversation as Delly did, and when she said something, she didn't elaborate much. She and I weren't bothered by lulls.
"Oh my gosh, guys… Caleb was such a good kisser! And so hot! Thank you, Madge for introducing us," Delly gushed, sipping on her mango smoothie. "He called me a couple days ago and we talked for almost an hour! We didn't really get around to talking at the party 'cause we were too busy making out, but oh my gosh, he's so sweet. And seriously, when was the last time anyone's had an actual phone conversation with a guy? Most guys would rather send a thousand text messages before they actually have to speak, but Caleb was actually interesting and intelligent, y'know?"
"So are you two gonna go out some time?" Madge asked, turning over with deep interest. Or perhaps, just to tan her back.
Delly beamed proudly. "As a matter of fact, we have a date tonight. If all goes well, I might have to bail on my date with Ezra on Friday. He's alright, but we haven't kissed yet, so I'm not too sure about him. He kinda moves too slowly for me." Madge let out an amused snort. "Not a word from you, Miss Monogamy! Look, I just like to keep my options open. But if things work out with Caleb, I might be willing to be exclusive. He's so yummy!"
I laughed at Delly's good nature, enjoying the ease of hanging out with girls who did not look down at me for my socio-economic status despite the obvious disparity.
"What about you, Katniss?" Madge asked quietly.
"Me? What do you mean?" I was dreading the direction this conversation was taking.
"We've kind of been wondering for a while, Katniss. Do you have a boyfriend? Or at least a 'special someone'," Delly elaborated. "Maybe someone back in Minnesota?"
"Michigan," I corrected. "And no. No boyfriend."
"Ever?" I shook my head in response and Delly was incredulous.
The two girls were quiet for a moment, processing this information as if it was a foreign concept to them.
"Well, geez, have you at least kissed a boy before? If not, you have no idea what you're missing!" Delly joked to try to break the silence.
My face heated up well beyond the ninety degrees of sunlight that shone down on us. My cheeks turned a dark shade of red, I was sure.
"Oh my gosh, you have! Oh thank goodness! For a minute there, I was scared I was going to have to start censoring myself! So tell us about this guy you kissed? When did you kiss? Is he cute? What's his name? Why isn't he your boyfriend?" Delly bombarded me with questions I wasn't willing or able to answer.
"I…I…" I searched for a response. "Let's just file it under 'it's complicated'."
Both Delly and Madge leaned forward, obviously riveted by what I knew to be nothing at all.
"Oooh, dra-ma! What's so complicated? Is he your cousin or something?"
"Delly!" Madge smacked her arm. "That's so rude!"
Delly shrugged with innocence. "What? Don't people in Mississippi date their cousins sometimes?"
"Michigan," I corrected her once again. "And no, he's not my cousin. We were just best friends… are! We are best friends."
"Aww, that's sweet," Delly said. "I've always dreamed of having that Ross & Rachel or Dawson & Joey kind of relationship!"
"It's not a relationship," I clarified. "It was just a little kiss goodbye before I left for California. It was nothing."
"If it was truly nothing, you wouldn't have said 'it's complicated.'" Delly turned to the cabana boy walking by and shook her empty glass to signal a need for a refill. He took her glass and placed it on his tray. "Mango smoothie. You girls want anything?"
Madge and I shook our heads. While Delly was still turned around and distracted by the cabana boy, Madge whispered to me, "Wait, so you and Peeta aren't…"
"What?" I gasped in disbelief.
Madge withdrew a little, afraid to overstep my boundaries. "S-sorry. I just thought after the par –"
"That new cabana boy is so cute! Remind me to thank Haymitch for hiring him!" Delly interrupted. "Don't even say it! I'm not going to make a move on him…yet. But until I figure out what this Caleb thing is, I can still look, can't I?"
Although I was grateful that Madge was intuitive enough to drop the subject of Peeta, I couldn't help but dwell on this idea that she had somehow gotten into her head. What in the world could have led her to think there was anything between Peeta and me?
"So are either of you going to be doing this triathlon thingy they're advertising?" I asked hoping to move the conversation away from talks of boys altogether.
Madge frowned with disappointment. "Not me. My parents don't want me to take time away from cello and ballet."
"Ugh, I am," Delly responded with blatant reluctance. "Peeta and I teamed up last year and he guilt-tripped me into doing it again. I'm just plain terrible at it."
"What part? The swimming, the biking, or the running?" I prodded, attempting to hide my disappointment at learning my only two prospects for partnerships had, in fact, teamed up. Another part of me wondered if Delly and Peeta were the ones with a mutual past.
Delly release another huff. "All of it. I hate sweat. Honestly, after 'Team Del-ta' – that's what we were called - placed eighth out of ten teams, I was surprised Peeta even asked me again. I might have been too polite about how much a loathed the whole experience. But Peeta's just such a sweet, selfless, accommodating kinda guy, I just didn't know how to turn him down, y'know? Plus, I know he could use the prize money. I just wish – and don't you dare repeat this another soul because I never thought I'd ever say this in my life but – I wish I was Glimmer right about now. She's got an airtight excuse. She can't participate because she's not qualified, what, with her being Seneca Crane's stepdaughter and all… well, ex-stepdaughter, technically. But related enough to raise suspicions of nepotism. Instead, she gets the pleasure of lounging on a floating island with her obnoxious brother, watching the rest of us break a sweat."
There was a delay in my comprehension of her signature run-on sentences, but then it finally hit me as I recalled the perpetuating gossip I overheard a couple weeks ago. Seneca Crane was married to Eliza O'Keefe, Marvel and Glimmer's mother. That's where I had heard of him. It was like a giant weight had been lifted off me. Not that this fact was of any great importance. It was just one of those instances where something bugs me until I finally figure it out.
The cabana boy return with Delly refill and a couple complimentary bottles of water for Madge and me.
"Are you going to compete in the race?" Delly reciprocated as she bit into the pineapple garnish.
"I don't know. My mother and grandparents think I should. It sounds interesting, but I don't know anyone I could team up with." I tried to act nonchalant. I don't know why I did not want to let on how much I was looking forward to this event.
"Dude!" Delly's face lit up like a light bulb. "Why don't you team up with Peeta? You're obviously a good swimmer – y'know, being a lifeguard an all. Plus, it would get me off the hook! Madge and I would totally cheer for you! Ooh! And we can call you "Team Pee-Ni –" Madge's hand shot up to cover Delly's mouth before she could finish.
"Don't," Madge cautioned.
I looked back and forth between the two of them wondering what Delly had said that Madge seemed to disapprove of. My mind ran a quick rerun of Delly's statement. When I finally realized where she was going with her Hollywood-esque nickname for Peeta and me, my eyes widened with embarrassment.
Delly peeled Madge's gag off her mouth with a chuckle. "Okay, we can come up with a more PG-13 name for them, geez! What do you think, Katniss?"
"I think that's probably not a unilateral decision to make. I'm sure Peeta asked you because he wants you as his teammate," I reasoned.
Delly rolled her eyes at me. "Puh-lease. He asked me 'cause he didn't have any better options. Now he does. But if you want to be polite about it, we can go ask him." She began packing up her belongings into her tote bag. "Let's go ask him now. Besides, I'm starving and Peeta owes me lunch."
Madge and I followed suit knowing Delly moved like a steamroller once she started a mission.
"Right now?" I asked, pulling my swim cover over my head.
"Yup!" she took hold of my wrist and swiftly towed me behind her as she wove through the crowd on the beach. "I want some grub."
"Hey, you think we can go for Mexican food? My parents never let me have Mexican food," Madge asked hopefully.
When we got to a door on the first floor of the lodge, Delly knocked on the door. I wasn't sure if maybe Peeta might have been working. Maybe this was an office or perhaps he was working housekeeping. When there was no immediate answer, Delly knocked again, more fervently. We waited a few more moments before turning away. The door swung open revealing a shirtless Peeta, dripping wet and draped in a bath towel.
All three of us stood at his threshold, mouths agape, before he finally broke the ice with, "Can I help you ladies with something?"
"Geez, Peeta, throw a shirt on before you open your door!" Delly pushed her way past him and made herself comfortable on a beanbag chair in the corner of the room.
Peeta stepped aside to invite Madge and me in. Our eyes met for a fleeting second before Peeta quickly averted his gaze. I tried to remain inconspicuous as I surveyed this club lodging. I expected dark wood furniture with plush white bedding similar to those in our bungalow. Instead, a blue and green striped comforter was strewn haphazardly on the bed, accompanied by piles of unfolded laundry. Hair products and video game consoles littered the dresser across from it. This was not the high class, temporary living quarters of an esteemed club guest. This was the typical room of an American teenage boy. It finally dawned on me that I was not the only Sunset Shores Country Club employee with a very minimal commute to work.
"Well, maybe I would have if someone wasn't on the other side knocking like a serial killer was chasing her," Peeta retorted as he cleared some surface area on his bed for Madge and I to take a seat, then excavated through the laundry pile in search of a shirt and shorts. When he found what he was looking for, he escaped into his en suite bathroom, shouting through the door as he changed. "To what do I owe this honor of having three beautiful ladies come to my humble abode?" Peeta reemerged, unfortunately free of his towel, and dressed in cargo shorts and a blue polo shirt. "This is not exactly how it went in my dreams."
Madge and I blushed profusely at his suggestive comment, but Delly simply rolled her eyes at him. "And that's where it's gonna stay. I'm just here to introduce you to your new partner in crime." Delly held her hand out in my direction as if presenting me to Peeta. "Katniss needs a teammate for the triathlon and I need an excuse to get out of it. Two birds, one stone. There ya go. Maybe this year you'll actually place."
Peeta looked in my direction, his face unreadable. Delly had put both of us on the spot and the last thing I wanted was for Peeta to reject the offer in front of me. "We just came here to ask i-if that was okay with you. I-I mean, if you prefer teaming with Delly, that's okay too. She just had this crazy idea th—"
"Yes."
"What?"
"Yes, I'll team up with you," Peeta replied. "I mean, if you really want to do it. Then I'd be happy to."
"Great! Then it's settled!" Delly declared. "Now you're taking us dream girls to lunch."
I know Delly's character in the book is "friendly to everyone", but I think I rather like her sassy. Hope you do too!
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