Chapter 6: Intemperance

There is a moment when you first wake up, when you have a clean slate. A moment in time where all your memories cease to exist. In an instant of time, you are at peace. There are no worries, no frustrations, and no emotions whatsoever, only the feeling of bliss. As I wake up, I experience this small fraction of time. It is like a blank page, the author seemingly unable to conjure a single word to evoke a story. I am free of all feelings, whether good or bad, and I breathe in the fresh scent of a receding winter, which brings with it the hope of new awakening. In this small, but crucial, point in time, I am happy. I am in ecstasy.

But it only lasts a second or two, before everything comes rushing back. All the emotions, insecurities, pains, and hardships of the world flood into your mind like a whirlpool of reality. The smell of spring awakening has turned dark, unrecognizable. It has become unfamiliar. I remember that I am not happy in this moment. I realize that I too, have become unfamiliar.

The few items on my night table begin to shake, as a loud smash sounds with the slamming of a door. I can hear shouting downstairs before my door crashes open. My father now stands before me, with an expression of both confusion and anger. His eyebrows are furrowed in annoyance, and he takes a while to form a sentence as he paces back and forth in my room.

"Is there something wrong, Dad?" I ask, confused. He normally tended to stay away from my room, and only approached when he had something exceptionally important to ask me. We were not very close, and our relationship had slowly dwindled over the years. I knew very well that my father did not understand the reasons behind why I had so suddenly changed over the last year and a half. When I first brought a boy home to introduce to my parents, I remember seeing the pain in his eyes as he shook his hand. He did not care so much as to why I am the way I am, but every now again I can see a reflection of puzzlement make its way onto his face. I knew that this moment was no different.

"Damn right there is something wrong, son!" My father exclaimed suddenly, before instinctively raising his hand to cover his mouth. "Peeta, I don't understand what's going on with you," he said, as he grimly sat down on the edge of my bed with his head hung low in sadness. "I ask you to do one thing, one thing, and you don't do it. Be honest with me, you hear me?" he added, his tone increasing from concern to anger once more. "Did you even bother to start working on Mrs. Cumberbatch's cake last night?" he said, perplexed.

The realization of the events hit me like a wild fire, slowly simmering its way across my mind. I could feel the burning of shame searing from my head to my heart, which now burned with an intense flame. How could I have forgotten? I asked myself. My eyes were all over the room at once, trying to peace together the events of the night before.

"I…well, Dad…I may have just…" I tried, but I could no longer form sentences. I could hardly remember words for that matter. My mind was racing so fast, that I could not choose the best answer to his question. In fact, there was no correct answer. I had failed my father, and the bakery, out of my own self-interests with Cato. "I'm so sorry, I promise you it won't happen again!" I exclaimed last minute, the jumble of words swiftly protruding from my lips.

"I expected so much more from you, son. Do you know who stopped into the bakery this morning? Mrs. Mason. She wanted to ask why the bakery was closed early last night, since she was expecting guests and wanted to serve some freshly-baked pastries," my dad began, not taking his eyes from me. "I had to tell her that there was a family emergency. Let me make this clear, Peeta, that this will be the only time I make an excuse for your behavior."

"I don't know what happened!" I started, but I could already see the regret in my father's eyes as he processed another lie. He shook his head before pulling himself from the bed slowly. He walked slowly, turning back only once to look at me with an expression full of disappointment.

"I talked this over with you mother, you know," my father explained. "You should thank her. She managed to convince me to shorten your punishment. With that said, you're grounded for the weekend. No leaving the house, no texting, and no friends. You hear me?" my father added. I could only nod, before he turned and slammed the door. The shelf beside the door rocked back and forth with the reverberation, sending a small glass ornament smashing to the ground.

It didn't hit me until a couple minutes later that Cato's party is tonight. I let out a large grunt, before crashing my head back down into the pillow. That's when I started reminiscing on last night's events…

"You only won because you got a head start," I said to Cato, with a huge smirk on my face. He was bobbing up and down in the water on the side of the pool, gazing at me intently.

"Is that right?" he replied laughing. "Your free-style isn't half-bad, Peeta" he added, his laughter turning into a more serious expression. He inspected my face rapidly, with enough detail that he noticed a flash of happiness in my expression. "What? I do compliment sometimes, you know," he said, splashing a fair amount of water in my direction.

"To what do I owe the honor?" I chuckled, before sending a splash back in his direction.

"That's it!" Cato exclaimed. He took me by surprise as he propelled himself off the edge and dove into me. His hands wrapped around me, dragging me under the waters surface. When we both made our way up for air, we immediately began laughing.

It wasn't long before we made our way to the change room, where Cato had already prepared a replacement set of clothes for me. He rounded the corner to change, in order to give one another privacy. It was thrilling in a way, as I turned to remove my bathing suit. It felt nice to replace my soaked swimming trunks with warm clothes from Cato's wardrobe. He asked if I was done changing, before he rounded the corner and swung his arm over my shoulders.

"Ready for round two?" he asked, which took me off-guard.

I turned my head up to his, inspecting his lips that were only a few inches from my own. His face was cleanly shaven, and his jaw-line protruded from his cheeks. "Round two? Are you serious?" I asked. I watched as his blue eyes made their way down to meet mine, while we still continue walking through the set of doors.

"Did you really think that this is all I had planned for tonight?" Cato responded, his expression gleaming with self-pleasure.

"You continuously surprise me, Mr. Ladies Man" I chimed back at him.

"What can I say?" Cato smirked sarcastically. "But a man has got to eat at some point. How about we go for some late-night pizza?" Cato added.

"That sounds delicious," I replied. This boy, who truly made me feel like I was in paradise, amazed me with every action. He made me feel special; he made me wanted. Even though Cato didn't seem like the type, he made me feel extraordinary in my own way.

The drive there was quite entertaining, as I watched Cato dance to the music while we made our way back onto the freeway. Instead of going back into town, he began driving in the other direction.

"Where are we going?" I asked, both excited and nervous.

"I thought you liked surprises?" Cato responded, and tossed me a wink.

When we finally made our way off the highway, I noticed that Cato had taken us out to where the lake touched onto the sandy shore. It was a common place for cottages and summer events, such as kayaking and waterboarding. It came as no surprise, when Cato pulled into a parking lot just outside of a large brown cottage.

I didn't speak as I tried to capture this moment perfectly. It was like something I would sit down and paint when I was in my room alone. The way the moonlight reflected off of the waters surface and illuminated the walls of the cottage. There were solar lights that lit up the edges of the balcony as we made our way up the stairs and through the set of glass doors.

I was surprised yet again when Cato pulled out a four-cheese pizza with bacon strips and pepperoni slices from the freezer. He turned the oven on, before making his way over to where I lay by the fireplace.

"Is this where you usually take your dates, to impress them?" I asked, looking into his eyes for an answer. I could see the reflection of the fire in his pupils, which warmed the rest of his expression as he began speaking.

"This is where I come alone when I have a lot on my mind. It helps me to get rid of all the thoughts in my head, which can get pretty stuffed considering football and swimming," Cato started. He motioned to sit beside me on the brick near the fire. I moved over slightly to allow room for his built figure, before he took a seat and continued. His voice was rather calm, and I realized that I had never seen Cato like this apart from our study night. He was vulnerable when he was with me, and he allowed himself to open up when I was around. "You're actually the first person that I've brought here. Now don't go running your mouth to the others, who have been dying to get a glimpse of this place since I first bought it," Cato added.

"You bought this?" I asked slowly, stuttering between each syllable.

"I saved enough money over a couple of years, and my parents doubled what I put into it, so it wasn't that big of an expense really," Cato responded. "Can I tell you something?" he added, turning to face me.

"Anything," I replied.

"When my parents were battling over a court case which threatened to cause them to divorce, I used to come here… every single night. I would sit here by the fire, or sit out on the balcony over the lake and be able to process everything. I would listen to the owls in the trees and the rippling of the water, and I could swear for that moment in time I was at peace. It didn't matter what was going on at home, or in school, because when I was here I could just let everything go." Cato took a moment to compose himself before continuing. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I wanted to give you this," Cato added, as he placed his clenched hand into mine. I could feel a cold, metal object fall into my palm, as he traced his fingers back from my hand.

"A key?" I asked, confused and surprised by the gesture. Take me on a date first, I thought to myself…

"I know that you've been having problems with your friends lately, and I want you to be able to come somewhere to clear your head if you need to," Cato replied sympathetically. It was a sweet gesture, and I knew that is was time to confess my feelings.

"Cato, I need to tell you something," I started, but his hand raised to silent me.

"I already know, Peeta," he says. He gives me a small reassuring smile, before he states: "It doesn't make a difference to me whether or not you like girls or boys. You're a good friend, Peeta. This doesn't change anything."

I went to stop him, to admit to him that I had been pining over him for this entire time when the timer went off for the pizza. "I'm starving! Let's go eat at the table," Cato exclaimed. He gave me a helping hand before running off to grab a pair of oven mitts.

The rest of the night was spent was spent eating the pizza and talking about Cashmere and the rest of the group. He made a couple references to Katniss and Gale, but I didn't bother to ask what he meant by them. He also explained that the fight with Finnick was not an impulse reaction. He said that their families had been at each other's throats for a long time, and his bottled anger just erupted the other day when Finnick gave him a flirtatious compliment. I just nodded in understanding, while I ate my pizza in silence.

I thought that we would have spent the night at the cottage, but Cato told me that his parents were expecting him home soon, as it was nearly 3am. I knew that my parents would be very upset with me, but I managed to keep calm and enjoy this special moment with Cato. Although Cato wasn't aware, tonight made me finally accept my feelings. I could no longer tell myself that this boy didn't have an effect on me, because he did. But it was more than that. I could now picture myself with no other.

He gave me a really cute, nervous expression, as he motioned to enter his number in my phone. It was a very insignificant act in my opinion, but to Cato it was a big ordeal. He was practically trembling as he tapped the screen. Why couldn't he show this sincere side to everyone? I thought, but I knew well enough not to ask.

I was pulled from my reflections when I realized that I had forgotten about the glass ornament that had smashed over the carpet. I gradually made my way over to the closet and took hold of a broom. Travelling back to my room, I quickly cleaned up the mess, and jumped into the shower.

While I was in the shower, I took time to remind myself that it was the biggest party of the year, and Cato would be expecting me to be there. I had already asked if Katniss and Gale could accompany me. I thought back to yesterday evening when I texted both friends, and received a minor response from each. Although they accepted my offer to accompany me, they did not seem overly pleased about it. I was sure that they only wanted to look out for me. Moreover, Gale enjoyed his alcohol.

When I turned the taps off and reached for a soft, blue towel on the floor, I could hear my phone buzzing in the distance against the nightstand. I had only to hope that my father could not hear the noise, or else he would strip me of my cell phone entirely.

I dried myself off and ran as quickly as possible, and reached the phone at the last remaining second.

"Hello?" I said silently.

"Hey Peeta! Are you just getting up now?" Cato exclaimed into the phone, which made me pull my ear instinctively away from the speaker.

"I've been up for a little while," I replied, closing my door.

"Did I tire you out last night?" Cato responded. "As in, the swimming," he correct, his voice nervous and embarrassed.

"I can handle the late nights," I replied, flirtatiously. "That actually reminds me. Would you mind picking me up tonight?" I asked him, biting my lip as usual in anticipation.

"Let me think about that. I may have to check my schedule," Cato replied mockingly. "Of course I can! Why do you think I'm calling, Mellark!" he added.

"You almost had me there," I replied. "Perfect, can you pick me up down the street?" I inquired.

"Sure…but can I ask why? Are you parents mad because I brought you home late last night?" Cato responded, his tone turning into concern.

"Not at all, they barely noticed. And no reason, really. The party starts at 9, so can you be here at 8?" I replied, in question. I had to lie to him about being grounded, because I didn't want Cato to blame himself for taking me away from the bakery.

"I think I can manage that! Oh…wear something nice," Cato added, before saying goodbye. I heard the click of the phone, and knew he had hung up before I had the chance to respond.

Wear something nice? I ask myself. What am I getting myself into?

The Party

I had arrived at the party alongside Cato, who looked particularly sensual in his outfit. I had chosen to wear a nice blue dress-shirt with rolled-up sleeves, and a pair of black pants. I decided to wear a white belt to accentuate the colors, and bring a racy element to my character.

Katniss and Gale arrived together, with a matching dress and tie. I wondered if Gale had popped the question yet, but decided not to embarrass them any more so than needed.

"Hey guys!" I shouted, and both Katniss and Gale waved before making their way over to where Cato and I stood.

"I'm going to head inside. Catch you later?" Cato said before turning and leaving.

"Things going well with Cato?" Katniss beamed, a little too excited.

"Other than the fact that I'm already madly in love with him, everything else is relatively good, I guess," I responded, smiling. I noticed that Katniss was wearing a all-black dress with a green band around the waist. Gale was wearing an all-black attire, with a green tie.

"You're too cute," Katniss replied, with a smile of her own. I noticed that her expression held no level of hatred for me, only happiness.

"Ready to get another level of wasted?" Gale exclaimed, which took Katniss and I by surprise. He was typically subtle, but his nerves must have gotten the best of him in the moment.

"I'm actually going to try and stay relatively sober. I want to impress Cato," I said simply. Katniss replied that she planned to get intoxicated simply on the atmosphere, before Gale and I broke out into laughter.

"Let's head inside," I suggested and we all made our way together. It felt nice knowing that at least for now things between us were all right. Everything in the world was at peace. Unfortunately not for long.

The party had started off relatively social, where most of the kids from school went around interacting with one another, watched television, or played around with the fancy gadgets that Cato's family owned. However, it took a drastic turn several hours later, when most of the kids became heavily intoxicated. I tried my best to keep an eye on Cato, but when the football crowd took him outside, I lost track of him. They were not gone long, but I suspected that there were activities going on that involved a high intake of alcohol for the quarterback. My suspicions were correct, when moments later Cato returned, severely intoxicated himself.

He was fumbling all over Clove, who was excitedly enjoying the attention as she danced around him flirtatiously. I had to refrain myself from watching any longer, because I felt increasingly disheartened and upset the longer it went on.

When he finally collapsed onto the glass stand in front of the television, I knew that he had not taken his alcohol in moderation. I had to run over to help him, alongside Clove, in order to lift him from the broken piece of furniture.

"Don't let that stop the party!" He exclaimed, raising his beer toward the ceiling. "My parents will just buy another one twice as expensive!"

Everybody continued to drink, and the music was turned back up again. Their taste in music was horrendous, but it was enough to create a buzz alone.

"I think you've had enough of that big guy," Clove said, snatching the beer bottle from his hand. "Peeta, would you be able to take Cato upstairs?" she asked me, before running over to stop an altercation in the kitchen.

"Peeta! I haven't seen you in forever! Oh, how I miss you," Cato mumbled. I just nodded at him and went along with his rambling, as I began leading the way across the room.

I led Cato up the stairs to his bedroom, supporting him as he tumbled over each set of stairs. I put my arm around his waist; since he was taller than me, which allowed me to somewhat steady him. His mind seems to be racing, and the room is blurring according to his uneasiness. I open the door before me, as I steal a glance to see if Cato is doing all right.

"Cato, you need to lay down," I reiterate several times over. I lead him across the room, and help to bring him onto the bed. His strong arms reflexively flex under the weight. It looks so good, that I can't help myself but to reach out to place a hand on his chest.

"Peeta, I want you," Cato admits, looking into my eyes with such force and recognition, that I begin to question his drunken state at all. I'm struck by his sincerity though, but he seems to be having trouble processing everything under the alcohol.

"Peeta, I want you," he states again, this time more stern than the last.

"Cato, you're drunk. You need your rest," I respond, trying to pull the covers over him. He immediately begins kicking the covers away and protesting like a child, before he continues.

"Peeta, I'm not drunk. I just want to be with you. Together. Come here. Please," Cato stutters over and over again. I try to contend with him but he's too strong, and I'm unable to do anything but wait for his tantrum to end.

"Cato, stop. Clove is downstairs waiting for you. Both of you clearly have something for one another," I respond.

"Clove? Never!" Cato exclaimed. He seemed to be slowly sobering up, but he was clearly out of his wits.

"Drink this," I said calmly, bringing a bottle of water of to his lips. He guzzled a bit of it, before pushing it away with his hand.

"Peeta, please. At least come sit down and talk this over with me," Cato said, and I had to admit that it seemed like the right thing to do. I didn't want to leave him, in case he began to become sick, so it would allow for me to watch over him.

I started to make my way around the bed, and climbed up on the other side. I was just about to settle in and begin telling him about my feelings that have been overbearing over the last two weeks, before he started complaining.

"Can you turn my nightstand lamp off? It's burning my eyes," Cato said, impatient as ever. I pulled myself up and over him and felt my hand connect with the lamp switch. I eagerly clicked it off, and began making my way back when a strong hand crashed into the back of my neck.

The sensation hit me like an arrow to the heart. It felt sweet…tender…passionate…but also heightened and steadily intensifying. Cato had pulled me down into an embrace and was currently kissing me like a growing wildfire. It was gradually amplifying, as he slipped his tongue into my mouth. I started to recoil, but his hand was strong on the back of my head. It was just how I imagined it would be when Cato kissed someone: he would be twirling his fingers around in your hair. The kiss was truly affecting my entire body, and I let out a low moan through my lips, which made Cato all the more excited. His other hand moved onto my chest and started slowly making its way toward my belt. I adjusted my hands into his hair while cupping his cheeks and pulled my left leg over to his other side. I was now straddling his waistline, and deepening the kiss with each movement of our lips.

And just as sudden as it began the wildfire extinguished, when Clove began knocking on the door, which startled both of us. Before I could react, Cato had tossed me to the floor and was shouting at her not to open the door. From the floor I could see the doorknob turning slowly; and despite the pain of the fall, I started running for the nearest shelter.

Author's Note: Here you go! I wrote this between Shakespeare lessons, so if it's a little confusing then you can understand why ;) Hope you all enjoy! Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, favourited, followed, and the works! Always appreciated ~ xx