Chapter 36

Peeta sat next to Katniss and Haymitch, once again awkwardness filled the air due to the events that have been happening all day, and this was only the first one. The baker lifted his head and spotted Cato staring at him; he shuddered and jerked his head away.

"So you're avoiding me now?" Cato asked with a strong frown on his face.

"It was just a mistake, drop it" Peeta growled, his reply was a disapproving glare from Cato.

"Yes, Cato drop it" A familiar voice spoke after the slam of a door.

"Gale?" The baker gasped, but the hunter didn't return a glance he simply walked passed and sat one chair away from Peeta and began digging into the food.

"Told you" Katniss whispered in the baker's ear.

"Look who decided to finally show up" Cato snarled.

"Stop it" Peeta barked.

Cato sighed and rolled his eyes, "Okay then… darling" He smirked and quickly glanced at Gale to see if he was ready to snap yet.

"Searisly!" Katniss yelled, "Stop it!"

"Red wine anyone?" Stonfia asked, Haymitch was the first to shoot his hand up in the air and wave with an excited face.

"Sure" Gale sighed.

"Yeah me too!" Katniss smiled, Peeta hurriedly put her hand down.

"No Katniss it's bad for the baby!" He waggled his finger at the woman.

The woman jumped up from her seat "I swear to god" Before she could finish Effie interrupted, "What a lovely day!" But the escort got rewarded with death glares from everyone but Cato who was pigging out and had a full glass of wine.

After five minutes of awkward silence Peeta decided to break it, "So erm how is everyone?" He asked.

"Just wonndderrful" Katniss said with a sarcastic drawl.

"I am quite alright" Effie chirped.

"I'm still hungry" Stonfia smiled.

"I FAKED ALL MY ORGASMS!" Haymitch screamed, everyone knew he was drunk but it still kinda scared them all.

"I'm… quite alright" Cato blinked still in shock from Haymitch.

The baker glanced at Gale to see if he would get a reply but the hunter had his head on the table and sighed.

Peeta groaned in defeat, this was definitely going to be a long few days.

After all of the food was finished, Stonfia stood up and got everyone's attention, "We have a fun day planned tomorrow, Cato and I have planned for us all to go to the local beach, we've fully booked out the area, you can all eat all the ice cream and popsicles your heart desires" She smiled.

"Ive never been to a beach before" Peeta grinned.

"Hmm I wonder why" Katniss sarcastically said.

Everyone jumped up and left the dining room, "Hey Peeta fancy a midnight walk through the garden?" Katniss questioned.

"No, I'm going to go to bed now, I'm feeling kinda full" The baker then took his leave, he slowly made his way up to the bedroom and opened the door.

He noticed a sleeping Gale laying like a starfish in the bed, so he decided to sleep elsewhere, the room next-door was empty to he slept there for the night, still feeling lonely.

The next morning he was awoken by a loud shout from Effie, "Wake up Peeta! We are leaving for the beach in twenty minutes!" She then suddenly left just as quickly as she entered.

He stood up and looked in the mirror, today he was determined to be happy, regardless, even if he was faking it, he had too. He took a quick five minute shower, changed into a green t-shirt and a pair of matching shorts. Peeta exited the room and saw the door to where Gale was sleeping was wide open, the sheets a mess but his old clothes discarded on the floor which meant he was already downstairs.

Peeta got downstairs and they were all rounded up, loaded into a car and given a bag with beach towel and other things in and then drove off through the district. His jaw slung open when he saw the beach, the ocean stretched out as far as the eye could see and the sand was sparkling in the light.

The car pulled up and Peeta was the first one to jump out, he slung off his shirt but lucky enough Katniss caught it. "Oh a race now is it?" Cato chuckled who then jumped out of the car and began racing Peeta towards the ocean.

"Wait he doesn't know how to swim does he?" Katniss turned to Gale.

"Nope" The hunter sighed.

Katniss then turned around and faced the sea to spot Peeta almost drowning and calling for help and Cato hadn't realized.

"Hey! Cato!" Katniss yelled and pointed towards the baker. She watched as the older blonde dived under the water and pulled Peeta out the water and back onto the sand.

"Alright let's go" Katniss sighed and eventually made it down to the beach with the others.

The next few hours were like paradise for almost everyone, Cato was teaching Peeta how to swim, Effie was sunbathing as was Stonfia but with distance in between them of course, Gale was laying on a towel with sun glasses on, nobody could tell if he was awake or asleep and Katniss had buried Haymitch in the sand….

The woman put the few finishing touches and completely covered the man so only his head was sticking out the sand. "Now you stay there like a good little drunk" She chuckled.

"Hey come on Katniss babes" Haymitch pleaded.

"Babes? Oh god no" She rolled her eyes and stood up, walked over to the canteen, pulled out a bottle of alcohol and walked back over to Haymitch.

"Can I have a drink?" He asked showing puppy dog eyes.

The woman put the bottle in the sand next to him, "Aw come on!" He cried attempting to reach the bottle with his tongue with all of his effort. Katniss then stood up and attempted to walk away, "I faked all my orgasms!" The man yelled which got sand kicked in his face by a disapproving Katniss.

"If you really did then I wouldn't be in this situation!" She growled while pointing to her belly.

Gale leaned up and stared out to the water to see Peeta who was now walking back towards them, his skin still wet and the sun sparkling off each droplet, he had to resist jumping up and pouncing the blonde. Peeta made his way next to Katniss, put down a towel and lay down, "Effie can you pass me some ice cream?" He called.

"With pleasure" Effie smiled, she walked over to a box, fiddled around for a minute and came back and passed the man a cone with a white ice cream scoop.

Katniss stood up and finally removed her coat to reveal a blue bikini, "Looking hot!" Haymitch called, still buried in the sand.

But the hunter's eyes were still locked on Peeta, lucky enough he wouldn't have been able to tell though. He stared at the baker began licking the ice cream. Oh god, Look away! His mind screamed, it took a strong amount of will power but he snapped his head away and lay back down.

Gale could feel a bead of sweat trickling down his chest, Damn it someone's bound to notice. "Hey there looking a little sweaty there Gale" A taunting male voice spoke.

"Screw you Cato!" Gale snapped.

"Whoa calm down there" Cato sounded smug, a little too smug. Gale jumped to his feet.

"You think you're so good because your rich? Well news flash, you only won and survived cause of us!" Gale screamed, he felt like he had went a little too far but in his eyes Cato deserved it.

"Wow you know what Gale, way to punch me in the gut!" Cato roared, the hunter didn't even have the chance to reply when he felt a fist connect to his face, he hint the ground and blurred out…

"Gale!" Peeta cried and jumped to his feet.