I had no intentions of falling in love with Peeta Mellark. For Rye's sake, I should have found another apartment. But I know that it's not Peeta's fault, and it's not my fault either. The heart what's what it wants, and mine wants Peeta.

February rolls passes by in a haze of scarfs and fuzzy blankets. The nights Peeta doesn't work late are filled with movies, cooking dinner, baking beautiful pastries, drinking games, and the kind of laughter that makes your stomach hurt.

March is wet and rainy, but campus is being to show signs of life again after a harsh winter. It had been a particularly rainy day when I got a call from Peeta as I was leaving my last class of the day. "Hello?" I ask, surprised to see his name on my phone screen. I had gotten his number from Rye but had yet to use it.

"Katniss, are you done on campus?" He asks. His voice is smooth like honey, and itmakes my knees weak.

"I am..." I trail off.

"I'm here with Finnick, and we need your help."

That's an odd request. I ask, "With what?"

He chuckles into the phone, and my stomach flutters at the sound. "Where are you?"

Irritated that he didn't answer my question, I reply roughly, "Jordan Hall."

"Meet you at the bus stop in five," and then he's gone.

It's stopped raining for once as I walk the brick path to our meeting point and keep a eye out for his white truck. The air is chilly, so I can't stand still. I've got to keep moving to keep the blood flowing in my body, so I begin to pace. I pace and I think. His blue eyes and bright smile. His blond eyelashes and curls that grace his forehead.

A light honk pulls me from my thoughts, and I jump like I've been caught doing something I shouldn't. And maybe I have... Fallon in love with your friend's brother is never a good idea. Neither is falling for your roommate.

I climb into the back seat and fling my burgundy backpack beside me. Finnick greats me warmly as Peeta drives off. "Hello, Katniss."

We've seen each other many times since our first meeting, but he always seems so formal. It must be part of his southern charm. "Finnick," I nod at him. "Where are we going?"

Finnick gives Peeta a look. Peeta just sighs. "You tell her."

Finnick turns in his seat to look at me fully. With a wide grin, he tells me, "I'm gonna ask Annie to marry me."

My eyes almost fall out of my head. They haven't even been dating for a year, but anyone with eyes could see how much he loves her. She's absolutely obsessed with him. "Oh my god!" I exclaim like a valley girl. "That's great!"

His cheeks turn a shade pinker, and I'm amazed that Finnick Odair blushes. "We're going on a cruise this summer. I want to do it then," he explains.

Peeta adds, "And he wants you to help him pick out a ring."

I gape at the back of their heads. "Me? I don't know anything about rings..." I hardly know anything about being a girl. I spent most of my time outside when I was a child. I'd rather hike a trail than pick out wedding rings. I have to swallow the lump in my throat and push thoughts of failing out of my mind.

Finnick laughs and shrugs nonchalantly. "Me either, except that they're expensive."

"You should have asked Madge," I say while shaking my head in dibelief. "She likes things like that."

Finnick turns to look at me again. His green eyes are burning with amusement. "We thought about her, but she'd be busy looking at what she wants. With you, we know that you'd be looking for Annie and her best interests."

The mall has three jewelry stores, and we look at all of them. Time after time, the consultant thinks I am the lucky girl, but I'm quick to correct them. In my mind, Annie wouldn't want anything too big or too flashy. She's a simple girl that enjoys simple things... except when it comes to her men. No, she likes them looking like they've stepped out of a magazine.

It feels like hours until we find the one. It's a marquise shape with a double halo, or so the consultant tells us. The first halo is simple and matches the band, and the second has alternating circles and ovals. It's breathtaking to look at and unlike any ring I've seen before.

After Finnick and I both agree that he should buy it, I leave him to do so. I take a few steps back, away from the counter to stand beside Peeta. He had no problem expressing his opinion on the rings. When he saw the last one, he said, "That's the one," and left us to debate it.

Finnick begins signing some paperwork, so I decide to give him some privacy. I'm glancing at an opal bracelets when Peeta appears beside me and says, "I want to take you out on a date?"

I'm shocked, and I jump a little at the sound of his voice. With wide eyes, I ask, "You do?" This day is turning out to have a lot of surprises.

"I do," he says with a smile and smirk. "You said you wanted to be romanticized, to be asked out on a date."

A thousand thoughts fly through my mind, but the only one I can seem to ask is "What about Rye?"

Peeta shrugs and says, "We don't have to tell him."

My heart drops a little at the idea of keeping a secret from my friend and his brother. "I don't think being kept a secret counts as being romantic," I say in harsh tone. No, I don't want that at all. I don't want to keep any more secrets.

"How about we wait to tell him?" Peeta asks with pleading eyes. Then, his eyes turn dark with lust as he says, "There's obviously chemistry between us, and I want to explore it. See if we should be more than friends."

"What if we shouldn't?" I ask in a quiet and scared voice. I've never been hurt before, but I know that I might not recover if this ends badly. "What if we crash and burn?" I'll be broken hearted and homeless.

"We won't."

Later that night, Peeta chooses my favorite restaurant without me telling him. Rye has a late night exam, so we thought it would be the perfect time to go on this date. I was giddy with excitement as I put on a black blouse and dark blue jeans. My hair was straight for once despite the humidity, and I chose subtle make up. I didn't want him to get the impression that I was too interested in him, even though I am.

Peeta looks as handsome as ever in a light blue button up that matches his eyes. In the dim restaurant lightening, he looks more appetizing than the Italian food that we came here for. The conversation flows as easily as it always does, and Peeta has be laughing none stop. It is so easy to be with him, to be present in the moment.

He tells me stories about wrestling when he was younger, and I tell him about my swim team adventures. By the time the check comes, I haven't even finished a glass of wine, but I feel drunk. Drunk on the man that is Peeta Mellark. I could get used to this.

After our date, we curl up on the couch. My feet rest in his lap, and he has a smile on his face the entire movie.

Before Rye comes home, Peeta shoves my feet off of him. I sit up with a start, thinking that we've almost been caught. I'm even more caught off guard when Peeta's hand touches my cheek and brings my face to his. His soft lips meet mine, and I can't help but close my eyes in serenity.

I've been kissed before, but it was nothing like this. This kiss is what they write love songs about. It's what you see in the movies or read in books. It's everything I thought kissing Peeta would be like and more. We kiss for a while, only separating for air. Even then, we find ourselves drawn back to one another. It's only when we hear the turning of a lock that we pull apart.

For a brief moment, I think I could get used to being a secret.