Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who read, favorited, followed, and reviewed this story so far. I really do appreciate it.
Hope you all enjoy this chapter and PLEASE review. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, USC, the state of Texas, or the song 'Cowboys and Angels' by Dustin Lynch.
Chapter 2: Cowboys and Angels
~ There's a want, there's a need, there's a history between, girls like her and guys like me, cowboys and angels. I've got boots and she's got wings, I'm hell on wheels and she's heavenly, I'd die for her and she lives for me, cowboys and angels. We ride side by side, a cloud of dust, a ray of light. My touch her is her temptation, her kiss is my salvation. She's sweet, I'm wild, we're dangerous, cowboys and angels. I'm not sure why her path crossed mine, accident or grand design. Maybe God just kinda likes cowboys and angels. ~
"Peeta, kiss me." I say louder as he stares at me with his mouth hanging open.
"You… you want me… to kiss you?" Peeta stutters, but a huge smile lights up his face. His eyes shine with happiness. Instead of responding, I lean forward and crash my lips to his. He freezes momentarily but then kisses me back full force. We both pull back at the same time, smiling goofily at each other.
"That was…definitely better than our first kiss." Peeta says with a laugh. I do remember the first kiss Peeta and I shared… this one was definitely better.
Peeta and I were six years old when we shared our first kiss. Peeta and his brothers always got to school early because their parents had to drop them off and then go to work. I always got dropped off right before the bell.
The day off the kiss Peeta was sitting under a tree on the playground waiting for me, he was wearing an old, brown cowboy hat that was way too big for his head so it kept falling in his eyes. I went over and sat next to him.
"Peeta, why are you wearing that hat? You look funny." I said while I laughed.
Peeta adjusted his hat while he spoke, "I'm going to be a cowboy when I grow up. So I thought I should dress like one."
"I want to be an angel but my mommy said that only people in heaven can be angels." I had said sadly.
Peeta took a piece of my hair in his hand and twirled it around. "You are an angel Katniss; you will always be my angel." Peeta said before he planted an awkward kiss on my lips. The kiss had lasted about half a second before Peeta pulled back, his cheeks were a bright red. "I'm sorry Katniss. I didn't mean to do that, It just happened. Please say you'll still be my best friend." Peeta had said worriedly, his eyes were staring at the ground.
I grabbed his chin and made him look at me and said slowly; enunciating every word, "Peeta, I'm still your best friend. Nothing… will ever change that. Best friends forever?"
Peeta nodded happily, "of course, best friends forever."
"It was ten times better but you know; I think this interferes with our plans for being best friends forever." I say jokingly.
Peeta laughs, "You will always be my best friend, but that doesn't mean we can't try and be more than friends. I know it might be stupid to ask this, and I'll understand if you say no but I have to ask anyways; will you would be my girlfriend? "
"I'll be your girlfriend on one condition," I say looking into his bright blue eyes, " you have to promise to stay with me."
He leans in and whispers, "Always."
After our discussion Peeta and I decide to stay out by the lake for a little while longer, since we still have two hours before we have to pick the kids up. We spend the next hour sharing chaste kisses and holding hands.
"Peeta… can I ask you something?" I ask as we walk back towards his house.
"Sure. Ask away." He says with a smile.
"How long have you felt this way about me? You know, like how long have you wanted to be more than friends?" I ask awkwardly.
"Since the day we met. I have always liked you more than a friend, but I always thought it was a crush and it would pass but it never did. That's when I realized that I needed to talk to you. That talk went way better than I expected, I thought for sure you we're going to reject me. What about you? How long have you liked me more than a friend?" He asks and lets out a nervous laugh.
"I think I always liked you I just didn't want to admit it to myself. I was afraid if I said it out loud than I would lose you." I say as I stare at the landscape in front of me.
Peeta pulls me into a bone crushing hug and puts his lips next to my ear, "You will never lose me, ever."
The next day…
"… and now, I am very happy to present to you all our beautiful, incredibly smart, talented Valedictorian, Katniss Everdeen." Peeta says into the microphone after he finishes his speech.
I blush at Peeta's introduction but quickly make my way to the microphone, straightening out the papers that my speech is typed on. I clear my throat and start my speech, the crowd is completely silent as I give my speech but when I finish the crowd and our class erupts in to applause and cheers. I smile at everyone and then go back to my seat next to Peeta just as tears begin to form in my eyes. Peeta wraps an arm around my shoulders as the principal finishes up the ceremony with a speech of his own.
"I present to you all, the Panem High School graduating class of 2012." The principal finishes. Everyone in our class throws their graduation caps in the air; red and yellow caps rain down on us as Peeta pulls me in for a kiss.
We arrive at Grad Night right on time and once we are let free, Peeta and I head off to the rides with Cato, Clove, Gale and Johanna. Johanna and Gale sneak off after the first ride and Cato and Clove sneak off soon after leaving just Peeta and I. Neither of us objects to them leaving; I would much rather spend time with just Peeta. We spend the short wait in the lines kissing, much like the other couples that are around us but unlike them, Peeta and I are not trying to jump each other in line. When Peeta starts to get hungry we walk towards the front to grab food.
As we near the front we see Clove standing with Cato, so we decide to walk over to them. They don't see us walking towards them. We make it over to them right as Cato gets down on one knee and pulls out a ring.
"Clove, we're both going off to USC this fall and we're going to be living together and I know we've just graduated high school and this may be too soon but all I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you and only you, I love you. What I'm trying to ask is, will you marry me?" Cato asks. Clove looks stunned and I'm not exactly sure whether or not she is currently breathing but she manages to nod her head and choke out a yes. Peeta and I clap and they turn around smiling.
"Congratulations you two, I knew this was going to happen. If you proposed now though, what was that nig surprise Cato had planned for you or should I not ask." I say laughing.
Clove laughs and tells me about how Cato surprised her by telling her about the apartment he has rented for them. It's not far from USC but far enough to be in a safer part of town according to her. She then begs me to tell her all about what happened between Peeta and I since I had only told her the main points yesterday. After I told her she squealed in excitement and gives me a huge hug. Cato and Clove end up going off on their own again, leaving Peeta and I alone again. We go get some food and spend a little while just sitting and talking. We talk about all the memories we have shared with our friends in high school and Peeta even brought up some embarrassing moments the two of us have had.
"Katniss, remember my fifteenth birthday? That was by far the most embarrassing moment we have ever had." Peeta said laughing at the memory.
On Peeta's fifteenth birthday, I had planned to surprise him. I was going to take him out to the woods with me and finally teach him how to use a bow and arrow.
That morning I hopped in the shower, in hopes of relaxing my muscles a little bit. I stood in the shower singing stupid pop songs while washing out my hair, because of the sound of the water and my singing I didn't hear when someone had walked into my room. Once I was finished with my shower, I realized I had forgotten my towel on my dresser. I sighed and then opened my bathroom door and tried to make a beeline for my towel. Of course, my attempt at that was ruined when I ran right into Peeta and fell backwards onto the floor.
"Oh my gosh, Katniss are you-"Peeta starts but when he turns to help me up he freezes. He quickly looks away and walks over to my towel and tosses it to me from over his shoulder, while apologizing profusely.
I wrap the towel around my body, quickly grab some clothes and walk back into the bathroom to change, my cheeks a bright crimson red. When I walk back into my room, Peeta is sitting on my bed with bright red cheeks, staring at my wall like it's the most interesting thing he has seen all day.
"That was pretty embarrassing. At least it was you though and not Cato or Finnick." I say sarcastically.
"Why would Cato or Finnick be at your house?" Peeta asks jealously. It's hilarious watching Peeta get jealous over nothing.
"They wouldn't I just love when you get jealous, it's so amusing." I say laughing as he scowls at me and mutters something along the lines of not funny. I lean over the table and peck his lips quickly, which pulls him out of his mood. I smile triumphantly to myself and give Peeta another kiss before dragging him off to the rides again.
Eventually it's time to leave and we all load back on to the charter buses our school provided. Most people on the bus are still hyper and yelling back and forth to each other, mainly the football players. Peeta rolls his eyes as we watch Glimmer try and flirt with everyone. Some people never change, and she's one of them.
When we arrive back at the school, a lot of people are asleep on their seatmate's shoulder. Peeta is leaning against the window snoring loudly with his arms wrapped around me. I chuckle at the position we are in. I wake up Peeta by kissing his neck, he shudders and then his eyes flutter open.
He sighs when he sees me sitting back smirking at him, "you know it's not nice to wake people up while their sleeping but if you wake me up like that I guess I can't really complain." He smirks back at me as he grabs my hand and leads me off the bus. We walk to Peeta's jeep and he lifts me in carefully before getting in his side and starting the jeep. He drives to his house, where we are staying for the night. Both of our parents agreed it would be safer and since Peeta's parents were home they knew we wouldn't do anything too bad. Once we're in Peeta's house we walk up to his room quietly. He throws me the pajamas I brought over earlier and I go to the bathroom to change. When I come out Peeta is lying on his bed shirtless, propped up on his elbow. I lay down next to him and he settles into the bed, taking me into his arms.
He hums the song 'Cowboys and Angels' and I feel my eyelids drooping. Once Peeta thinks I'm asleep he stops humming and lightly kisses my cheek.
His lips brush against my ear as he whispers, "Maybe God just kinda likes cowboys and angels."
That's chapter two, hope you all liked it. Next chapter will have more flashbacks and you'll find out how Katniss and Peeta met.
Thank you all for reading and don't forget to review. ;)
Love you all. – THGgoddess4ever :)