Hi All a quick note :
A massive thank you to Daisy3D, this chapter was a monster to write, thank you for your time and dedication. Please check out Daisy3D's page on FF u/5577931/, I am especially hooked on A Change of Events.
To everyone following I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for your kind reviews.
By the end of the school day the only thing the kids in Peeta's class could talk about was the wrestling tournament. The Mellark boys were great wrestlers. Despite their bulky appearance, they were agile and quick. Everyone knew Peeta was the best wrestler in the family. The entire school assumed this was Peeta's year to win the championship. All of his classmates, as well as his teachers and others in different grades, stopped Peeta regularly to wish him luck.
And Peeta was sick of it.
"Peeta!" Delly bounced into Peeta's peripheral view. Peeta groaned to himself. The quiet hall was filled with Delly and her cousin Daisy's joyous laughter as they approached him.
Delly came rushing at him like a derailed train, Peeta had little chance to brace himself from his friend and neighbor.
"Hey Delly." Peeta was pushed back as Delly fiercely hugged him. Her cousin Daisy stood to the side, shyly smiling at him. Both girls looked remarkably alike. The only difference was that Delly was a bit more curvaceous than Daisy.
"I just wanted to wish you luck out their today. I just know you are going to win!" Delly happily chirped in that high pitched sing song voice of hers.
"Thanks." Peetas' smile could be described as half grimace, half smirk as he nodded his head in agreement though he was not sure he could win. He wanted to go home and run away. He would rather hear his mother rant and rave for an hour about how useless he was than to go to that championship meet. Seeing the way Katniss acted with Gale made what happened between them this morning, seem small and insignificant. It frankly hurt more than any injury he incurred from his mother. Peeta glanced to Daisy's face, she was a year ahead of him.
Daisy walked up to Peeta as soon as Delly let him go and hugged him briefly. Peeta always gave the best hugs. "Good luck Peeta."
Delly pouted as her cousin spoke, not wanting her time with Peeta to end. "We have to go find seats." Delly knew how much Peeta had practiced and trained for this moment. Peeta was like her, a good person, except he had a hopeful and gentle nature. Delly was gentle until pushed, then she pushed back. She and Peeta were like siblings. Except Peeta was tough in a way she was not.
"Okay." Daisy nodded, then before turning to her cousin she took a long good glance at Peeta, there was something different about him today. Daisy could see traces of Rye in Peeta's face. Except Peeta did not have the same swagger his older brother Rye had. Daisy concluded he was nervous and smiled happily.
"Remember Peeta, stay focused." Delly gave her friend a look of encouragement. Although she was sure he did not need it. Peeta was regimented when it came to getting ready for things of this nature, Delly would have eaten her weight in food if possible. It amazed Delly how Peeta was able to draw strength from nothing to pull through. On the other hand, Delly became frustrated. Then tended to yell, shriek and cry.
"Thanks Dell…" Peeta trailed, he did not want to sound mean to Delly.
"Okay." Delly nodded, and before she left, gave Peeta one last quick hug. She looked to Peeta, a small happy smile played on her lips. She knew how important this tournament was for Peeta. "I will see you later after you win."
Peeta nodded silently. Delly's blond hair bounced as she linked arms with her cousin.
"Yeah, see you later." Daisy giggled as she and Delly walked away, their blond hair bouncing as they walked away from Peeta.
Peeta breathed easier as he watched the two girls walk away. Peeta cared for Delly greatly, but at this precise moment he was annoyed by her eternal optimism. Delly was a happy go lucky girl, and Peeta often appreciated her buoyant point of view.
Today was not the case. Peeta made his way quietly through the hallways toward the gym, his hands gripped his knapsack tightly. Anxiety built inside his gut as he approached. He could hear the dull roar of the crowd even from the hallway. Peeta took a few moments to compose himself, nothing worked.
Gloomily, Peeta stood in front of the boy's locker room. To say his mood was pessimistic was actually a happy connotation, Peeta felt utterly destroyed. Today of all days Peeta wanted to be left alone.
He actually wanted to break things.
Whenever he and his brothers had enough of his mother's harping, they would go outside and break the shipping crates to use as firewood for the ovens. It was very cathartic to have an outlet to vent his frustrations or anger. In this moment, he wanted nothing more than to be able to throw some of those crates around.
Taking a deep fortifying breath, Peeta opened the door to the locker room.
"Mellark!" one of the guys from the junior weight class called out.
Normally, Peeta would have greeted his teammate with the same jovial cry. But instead, he gave him a hard stare and nod. He ducked his head and walked to his locker, changing quietly.
All around him his friends were laughing, joking, and horsing around as teenage boys did when left alone unsupervised. Peeta knew he should join them to prove that he was not compromised emotionally, but his mood was ruined. Sitting down on the bench, he slipped off his shoes. He should be concentrating on the matches ahead, getting psyched up to win. Instead he was he was still bemoaning his earlier stupidity.
Mentally, he was not ready to win. He worked very hard to get to this point and be a champion. Peeta hoped the win would change his family's attitude towards him. Peeta wanted to show his mother he was someone, that he, Peeta Mellark, the youngest bakers' son mattered in this world. Sadly, Peeta found out this afternoon that he did not matter in Katniss' world, although she mattered in his.
"Okay guys, listen up!"
Peeta looked up to see his coach was addressing them. No one seemed to be aware the man was in the room.
"Come on guys settle down."
Peeta rubbed his face and swallowed, he still had a point to prove. If Katniss did not want him, then so be it. But he needed to get out from under the shadow of being his mother's favorite target. Peeta looked at the other kids who he was going to be wrestling against for the championship. Peeta knew he had the strength, skill and ability to win. He just had to focus and stay on his goal. The one thing he had that the others did not was mental strength. He went through a lot of things no one else in this room did. It took a lot hold his head up high.
Everyone believed the merchant kids had it better than the kids in the Seam, in certain aspects this was correct. The merchants did have it better than those in the Seam. Those that lived in town did not starve nor did they have to work in the caverns of the mines below their feet. However, his family did not have the same luxuries others had. Peeta had less because he was the third son, the least important one, and his mother did not let him forget it. Winning the Championship could open doors for him in so many ways. Peeta looked at his coach.
The coach got the locker room to settle down.
"Okay guys, we have all of District Twelve outside waiting for us. So let us make this count. Do not disappoint me."
Peeta looked around and found Boyne Smoot staring at him. Peeta did not smile at his competitor. Boyne was a fairly good wrestler, but he did not have the skills. Peeta did not like the kid. He was too flashy, too loud. Peeta stared at him back until Boyne looked away. What happened with Katniss may have put a damper on his day, but Peeta was determined to win.
The coach looked at each kid in the eyes. Satisfied with what he saw he shouted, "Okay then, lets get out there and show District Twelve a good time!"
The guys shouted, pumping their fists in the air. They enthusiastically stood up and made a line.
Peeta did not stand, instead letting everyone else go first.
Coach took a good look at Mellark, he had never seen Peeta this darkly determined. "You okay, kid?"
Peeta mutely nodded before he walked toward the gymnasium. The roar of the crowd felt like one thousand vibrations on the skin of the boys as they slowly made their way onto the gymnasium floor. They stood just underneath the bleachers out of sight of most of the crowd waiting for the moment to be received by their town. For the seniors, this was their last year to shine and feel the glorious acceptance from their home district. For others, they were too hyped up to realize the fortuitous opportunity they were given as they waited for their coach to lead them out.
Every year their coach waited until the right moment. The crowds anxiously waited for the wrestlers to make their appearance onto the middle of the gymnasium auditorium.
Katniss sat towards the back of bleachers with her sister Prim, where most of the kids of the Seam sat. The auditorium was filled not only with students, but with residents of District Twelve as well. Wrestling was the biggest sport in the school, followed by track.
The Capitol did not allow the districts to compete competitively against each other in sports. Track was in the spring and Wrestling in the winter. Even the mines closed down when school let out for these events, many in the Seam would wait until their kids came home to hear about the matches. However, the fair amount of Merchants did come. It was the talk of the town. Katniss usually skipped it preferring to go hunting with Gale.
This year however was the first time they would be doing different things. Gale was going window shopping with Madge.
"Man, am I nervous." Gale's legs shook as he watched Madge speak to her father. The Mayor was waiting for the school Principal to begin the tournament.
"You should not be Gale, she really likes you." Katniss yelled over the roar of the crowds. Their home District Twelve, although the smallest, had tremendous amounts of hidden pluck. Something Plutarch discovered while filming Annie's and Finnick's wedding in District Thirteen.
Gale was surprised. "Yeah,"
"So, how is Madge going to slip away?" Katniss leaned in and asked.
"She's going to tell her dad she is..." Gale trailed off, he did not know how to say what he and Madge came up with. Katniss was queasy about this kind of stuff. "Well, like, that she is not feeling well if you know what I mean."
Katniss frowned, not understanding.
Prim who was listening looked to her sister and shook her head. "You mean Madge is going to fake getting her monthly."
Katniss eyes rounded and she blushed.
Prim laughed at her sister's response. This was classic Katniss, she could kill, skin, and gut a poor defenseless rabbit but mention a normal function of the human body and she would either run, blush, or turn green.
"So, what are you going to do with Madge?" Prim asked.
"How do you know about Madge?" Gale was astonished.
Katniss looked between Gale and Primrose. She forgot how perceptive her sister could be.
"Please." Prim rolled her eyes towards the sky. "You two were talking about it right in front of me. Plus, it is all Rory could talk about in class." She turned to Gale and expectantly returned to the topic at hand. "So, to reiterate, what do you have planned with the Mayor's daughter?"
Gale grinned to himself mostly. He was secretive about his plans with Madge.
Katniss shook her head then looked at her best friend, her hunting partner. Gale was a strategic type of guy. He liked to have a set plan before doing anything. It was one of the reasons Alma Coin sought his side. Katniss scowled thinking of the gray haired woman whom she did not trust.
"That is private little duck."
Prim shook her head and turned away to speak to Rory. Gale's family was sitting with them. Gale no doubt chose to sit towards Katniss so that he could leave without his mother noticing.
"I guess you are going to sneak out soon." Katniss grunted.
"I am going to sneak out of here when the guys show up and the crowd stands up." Gale was going to use that moment for him and Madge to make their escape.
"Have fun and remember Madge is a good girl!" Katniss emphasized.
"Don't worry, I promise to behave myself." Gale grinned mischievously.
Katniss hit Gale good naturedly in the arm. Katniss noted Prim was speaking to Rory who was sitting next her little sister. What they were whispering to each other, Katniss did not know. It was good to be back home, good to see all of the beloved people that were not present in District Thirteen. Katniss thought there had to be a way to save more than what Gale managed to lead to Thirteen after the Capitol bombed her home. Next to Katniss, Primrose laughed. Her thoughts snapped back into the present.
Katniss zeroed in on Primrose. She watched her sisters light blue eyes light up as she looked around the gymnasium. Katniss loved this easy-going moment. She wished she had more time in it.
"This is so exciting!" Prim clapped her hands. This was the first year since she was a child that she actually got to attend the match. Normally, she stayed home with their mother or if her mother was out, Primrose waited for Katniss to return with Gale. "Oh goodness, I think they are coming!"
Katniss nodded briefly looking at the coach that walked out first, followed by the teachers who were acting as referees and judges. She worried, knowing the outcome of the match. In hindsight, Katniss could have warned Peeta. However, even if she wanted to warn him, she did not have the opportunity because of Gale. Peeta had sulked off thinking she was with Gale. She wanted the opportunity to show him how she felt, and she did not know how long she had before she would be sucked back into the life she had in Thirteen.
Suddenly, the crowd surged to their feet. Katniss noted how Gale used his stealthy hunting ability to sneak away.
"Oh wow, look at them Katniss!" Prim grabbed at her sisters' arm momentarily before clapping her hands as the boys walked out into the floor of the auditorium.
Katniss' heart began to beat quickly as she caught sight of Peeta in his wrestling uniform. She did not notice anything else.
The Mayor and the school Principal spoke, briefly addressing the crowd.
Once the speeches were over, Madge followed her dad before she slowly slipped out of the room.
The matches began and Katniss only paid attention to the ones Peeta was in. She was surprised at how good he was. Peeta was quick and crafty. His opponents always mistook his body language and he always pinned.
Katniss then realized this was the reason no one had been able to detect his intention to attack her back in Thirteen. At the time, Katniss thought it was because she was delirious with the need to simply see him once more. She was wrong. Peeta was an effective and deadly fighter. There was a contained furry in all of his movements. Katniss touched her neck recalling being the recipient of that uncontrolled anger. However, in this moment, Peeta was not the tortured being that called her a mutt.
Tears gathered in her eyes as she watched her boy with the bread in his prime. He was magnificent, and her heart filled once again with a torrent of unrequited affection.
"Oh look, Peeta made it to the next round!" Prim exclaimed looking at her sister. Prim blinked as she watched her sister's cheeks bloom a pretty pink tint.
Katniss nodded keeping all of her feelings tightly bottled up. Her primal instinct was to run as she had always done when things became emotionally unstable. This time she stayed put. Peeta was important and she wanted to be there for him after the match. She watched as he easily breezed through the matches until the second to last one.
Peeta was tired. Katniss knew the Peeta who won the games with her was one of the strongest people. To the outside world, that Peeta did not show his physical or mental tiredness. However, this Peeta did not know the horrors of the future. Her fingers gripped the bottom of the wooden bleachers as she watched him.
The crowd screamed some for him, but others for his opponents. Katniss swallowed, watched his eyes as they quickly scanned the crowd as he crouched down focusing on his opponent. Suddenly, Peeta with great agility pinned down his opponent for the win.
There was only one match left, the one for the title. Katniss' right leg twitched repeatedly as she chewed on her lip. Boyne Smoot, the guy he was against, was huge. He was a bully. Boyne reminded her of Cato, tall and muscular with brute strength.
Her heart froze as she recalled those last moments of the 74th Games. Everything around Katniss melted as her mind conjured up their first Games. Katniss relived each moment. Her hands gripped the bleachers, her breathing hiked. It was Peeta's quick thinking that had gotten rid of Cato. Suddenly, the crowd yelled around her and Katniss was pulled back to the match.
"No!" Prim screamed when Peeta suddenly went down.
Katniss eyes filled with tears partly as her eyes captured Peeta's opponent, Boyne clearly cheated. It was so fast; she doubted anyone noticed how the guy punched Peeta below the belt.
Katniss stood, as did the rest of the crowd.
Hot, thick fury ran through her system at the sight of Peeta's defeat. She had known he had not won, but she did not know he kept quiet about what the other boy had done to win. She sat back down, thinking to herself. Peeta was noble. Katniss however, was not. Her gray Seam eyes narrowed in on the cheater.
At the victory, everyone rushed forward to either leave or congratulate the crooked victor. She saw Peeta walk away, and no one sought him. He was solitary in his defeat and her heart broke for him.
Katniss' gray eyes searched for Prim. Her sister was already standing next to Rory and his family down below. Prim made eye contact with her sister letting her know she was okay.
Katniss nodded at her sister, glad Prim had something else to do before her steely gaze located Boyne. She purposefully followed the kid, waiting until the crowd thinned out and he was alone. Using her hunting ability to walk silently, she crept up behind him as he reached the doors of the changing room. Guided by her reckless impulsive nature, she pounced, grabbing him by the shoulder.
"Hey Katniss," Boyne was surprised to be facing the reclusive Katniss Everdeen. Everyone knew she was with Gale, and Hawthorne had a reputation. Gale could be mean and was a vicious fighter.
Because of Gale Hawthorne's credibility, Katniss was protected. However, she was alone. He grinned lazily at the Seam beauty. Katniss was hot. All the boys spoke about her. No one however dared to get close for fear of Hawthorne's revenge.
"You cheated, you jerk."
Boyne had no chance to react. He grunted in a high pitched girlish wail.
Katniss kneed him in the groin with all the furry she felt. His surprise was well worth it as he fell to the floor, squirming like a pig in the hands of a butcher.
"The next time you think about cheating, think of this moment. And if you try to do anything to Peeta," Katniss grabbed Boyne by his golden locks, slipped the hunting blade she hid in her boot, and put it to his throat "I will kill you."
Boyne felt the steel tip to his throat, pain radiated from his groin throughout his body. He never expected her to be like this. It turned out Gale was not the one he needed to be afraid of. Everyone had it wrong, Katniss Everdeen was dangerous. Boyne carefully nodded, too scared to reply.
"Good." Katniss hissed, letting go of the offending boy.
Boyne watched her walk away as she flipped the knife in the air before she hid it back in her boot. He would never tell a soul about what happened.
Katniss began her search for Peeta, knowing he was not in the locker room. She would have run into him. More than likely, he had left and she had not caught him. Her fingers drummed on the cold steel of the lockers as she made her way down to where his locker was. She found him standing by himself, staring blankly at the inside of his school locker.
Peeta felt humiliated.
He lost his match because he could not concentrate on anything other than the reality that Katniss was with Gale. He swallowed thickly, now he was twice the loser. Peeta wanted to cry, but held it in. It would not do to cry in the school hallway.
It did not help that everyone abandoned him after his match. Even Delly and her cousin Daisy left without saying a word. The only bright side was that his single status afforded him privacy.
Peeta was able to slip inside the locker room and change without anyone noticing. He wanted to make it out of the gym before he had to face Boyne or any of his supporters. Peeta figured he would wait until the school was emptied before he went back to the bakery. He closed his eyes. Peeta could hear in his head his mothers' disparaging words over and over.
Maybe his mother was right. Maybe he was a loser who would never amount to anything. He contemplated giving up and just going with the flow, swallowed up by history, as any another resident of District Twelve who amounted to nothing.
"Hey," Katniss softly uttered as she steeled herself to speak to him. Her heart did a little dance at the sight of him.
Surprised, Peeta looked up in the midst of wallowing in his defeat. He did not think he would be seeing Katniss.
He swallowed thickly, staring at her awkwardly. She shyly stood with her hands clasped behind her back. One foot slightly covered the tip of the other. Peeta could tell she was uncomfortable. He was not sure what to make of this situation. He cleared his throat before simply answering, "Hey."
She wondered where all of his friends were or where for that matter his brothers were. Katniss took a deep breath. "Where are your friends?"
"They left." Peeta shrugged, unsure of what she was doing here.
"You mean they did not stick around?" Katniss tilted her head, not understanding.
Peeta shook his head.
"What about your brothers?" Katniss asked.
"I think they are at the bakery." Peeta muttered, looking down at his shoes.
He was alone. Her noble boy with the bread was alone. Katniss took a small step toward him, and then peered up into his face bashfully. Swallowing thickly, she breathed out her next words, "Boyne cheated. He should not have won."
Peeta turned red. "You saw that?"
"What he did was not right!" Katniss shook her head, taking a step toward him.
Peeta did not know how to respond. He thought no one had seen that. "I…"
Katniss looked into his eyes "You could have called him on it."
Despite his earlier wallowing, Peeta grinned. It amazed him to think the only person who cared enough to check on him or to notice what Boyne had done to him was Katniss. "Will you say anything?"
"If you wanted me too, I would." Katniss nodded, inching closer to him.
"I do not know if I want to say anything." Peeta mused allowed.
"Okay," Katniss frowned, then scowled. "I will not say anything because you do not want me to."
"Thank you." Peeta nodded, unsure why she was still here.
"Gale and I are just friends. He's with Madge." Katniss blurted out, then she blushed so powerfully she could feel the heat radiating off her face. Her cheeks burned, not with embarrassment, but with deep unspent emotions.
"What..." Peeta was taken aback by her truthfulness.
"Gale. He and I are not... you know, together."
"You mean...?" Peeta stammered, his blue eyes opening wide.
"We are like family." Katniss stated. She swallowed, even after all this time she still was not good at saying stuff. But she was trying. Oh how she was trying. "Gale likes Madge and Madge likes him."
As shocking as it was to hear that Gale and Katniss were like family. It was even more shocking to learn Madge the shy, withdrawn girl who sat with Katniss every day for lunch liked Gale. Peeta was not even aware that Madge and Katniss spoke about boys and such things. All he ever saw them do was eat lunch in silence. To hear Madge was with Gale surprised Peeta. He wanted to make sure he heard Katniss correctly, "The Mayor's daughter and Gale Hawthorne?"
"They are dating." Katniss stammered, not understanding how Peeta could rob her of speech. He looked absolutely yummy with a lock of his blond semi-dry hair hanging over his forehead. She was having a hard time concentrating. She had forgotten how good he smelled after a shower.
"Wow. Does her dad know about this?" Peeta's eyes twinkled.
"He will now, they are actually on a date at this very moment." Katniss knew her face had to look gruesome, she could not stop smiling.
"Gale is one brave guy, no wonder my brother, Rye is always complaining. Gale has the magic touch with girls."
Katniss relaxed for a moment. "Not really, I had to push them together."
"Really?" Peeta laughed.
"Yeah, Madge has liked him for a long time. She wears these ridiculous outfits every time we show up to her house to sell berries." Katniss gushed. "And Gale always acts like a shy bride on her wedding day around her, he turns all red."
Peeta laughed at the thought of Gale Hawthorne acting like a blushing bride.
Hearing him laugh made Katniss surge forward partly on instinct and determination to change Peeta's memories of her. "It is good to finally see them together."
"I sure am happy for your friends." Peeta grinned at Katniss, his jovial disposition increased. Loosing the silly match did not seem as important anymore, because it caused Katniss to seek him out.
They gazed at each other longingly before Katniss reacted to Peeta's last statement.
Katniss nodded her head up and down slightly as she stepped forward slowly. Cautiously she said his name, "Peeta."
Peeta was unaware that Katniss was slowly inching her way closer to him until he felt her breath on his mouth. His blue gaze shifted down toward her lips he uttered, "Katniss."
"…I like you." Katniss finished pressing her mouth to his. She sighed at the contact of his lips.
Her declaration was not lost on him. Peeta's eyes went wide, right before her lips touched his.
The kiss was soft as they began to slowly press warm, yielding kisses on each others lips. Peeta wound his arms around her middle, drawing her nearer. He paused to look down at her face. Her lashes caused shadows up on her cheeks. Her face was flushed, rosy with the promise of passion. Her lips parted and her tongue darted to lick the taste of him. She panted.
Peeta leaned in once more, taking advantage of her parted lips. He could hear her gasp as he instinctively deepened their kiss. He felt the way her hands gripped his forearms as his tongue sought entrance into her mouth.
Katniss groaned as Peeta's kiss deepened like when they were on the beach of the arena in the Quarter Quell. She allowed the kiss to spin out of control. She needed to feel his kisses. She needed to feel the sweet joy of being in his arms once again. Here is where she felt at home, where she felt the safest. Suddenly her heart accelerated, and behind her eyes, a shadow flashed. She ignored it and slid her arms around his neck.
Peeta pushed her against the lockers. Katniss trembled out of that hunger only Peeta could bring forth. As he did so, the room spun and she could hear voices yelling. Katniss blinked, suddenly she found herself inside the tube momentarily. Then in the next instant she was in Peeta's arms. Dread filled her as her luck ran out.
"Peeta," She cried, suddenly feeling the way her body began to tremble in earnest.
"Katniss, what's wrong?" Peeta felt the way her body began to shake.
"I have to go," Katniss could feel the wave of dizziness as she crossed from this reality into the next. The room was flashing lights, she could hear Haymitch cursing. Gale was pounding against the fortified glass. She collapsed inside the tube helplessly. Tears cascading down her face as she suddenly found herself once more with Peeta.
"Katniss?" Peeta could see Katniss was ill.
"Peeta, please I have to get home." Katniss pulled away from his arms. She ran out of the school and far from the safe haven of his arms. The cool air did nothing to make her feel better.
Unwanted tears ran down her cheeks as her legs began to pick up pace. She could feel the earth move beneath her feet as she was pulled from one world to the next. Suddenly, she stopped running as she approached her home.
Pain slammed into her brain, causing her to scream. Her world warped again and she found herself in the hallway of the hospital on the hovercraft where she and Peeta were separated immediately after the first Games.
Her brain was confused, she could hardly see as she moved forward. Her singular thought was of saving Peeta from Snow's hands. She ran towards him, but a force prevented her from getting to him. She slammed her hands against the glass blindly, screaming his name over and over. The pain crushing her skull caused her to emit a blood curdling scream. She gripped her head as she slipped to the ground, unconscious.