A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with another update! Thank you so much to the guest reader who helped me come up with ideas for this chapter! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or its characters, it all belongs to Suzanne Collins.
I tossed and turned all night. I couldn't stop thinking about Peeta. What was going to happen tomorrow at school? He'd probably tell me we couldn't be friends anymore. That I was too weird and he'd never like someone as awkward as me back.
The very thought of it crushed me. I looked over at my clock. 1 AM. I groaned internally. I was going to be so dead tomorrow at school. I had to get to sleep or else I would fall asleep in my classes. I couldn't afford to miss any of the lesson so I forced my eyes closed and took deep breaths until, miraculously, I managed to fall asleep.
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my alarm. I was so tired, but knew that if I didn't get my butt out of bed I'd be late for school. I forced myself out of bed and into the bathroom where I quickly washed up and re-braided my hair. I got dressed in my black jeans, green tank top, and black leather jacket.
As Prim and I left the house I went over my plan for today: avoid Peeta. I knew that he probably wouldn't want to see me, and I didn't want to have an awkward encounter with him. It would be difficult though. We had five out of six classes together.
I dropped Prim off at the Junior High building before quickly walking to English. I didn't want to meet the group at the usual spot we did in the morning, it'd be too awkward.
Luckily, Mrs. Wiress didn't assign seats so that I didn't have to sit next to Peeta. I walked into the classroom and spotted a seat in the back corner, surrounded by other seats that were already occupied.
I quickly sat down and took out my stuff. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Peeta walk into the room and see me sitting in the corner. He quickly turned away to find another seat. He was probably relieved that he wouldn't have me sitting next to him.
English passed by quickly. I listened to the lesson and took notes where appropriate. Soon, the bell rang and I quickly packed up my stuff and headed out the door.
"Wait, Katniss! Wait!" Called a voice behind me. Peeta. He probably wanted to tell me to leave me alone. I couldn't face that yet, so I sped up my footsteps, desperate to get to government.
When I got there, I did the same thing to Finnick and Annie that I did to Peeta. I sat in a swarm of other kids and focused completely on the lesson, although I could feel Annie's concerned stare.
That wouldn't last long. After Peeta told them about what I did, they'd probably be begging to get away from me. They'd think I was weird and I'd lose the only friends that I have here.
When the bell rang, I hurried to my locker to put my stuff away. I was so distracted by toggling my books that I didn't notice the presence of someone behind me until it was too late.
I turned around, only to be met by Gale's tal frame caging me in with his arms. Oh great.
"Hey, sexy." He said while staring at my chest. I made a noise of disgust and tried to push him away, but he was stronger than me. Uh oh. "You know, you're really difficult. I've been trying to show you all that you could've had. How great we could've been. But you're being difficult. Why won't you just admit you want to be with me too?"
"Because I don't. I'm sorry Gale, but I actually have standards." I snarked at him.
His face grew hard. "Well, sometimes when you want something, you gotta take it for yourself." Suddenly he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me to him. I yelped in alarm, but was quickly cut off by Gale's lips pressing to mine. I squeaked and pushed, trying to get him off me. To get away, but he wasn't giving up. He was too strong.
He wouldn't let me go. I pushed against him. I began to panick. I was being forced into this and I had no way out. I felt the tears drip out of my eyes as I started crying, becoming hysterical as I tried to get away from my assailant.
I was sobbing, trying to scream, but I couldn't. I was just beginning to give up hope when I felt the weight pressed against the front side of my body be pulled off. I slid to the floor and curled up into a ball and began to sob into my knees.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see Annie there. She put an arm around my shoulders and sat with me. Then, my focus was pulled away from her and to the scuffle happening a few feet away.
Peeta was the one who had pulled Gale off of me and had him pinned against the lockers. Gale was trying futilely to get out of Peeta's grip, but he was far too strong. Far too angry.
"If you ever touch her again, I will kill you." His voice was low, almost a whisper, but the most menacing and threatening that I had ever heard. "Don't touch her,don't look at her, don't even think about her. You will never touch the girl I love again."
I froze. The girl...the girl he loves? He loves me? I looked at Annie, sure I was imagining things, but she nodded at me. It was real, he had said it.
Over by the lockers, Peeta had let Gale go, who had scurried away to hide in whatever hole he'd crawled out of. Peeta walked over to me and held out a hand. I took it and he pulled me up and straight into his arms for a hug.
I buried my face in his cest for a moment before I raised my head up and asked:
"You love me?"
He looked down at my face for a second. "For so long. Katniss, I've liked you since the day you came here. I fell in love with you easily. I thought you...I thought you didn't like me back, that you never would. And yesterday when you ran off I knew you didn't like me back. Katniss, I care about you so much and if you just want to be friends I'll understand, but I just couldn't go another day without you knowing how much-"
I cut him off with a kiss.
I pulled away and smiled. "I love you too."