Katniss-

Our first night together was perfect. I love waking up next to Peeta, in our bed. It feels strange to be in a home that has everything. A real family, running water, ample amounts of food. It's unimaginable. I knew this was how they lived because I've been here so many times, but to actually live here. The differences are so many. I am so thankful to have fallen in love with and to have been accepted by this wonderful family.

But it does make me worry for Prim. My mother has always been more open around her, so hopefully they are doing well together. I know she has been spending more time with Rory – Gale's brother – since I've been at the bakery. I worry about her being with him, but she's a good girl. And he isn't like Gale. While Gale was always temperamental, brooding and has a fierce temper. Rory is quiet, sensitive and very open with his feelings. He was a small boy when his father died and it was heartbreaking to watch him break down periodically. After this school year ends, Prim will be starting at the bakery with me. Mr. Mellark mentioned them coming over for family dinners on Sundays and he said she is always welcome in our home.

Our home. It's so surreal. When Peeta said it was my house too, my heart fluttered.

We stayed in bed all day, only going downstairs to eat and stretch our legs. I didn't expect our talks to be so in-depth and turn so heartfelt by the end of the day. I've never been one to open up, I'm surprised that it happened so quickly with Peeta. I told him things that I never even told Gale. I'm grateful and touched that he told me about his mother. I only thought that I hated her before. Thankfully, I've yet to see her but with the size of this town, I'm sure she's heard about me being here.

I was still sore from our first time together, Peeta didn't try to push me. He was always respectful; this just solidifies that I made the right choice.

School seems totally different now, it's only been a few days since I officially moved in with Peeta but the teachers that once ignored me now speak to me. The merchant kids never spoke to me; they now ask how I am. At first it was a bit flattering, but I know that it's only because of Peeta. I'm not 'some Seam' girl anymore, I'm the soon-to-be wife of a merchant, the property of the future Bakery owner.

It makes me think of my parents. It's odd that my mother was immediately shunned for marrying a man from the Seam that she loved and now, all of a sudden I've moved up in status. I wonder if Prim has experienced any of this backlash, then again, she's so sweet that everyone loves her. Peeta has always been popular, always had people line up to be his friend. I'm sure life is normal for him.

In class, all of the merchant girls flock to me. Girls that I've never spoke to. Asking questions about moving in and about our first night together. It's mortifying and embarrassing. The worst is when they ask about Peeta specifically. How he is in bed, what he does, what his body looks like. It's maddening. I've never even had more than a handful of acquaintances, let alone friends. Even them, I've never been open with them. Gale, Madge and then Peeta are the only ones that I've ever spoken to without having to be candid. And it's most definitely not been on that level.

At lunch, all of the merchants ask me to sit at their tables but I politely decline. Madge is my lunch partner and my sudden increase in importance could not change that. Peeta quickly finds me, and gives me a light kiss on the lips. I feel so much more at ease being there with him and Madge, but I'm not sure if I should divulge how hard the day has been for me. He packed our lunch this morning, before he ever even woke me. I don't want him to ever think that I'm ungrateful. I was nervous and he reassured me.

I've also been informed that I've been switched over to the home-financing class with Madge and the other merchant girls. It's the merchant version of homemaking. The teacher, Ms. Trinkett is annoyingly happy to announce that I'm joining the class and that she would be so happy to have my input. It's embarrassing. Madge is ecstatic, but I can only hope that I can disappear into the back row. I have no interest in learning how to be someone's trophy.

Thankfully the end of the day comes quickly. I head to find Prim, that part of my day won't change, to see if she wants to walk to the bakery with me and Peeta. He's supposed to be at our normal spot. Before I can get into her wing of the school, I'm followed by two boys. Two merchant brothers, I don't really know them or at least I hadn't until the past week or so. I vaguely remember them being at Madge's party. Their father owns one of the butcher shops in town, I believe. Both are older and they both tower over me. I don't know much else about them, except I've seen one of them coupled with Delly since school started back up. She's the only one that hasn't tried to speak to me or make friends. Which, is fine by me. I try to walk faster, but one of them cuts me off and they back me into a row of lockers.

"Just because you're fucking a merchant, doesn't make you important here. You're still just a Seam slut." It's Delly's boyfriend. They inch closer to me, their voices lowering. The taller of the two places his hands on the lockers, just on the sides of my head, boxing me in. I guess I was being naïve, thinking that people would actually like me. I'm sure they all knew this would happen. "You know Peeta told us how easy you were; how hard he fucks you." His hand falls down to my waist, his face only inches from mine. His sour breath blowing on my neck sends a disturbed chill down my skin. I pull my fist back and start to flail on him, hitting him everywhere that I can reach…his face, his chest, his arms. I kick and scream. He grabs my arms and secures my hands to my sides, I squirm and twist underneath his hands. The other boy roughly covers my mouth with his hand, tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear with the other hand and his finger continues down the line of my neck, making my skin crawl.

My anxiety boils over, every breath that I take makes my chest tighten. I try to stand strong, not letting them push me but I can't help but cry. It's involuntary at this point. They are bigger than me, I know that I wouldn't be able to hurt them but I'm faster. If I could just get away, they wouldn't be able to catch me. This situation is Gale all over again, but worse. This difference is I know that Gale didn't really want to hurt me, he was just drunk and mad. I know nothing about these boys and there is no reasoning with them. They have no regard for my feelings or my body. Even if Gale hadn't stopped that night, he would have still regretted everything. I know that to be true because I haven't seen him since. He cares for me, even when he made a terrible decision. This feels much more terrifying.

Why is this happening? Three days ago, no one spoke to me. Weeks ago, my best friend attacked me. Months ago, I almost let the most amazing man slip through my fingers. Years ago, I lost my dad and shortly after, my mom. Why would these things happen to me? I'm no one.

I know that Peeta would never betray me by talking about us, I could never believe that. I've never heard him speak about these boys or even seen him around them. The situation and the whole day, it's so overwhelming. The blood is pounding in my ears. I'm panting and panicking – trying to breathe through my nose with the hand tightening around my face. It's too much.

The one hovering over me, his face slams into the locker right beside my head and his body goes limp against mine as he droops down to the floor. I let out a gasp for air as the hand covering my mouth leaves my face, I look to the other boy and he has his hands up in surrender, Peeta punches him and he falls back into the wall and to the ground.

I'm speechless and breathless. My breath is stuck in my chest, my voice seems lost, my feet planted to the ground underneath the body of the oldest boy. Peeta's hands cup my face. It seems all the blood has left my face and his hands burn my skin. He's saying something, but I can't hear him. I watch his lips moving, his fingers wiping my tears away. My face is pressed against his jacket; it's worn but rough. The smell of cinnamon and spices seep from his pores; I can feel his fingers crawling into my braid at the nape of my neck. He takes my bag onto his shoulder and my hand into his.

We walk straight to the bakery not waiting for Prim or speaking, he busts through the back door. I hear his father welcoming us, asking how school was. The same questions that he asks every day. It's Rye who gives me a confused look when I stare blankly at him after he's asked me how the 'merchies' took to me. His smile fades slowly and he looks back to Peeta. I hadn't looked at Peeta since he stopped everything from happening, he hadn't spoken since we left the school. I look back at him, his jaw is set and his eyes are blackened with rage. The only other time I'd seen it was after Madge's party.

"Peet, what's going on-" his dad walks over swiftly, looking from him to me. My face must be painted with horror; I glance to the window to see how I look in the reflection. My skin is pale, my eyes red and swollen, my hair coming out of my braid.

"Go upstairs." What he says doesn't really register with me at first, I look over his features. When I realize what he's asked of me, I open my mouth but nothing comes out. "Go!" his raised voice is shocking; I've never heard that tone from him and especially not towards me. No one has spoken to me that way in years, but something in his voice is demanding but protective. "Please. I – I just need to talk to Rye and Dad." It's much more quiet and more of a request than a demand. I turn slowly and head up the stairs. At the top, I can hear them all sitting at the table talking animatedly, in harsh voices. I hear hands slam onto the large wooden table in the kitchen, I know it must be Peeta.

Our bedroom is already clean, I had taken a few minute this morning to make the bed and tidy everything up. Baby steps to being a good wife. So, I take a shower to scrub the past hour off of me, braid my hair back and change into one of the house dresses that Peeta had made for me. I know he's there, I had heard the door to the bedroom slam. He's sitting on the bed, his elbows on his knees and his hands fisted into his hair. He doesn't look up when I approach him quietly. When I'm close enough to him, he wraps his hands around my thighs and pulls me close. My hands run through his hair.

"I'm sorry, Peeta." At first, I'm not sure that he heard me.

When he looks up to me, his eyes are puffy and red-rimmed. His face is hot and swollen from crying, my hands cup his cheeks and he pulls me closer. "No, you did nothing wrong. I just – What did they say to you? Did they touch you before I got there? I swear that they'll regret it."

"They didn't touch me, just um – the one – he put his hand on my waist and my mouth. They said that you – that you told them about us being together."

"God no, Kat! I was so terrified when I heard you scream. I'm so sorry, this is the second time that I wasn't there when you needed me. I swore I wouldn't let anything happen to you after Gale. Those guys…all the guys…hounded me this morning, as soon as we got to school asking about you and I…just trying to get me to say anything about us. Everyone knew that you moved in. I – I promise that I didn't say anything to them, I wouldn't do that to you."

He stood up, never breaking eye contact with me. He wrapped his arms around me, pressing his face into the crook of my neck. He's so unlike his normal self. He's typically sweet, funny and always smiling – sure of everything that he wants. Now, he's concerned and worried, protective of what's his. It's nice to see him this way.

The fear and concern in his eyes touches my heart. I've never really had anyone fuss over me, worry about me. It's been me doing the worrying for most of my life.