Coffee and Classics
Wow! Thanks for all the follows, reviews and favorites! This is my first fic, so I was a tad nervous to publish it! But I'm really enjoying writing it, so for the next few days, you can expect multiple chapters to be published in quick succession.
Gale is slightly OOC, but I really enjoy writing his character. He's funny, outspoken, crude, and I think you will like him too.
I do not own The Hunger Games.
CHAPTER 3:
"Absolutely not."
I look at myself in the mirror. My hair is teased, my eyes are smoky, my lips are cherry red, and my light green dress is skin tight cutting off at mid-thigh with short sleeves.
"Come on, Kat. It you look hot. Be a little adventurous," Prim says, clearly pleased with her handy work.
I'm just about to scream "NO FUCKING WAY," when I see the look on her face. She looks so satisfied, and wonder fills her eyes. Fuck. If I don't give in, this will become a big thing.
"Whatever. If I get groped by some drunk dude, I'm blaming you." Prim giggles, and begins to put away all the make-up she used on my normally makeup-less face. I glance at myself one more time in the mirror, and then cringe at the woman that looks nothing like me. Okay, no more looking in mirrors tonight.
I hear a knock on the door, stand up shakily in my heels, and walk to it. I open the door swiftly, and see Gale standing in dark blue jeans and a casual but classy flannel shirt. His dark brown hair is elegantly disheveled and he's standing in his normal stance, hands tucked into his front pockets. Gale's dark grey eyes bulge open at the sight of me, and his eyes begin to roam my body, from my shoes upward, until he lands on my face. My perpetual scowl is even more prominent. He grins once he gets to my face.
"I thought you were a completely different person, until I saw that look on your face. Only you can look hot and fucking pissed at the same time," he chuckles and then his eyes dart behind me. "Good job, Prim!" He winks at a figure behind me, and I turn in time to see Prim flush deep red.
"Come on, Gale. Let's get this over with," I moan as I pass him and head out the front door.
"That's the spirit!" He yells excitedly and shuts the door behind me.
The bar is in full swing when we get there. Gale finds us a table in the back, tells me to wait, and trudges up to the bar to get drinks. I note that he fends off three ladies in the five minutes he stands and waits for our drinks. When he comes back, his smile is huge.
"That last chick just offered to blow me in the bathroom! Man, I forgot how slutty the chicks at this bar are. You must be pretty special for me to pass that up," he winks and laughs, and I can't help but join him.
"So Catnip, speaking of lays, any man caught your eye lately?"
My brain quickly flashes to an image of blue eyes, and I can see that Gale notices my change in demeanor.
"Who is it?!" He practically screams, and then takes a large swig of his beer. I take one from my rum and coke and cringe as the alcohol hits my taste buds. God, it tastes like ass, but I love the feeling it gives me. "Seriously, tell me, Catnip. I won't say anything. I honestly asked you the question, thinking you would just glare at me again. I didn't think there would actually be anyone."
I take another gulp. "I just met him today. I mean, I've barely spoken to him, but there's something about him. And, he's extremely sexy." I giggle and take another swig, emptying my glass. I can already begin to feel the effect. Wow, I'm a fucking lightweight.
"Panty-drenching?" Gale smirks. I practically spit out the first sip of my second drink.
"Could you be cruder?" I ask, swiping my mouth with the back of my hand. Gale chuckles, and drains his first beer.
"Absolutely, I could. But I know how much of a prude you are, so I won't." He takes sip from his new beer, and his face suddenly changes from joking to serious. "Katniss…"
Oh no, I think. Gale never uses my real name.
"Do you think this Peeta guy could finally be the one to take the ultimate prize?" he whispers, his eyes glowing. For a second, I'm confused. What the fuck is he talking about? Then I realize. My eyes widen, and I drain my second rum and coke.
"Gale! I'm not taking about my virginity in public. Or ever. And plus, I just met this guy today! Remember that." I try to whisper as menacingly as possible, but the alcohol is starting to take over, and I think it's not very effective, because Gale just barks out a laugh.
"Catnip! Please have sex soon! I want to hear all the dirty details!" He practically screams, standing up on his chair, and leaning into my face. He collapses back into his chair laughing, and finishes off his second beer, then waves for the waitress to being us another round. Flush rises on my cheeks and I look around to see if anyone in the bar heard what he just screamed. Then, my eyes meet those startling blue ones, and my heart begins to beat out of my chest again.
Right then, the waitress drops off two more beers and two more rum and cokes. I quickly down one, and look over again, seeing that the man with the blue eyes is heading towards me.
"Fuck, Gale. He's here, and he's coming over," I slur at him, my eyes burning with emotion. Gale looks up, right as Peeta reaches our table. Peeta looks at Gale, his eyebrows furrowed, then looks at me, his eyes shining.
"Hi, Katniss. How are you?" He asks, a smile spreading on his face. I melt, and a smile spreads on my face too.
"Hi Peeta!" I yell excitedly. Then I look at Gale, who's wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. I scowl at him. "This is my friend Gale. We've known each other since we were kids, but we don't date. Ever. Gale, this is Peeta." Peeta looks at Gale, his eyebrows no longer furrowed, and a smile begins to move onto his face. The guys shake hands, and Peeta takes another sip of his beer. I can't help but stare at his lips as he brings the bottle to it, and long after he finishes his drink. Suddenly, his lips turn into a smile, and I look up to see Peeta looking at me.
Shit. I think. He caught me.
"Mind if I join you?" he asks me, and I nod, unable to stop looking at his lips. He sits on my side of the booth, and casually drapes his arm on the back. His fingers accidently graze my shoulder, and the electricity shoots through my whole body, even more intense than the last time. It's just the alcohol.
"So Peeta, I hear you met Katniss earlier today. Was she hostile or moody? It was one of the two, wasn't it?" Gale laughs and continues drinking his third beer. I scowl at him, which causes both of them to laugh.
"Nah, she actually wasn't either. She didn't exactly approve of my compliment, when I called her beautiful, but the rest of the time she was pleasant. And a little clumsy." Peeta says, and then glances at me with a smile on his face. The alcohol prevents me from doing anything but smile back at him.
"Yeah, I don't think Catnip has ever been able to take a compliment. Once time I told her that her rack looked good and she slapped me, can you believe that?" He finished his beer and started his forth.
"Um, yeah, I can totally believe that." Peeta says with a scoff and a laugh. "I mean, I barely know Katniss, but she seems like the kind of woman that doesn't like to be objectified. And that she just doesn't understand how beautiful she is. And the effect she can have." Peeta looks at me, his eyes burning with some emotion that seems like passion, and I can't help but lean in. It's like he has a gravitational pull. But then I remember: notch on the bedpost. And quickly, I lean away, and fight the alcohol's desire to grab his face and swipe my tongue on his bottom lip. But I continue to stare at him, Peeta's gaze never leaving my eyes.
"Well just remember to be gentle with her," Gale says, finishing his fourth beer. He's officially drunk. "A lady's first time needs to be gentle." Suddenly, Peeta and I snap our heads to Gale's face.
"What?" We both say at the same time. Or at least, he says it, and I scream it. My face burns as Gale show no remorse for letting my virginal status slip. I could slap him. I stand up to leave, when my fourth rum and coke decides to cause dizziness, and I fall back into the booth. Peeta sees my eyes glaze over and gently puts his left hand on my lower back. My skin burns at his touch, and when I look into his eyes and I see concern fill them.
"Okay, your drunk, Katniss. I should take you home," Peeta says softly, begins to help me out of the booth. Gale looks like he's about to protest when Peeta turns and speaks to him. "Gale, I think you upset her a bit, so I'll take her home, and call you a cab. Trust me; she'll be okay with me. I would never hurt her."
Gale seems to believe him, because he sits back down and Peeta quickly calls him a cab, all the while still keeping a hand on my lower back.
After he finishes his call, he begins to push me towards the door, keeping his left hand on my lower back and gripping my right hand with his. I feel fuzzy, and I know it's not just from the alcohol, but from Peeta's presence. How can he affect me like this?
Eventually, we get out of the bar, and he abruptly turns left and begins to walk down the sidewalk. I want to speak to him, but I can't seem to find a topic of conversation. The only thing I want to know about him right now is how his lips will feel against mine. After we've walked a block, he finally breaks the silence.
"Are you feeling dizzy? Or sickly? Or anything?" His tone is gentle and soothing. It makes me feel like melted butter.
"I feel…funny. In a good way." I giggle and look at him, in time to see a smirk take over his face. Suddenly, I can't handle it, and the alcohol takes control. I stop mid step, startling Peeta by our sudden arrest.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He looks at me with concern. I simply smile.
"Peeta…you are beautiful," I say. I smile, and want to look in his eyes, but resist it, and look at his feet instead. He's wearing worn green converse, and I focus on a particular smudge as I continue, "I just thought you should know."
Peeta softly chuckles. "Well thank you, Katniss. But I know, without a doubt, that you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." Finally, I meet his eyes. "And if you weren't drunk right now, I would kiss you." He slowly brings his hand up to my cheek, and grazes the pad of his thumb across my cheekbone.
I begin to feel dizzy again, and Peeta realizes my change in expression, and pick me up, cradling in his muscular arms. After a minute or two, we stop in front of beat-up black truck. He sets me down briefly to unlock and open the door for me, then picks me up and puts me in the passenger seat. Carefully, he buckles me in and makes sure I'm completely safe before he goes to the driver's side. Why is he being so kind? I think. He barely even knows me.
Giving him slurred directions to my house, we arrive in less than ten minutes. Again, he comes over to my side, unbuckles me and carries me up to my apartment. I dig my keys out of my purse and hand them to him, and he unlocks the door, still holding me in his arms. I point him to my room, and as we enter, I become slightly embarrassed when I realize it's such a mess. But he doesn't seem to mind or notice.
He gently sets me on my bed, and then begins to take off my heels. He makes every movement swiftly and surely, and full of care. After my shoes are off, he leaves my room, only to return with a glass of water and two Advil.
"For the hangover," he says simply, and helps me gently tip the water into my mouth. I smile at him, unable to process how a stranger could treat me so kind after knowing me less than twenty-four hours. He returns the smile, and then a strange look takes over his face.
"What's that look on your face for?" I slur at him. He chuckles a bit, and then his face returns to the strange look.
"Do you want me to take you out of your dress?" he asks, embarrassment flushing over his face. So that's what the look was for.
"Sure," I say without hesitation. I'm surprised by how quickly it comes out, and how steady my voice is, not filled with lust like it should be. Because that's how I feel.
Peeta gulps and pulls me to my feet. Then, looking in my eyes, he grabs the material at my thighs. But before he lifts my dress he whispers, "I just want you to know that you looked gorgeous tonight. Truly. But I have to say, I prefer the braid." Then suddenly, without my response, he begins to pull the fabric, and my reply is silenced. Slowly, the fabric is peeled away from my flesh, until I'm left in a black strapless bra and lacey boy shorts. Peeta never once glances at my body, and quickly pushes me back and into the bed, pulls the covers over me, and tucks me in. My eyelids begin to droop, and Peeta's face begins to blur.
"Goodnight Katniss," I hear before the darkness that descends. All that's left is the image of sapphire eyes.