Katniss and the Rebels

Chapter 36: Our Future Plans

AN: Chapter 36! This chapter basically has all the characters talk about their future as the rebels try and decide what to do about James. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed. Now on with the chapter!

Katniss POV

"Ms. Everdeen?" A stern voice says "Katniss?"

I snap out of my daydream and look up to see Principal Snow standing over me with dead eyes and a raised eyebrow.

"Eh yeah?"

Immediately I wince at my tired tone of voice which he will certainly not be impressed with.

Principal Snow snorts and walks to the front of the class,

"Just because this is a study class Ms. Everdeen does not mean that you're allowed to fall asleep."

A few giggles from the back of the classroom reach my ears but I ignore them. Frustration bubbles inside me and I want to protest that I was just thinking with my eyes closed and that I certainly wasn't sleeping but then I catch Thom's gaze from the corner of my eye.

He sends me an encouraging smile and a slight shake of his head.

Principal Snow is already comfortably seated in his chair so I give in and open a book even though I know I won't be able to take in a word of it.

I write the date in my copybook, '5th of February' and try to drown out the noise from Marvel's earphones behind me.

Of course Snow cares more about my daydreaming than Marvel's rubbish, boisterous music.

I try to focus on writing notes but I can't focus.

It's been about a month since we last saw James Heavensbee yet he always seems to be in the back of my mind.

Gale arranged a meeting with him for a week after New Year's Day and it went about as well as anyone could expect.

He apologised for his behaviour, even produced a written apology from the CEO of the company. Darius commented later that they were probably fearful that we would sue them for sexism and he was probably right.

But James definitely gave the Rebels some food for thought. He told us that the company would be more than happy to help pay for certain fees if we agreed to sign with them.

'Compensation' or something Thom had explained later but I didn't fully understand it.

The conversation didn't last long but a lot was discussed. The four of us agreed to think about James's proposal and to get back to him.

Four weeks later, we still haven't reached a decision.

We are well aware that whatever we decide will affect all of our futures.

Signing with this record label could be the best thing we ever do or the worst.

Not to mention the fact that we are a bit young. I know there are plenty of celebrities my age who are extremely rich and famous because of their music but Gale, Thom, Darius and I don't really want to be extremely rich and famous.

We just want to write, play, sing and make people happy; if we get paid for that then… well that's just a bonus.

I think it's an amazing opportunity that we would be stupid not to take.

But at the same time I can't help but feel wary.

And I think the guys feel the same way.

The bell shrills and as Thom and I make our way to our next class, I can feel Principal Snow's death glare burning into my back.

Our next class is career guidance with Ms. Portia.

Today the teachers have split the year in half so we have a larger class than usual because apparently they want to try something new.

I sit in my usual spot beside Thom, Darius and Gale and when Peeta and Madge walk through the door, they sit with us too.

Cinna walks in after his class and stands beside Portia. He is wearing a navy trench coat today that has paint splattered onto it to give it an edgy twist. Thick black eyeliner highlights his eyes and he has his trademark swirls at the end of his wings.

I admire him for his passion to bring art into everything he does, it makes me sad that I was so useless in art class; I would have liked to learn more from him.

"Alright class listen up for a minute!" Portia says and everyone goes silent.

She isn't a strict teacher but everyone likes her so we listen to her whenever she asks something of us.

"Today you will pair up in groups of five or six and each of you will discuss your future. Everyone has to say at least one thing that they plan to do after you leave school. I don't care if that one thing is going to the moon or weekly trips to the local bar but you have to say something. Try and keep the noise level down as best you can."

Seeing as my group is conveniently already formed, the six of us manage to arrange our chairs so we are sitting in a small circle.

"Right, well who wants to go first?" Gale asks

None of us look too eager to begin.

The rebels and I hate discussing our future, especially seeing as that's all we seem to be doing lately. Peeta and I have actually never talked about what we want to do after school and the last I heard was Madge wasn't sure what she wanted to do yet.

Nobody speaks for a minute or two and then Darius is the one who caves in,

"Well if I decide to go to college then I'll probably study engineering…like my dad." Darius's frown turns into a grin, "But aside from that I plan to get a tattoo one day, probably more than one if I can afford it so yeah."

I smile; Darius never fails to make a tense situation light-hearted.

Peeta goes next,

"Well…honestly I…I've no idea what I want to do."

My eyes widen and I turn to him but he is carefully avoiding my gaze. I know we never talked about how futures but…I hadn't expected him to say that and in such a quiet, lost voice too.

It never dawned on me that Peeta might be in the same boat as me. He's always so calm and collected; I suppose I just thought that because he's so talented at so many things he knows what he wants to do.

"That's alright." Gale smiles reassuringly at him "I don't know what I want to do either."

Peeta smiles in thanks and I'm grateful that I'm sitting beside him so I can take his hand in mine. Peeta jumps when he feels my fingers lace through his but before I get too worried, he relaxes into my grip.

"I do want to go to an Arctic Monkeys concert someday." Gale offers "Do you think Portia will accept that as a plan for the future?"

Thom looks past Darius at Gale and shakes his head, "Probably not but it's pretty cool either way."

Gale smirks, "True so you still sticking to English Lit then?"

Madge and Peeta turn to Thom in confusion

Thom swallows, "If the whole music thing doesn't work out then yeah…either English Lit or teaching."

"Sounds great" Darius says, smiling at him

My turn, "I'm not sure what I want to do. Maybe go to a music college somewhere or take a course." I shrug "I don't really know."

I feel Peeta squeeze my hand just as I did for him a minute ago and unconsciously I smile.

"What about you Madge?" I continue

I catch Madge's eyes drift to Gale who sits across from her for a second before shifting back to me.

"Em… college wise…I'm thinking about the Academy of Ballet in the New York. I don't know whether I'd be good enough but that's where I've applied so far."

To give him credit, Gale does a very good job of masking his shock and his pain.

His shoulders stiffen slightly and I catch his eyes flicker but I doubt anyone else notices just how this has affected him other than me…and maybe Madge.

Madge meets Gale's eyes again but neither of them says anything.

The air is thick with uncomfortable tension but this time not even Darius can say anything to break it.

…

Darius POV

After career guidance, Thom and I walk to our lockers and immediately I start rambling just so we don't have to talk about what happened in our last class.

"Tommy?"

Thom opens his locker and his lips twitch a bit at the nickname only I'm allowed to call him,

"Yes Dariee?"

"Did you know that today is National Nutella Day?" I open my locker and throw in my books

Thom sniggers, "Seriously?"

I face him and with my right hand I slowly pull out the massive Nutella jar from my locker,

"Ta dah!" I sing-song teasingly

Thom laughs out loud, "Oh my god Darius you'll get sick if you eat all of that."

I smirk, "That's why you're going to eat it with me."

Thom raises an eyebrow, "I don't even like Nutella."

I gasp dramatically, "Blasphemy!"

"Okay, okay no I was joking!" Thom protests, his voice shaking with laughter.

I roll my eyes but Thom rips the jar from my hand, our fingertips only brushing for a fraction of a second but long enough for a lump to lodge in my throat.

"Woah it even says its National Nutella Day on it." Thom whispers in wonder and I snort, of course Thom would be fascinated with the design of it. "Alright we can eat it all at lunch if that's what you really want."

I lick my lips "Of course it is"

Thom pointedly avoids my gaze, "But if you throw up because you ate too much, you owe me."

I grin, "Okay."

…

"You hate engineering."

I take a bite of my Nutella sandwich and I throw Thom a dirty look; he's as subtle as ever.

"Cheers Thom."

"It's true! You went on work experience with your dad two years ago and you called me every ten minutes to complain about how bored you were and how much you hated it. And if I remember correctly you told me that if you ever consider being an engineer of any kind, I should tie you up and smack some sense into you."

I wiggle my eyebrows, "That was just me trying to get you to tie me up."

There's a pause.

Thom's mouth drops open and a rose blush spreads over his cheeks.

After a second he breaks eye contact and eats some Nutella, "Stop changing the subject."

"I'm not changing the-"

Thom cocks an eyebrow and I sigh.

He knows me far too well.

"Fine okay you're right." I throw my arms up in surrender "But there's nothing else I want to do…"

"Other than signing with the record label?" Thom supplies

I open my mouth to ask how he knew but I think better of it. After all he's probably thinking the same thing about his future.

"Yeah…I mean that's just it for me you know? I love drumming, I like writing songs and…I like working with you guys. It's not the smartest option I know but-"

"I know" Thom reaches over and places his hand over mine "I feel the same"

My mind goes blank and I instantly forget what we were just talking about.

My mouth opens and closes as I struggle to formulate a sentence.

Thom seems to catch on and he quickly takes back his hand,

"Sorry"

Panic fills me and I shake my head, "Don't apologise for that, ever."

Thom's cheeks flush again

"Just…" I tilt my head in the general direction of the rest of the cafeteria filled with our peers "Not here yeah?"

Thom nods in agreement and moves on,

"So we both want to sign with James?"

I snatch Thom's spoon from my hand and use it to scoop up Nutella, plainly ignoring his protests

"Yup" I mumble through my mouthful of chocolate

Thom scrunches up his nose "You're gross"

I wink at him, "Yes but you love me anyway."

Thom's eyes widen and I curse myself again.

What is it with me and my big mouth today?

But this time Thom doesn't apologise, pull away or even blush.

Instead he rips the spoon from my hand and eats his own mouthful of chocolate, though his is admittedly half the amount mine was.

He swallows hard, making his Adam's apple prominent before tugging his lips into a thin smirk,

"Of course I love you; you share your Nutella with me."

The bell sings and the chorus of students' groans chime around me. Thom packs away his things and slides the jar of Nutella over to me.

"We can finish it later after school."

"A-after school?"

I stuttered. I never stutter.

Thom stands and leans over the table to look down at me,

"Yeah, you're coming over to mine remember? We're studying for that test this week."

I gulp, I had forgotten about that.

"Yeah…"

Thom slings his bag over his shoulder and stands up straight again,

"See you later then."

A minute later he is out the door and fading into the crowds while I'm still frozen to the chair.

God, I'm screwed.

…

Gale POV

"Can we talk?"

I don't look up from my textbook but I can tell just from that soft voice that it's Madge who is standing in front of me.

I nod and I hear her slip into the seat beside me.

We're in a study class and our teacher has fallen asleep as usual.

Most of the students have left but those of us who remain are either asleep as well, listening to music or like me are actually trying to study.

I hesitate for a second, admittedly reluctant to have this conversation but then I shut my textbook and turn and face her.

Madge's blue eyes are staring intently into mine as her pale pink polished fingertip twirls a loose strand of her blonde hair from her ponytail.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Her voice is so small and fragile that any frustration I felt evaporates instantly.

I pull my chair closer to hers and take her hands in mine.

"You don't have to apologise Madge. I…I shouldn't have acted so cold towards you after what you said. I was just surprised…New York is" I let out a breathy laugh "It's really far away."

"I mightn't even get in or decide to go there."

I nod, my eyes focused on how our hands are intertwined and the contrast of our skin tones that is somehow a strange kind beautiful.

"I know, I know and it shouldn't have hit me as hard as it did because in a few months we'll all be going our separate ways."

Madge shakes her head and leans her forehead against mine,

"Don't say that." She begs "Please don't say that."

"I didn't mean-"

"Can we just…can we just live in the here and now?" Madge closes her eyes "I like this, I really like this and I don't want to taint what we have, what we could have with what ifs."

I shut mine too and squeeze her hand

"I like this too." I say, even though I'm aware that I might more than like this.

"We can talk more about….us when we find out what we are doing after high school. But there's plenty of time for that."

I lean down and kiss her chastely on the lips, pulling away quickly due to our surroundings.

Madge opens her eyes and smiles softly at me,

"Thank you."

"Anytime"

Needless to say I don't get any studying done in that study class.

But even though the idea of Madge moving so far away pains me in a surprisingly intense way, it makes me realise something.

If she does get into that college then we'll be far apart no matter what decision the Rebels and I make.

So…there's not much else stopping me from signing that contract.

I've thought a lot about it over the past few weeks and even though James's words about Katniss from a few months ago still turn my stomach, I know that this is something that I have wanted for years.

I'm confident that this is what I want; I'm just not sure if it's what the others want too.

…

The Rebels' Group Chat

From Katniss Everdeen: Okay so do we all know whether we want to work with James or not?

From Gale Hawthorne: Yeah I know

From Darius Homesway: I do and Thom's with me too and so does he

From Katniss Everdeen: Okay so…I think we should work with him. Maybe not him personally but I think it would be amazing if we could work with the company. What do you think?

From Gale Hawthorne: I agree

From Katniss Everdeen: Guys? What do you think?

From Darius Homesway: Sorry, yeah we think we should take up the offer.

From Katniss Everdeen: Okay…unanimous vote then.

From Darius Homesway: We have to make sure the contract is right first and that we agree to pretty much everything in it.

From Gale Hawthorne: Yeah, good point Dariee. Should I call James then?

From Katniss Everdeen: Yeah, let him know that we say yes

From Darius Homesway: Right that sounds great! Thom and I are going now to play video games so bye bye!

From Gale Hawthorne: I thought you hated video games?

Message seen by Darius Homesway at 6:55

AN: So they've decided to say yes to James, I wonder how that will turn out. Darius and Thom's relationship will be explained further in a few chapters. My friend has given them their own ship name of 'Thorius' which I find hilarious and I love it.

Let me know what you thought!

Thanks for reading!

xTeam Mockingjayx