Author's Notes: And the plot THICKENS… dun, dun, dun! … Sorry about that, I got into the sugar bowl. So, I'm pretty sure that some of the details in this chapter (towards the end) conflict with details from earlier in the story, so I do apologize in advance. Not too much Peeta/Katniss in this chapter, but I do have her interacting with other characters. Next chapter, isolated Katniss.

Thank you SO, SO, SO much for everything. You guys with the reviews, and the favorites, and everything, uh AMAZING! I've been wicked distracted with Jersey and everything, but hopefully I'll be able to do a couple of updates this weekend. I'm back at school and full time at work for the summer months :-/ Que sera, sera. Hope everyone is enjoying their May plans! And thank you, again, so much!

HAPPY READINGS!


June 9th, 2012; Saturday

"So, are you two going to get married?" I look over to Prim, who's lying in the grass, weaving a crown of wildflowers from the field near the pond in the valley. Her blue eyes are flickering between teasing and amusement.

"Um, no, little duck. Peeta and I are not getting married." I look down at my hands, playing with a blade of grass.

I had taken Prim to the valley after the softball game (which we had won). Cato's parents were throwing a huge twenty-fifth wedding anniversary party tonight, so we were staying at the Carrera's house for the remainder of the day.

Because the valley lays a few miles past Carriage Point, there were several trails to get to it. Finnick, Gale, Cato, and I always took the more winding, difficult trails. With Prim, seeing as how she didn't appreciate the climb through the woods as much as the actual valley, I took her through the trail that lies behind Cato's house. It was a brisk walk rather than a harsh hike.

I glance at my watch. It was only about three fifteen. I figured we'd head back to the house by four, that way we still had a few hours before the party.

"I think you two are going to get married." Prim giggles, moving the crown in her hands.

I raise an eyebrow. "Prim, I'm seventeen years old. Peeta just turn eighteen. Neither of us are thinking about marriage." And, you know, his mother would probably set the church on fire. Ruin the reception hall. Kill me.

There were legit obstacles.

Not that I was thinking about these obstacles or a fictitious wedding between Peeta and myself.

"But you want to marry him." Her smile is wide.

"Do you want to marry him, Prim?" I poke her side. "I mean, you're talking about it a lot."

"He's not that much older than I am. When I'm twenty-one he'll only be twenty-six." Her laugh is loud as she watches my eyes go from normal to 'deer in the head lights' huge. "I knew you liked him like that!"

Sweet baby Noah and the ark.

My fingers move to the bridge of my nose, holding it for a long moment. I needed to pull myself together. This was ridiculous. All of it. Ridiculous.

R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S.

"You know, you can pretend you don't, but it's pretty obvious." Her tone is no longer youthful and innocent. Our eyes crash into one another. "You're always so good with hiding your emotions, Katniss. It's something mom envies, I think. You're a lot like Haymitch. But when you're with Peeta," her lips lift in a thoughtful smile. "You seem to forget how to do it, conceal your thoughts. You blush and smile more. You know, you're prettier without that scowl you wear with your other friends."

I'm suddenly aware that my baby sister is much older than her age.

I sigh. I cannot tell her about the kiss or the electricity that haunted my body all night upon getting home. I cannot divulge his mother's hatred of me, or the fact that she's liable to do everything in her power to make sure I am in no way connected to the Mellark name. Despite Peeta's feelings for me, that have somehow managed to overcome everything, Mrs. Mellark and my own crazy is not going to bode well for us.

"You act as if liking him is a bad thing. Katniss, it's ok to fall in love." There it is, hope. It's shining like a flame in the dark. I look at the blade of grass. "I just don't want you pushing him away because you're afraid you'll lose him. Like mom lost dad."

My eyes are focusing on her before I have a chance to fully process her words.

"Prim, Peeta and I are just friends; it's been years since we've really seen each other. Love? Little duck, I'm seventeen… I'm not afraid." I'm young, I think. I'm young and foolish.

She does not say anything or try to argue with me. Her lips produce a small smile and she places the crown on my head, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

I watch as she plops back down, beginning to weave another crown.

Was I afraid to lose the boy with the scar? We've only really started seeing each other. Even though I have a feeling that Peeta has had more time to dwell on me then I have had for him. This line of thinking does nothing for my psyche.

I let out a sigh and mindlessly pluck another blade of grass. I've never been known as a coward. At least not until Peeta came home.


I'm staring at the mirror, adjusting my shirt. I had opted for white linen pants and a navy blue halter with my long gray cardigan. My hair was currently down, flowing over my shoulders in soft waves.

The door opens and closes. I turn with a heated look on my face.

"What if I was changing?" My tone is outright vicious. Cato is standing next to the door, his face blank.

"It's my room." He states, confused.

"But what if I had been changing, Cato?" I fold my arms.

"But, it's my room?"

I roll my eyes, looking back at the mirror.

"I like your hair down. You look like a girl." Cato smirks as he passes me and tickles my side. I slap his hand, throwing him a look as he flops down on his bed.

He's wearing a pair of khakis and a red polo shirt.

You know, his mother loves me; adores me. She thinks the sun rises and sets with me. I'm not sure why, really, because Cato and I have never been more than friends.

Actually, Cato was my first real friend after we moved here. His father is head of one of the two divisions in the trading company. Haymitch is the head of the other. The two were pretty close, so after we moved in with Haymitch, Mr. Carrera use to bring Cato and Sandy to the meetings for us.

Both his parents like Prim and I.

"What would your mom do if we started dating?" I ask, adjusting the cardigan. Cato doesn't even sit up.

"Stop referring to me as the child that screws up." He says plainly, almost bored. "Tired of Peeta already?"

"No." I shake my head, well aware that he's not paying attention to me. "I was just wondering."

"What's wrong?" He still hasn't risen off the bed and his tone still suggests he's bored.

"Nothing." I gently fan my hair out, only to glare at myself and ruffle it up.

"Really now." I turn to see Cato sitting up and looking at me, an eyebrow up. "Wow, this thing with Mellark really has you twisted up, doesn't it?"

I was getting a little fed up with everyone telling me how I feel about this 'Mellark' thing.

"I'm just saying I've never seen you like this before." I glare at him.

"Like what, Cato? A girl? A little princess waiting for her prince? What?" I'm well aware that my maturity level has dropped.

"Like someone who doesn't know if she's coming or going." He shrugs as I look at him with slight confusion. "I invited Gale to the party, by the way."

"So?" I go back to looking at the mirror; for no other reason than I do not want to be looking at Cato.

"Just letting you know." Cato's voice is once again flat. He's lying on his back again.

"I mean, it's a good thing he and I are friends then." I chuckle, moving from the mirror to the bed. I flop down next to Cato, our eyes on his ceiling that's filled with faded glow in the dark stars and planets.

"I'm just letting you know." Cato says, a bit more forcefully.

"Did I miss something?" I turn to look at Cato, mentally urging him to look at me. There's a weathered look in his expression when he finally locks his eyes with mine.

"Gale is totally jealous of Peeta, Kat." Cato's giving me a sympathetic look.

"I don't know why. Gale and I are nothing." I know this is not the truth. I know there are feelings on Gale's part. Maybe if he had acted on them, there would be more on my part.

I can't seem to shake the image of my half smirk lighting up Peeta's lips. And that's something I cannot say about Gale.

"You know he likes you." Cato looks back at the ceiling.

"Well, I'm with Peeta." I look back at the ceiling as well.

"Are you?"

"Sort of."

"I don't know if that's good enough for Gale."

"What do you mean?"

Our eyes crash together and I can see Cato has been keeping secrets. I feel the anger in my chest.

"Gale told me yesterday, after Finnick took you home, he wasn't going down without a fight." Great. "And Delly told Glimmer that she was going to do everything in her power to win Peeta's heart." Fabulous. "Also, and don't get mad at me, I overheard my parents talking about you and Peeta and how his mom doesn't like you or the match." Sweet baby Jesus.

I let out a bitter sigh.

Cato was such a damn gossip.

Argh… It'd be easier to go live in the woods.


"I thought you would be more upset." I look over to Madge. She glimpses up from one of our books from our summer reading list.

"Why would I be upset?"

"You like Gale."

"So?" Madge places her thumb in the book, lowering it to her lap.

We're sitting in the screened porch that sits directly outside of the Carrera's library. This is where they hold all their parties, between the library (which doesn't hold one book) and the screen patio. Their pool is littered with floating candles, silk lily pads, and pastel colored petals. To the back of the porch is a DJ and a dance floor. The DJ had been alternating between 80's, 90's, and the current top hits.

Luka, Cato's mom, is beaming as she talks to everyone, showing off the ring Stephen gave her for their anniversary. She's currently hanging in between the large French doors that are open wide to allow access from the house to the porch. In her current circle are my mother, Haymitch, Effie, Mr. Mellark, and Rue's parents. Haymitch has his hand settled on Effie's lower back; I question how much they've had to drink so far.

"I just figured," I shrug, not sure where I was really going with this conversation.

"Kat, we all know Gale likes you." Madge rolls her eyes. "I mean, we thought you liked him too."

I throw her a weary glance, before looking towards the buffet table that sits on the other side of the pool, across from us.

Peeta, Finnick, Mark, Cato, and Gale are in a circle, joking around and laughing. Finnick tosses his arm around Peeta, bringing him in and pointing to Gale and speaking quickly. I can't really hear what they're saying due to the music and the fact that our parents informed us to keep our 'inside' voices on. Gale shakes his head, laughing loudly. He begins talking, gesturing randomly towards the yard, where Cato's two golden retrievers and chocolate lab sit and wag their tails, eyes trained on the table that is protected by the thin screen.

I watch as Peeta begins talking, causing the whole group to laugh. Gale begins responding to whatever he said; a smile on his face. Finnick seems to jump in, arm still around Peeta, his hand moving to Gale, waving it as trying to disprove Gale's words with this one gesture alone.

Gale rolls his eyes, twisting his head so that our eyes lock from across the pool. He shoots me a wide smile. I give him a tight smile in return, before shifting to see Madge looking at Gale as well. Her blue eyes are clouded slightly.

"I don't like him, like that." I mumble, low enough for only her ears. This seems to shake Madge from her thoughts, her eyes focusing on me. She shrugs again. "Why didn't he ever say something?"

"Because you're stand offish." She gives me a teasing smile. I glare.

"We're best friends."

"And he didn't want to ruin that. He didn't know your true feelings," her teasing smile grows, her eyes casting back to the book on her lap, "because you're stand offish."

I roll my eyes, leaning back and crossing my arms. My eyes stare at the group of boys, eyeing to see if I can read any of their lips. I know they've moved on from the topic of the softball game. I'm just not sure what the new subject is because they all seem to be talking at once. Mark's voice seems to prevail however. The other boys start laughing and looking over at Peeta, who is turning a bright red.

Shit. Mark is probably telling them what he walked in on. I'll kill him.

Cato says something, causing Peeta to lower his head and let out a laugh. I watch as he begins to shake his head. Finnick says something, followed by Mark talking with amusement. Gale has a smile, but it's a far cry from his usual twist of the lips.

Suddenly I'm locked on blue. My heart begins to beat irrationally, as my stomach starts doing flips and cartwheels. My hand moves to my hair, fussing it off my shoulder, tucking it behind my ear. My half smirk appears on his lips and I'm tempted to get up and move towards him.

This wouldn't be such a big deal if, technically, I was allowed near Peeta.

When he had first arrived, separate from his parents and Mark, but with Rye, I had started towards him. I say started because before I knew what was happening, a strong hand was on my elbow, pulling me away from Peeta.

Mark had begun whispering quickly and quietly.

Apparently Mrs. Mellark did not simply not like me or the match, she was hell bent on curing Peeta of his asinine feelings towards me. She didn't want me near Peeta or Rye. She surely wasted no time plucking Delly from Jesus knows where and parading her around her youngest child. Mark had apologized about fifty times, saying his mother was completely psychotic, and none of them understood where she was getting the stick up her, well, you know.

It had taken everything I had in me not to slap the lady.

I immediately found Haymitch with his familiar rum in hand and my eyes narrowed and pointing to the banshee. His solution? A glass of Mr. Carrera's famous poison punch. Effie had appeared just after I had taken a few sips and I had decided I was just going to knock the fruity temptation back. We (Haymitch and I) had both spoken at the same time, unrehearsed, that she was a dream killer. She was neither insulted nor bothered by this.

Now, however, the urge to get up and just somehow fly across the pool was heavy on my chest. It had to be hormones. It had to be. Because this was too much. All he was doing was smirking!

The other boys are now looking at me as well. I drag my eyes from Peeta, roaming the circle. They're suddenly all laughing and looking at Peeta. His eyes have moved off of me, set in a firm glare to our friends.

"You two are so cute." Madge is smiling like a fiend. Her book is up as if she had been reading, but her eyes are filled with girlie things, like excitement, giggles, and, oh Noah and the Ark, a thirst for knowledge. "Come on, you two have to had kissed by now!" My cheeks feel like they're on fire. "YOU HAVE!" She squeals, straight up squeals.

I'm literally over her, my hand on her mouth, my eyes wide and warning. Unlike Finnick, Cato, and Gale, Madge does not give two shits about this look. There will be no phone calls to priests or witch doctors.

"Tell me," she mumbles against my hand, her eyes bright and glittery.

So, ok, Peeta is technically the first boy I've ever kissed. I mean, I shared a few pecks with Cato and Finnick, but they were fleeting and more out of friendship than anything. We were also younger. I had never touched lips with Gale or any other boy; not until Peeta. Kissing was part of the whole not wanting to touch anyone or have anyone touch me. I don't know, though, with Peeta there was just some kind of magnetic pull.

I shake my head moving off of Madge and dropping my head into my hands. I groan in pain or possibly in death.

"Katniss, pplleeaassee!" Her blue eyes have some droopy, puppy look to them. I roll my eyes, again.

"We kissed last night, when I went to his house." I cleared my throat.

I was right; Cato had run right over to Madge's house after our hike. As Finnick deposited me at Haymitch's feet, she had called me asking if Peeta had gotten into a fight with someone over me. Maybe she had thought Gale.

She looks at me eagerly. "And?"

"And? We kissed." She looks like she's going to slap me.

"Was there tongue? How long did it last? Was it nice? Sloppy? Katniss, work with me!"

I wonder if I can get Cato to take my place in this conversation. He was more adapted than I.

I wince and jump as Madge pinches me. "Ok! OK! We were lying outside on his patio, in the hammock. And we were talking, about his mom and me being worried about him, and the breeze picked up, so he held me." I take a bitter breath. Madge is visible holding back her emotions, wearing a poker face. She nods slowly, pushing me to continue. "I don't know, I just," my cheeks are on fire, my tongue twisted and dry. "We kissed. And he knew what he was doing, so I let him lead. I don't know."

I'm whispering the last couple of words, my face having found the protection of my hands. I'm hunched forward, my elbows on my knees, and my hair curtaining my covered hands.

After several minutes of silence, I chance a look at my friend.

She is looking over at Mrs. Mellark, who must have stepped outside with Rye while I was indisposed. Rye looks completely miserable, his phone is in his hand and he keeps glancing at it.

Madge makes an unidentified noise. Her family wasn't especially close with the Mellark's. Cato and Finnick's parents worked at both the Trading Company and the Shipment plant. So there was that connection. Mr. Undersee worked with Snow and Mr. Carrera and Mrs. Undersee was a stay at home mom.

"She's a miserable lady." She states, leaning into the wicker couch we've been occupying. "To send Peeta away so he couldn't be with you."

My eyes widen again, but she doesn't notice. She hasn't realized what she has said.

"How do you know that?" Madge shifts to me quickly, her face is definitely in a 'fuck' expression.

"I don't! I mean I didn't—No!" She's speechless, sputtering. My eyes are searching hers, before moving to seek out Peeta and then Haymitch. I catch Mrs. Mellark giving me a heated expression.

"PEETA! IT'S OUR SONG!" I'm instantly distracted by Peeta's name. Both Madge and I turn to see Delly bounce over to the circle of boys. Glimmer is hovering behind her. Her eyes are casted across to me and Madge. She gives me an apologetic look. I barely take notice, my gray eyes move to Delly. I feel like a lion waiting to pounce.

I barely notice Peeta shaking his head, his tone not high and pitchy for me to hear. Keeping my eyes on them, I shift to listen to the very beginning chords of the song. I recognize it; it was both Prim and my mother's favorite song.

It Will Rain by Bruno Mars.

I'm going to cut this bitch.

My eyes close, my fingers moving to hold the bridge of my nose. I'm unsure where the viciousness came from, or well, no, I'm refusing to acknowledge the use of my violent thoughts.

My breath is uneven as my lungs try to bring in enough air to calm myself.

"What the hell does she think she's doing?" I hear Madge, but do not open my eyes or remove my fingers.

"Catnip?" His voice unhinges me. My eyes fly open to the darker green/gray eyes of Gale. His hand is outstretched, his lips in a smile, a very careful smile. "Want to dance?"

Is he on drugs?

"Sorry Hawthorne!" Madge, Gale, and I look at Finnick. He's standing just to the side of us, his lips in a wide, flirtatious smile. He does not offer me his hand but rather plucks me from the chair, both arms wrapping around me from behind. "This little lady promised me her first dance. We're lucky fellows because the two prettiest girls at this party are together. Madge, entertain the good sir."

I don't even know how we go from the wicker chair to the dance floor. My hands loose on Finnick's shoulders and his hands loose on my hips.

"Look, I like Peeta a lot. I'm gonna need you, Gale, and Delly not to fuck this up." I look at Finnick startled. "He's good for you Kitty Kat. Don't let Sabrina or Gale or Delly ruin it. Better yet, don't you go and ruin it for him or you."

I breeze past his direct usage of myself, focusing solely on the usage of the other three. It shouldn't surprise me, really. Everyone knows everything in the Cornucopia; one of the perks of old families, old companies, and an old society.

"You barely know Peeta." I mumble.

Finnick lets out a laugh. "Katniss, the boy went to our school up until he was about twelve; our dads work together, in the same office. I know the Mellark's quite well."

"Peeta went to school when he was eight. I haven't seen him in ten years." My brain seems to be moving at lightning speed. She sent him away after he saved me.

"Uh, no Katniss, you stopped visiting Carriage point the summer of '05." Finnick gives me an odd look.

"No, we visited the year of '06." But suddenly I'm not sure. Didn't we visit? But Peeta and Rye were sent to a camp, or something?

"I doubt that, Katniss." Finnick is looking at me full of pity. "After the fight your mom and his mom had, I didn't think you'd ever return here. Your mom made your dad change jobs and everything. Don't you remember?"

No… or, well, possibly?

I was seven; we had only been home, in Pennsylvania, for about a week. My mother was in a horrible mood. Prim had just turned three over the summer and was everywhere. My father had come home one day, throwing my mom a weary look. She started yelling at him, screaming about 'that crazy lady'. I remember being confused, innocent and unaware of what had happened, besides being forever indebted to Peeta. On that note, hadn't his emails stopped coming? My mother had gone from screaming to crying, I don't remember why. My father had a new job with-in the week.

"He was twelve?" I'm not paying attention to the songs playing or the sway Finnick has us in.

"Yeah," Finnick has an angry look upon his face. "Sabrina had decided the beginning of May to ship Peeta and Rye to that ridiculous school in California."

My father had died the end of March. The beginning of May was when Haymitch had found out and decided to save us.

Mrs. Mellark had found out I was coming home, to the Cornucopia, and sent her son across the country.

Finnick's arms tighten around me, pulling me flush across him. His embrace is tight and protective, but I don't understand why he's doing this. His voice is soothing in my ear, though I don't know what he's saying. It takes me a moment to realize the reason he's trying to comfort me is because I'm shaking.

I'm shaking because I don't know whether to give into the anger or the tears.