Title: Behind The Scenes
Rating: M for suggestive language and later sexual content
Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or Romeo and Juliet (obviously!) No copyright infringement intended.
Chapter 10: Homecoming
Katniss' POV:
After Peeta drops me off, I saunter up to my room, unable to wipe the grin from my face. My mind replays our kiss over and over again as I get undressed and get ready for bed. I was half angry at Finnick for interrupting our passionate make out session and half relieved that he had done so. If he hadn't, I don't know how far we would have gone. As much as I desperately want to go further with Peeta, it would be too fast and too soon. Besides, we aren't even dating yet.
That doesn't stop the warm feeling my body gets as I think about our kiss though. It was amazing and I hope that Peeta feels the same way about it. In fact, that was what I wished for, that Peeta would feel the same way about me that I do about him.
My cell phone dings and I sigh before reading the text message. Johanna had sent me like ten messages while I was away and I was sure that it would be from her.
It wasn't. It was from Gale of all people.
Who were you at Palmer Lake with tonight?
What the hell? Was he stalking me or something? Gale and I had dated for a few months back when I was a sophomore and he was a senior in high school. He was my first boyfriend and first kiss and we had fooled around a little bit, but that was it. I just couldn't see him as more than a friend. Now, he will occasionally text me to see how I am doing, but this is just weird.
How do you know I was there?
I wait for his response, hoping that he hadn't seen Peeta and I kiss.
I drive close to there on my way home from work. I saw you sitting in the passenger seat of someone's car, waiting to turn down by the lake. Who was it?
I frown at my phone before answering.
It's really none of your business.
Who does he think he is anyway?
Did you fuck him?
I ignore his last text, choosing not to answer such an absurd question. Besides, I don't care what Gale thinks anymore.
Everyone has the day off of school in order to 'prepare' for the homecoming game tonight. All I want to do is sleep and/or daydream about Peeta all day, but when the afternoon rolls around, Johanna and Madge force me to the salon downtown to get my hair and makeup professionally done for the game.
When I am fully dressed and ready, I look at myself in the mirror. The person staring back at me does not look like Katniss Everdeen. Katniss is plain and boring; this girl is radiant and beautiful.
My dark blue dress fits me perfectly and my hair is in an updo of tight ringlets with a few framing my face as well. As I look at my reflection, Johanna and Madge come up behind me and Madge carefully situates my tiara on my head.
"Looking good!" Johanna gives me a thumbs up.
I turn and smile at my friends. "Thanks."
When it is time for the game, I get to sit nervously on the bleachers with my friends until it is almost half time. I guess I didn't think it would be so cold, but it is. I am shivering in the crisp evening air in nothing but a dress with very thin straps to cover my body.
I wrap my arms around my body to try to coax some warmth into me. Then, I feel the soft fabric of a jacket being laid across my shoulders.
I look up and see Peeta smiling down at me. "Here Katniss, take my jacket."
He sits down next to me in his suit, minus the jacket of course. My breath catches in my throat at how handsome and well…hot he looks. The suit is tailored perfectly to his body and even though I cannot see them directly, I can determine the outline of his biceps through his shirt sleeves.
"You…you don't have to give me your jacket. I'll be okay." I try to shrug off the garment and return it to him but he stops me by placing his hand firmly on my shoulder.
"You were shivering. I'm okay with what I have on."
I smile at him and nod, thankful for his kindness and the warmth that his jacket is bringing me.
I thought that it would be awkward to see Peeta again after our kiss, but it isn't. We are having fun together, watching the game and waiting to be announced at half time.
When we go down to the field to be announced, I see that my mother and Prim are standing with the rest of the court's families. I wave at them and they smile and wave back.
Portia lines us up with our partners and I reluctantly take Cato's sweaty arm. Since he plays football, he is still in his uniform instead of a suit like Peeta is wearing.
Cato gives me a once over and nods. "Wow, I never knew you were so…sexy."
I roll my eyes at him. "Try not to stare at me with that look in your eyes while our families are only a few feet away, okay?"
He blinks a few times at me, but doesn't say anything else. I don't know what he was thinking trying to flirt with me anyway. He was looking at me like he wanted to jump me and it was unnerving me.
The court is announced and we stand side by side with our partners waiting for the game announcer to reveal the king and queen. I wait to hear Glimmer or Clove's name for queen and Cato or Peeta's for king.
"And this year's winners of the East Haven High homecoming king and queen are…Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen!"
No. There is no way that I just won. I'm not surprised one bit that Peeta won, but me? I must have misheard.
Peeta walks up to accept his crown and I feel Cato let go of my arm. "Go Katniss, what are you waiting for?"
I swallow and notice that everyone is looking at me. Glimmer is staring at me with such intense hatred that I feel like her eyes are boring holes into my skull.
I slowly make my way down to where Portia is standing with Peeta. Portia smiles at me and carefully places the larger tiara in front of my small one on my head.
A thousand cameras are taking pictures of me, first by myself and then with Peeta. The photographer tells us to do something cute for the camera and Peeta kisses my cheek. I feel my face flush and I know that the picture will reveal my blush to everyone.
The next few moments are a whirlwind of hugs, congratulations, and photographs. My mind feels like I am stuck in some other world, surreal and not like anything I have ever experienced before.
Peeta's POV:
I am over the moon right now. I never thought I would care so much about being homecoming king, but there is no way that I would have been able to handle someone else being king with Katniss being queen.
Katniss looks like a deer in the headlights with everyone taking our picture. She is clearly in shock that she won, but I hope that she is happy as well.
When I first saw her tonight, shivering on the bleachers, I was struck at how utterly gorgeous she looked. Her gown was fitted to her body just right and her beauty took my breath away.
I decided not to bring up our kiss with her, at least not tonight. I don't want her to feel any pressure from me in any way. Although I want to see where things will go with her, I am afraid of scaring her away.
After half time is over, Katniss and I head back to our seat with Johanna and Madge on the bleachers. Delly has joined them as well and when she sees me, she wraps me into a tight hug.
"I'm so happy for you Peeta!"
When she lets me go, I see that Katniss' eyes are dark and she is flicking angry glances at Delly. Could that be jealousy I see in her eyes?
"Delly…you know Katniss, right?"
Delly looks over at Katniss and immediately pulls her into a hug as well. "Of course I do! Congrats!"
Katniss looks surprised at my blond friend's overly bubbly ways, but I think she now understands that Delly is just friendly, and there is nothing more than friendship between us.
Johanna and Madge are next to hug and congratulate us. Johanna whispers something in Katniss' ear, and by the way she blushes, I know it was something inappropriate.
"So, are you all coming to Finnick's party after this?" Delly smiles at all of us.
Katniss shakes her head, but then Johanna nudges her and whispers something into her ear again, and she nods instead.
I smile at Katniss. "I'll be there too."
I am secretly hoping that I can get more alone time at Finnick's party to spend with Katniss. I would love to have some more passionate kisses with her, or just even be around her by ourselves in general.
A few hours later, after our team has won the game and I have gone home for a minute to get changed for the party, my phone dings in my pocket.
I pick it up to see a new text from Katniss.
Johanna and Madge can't make it to the party. Can you take me?
Can I take her? Really? I would happily take her wherever she wants in the entire world if I could.
Sure, I'll pick you up in ten minutes.
I suddenly begin to get nervous about the night ahead of me. Without Johanna or Madge being there, Katniss will probably hang out with me the entire time. Not that I mind that, but it makes me a bit nervous, almost like it's a date or something.
I pick up Katniss at her house and when she gets into my car, she is still wearing her makeup from the game and her hair is still up. She has changed into a pair of dark jeans and a hunter green shirt that looks amazing on her.
"Hey, thanks for taking me." She gives me a small smile before buckling her seat belt.
I smile back at her, somehow refraining from leaning over and kissing her. All I have been able to think about since last night is our kiss and how I want nothing more than to be able to kiss her again, and not just for the play.
As I am driving, she is silent. I ask her several times if she is okay, but she always says that she is just a bit tired.
I can't help but to think that she is nervous by her body signals. She keeps fiddling with her seat belt and wiping her hands on her pants, like her palms are sweaty or something. Why is she nervous? Could she possibly be anxious about our kiss last night as well? Maybe she wants to tell me never to kiss her again but she is afraid of hurting my feelings. The thought of that being the case makes me depressed, so I try to force it out of my mind.
We arrive a minute later and Katniss is out of the car before I can even get my seat belt off. Yep, there is definitely something wrong with her and I can't figure out what it is.
A/N: Snuck in some Gale and Katniss back story for you all. Too predictable to have them win? Well, it plays an important role later on in the fic. Next chapter will highlight Finnick's party. Thoughts for next time: What will go on at Finnick's party? Will we see more of Gale? Will Peeta and Katniss figure out what exactly is going on between them? Will Glimmer try to get revenge on Katniss?