It's Cinna who seems to be most impressed by the sudden rock performance, watching from the front of the room, arms politely crossed behind his back. He could only hope every student would be able to find their artistic niche. It didn't have to be music, of course. Cinna believes in a broad spectrum of creative outlets and mediums. When the performance is over, he smiles and continues to walk around the classroom, observing the other students and giving help when needed.
Cato and Gale are both grinding their teeth. For Cato, this display was just one more thing to add to the endless list of reasons he hates the new guy. This class was his domain. Actually, this whole school was his domain. To publicly display that you were better than him in any of the activities he was a part of was a personal attack and insult, and one that he will not soon forget. In Gale's case, the jealousy isn't so much in the talent, but the opportunity. Myka had successfully grabbed the attention of the girl he'd been crushing on for the past year now. He was itching for an opportunity like this one, to impress her and have a reason to start a conversation. Myka took that away from him.
Thresh has always been a kind person, but it was rare to see him excited about anything. Today, that changed. He'd always wanted to do something more with his bass playing skills, but could never find anyone good enough to keep up or create something in sync with him. He openly accepts Myka, clapping their hands together in a handshake, patting his shoulder in respect. Myka pats his shoulder back then walks over to the small girl in the leopard print dress, shaking her hand and kissing her cheek. They look like they've been friends forever, despite this being their first time meeting. Gale puts the guitar down and stomps over to the table Katniss is sitting at, Peeta following behind, and flops down on a wooden stool, glaring at the clay. Katniss struggles to stifle a laugh.
"What?" Gale demands.
Katniss shakes her head, a smile still planted on her face. "Nothing, nothing…"
He scoffs at her, grabbing some clay and slamming his palms into it repeatedly, the clay didn't need to be kneaded so much, he was just using it as a way of physically getting his frustration out without breaking anything, or anybody for that matter.
The rest of the class period is like this, Gale practically beating up a piece of clay, Katniss continuing her coil vase, Peeta painting his own pot, Myka laughing and talking with Thresh and the girl, Cato talking shit to Marvel, the girls gossiping. Cato never went back to Peeta to introduce him to his friends. It's a good thing too, if Cato had been within fifty feet of Gale at the moment, there would have been a tremendously bloody fight. The bell rings and all the students leave in groups. Gale hadn't really said anything- nothing coherent anyway, he just kind of grunted the whole time before taking off to his next class. When they reach the hall division, everyone splits up, heading to their different classes without a word.
Sighing with relief of being in the quiet classroom, Peeta makes his way to the back desk by the window again, taking out his notebook and pen. Another body flops right down next to him in the cool blue chair, smirking down at him. "Hello sunshine." Oh right, Finnick was in this class. Peeta isn't sure whether it's a relief or a curse. "How's everything going so far?"
'You don't even know.' Peeta thinks. "Fine, I guess. How are you?"
Finnick cocks his head, his features so animated. "I'd be better if I knew what was going on with you. What happened to your cheek?" He touches Peeta's face, gently stroking the bruised flesh.
"I fell in the shower and hit my face against the soap dispenser." Alright now, what kind of reply was Finnick going to have? Please don't ask who did it.
"Ouch! That sucks." Finnick scrunches his nose. "I broke my wrist in the shower once. The ex-girlfriend's dog was going nuts and I slipped on the tub trying to catch it. Hit my hand against the shower wall."
Finnick being here, Peeta has decided, is a relief. "Oh, I'm sorry." Peeta says.
"Nah, shit happens. Sorry about your cheek." He raises his arms above his head to stretch, his shirt rolls over his stomach to reveal an exceptionally toned, bronzed abdomen. Peeta can't help but stare in awe; he wants to touch it so badly. The older adolescent with auburn hair has noticed, smirking.
"If you think that's nice," he purrs while seductively caressing his own stomach, "wait until you see why they all come to watch me on the swim team, dressed in just a Speedo. Pretty sure it isn't because of my backstroke." He takes it back, Finnick being here is a problem. Why must he be such a tease? This boy was just too much, and just… so damn good looking! "So tell me," he rests his chin on his hand, elbow propped on the desk, "What's new with Peeta Mellark?"
"Um…" It's not that he doesn't trust Finnick, but discussing his situation regarding Cato seemed a bit strange. He shakes his head, pondering what to say. "Nothing really."
"Nothing, huh? Great! You can sit with me during lunch this time!" Finnick beams in excitement.
"Wait, but what about Katniss? She's my friend now. I thought I should sit with her at her table…" Peeta stutters when he realizes the disappointment on Finnick's face, his childish pout making him look that much more adorable.
Unsure whether or not to invite Finnick over for a hangout with them, he thinks about how the group may react. It seemed pretty obvious that practically everyone loved and worshipped Finnick, and he'd been kind enough to show him around the campus, making him feel a bit more welcome to the school. It would have been rude not to invite him, but he also doesn't want to intrude on his new group. Would they be upset if Finnick tagged along? Finally making up his mind, Peeta says, "I don't work today. Would you like to join us for a kick-back or something?"
The grin on Finnick's face is so wide, it would be creepy on any other face. "Oh, so now you're inviting me to one of your hangouts?" He purrs into Peeta's ear, "I think you're just looking for an excuse to have me over," making Peeta redden. "I'll let you know in gym. Gotta talk to someone at lunch first." Well, at least it gave Peeta some time to talk it over with the table during break.
"Hello class." Mr. Beetee greets his classroom, pulling a bag to his desk where he scurries through the numerous files, taking out a small stack of paper. "I'm going to pass out some review questions for the test. Look over all of the questions, answer the ones you can, and feel free to ask me any questions you may have or do not understand. You may work in groups, but don't be too loud." He drops a few pages on each table in the first row closest to him, the students taking a copy each then passing the small stack behind them.
"Psst! Peeta-" Finnick whispers, grabbing his arm, "Let's be study buddies!" he says excitedly. The redness immediately reappears on Peeta's nose and cheeks, remembering the events that took place at Cato's place last night.
Cato's blue eyes are gazing into his own, a softness to his otherwise masculine exterior. "And, besides, it would have killed my chances of being able to…"
He searches for the answer in Cato's stare, whose now looking down at his lips. "Able to what, Cato?"
Cato leans in, gently pressing their lips together in a light touch. "Kiss you."
Snapping out of his trance, Peeta fumbles with his words having realized Finnick was still waiting for an answer, his expression now slightly worried. "I-um… okay."
His features relax after finally receiving a response, but Peeta's sudden tension puzzles him. "Hey, is everything alright? I didn't upset you, did I?"
"What?" Peeta asks, looking up at Finnick's anxious face. "Oh, of course not! Everything's fine. Really."
The captivating beam returns to his face. "Okay, great!" The stack of papers finally make their way to them, they each grab a small packet and pass the leftover reviews to the table to their right, getting started on the questions. They're similar to the problems in the book, with the exception of more-or-less detail. Peeta and Finnick breeze through the questions without any issue.., that is until Finnick suddenly asks, "How does an atom maintain its size?"
The memory floods back in a rush through his brain, creating an enormous headache and tension. This was by far the most uncomfortable Peeta has felt in a long time.
The remainder of the class is just like this, a heavy tension in the air periodically discomforting both Peeta and Finnick. Though Peeta had assured him that he hadn't done anything and that he wasn't upset with him, Finnick couldn't help but feel like Peeta's rigidness had something to do with him. Had he said or done anything to make him uncomfortable? Perhaps it was the constant flirting, that might make another male a bit anxious. Maybe he should tone it down a little bit.
When the bell finally rings, they peak at one another from the corner of their eyes and smile, placing their notebooks and review paperwork in their backpacks. They get up from their seats at the same time, and Finnick makes sure he walks next to Peeta. He wanted to clear the air between the two of them. "Hey," he strokes Peeta's free arm, "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable or something."
"What?" What was he talking about? "Oh! No, you didn't make me uncomfortable. I guess I just have a lot on my mind right now." He shrugs his shoulders, looking down at the ground as they walk to the cafeteria.
Finnick is determined to make the bashful blonde boy next to him content again. "Tell me what's bothering you."
His head snaps up in Finnick's direction, debating whether or not he should say anything to him. Finnick was nice, and very confident. Perhaps too confident, he also had too many friends. He couldn't be trusted with this sort of information. He shakes his head, "It's nothing."
Realizing that Peeta did not trust him well enough to share what was bothering him, Finnick frowns in disappointment. He thought anyone could come to him with their problems. He was a great listener and genuinely cares about other people. He'd just wanted to make Peeta feel better. "You know, if you ever want to talk, I'm here for you. And I promise I'm not some jerk that will go around telling your secrets to other people. I'm not like that. Okay?"
Peeta nods, appreciative of Finnick's concern, but still refuses to talk about what's going on in his head. "Okay."
He obviously needed a little push, and the best way to get someone to trust you was to show them that you trusted them as well. "Can I tell you something?"
Curious, Peeta slows down his walking pace, looking up at the auburn haired guide next to him. "Yeah, of course you can, Finnick."
"When I was 14, my parents died in a car crash. I was just a kid and I didn't know how to handle it, so when I moved in with my uncle, I started acting up. We'd fight all the time and I felt like I couldn't relate to anybody. I just want you to know, you don't have to bottle up whatever's bothering you. I know what it means to feel alone, and nothing you say is going to make me think differently of you." The words are extremely sincere, it was the most honest and vulnerable Peeta has ever seen him, traits he never believed Finnick could have possessed.
"Thanks, Finnick." He looks down at his feet again, contemplating his options. Maybe ripping off the band-aid was the hardest part and he should say something. They're in the cafeteria now, taking their seats at a table, not completely consciously aware of where they're at. "Finnick, I'm g-"
"Hey Peeta!" a very bubbly and sweet Rue chirps in. Madge is at her side, they both take a seat across from the two boys.
"Hi Rue! Hi Madge! How are you guys?" Peeta asks; a kind smile on his face. Despite the bad timing, he was glad to see them.
"Good! I told my dad about your bakery and he went over this morning and said your pastries were really good." She takes out her purple lunch pail, taking out a sandwich. "He wanted me to ask you if you guys can make enough to purchase for his office on Friday. They're celebrating their 25th year of business."
A catering event, this was excellent news. His family would be very happy to provide their services to a larger party. The bakery was not struggling by any means, but there was nothing wrong with venturing into new territory and collecting more business. "Yeah, sure, that would be great, Rue."
"Hold on-" Finnick pipes in, "you work at a bakery? Why didn't you tell me? I want to try some of these sweet pastries your friends are raving about." He winks.
Leave it to Finnick Odair to make anything and everything into a sex joke.
As if just realizing that he was still there, Peeta mentally face-palms himself and introduces the people around the table. "Sorry guys, this is Finnick. Finnick, these are my friends, Rue and Madge."
Naturally, Rue and Madge already know who he is. Madge is blushing into a shade more pink than even her lips, intimidated by his presence. Finnick beams at the both of them, taking their hands and kissing the tops of them. "It's very nice to meet you ladies." Oh, how charming! They giggle in response like giddy school girls having just met their crush.
"I told you he was cheating on me!" The girl in the leopard print dress says to Thresh, the two having just arrived at the table. They playfully smack Finnick on the arm, taking their seats next to him on his right.
"You know I could never replace you, boo." Finnick says. "Ladies, these are my friends Thresh and Dominique, or Domi for short. Guys, this is Rue and Madge, Peeta's friends."
"Hey, nice to meet you dolls!" The girl, Dominique, says with a grin while Thresh nods his head in their direction.
Katniss walks up to them shortly after, curious of the mix between tables, and takes a seat next to Madge. "Hey guys."
"Hey, Katniss!" nearly everyone responds.
Peeta introduces the remainder of bodies. "This is Dominique and Thresh, Finnick's friends."
"Oh, cool. Nice to meet you guys." She says coolly. It was nice to see some new faces.
"What the fuck? Did you guys decide to throw some party and not tell us about it?" One of the two redheads, the one that doesn't look painfully shy, asks as they approach the table, obviously dumbstruck with the large group.
"Whatever, Jo-Jo," Finnick laughs, "Everyone, this is Johanna and Kielli." He starts pointing at each person across from him from left to right, "This is Rue, Madge, Katniss," he points to his left next to him, "and Peeta."
Johanna shrugs her shoulders, seemingly not entirely interested but not painfully rude either. She follows Kielli, who takes a seat next to Dominique. Peeta is happy to finally know their names. He'd been secretly calling Kielli "Foxface," because of her red-orange hair and long face, she was actually really pretty. Katniss is the first to ask the question, "How do you guys all know each other?"
"Well," Finnick starts, "Thresh and I are both part of the student council, but we've been best friends our whole lives. Jo-jo here is on the wrestling team and-" he suddenly stops, noticing Myka has entered the cafeteria. "Hey, Myka!" he shouts, "Over here!"
The tall, pale figure looks around for the source that had called his name. He spots Finnick waving his arm in the air, trying to catch his attention. Smiling, he walks over to the table and waves at them.
"You can sit next to me!" Rue says. She's so tiny and cute. Myka takes a seat next to her and across from Finnick, whose smirking at him.
"So this beautiful creature here is Myka." Finnick introduces him to the table. "Myka, these are-" he points at each person from left to right and wrapping around the table, "Rue, Madge, Katniss, Johanna, Kielli, Domi, Thresh, and Peeta."
Everyone chants their "hi's" and "hello" when Katniss and Madge catch his attention.
"Hey, Myka." Katniss says.
"Hi, Katniss. It's nice to see you two." He's referring to Katniss and Madge, both of whom had come to the bar last night to pick up a very drunk and passed out Gale. Madge waves without saying a word, extremely shy in front of the attractive figure sitting next to Rue.
Confused and slightly jealous, Finnick eyes the girls suspiciously. "So," he says, the charismatic smile returning to his lips, "It looks like you guys have already met. How do you know each other?"
Not wanting to out Gale, Myka simply responds with "It's a long story." The girls are appreciative of his concern for Gale and nod their heads in agreement. Finnick, however, sours when he realizes Myka isn't one to share everything with him.
An extremely perplexed Gale has now approached the table, wondering why the two separate groups have decided to merge into one. He notices Peeta is sitting next to Finnick and that row is completely filled. He sees Katniss, but unfortunately the row is filled except for a spot next to Myka, whom he despises at the moment. "Um, hi." He says awkwardly.
"Hey, Gale." Half the group greets him, the other half smile and wave, welcoming him to the table. He takes a seat in the only empty spot next to Myka, already fuming. Myka doesn't seem to notice.
"And again-" Finnick starts with the pointing, this time starting with Gale all around the table, "This is Gale, Myka, Rue, Madge, Katniss, Johanna, Kielli, Domi, Thresh, Finnick the most amazing person you'll ever meet, and Peeta." Whew. Good thing they won't have to do that again anytime soon, both groups have finally taken their seats at the table. Overall, it's comfortable with the exception of Finnick's envy, Gale's jealousy, and Myka's discomfort meeting so many new people at once. Luckily, he's already met Kielli, Thresh, Katniss, Madge, and of course Finnick, who calms down when he realizes Myka isn't really paying any attention to Katniss or Madge making him determine that he's not interested in either of them. Gale has calmed down some as well, noticing the girl with the leopard print dress just a few bodies away. She's so beautiful.
The group breaks out into smaller discussions, leaving Gale and Myka feeling slightly uncomfortable. Myka looks over at Gale and offers him a small smile. "I see you made it home alright. Sorry about the Everclear. I didn't think it would hit you that hard."
Was he trying to say that Gale couldn't handle his liquor or was he trying to be nice? Gale assumes the latter, not really knowing anything about the new guy with the yellow and green eyes sitting next to him. "That stuff must have been strong, I can handle my drinks." He states flatly.
Realizing that Gale was offended by his comment, he explains "I know. Everclear can come in different proofs. I accidently gave you enough to put an adult elephant to sleep."
Gale is stuck in his thoughts. "I don't remember anything that happened after that."
"You passed out. I hope you don't mind, but I tried waking you up and all you'd mutter is 'Katniss.' So I went through your phone and called her. She and Madge picked you up at the bar." Well that explains a lot. Gale nods his head, continuously peaking at Dominique. Myka notices it and a smirk appears on his face. "You think she's cute?"
"What? I don't know what you're talking about." Gale says defensively. This guy was such a tool, trying to rub it in his face that he knew her and all.
"Well that's a shame. She thinks you are." Myka says. Suddenly, he's not the worse person in the world; this just might be Gale's right-hand man.
Just a few tables away, Glimmer is grimacing something grotesque. "What the hell? Since when did they decide to be best friends?" she scowls. The group turns their heads to see what Glimmer is talking about, shocked by what they see.
But it's Cato who is most disturbed by the sight. Glaring in their direction he says, "You know what? I think it's time we settle that debt tonight."