A/N: Just wanted to get this chapter out, I'm just too excited to be posting this story to wait.


At the end of February I'm able to start the 6th reader and go upstairs, along with Clove Paylor. Mama gave me her old 6th reader and I had been trying to study ahead so I could be prepared for the new class. Apart from Clove and I, there were two other girls upstairs, the Wells sisters, they were older, the oldest Maggie Wells was probably 16 and the youngest Bonnie looked about a year or so younger, they wore their skirts long and had their hair tucked up. The rest of the class was filled with boys.

Miss. Trinket was a funny lady, she looked every bit of a proper lady, her hair piled on top of her head and had a shiny comb in the front, she had a dark dress with a bustle and she even had lace going all the way around her collar and she sleeves. When she spoke she had this funny accent that I had trouble understanding, her a's were pronounced long and she loved to use words like shan't and really put emphasis the whole word. "Mr. Thresh, I shan't be able to understand what you are saying if you don't look at me. You shan't be a proper gentlemen if you don't learn how to speak properly." Albert Thresh was one of the bigger boys in class, he was probably older than Miss. Trinket, he glumly lifted his head to look at her.

I heard someone on the boy side snort at her comment. Miss. Trinket's eyes ran over all the boys slowly, looking at each of them.

"All of you shall be proper ladies and gentlemen, regardless of whether you live in town or out of. I shan't tell you again."

After the excitement of being in a new classroom wore off, the day dragged by, I tried to pay attention but it was so hard to understand Miss. Trinket. I missed sitting by Madge already. She had invited me to come to her house after school today; she wanted to hear about the upstairs classroom that she hoped to be in next fall. Mama had agreed, saying that I could be excused from some of my afternoon chores, since I had done well in school.

Papa was going to go to town, he could pick me up after he's done.

When the teacher dismissed us, I hurried down the steps to where Madge was.

Prim left with Lillian Leevy and the Hawthorne boys, I had asked Gale to make sure to walk her all the way home.

Madge and I walked down the street together, I felt so light and free, the pleasure of having over an hour to socialize on a school day was very special.

We kept to the side of the roads as much as possible, the snows had thawed and turned the roads into a muddy mess, closer to stores the owners had put down wood planks for folks to walk on.

I heard someone running behind us, I turned and saw Peeta Mellark. He slowed down and gave me a big smile, "Hi Katniss." Madge turned when she heard him and he greeted her also.

"What do you think of Miss. Trinket?" Peeta asks me.

"She seems like a good teacher," I say, carefully, it'd be wrong to say rude things about a teacher, "It's hard to understand her."

Peeta laughs, "Yeah, you should hear Ed's imitation of her. He doesn't like her much, probably because he got his knuckles rapped twice in the same week a few months ago. Are you going to be moving up soon, Madge?"

"Hopefully by fall," Madge said, then sighed, "I just don't have the enthusiasm for school. Mother wants to send me off to Philadelphia to go to the finishing school she went to."

This was the first that I had heard about this, "What?"

"Yes," Madge says then lifts her head a bit, "It won't be so bad though, Mother says that I would learn a lot more than I would here."

"Like what?" I partially grumbled.

"Oh, I don't know, living in a big city, there's sure to be a lot to learn."

"Oh," was all I said. She probably wouldn't go for a while, maybe she won't go at all.

"Well just so you don't come back talking like Miss. Trinket," Peeta joked. I had forgotten that he was there. Madge and I laughed.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Katniss, Madge," Peeta said then crossed the street to Mellark General Store.

"I'll miss you terribly if you do go," I tell her. Her and I had only been friends for a few months, but I felt closer to her than I did to Lillian Leevy, whom I had known most my life.

"It won't be till I'm 14, and I'd still come back for summer and such."

"But you'd be a real lady then."

"You'll be a lady too, Katniss. We can be real ladies together."

I scoff, "I'll never be a lady. I don't want to have to wear those hoop skirts and have all those pins in my hair."

"Oh, but don't you want to get all dressed up in pretty dresses and have a beau?" Madge asked, her eyes glistening with excitement.

I frown, I don't want to think about a beau.

"I bet I'll be an old maid."

"Oh, don't say that Katniss. Mother's Aunt never married and Mother always said that she was so sour. I think it'd be horrible to be an old maid, all alone."

Madge and I don't say any more about beaus or husbands. Mrs. Undersee makes us a pot of tea before retiring upstairs. We sit quietly talking in whispers, Mrs. Undersee gets terrible headaches and can't stand loud noises. Madge said that when the train comes in, she puts pillows over her ears to drown out the noise.

Papa comes to get me after about an hour and we drive home together behind Papa's cart horses Soot and Lady.

"How about you pick a tune for the horses to trot to, little bird," Papa tells me, and I start a lively tune and Papa quickly joins in.

Springtime edges closer and closer, Papa keeps checking to see if the ground is still frozen, waiting for the first chance to plow.

One Saturday, I get permission to call on Madge as long as I don't stay long. Gale was out repairing a fence close to the road, so I stop to say hello.

"Where you off to?" He asked.

"Mama said I could go see Madge Undersee."

Gale's brow furrowed, "You ought to be friendlier to Lillian Leevy instead of a bunch of townies."

I narrowed my eyes, annoyed that he keeps telling me who I should be friends with, "I'll be friends with whomever I please, Madge is a lovely person and I enjoy spending time with her. And I'll thank you, to leave your opinions to yourself." I turn to walk away. He drops his hammer and comes after me.

"Hey, Katniss. I'm sorry, didn't mean to insult anyone. I just think you'd have more in common with a farm girl."

"Madge and I have plenty in common, I don't get why you care so much."

Gale rubs his hand on the back of his neck, "Shoot, Catnip, I'm just tryin' to look after you. We've been friends since I can remember. There's more people moving around these parts and I just… I'm just lookin' out for you."

"I don't need you looking out for me, Gale," I say gently, "I have Mama and Papa, and I'm old enough to look out for myself well enough." When we were kids, he let me go exploring around the fishing hole, looking for old arrowheads, with him as long as I promised to do as he said, "I can't have you getting' lost or ate by some cougar or nothin'," he had said. Mostly me doing what he said, meant that I had to give him the best arrowheads, which I agreed to, since without him I wouldn't be allowed to go much farther than our fields.

"Just bein' a good friend is all," He grumbles.

"Thank you, Gale," I tell him, "You are a good friend."

I gave him a small smile before saying goodbye.

When I arrived at Madge's we decided to sit out on the porch, it was such a nice day and we enjoyed sitting out in the fresh air and sunshine. Plus, when we're outside we can talk normally, instead of in hushed whispers the Mrs. Undersee requests we use when we're indoors.

"Look, there's Peeta," Madge said, I turn and see Peeta Mellark walking across the road towards us. I noticed he had a cut on his cheek, was he coming to see Dr. Undersee? He has a small brown paper bag clutched in one of his hands

"Good morning, Madge," He said then looked at me, "Good morning, Katniss."

He kept his eyes on me, making me feel nervous. Madge returned his greeting politely, I mumbled, "Hello."

"Do you need Father?" Madge asks, I can tell she's looking at the cut on his cheek, whatever bleeding there had been had stopped, it looked a little swollen still.

"No," He said, and then as if he just remembered his cut, his hand went to it, "No, it's fine."

He stood there awkwardly for a moment not saying anything, prompting Madge to try to make conversation, "I think that spring is finally here."

"Yes," He agrees, he fidgets with the bag a little before shoving it out towards me, he looks at me again, "Here, I brought these for you-for you two to share."

I slowly take the bag and look in, two pieces of stick candy. I look up surprised, Papa sometimes would bring us home some candy for a special treat, but that was usually around Christmas time or if he made a good sale in town.

"Thank you," I say.

"You're welcome. I-I hope you like them. Both of you-I hope both of you like them," He stutters, then turns and hurries back across the road.

Madge lets out a squeal of delight when I show her what was in the bag and quickly reaches in to grab one of them.

"He is so nice," Madge says as she starts sucking on hers.

I reach in and pull mine out, it wouldn't be fair to Prim for me to eat the whole on by myself, I break the stick in half and put the larger portion in the bag to save for Prim.

"That was nice of him," I say.

"It was, I can't believe he brought candy to us…Well, I guess he brought it to you."

"He gave it to both of us," I correct her.

She starts giggling and I look at her in confusion.

"Oh, Katniss, he obviously meant it for you. You're the one he handed it to."

"Why?" I'm even more confused, did Mr. Mellark owe Papa?

"Maybe he's sweet on you," Madge said in between her giggles. My face flushed beet red and I looked down at my lap. Peeta Mellark couldn't be sweet on me.

"Did you see how nervous he was?" Madge continued her giggles.

"I wonder how he got that cut," I say, hoping to change the conversation a little.

"I bet him and his brothers get into some scuffles, his brother Ed came in two weeks ago with a bad black eye, when I asked Father about it he said that boys get more cuts and bruises than girls because they play rougher."

"His brothers did that to him?" I couldn't imagine me hurting Prim like that.

"They were probably just playing. Boys are different."

I think about Gale and his brothers, they weren't as close in age as the Mellark brothers, but I had seen them wrestling and getting into little fights, but none of them ever got more than a few little scrapes on their arms and legs.

"I think that's horrible to hurt someone like that, especially someone in your family."

Madge just shrugs at my statement.

We sit for a little while longer than I have to head home, I told Mama I'd be home with plenty of time before supper.

Prim squeals when she sees the candy I brought for her.

"Oh, Katniss, thank you. Where'd you get it?"

"Peeta Mellark brought some over for Madge and I," I tell her.

"Oh," Mama said and I saw her look at Papa, "That was nice of him."

"You shouldn't be accepting candy from boys, Katniss," Papa tells me, and I'm surprised at the sternness in his voice.

"I-I'm sorry, Papa."

"Both you and Madge are too young to accept gifts from boys."

My face flushes and I remember Madge saying Peeta was sweet on me, "He was just being nice, Papa… He didn't mean anything by it."

"What would he have meant by it, Peeta always seems generous," Prim said.

"When a boy gives a girl a present, he usually means to be courting her. And Katniss is much to young to start that," Mama says, with the same level of firmness in her tone as Papa did.

I blush furiously, looking at my hands that were clasped together on my lap. Was that really what Peeta was doing? Surely he was just being nice. I wasn't interesting in having anyone courting me. And why would he be interested in me, he would be better suited for a girl like Madge. Maybe it was Madge that he was sweet on, that would make more sense, Madge was prettier by far, with her pale heart shaped face and blonde hair.

"When can she start courting?" Prim asks.

"Prim," I say quickly, I don't want to start courting.

Papa serious expression turned to a nervous one as he looked at Mama.

"Well," Mama started, "I think that fifteen is appropriate."

"Not without me giving permission," Papa said, turning serious again as he looked at Prim and then fixed his gaze on me.

"I don't think that's what he meant, Papa. He was just being friendly."

"There's friendly and then there's forward."

"Yes, Papa," I said, I didn't want to argue with him, but my mind was now certain that if Peeta had intended to give the candy for "courting purposes" like Mama and Papa say, he must have intended it towards Madge.

The ground thawed and Papa helped Mr. Hawthorne plow his fields, then Mr. Hawthorne and Gale came over and helped Papa plow our fields.

Mama, Prim and I were busy with the house garden; we had already planted cabbage, carrots, onions and potatoes. The fence had needed mending, so while I saw to that, Mama and Prim planted the peas, green beans and turnips. When it was all complete we had stood back for a moment, Mama had drove sticks into the ground at the top and bottom of each straight little row, the ground looked so rich and dark and the fence around it made it look neat and tidy.

"Well, no sense wasting time when there's things to do," Mama said, and we got started with the spring cleaning. Having both door open a nice breeze swept through the house, smelling of cool earth. Mama and I dusted everything and washed the walls, while Prim blackened the stove. Then we swept all the floors, pushing the dust right outside. Mama got a mid-day meal ready for Papa, Mr. Hawthorne and Gale, who were out in our fields.

"Prim you go fill the jug up with some fresh water, Katniss you can carry the food."

Prim and I walked over to the north field, Papa saw us and gave a wave and a shout.

Prim and I got everything set up by the small creek that ran close by, a few trees offered their shade from the sun.

"Thank you girls, this looks delicious."

We sat with them while they ate through all the food we brought. Gale who was now 16, looking like a man, sitting there with my Papa and his, resting after a long morning of hard work. I started fidgeting with the strings on my bonnet and bit the inside of my cheek; Gale really was growing up, we wouldn't be able to be friends like we used to, he'd want to talk about crops with other grown-ups instead of playing with me, everything kept changing.

When they finish Prim and I load everything back up and take it to the house to wash.

The next day we pulled the bed linins off the beds, the ones that had holes Mama set aside and asked Prim to sew them, while her and I washed the rest of the sheets and hung them to dry. Mama and I just finished hanging the heavy wet blankets and sheets when we came inside and sat down for a moment.

"Next we'll beat the rugs."

We drag the rugs outside and draped them over the fence post. We all took turns hitting the rugs with the flat headed stick as hard as we could, the clouds of dust became thinner and thinner until it was gone. We did that for each one. Our shoulders were aching by the end of it.

Then Mama gave a little sigh and said, "Well, let's get something started for dinner, the bread should be ready for the oven, if you will check it please Prim. Katniss will you go and bring up a few potatoes and onions."

We all three stand up, Mama over to the counter Papa had built for her. I went down into our cellar, the potatoes and onions from last fall had held up tolerably well through the winter and these early spring months but they were definitely not at their best. They'd do well for a soup, which I knew Mama was going to make since Papa had caught three rabbits yesterday. Mr. Hawthorne and Gale were going to be eating with us today, they'd be working in the field until sunset, and then they'd be coming in hungry.

A bit before the sun went down we carried all the blankets and bed sheets in and redressed the beds, it would be so nice to sleep in the fresh smelling blankets. Mama saw them coming through the window so we had the table set and ready for them when they came in. They were hungry, but also pleased with themselves, they had gotten a lot done.

"We got the wheat field plowed and planted. We'll start the corn on Monday," Papa said stretching his back a little.

Papa, Mr. Hawthorne and Gale were talking about how nice it was to have the horse-drawn seed drill.

"Last year I spent so much time bending over I don't think I could straighten my back proper until July," Gale said, remembering how before Papa and Mr. Hawthorne split the cost of the horse-drawn seed drill, he had to walk behind the plow planting the seeds by hand.

The next morning is Sunday, the day of rest. I help Papa feed and milk the animals before coming in and dressing in my Sunday dress, a light blue calico dress.

"Oh, Katniss, your bonnet is in such a state," Mama scolds. My poor bonnet gets put through a lot, the strings should be stiff and white (like Prim's) but instead are ragged looking, I often don't wear my bonnet when I'm outside, letting it dangle down my back, sometimes I even toss it to the ground while I'm up a tree, but I don't tell Mama about any tree climbing, I'm far too old to be doing such childish things.

"I should take better care, I'm sorry, Mama," I say, sweet Prim takes such good care of her things and she's 3 years younger than I am, I need to try to be more like my little sister.

"You're dress is starting to get a little small," Mama said as she smoothed out my dress, then sighs, "And we've already let it out as much as we can."

I look down at my dress, I'm rather proud of its good condition, of course, I only wear it once a week and for only a few hours, but still, compared to my work dress and school dress it's a glowing example of perfection.

"Well, I guess it's time you were in full length skirts anyways."

I look up at her, I'm sure there's a look of surprise and horror on my face. Mama looks at me, "You'll be 13 soon, Katniss, and it's time to start acting like a lady."

"You'll get to wear your hair up, Katniss," Prim says in a dreamy voice.

"The skirt'll get caught on stuff," I grumble, earning me a sharp word from Mama about my tone.

"Oh, Katniss, it'll be so lovely to be a real lady. I saw Thom Paylor driving Maggie Wells after school Friday." Maggie Wells was a town girl that was a few years older than me, "I can't wait to wear long skirts and my hair up… getting to go on buggy rides and all. Maggie Wells looked so pretty."

"Don't be a gossip, Prim."

"It's just what I saw, Mama, it's not gossip."

"Don't talk back. It's gossip to say private things about others."

"Venia says that they're sweethearts," Prim continues, too caught up in the romance of it to care that it was more gossip. Venia was Clove and Thom's younger sister and was in the same reader as Prim.

"Well, Venia Paylor should not be sharing this information with you, that is between young Mr. Paylor and Miss. Wells."

"Oh, Mama, isn't it romantic though. He came and picked her up after school and they drove all around town."

"Don't be so fanciful, Prim. Finish your shoes."

"I won't wear those hoops, Mama," I say, my mind still on the fact that full length skirts were being forced on me.

Papa brought the wagon around and we all climbed in, sitting on the blankets Mama had laid out so we wouldn't get hay or dirt on our dresses.

I was able to temporarily forget about the unpleasantness of full length skirts while we drove down the road, for spring seemed to have exploded over night, little flowers were starting to poke out, near the creek bed we could hear birds singing and prancing from tree to tree, the smell of sweet earth filled the air. I closed my eyes and relished in the warm sun on my face.

"Don't want to get a tanned face, Katniss." I heard Mama say, I tilted my head back down so the bonnet would shield my face.

After the long service I was able to meet and talk to Madge while Mama and Papa talked to some other folks and Prim had disappeared with Venia and Rue.

Madge asked if I was going to be back at school on Monday. A lot of the farm kids, especially the boys, weren't going to be back at school until after harvest.

"Mama says that Prim and I can stay until the last day," I tell her, the last day for all the students was next Friday, "But we have to come right home after."

"Oh good, I know we only have our breaks together, but I would've missed you terribly," She looks around then whispers, "Delly Cartwright has been an absolute pain." Delly and Madge were now desk partners since both Clove and I had gone upstairs.

"In the fall it will be so nice to be upstairs together."

We talk together for a little while, she tells me about a new couple that's just moved here, Mr. and Mrs. Kravitz, Mr. Kravitz was a tailor and was building up a new store. Madge was very excited at the prospect, I knew that whether there was a tailor in town or not, my family would still make their own clothes, so it didn't matter much to me.

Papa brings the wagon around, signaling that it was time to go. Gale was driving his family's wagon and was pulled up right next to Papa's, Mr. Hawthorne was helping Mrs. Hawthorne in, their youngest Posy was already sitting nicely in the back. I said good-bye to Madge and walked towards Papa, who was lifting Prim into the wagon.

"Hi, Katniss."

I turned and there was Peeta Mellark.

"Hello," I answered.

He shifted his weight between his feet, "I-I think that you have the prettiest singing voice in the whole church."

My mouth hangs open for the slightest moments, then I close it, I feel my face heating up, "Oh… thank you." I looked down at my feet to hide my pink face, when I looked back up his eyes were on me, I looked at him, how had I never noticed his eyes before, they were such a lovely color of blue. He gave me a smile and I felt a light fluttery feeling take over my body.

"Katniss!" Papa called.

"Good-bye," I say and turn to go as he says, "Bye" back to me.

I hurry to the wagon, it feels as if my feet aren't on the ground my body is so light, I reach the wagon and my face still warm, I keep my gaze down as Papa helps me into the wagon.

I hear Papa and Gale "Hiya" to their horses and the wagon starts moving.

Every Sunday, once we get out of town, we sing hymns as we drive home, Mama used to think that it was outlandish to be singing so loud on a Sunday, but Papa had told her that he was just praises God and spreading the sound of his joy, sometimes he was able to convince Mama to join. The Hawthornes are usually not far in front or behind us, and they'd join in also. Today I sit quiet. He thought I had a pretty voice. Had I shown enough gratitude for the compliment? What had I done to deserve such a compliment? Papa had a wonderful voice too, it was so deep and steady with such a comforting feel to it. There were so many people singing in the church, how could he have heard me? I had never noticed where they sit in church, but surely a family like theirs would be close to the front.

It's not long until Papa's stopping the wagon by our door, he hops down and helps Mama out, then helps me.

"Awfully quiet, little bird," Papa tells me.

"Yes, Papa," I say and walk inside. I head right up the ladder to change dresses, Prim is a few steps behind me.

We don't talk but I can feel her looking at me.

When we get downstairs, Papa is just getting back from putting the horses away.

Mama is tying her apron around her waist, she looks up and holds me in her gaze.

"Well, Katniss. What did that Mellark boy want?"

Oh.

I feel heat rising to my face again, "Oh, well, he complimented my voice."

"Your voice," Mama repeated.

"Yes, he said that," I pause, "that I had the prettiest singing voice in church."

"You were singing in worship not for some boy," Mama gave me a firm look.

"Yes, Mama, I know, I didn't mean to get noticed or complimented."

"Katniss," Papa said calmly, "We know you didn't seek out the praise."

"Your face was all red when you got in the wagon," Prim said.

"Prim, don't tease," Mama told her.

"I wasn't trying to tease, it was all red," Prim said, then she looked at me, "Peeta Mellark is so awfully nice. I think he likes you," she pauses and sighs, "You'll have to tell him that you can't have any beaus until your 15."

"I don't want a beau," I say quickly. Only grownup ladies had beaus.

Prim continues, "I always thought you'd marry Gale. Then when I marry Rory we'd be double sisters."

"I'm not going to marry Gale!"

"Well, I'm still going to marry Rory."

"Oh, are you now?" Papa asked, he was trying to keep his voice firm, but I could tell he was amused at the musings of a 9 year old.

"Yes. I don't think he know yet, though. He probably won't know until he's older."

"Katniss, will you start reading aloud please," Mama said, handing me the Bible. I start reading where Prim had left off last Sunday and try not to think about Peeta.


A/N: There, a bit more Peeta in this chapter for you. Plenty more to come fear not! :)

Thanks for the reviews, they make me smile!