A/N: Chapter 2! Please remember that I'm trying to write fast as part of my self-concocted, recovering perfectionist therapy... Comments are appreciated. Happy reading!

Katniss clutched her books to her chest, even though she was seated at the top of the bleachers at a wrestling match. The gymnasium smelled of floor wax and sweat, and the hum of the yellowed industrial lighting could easily be mistaken for silence.

She'd arrived earlier than most of the other students who stayed afterschool for the match because she hoped no one would notice her presence. No one except Peeta.

Katniss was from the Seam, and many Seam kids had to work after school – even odd jobs – to help support their families. But James Everdeen didn't want her and Prim to work to contribute to their family, even though Katniss really wanted to. He'd had a hard enough time knowing that Katniss had taken to the woods for food while he was recovering from the near fatal mine explosion that killed several miners, including his closest friend, Emory Hawthorne.

But Katniss knew they barely had enough to survive despite her father's long hours in the mines. And she knew that if she'd been born a boy like her friend Gale Hawthorne – Emory's son – she would already be working evenings and weekends in the mines alongside her father. She'd brought up the idea about a year ago, and James became livid, bellowing at Katniss that he could take care of his family and then storming out the house.

Her father had never raised his voice to her before, and while it hurt her deeply, it frightened Prim. Katniss and Maura spent the next hour consoling the youngest Everdeen.

James returned long after they'd gone to sleep and slipped into the room Katniss and Prim shared. Katniss was staring at the walls, unable to sleep. He motioned for her to come to the kitchen, so as not to wake Prim.

"Katniss, you and your sister are my pride and joy," James had explained in a much calmer tone. "And as your father, it's my job to be the provider. You and Prim didn't ask to be born, and your mother didn't ask me to marry her. You all are my responsibility, and I don't want you to worry about anything other than finishing school. That's your only job right now."

Katniss nodded and they embraced. But secretly, she was equally troubled by the idea of finishing secondary school because she knew it would be the end of her education. There was absolutely no way any Seam family and even some Merchant families could afford to pay postsecondary school tuition.

When she and Gale traded game at The Hob when her father was incapacitated, she realized that she had an innate skill for negotiation, that she felt most confident when she was bargaining for a good price. Gale told her she was a natural at commerce, and in the course of one school term, she'd read every book she could check out of the school library about business commerce. In her wildest dreams, she would study it one day at a postsecondary school and would start her own business.

But that would never happen. Katniss was four months away from starting her last year of secondary school. And as far as her father was concerned, Katniss would finish secondary school, and she would one day marry a good Seam boy who would always provide for her. The script was slightly different for Prim who had their mother's natural ability as a healer. James was comfortable with Prim apprenticing with Maura and honing this skill, but she too would finish secondary school and marry a good Seam boy who would always provide for her. It went without saying that neither of his girls would be like so many young ladies of the Seam whose stomachs swelled before they finished their education and had their toasting.

Peeta's future looked completely different. He had a widely celebrated talent in wrestling coupled with a family legacy that would all but guarantee him an athletic scholarship to attend a prestigious school after graduation.

Peeta was Daniel Mellark's son, and Daniel Mellark had been a two-time regional champion in wrestling in his day, besting competitors in three other districts of Panem. This had been an amazing feat at the time because Daniel was from District 12, which was always the most underprivileged district in all of Panem.

Katniss remembered the first time learned about Daniel Mellark. It was Show and Tell Day in their kindergarten class. She watched the boy with the mop of loose blonde curls holding onto his father's hand as they walked to the front of the classroom, Peeta beaming proudly at the man he called 'daddy.' It was then that Katniss decided that she liked Peeta's smile; it was friendly and kind and safe – almost identical to his father's. Katniss also noticed the indigo welt on Peeta's left cheek.

She learned more about the Mellark boys in the years that followed. Thatch, the oldest son, became a two-time regional champion, exceeding his father's accomplishment. Then Rye and Peeta, the younger two, each advanced to the semi-finals and then to the Panem National Wrestling Tournament. Last year, Rye had come in second place, and earlier this year, Peeta also earned the second place spot in the national contest. The Mellark boys were already immensely popular in school and in the community – Merchant upbringing, a thriving family business, blonde-haired, slate blue-eyed, affable, and well built. Their wrestling accolades only made them more enviable.

But everyone had a burden to bear. For the Mellark boys, it was their mother, Nance. Katniss would eventually learn that the bruise on Peeta's cheek during Show and Tell came from his mother's hand. One weekend, when Prim was about 7 years old, she and Katniss walked a little too slowly past the Mellark Bakery window, and Katniss glimpsed Nance Mellark lifting a rolling pin in Peeta's direction. Katniss quickly distracted Prim from the cakes on display, hoping her little sister hadn't seen the abuse in progress. Peeta missed the next two days of school, and Katniss worried about him. He returned with his engaging smile and charming personality in-tact, but Katniss noticed how he gingerly held his left arm away from his body so it didn't rest against his torso.

His ribs, Katniss realized. She hit him with the rolling pin and bruised his ribs. And in that moment, Katniss decided two things: she despised Nance Mellark, and she would rather be poor than to have a mother like Peeta's.

Ironically, as much as she knew about Peeta, for years they never spoke, except a rare greeting in passing if their eyes happened to meet. But Katniss kept to herself and rarely spoke to anyone. Except for Madge. Madge Undersee, the mayor's daughter, was her only friend, the only person Katniss trusted enough to talk with and eat lunch with.

Like several Merchant girls, Madge was tow-headed with straight, smooth locks and vivid blue eyes. She was lovely, but she was also bashful and unpretentious and just as introverted as Katniss. It was Madge who, two years ago, pointed out something that Katniss had never noticed before.

"He stares at you."

Katniss had to finish chewing the piece of chopped carrot that was in her lunch and swallow before she could respond.

"Who stares at me?"

"Peeta."

The dumbfounded look on Katniss's face prompted Madge to explain.

"You know… the baker's son. Peeta Mellark. Handsome. Easygoing. Good wrestler. He stares at you."

Katniss popped another carrot into her mouth, but her chewing had slowed considerably at Madge's words. Earth's rotation had slowed considerably at Madge's words.

"He's probably looking at you, Madge," Katniss had reasoned. "You're the pretty one."

"Nope." Madge shook her head with certainty. "He's looking at you. He always looks at you. And stop putting yourself down. You're pretty too."

Katniss tried to resist the smile threatening to form on her lips at the thought of Peeta's attention. "So why have I never noticed before?"

Madge's amused grin had made Katniss's smile hard to contain. "Because he always looks away before you notice."

Katniss decided to dismiss it. All of it. She regained her ability to chew at her regular pace. But Madge wouldn't let it go.

"So…?"

"So what?" Katniss had almost giggled. She never giggled.

"So do you like him too?"

"He doesn't like me, Madge. He was probably distracted and looking my way."

"He likes you, Katniss. I know these things. So do you like Peeta?"

In that moment, Katniss's mind flipped back to the smiling five-year-old at Show and Tell who'd grown to be an incredibly attractive 17-year-old. She hated to admit it to herself, but her crush on Peeta started that day in kindergarten and had only intensified over time. Then she remembered hearing about his mother's obvious dislike of people from the Seam and her father's plan for Katniss to find "a good Seam boy." The smile had slipped from her face.

"I'm not supposed to," she'd told Madge. And the conversation ended there.

The shrill of the whistle jolted Katniss from her reverie. The wrestling match was about to start. She was glad that Peeta and Rye were the first to take the mat – probably because they had to work at the bakery later that afternoon. Unlike Seam kids, they didn't work to support their family. They worked to learn the business.

The gymnasium was now a little over half-filled with spectators. A group of popular Merchant girls – who occasionally spoke to Madge – cheered loudest as the referee introduced each of the Mellark boys. And in those few moments before the match began, Peeta's eyes flitted across the crowd and landed on her.

It was the stare Madge had once told her about. And just that quickly, it was over, his eyes like lasers on his older brother. For the duration of that match, they would be rivals.

Peeta bested Rye in the scrimmage, handily winning the match. And the next time Katniss caught Peeta's eyes, he beamed proudly, and so did she.

Peeta and Rye headed to the locker room, and just before the start of the next match, Katniss decided to leave. She climbed down the bleachers, still clutching her books to her chest, her eyes trained on the path to the gymnasium doors. But she overheard the Merchant girls' conversation. The ringleader was Lilla Newsome, Peeta's ex-girlfriend. She was telling her cluster of friends that no one compared to Peeta when it came to sex.

"I can't believe you broke up with him," one of the girls gushed.

"Oh don't worry," Lilla said with bravado. "I plan to get him back." Katniss heard the rest of Lilla's vow just before exiting the gym.

"Mark my words, ladies. Peeta and I will be a couple before the end of summer."

The next morning, Katniss walked to her locker before the start of her first class. Her locker was on the other side of the school, in a forgotten about singular set of six lockers that everyone hoped wouldn't be assigned to them.

But Katniss liked the solitude. Aside from the fact that she could only visit her locker in the mornings or risk being late for other classes throughout the day, Katniss preferred to be far removed from the busier halls where most lockers were located and where the rest of the student body congregated. And students who were assigned to one of the six lockers on this hall tended to share a locker with one of their friends, on another hall. So Katniss was usually alone.

She stood at her locker, thinking through her day. Her first class was Mrs. Minson's History of Panem. The class wasn't wildly exciting to most, but Katniss was interested in learning about The Hunger Games, a now defunct fight-to-the-death spectacle that involved two randomly-selected children from each of the nation's 12 districts, not including the Capitol.

She'd learned about Haymitch Abernathy of District 12 who lived as a practical recluse in Victor's Village on the outskirts of town. Haymitch had won the 50th Games 24 years earlier. The following year, he would be instrumental in leading the rebellion to overthrow and execute then-President Coriolanus Snow.

Alma Coin, the current president, took office, and her first orders were to hold a ceremonial Hunger Games with Capitol children – there would be no survivors – and then to forever abolish The Hunger Games. But the war-torn nation of Panem viewed President Coin's move as an act of revenge against a population that was never responsible for the atrocities that had already devastated the nation. No one wanted more children to die – even if they were over-privileged Capitol children.

One day after class, Madge told Katniss that Haymitch Abernathy had been reaped for the Games with her aunt, Maysilee Donner. Haymitch was in love with Maysilee, but she'd died in The Hunger Games arena. Her death and all Haymitch endured during the Games had turned him into an anti-social alcoholic.

For Maryenne Undersee, the effects of her twin sister's violent death was equally traumatic and lasting. Madge's mother, was often bedridden from severe headaches and depression, and her health had been steadily declining in recent years. Madge said that when her mother had been in better health, they would go to Victor's Village regularly to check on Haymitch. Now, Madge would go every few weeks by herself.

Still at her locker, Katniss held five books in her arms.

Oh wait. I don't need my geometry book; we have a quiz today and that'll take all class period to finish.

She replaced the math book, shut her locker door, and started the long walk to the other side of the school to Mrs. Minson's classroom. Even if she walked slowly, she would arrive with more than five minutes to spare.

As usual, the walk made her think, and her mind flashed back to Lilla Newsome's words after the wrestling match the previous afternoon. Katniss scowled and could feel her cheeks burning as she imagined a series of unfortunate circumstances befalling the shallow girl whose only real talents were fluffing her hair, poking out her chest, and flirting.

I'd love to see her miss a step at the top of the bleachers during school assembly and tumble all the way down to the floor, landing flat on her ass in front of the entire school. Or maybe she could accidentally tuck the hemline of her skirt into her underwear and embarrass the hell out of herself in front of everyone, including Peeta. Or better yet, a farting episode! Mom has that elixir to relieve constipation. I'd love to slip some to Lilla and watch her have a humiliating farting session wherever she went that entire day. Everyone would hear it and smell it. And the smell would be so bad that everyone would –

Suddenly, Katniss gasped as a hand locked around her forearm and pulled her into a mostly dark, narrow janitor's closet. A small window the width of a brick near the ceiling allowed a singular stream of light to enter. And of course, that ray of light chose to dance in his slate blue eyes.

"So," he smirked, moving closer and inching her backward until she was pressed against the wall. He rested his palm above her head, his muscular arm barricading her. "You finally decided to come to one of my matches."

Katniss half-grinned and half-smirked. "Are you happy now?"

"Nope," Peeta slowly shook his head. "I want more."

And there was that smile that could change her whole mood, and that soft, lip-locking kiss that easily disoriented her. She pulled one hand from her books to rest against his chest as she moaned into his lips.

"You did great by the way," she whispered, a coy smile playing on her lips, their faces inches apart.

"Thank you." Peeta maneuvered her books from her arm and set them on a nearby stand. His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her close. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers finding purchase in his blonde curls.

"So why did you leave so fast? I was looking for you afterward."

Katniss's scowl returned. "I didn't want to be in the company of your fan club led by Lilla. She was bragging to her friends that you were a good lover and that she was determined to get you back."

Peeta sighed in exasperation and rolled his eyes. "Lilla and I dated for four months, two years ago. I really wish she would get the message already."

"She thinks she still has a chance because in her mind, you haven't dated anyone since her."

"Oh but I am dating someone," Peeta said huskily. "I'm dating the most beautiful girl in all of Panem."

Katniss's lips twitched into a smile at his compliment. He commented on her beauty all the time, and it made her nervous because she knew he was being sincere. But now she chewed pensively on her bottom lip as she formulated her next words.

"Hey. Everdeen," he said playfully. "I need those lips. Kiss me."

He leaned in for another and their lips met, but her mind was clearly elsewhere. He pulled away.

"Where'd you go, babe?" He asked softly, his brows furrowed as his eyes searched hers. "You know I have zero interest in Lilla. And the only other girl you'll see me hanging out with is Delly. We've been friends so long, she's practically a third brother."

"I know," Katniss reassured, resting her palm on his chest. "I know, baby. It's just that… well… I've decided that I want more too."

"What do you mean?"

She slid from his embrace and took a few steps further into the narrow closet. "In three months, we will have been together for a year, and no one knows we're dating except Delly and Rye."

"We both decided that was best, given my mother and your father and your concerns about drawing attention to yourself."

"We did. And I still think that's best." She toyed with her hands. She'd been thinking about having this talk with Peeta for weeks, long before Lilla's proclamation. She just needed to say the words. Peeta covered her hands with his and gently drew her back to him. "So what is it, babe?"

She searched his eyes, her heart taking flight. "I'm ready to make love. I want more for us, and I think our anniversary would be a good date to plan for… that."

Peeta studied her carefully, doubtfully. "Is this about what Lilla said? Because we don't have to do this until you're truly ready, Katniss. You know I've never pressured you to –"

"I know you haven't." Her heart was racing so fast, she felt out of breath. "And that's one of the reasons why I love you, Peeta. You're not like other guys. I mean, you're the only guy I've ever dated, but I know most guys would want sex immediately. But not you." She slid her arms around his neck. "You have been amazingly patient."

"I'm not with you for the sex. I'm with you because I've been a goner since I was five-years-old. Because I love you and I want you, all of you. And it's been worth it to wait. We've gotten so close in these past nine months. You know more about me than anyone else. Even my brothers."

"And the same is true for me. Not even Madge knows half of all I've shared with you. Which is why I'm ready, baby. I want this. For us."

He smiled down on her. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Three months?"

"We can plan for three months. But I'm ready. Any moment will be the right one so long as I'm with you."

Peeta pulled her into a deep, inhaling kiss and held her body so close to his that they could feel each other's heartbeats.

The bell rang, and they reluctantly pulled apart. Peeta handed Katniss her books.

"I'd better get to Minson's."

Peeta groaned. "I've got math first period. I'll see you in our usual spot after school while you're waiting on Prim."

"Okay."

After another quick kiss, Peeta stuck his head out of the closet door. The hall was deserted as usual. He motioned for her to come out.

"I love you," he whispered as she passed.

"Love you too."

Peeta counted to 15, then he entered the hallway. In his walk to his first class, he tried to appear casual although excitement was pinging inside his body.

She wants to make love! She's the girl of my dreams, and she wants to make love!

He could see her at a distance, making her way down the hall and eventually rounding the corner.

This is real. This is forever. I don't care what part of town she comes from; I want to spend the rest of my life with Katniss Everdeen.

A/N: Please stay tuned. There's more to come!