I do not own The Hunger Games.
Chapter 12: June"We should go shopping." Madge announced as she ate her organic fruit salad and Greek yogurt.
Katniss picked apart her half eaten peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwich. "Shopping?"
"Yes, shopping. For Prom. You said yes to Peet, remember?"
Katniss shut her eyes: it was all she could think of these days. Prom was 2 weeks away and she had no idea what do to. She knew she had given Peet her word but every time she thought about it her stomach hurt. "Prim said I should buy myself something nice."
"Prim is a very smart girl. And I think I would agree with her that you don't do anything nice for yourself."
"We don't all think that shopping is something nice. We've don't have money to throw around…"
"Oh, Katniss, stop right there. If Prim is saying it, I am sure that you can take some of the money you've earned and spend a little. Or I can buy it for you. After all, my Stepmom keeps giving me a crazy allowance and now that I don't shop every week, it's piling up. Cinna and I can pick you and Prim up and we can pretend we're princesses. I'm not taking no for an answer." Madge flipped her ponytail behind her.
Katniss looked at her ruined sandwich. "Did he ask you?" She was referring to Streeter, who had been avoiding Madge like the plague. Every once in a while she would catch Streeter staring at Madge but whenever Madge would look back, he dropped his eyes or looked away. Katniss would have thought it funny if it did not remind her of Peeta looking at her the same way.
"No." Madge said with a smile.
"But you're still smiling?" Katniss asked.
Madge thought for a minute and then said, "We're seniors. If he doesn't ask, I'll go alone. I'm going to look great and have a great time and move on with the rest of my life. If it's not him, there will be some other great guy. It didn't kill me when Gale didn't like me back and Streeter isn't any different. I'm stronger than that. Now, come on. Let's go find Cinna so we can have our own personal stylist!"
-o-
Katniss swore that she saw Streeter lurking just a few stores behind them at the mall where she, Madge, Cinna and Prim were shopping. Prim saw Katniss checking behind them and finally, she could not stand it anymore: she told the group she was going to the restroom and waited patiently. When she saw Streeter walking past where she was standing, she jumped out at him.
"Stalking is a crime."
"Not cool!" Streeter jumped almost clear out of his flip flops. He squinted at her as if trying to place her. "Aren't you the little Everdeen?"
Prim rolled her eyes. "Very good! Let's go right to the bonus round: why are you following Madge and Katniss?"
Streeter flushed and shrugged. "It's a free country - I can shop if I want to. What are you guys doing here?" Streeter thrust his hands into his pockets.
"We're shopping for Prom dresses. Which I am pretty sure you know, having watched Madge and Katniss parade around two or three stores wearing them." She leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially, "You know, Katniss might kill you just for seeing her in a dress."
Streeter swallowed audibly. "You're not going say anything, are you?"
Prim clucked her tongue impatiently. "Sometimes boys are just dumb. Do you know how creepy following us is? Madge isn't stupid - she's going to catch on. Why don't you just ask her out?"
"Ask her out? She would never go out with me." Something in his eyes spoke of vulnerability. Prim knew she had him when he mumbled, "It was better when she was totally unattainable."
She laughed so hard she snorted. "Unattainable? You mean when she was trying to so hard to be perfect that she was miserable? Let me spell it out for you: if you don't ask her out, it will be some other guy who ends up with her and then you'll never know if you had a chance. Aren't you always talking about Karma? Maybe you should believe your own line of bull. Remember this, Streeter: to the Victor go the spoils. Are you a Victor?" She stared at him shrewdly.
After waiting for her little speech to sink in, she said more lightly, "Tell my sister I am getting an Orange Julius."
-o-
Katniss came out of the dressing room to find Streeter and Madge holding hands and staring into each other's eyes. Madge looked ecstatic and Cinna was grasping his chest like the most romantic thing in the world had just occurred. It did not surprise Katniss when Madge and Streeter disappeared to share a Cinnabon, leaving her to interrogate Cinna while Prim smirked and sipped her Orange Julius.
Cinna gushed, "Oh, Katniss, it was so romantic! Streeter walked into the store looking like a lost puppy. Madge walked out of the dressing room at just that moment. It was like the two of them froze in time – just like in the movies. And then he walked over to her, I swear it was in slow motion, and he reached up to touch her face. She looked at him like she was adorably confused. And then he kissed her."
"He…kissed…her?" Katniss said.
Cinna laughed. "I know, it's crazy! It was amazing the way he looked at her. And then he asked her to the Prom,and she said yes! Next stop – Prom!" He clapped.
Katniss stared at the self-satisfied smile that broke out on her sister's face. Prim, she knew, would have been ecstatic to go to Prom. Prim, who encouraged her to dress like this was a once in a lifetime event. Prim, who wanted her to embrace all that the Prom represented.
Yeah. Next stop, Prom. Katniss thought grimly.
-o-
Prim sighed. "Oh, Katniss, you look beautiful."
Katniss stared at herself in the mirror in disbelief. Was that really her? She twirled slowly, watching the skirt of her dress float around her calves. Cinna had decided she was overpowered by big dresses and steered her toward something that was almost Grecian. The dress was a peachy soft orange color, bound at the shoulders and under the breasts by gold cord that also wrapped around Katniss's waist. The material was so light so that it floated when she walked producing a soft, ethereal effect. With her hair bound in gold ribbon on top of her head, makeup done by Prim, crystal drop earrings in her ears and heeled sandals, she barely looked like herself.
I can' go through with this.
What if Peet laughed at her? What if everyone laughed at her? She might look like this, but they would know that she was just pretending: she could never be one of them. Peet would know – he would finally see her and know that she was not good enough for him. Oh, he would make a good show and act charming and courteous. After all, he would never be rude to her face. Inside, though, he would finally acknowledge what she had known all along.
She put a hand to her stomach.
"Peet is going to just die when he sees you." Prim gushed as she took a picture with her cell phone.
"Please, Prim. I just…need a minute."
"OK. I love you. You're going to have such a good time tonight." Prim kissed her and left their room.
Katniss stared at herself in the mirror, thinking about all the things that could go wrong. She might look like a princess, but she felt like a frog. She was just a girl from the Seam who would be out of place and awkward. Some of them might even be friendly to her out of pity. Katniss's mind kept coming to the same conclusion: there was no way she was going to be able to show her face at the dance. She grabbed her backpack quickly, threw in a change of clothes and flip flops and, as gingerly as she could, slipped out the open window. She hoped Prim could forgive her.
She had a sinking feeling that Peet never would.
-o-
Peet was at the door exactly on time.
"Peet, you look so handsome. Haymitch, don't you think Peet looks handsome?" Prim asked.
Haymitch grunted from his recliner. "Looks like a penguin to me. The boy looks better in a t-shirt."
"Thank you, Haymitch." Peet said wryly.
Prim brandished her cell phone. "Let me take a few pictures of you and then I'll go get Katniss. Are those flowers for her? Oh, those white orchids are going to look lovely with her dress. I'm so glad I told you that Katniss can't stand roses!"
Prim walked down the short hall and Haymitch rose out of his chair with more agility than his slurred speech would imply. He put an arm around Peet. "I know it's been a long wait, so I got you some protection for tonight." Haymitch handed him a ten-pack of condoms. "I probably would should gotten you some Gatorade too, if I had been smart."
Peet's face flushed bright red.
"What? Boy, there's nothing wrong with a workout. You don't want to get dehydrated and electrolytes are important to keep your stamina up. Believe me, stamina is important…" Haymitch mussed Peet's hair as Peet winced.
"Um, guys?" Prim said. "We have a problem – Katniss is gone."
"What do you mean, gone?" Haymitch asked, scowling.
"I mean she seems to have climbed out the window. I should have known she was getting cold feet because she was acting so weird… Peet, I am so sorry. Haymitch, we should go look for her."
Peet thought he heard Haymitch mumble something like, "Damn girl is a pain in my ass…"
Peet sighed and shook his head. His shoulders slumped. "It's ok. I knew it was too good to be true. Leave her be. Maybe I'll catch up with her later this weekend." Peet turned on his heel and walked out of the house.
Prim watched him leave with a thoughtful frown. "Haymitch, sometimes I think you're right – she really doesn't deserve him."
Haymitch grunted as he toddled back to his recliner.
-o-
Katniss was cold. Despite the fact that it was a June night in Del Mar, it was still damp and breezy at the beach. She had nowhere else to go and the beach was private and quiet. She had settled on the patio of Peet's house: it had furniture so it was more comfortable than the sand, and she could use Peet's "get away" clothes as cover. She knew she was being foolish skipping the dance. Once her stomach had calmed down, she saw what an idiot she was being but it still wasn't enough for her to call him on her cell phone and ask him to come get her. She thought that her best course of action was going to be to apologize in person - maybe Peet wouldn't even make her beg.
She must have dozed. She awoke to the feeling of being carried by someone who was blessedly warm. She blinked groggily, realizing it was Peet carrying her into the house and putting her down on the sofa. She could tell the minute he knew she was awake; his muscles tightened in a way that suggested annoyance, not tenderness.
"Peet…."
"Don't, Katniss. I trusted you." His voice was clipped.
"I'm sorry I made you miss out on your Prom." Katniss couldn't believe how dead his voice sounded, so unlike Peet.
"It was our Prom. And I didn't miss it: I went. It was nice. If you weren't so selfish, you might have enjoyed it. Do you want me to go get your corsage? It's in the car, I think."
Katniss had never heard him so bitter and she flinched as if struck. For once, her hurt did not seem to affect Peet.
"Why did you do it, Katniss? If you were going to bail on me, why not just tell me no? Why get all dressed up, get Prim and Haymitch all excited that you might finally relax and have a little fun, then run away? I have been waiting for you since we were twelve years old – waiting for you to pay me some attention – any attention. And when you finally do, every time you do, you pull away. Do you have any idea how cruel that is? And then you come here? What am I supposed to think?" Peet ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation.
"I never made you wait for me. I never asked you to sacrifice yourself in any way for me. I didn't want anyone to laugh at me – to see me as trying to be something that I'm not – tonight." Katniss stood up, fists clenched at her sides.
"Why would anyone laugh at you? Come on, Katniss. You'll have to do better than that."
"…Because I don't fit in! I never have! I'm just the poor girl from the Seam with grease under her nails and no Mom or Dad. That's what everyone says, right? I don't want your pity." She was seething.
Peet untied his tie, taking his time. "Is that what you think when you look in the mirror? Because that's not at all how I see you – especially not tonight. And I have never pitied you." He looked her over from her head to her feet. His gaze was hot, his blue eyes intense. What she saw there made her warm and restless, but not in a bad way.
Her mouth was dry, so she licked her lips. "How do…How do you see me tonight?"
Peet walked over until she was standing in front of him, close enough to touch, with her head tilted back. A muscle jumped in his jaw and he said, "You look incredible – like a goddess, all golden, soft skin. You are deceptively delicate – I've seen how strong you are when you work at Haymitch's. Your eyes glow sometimes, like now, when they focus only on me and things I feel when I'm with you. They make me want to kiss you."
"Peet…" Katniss said, unable to take her eyes from his which glowed.
Peet leaned in, bringing their lips in closer. "What Katniss? Now you want me to stop? You start me talking about how I see you and then feel badly about hearing the truth? You're missing something critical: I have nothing left to lose. You've already decimated me tonight. I don't pity you. I pity me for being so pathetic." Her eyes focused on his lips but he did not kiss her. His words washed over her and she knew he meant them – she had hurt him in a way she could not take back. In a way, it was making him more honest with her. It was also showing her just how deeply she had cut him.
"You skin makes me want to taste it. Does it taste as warm and sun-kissed as it looks? I wonder that. I used to dream of your hair – unbraiding it and combing my fingers through it. Every once in a while I would dream of it spread across my pillow. I know how soft your lips are, I remember every kiss we've ever had. I can recount in vivid detail all the times you've touched me, including the time on the couch when I woke up with you. You say you are too tiny, that you lack the curves of some other girls. I think you are perfectly made. I dream of touching you and you fit perfectly in my hands and my mouth. I wake sometimes aching for you. "He paused on the word aching, hovering just over her lips, watching her pupils react to his words. "The worst nightmare I've ever had is one where I lose you. And all of that is why I think you should leave, now, before I say or do anything else that's makes me pity myself even more."
Katniss could not move, not even if the hounds of Hell were chasing her. She was transfixed, staring at Peet's eyes which were so deep and so expressive. How had she never noticed that she could get lost in them? She noticed his jaw, which looked freshly shaven. Peet did not have to shave a lot – he didn't seem to get a lot of beard growth and it grew in blonde when he did – so that probably meant that he had shaved tonight before getting dressed to come and get her. She watched his Adam's apple bob when he swallowed. What would that taste like? Would it be salty? Did he have on any cologne tonight? If she ran her tongue over the spot at the base of his throat, what would he do?
"Katniss, please go." Peet's voice was hoarse as if he could feel the heat from her eyes dancing over his skin.
"No." Her voice was strong, confident as her hands reached up to his arms.
"Katniss…" Peet groaned. "You are killing me. If this is your way of paying me back or something…"
Katniss interrupted him before he could talk her out of this."Dance with me?"
Peet stared at her, then walked to the stereo and turned on some jazz. She heard him explained that it was his Dad's favorite radio station while she watched the tense line of his shoulders. She had done that and she needed to fix it. She found herself, as if in a dream, standing behind him.
He voiced another protest. "Katniss, I don't think this is a good idea."
"I want to dance with my date on Prom night." When that did achieve the desired results, she shocked them both and slid her arms around him. She leaned her head against the middle of his back and began swaying in time to the music. She could feel his heart pounding under her palms, a rapid tattoo that was faster than the music tempo. It was strong, comforting.
He smelled like Peet: not strictly like cookies this time, nor comfort. There was a little Bay Rum cologne, a little talcum powder, and that particular blend of flour/sugar/butter that he could not seem to scrub completely off of his skin that never ceased to make her want to devour him. She wanted to un-tuck his shirt to kiss his spine. She wanted to feel the bare skin of his chest under her hands. She tugged at the bottom of his shirt.
-o-
Peet could feel her entire torso pressed up against his back. He was sure he could feel her breath against his back, even through his shirt and his t-shirt.
"Katniss, stop." Peet turned to face her and grabbed her hands. "If you want to dance, let's dance."
Peet moved her hands to his shoulders and dropped his to her waist. He was doing his very best to keep his body in check and keep a proper amount of distance between them as they swayed to the music. Every time Katniss moved her hands, Peet sidestepped her to keep his sanity intact: he spun her, he even dipped her. The dip may have been a mistake, though, because Katniss ran her hands behind his head and tangled her fingers in his hair. His face was close enough to hers that he could see the black motes in her irises. He wasn't sure whose pulse beat he could feel pounding so insistently: hers or his own.
They stood and stared at each other in tense silence.
"Katniss, what do you want?" Peet asked.
-o-
She considered him for a moment. "I want your hands on me."
Peet closed his eyes like he was in pain. "You probably think that you need to do this to make up for standing me up earlier. Katniss, you don't need to do that. I don't want you to do this because you think you owe me something." Katniss was not sure if he was talking to her or to himself. His eyes were dark and intense and Katniss knew he wanted her. Her heart leapt at the thought.
Katniss walked over to him. "Give me your hand." When he did not move, she took his hand in her own. It trembled slightly in her much smaller one. "Trust me."
He laughed, a low and desperate sound, and then sucked in his breath when she maneuvered it to touch the bare skin exposed by the V neck of her dress. She held it there, letting the warmth of his palm seep into her skin, letting him feel the beating of her heart. She slid her hands around his neck and tugged his head down to hers only when she was sure that he would not let go. His lips resisted only for a moment before she felt him surrender.
The kiss deepened. Katniss tried to control it, but found she could only hold on to him tightly as waves of warmth rolled over her. His lips were soft, slightly moist, as his hands slipped down her sides to draw her closer to him. She felt the heat of his body as she ran her hands to the buttons of his shirt and slipped one loose, then another, and slipped her hands inside his shirt. She growled in frustration when she realized he was wearing a t-shirt underneath.
"Katniss… I can't. I don't know what I'm doing." Peet leaned his forehead against hers. His hands tightened on her waist like he was afraid to let her go.
"Neither do I. We'll figure it out together."
Peet sent her a questioning look as realization dawned on his face. "I just assumed that you and Gale had…"
"No. I told you before that he and I were never a couple." She frowned.
He smiled. "I won't lie and say that doesn't make me happy." More quietly he asked, "Why are you doing this?"
Katniss dropped her hands and walked over to the couch to sit down. She slid out of her high heeled sandals and rested her feet on the coffee table, then stared at her painted toenails.
She leaned her head back on the couch and closed her eyes. "You know those things you said…those things you dream? I dream things too. I dream about you with your hands on me. I dream about us kissing. I can't even describe some of the things I dream about: hands and lips and skin on skin. It makes me crazy. I don't want them, but I can't seem to make the dreams to go away."
Peet's whisper made Katniss open her eyes and meet his gaze. "That's the difference between you and me: I do not want my dreams of you to end." His eyes looked sad. He paused as if gathering his courage, then said resolutely, "I am not going to do this on Prom night. It is the ultimate teenage cliché'."
He got up and left the room, leaving Katniss to wonder if she had finally pushed him away for good.
He returned a few minutes later dressed in pajama bottoms and a t-shirt.
"Should I…do you want me to go? I was hoping to stay here, if you'll let me. I don't want to go home tonight. Prim…she's going to be pretty upset." Katniss picked at her skirt, knowing she was pushing the limit of what Peet would tolerate.
Peet smirked. "You don't need to leave. If you want to borrow a pair of my sweats, they're in the second drawer and t-shirts are hanging in my closet. Did you want tea?"
"Yes, please. Could I get some help with the zipper? Prim had to help me get dressed and I didn't think…" Katniss flushed. She showed Peet where the zip was located on the side of her dress. She tried to ignore the feel of his hands skimming over her newly exposed skin. She bit her lip and refused to meet his eyes.
Katniss and Peet drank their tea while they watched late night television. By the time they were both tired, they had established an uneasy truce where they both ignored what had occurred earlier.
"Should I sleep upstairs?" Peet yawned and asked.
Katniss shook her head, hiding behind a curtain of hair.
Peet off the television grabbed a blanket and motion for her to lie down. Katniss immediately curled up with her arms wrapped tightly around him. It felt good just to be close to him. She wondered sleepily if he had meant the things he said earlier. She wondered if he regretted telling her.
"Katniss, you looked really beautiful tonight." Peet mumbled.
"Mmmhmmm. So did you." Katniss murmured back. Their breathing slowed and became more regular. Before both surrendered to sleep, when Katniss was sure Peet was already in the land of dreams, she whispered, "Stay with me?"
She was already asleep when Peet whispered back, "Always."
-o-
Peet's hand was under her shirt. He registered the fact that his hand were not a little bit under her shirt but all the inside it and resting on her breast. Peet felt the realization of the exact geography jolt him all the way to his core and it reminded him of her words last night, I want your hands on me. Her skin was warm, her breast the perfect size under his palm. He closed his eyes, trying not to breathe, willing his body to calm down, and hoping that Katniss would not awaken.
He knew the minute she woke because she could feel her heartbeat accelerate beneath his palm.
He reluctantly slid his hand to her ribs with a mumbled apology. She rolled to face him and trailed her own hands up his shirt.
"Payback is only fair," she said. He closed his eyes, feeling her hands on him, breathing deeply so he would not embarrass himself. If he were honest, he would admit that he didn't want her to stop.
When his phone vibrated he was not sure whether to curse or be thankful for the interruption. The caller ID said Aurelius.
"Peeta, are you there?" Remus Aurelius said without preamble.
"Mr. Aurelius, do you know what time it is?"
"It's early, but I needed to reach you. Your mother is coming back to San Diego today. We're not sure if she is coming to see your or what her plans are, but you need to be ready."
Peet sat up – he needed to be fully focused on the conversation. "Today?"
"Her flight lands at 11 am. You have 4 hours to do whatever you need to do to feel safe. My recommendation is that you get out of the house."
After Peet said goodbye to Remus, he sat staring at the black screen of the television
"Your Mom?" Katniss sat up next to Peet, fixing her rumpled t-shirt and brushing her hair back from her face.
"I'm not going to run from her." Peet said.
"Peet, she could really hurt you." Katniss saw the stubborn set of his jaw and knew her words were useless. "Ok. If you're staying to deal with her, then so am I."
Peet turned to look at her. "Katniss, are you crazy? You might get hurt!"
She met his gaze levelly. "If you are willing to risk it, I am not letting you do this alone."
They spent the morning tidying up the house and putting a "Go Bag" of clothes and necessities into Peet's car. Most of his other items had already been moved into storage but his long board and wet suit they put outside Madge's house, just in case. They ate breakfast, watched a movie. As the morning dragged on, Peet became more and more tense.
They were sitting on the couch watching random music videos when they heard the front door open. Katniss was the first to stand when his Mom walked into the room. She noticed how the older woman's eyes widened and then narrowed when she saw Katniss was with Peet. Katniss could not help but feel a shiver of foreboding go up her spine.
A man followed Peet's Mom into the house. He wore a red and white Hawaiian shirt with jeans and sneakers. His artificially dark hair was slicked back and a silver cap on one of his canine teeth glistened when he smiled. When he and Peet's Mom walked over to Peet, Katniss noticed a diamond the size of a robin's egg on Peet's Mom's finger.
"What is that slut doing in my house?"The glare directed at her from the older woman was palpable. Her escort put a hand on her arm and whispered something in her ear. Katniss could see the play of emotions running across her face: whatever he said, it seemed to calm her. She quietly assessed her son and the girl standing next to him and seemed to come to some sort of decision on how to play the scene for maximum effect.
She walked over to Peet. "Peeta, how are you?" His mother reached out to grab Peet's face. Peet flinched. Katniss already wanted to pounce on her.
Peet cleared his throat. "Mom this is Katniss Everdeen. I believe you have already met." Katniss met his Mom's icy stare. "I see you brought a friend with you as well?"
Melinda Mellark's expression changed from one of contempt to one of triumph. "Ah, yes. Peeta, this is Carlos Nieve. He is your new stepfather."
"Hello, son." Carlos seemed to hiss the "s" sound. "I've heard so much about you. And Miss Everdeen, I am equally delighted to meet you."
Peet's face drained of all color. Katniss put her arm around his waist to reassure him. It was the only way to make sure that he did not fall down.
-o-
Later, Remus Aurelius met Peet at Haymitch's house.
"Did you know that she remarried?" Peet asked Remus.
"We just found out today. It appears it just occurred yesterday. Carlos Nieve is her lawyer as well as her new husband."
"Remus, what's going on? Is she going to try to take more than the house?" Peet's eyes were full of concern.
"She may try. The trust is a strong one, though, and you and your brothers are over eighteen. We believe it will hold up to a fight." Remus paused as if all of his news was not good. "Peeta, graduation is next week."
Peet nodded. "She said she wants me out of the house so she can start staging it for sale." He looked like he had been sucker-punched.
"We warned you that this day was coming." Remus said, quietly. "You can travel after graduation ceremonies until classes start next fall, or you can rent something here. You have options, Peeta."
"I know. I just didn't think it would really happen – not this fast." Peet ran his hand through his hair.
Remus patted him on the hand. "I know. But we are here to help you. You have lots of support." He looked pointedly at Prim and Katniss, who were hovering in the kitchen and trying to hide their eavesdropping. "If you haven't started thinking about what you want to do after graduation, you should start."
Peet could feel his world crumbling.Was it only a few hours ago that he and Katniss had woken tangled up in each other? By the look on her face, he could tell she was already preparing to bolt again, scared off probably by the reality of his uncertain future. Hell, he wouldn't stick around to watch if he were her either.
-o-
Graduation. It hit Katniss like a load of bricks when Remus mentioned it. Her plans were set for the summer and beyond: work, take care of her family. Keep all of the basics covered. Her life, if there was one beyond that, would take second seat to Prim getting through high school and getting into a good college. Katniss hand not thought about Peet, though. What were his plans? They had never talked about them. Katniss knew what would happen, though. It was the same thing that happened to everyone she cared about: He would leave. She had to protect herself from the hurt she knew would come.
-o-
"Hey, Katniss!" Madge yelled over the throng of excited graduates, "Are you coming to my graduation party?"
Katniss pushed her way to her friend. "I'm not sure yet. Prim wanted to have dinner just the three of us. I'll try to stop by later?"
Madge nodded. "K. I'll see you, right? I want to thank you properly for inspiring me to be myself and go for what I want."
Katniss looked from Madge to Streeter, who had come up behind the glowing redhead. "I doubt that was because of me. I think you just both just needed a little encouragement."
The girls hugged. Katniss watched the happy couple walk off together. For a moment, she envied them their uncomplicated relationship. Then she remembered that relationships led to hurt and straightened her shoulders: it was time to go find Peet.
-o-
They walked past the For Sale Sign on Peet's house, past Madge's house, where the music was loud and people spilled from the patio onto the sand. When they reached the cliffs and had a little privacy, they sat. Although they were close to one another, neither of them touched. They stared out at the water.
"How is living with Johanna?" Katniss asked. Peet had moved in with Johanna since Emma only had one bedroom.
"It's like having the older sister I never wanted." Peet laughed. The two fell silent. "So, what now?" Peet asked Katniss.
Katniss shrugged. "I don't know. What are your plans?"
The house is for Sale. Gale is coming home for the summer, I bet. We still haven't really talked through Prom night. This is going to get out of control pretty fast. "I don't have any. I was accepted to UCSD in the fall. I guess I was going to work at the bakery for the summer, then go from there. What about you?"
"Haymitch's. Somebody needs to keep Prim out of trouble."
"I'm pretty sure that Prim can keep herself out of trouble." Peet laughed, then asked more softly, "Katniss…what about…us?"
Katniss laughed lightly, a crisp, fake sound. "I doubt that our crazy physical attraction is going to survive college or real life."
"You're saying that it wasn't real? I thought…especially after Prom, I thought that…you felt something." Peet shook his head as if to clear it. His eyes were sad. "I thought that I was finally beginning to tell real from not real with you. I guess I was wrong."
She could feel him looking at her but she refused to meet his eyes. "I guess so."
Peet's heart pounded as he stared at the confounding girl sitting next to him. She's never going to let you in, Mellark. You'll never be worth it to her. Let her go. Another part of him chided, How can you let go what you never really had in the first place?
Finally, he sighed and stood up. "OK. Well, I guess this is it, then. Thanks for the wild roller coaster ride senior year, Katniss Everdeen. It should be a great one for the memory book someday."
The sound of the waves kept Katniss company for a long time after he walked away.