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Yay! So close to 100 reviews! I'm so happy right now that this story got a lot further than I thought it would :3 GROUP HUG! Okay well now that that's done... I know that you guys are starting to hate Ms. Everdeen, but I promise you'll see more of her side in the near future! Enjoy!

Just as I had guessed, my mother has forbidden me from leaving the house to celebrate my birthday unless it is with the family. Since spending time with my mother after all that's happened doesn't seem very fun, I decide to lock myself in my room instead. As my own little way of getting back at her. Effie and my mother knock on my door a few times asking me to come out, but I never even answer them. The only person that I let in is Prim.

"Happy birthday." She smiles weakly as she sits down on my bed. "How does it feel to be seventeen?"

"Oh..." I fake a smile. "Fantastic."

She giggles and leans against the wall as she looks out through the window.

"How come you won't come out?"

I consider telling her everything that happened when Peeta brought me home, but I decide against it. Prim is always so caring and empathetic, she would probably try to defend our mother. Plus, it would take too long to explain everything that she needs to know.

"I guess I'm just not in the mood to celebrate right now." I shrug.

"Oh." She looks down at the sheets and sighs. "Well, Effie offered to take us all shopping. If you change your mind-"

"I don't think I will." I snort at the idea of shopping with Effie, Prim, and my mother. I can just see Effie forcing me into a makeup store to get a makeover or dragging me into one of those over-priced yet mediocre clothing stores to get a whole new wardrobe. Seriously, printing your company's name on a blank T-shirt doesn't make it high-end fashion. "You guys can go. Maybe I'll watch TV with Haymitch or something."

"Okay." She quirks an eyebrow and smiles at this. "Are you sure?"

"Definitely. Go ahead, you guys will have more fun without me moping around behind you."

She giggles. "I doubt that. It's never as much fun without you."

"I'm sorry, Little Duck, but I'd really rather stay here."

"Okay." She sighs and pecks my cheek. "At least try to enjoy your birthday somehow."

She pushes herself off of my bed and walks to the door. As soon as she gets to the bottom of the stairs, I hear her yelling to Effie that I said they could go without me. I smile as I stand up and lock the door behind her. I stand there with my hand on the doorknob, waiting for my mother to come and force me to go with them or for Effie to knock on my door once again and ask if I'm sure. But surprisingly, they do neither. Instead I hear them getting their things together and reminding Haymitch not to let anyone in to see me. And he grumbles in response. I sigh in relief and sit down in the desk chair across from my bed. I look through my books, wishing that there was some rule stating that homework was not due on Monday if your birthday fell on a Saturday or a Sunday. Unfortunately, it still is. And that English project is still due on Thursday, and I haven't even been able to spend time with Peeta to work on it yet.

I finish the math and history homework before looking down at the paper for the English project. Some of the options include drawing out scenes from Romeo & Juliet in a comic book-like format. I'm sure Peeta would be good at that, but I would not be able to help him at all. There's an option to write a song about the play, but there's no way I'm going to sing in front of my entire class. You can also act out a scene, but let's face it. The only people who are going to do that are the ones that are just doing it to be funny. There's no doubt in my mind that Cato and Marvel will choose this one. None of these options are really appealing. If anything, they're all pretty embarrassing.

My phone- which my mother finally returned to me yesterday as a birthday gift- buzzes, and I pick it up from the desk. It's a text from Peeta, and I can't help but smile when I see it. When I open it, it reads: Remember that time when we were fourteen, and you said that I should try being more adventurous because I was too afraid to climb trees with you?

I smile to myself and text back something that is sure to make him laugh.

No, weirdo. Only you remember stuff like that.

I put my phone back down on my desk and keep working, even though I still can't get this stupid smile off my face. Of course I can't help but feel a little confused when he doesn't text back. Just as I start texting him to ask why he's even bringing that up, I hear something at my window. I turn around and jump when I see Peeta right outside, clutching onto the tree outside my window as he waves me over with his other hand. I run to open the window, and I hold out my hand so I can help him in. It takes a minute, but we eventually get him through the window and into my room. He is still panting when I throw my arms around his neck and grin at him.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine... I just didn't really think that through..." He stops for a moment to catch his breath. "Usually you're the one that climbs the trees. And you make it look so easy, I thought maybe..." He holds onto his knees as he continues to breathe heavily. "Bad judgement on my part."

"Peeta, come on." I giggle as I take his hand and lead him to my bed. "Sit down." When he does, I sit down next to him and hand him a tissue to wipe off the sweat on his forehead. "How long were you trying to get up here?"

"You know, that's not really important."

I roll my eyes and smirk as I look at him. And that's when I remember that he has a backpack on. Once his breathing has slowed down enough, I decide to ask.

"What's in the bag?"

"Huh? Oh!" He smiles as he pulls it off of his shoulders and reaches into it. "I told you I'd get these pastries to you somehow!"

I smile and bite my lip as I watch him pull out a small white box the size of my head, another about the half its size, and an envelope. He looks up at me and smiles when he sees that I am. He tells me that the small box and the envelope are gifts to open later, but the bigger box is an assortment of cookies and small cakes so that we can find my favorite. He tells me that he paid for all it, so we don't have to worry about his parents finding out. After he explains all of this, he looks at me for a response but no words come to me. I can tell that he is worried by my silence. And since I cannot find the words to tell him how happy I am, I use my actions instead. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him with all the love that I can muster. I can tell that he understands from the way that he returns the kiss. His hands softly grasp my waist and I sigh into his mouth. I only pull away when I realize that I need to take a breath. And when I do, he looks at me with a dazed look in his eyes.

"You're incredible," I say as soon as I catch my breath. "Thank you."

"Anything for you." He smiles back at me as he plays with the ends of my hair. "So what do you want to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well do you want to try one or open one of your presents?" he asks. "Or anything else. It's up to you."

"What might be in the anything else category?"

"Well..." He shrugs and thinks for a moment before a smirk appears on his face. "How about seventeen birthday kisses?"

"Really?" I hum playfully and smile at him. "I like the sound of that."

Is there a lemon in the next chapter you ask? Idk man... You're just gonna have to wait to find out! :3 Please review to tell me what you think - I love hearing your opinion!