Guess who meant to update on Wednesday and forgot! :/ Whoops. Anyways, enjoy!
Chapter 52: Duets
Peeta swoops around the kitchen, making details on his cake.
With a shaking hand, he makes sure that every part of it is perfect, from the taste to the decorations.
He knows this cake has to be the best cake he's ever made, and he carefully adds sprinkles.
This isn't just any cake, no.
He puts it in a box, especially careful that it doesn't touch the cake at all.
Peeta walks out the door, protecting the box: and the very special cake: with his whole body.
When he knocks on Katniss's door, she answers.
"Peeta! What brings you here?" she smiles, inviting him in.
"I-I have a cake for you," he says, gently setting it on a counter.
"Oh, really? Well, what a nice surprise!"
He lets her open it herself, and starts rocking on his feet.
'Please,' Peeta silently prays, 'Please let this go over well.'
He hears a squeal. He's not sure if it's glee or terror.
"Oh, Peeta!" Katniss throws her arms around him.
Prim walks downstairs, confused. Then the cake catches her eye. A blue background, with pink letters that say, PROM?
Prim giggles, and takes an apple from the fridge, leaving them.
"Of course I'll go to prom with you!" she kisses him.
Peeta sighs of relief.
That afternoon, the glee club has another meeting.
"Everyone, Athena is BACK!" Theo announces, and she turns bright red, but smiles.
"Once a Mutt, always a mutt," she says with a laugh.
"That's the way to be!" Mason smiles, and Nathalia sits next to him, holding his hand.
"So, this week, we're doing…"
Everyone pats the ground, providing a chaotic drumroll so loud they can barely hear, "DUETS!"
Nathalia grins, "DUETS! I LOVE DUET WEEK!"
"And, this year, it's girl's choice!"
Athena smiles, "So, we get to choose our partners?"
Everybody nods, "That's right!"
Rue smiles, "Cool!"
"And, I think, this year, that freshmen pick first."
Everybody stares at Rue.
"Let's all guess who she's gonna pick…" Marvel says and everybody laughs.
Rue smiles at her best friend, "Skeeter… Will you be my duet partner?"
He grins, "Nope."
They both laugh, "Of course I'll sing with you."
Athena's torn on who she wants to sing with. "Um…"
Theo winks at her. "Theo, would you sing with me?"
He smiles, "Sure. Why not?"
The rest of the kids choose, and Nathalia ends up with Marvel.
She smiles at him, "This is going to be fun!"
He shrugs, "I guess…"
Edward and Prim end up together, Mason and Tom agreeing to play in the pit.
"Illo. Au'mEdward."
"Prim."
They awkwardly sit across from each other.
"This is my boyfriend, Tom."
Tom waves, and he and Edward shake hands.
"Nicta'meetya. Ithinkyerarillytalentedsaxephonist."
"Thanks!" Tom says, after a pause to understand his accent.
Edward smiles.
"Now, the duets can either be friendly, romantic, or even… Full of hatred… If you prefer."
Everybody nods, exchanging glances.
When rehearsal is dismissed, everybody goes to different places, full of duet ideas.
"So, Bestie," Rue and Skeeter sit in his room, "What song do you want for the duet?"
He shrugs, "I don't really have any preferences."
"First, I guess we should figure out what approach we're taking."
"What do you mean?"
"Well…" she shrugs, "I mean…"
"I think it wouldn't hurt if we did something romantic," he blurts out.
She looks at him, "Really? You're OK with it?"
"I mean, if that's still weird-"
"I think I have the perfect song for us to sing," she smiles, flipping through the songs on her iPod.
Marvel and Nathalia sit under a tree at the park, the cold breeze rustling the leaves.
She clutches the pink hoody to her chest, "So, you're a sophomore, right?"
He nods.
She smiles at him, green eyes sparkling. "What's wrong? You don't have to be so shy!"
He shrugs, "I dunno…"
"I'm Nathalia. It's really nice to finally hear you sing, Marvel."
He shrugs, "Sure."
"What's wrong?"
He shrugs, "Nothing, really…"
"Come on! You can confide in me, I promise."
"I've just been having some trouble. In school, I mean."
"You know we'll help you with that!"
"I don't want help," he says quickly.
"But you need it-"
"No, I don't."
"Any time, you know. Theo or I, we can help you along."
He doesn't smile but looks up, "Thanks."
"So, for our duet…"
"Right…"
"I have this really cool song I think we can sing."
Marvel nods, "Sure."
"Any time you need someone to talk to, Marvel. I'll be here."
"Thanks, but there's not much to say."
"Then you can tell me now."
He shakes his head, "My real dad is gone, my new one hates my guts, and I think I've just been friend-zoned."
"Friend-zoned? You? Are you sure?"
He nods, "Pretty damn sure."
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Marvel."
He likes her genuine nature, and ever so slightly hints at a smile.
"Thanks."
"Maybe you haven't been friend-zoned yet. Just wait till school and see what she says."
"Good idea. Thanks, Nathalia."
She smiles, "Any time. Drop by, sometime. You and I can plan our duet."
He nods, "Sure."
They go their separate ways.
Cato and Clove run through the park.
"CLOVE! CATCH!" Cato whips the football at her, and the force of the catch sends Clove backwards.
"GOT IT!" she shouts back to Cato.
"HERE!" he runs along beside her.
She throws it to him.
"Oh, Clove! You throw like such a GIRL!"
"Throw like a GIRL?" She grins wickedly, "Is that a challenge?"
"Why, I think it is!" He laughs, throwing the ball back to her.
She's knocked back, and is about to throw when she notices something weird.
"What design-"
When she takes her hand off the strings, she reads the word that's stitched on the football: PROM?
She beams, laughing so hard that she falls forward, into Cato's arms, "I'd love to go to prom with you, Cato."
He hugs her, and they both laugh.
"Weren't you scared I wasn't gonna notice?"
"Nah, I figured you would, eventually. Took you long enough, though."
They both laugh. "I love you so much, Cato!"
Cato smiles, rocking her back and forth, "I love you too."
