A/N.

Hey guys! I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter, I think it was the longest one yet? Things really get going in this chapter, we have a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed sweetheart heading for USA! Oooh, and I read some new books over the last week, they're the Hush, Hush series. If you haven't read them, I highly recommend them! And also, I just realised that my profile said I was only fifteen, what? ahaha

Enjoy x

Chapter 8 - September

Peeta's POV

This is it. Today's the day. Peeta was apprehensive as he sat on the almost empty bus headed for the airport. What if Katniss doesn't want to see me? The same thought had been racing through his head for the past three days, and his mother hadn't been helping the situation much. And neither was Delly.

He had only told his mother that he was going back to America a week ago, and she had seemed surprisingly calm at the time. But then, two days ago, the snide remarks about Katniss started again. He hadn't even mentioned her, but she knew that he was going to see her.

And Delly was another problem entirely. After she kissed him, she called the next day, same old Delly, giggling down the phone to him as if nothing had happened. He knew she was still upset though. He had called her again last night and apologised, but Delly waved him off, claiming that it was his fault, and that they were too close for something like that. But then, same as her mother, she would throw in these little comments about Katniss.

"She's really pretty. I bet she has a hot boyfriend."

"I wonder if she'll remember you."

"It might be awkward."

He knew that she'd remember him, after all she had sent him a letter only a month or two ago. He had it tucked away in his wallet, and Peeta hadn't let it out of his sight since he received it. It was as if it was just a hallucination, and if he looked away for too long it would disappear.

Peeta realised that the bus had stopped, gathered up his luggage and set off towards the airport. He had managed to get Finnick's phone number - with great difficulty - and Finnick had reassured him that he could stay with Katniss. Peeta wondered whether or not there was something going on between Finnick and Katniss, something more than either of them had disclosed. But then again, he doubted it. Why would Finnick have welcomed Peeta if he and Katniss were together?

The final call for Peeta's flight rang out over the airport, coming from the large speakers that he spotted in the corners. There were people everywhere, some serious looking business men and some clearly stressed mothers trying to keep their children under control. He also spotted a girl leaning next to one of the many bars. She was bleached blonde, and had on much more make-up than what must be good for her skin. She gave him what she thought must have been a flirtatious smile, but Peeta just found it creepy. He returned the smile but looked away almost instantly.

The queue to board was short, so he got a beside a rather cranky looking man almost straight away. This was it. One flight and Katniss is at the other end of it.

Peeta fell asleep almost as soon as the plane took off, and woke up with just another 2 hours to go. He needed to go to the bathroom, and stood up. Peeta took a glance around the plane, and noticed a very familiar mop of curly blonde hair sitting a few rows back.

"Delly? What are you doing here?" Peeta hissed at her, slightly harsher than he intended to.

Delly's eyes shot up and met his, and she almost instantly turned bright red, stuttering over her words. "Oh-Uh-I-Um-I have, uh, relatives out here?" she stammered unconvincingly, making Peeta angry.

"Come here, now." Peeta couldn't believe this. He knew that Delly had feelings for him, but he didn't realise she was this crazy. This wasn't good. He already knew that she wasn't going to like Katniss.

They walked into the cramped bathroom space. "Care to explain?" Peeta asked somewhat coldly, trying to keep calm.

"Oh, Peeta, I was just worried. I mean, you can't expect to just show up at some girl's house when you haven't seen her in, like, forever, and expect her to just throw her arms around you and say she loves you. I just wanted to be a good friend. If she rejected you, how would you cope on your own? You don't know anyone. It wouldn't have been fair of me to send you on your own."

"I used to live there Delly, I do have friends. And Marvel has a cousin that I can stay with if things don't work out like I hope. I don't need you to control me like I'm your little doll or something!"

"It's not like that! I was just trying to be a good friend." Delly whimpered and stuck out her bottom lip, pouting like a child.

Peeta let out a long sigh and scrubbed his hands roughly over his face. "Fine. You can stay with Marvel's cousin. But please, please, don't interfere with Katniss and I, OK?"

"Yay! Thank you Peety!" Peeta cringed, and Delly pulled him in for a slightly smothering hug.

They exited the bathroom and found their seats again, and Peeta felt his eyes beginning to droop again. He realise that the past few weeks had really taken their toll on him. He hadn't been getting as much sleep, and this is as much as he had gotten in almost a month.

Peeta woke to someone gently shaking his shoulder. He opened his eyes and saw one of the flight attendants. "We're landing in five minutes, sir." she said to him with a smile. Almost exactly five minutes later, the plane landed and Peeta was one of the first off. He decided that it would be good to wait for Delly, as much as he wanted to just go. Peeta met Delly at baggage claim, and they phoned for one of the airport cabs.

"I'm taking you to Marvel's cousin's house and then I'm going to Katniss' house, OK? Her friend Finnick is giving me a ride there."

"Can I not meet Katniss? Pleeeaaaase?" Delly whined indignantly.

"No, I'm going to see her first." Peeta replied, feeling annoyed once again about the fact that she was actually crazy enough to follow him to America.

"Fine." Delly huffed for the rest of the way there, giving him the silent treatment.

Fine with me, he thought.

The cab ride didn't take long, and they both hopped out in front of a large apartment complex. "Marvel's cousin is called Cinna, I think."

They took the stairs, as the elevator was out of service. It only took them five minutes to find the apartment, and they knocked on the door. A short man with pale brown skin and amber eyes opened the door.

"Hi, you must be Peeta. And who's your friend?" Cinna said with a smile.

"Oh, this is Delly. Is it OK if she stays with you for a while, until she can get a flight back out? There was a, uh, change of plan." Peeta asked nervously, knowing it was a lot to ask.

"Yes, yes, of course!" Cinna beckoned them in, but Peeta refused.

"I think I'm going to go and see Katniss straight away. Finnick texted me and said she was at home."

This was it. There was only a door separating Peeta and the girl he was undoubtedly in love with. Before he could stop himself, he reached up and gave a quiet knock on the door. He could hear voices inside and then footsteps, which were gradually getting louder. The door swung open.

Their eyes met, and it suddenly felt like they were in an empty space, with nothing else surrounding them.

"P-Peeta? What are you doing here?"

"I, uh, came to see you."

A/N.

Well, there you guys have it! They've finally met! Ahhh young love, but you all know it won't be a smooth road. Hehe sorry!

I have big exams coming up along with music practicals (basically a performance exam) and a huge art project to complete, so updates may not be as frequent as I want them to be. But bare with me! I will see this through to the end.

Keep reviewing, maybe the more reviews I get the faster I'll update! They make me so happy :) Maybe if I get up to 40 reviews after this story it may motivate me to update a little sooner, yeah?

Love you guys!