The next day, Peeta and Thresh were laughing uncontrollably as they mounted the back stairs from chemistry class on their way to Peeta's locker.
"Marv's eyebrows are never gonna be the same," Thresh chortled.
Peeta guffawed. "Did have see his face when the smoke cleared?
Thresh froze in place, mimicking Marvel Williams' stunned expression only minutes before when the his incorrectly mixed chemicals exploded.
As Peeta laughed, they crossed the threshold to the second floor and Thresh nudged Peeta with his elbow. "Peet." He nodded down the hall. Peeta followed his gaze. There was Katniss on her tip toes, reaching high above her head into the top shelf of her locker, the tiny orange denim shorts she was wearing creeping up her thighs. They were a beacon calling out to him. The hallway's temperature rose five or 10 degrees. "Go get her, man."
Peeta blushed. Were his feelings so obvious? "What? I-"
Thresh grinned. "I told her she was next on our hit list. She doubted our skills. It's up to you, dude. Defend our honor." He shoved Peeta forward.
Clearly, there was no getting out of this. Peeta moved toward Katniss, his heart racing with a potent mix of dread and excitement that made his head swim. Her textbook clutched to her black t-shirt, she was rifling through her backpack now, a pencil clenched in her teeth. Peeta's hand was practically shaking as he reached out, planning to touch her side and startle her. The fabric of her shirt was barely brushing the tips of his fingers when she spoke.
"Hi Peeta." Silver eyes flicked over her shoulder to him and then a curtain of inky hair fell forward she resumed digging in her bag. "You didn't seriously think that would work did you?"
"Um-"
"Ah, found it!" She whipped out her calculator and then looked at him again, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "You'll have to work harder than that, Mellark, if you're planning to surprise me. I've got eyes in the back of my head."
Finally, Peeta found his tongue and leaned against her open locker door. She smelled like a summer's day and her voice sounded severe, but her eyes were laughing. He offered her a lazy grin. "Oh yeah? Sounds like a challenge, Everdeen. I do like a challenge." He wondered if that sounded douchy. He played it through his head again and decided it did.
Katniss didn't seem to notice. She grabbed a binder, restacked her books against her chest and gave him a considering look before pulling her door out from under his hands and slamming it shut, slapping the lock closed. "I'd like to see you try, Peeta. But I think you've met your match in me."
She flounced away toward Thresh where he stood watching the entire exchange, a dopey grin on his face. Katniss flipped him the bird. "That was your doing," she sneered.
Thresh said something smart in reply, but Peeta didn't catch it. He was too busy thinking over her last words. I think you've met your match in me.
Oh, he most assuredly had.