This might be the last chapter for a while, we'll see how my exam results go tomorrow.

I say might loosely, can guarantee I'll have a few chapters up by next week :)

Enjoy! :*

Chapter Twenty-One

From the way Katniss approached the large house the mayor and his family lived in, I could tell immediately that she was wary. Scared that people will wonder why she's here. Angry that people will assume she's here to steal something. But she's not, and I wasn't going to let my friend feel uncomfortable in her own district, whether she was from the poor part or not.

"Come on, lets go around to the back door and into the kitchens. Madge won't be too far away, I told her I would be here around two and she doesn't want Mae to find these." I shook the bags gently to emphasis my point, leading Katniss around the side of the large house. Truth be told, I'd never been inside the Mayor's house before, only the kitchen when I was helping my father bake a huge cake for Mrs Undersee's birthday two years ago, and even then we had entered through the back door, the one which I was taking Katniss through.

Pushing my way through the heavy door, I held it open and allowed Katniss to go on through. Voices and clashing of pans and the aromas of delicious food met us as we rounded the kitchen. I was awestruck, the sight before me taking my breath away. Stainless steel surfaces, marble floor, a roaring oven waiting to be fed with food to be cooked.

This is how I imagined a Capitolian kitchen, the finest you could ever see. Of course, this was District Twelve, and as we were the poorest of the Districts, our Mayor had the "worst" house of all the Mayors. Even that idea conflicted in my head, I couldn't imagine anything more extravagant than the kitchen before me. My face must have glazed over, as Katniss tugged gently on my shirt sleeve, bringing me back to reality. She looked up at me, her eyebrow poised in a silent question. I smiled and shook my head, promising to tell her later.

Madge entered the large room from the far door, the one that' lead to the rest of her house. Judging by the kitchen, the remainder of the house could only be described as luxurious, or in my mind it could. I could imagine the plush carpets under my feet, holding my weight as I sank into them; paintings hung on the walls, the quality and detail far superior to my own doodles and paintings. Marble surfaces in the bathroom, echoing the sounds of water dripping into them. Another tug on my sleeve pulled me back to the present, and to Madge who have managed her way over to us through the swarm of frantic chefs.

"Hello Peeta, and Katniss too! Don't you just love weddings! I'm so excited, I can't wait to see the dress Mae ordered! And you made the strawberry swirls! Thank you so much Peeta, you don't understand how much Mae will love these!" I'd spoken to Mae a handful of times, she was a quiet girl and didn't make herself noticed. Maybe because she came from a privileged background, but none the less she didn't come across as snobbish when I had the pleasure to speak to her. But I had never seen her so excited, nor as lively as now when she was in full flow of the wedding. I smiled, telling her that it was no trouble, we Mellark's aim to please. She eagerly took the bags from my outstretched hands, setting them on the table for a brief moment so she could hug me tightly and run from the room, shouting "Back in a minute!" as she left.

I looked to Katniss, amusement playing on her features. "I've never seen her so animated in all the time I've known her. It's strange, but nice to see," she said softly, staring after her friend. I realised in that minute that perhaps the only friend that Katniss had outside the Seam was Madge, perhaps even one of her only friends. Until now, as I plan to change that. If I'm going to win her, I have to show her that I can be a friend, a shoulder to cry on, someone to talk to when Gale stepped out of line. "What are you thinking about Peeta? You have a troubled look on your face. Is it Kade?" She whispered softly to me, causing a fluttering in my stomach. I took a deep breathe, preparing to cover the truth.

"No, actually I was thinking about you. Madge is the only person you can talk to in the Seam. Why is that?" My mouth spoke before my brain could think, unashamedly asking her, my curiosity taking over. She froze, her breathe hitching slightly. Her eyes however returned the intensity of my own, a fiery depth to her eyes I'd never seen up close before.

"'ll tell you later. Not here, and she's coming back." She whispered, putting a bit of space between us that I hadn't realise we had closed in on. Madge was coming back, a funny look now covering her face as she spotted us. She quickly masked it over though, the closer she got.

She smiled brightly at Katniss when she reached us, her warm persona bubbly over the edges. I really liked Madge, I hadn't realised before now. If only everyone could be so accepting of a Seam person like Madge could be, the district would be a far better place. "Katniss! How are you? Is your summer break treating you well?" She asked warmly, inviting us to follow her out the back door into the garden.

It was beautiful, a meadow filled with flowers of every bright colour imaginable. Jabberjays swooped in the sky above, singing their sweet tune that harmonised with each others. I could only dream of owning a garden as beautiful as this, a house as luxurious. We sat at a small table, delicately covered with purple ribbons and glitter.

"It has been fine, thank you. Prim sends her greetings, she wished to come along with me but she had to go with mother to visit Mrs Fellows. I wanted to bring you a gift, for your birthday. I know you didn't want to cause a scene, so happy birthday!" Katniss said in her most cheerful manner, which still sounded a tad false. To emphasis her cheeriness, I smiled at Madge, reiterating the birthday greeting. Katniss handed her the small punnet of strawberries, to which the girl responded with the brightest smile I had ever seen grace a face, and leapt up to hug Katniss, words of gratitude and thanks tumbling from her mouth.

"Madge! Can you come here please darling?" A male voice shouted from the bottom of the garden. From a quick glimpse, I guessed it to be Mr Cartwright, Mae's father and Madge's uncle. She thanked each of us profusely once more and hurried down to her uncle, eager to be of any help.

I gestured for Katniss to walk with me, catching sight of Delly and Thom a little way down the garden, planting a few last minute rose bushes. Delly waved excitedly, seemingly thrilled with the fast approaching event. The bread toasting ceremony began at six, with the party kicking off at half past. We were invited, but that was before the Reaping; and so had graciously declined at the last minute to watch the Games. Thom lifted his head to see who Delly was waving at, and smiled when he saw it was me. He then tilted his head in Katniss' direction, questioning me. I sighed a little, shaking my head to tell him I'd talk to him later. He just smiled and turned back to Delly.

We walked down the winding path, back tot he town. We kept silent most of the way, only talking to comment on the landscaping of the house. I was curious still, and soon my voice escaped my mouth before I could think. "So, are you going to tell me?" I asked, looking intently at her.

She looked up at my, sighing gently. She opened her mouth the speak when a voice shouted from near-by. "KATNISS!"

We turned in the direction of the voice, Katniss' eyes wild with panic. Prim came hurtling down the road, panting as she tried to speak.

"Katniss! Come..now.. Mother.. Gale!" Prim grabbed my hand and her sister's, and pulled us along towards the Seam.

This is three typed pages and its only 1400 words, what the hell? :(

Review! :)