Bread Over Flowers
Chapter 3: Make Your Move
Summary: Welcome to Capitol Prep, where the sons and daughters of the rich and powerful are educated. Katniss Everdeen is a poor Seam girl who happens to be a student in this exclusive school. Peeta Mellark is the one and only heir to the Mellark Group of Companies. This school is his kingdom. What happens when he encounters this fiery young woman who bravely chose to stand up to him. (Hana Yori Dango inspired fic)
Disclaimer: I have to put two on this one. I do not own the Hunger Games nor do I own the plot of Hana Yori Dango. My story was just inspired by the characters and plot of both works.
A CHANGE IN POV!
"Stop being so full of it, you idiot!"
Peeta was looking intently outside the window as he catches himself thinking about this morning's events for the billionth time today. That girl….
The door makes a screeching sound as the servants let in Cato and Gale. They both wave at him then proceed to make themselves comfortable in his room. Cato plops down his leather sofa while Gale heads towards the seat in front of the study desk near where Peeta was.
"So..." Cato was the first one to break the silence "That girl earlier, she was something huh?"
Cato bringing up the incident definitely caught Peeta's attention and snapped him out of his daze. Cato doesn't notice this but Gale certainly did. Being the quiet and perceptive man that he is, he knows something is different about his friend. His suspicions were confirmed when he accidentally pushed Peeta's desktop mouse that caused the screen to light up and reveal what he's been up to..
"Katniss Everdeen…Age 18…Hobbies: archery, boxing…" Gale read the page out loud. It was Katniss' school profile. Peeta must've accessed the school's archive to get this..
"HEY! GALE! STOP THAT!" Peeta panics when he realized what his friend found in his computer. It's not what you think! He stumbles as he tries to get in between Gale and his desktop.
His face turned bright red with embarrassment. Here he was, the great Peeta Mellark, heir to the biggest corporation in the world, blushing..
Cato laughed at the scene before him; his overly calm friend trying to push aside an over reacting Peeta Mellark. "So, this is her huh?" Cato walked over to inspect his friend's new discovery while Gale forced Peeta against the wall.
"C'mon guys! This isn't funny! I…I was just trying to gauge our new enemy! She is so getting a red card for her little stunt…"
"What's going on over here?" Finnick came the door in to join the group.
"Hey Finnster, looks like our boy over here found himself an interesting lady.." Cato beamed as he continued to read Katniss' profile
"Mother: Katarina Everdeen
Father: Hans Everdeen (deceased)
Siblings: Primrose Everdeen (sister)
Educational Attainments: Graduated Valedictorian, Seam Elementary and Middle School, Best in Survival skills and Archery, Unarmed Combat Competition Gold Medalist
Behavioral Assessment: tends to isolate herself from crowds, protective of those who are less able to defend themselves, despises arrogant behavior, high sense of discipline and responsibility, breadwinner of the family
History: Father died three years ago in mining district explosion. Is under the Mellark Group of Companies life insurance/support program. Lives at the company apartment at the Seam."
Gale, Finnick and Cato were all taken aback by this girl's background, they had no idea, not that they usually took pity in people like that. It was just so brave of her to stand up against Peeta, knowing who he was and how easily he can ruin her life to defend her friend.
Peeta finally got out of Gale's grip and clicked the screen off.
"Jerks! You really can't mind your own business can't you..."
"Of course! We're you're friends, its our job to hehe" Cato jokingly remarked
"Wow Peeta, she's something isn't she, doesn't look too bad either…" Finnick said as he inspected her picture in the profile. She didn't smile but her eyes were so captivating it almost seemed like it was on fire, her skin was pale but glowing, her lips a natural shade of pink. She obviously didn't have any make-up on but she pulled off the natural look quite well.
"So, what are you gonna do now?" Cato asked
"Maybe you can ask her out to your sister Effie's welcome back party next week? Yeah! That would be a gr-"
"HAH! Are you kidding me? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever hear you say, Finnick. Why would I ask a poor Seam girl like her? She probably doesn't have anything to wear anyway." Peeta interrupted.
"Well, I assumed you might be interested since-"
"Well you're wrong. I was just trying to find out how I can best crush her into little piece for embarrassing me like that. Besides, I'm not like you who just thinks of girls all the time…" Peeta says with a confused tone to his voice. He knew his friends weren't convinced by his statement, and neither was he. It was just the best way he knew how to deal with these things.
I…I can't like her. I can't...but do I?
Peeta thinks to himself as he hears the words coming out of his mouth. He isn't exactly sure how he feels about her but he definitely can't stop thinking of what happened this morning.
His friends flash him a worried look, they know something is up and knowing Peeta, he might let his pride get the best of him. He's never showed any of his "red card" targets any attention or interest beyond making them suffer for what they did. She might even be the first girl he's ever been the slightest bit interested in. Either way, they knew not to go against his plans, not directly at least.
"Okay, Peet. We're just saying, maybe you shouldn't be too harsh on this one. She's already got it pretty bad." Gale added, being the more compassionate one in the group.
Peeta took another glance at Katniss' photograph. For a second, he thought that maybe his friends were right; but he quickly brushed it off, there is too much to risk getting myself emotionally attached to a poor girl like her. In the end, the four of us know it'll be our parents who'll chose the woman we marry, it doesn't matter if we love her or not. It is just business.
Peeta caught Gale staring at her photograph too, a bit too long for his liking. It made him feel uncomfortable, which in turn fed his fear.
Gale got up as he sensed Peeta looking at him. "Guess we have nothing to do here anymore huh? Maybe I'll just take a walk for a few hours at the woods."
"Tss. Why are you always in those woods? It's dangerous you know." Cato sneered as he munched on the apple he got from the fruit bowl on the coffee table.
"Maybe he's got a girl in there. You sneaky dog…" Finnick added, half joking and half serious. They could never get their friend to share anything as intimate as that. He's just so reserved.
"Yeah, right." Gale let out a low chuckle and went on his way.
Breathe…Come on, you can do this…
Katniss jogged in the woods a lot; it helped her get away from things. It was also one of the few places where she feels safe enough to be herself and let loose. She remembered how her father used to bring her there and how he taught her to use the bow and arrow to hunt for game whenever they run out money to buy food. The woods were near the poorer areas so the people who live near the city don't really come up here unless they have to, the Seam kids might get them… It was remarkable how different the lives of those who lived here were from those in the city, considering that they were only a few blocks apart.
Katniss took a rest and sat down a log perched across a flowing stream. She splashed a bit of water on her face to cool herself down. As she closed her eyes, an image Peeta Mellark's shocked expression made her laugh a little inside. That should teach him to mind his own business…
It took a while for the realization to dawn on her. He was rich and powerful, and he was incredibly proud. He would definitely try to get back on her for that.
Oh well, I'm a tough Seam girl anyway. I'll deal with whatever you throw on me, Mellark. Bring it on.
Her silent contemplation was disturbed by the sound of a branch snapping nearby. Katniss immediately got up and wished she had brought her bow with her.
She looked around. Snap!
Fuck! "Who's there?! Show yourself!" Katniss picked up a rock resting beside the flowing stream and prepared to attack. There was a faint shadow of a man coming from behind the tree a few feet away from her. Just as she was preparing to throw, the man jumps out and startles her.
"Hey! Whoa! Calm down, I'm not here to hurt you I promise."
It was Gale Hawthorne, one of Peeta's friends. What on earth is he doing in the woods?
"Wha- What are you doing here? It's dangerous you know."
"I should be asking you the same question" Gale let out a playful smirk that made Katniss blush a bit. He was definitely handsome. His dark brown hair was a bit tousled and unruly. His attire was a bit strange too; he wasn't in his usual fancy get-up. Instead, he was wearing a pair of worn out jeans with equally worn out brown boots and a flannel shirt. Either way, he was still very good looking.
"I'm always here. I go jogging every-"
"Saturday. I know." Gale interrupted.
Katniss was both confused and a bit weirded out, Has he been stalking me or something?
Gale laughed at her expression "I'm not stalking you okay."
Gale examined her expression again; she wasn't convinced "Okay, see that tree house over there? The one near the big rock?"
Katniss looked at the direction he was pointing at. It was the big tree house in the woods she's always wondered about. It so big it needed to cling on to four trees for it to stand. She's never seen anyone come in or come out, but it was always well kept.
"My parents had that built for me when I was around five. I loved going around in these woods that they decided to give me a place to hang out in it. It was one of the last things they gave me before they died." Gale added with a sad tone to his voice.
"I-I'm so sorry to hear that" Katniss was surprised. She didn't know a rich boy like him ever felt pain or suffering. It was something she was just too familiar with.
Gale smiled at her sincerity, "It's okay. I've learned to live with it."
They stood in silence for a few seconds before Gale got up and brushed his hair with his fingers. "Well, It's a bit late. I should be going before my grandfather finds out I'm gone. See you around school, Katniss." With that, he left.
Katniss stared at him as he walked the way he came in. He never thought that any of those snotty rich kids would be so…nice. Maybe he isn't as bad as his friends. Maybe he's different.
A.N: Oh no! Looks like Gale is getting a head start here haha! Don't worry guys, this is still an Everlak fic so… Wait for the next chapters! Reviews are always welcome!
