a/n: I know, I know, I'm horrible. I've just been so busy because I just finished school, so I was studying for finals, but look at me, all done :)
disclaimer: I own nothing. (sadly.)
quote for the next chapter.. from Prim!
"Peeta, I'm scared."
After Katniss' orientation program, and me sorting out a few quirks in our contract, we're back home in rainy Vancouver where it's still pouring in May. We took two weeks off school for the trip, but Katniss got full credit for those two weeks since her absence was for post-secondary related stuff. I, however, got excused as well, because apparently Gale called the school and said my trip was to sort out "my future budding career", so to speak.
We walk down the halls, my hand in Katniss' and we stop by her locker to grab her books. I lean against the dark blue locker doors as she swaps books out for binders.
"So, how was the meeting?" she asks me, swapping a binder for a text-book. I shrug, slinging my shoulder over her shoulder and checking myself in the mirror of Katniss' locker.
"Pretty boring if you ask me." I shrug, pressing a kiss to the side of her face. I feel her grin against my lips and give her a smile myself.
"How was the orientation program?" I ask, swinging her locker door shut before we go ahead to walk to our next class. She shrugs in response, opening her binder to take a look at a set of notes written in her dainty scrawl.
"It was alright." she says. "They told me I could minor in writing or music for free if I wanted, or go for a partial funding for my nursing major." she sighs, plopping down onto a nearby bench to run her fingers over her hair that has started to get that tousled look I love. I look down at Katniss, and damn, she's so beautiful.
"What do you think you'll do?" I ask, sitting next to her and entwining our fingers together. Katniss shrugs next to me and props her head on my shoulder.
"Not sure yet." she answers. I smile slightly and lean my head against hers.
"I love you." I whisper, pressing a kiss to her hair. Katniss tightens her hold on my hand.
"I love you." she whispers back, and I try to fight the silly grin that threatens to break out on my face, but it's useless. I know it's there, and it's not going anywhere.
The moment is broken though, because the spirited Johanna Mason skips over to us, her face contorted in glee. It's almost strange to see her in such a state, until I realize she's smirking too.
"Aww, look at the two little love-birds." she coos, pinching my cheeks rather painfully.
"Ow." I grunt, swatting away her hands and rubbing my cheeks to recirculate the blood there evenly. Johanna chuckles at my unsettled state and turns to Katniss.
"Heard you got into some prestigious school and got a crazy scholarship. How'd you manage that, brainless?" Johanna cackles. I furrow my eyebrows and turn to Katniss to gauge her reaction. She looks more confused, if anything.
"Where'd you hear that?" she asks confusedly. Johanna shrugs, her face void of any sarcasm.
"It's the latest gossip topic." Johanna shrugs. Katniss raises her eyebrows and scoffs.
"What?" she laughs. "I didn't get into any college that's extreme, and I only got funding for one of my minors if I take one." she explains, as Johanna nods, still standing.
"Rumors annoy me." Johanna deadpans. Her eyes brighten as if a light-bulb was switched on for the first time in the darkness. "Let's make straighten them out."
I watch as Johanna climbs onto the bench beside and takes a deep breathe.
"Wait!" I exclaim, grabbing Johanna's wrist before she can do anything stupid to ruin our reputations here. "What are you gonna do?" I ask suspiciously. Johanna just smiles and shakes off the hand that's holding her wrist. She straightens up on the bench, and I can only watch dumbly.
"EXCUSE ME, ADERYN HIGH!" she shouts, pressing her hands in a barrel over her mouth, intensifying her voice even further.
"What are you doing, get down!" Katniss hisses, trying to get Johanna down from the bench as try I wave off the students that have gathered around the hall.
"KATNISS EVERDEEN HAS BEEN ADMITTED TO A CRAPPY SCHOOL, NOT A HIGH AND MIGHTY ONE, YOU PATHETIC LITTLE LIARS!" Johanna shouts into the hall, stopping a few students and teachers in their tracks.
"Jo!" I exclaim.
"I never said the school was crappy, I said it wasn't anything extreme!" Katniss hisses. Johanna just shrugs.
"Oops." she says. "NEVER MIND MY CHILDREN, SHE IS THE PATHETIC LITTLE LIAR." she announces again, and takes another breathe to shout more until a teacher stops her.
"Get down from there, young lady." he says sternly, holding a steaming cup of dark-looking coffee. Johanna just snorts and rolls her eyes at the teacher and jumps off, landing with a heavy thump. She leaves without a word to any of us, just a wink over her shoulder and she's gone.
A moment of silence washes over Katniss and I before she breaks the awkward tension.
"Sometimes, I question our choice of friends." she sighs. I chuckle at her comment and stand as the bell rings. I hold my hand out for her to take as I smile.
"C'mon sweetheart, this hallway has had enough of our fame." I say. Katniss smiles and takes my hand and we walk down the hall to our next class.
Lunch rolls around quicker than it should have, and Katniss and I meet in our trusty lane and wait for Johanna, Prim, Rory, Annie and Thresh and Rue to meet us before we settle down on the floor. They come in a group and we wave at them. They wave back and Prim runs up to us, enveloping both of us in a hug.
"Well hi to you too, Prim!" I grunt as she releases her tight hold. Katniss chuckles and all of us settle down in our respective spots. WE start to pull out our lunches before I notice that Rue and Thresh are with a small lunch today. I stare at my two sandwiches and pull out a ten dollar bill from my wallet.
"Thresh, Rue, want my sandwiches?" I ask, folding the bill into my pocket. Thresh stares at me and Rue switches her gaze between me and the two sandwiches in my hand. A moment of silence passes over the group before Thresh waves me off reluctantly.
"Nah, man. You eat those. " he says, smiling at me. I roll my eyes. Of course.
"No, seriously, I'm into ham and cheese today, I'm gonna buy from the cafeteria today anyways." I say. It's kind of true. I've had ham and cheese a few too many times for lunch already. I can see the wheels turning in Thresh's head and he takes the sandwiches and passes one to Rue.
"Thanks, man." he says, shooting me a grateful smile. I smile back and wave him off.
"It's nothing, they would've gone to waste anyway." I shrug, dusting off my pants and walking to the cafeteria to buy a juicy hamburger.
I come back to see all of them laughing to a joke Johanna made, even quiet Annie is laughing right along with us today. I smile. It's a good day.
I settle back into my spot beside Katniss just as she gets up.
"I'll be right back, I have to use the washroom." Katniss tells everyone. Annie speaks up.
"Do you want me to go with you?" Annie asks sweetly. I furrow my eyebrows.
Girl things.
Katniss waves her off and runs down the hallway, calling over her shoulder.
"I'll be really quick!" as soon as she disappears, I turn back to Drew who is animatedly talking about a story when his mother worked at a casino and met a stripper. I've almost finished my burger, and Drew is in the middle of his story before it happens.
Something comes over the announcements, but I can't quite catch it. Just as the announcement, a flurry of chaos ensues. The classroom doors swing open with urgent teachers yelling and screaming and all I can remember is confusion. I'm still standing there dumbly, the burger wrapper still in my hands, before I hear it. Thresh's voice barking out "Code Red! Everyone get inside!"
A wave of panic washes over me, but I grab Rue and Rory and drag them inside a classroom before I can even remember what's happened. I can hear shouting and loud sounds and fear starts to bubble up inside me. Johann's hand closes over my hand and she drags me inside the classroom, telling me everyone's inside. I shut off the lights as a teacher tells everyone to remain calm and quiet and locks the doors. I pull down the blinds barricade the door along with Drew with a heavy table. I can only hear loud banging sounds in the hallway and loud laughs.
Trying to breathe as evenly as possible, I turn back to my friends, only seeing them in the light of the barely there lamp that still flickers faintly on the table. Rue and Prim are crying quietly into Thresh and Johanna, Annie is in a ball shaking in the corner with Drew's arm over her, comforting her. Thresh looks as stoic as I've ever seen him, and Johanna looks uneasy, almost scared. I look to Annie in sympathy. She hates loud noises, she's a quite delicate person.
For a moment, I'm calm as I settle down beside Annie's other side before I realize with pure fear, that Katniss isn't here.
please read:
this part above was what I was feeling during a school lockdown of my own. I've been through two, and the second one was definitely worse. even though there wasn't anything to really worry about, it was scary. I was with my friends, huddled under desks and when the second announcement came on, it scared the asdfghjkl out of me, honestly. the lady over the PA sounded so scared and it didn't help me. luckily, it only lasted 30 minutes, and no-one was inside the school. but it was still so scary and all of my friends were there, and around 15 minutes in, the doorknob rattle so violently and I honestly thought I was gonna die at that moment. Two of my friends weren't there and I was so scared for them because I had no idea what happened to them. I'm safe, don't worry, but if you guys think it's funny, it's not. even if it's not even that much of a threat, you don't know until afterwards, so you're basically in a dark classroom not knowing what's happening and praying you'll be okay.