Chapter 8
A/N: Okay so I'm not too happy with this chapter, but I needed a transition in order to pave the way for all of my new ideas. Its short, but I'll have the next chapter up either later tonight or tomorrow, which will pay dues to all of you Peeta lovers who've stuck with me this far. As always, let me know what you think of the story. I appreciate the reviews, especially since they help me know which way to go with this story, whether it be with Gale or Peeta. Happy reading!
Katniss P.O.V.
For the next few months, Peeta and I spent a lot of time together. He would teach me how to knead bread and I would take him out into the woods with me. I quickly realized that he wasn't as stealth as Gale, so I would make him stay behind and pick berries. Gale. Thinking about him doesn't make my heart hurt as much as it used to. I never have been the type to rely on boys for my happiness, or at least I thought. If these past few months have shown me anything, maybe I don't really know myself as well as I thought I did. I have made it my goal to never fall for anyone the way I did Gale. My heart is off-limits, something that I've been making sure to clarify while around Peeta. However, when I'm with him, there is a little voice in the back of my head telling me that maybe I don't need to be so cold. Maybe not everyone will disappoint me. Dangerous thoughts I know.
I am so lucky to have Peeta in my life though. He never fails to make me smile and forget about everything that has scorned me in the past. I constantly find myself curling over in laughter, something that I never thought I'd do again. He's really the only friend I have besides Madge. I don't know what I would do without him or his encouraging words.
My thoughts are broken as I hear a knock on my door. I open the door to find Madge standing there with some strawberries that I had just sold to her dad. Questioning their quality, I invited her in, preparing to tell her that they looked fine when I had picked them earlier. However, once we got inside, I quickly realized that the strawberries were the least on Madge's mind.
"So you and Peeta..." Wow. Didn't take her long to get to the point.
"What about us?" I am genuinely confused as to what she is talking about.
Madge looks at me as if I am the most incompetent person alive. I don't intentionally push her buttons, but I tend to be naive, something that drives her crazy.
"I think that you like him. You never talk about Gale and if he is mentioned, you rarely flinch." She gives me a pointed look and stares at my twitching hands. I haven't really let myself think like that. I mean I love Peeta, but as a friend. I can't even let myself think about him as more than that. Something that I might have been able to if we didn't live in a world that stole any ray of happiness given to us. I simply shrug and give a quick "no" hoping to end the conversation. The thing I love about Madge is that she knows when not to push me for information. Seeing as I wasn't going to elaborate any more on the subject, she grabbed out the strawberries and shared them with me, leaving me alone with my thoughts about Peeta.
