The warm wind blows through the two rebellious teenager's hair as they drive away from the town, the road windy and scenic with beautiful, tall trees and green grass. Finnick drives his red convertible with ease through the path, having driven here a hundred times before. This place was his home away from home, something he hadn't shared with anyone before; not even his best friend, Thresh. But it felt right showing Myka this treasured place. He wasn't sure if it was because Myka was possibly the most captivating creature he'd ever seen, of if it was because of a connection he'd felt between them. It was strange. He had felt as if he could trust Myka with his darkest secrets, but in reality, he knew nothing about him.
"How did you find out about this place?" Myka asks, breaking the comfortable silence. He's grown to trust Finnick a little bit since their journey. His trust was not easy to come by these days.
Finnick peaks in Myka's direction then faces forward, his sea-green eyes watching the road. "To be honest with you, it was an accident. My uncle and I had a fight and I drove off to get away from him. I got lost and eventually ran out of gas, but I didn't really want to get help, so I pushed my car to the side of the road and just walked. When I found this place I just started to come here every time we'd fight. It kinda became a place for me to escape to, you know?"
Opening up to Myka seemed natural to him, it was surprising. Myka bites on his bottom lip, looking out at the beautiful surroundings. "Does he live with you?" Myka asks.
Finnick tightens his mouth. "Yeah… my parents died in a car crash a couple years ago. I've been living with my uncle since I was 14," he explains.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Myka says sympathetically. "I didn't mean to pry."
Finnick looks back at him. "Don't be. I could have chosen not to answer." He smirks at his passenger. "What about you? What's your story?"
Myka thinks for a moment before answering. Sharing his background could be dangerous, but Finnick had trusted him with his own. To not be honest would be rude, and just wrong. "I don't know much about my family. I've been in foster care most of my life. I'm told my mother wasn't from this country, but nobody seems to know where she's from. She died giving birth to me. My father put a gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger when he couldn't take it anymore. I was six, I think. I guess his family was killed in a fire just before he met my mother. The state took me in when they couldn't find any living relatives to take me in."
The story shocks Finnick, but he could sympathize. They'd both lost their parents. "Do you live with a foster family now? I don't really know anything about the system." The question might be slightly invasive, but he really is just curious.
"Yeah, I just moved in with a new family. It's the eighth one I've stayed with. When a family doesn't want to take you in, you stay at the foster care facility. It's overcrowded and it sucks, to be honest." Myka doesn't want to talk about this anymore. He refrains from sharing anything more, deciding he doesn't know Finnick well enough to share much else. Finnick doesn't push the matter.
"Sorry, man." is all Finnick can manage to say. A small restaurant comes into view just over the cliff, the landscape changing to a more rocky setting with small plants. Seagulls fly over the building, searching for food. You could hear the ocean in the distance. "We're here!" He parks in the small parking lot, not bothering to put the hood up. The area was safe, and there wasn't anything in the car to steal. They walk into the little restaurant, heading straight to the counter to order. An older woman behind the counter grins when she sees Finnick.
"Ah, my favorite customer is here! And I see you bring a friend wid you. Ooh and he's good looking like you, papi." She winks with a playful smile. Her accent is slightly heavy, but easily understood. "What can I get you boys?"
"I'll have the usual, ma." Finnick smirks with a boyish half grin. He looks over to Myka, lifting his brows. "What do you want, Myka?"
"Surprise me. I'm sure everything is amazing." Myka says to the woman.
"Ooh and he's sweet like you too!" she puts her hand over her heart as if struck with love. They both laugh. "Don't worry, Mama Constance will make you boys something good." She says before disappearing behind the kitchen. Finnick and Myka take a seat at the bar, the counters and chairs made of wood. They could smell cooked fish and meat from the kitchen, making their mouths water.
Finnick takes the opportunity to ask Myka about the earlier episode in the cafeteria. He'd been wondering why they broke out in a fight. Granted, Cato and his friends could be kind of rude and act like major dicks sometimes, but it was still strange to just randomly shove him to the ground. "So… what happened during lunch?" he asks suddenly. Myka was hoping he wouldn't bring it up, not wanting to share how he knew the blonde jock, but the cat was already out of the bag.
"Ugh, that guy. Um… you know how I told you I lived with a couple of different families, right?" he tries to think of a way to explain this particular situation without giving away too much detail on what went on. Finnick nods, waiting for him to continue. Myka taps his hand against the bar then pinches the skin on his bottom lip with his pointer finger and thumb in contemplation, looking at the bar table then back at Finnick, his yellow-green eyes seeming to become even more vibrant. "Well, I stayed with this family a few years ago. The mother and I didn't get along much, and things just got out of hand one day… and she kinda shot me." Myka laughs nervously, running a hand through his dark, messy hair.
Finnick's eyes are comically wide in disbelief. "What? You've got to tell me what the hell happened!"
Myka thinks this over for a moment. "She caught me with someone sneaking around in the house. She was super crazy religious and I guess it was just the last straw." He explains. Of course, this was only a part of the truth. But the whole truth might give Finnick the wrong impression and he really didn't think it was any of his business anyway.
"So…" Finnick tries to understand the connection, "Where does Cato come into this?"
Myka continues the story. "Well, an ambulance took me away from the house, and I guess any time a gun is involved, the police need to be notified. The hospital and foster care facility had her arrested for attempted murder. She was Cato's aunt."
"Well then," Finnick laughs, "I guess you guys won't be becoming friends any time soon." Myka laughs, shaking his head. "Okay, tell me if I'm being too nosey, and it's totally okay if you don't want to, but I kinda have to see the gunshot wound."
Without another word, Myka takes off his black tank top and spins his bar stool in the opposite direction, giving Finnick a clear view of his back. "Whoa!" Finnick says, lifting his hand to the round scar on the back of Myka's right shoulder blade, delicately caressing the white and pink flesh. "Did it hurt?"
The question might have seemed ridiculous, but Myka understood his curiosity. "Hell yeah, it hurt. But after a while, I just got really cold and lightheaded. I couldn't really feel anything then, just dizzy and cold and numb. It's kind of hard to explain," he says. He notices Finnick hasn't stopped touching the scar. It feels really nice, the feeling of his fingers lightly stroking his skin, but it's also a little inappropriate. Realizing the same, Finnick snatches his hand away, secretly still wanting to touch the soft, smooth skin. There's a short, awkward moment of silence while Myka puts his shirt back on until Constance comes back with a bag of food. She knew Finnick would take it to the beach, he always had.
Before Finnick has the chance to dig into his pocket to fetch his wallet, Myka hands her a twenty dollar bill.
"Hey, I was going to treat." Finnick pouts.
"You're treating me by showing me this place. You can buy next time." Myka winks. Finnick nods in defeat.
The two walk out of the restaurant, thanking Constance on their way out. She waves, telling them "Come back to visit Mama Constance soon, boys." They tell her they will, smiling on the way out of the door. Finnick hops back into the car with Myka following suit, but he opens the door and lets himself in instead, choosing not to chance scratching the car or making a fool of himself in case he broke something trying to jump in. They drive down the hill and park off the road onto a dirt pavement, exiting the vehicle while Finnick rummages through his trunk. He pulls out a six pack of bottled beer.
"Can't go without these," he says. Myka just laughs at him. They climb down a hill of rocks and sand, hearing the ocean. It's a bit of a workout, but when they finally get passed the boulders, they see a magnificent view of white sand and blue waves crashing into the shore. There's a single boulder near the water, about a hundred feet wide and nearly as tall. They climb it and take a seat on the very top, a light mist hitting their skin when the waves crash into the rock. It feels amazing in the bright, hot sun.
"Thanks for showing me this place." Myka says, staring out into the horizon while Finnick cracks open two bottles of beer with a bottle opener hanging from his keychain. This truly was a special place to get away from everything. Myka probably wouldn't have found anything like it on his own.
"No problem. It's kinda nice to share it with someone." He hands Myka one of the bottles. "Call me cheesy if you must, but I'm glad Mrs. C had me be you guys' tour guide today."
"Me too," Myka responds. He thinks for a moment. "Wait, I wasn't the only new student?" he asks, amused.
"Oh yeah, you haven't met the other kid yet. You guys will eventually bump into each other. You've got a couple classes together. His name is Peeta Mellark."
In Mellark's bakery, Peeta has put on his white and blue apron, tying it behind his back. Since it was typically slow at this hour, his brother had taken off to the library to study for a school project, leaving Peeta to manage the shop by himself. His parents would be upstairs if he needed any help. They usually ran the shop in the morning while Peeta and his brother were at school. The shop is lively with bright yellow-painted walls, trims painted in pastel pinks and blues, walls adorned with colorful paintings. Peeta pulls the fresh pastries from the oven, placing it on the metal shelf to cool while carefully placing the cherry tartlets into the display glass. The tiny bell rings, warning him that a customer has just walked through the door. Peeta looks up from his pastries, shocked to see the blonde-haired boy before him.
"Hey, Peeta," Cato grins.
"H-hi, um, Cato, right?" Peeta asks, offering a small smile. He never thought he'd see Cato in his bakery, and alone above all else; it was a bit out of his character. He'd imagined Cato was the sort of person who went with a group everywhere and wrecked havoc or stirred trouble wherever they went.
"Yeah, it's me. I didn't know you worked here. I pass by this place sometimes and thought I'd come in and check it out," he exclaims. It was a particularly good lie, but then again, Cato was always particularly good with lies.
"Oh, yeah, it's my family's business. I make the pastries. Want to try any? The cherry tarts just came out of the oven." Peeta says. He's a little excited to have someone he sort of knows try his pastries. He'd always taken pride in his work.
"Yeah, I'd love to. Ring me up for a tart and a medium coffee." Cato places his black and red backpack on the counter, pulling out his books. "Wallet's on the bottom," he explains. He places a book on quantum mechanics on top, finally pulling out his wallet. Peeta notices the book right away.
"Hey! You have quantum mechanics with Mr. Beetee?" he asks. Maybe he knew someone in the class.
Cato smirks. "Yeah, I have him for second period. It's a cool class, but I'm getting kinda lost in it. I understand the material well enough, but I don't have a study partner in the class, so I'm not really doing as well as I should be."
"Whoa, really? I have him for fourth!" Peeta says excitedly.
"Really? You wouldn't happen to have a study partner, would you?" Cato hints. Peeta thinks about it for a moment. He did need a study partner, but Cato kinda rubbed him the wrong way. He wasn't looking for any trouble.
"No, I don't know anyone in the class." Peeta answers honestly, with the exception of Finnick, of course. They supposedly had the class together, but he wasn't sure how often he'd actually be attending or if he even had his own study partner already.
"Well, would you want to be mine?" Cato asks. Peeta bites his bottom lip, contemplating his answer. Cato takes the hint immediately. "You know, I'm not as bad as you might think. The whole thing during lunch was just a misunderstanding. I knew that guy from before and we've had beef for a while. Come hang at my place and you'll know it. Besides, I think we could both really use a study partner."
He seems genuine enough, Peeta's convinced. "Okay. I get off work at seven today… and on all weekdays, really. Is that too late?"
"No, that's okay. I have football practice until six most of the time, so that gives me time to shower, change, and get my stuff. Seven works perfect for me," Cato smiles. "How much do I owe you for the coffee and tart?"
Peeta places the pastry in a napkin, then in a small paper bag while the machine pours coffee into a medium sized Styrofoam cup. He places a plastic lid on it and hands it Cato. "It's on the house," he says.
Cato smiles at the kind gesture. "Awesome. Thanks," he says while placing a ten dollar bill in the tip jar. "I'll pick you up at seven. See you later, Peeta." The blonde baker nods his head and waves at Cato as he exits the shop, the tiny bell on the door ringing with his departure. What was he getting himself into? Needing some advice, he figures he'll give Katniss a call. She gave him her number during lunch in case they wanted to hangout or chat. Nobody is in the shop anyway. He walks over to the phone, ready to dial when the tiny bell rings again. He looks over to see Katniss, Rue, Madge, and even Gale at the door.
"Hey Peeta, we thought we'd drop by and pay you a visit!" Katniss beams. Rue and Madge are eyeing the shop with amazement. The shop was so colorful and cute! Gale looks a little out of place, but smiles at Peeta when they catch eye contact.
"You guys came here to visit me? That's so cool, thank you!" Peeta grins. Yes, this group was definitely a great find. It meant a lot to see familiar faces with such friendly qualities. His friends back home never visited him at the shop. He mentally kicks himself in the head, wanting to be rid of the memories of his past. "You guys want anything? I don't mean to brag, but I make pretty amazing pastries. The cherry tarts are still hot. And the chocolate éclairs are pretty delicious. What do you guys like?"
"Ooh, I love cherry." Madge says. Peeta places a cherry tart in a napkin, then onto a small tray.
"What else?" he asks.
Rue eyes the strawberry cheesecake with interest. Peeta laughs, placing it on the tray as well. She grins at him, knowing he noticed she was looking at it.
"Can I try the cheese pastry?" Katniss asks.
"One cheese pastry coming right up!" Peeta places the pastry on the tray and looks at Gale.
"Cherry sounds good." He says. Peeta smiles, placing another cherry tart on the tray, then hands it to Katniss.
"I'll make you guys some coffee. Take a seat wherever you like," he says. The group of four sits by a large window, looking out into the town. This was the perfect spot to have a bakery, the neighborhood was nice, people were friendly, and the red brick street reminded you of a French city. Peeta pours coffee into five separate coffee mugs, placing them on a tray and bringing it to the table. He takes a seat with his friends, everyone taking a cup of the hot java.
"Peeta, this is wonderful!" Rue squeals. Everyone at the table nods in agreement, thanking Peeta for the sweets and coffee.
"No problem," Peeta says. "I thought you were all going to be at Gale's today."
"We were, but then Gale suggested we come visit you." Katniss explains. Peeta looks at Gale, eyebrows lifted in pleasant surprise. He assumed it would be one of the girls' ideas. Either way, it was still a nice gesture.
"Oh, cool. Thanks for coming, you guys. It's nice to have your company." He admits. Everyone smiles, even Gale. Truth be told, it was about time another guy joined their group. Gale enjoyed Katniss, Madge, and Rue's company, but being the only male for so long was getting old. Peeta made a great addition.
"So Peeta, you're a guy…" Madge inquires. Uh oh, this could take off in a weird direction. "We wanted to get your advice. Gale here has been super stalker staring status on this girl in his art class. We've been trying to get him to just talk to her, but he keeps ignoring us and saying that guys don't work like that. What do you think?"
Peeta looks at Gale, whose staring daggers at Madge. Rue and Katniss stifle giggles, interested to hear what Peeta has to say about the whole situation, this has been a long debate between them for a while now. He considers this for a moment. "Well, I think guys and girls work differently. A guy doesn't just want to walk up to a girl and start talking, it's kinda weird. There needs to be a right moment before anything can be said." He says. Gale smiles at him appreciatively, happy someone finally understands.
"Oh. Well, that sucks. I think guys should be able to just approach a girl without having to plan anything." Madge says.
"It's not really about planning, it's about timing." Peeta explains. "It's hard to explain, but you know when the time is right when it is."
Rue suddenly pipes in, curious. "But, Peeta, what happens if you guys miss your chance or time runs out?"
"Sometimes…" Peeta thinks about his own situation, suddenly a little sad, "Sometimes there's never a right time."