Chapter Four - Peeta convinced Katniss to trust him even though she didn't know to trust him. Now it's time for the plan and to see Peeta's POV

I do not own the Hunger Games.

Peeta smiled down at her. He now had to calm her down and himself. They were both on high alert because of Snow's sudden death.

Her eyes widened momentarily as she stood still listening for something beyond them. He stood still barely breathing.

His mind was fast at assimilating information, especially reading people. The one thing he knew about Katniss was how agile her mind was. She was a hunter capable of shooting birds and squirrels in the eyes. Birds and squirrels were quick, it was hard to get them when they were on the move and Katniss was an expert marks smith.

"Well?" Katniss said impatiently. When the danger passed.

He ran his hand through his hair. He had an idea and he wanted to clue her in, but he didn't want to tell her everything. Because the other thing he knew about Katniss, was that she was honest. She wasn't the type of person who could easily lie.

Peeta wasn't someone who liked to lie either but coming up with excuses to explain his mother's volatile behavior was something he did growing up. His mother was better now that she had the proper medication. But as a small boy, he had to be creative and that stuck with him.

He was by nature, someone who preferred to be alone, he could spend hours drawing, creating a world on paper. However, he had learned to be outgoing, charming, someone who put people at ease. He used those very same skills with Katniss.

"How do we get to my sister?"

"We have to get to the gym, from there I can access the secret passageways."

She nods, and Peeta can see she's trying to plot the best course to the gym.

"No, we can't go now."

"Why not?"

"First off, we're on a bathroom pass. Which means we have limited time. Secondly, everyone is on high alert."

She shook her head, her lips thinning. "So when?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight!" She growled.

"We're not going anywhere, and trying to get out of the classroom again soon after we get back, will cause suspicion."

She scowled at him.

"We sneak out tonight."

"Why do we have to wait so long?" She huffs and crosses her arms in front of her chest.

"Think about it logically. Everyone is on edge right now, expending unnecessary energy. People will be drained, they'll be sleepy and tired. The stress of the day, the unknown factors, will cause everyone to be extra exhausted. When people are tired and exhausted they do stupid stuff. We see it all the time in the Hunger Games. Tonight is going to be our best chance."

"I didn't think of that." She frowned before saying, "In the Games, people do make mistakes when they're tired, hungry, or thirsty."

"Right?"

"Okay, so we wait until tonight," Katniss concedes.

"I should tell you one more thing."

"What?"

"I think they're going to move us into larger spaces."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"The teachers will need a break. The best way of giving teachers a break is to conglomerate us in larger groups..." he drifted off watching the light enter her eyes.

"It will allow the teachers to take shifts like at the mines."

"Exactly."

"So there's a good chance we'll be placed in the gym?" Katniss caught on.

"Or the cafeteria or the assembly room," Peeta couldn't help but smile.

"It will be easier for us to make a break for it when there are more of us."

"And I can easily navigate from either one of those rooms as well."

"Okay." He could hear her worry despite her seeing the possibility of his words.

"It's going to be alright, Katniss. Even if they don't pool us together I've got a plan." He wanted to reassure her. If he had a little brother or sister as sweet and innocent as Primrose he would be worried too. "I know you want to make sure your sister is fine."

She nodded.

"We'll stop by my locker, we can get some food and pass it to her. She'll be hungry and I have plenty of food on me. I was supposed to have practice after school and I always pack extra."

"Peeta."

"This is all for Primrose," he says knowing there is nothing Katniss wouldn't do for her sister. "She'll be worried about you too and most likely she'll be hungry."

"Okay, fine." She scowled and looked away.

"Why are you angry?"

"Because," she said desperately.

Peeta didn't want to let go of this moment. He'd waited for years for an opportunity to speak to her. This was the luckiest day of his life, and he wasn't going to waste his chance.

"Because?"

"It's just...that...I owe you." She took a deep breath and continued. "...and I don't want to keep on owing you," she rasped between thin lips.

"Owe me?"

"For the bread, okay," she said, throwing her hands in the air. "I owe you for the bread."

The revelation knocked him for a loop. He knew exactly what she was speaking about. The song and the bread were the two momentous markers in his life.

He had burned the bread on purpose for her. That wintry day, the icy rain was merciless. Katniss came to the bakery to sell scraps of clothing. His mother had cruelly tossed her out. His father was furious and his parents argued over his mother's actions. His dad stepped out to make a delivery when his mother saw Katniss searching through the garbage bins. She shooed Katniss, taking out her anger over the argument, out on Katniss.

Peeta had felt helpless. All he could think of was how desperate the girl with the voice that made the birds quiet, had to be to search through empty garbage bins. Peeta peeked out of the window in the back to see her slumped next to the tree, her face pale, the light in her eyes diminishing.

It was then he had come up with the idea to let the crust burn. All he had to do was move the bread a fraction closer to the fire. Of his brothers, Peeta was the best baker.

From a young age, Peeta understood food, flavors, his palate was advanced. At the age of eleven, his cookies tasted better. His skills with frosting were already better than his brothers. He was given responsibilities not even his brothers had at that age. Which is why Peeta knew he could burn the outside of the bread without causing damage to the loaves of bread. His biggest regret was not bringing the loaves out to her. Instead, he had tossed them to her as if she were an animal. He cried more over the way he treated her, than over the beating his mother gave him.

Glancing at her he said sadly, "I wish I could have walked it over to you. Instead of tossing it to you. I treated you badly."

"Peeta you saved my life." Her eyes turned glossy and shined brighter than the stars in the night sky. She took his hand in her smaller ones, and Peeta thought he would faint. "You saved my sister's life, my mother's life." She looked down momentarily. "My sister says you never forget who your last hope was, and that's you." Katniss then looked up Peeta became breathless as for that suspended second she showed him her soul. "You were my last hope. Because of you, I'm able to feed my family."

Peeta's heart thundered in his chest and all can do was squeeze her hand. Any boy would have attempted a kiss. But he knew instinctively that Katniss's kisses were to be earned, not stolen.

Katniss then bequeathed him something far better than a kiss. One of her radiant rare smiles.

"Let's get back to class," Katniss whispers, and Peeta doesn't know how he's going to go back to class and act normal because he's sure his smile's brighter than the 60-watt lightbulb.

Now it was time to wait for the evening.