Never Be Mine

By: Michelle Rose Landau

Summary: The only way she'll notice me, the only way I'll know she's interested either way, is if I just talk to her. Love, sex, marriage, and family in 12.

Genre: Romance/AU; there's still Hunger Games, but Katniss and Peeta won't be Tributes.

Pairing(s)/Characters: eventual Peeta/Katniss, Gale/Katniss, Gale/Madge, Peeta/OC, OC/Tributes

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games series. They are the sole creative property of Suzanne Collins.

A/N: Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and likes! They are much appreciated. Enjoy.

~two~

I decide that I'm not going to grant Arden his favor.

I'm sure it's not going to matter to him too much, it's what we do, we're brothers. So, in the end, I'm not bothered by it.

What I am bothered by is the fact that I'm so comfortable with not approaching Katniss.

I see her in every class, except for PE, when the boys and girls are separated. I hear her name and she hears mine everyday, and yet I'm invisible to her.

I'm okay with this, and it's frustrating.

I think about what Dad said the other night, about teenagers being teenagers and enjoying the good times while they last.

Maybe that's why I'm okay with it.

It's better that I keep how I feel about her to myself because Katniss has enough to deal with, she likely won't accept me, and I get the feeling that she doesn't want to be attached to anyone, not even Gale, whose affection isn't lost on her.

Whether she says so or not, by default, she's Gale's girl.

More than that, we're both sixteen.

We're eligible to be chosen as Tributes in the Games for two more years.

Anything romantic right now is too painful to bear if it's just going to end with one or both people involved ending up in the Hunger Games. It's almost not worth it for many of us, but there's a few people who try to have a relationship just to know what it feels like.

In the seventy four years since the Hunger Games first began, District Twelve has only had two victors. One of them died, the other is a cantankerous drunkard by the name of Haymitch Abernathy.

So, the outlook is very, very bleak for any tributes that come out of Twelve.

Anything serious before age nineteen stood a significant chance of being doomed by the lethal Games.

If things were different, maybe if we were from District One, or Two, then I'd be more willing to tell her.

Right now, things are the way they are.

I look over at her, and she's a bit slouched in her desk, her face again unreadable as she watches the presentation about the Dark Days. Her hair is down today, and she brushes it to drape over her right shoulder, then she crosses her arms over her chest, stifling a yawn.

When it comes to history class, she's more than a little indifferent.

I watch as she tilts her head from side to side, wanting to get the kinks out probably, then she sits up more and raises her hand.

"Yes, Miss Everdeen?"

"Can I go to the restroom?"

"Yes, but hurry back," Mr. Dellinger, our history instructor, says. "You have notes over President Snow's treaty speech."

"Of course, wouldn't want to miss that," she mumbles under her breath as she gets up and heads out.

She doesn't return, and the bell rings for lunch.

Her things are at her desk, and no one picks it up, so I make my way over to her desk and gather up her notebook and bag and I just wait for her to return right outside of the class.

We have an hour for lunch, so I've got time to wait.

Maybe I can talk to her when she comes to get her things. There's really no avoiding her, and actually, when she does come, there is no maybe. I have to speak up because to her, I'm a stranger, holding her belongings.

About fifteen minutes in, she doesn't show up. Just as I'm heading to the lunch room, Gale shows up.

He sees me with Katniss' things and he approaches me.

"I came to pick up Katniss' bag," he says.

"Uh, yeah," I say, handing it to him.

"Thanks for picking it up," Gale says, then he walks down the hallway.

Lunch comes in the form of some sort of meat, bread, and carrots.

I pick up my tray and I go outside and meet my friends on the yard.

"Are you gonna eat your carrots?" Theo asks Sander.

"Nope, have at it," Sander consents.

It's actually a nice day; there isn't a cloud in the sky, and it's not too warm, even though the summer lingers.

The older kids just kind of hang around, maybe toss a ball, or just sit around with friends and talk at this time.

The little kids are play on the playground, and I see Prim on the swings. Katniss smiles as she watches.

"Not too high, Prim," Katniss says, protective as ever. "I'm going to be right over there, 'kay?"

"Hi Peeta."

I look up, and I see Kitty Seever standing in front of me, and I blink to avoid rolling my eyes right in front of her.

Since kindergarten, I've been infatuated with a girl who doesn't even know me, and at the same time, I've been actively trying to avoid Kitty Seever, who has been actively pursuing me since the third grade.

It's painful having a conversation with this girl and her equally dim friends. She's not the sharpest pencil in the box, which is ironic because her parents are both part of the Chamber of Commerce for Twelve as accountants.

"Hi Kitty."

She sits down on the grass next to me, uninvited, I might add, and she smoothes over her blouse.

She's beautiful, there's no doubt about that; I'd be a fool not to notice the wide set, sultry eyes, her curly hair...her body... But looks only go so far for me.

"Sooo...you know the festival is coming," she reminds me.

The festival happens every year in September. It's the one thing Twelve prides itself on. Traders from the Hob, Merchants, musicians, and craftsmen and women come to the Square and it's a great time for everyone. They set up a huge tent for dancing, and the festival goes for a weekend.

It's a great time for everyone.

"Yeah," I say. "I have to work the booth with my family."

Hopefully that will clue her in to the fact that I won't be able to give her the time of day then, or...ever.

"Oh," she pouts slightly. "I was kind of hoping that you could get out of it for a little bit...for the dance."

"Uh, probably not," I say with certainty.

Kitty's face falls, then she gets up and walks away.

"You're an idiot," Theo accuses. "Why won't you go with her?"

"'Cause he's hung up on Katniss," Batter snorts. "Jeez, Peet. Either tell her how you feel, or forget about her. There's plenty other girls."

"If you don't want Kitty, I'll take her," Theo smirks.

"Kitty's a dim wit," Sander frowns. "She's lazy...man, if she gets reaped, she'll be dead before she gets off the plate."

"C'mon, Sander," I say. "That's a little harsh."

"Just sayin'," he shrugs. "Sure, she's hot, but that's all she's got going for her. Who wants to be with a girl that you can't have an adult conversation with?"

Hearing Sander talk about Kitty so badly, I realize that I probably hurt her feelings, but as Dad says, there are worse things.

I turn my attention back to the swings, where Prim and her friends are swinging higher, and higher.

I know that they're going to jump out of the swings.

I watch the girls jump out of the swings.

The next moments seem to happen in slow motion. Prim lands wrong, and I see her ankle twist and her hands and elbows get all scraped up by the pavement.

I see her face crumble and she screams.

"Prim!"

Katniss is distressed already, and I don't even think as I get up.

I'm closer to the swings than Katniss, but she's jetting across the field.

I run over to Prim, who is crying, and I kneel down next to her.

Katniss arrives a minute later.

"My ankle!" Prim sobs.

"Shh, let's take you to the nurse," I say softly as I scoop her up into my arms.

Katniss is right there, comforting her sister.

"Shh, it's okay, Prim," she says. "I'll look at it once we get you inside."

I take her into the front office, where the infirmary is located, and I set little Prim on the bed as the nurse scrambles.

I immediately step aside as Katniss takes over and kisses Prim's forehead.

"I'm sorry Katty," Prim hiccups.

"I told you not too high," Katniss scolds lightly. "You have to be careful, Little Duck."

I watch as Katniss argues with the school nurse about what to do to treat Prim. I find out that Prim is allergic to rubbing alcohol and that she requires some kind of herb to heal the scrapes.

The nurse looks annoyed by Katniss' pushiness, Prim's crying, and my presence.

"Katty, is my ankle broken?" Prim asks in a small, panicked voice.

"No, no, it's not broken, thank goodness," Katniss sighs, then she turns to the nurse. "Just phone for my mother please."

The nurse glares at Katniss, but Katniss isn't fazed, then she goes out to use the phone.

Katniss looks at me, her expression unreadable, and I decide that I should probably go.

Probably turns into definitely once Gale shows up, and I make my exit.

Just as I begin to make my way down the hall, I hear her voice.

"Hey..."

I turn and look at her.

"Thanks," she says.

I nod, and she goes back into the office.

Another opportunity not taken.

But then again, it's not the most appropriate time, not when all she can think about is Prim.

I'm frustrated, and I'm not sure why.

I'm supposed to be okay with just being in the background, with being basically invisible to her.

So why am I so bothered?

I'm not too sure, but I think I'm bothered because I'm giving her up too quickly. I'm pretty sure that she looks to Gale as a good friend, I can sense it and see it.

I know that if I continue to keep it to myself, that eventually, she probably will be set, and it'll be too late to know.

I put my hands into my pockets, and head back outside.