The next few days go by so fast, Delly had asked me to be her Made Of Honor. The Wedding was mostly planned, a lot of girls start panning when they are 16 or 17 years old. They know it's coming and the men, they don't care for the most part. Delly had her dress and mine picked out along with another girl who was in our grade, Madge. Madge is a special case I learned, She is one of the few girls who has a mate younger than her. 98% of the cards are handed to the girls at 18, their mate is older or the at least already 18. Madge learned on match day that her Mate was not yet 18. She would receive her card on her Mates 18th birthday, the only other thing she knew is he was not from 12.

All this togetherness with all these girls was really wearing down on me. I had never had girlfriends before. We had invited Annie as well, but she was still not feeing well, I was becoming concerned about her. I would need to ask my mother if there was something I could do for her.

I had been so busy with Delly and her wedding plans, I hadn't had time to visit Peeta for lunch yet. Today was Thursday though, Delly and John had plans with the parents and the pastor at the church, just last minute things to go over before Saturday. That meant I had the day off, I didn't want to spend it with Peeta, but I didn't feel like I had much of a choice. I had told Peeta I would come before Saturday. Today was going to be my only chance.

I arrive at the bakery at noon, that's lunch time, or so I'm told. I expect to see Peeta behind the counter when I walk in, but instead it's Finnick.

"Katniss, Hi."

"Hi, Is Peeta around?" I ask him

"He's upstairs, making you lunch."

"Oh, I.. How did he know I was coming today?"

"He didn't, He's made you lunch everyday this week, he didn't know what day you were coming."

I'm a little shocked by this. I mean I'm glad he made me lunch, but everyday? and when he didn't even know if I was coming?

"Oh, I." I start but Finnick interrupts me.

"Look, he likes you, a lot. I know you don't know him all that well, but I need you to do me a favor."

"Ok, what is it?"

"I need you to give him a chance, before you write him off and run."

"I won't run."

"You look like you want to though."

"I.. Peeta hated me in school, Finnick. He never spoke to me. He wouldn't sit by me and I remember there were times we would be paired together and he would miss school then be reassigned. I.. He may like me now, since he has gotten to know me a little, but he wrote me off before he had even spoke to me. So, maybe you need to give that speech to Peeta, not me."

Before Finnick can respond Peeta comes around the corner. The look on Finnick's face makes me think he not only wanted to say more, but there was something he needed to say.

"Katniss, you came."

"I told you I would. I've been so busy with Delly and this wedding. It's driving me a little crazy." I say with a smile.

He smiles back at me and I see his eyes light up, I love it when his smile reaches his eyes. There is a real light in them.

"I made lunch, we can go upstairs or I can bring it down."

I look at Finnick and he raised an eyebrow at me.

"Let's go upstairs."

Peeta leads me up the stairs and I turn to the hall that leads to the bedrooms and back ally.

"After lunch, I can show you the room if you want. I thought you may want to pick out something's."

"What kind of things?"

"Oh, um you know, curtains, sheets, towels maybe."

"Oh. yeah ok."

I didn't even think about needing those things. They just kind of appear when we are children. It reminds me that I am no longer a child. That I am no longer under the protection of my mother and my uncle. I look over at Peeta as he fixes my lunch, I'm now under his protection. I will depend on him for everything. Clothing, food, shelter, money. Everything I have will come from him. I wonder how he feels about that. Being so responsible at such an young age. There are many men who failed at the job and their parent have to bail them out. I hope we are not them. Living at the bakery I don't think we will be. He must feel pressured though. I mean he probably thought he had another year to live under his father. Neither of his brothers matched at 18, why would he. But, here we are, both 18, both clueless and of course there is the dislike he has for me. Maybe Finnick will talk to him, maybe he will learn to at least like me.. One day.

"Katniss, lunch is ready."

I snap out of my thoughts and smile at him, he returns it, but it looks forced.

"Thanks, smells great."

And it does, I again have no idea what this is, new foods, I will have to accept and learn to cook these things for him.

"Peeta, forgive me, but what is this."

Peeta looks at me confused and I think he must think I have lost my mind.

"It's a hamburger."

"Oh, yeah, ok." What the hell is a hamburger.

"So, you haven't had a hamburger?"

I sigh. "No, I have not."

"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable Katniss. I know you enjoyed the sandwiches and the stew last week. You had never had those, so I thought that, well if you had eaten one before great, if not then you would enjoy something new."

I look at him, I can't think of anything to say in response, instead of words I look at the food he had, put on my plate. I decide that if he cooked it, it was probably good. Everything that came out of this place was wonderful.

I bite. Flavor floods my mouth. This is wonderful.

"I'm going to get fat."

Peeta's head snaps up.

"What?"

"Just, if you keep feeding me like this, I'm going to get fat is all."

"I wont mind." Comes out of his mouth.

Is this another crack at how skinny I am, at how I have no curves and no breast? I had already been the dressmaker for Delly's wedding that I was shaped like a 12 year old boy. I didn't need to hear it from Peeta too.

"It's just that, I mean."

"You mean you would like for me to be bigger."

"No, You are perfect now, and if you gained some weight, because I am feeding you then I.. You would be perfect then to."

I am flabbergasted at what Peeta has just said. I have been called a lot of things but perfect was never one of them. I find myself no longer mad, but sad and confused. I don't know why. I put my head down and finish my wonderful lunch. When we are done Peeta shows me to my new room. It's bigger than I expected, and has a bathroom. Like my uncles.

"Peeta, is this the owner suite?"

"It is."

"Why is your dad not in here?"

"Oh, he moved into Finnick's old room when mom died. He said one day I would run this place and he wanted me to move in then, but I stayed with John. I didn't want to make this space mine if John decided to stay here. Since he has made up his mind to go live at the shoe shop, I thought you could take it."

"Me? Don't you mean us?"

"Eventually."

That was all, eventually. Great he isn't even going to sleep in the same room as me. Yup he hates me.

I look around the room, take in the natural light the windows let in. The size and the bed.

"Can I bring my sister here? She knows so much more about this than I do."

"Prim? Sure, she is welcome here anytime."

"Is today ok, I promise we won't stay too long."

"Today is fine actually, I am off all day. We can go get her bring her back here and pick stuff out."

"OK." I say and just like that we are headed to the Pharmacy to get Prim. She is over joyed to be helping me decorate my new bedroom. Apparently so is my mother, who tells us not to go too girly, there will be a man in that room as well. I don't have the heart to tell her there won't be. Peeta leaves us alone as we decided everything we will need for the room, and bathroom.

I hate decorating. I haven't even started and I hate it already. Prim is a natural at this stuff. She has picked out the perfect combinations of Yellow, Greens, and Blues with instead of a tent of pink and tent of Orange. I love what her plans are, I just wish I didn't have to be apart of the plans, can't I just show up and it be done. Prim says no.

This reminds me that after Delly's wedding I need to get to planning my own, It will be much smaller as we can't afford much, but we will need to have a ceremony and we will need a toasting. The toasting, I don't even know what kind of bread is his favorite. I am suppose to get it for him, present it to him on our wedding night. Can I order it from here like most couples do? Will he be baking it? Sigh, I am so confused.

When Prim and I are done we make our way down the stairs to where Peeta and Finnick are. They are obviously in a serious conversation. I hate that we have interrupted that.

"Ladies, what can I get you?" Finnick ask.

Before I can decline, Prim has asked for 4 sugar cookies.

"We don't need them Prim."

"No, We don't, I just want them. Well, one then one for mom, uncle, and you."

"I don't want one, just 3 then."

"Sorry Kat 4s in the bag." Finnick says.

Great. I really am going to get fat.

"Did you pick out what you wanted Katniss?" Peeta asked

"Yes, Prim marked it all in the book." I hand him back the book.

"Most of it is on page 24-30 then some on page 36." Prim pipes up

"Sounds great." Peeta answers her

"We need to get going, I'll see you Saturday at the church."

"OK see you Saturday."

"Peeta, you have to tell her."

"I can't Finnick. I've tried, since we were 5, I have tried."

"Yeah, well she said you never talked to her and that you hate her. Peeta, your future wife and the girl you have been in love with since you were 5 thinks you hate her."

"Fin you don't understand."

"No, I don't, you know I had girls that I liked here, girls that I watched get married and it was hard. Until Annie. You, you get the chance to marry the girl you have always wanted and you are letting her think you hate her."

"I... I don't know how, Fin. I don't know how to tell her. I just figured out how to talk in complete sentences to her and you want me confess my love for her. I can not physically do it."

"Then be nice, and treat her well, you have that girl thinking you were disgusted at the thought of marring her. Now, I know why you walked up to her that day thinking you were going to be sick, because she was in blue, you thought she was there for John and that you were going to have to watch her with your brother."

"I was terrified that she would be with John, so was he. He knew how I feel about her. When I found out she was there for me, I was even more terrified. What if I disappoint her?"

"You will."

"What?"

"Some time over the next 60 years I am sure you will disappoint her, and her you. But, not today, not now."

"I'll try and be nicer and I will try and tell her how I feel."

"I hope so Peet, I think she could really love you, but you will have to let her in first."

Friday night my mother, Prim and I went to the church. None of us had been since my father died and we needed to go before we had no choice on Saturday. I had hoped we would have more time to prepare, but Delly was getting married and I was expected to be there by her side and holding my self together, so we went. It went better than I thought it would. Prim held onto me, or maybe I held onto her, I am not sure. I was worried the trip may set my mother back in the healing process, but she seemed to be ok. We spent an hour just sitting there before we decided to go home. Going when there was no one else there was one thing, but tomorrow there would be people watching waiting for me to slip, I needed to be sure I was on point.

Sleep came easily that night, I think because I was just so tired. I had always been active, but all of this girl time made me so tired all of the time. I have concluded its because I am so board. Who cares if its white or off white, just pick a table covering already!

Saturday morning I wake early, Earlier than I needed to and I decide to go gather. I don't know if Peeta will approve of what I do, I want to do this as much as I can before I am no longer allowed. Allowed, sounds so foreign to me, my mother never told me I wasn't allowed to do anything. My father died before I wanted to do anything. My future husband will have control of me. Well, that's how its suppose to be. I do know some women who run the house. The Late Mrs. Mellark did. There is something about Peeta though, when he talks people listen, I think he will want to be the head of our family, the law states that he is, no matter what the family is actually like, the law says the man has the final say on everything. If I disobey him he could have me punished, or even punish me himself. Would Peeta do that? I don't know him well enough to say if he would or not. I hope not. I hope we can work together and compromise.

When I get back to the house my mom is awake, its still early.

"Mom?"

"Katniss, there you are. Vick stopped by, They are on the first train out this morning. Gale and Johanna are to be married tomorrow afternoon. They will all travel back Tuesday afternoon."

Hearing that Gale will be married tomorrow makes me want to sink. I guess they got along well. Gale can get along with anyone so it's not that surprising.

"Oh, Ok."

"Katniss, we need to set a date for yours."

"I know I will talk to Peeta and see what he wants."

"No, this is our decision. The men really don't have a say."

"Delly asked John." I tell her.

"No, Delly asked her mother an the pastor, John was told."

"Oh, do we need the pastor?"

"I have a list of days he is available or we can have the mayor do it."

"Will that be cheaper, I know we don't have the kind of money Delly does."

"What is this talk of money." My Uncle Haymitch stubbles in the room.

"We, were talking about my upcoming wedding."

"Right the baker's boy."

"Yes, Peeta."

"Well, there is 500$ is each of your and Prim's wedding accounts. I'm not sure what kind of weeding you wanted, but if that can't buy it you need to tone it down Sweetheart."

I sit shocked. 500$, where in the hell did he get that.

"We could have used that money for food."

"Oh, wake up Sweetheart, If we could have used that money for anything before you turned 18 and were matched we would have and you know it. Your father died. You and Prim both got 300$ for your weddings, I added a little over the years until it was 500$."

300$ will get you a permanent home, if I was to marry a factory worker we would have been able to have a house. Since I have housing, I can do whatever I want with my wedding housing account.

"I.. I don't know what to say."

"Thank you would be nice."

"Thank you, Uncle Haymitch."

"Your welcome, Sweetheart."

Delly's wedding cost 100$. I can have everything she is having, but I don't want it. For the first time I let myself think about what I do what. I want simple. I want outside, I want the Meadow, I want Prim and My mother, I want Uncle Haymitch to walk me up the isle. I want Gale there, and I want the Mayor, not the pastor. I close my eyes and I can see it. I try to picture Peeta there waiting on me, but I can't. I wish that part was easier.

"I know what I want."

My mom smiles at me.

"Great, now go shower for Delly's wedding, we can't be late."

I head upstairs with a new spring in my step. Gale will be here when I get married. I will be able to have a ceremony not just a sheet of paper. Now all I need is to get Peeta to like me.