Chapter Two-The Night Before
"Holy shit." He curses as he collapses onto Clove, his lips pressing against her neck that's now dotted with goosebumps.
Both of them lay still, tangled in the sheets and each other, exhausted from what had gone on for at least two hours. It felt better than usual, if that was even possible. They were too wrapped up in their anger to notice how fast they were going, but now as Clove lay panting under his heavy bare chest, she felt all her rage dissipate.
She felt good, dare she say it.
They'd made sure to lock the door this time so drunk morons like Cato wouldn't stumble in on their trysts at 2 in the morning like he'd done once, half naked while mumbling about kissing grasshoppers or something.
She would have been completely scarred if Peeta hadn't been shielding his body over hers, cussing at Cato to get out before he could violate her with his perverted eyes.
Clove lets him lay on her for less than a minute before shoving him off and he rolls onto his back with a yelp. She chuckles, wrapping the blanket around her body as she watches him huff in annoyance.
For some reason, she found it exhilarating, this effect she had on him. Only she could make him feel this way, and although Clove wasn't as experienced as he probably was, having only been with one other person, she was pretty sure only he knew how to make her crazy.
"Do you feel better?" She asks sweetly.
"I was starting to, until you ruined the moment by shoving me." His eyes are closed, but his mouth twitches up in a smirk.
"We were having a moment? You should've said so." Clove jokes.
Somewhere in the back of her mind is screaming what he means by that, another thought she decides is best to dismiss.
She reaches over him to shut the light off when he catches her hand. "I'm not sleeping yet."
Clove retracts her hand, a little surprised. He usually drifts off immediately, was he not tired enough? Because she certainly was.
"Well I am, tomorrow's a big big BIG day for me." She says in a chipper voice that once she hears it aloud, suddenly sounds really strange.
Peeta looks at her too and she flushes in embarrassment, realizing how much her voice must have resembled a squeaky 12 year old girl who hasn't gone through puberty yet.
Clove never really made an effort to be funny but when she was with Peeta, it's like her humor came out naturally and she could say anything around him, even act like the idiot she was being right now.
"What was that?" He laughs.
Clove rolls her eyes and kicks his feet, something she does often when she's annoyed or wants him to get out.
He wastes no time grabbing at her, resisting her struggles until he has her pinned down beneath him. "Squealing like a prepubescent girl is not the way to seduce a guy, Sevina. If you wanted more, all you had to do was ask."
She struggles in an attempt to free herself, but his grip is just too strong. Peeta may not be as talented with a knife, but when it really comes down to it, he could easily overpower her as long as she was under him like this.
And now that she was, there's no way she could possibly resist. Kissing was also not something they did often, but tonight it felt different. Maybe it was her emotions that were high, or the ecstasy that came from what they'd just done that gave her the courage to lean up and kiss him.
He doesn't seem to mind and lets his mouth melt into hers. She continues doing whatever she pleases with him until they are both so sweaty and exhausted to continue.
He ends up in her arms again and this time she doesn't push him off. She feels his hot breath on her neck, and it makes her shiver even though she's sweating as much as he is.
Clove starts to stroke his damp, blond hair to soothe his trembling, but stops abruptly when she realizes what she's doing. This all feels way too intimate for her.
Now she knows pre-Games jitters were really getting to her.
"Why did you stop?"
He feels her jump beneath him, probably out of surprise from his question. It surprised him too, though he didn't know why at the time.
Hugging her waist tighter, he looks up at her through his damp blonde bangs. Even in the dark, she couldn't miss the arrogant smirk that pissed her off but turned her on at the same time. "Don't tell me you're nervous. We've done this a million times."
"Really? I hadn't noticed."
He chuckles. "If you want to kick me out, you can. I just thought you'd want me to stay the night like I usually do."
She does want him to. She never really had to ask, it just always ended up that way. She especially didn't want to be alone tonight, the night before Reaping Day.
"Hey, Mellark?"
"Mmm?" He's getting sleepy, finally.
But now Clove was wide awake. She would never utter the words that flashed across her mind...will you miss me? Because that just wasn't that type of relationship she had with Peeta, not at all. Those words were for lovey doves couples like the ones she saw at school in front of her locker, in the auditorium, in the classroom on desks for Pete's sake…
She and Peeta weren't even ever a couple, they were just...well to put it in simple terms, friends with benefits. Though you could probably cancel the first part since Clove had no idea what having friends even meant. She had people she talked to or occasionally interacted with, but no one she would ever call a friend.
Training for the Games was her top priority, and she had absolutely no interest in getting caught up in any personalities or relationships. Except, she guessed for the sweaty, gorgeous boy she's clinging to her chest, whose heartbeat she felt beating so hard made her own start to race.
She would never forget that day three months ago when he had cornered her before training to talk about the idiotic decision she'd made the night before, when they had their first time together in some senior's bedroom after getting way too drunk at their dorm party.
Clove liked to think it was physically impossible for her to be so irresponsible, but when a gorgeous, strong boy carries you bridal style to help you lay down, mumbling sweet nothings in your ear, it was hard to resist when you were under the influence.
Even though she was drunk, Clove was pretty sure if it were anyone else, she would have kicked their ass to the floor. But Peeta was someone she had her eyes on for a while, since Finals Day when he'd lost the first round to a girl two years younger, though Clove could tell he clearly wasn't trying. Which she found confusing and intriguing.
"I don't do relationships." Clove had barked at him.
He scoffed. "Who said anything about relationships? Neither do I. But you...enjoyed it right?"
Clove had no idea what he was getting at, besides wasting her time to warm up before training, when he came closer to her, a devilish smile spread across his angelic, innocent face that made her stomach tighten, whispering in the sexiest voice she'd ever heard,
"Ever heard of friends with benefits, Sevina?"
It stunned her that he had the nerve to ask such an appalling question. Why wasn't he scared of her? Most people wouldn't even dare look her way, but this guy was confidently asking her to be *** buddies.
He went home with a bloody nose and huge bruise on his cheek, while Clove swore never to come within 10 feet of him again. Somehow, several days later he ended up in her bed. Why she ever agreed to satisfy this horny, infatuated teenager that was two years her junior, one can only guess. Yet, although she'd never admit it, it made her happy that he came back. Over and over and over again.
"You better not be screwing with anyone else when I get back." Was the best she could come up with.
It irked her to think about the girls he's been with even though he hasn't slept with any of them since they started getting together. Of course since they weren't in a relationship, he was free to kiss whoever he wanted and he did just so, whereas when Clove tried with other guys, the buzz wasn't nearly the same.
He chuckles, nuzzling his head against her shoulder. "I don't think you need to worry about that."
Clove hadn't expected him to answer like that. She half expected her ass to land on the floor which sometimes happened when she pissed him off. Violence was also part of this weird thing between them, not seriously of course because she knew he would never, ever truly hurt her.
"Any other questions?" He mumbles against her skin.
"Yeah. Can you sleep on your side now? You are as heavy as a boulder." She complains which to her frustration, just amuses Peeta who rolls off of her to the left side of her bed.
"Stop hogging the blankets Sevina." He barks, yanking half of the comforter away from her. Clove rolls her eyes, and although it's dark, Peeta doesn't need the light to know she's holding up her middle finger.
Silly girl, screw with someone else…jeez. Clove looks over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes at Peeta who's back is turned to her. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing. Shut up and sleep already."
Clove doesn't sleep until he does. The nerves are finally getting to her, but eventually, she manages to relax, matching her breathing to Peeta's slow and peaceful ones.
Oh, if only she knew what was to come tomorrow...