Chapter two: The Rules of Real Life.
"I'm Peeta Mellark." My heart stops. My eyes are fixed on Peeta. He's taller, broader, fitter. His hair is shorter than it used to be with a slight quiff in it. He puts his hand towards Prim. "Primrose, it is lovely to meet you." Peeta's eyes burn into Prim and she nods before releasing his hand. He moves his hand towards mine and it takes so much effort for me to shake it. "You too, Katniss." His voice is deeper and formal. The sleeves on his knitted dark blue jumper are pushed half way up his forearms and I quickly glance at his hands. They seem less, I'm not sure. Less chubby I guess. There are veins all over his hands that trail up his arm and I resist the urge to trace them with my finger. I release his hand and Peeta smiles slightly at Prim and I. "I'd love to stay and chat but I told Finnick I'd go bowling with him and the guys." Peeta tells his dad and Mr Mellark gives him a slightly disapproving look.
"Why don't you take Katniss." Mr Mellark beams at his idea and I breathe deeply. "It will be good for her to meet some of the people who will be at school with her." Mr Mellark says and I see Peeta bite his lower lip slightly. "Katniss?"
"Dad, I'm sure she's exhausted from the drive." Peeta mumbles and I try not to frown. Peeta doesn't want me to go with him.
"She slept most of the way!" Prim chimed and sighed.
"I wouldn't want to be a nuisance to Peeta or his friends." I say coldly and the muscles in Peeta's jaw tighten.
"Nonsense! Go on! Peeta can't bowl to save his life anyway! You could teach him something!" Mr Mellark's jolliness made me smile and he gently nudged me off the stool I was sat on. "I'll look after Prim, we could make a cake?" Prim claps her hands excitedly and I follow Peeta out the kitchen.
"I don't have to come, Peeta." I say quietly as he pulls a leather jacket from a closet by the front door.
"It's fine." He says without looking at me and pulls the jacket on. "Finnick will love to see you." I'm taken back by the venom in his voice. "Ready?" Peeta mutters and I nod, he unhooks a set of keys from a glass cabinet that contains rows of keys and opens the door.
The snow isn't as heavy as before but it is still pretty heavy. Peeta closes the door behind me and flip the hood of my jumper over my head and walk behind him. He walks down the side of the house and presses a button on his keys. A big metal door open and I see a light blue, old looking car. It has a material roof and Peeta starts to pull the material off.
"Can I help?" I ask as he lifts a hard top on the car, his biceps straining against the material of the leather jacket.
"No." He says bluntly and I chew on my lip. He glances up at me then back down to the hard top as he fasten it in. "No, thank you." Peeta says less harshly and I nod. "You can get in." Peeta mumbles and opens the passenger door for me.
I slip into the car and he closes the door firmly but gently. Peeta starts to fasten this side of the hardtop and when I look out my window his top his rised so I can see his stomach and a slither of the waistband of his boxers. I quickly look away.
The inside of the car is all dark and the seats are comfortable. There are three seats in the back but only two doors so the chairs must close down for people to climb through. This car suits Peeta. The drivers door open and Peeta climbs in easily and closes his door.
"You like it?" Peeta asks as we buckle in our seatbelts. "The car?" He elaborates and I run my hand over the dashboard.
"Yes, it's very you." I answer quietly and Peeta turns on the ignition.
"You aren't supposed to know me. If they know we know eachother we'll get in trouble, you'll get put in the fosterhome again. You don't want that do you?" Peeta asks as he pulls a pair of leather driving gloves on and then grasps the steering wheel. I consider how creepy this would seem to someone sat in the back.
"God, no." I reply quickly and Peeta looks at me, I automatically look at him and our eyes connect.
"Did something happen when you were there?" Peeta asks and I can feel the embarrassment creep up my neck and I swallow. "Katniss?" His voice is gentle and I consider telling him.
"I don't want to talk about it." I mutter and look away from his blue eyes. "How have you been?" I ask, changing the subject. Peeta pulls out of the garage and I hear the door close behind us.
"Good," Peeta indicates with a flick of his finger and we pull onto the main road. "Got a lot of schoolwork to do before this term finishes." Peeta says and we ignore the elephant in the car; I don't know how he's been because he stopped seeing me, answering my calls or texts and everything. "You?" Peeta asks as we go round a roundabout, the car infront whel spins and gets stuck in snow and Peeta brakes sharply. I whimper as the seatbelt cuts into the purple bruise on my collar bone. "Are you alright?" Peeta asks quickly and I nod, blinking back tears. "You don't look alright, where did I hurt you?" He asks as he reverses slightly and then drives around the car stuck in front before pulling over.
"I'm fine, Peeta." My voice cracks and I look away. He doesn't speak for a while and I know he can hear my jolting breaths.
"I'll be back in a bit." Peeta says quietly, then unbuckles his seat belt and steps out the car before closing the door.
I turn my head see Peeta leaning down to talk to the lady in the car behind. I tentatively push my jumper to the side and close my eyes at the purple bruise. The pain is starting to become more bearable so I climb out of the car to join Peeta.
"No honestly, it's fine. I'll take a look." I hear Peeta tell the lady before popping the hood of her car and leaning in. I let my eyes roam over Peeta then look away because the dark jeans he's wearing look too damn good on him. "Try it now!" Peeta calls to the lady and the car rumbles and starts. Peta closes the bonnet and gives the lady a thumbs up.
"Thank you so much!" She gushes and her and two children in the back wave at him as they drive off.
"Feeling better?" Peeta asks as we get back in his car. I frown at him and he starts the car again. "When I braked suddenly, you were in pain." Peeta explains and I nod.
"An old injury." I tell him and look at the snow fall on the window.
"What injury?" He asked and I know he knows I'm lying.
"I broke my collar bone in a football game." I say easily and Peeta stops at traffic lights and looks at me.
"It isn't recorded in your file." He mutter and I turn to him.
"You read my file!" I almost shout and he accelerate through the green light.
"We had to. My family legally had to read it to know about you." Peeta explains calmly and I stare at him as he drives.
"What does it say?" I ask loudly and he crosses his hands over each other to turn.
"Nothing about you personally really, petty theft, grades." Peeta says vaguely and I narrow my eyes.
"What else does it say?" I push and he sighs.
"Medical history, I think." He answers and let's a family cross the road.
"You think?" I ask sarcastically and he glances at me. "So what does it say?"
"Suspected depression, anger issues, emotionally unstable, broken foot when your were five, admitted to A and E after a dog bit your thigh - hence the scars on you thigh." I go quiet, he had never mentioned the scars I had before. Peeta pulls the car into a parking spot and turns off the ignition. "You're still on the pill aswell." He says quietly and I blush.
"He wasn't a serious guy." I mutter and Peeta looks at me.
"What?" He asks and I step out of the car, he copies and we close the door and he locks the car.
"His name was Darren, it was never serious." I say quietly and we start walking to the bowling alley building. "It was just for fun." I regretted saying it as soon as it left my lips. Peeta coughed and I swore in my mind. "Peeta, that's not what I..."
"It's none of my business." Peeta cuts me off and we walk into the bowling alley. "The guys are either going to hit on you or be really nice. I couldn't tell you which one so, yeah." We walk over to a group of guys and I spot Finnick's copper hair. "Hey guys, sorry we're late." Peeta calls and the guys turn one by one, obviously interested in who the 'we' is. "This is..."
"Katniss!" Finnick exclaims and Peeta glares at him. Finnick freezes, blantantly baffled.
"My dad fostered her and and her sister. We met today so play nice." Peeta directs the 'we met today' at Finnick who frowns and steps back.
"Well hey, I'm Gerard but everyone calls my Gerry." One guy steps forward and we shake hands. Gerry is attractive. That's my first thought. His hair is almost black, short and it looks like it has a natural flick in the front. His eyes were a shocking green and were pretty hypnotising. "This is Finnick." Finnick still looks utterly baffled but shakes my hand anyway. "This is Stephen." Stephen shook my hand then went back to texting. "That's Marcus." Marcus looked like he was in his twenties and I nearly burst out laughing when he took my hand kissed my knuckles. "Course you've met Peeta." Peeta smiled at someone then looked back at us and nodded slightly. "And Dan is sorting out the lane. Dan doesn't really talk but if you ever need something fixed, call him. Or text him because he doesn't speak if you call him." Gerry laughed and his eyes crinkled at the edges making me smile.
"Come on then." Peeta muttered and we all walked to the desk and changed into our shoes.
"You're supposed to hit the pins, Peeta!" Gerry shouted and I laughed, Peeta turned and gave us both the finger which made me laugh even more. "Be nice! Do you have the time, Katniss?" Gerry asked me and I pulled my jumper sleeve up to look at my watch.
"It's half pas..."
"What's that?" Gerry cut me off and I followed his gaze to the green bruise on my arm. I quickly pulled my sleeve down. "Katniss?" He pressured and I looked away.
"It's nothing, I bumped into a door." I brushed Gerry off and he continued to look at me intensely. "Just leave it, please." I say and then stand up to take my go.
Just before I bowl I glance back and see Gerry speaking to Peeta privately. Peeta looks over to me and I look away quickly. I throw the ball and get a strike and sit down quickly.
"Do you want a drink?" I turn to Peeta who is taking his wallet out of his jeans.
"I'm okay thank you." I say tightly and Peeta tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers brush my skin and it makes my skin burn.
"Are you hungry?" Peeta asks and I swallow. "Come with me?" Peeta steps away and I stand up and follow him to the restaurant area of the alley. "Burger and fries with coke, please." Peeta says easily to the waitress, she looks Peeta up and down and licks her lips flirtatiously. Peeta smiles at her then turns to me.
"Can I have the same? If that's okay?" I ask quietly and Peeta nods.
"Make that two, please?" Peeta puts some money on the counter then turns to me. "I wish you would talk to me, Kat." Peeta says quietly and I bristel at his words.
"I tried that Peeta. You disconnected you phone." I wanted my voice to come harsh but it came out sounding hurt. Peeta scratched his temple.
"It was hard for me," Peeta said quietly. "You were there and I was here." I wanted to scoff at his words and in my head I did.
"I won't ask you about what happened and you don't ask me about what happened. Ok?" I asked and he picked up the tray of food.
"Ok." He said simpled and we sat down with the other guys. I sat next to Gerry and he smiled at me.
"Can I steal some fries?" Gerry asked and I covered my mouth with my hand and nodded because I had a mouthful of burger. He took a couple and chewed them. My phone rang and I took it out of my pocket and carefully lifted the battered flip top so it didn't snap like I was afraid it would.
"I'll be right back." I said to no one in particular then stood up and spoke into the phone.
Peeta's P.O.V
Katniss had down graded her phone again. When we left camp I know she sold the iPhone and bought a cheaper model but apparently that model wasn't cheap enough. The phone looked like it was going to fall apart any minute and when Katniss opened it, I knew she was worried of the same thing.
Finnick swooped in and took a handful of fries but I was preoccupied by watching Katniss on the phone. She wasn't talking, she was listening. It looked like she was being told off because her head was bowed and her shoulders were sunk down.
"So what's the deal with you and Katniss?" I was startled by Gerry who sat next to me, he ankles crossed over each other as he watched Dan bowl.
"There's no deal." I said, Katniss closed the phone and went into the loo.
"Why not?" Gerry asked and I looked at him. "Come on, Peet. She's beautiful and broken. Be her knight in shining armour." Gerry smirked and followed me as I stood up and picked up a ball.
"There's nothing between us, Gerry. You should ask her out." I said as I slipped my fingers into the designated holes in the ball.
"Alright, I'll believe nothing is going on if you can picture her naked and not get a strike when you bowl." I looked at Gerry and he raised his eyebrows.
"I'm not doing that. It's creepy." I replied as I waited for the pins to be put back.
"I'll imagine for you then and you listen. Think about how deep you would get into her if you did her in your heated pool. With the rapids flowing as you slam into her repeatedly and she screams your name." Gerry said seductively and I looked at the pins. "Bowl." He demanded but my mind was locked on those times when she would scream, shout, whisper, cry, yell, moan and groan my name. I threw the ball down the lane, desperate to just sit down and make some attempt at hiding my semi.
"Strike!" Stephen yelled as I sighed deeply. Gerry sat next to me and I put my right ankle on my left knee.
"Now I have to torture you because you lied to me, Peet baby." I looked at Gerry who stretched his arms above his head. "I admire you, Peeta. In your, er, situation, I wouldn't be able to drive Katniss home." I closed my eyes and groaned internally. "Your car is awfully small. You would be so close to her." I open my eyes and watch as everyone high fives Marcus for winning the bowling. "If you play your cards right she might even fuck you in your car." Gerry continued and I clenched my jaw. "God I can see it now, the steering wheel digging into her back as she rides you, her tits bouncing perfectly, her hands on the roof of your car as you hold her hips." I stand up and stuff my hands in my pockets. "Hell Peeta, I'm hard thinking about it. Just get in her, boy!" Gerry smirks as he stands next to me.
"There are rules Gerry. I can't have a relationship with my foster-sister. She'd get sent away because everyone would see it as her fault. I signed the papers saying I wouldn't do it." I explained as I pulled my jacket and everyone started to clear out of the alley.
"Rules are made to be broken, Peeta." Gerry whispered in my ear before, squeezing my shoulder and heading out into the snow.
"Ready?" I asked Katniss and she smiled. Oh god, that smile. Not quite as beautiful as her after sex smile but very god damn near it. I felt myself strain against my jeans and hoped she wouldn't see. This was humiliating.
Katniss P.O.V
The drive back was awkward to say the least. Peeta didn't speak and his erection looked like it was going to break out of his jeans. He was clearly uncomfortable because he kept shuffling in his seat when the car was stopped at light or he was letting people cross the road.
I couldn't help considering if he was any bigger. Peeta had gotten taller, does that mean his erection would be longer? Thicker? I could feel myself getting wet so when Peeta parked his car in the garage I got out quickly. We silently fought through the snow and into the house where giggling met us instantly. Peeta headed straight upstairs and I had to bite my lip to stop myself imagining what he was doing.
When I got to the kitchen, Mr Mellark and Prim were covered in flour and laughing hysterically.
"Katniss! Go away!" Prim yelled and I was shocked. "You'll see the surprise! Go to your room!"
"Turn around!" Mr Mellark yelled and I did as I was told. "Your room is up the main stairs, turn left, the fourth door on the right! Go!" I laughed as I followed his instructions.
One, two, three, four doors. I pushed the door open and froze.
Peeta was sat on the edge of his bed, facing me, his jeans and boxers at his ankles as he pumped himself ferociously. My entire body started to burn with longing for him. I wanted Peeta so badly but Jenna had told me if she caught a whiff of something between Me and any of the Mellark boys she would shove Prim into a foster home quicker than I could jack Rye, Evan or Peeta off. Her words.
I put a hand over my eyes quickly.
"Sorry, Peeta." I said and the sound of him masturbating stopped.
"Jesus, Kat." He muttered and when I peeked through my hand, he had his boxers and jeans pulled up.
"I was looking for the room I'm staying in..." I trailed off as Peeta nodded and smiled awkwardly.
"Opposite, your room's there and Prim's is next to yours." Peeta said, I nodded and left because memories were running through my mind. As soon as I was in my room I shut the door and closed my eyes.