December 18th
The following morning, Peeta looked up from stocking the glass looking cases with freshly baked cinnamon rolls when he noticed a figure walking towards him. He was surprised, and a little put-off, to see Katniss. He had spent most of the night trying to talk himself out of the fantasy of having her as his own and had only managed an hour of sleep. Needless to say he wasn't his usual sunny-day self.
"Hey," he greeted her curtly.
"Good morning, Peeta," she replied back to him with a smile that reached her eyes. The devil on Peeta's shoulder whispered that she was taunting him, letting him see a side of her he so desperately wanted, but could never have, but the angel was reminding him how radiant he believed she was.
"Can I help you?" he asked her, again with hint of impoliteness to his voice. Peeta noticed Katniss' smile falter as she shifted her weight from foot to foot, and Peeta inwardly gloated that he was making her feel uncomfortable. He knew he would feel like a jerk later, but right now he just wanted to make someone else feel as insignificant as he did.
"Um," she started off, obviously forgetting what she came in for. "Do you have anything fresh out of the oven?" In Peeta's state he took offense at Katniss' question that anything in his bakery wouldn't be fresh.
"It's all fresh. I don't put out anything that's more than six hours old. Usually it sells out before it's three hours old." Peeta added this last part pridefully, discreetly implying that people do want what he has to offer.
"Oh, okay," Katniss stammered, still switching uncomfortably on her feet. "I didn't mean anything by it. I'm…I'm sorry," she finished, looking embarrassed. Peeta felt the guilt stab at his heart like a dull, jagged blade. He knew it wasn't her fault that he felt this way. Katniss hadn't led him on or given him any kind of impression other than simple indifference, and now she was here in front of him and all he could do was thrust his shattered feelings in her face.
"She must have been wrong…" Peeta heard her mutter to herself as she turned to leave. She must have been wrong? he thought. Who is she? Before he could fathom what that meant Katniss was out the door and headed in the direction of her work.
Peeta spent the rest of the morning regretting the way he had acted to Katniss. He was a gentleman, not a jackass, and that is exactly how he had behaved. Had his father been present, he would have had Peeta's head on a platter and forced him to apologize right in front of Katniss and any customers within earshot. Well, he thought, if I wasn't sure it was over yesterday, I definitely am now.
With all hope lost, Peeta left work that day and headed to the local bar to drown his sorrows in the cheapest whiskey he could find. His self-pity had given way to self-loathing, and by the time he had finished his fourth Jack and coke, sans the coca-cola and and the name-brand liquor, he had talked himself into finding a hot date to take to his family's Christmas Eve party. He would not show up alone again and be subjected to the ridicule of his brothers and anyone else that might want to join them.
He looked around the bar, noting a particularly busty blonde that had been eyeing him since she entered the place, rubbing one of her legs seductively against the other. When she realized she had caught his eye, she pointed her finger at him and curled it back and forth slowly in her direction, beckoning him to come to her. Peeta smiled devilishly as he picked up his drink and started towards her.
Oh, she'll do.
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And another! Expect one tomorrow, late, but I have to stop now. Chores are calling! Please review! Don't be shy. :) What do you think of the turn here? Not so fluffy. Bubblegum1425 would be proud!