Chapter 4 Peeta's POV
After speaking to Mrs Everdeen, I make a hasty retreat, because I know Katniss will be coming back to the house for dinner soon. And I'm right. As I leave the house, I spot Katniss and Johanna leaving the stables. I get into my car and as I pull out of where I'm parked, I see Katniss watching me with a confused look on her beautiful face in my rear view mirror.
I pull into Sae's diner a couple of miles down the road and look around for Finnick's bike. When I don't see it, I sit back and try to get my thoughts under control.
After a few minutes, I sigh heavily, finally feeling like I will be able talk about what's going through my mind. Since Christmas last year, my mom has been pushing me and talking down to me about what I want to do with my life. Having two successful brothers doesn't help.
My eldest brother, David, went on to study law and has just finished college and landed a job in a big firm in the city straight away. The middle brother, Rye, took off to Australia to escape her, and has actually made quite a name for himself in the wine industry. So, naturally, our mom wants me to take over the family bakery, but to go study business so I can handle everything with the bakery so she and dad can retire.
So when college applications rolled around, I couldn't find a single thing I wanted to go on and study. So I didn't apply anywhere. Needless to say, my mother wasn't very happy about it.
I was actually trying to take my Gramps advice he gave me before he passed. He made me promise that I would do what I want, and not what "that bitch of a mother of yours" wants from me.
My mom is controlling, and if I'm completely honest with myself she's abusive. She has been physically abusive to me in the past, but she was smart about what she did. Yet her worst form of abuse is her verbal and emotional abuse.
That is the only way I am like my mother, my gift with words.
But unlike her, I don't drag people down or make them feel worthless. I always try to compliment everyone and lift them up.
I get out and lock my car and head into the diner. My good friend Delly is behind the counter and her face lights up as I walk through the door.
"Hi Peeta! I didn't realise you were coming in today, what can I get you?" she says, pulling out her order pad and a pen from behind her ear.
"Hey, Dels, yeah I'm meeting Finn. He's finished college for the summer and wants to meet up. I'll just grab a tea while I'm waiting on him," I answer her, sliding into a booth in the back of the restaurant.
Just as Delly brings my pot of tea over, I hear the rumble of Finnick's motorcycle. He parks beside my beat up old Ford Taurus, takes his helmet off and shakes out his hair as he walks in looking like a God damned L'Oreal advert.
"Jesus, Finn, turn off the charm! You're back home, no ladies to impress here," I tease him, standing up from the booth once he's walked in.
"Piss off, Mellark," he parries good-naturedly embracing me in a hug. "Man, it's been too long, how're you doing? You figured out what you wanna do with your life yet?" He flashes Delly a megawatt smile as she brings over his coffee.
"Nope," I say popping the p. "Still no idea yet, but hey, summer's only begun who knows what life can bring my way."
Delly makes her way back over to us to take our orders, we don't need to look at the menus; we've been here so many times over the years. I order the lamb stew and Finn orders the half pounder and fries. I give him a questioning glance at the greasy food.
"What?" he asks. "No coach around to keep me on my strict diet so, I can indulge."
We fall into comfortable small talk while we wait on our food and whilst eating it. Once we're done, Finnick sits forward and places his elbows on the table and steeples his hands while he studies me.
"So, Peeta. What are your plans for the summer?" he questions, even though he knows full well what I'm doing.
I roll my eyes. "You know full well, Finn, working at the Everdeen yard," I reply with a sigh. "Working with the horses and learning how to ride properly."
Maybe I shouldn't have said the last part with the way Finns eyebrows meet his hair.
"Learning how to ride, huh? You know you could have just asked me for tips, I can talk you through riding," he smirks while waggling his eyebrows.
"Jesus, Odair. Get your mind out of the gutter will ya?" I groan at him. "I don't need that kind of help, and definitely not when I'm around Katniss most of the time. I'm having a hard time keeping my mind under control around her as it is, anyway."
This sparks Finns interest. "Oh, so Miss Everdeen is the one training your sorry ass?" he giggles with glee. "I bet she knows how to crack the whip."
"For fucks sake, Finn, shut up with the innuendos," I snap at him. "Yes, Katniss is the one training me. In fact, she's basically running the place, her uncle Haymitch called her the unofficial manager."
"Hmmmm, a woman with power?" Finn muses. "And Katniss as that woman? Damn, I bet that's intimidating as hell." He visibly shivers.
"You have no idea, man. To make it worse, I don't think she knows the effect she can have. And you should hear the things she comes out with, and she doesn't realise that what she's saying has a double meaning."
"Ohhhh, I'd have fun with her then." He flashes a toothy grin.
"Don't even think about it," I snarl at him.
He raises his hands in surrender and reaches for his rootbeer float. "Sorry, I'll back off!"
I drop my head in my hands and groan.
"How am I going to manage the whole summer there? Between her unknown innuendos, her getting on that horse of hers, and riding said horse, I can't decide if I'm in heaven or hell. Have you ever seen someone riding English?" I question him.
"Can't say that I have, why?"
"Look it up on YouTube because I can't explain it. Especially trot and canter. But when Katniss is on her horse, she looks like some kind of warrior goddess," I say trying not to sound like a school boy with a crush. I fail miserably.
"You, my friend, are a blundering lovesick fool. You need to get laid and get over Katniss," he muses and looks as if he's parting with some of his wisdom.
"I'm not like you, Finnick. I don't want to just sleep with any girl that takes interest in me. I want just the one girl. And that girl, no sorry, woman is the scowling, aloof, intimidating, independent, heart stoppingly beautiful, equestrian warrior goddess that is Katniss Everdeen," I declare. Deciding a change of subject is needed, I ask, "So, how is college life really treating you?"
The rest of the night consists of us laughing at his frat brothers' mishaps, and details of some of the classes he takes.
Delly comes up to us at quarter to midnight to warn us she's closing the diner soon and to get home.
"Shit, nanna Mags isn't going to be happy with me. I told her I wasn't gonna be that long," Finn worries as he stands up to put his leather jacket on.
As we walk out we embrace in a hug again and he orders me to come out and catch up more often now he's home for the summer.
"I don't know how easy it'll be for me what with work in the yard; but I'll try Finnick," I promise loosely as it's the truth.
He jams his helmet on and straddles his bike before shouting at me to "grow a pair" and say something to Katniss before the summer's out.
I wave to him and climb in my car and start off towards the Everdeen place. It feels so strange yet so right that I'm driving here and not home to the bakery.
By the time I'm pulling down the drive and parking in front of the renovated barn it's past midnight.
I walk into my room, sighing, and start getting changed into a pair of sweats and a tank top and crawl under the covers.
My last thoughts before I finally drift off are of Katniss riding up and down on her horse --Mockingjay was it?-- and the movement of her hips in canter.
She truly has no idea the effect she can have, does she?
A/N Sorry for the delay. I hope you all had a wonderful Holidays and a happy New year! Thanks to Javistg for being beta and helping me along when I got stuck! Any reviews/comments/follows/kudos are all greatly appreciated! Until next time!