Hey guys! Sorry for the late update guys :(

Replies

Guest: For sure nearly everyone has a story line in this story. Johanna and Clove included :)

S: Thanks:) The aftermath of TTCC will be different :)

MrsMellark78: Claverl is a shocker ;) An archery team would be cool! Rory and Prim will be the cutest thing ever!

Chapter 2 "Shots"

Peeta's POV

Haymitch Abernathy is the devil. It's only the third day of school and my muscles are sore because of the endless wrestling practices both before and after school. Luckily Mr. Abernathy also coaches cross-country, so today I'm free of him, yet somehow I still find myself in pain.

"Why am I even here?" I mumble to myself. Today I was supposed to walk Katniss home from school, but of course something came up. And by something I mean my insane friends. Here I am sitting on a couch when all I want to do is lay down and close my eyes. "I should be sleeping. I deserve some sleep."

Annie and Cash dragged me to Annie's new house today, the one she shares with Cato now. I never knew Cato came from money, but judging by this house, he does. Annie now lives only a few blocks away from Cash and Gloss.

"Oh, stop complaining," Annie tells me. "Katniss will be over right after she drops off Prim at home. Cash is bringing Gloss, Finnick should be here soon, and Clove is bringing Johanna here after track practice."

"Still doesn't explain why I'm here."

"You're here to help a friend in need."

I scrunch my face up at her. "Who's in need?"

"I am. I'm in need of you to shut up and be supportive!"Annie exclaims while slapping me on the shoulder repeatedly.

"Annie," I hiss pushing her away from me. "I'm still sore from practice, so thanks for the extra pain."

"I'm sorry, Peeta. I just can't take this group separation anymore," she says sadly.

"I know," I say scooting closer to Annie. "It sucks. I hate it too."

"I just want all of us to get along. Can't we all just forget about the past?"

"What if it was Finnick, not Gale, that Cashmere had hooked up with? Would you forgive her?" Annie takes a pause before shaking her head no. "I just think Johanna needs some time."

"No," Annie says. "She forgave Gale. She just needs to hear how sorry Cash is."

I don't say anything after that. I know Annie. Her mind is made up and there is no changing that. I know hope this doesn't blow up in her face like I'm expecting it to.

"You know no one will be here for another half an hour," Annie says. "You could go take a nap in the other living room."

"There's a another living room?"

Annie smiles. "Second living room, upstairs, second door to your right. I'll come get you when everyone is here."

With a smile I head upstairs to this 'second living room'. Thank God Annie told me where it was, otherwise I'd be lost in this house. It's huge although not as huge as Cash and Gloss' place. As soon as I make myself comfortable on the couch my cell phone rings. I was planning on ignoring the call until I saw Delly's name appear on the caller ID.

The second we got back from the capitol Delly and Mother went to visit Delly's parents. Delly hasn't seen her parents since last winter break, so of course she couldn't care less about missing a few days of school. Delly and Mother come home tonight, and Delly will be in school by tomorrow, Friday.

I answer with smile, "Hey Dell."

"Peeta!" Delly exclaims. "I've missed you so much. My parents said hi by the way."

"Tell them I said I hope they had a lovely summer."

"Will do…listen," Delly's voice grows weak. "I'm not going to be there tonight—"

"Did you and mom miss your train?" I ask concerned. "Missing one more day of school won't kill you, but I can tell dad to wire some money for you two to buy tickets—"

"No, Peeta," Delly interrupts. "Your mom's going back, but I'm not." I stay silent. After a few seconds Dell goes on. "I haven't been in my house since the day I left it to go move in with you and your parents, Peeta. Coming back made me realize just how much I've missed home. I can't just leave my parents and sister again. It's too hard. Peeta, I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Delly. I understand completely," I tell her. "Are you ever coming back?"

"I don't think that I am…no, I'm not." Her voice cracks and I can feel my stomach drop with her last words.

I've never once spoken about my brothers because there isn't much to mention about them. The day they moved out was the last day I saw them. I've always felt like an only child, but when Delly came to live with us I didn't feel so alone anymore. Maybe we didn't spend every moment together, maybe we didn't run in the same circles, and maybe we didn't share the same friends, but I have more of a connection with Delly than I ever did with my brothers. Now that Delly isn't coming back, I regret not spending more time with her. Why didn't I? Because I'm too self-absorbed, that's why. Now I have only myself to blame.

"About your mom," Delly nearly whispers. "Please be careful."

"Dell, nothing is going to happen," I say to calm her nerves. "I'm fine."

"Okay." She doesn't sound convinced. "I need to go and get ready for my first day at a new school tomorrow. I'll talk to you soon, bye."

Delly hangs up and suddenly I'm not so tried anymore.

"Fucking shit," I mumble to myself and bury my face into my hands.

Delly left and I never even gave her a proper goodbye.

The door cricks open and I snap my head up.

"Sorry, Peeta. I didn't know someone was in here," Clove says, standing in the hallway.

"It's okay, Clove." I sit up on the couch. "What are you doing upstairs anyway?"

Clove shrugs. "I just wanted to see how this place has changed since the Crestas moved in."

"And?"

"About the same. How about you?"

"Just wanted to get away from Annie's craziness," I lie.

"Then why do you look like hell?" Clove asks, while coming in and taking a seat next to me. "You look like you're about to drop dead at any second."

Sure feels that way.

"Mr. Abernathy has been working the wrestling team really hard."

"But it's only the third day of school."

"Yeah, try telling him that. I liked it better when he was just our drunk teacher who could barely handle us."

Clove bites her lip as if she's trying to fight a smile. "I bet you'll be thanking him when you ended up winning." She's probably right. "But you do deserve a break from practice and I can get you one."

"How and what's in it for you?"

"Well I'm sure Finnick already told you about the dance team's fund raising idea." I nod. Finnick and Clove both made the dance team this year. Both the dance team and Cheerleading squad are required to raise money for the homecoming dance along with other clubs, but the cheerleaders and dancers are were most of the money comes from. Tomorrow after school the dance team is having this sort of mini dance. People can come in and pay to dance with members of the dance team. It's a pretty good idea since most of the girls on the team are hot, so a lot of guys will be here. "Be security tomorrow and you'll get out of practice."

"Why do you even need security?" I ask confused.

"Because some guys doesn't understand no. We can deny people dances if we want t,o so if someone doesn't like that we can have Mr. Captain-of-the-wrestling-team, see him or her out."

Seems easy enough. "Alright count me in."

"Great and be sure to bring someone of your friends with you. Now come on," Clove slaps my leg and stands. "I bet Katniss is already downstairs looking for you."

"So what's the deal between you and Marvel?" I finally ask. Clove stops at the doorframe. "You couldn't stand the sight of him a week ago and now you're holding his hand and kissing him the halls."

"Maybe I've had a change of heart," she says with a turn.

I give Clove this 'don't give me that crap' look.

"Fine," she says with a quick eye roll. "Truth be told, I don't want a boyfriend. At least not right now. When Cato and I 'broke up' no guy dared to hit on me expect Gloss, but Gloss isn't afraid of Cato. The second Cato was sent home, guys were all over me. I hated it. Now these skirts and dresses Glimmer has me wearing aren't helping the matter. All I want is to be left alone and if I have to deal with a few kisses from Marvel to be left alone then so be it."

I can't help but smile at Clove's ridiculous solution to her problem.

"You're doing all of this just to be left alone? Why not just say no?"

"Please, when a girl says no all the guy hears is yes. Plus if being with Marvel makes a certain blonde jealous then so be it."

"I thought you weren't interested in Gloss?"

"Oh, Peeta. Who said I was talking about Gloss?" With that she spins around and walks out.

I can't help but smile. Clove may have changed her ways but she still sounds like herself.

When I get down stairs Katniss, Cash, Gloss, Finnick, and even Glimmer and Marvel are already here. I greet Katniss with a kiss and say my hellos to everyone else.

"Where were you?" Katniss asks me.

"I was upstairs trying to get some sleep," I tell her. "With no success, sadly."

"After Annie's whole plan goes down the toilet, do you want to come over? Prim's sleeping over at Rue's and my mother has the night shift tonight." Katniss smirks. "We'll have the place to ourselves."

I sigh. "That sounds like a perfect night, but my mom is going home tonight so I better be there to greet her. Sorry."

"Right, I forgot Delly and your mom come back tonight."

"It's just my mom actually. Delly isn't coming back."

Katniss frowns. "What happened?"

Before I can respond, Annie is shouting over us for everyone to sit around the couch and look happy.

"You know," Glimmer starts off with. "I'm all for getting Mason to forgive Cashmere and all, but what do you think Cato is going to do when he sees," she points to Clove, "the ex girlfriend." Glimmer gestures toward Finnick. "The guy who kissed her." Then she points to Gloss. "The guy who wants her." And finally she gestures towards Marvel sitting next to Clove. "And the guy who actually has her, all in the same room?"

Clove, Marvel, Gloss, and Finnick all stare at one another.

"Wow," Cashmere says with a smile. "You can actually feel the awkwardness."

Gloss hits Cash on the shoulder.

"I already got that under control, Glimmer," Annie says. "Cato won't be home until late because he has a da—ummm…after school…thing."

"Nice save, babe," Finnick says.

"He has a date," Clove says. "It's okay, Annie. You can say it. I don't really care what girl has my sloppy seconds."

"Why are we even here again?" Katniss asks me in a whisper.

"I don't really know," I whisper back. "Why do we have such weird friends?"

"I blame you. They were your friends first; I was just dragged into this."

I smile and lean in to kiss Katniss on the cheek, but she moves and captures my lips instead.

"Yeah, okay, you lovebirds," Finnick says referring to Katniss and I. "I came here to help Annie, not to see you two suck face."

Katniss pulls away from me and glares at Finnick. "Don't like? Don't look."

"Two can play at that game, Katniss."

"Oh hell no," Clove exclaims. "I did not come here to see any of that. May I remind you that Marvel and I are perfectly comfortable going at it with all of you here?"

"Please stop," both Gloss and Cash say.

"Okay chill," I tell them all. "Katniss and I can control ourselves, okay?"

With that Gloss bursts out laughing.

"Good one, Peeta." Gloss smirks at me. "So tell us, how did baking with Katniss go? Or did you guys end up on top of each other on the floor again?"

"Gloss!"Katniss and I shout.

"Oh my God, what?"

"Details! I want details."

"Damn, Peeta."

"Who was on top?"

"Was there flour everywhere?"

"Gloss," Katniss hisses. "I'm going to kill you." With that Katniss starts chasing Gloss around the room. They both disappear up the stairs.

"See. This is what I miss," Annie says. "The batter and bonding. Now do all this when Jo gets here."

"Well, I'm going to go make sure Katniss hasn't killed my brother." Cash leaves, rushing upstairs where I think I can hear Gloss screaming for mercy.

After a few minutes of catching up with everyone there's a knock on the door. Johanna lets herself in before Annie even has the chance too.

"Hey, guys." She greets us all with a smile even Glimmer.

"How was track practice?" I ask with a smirk.

"Hell," she says. "You were right. He is the devil." I laugh. "Where's Katniss?" Johanna asks, looking around.

"Upstairs," Annie says. "Johanna is here! Come down!"

Katniss, with Gloss and Cashmere behind her, descends from the staircase.

"What the hell, Annie!" Johanna exclaims, staring at Cashmere. "I'm out of here."

Johanna makes her way to the door, but I take a hold of her arm and stop her.

"Johanna, wait—"

"No," Johanna hisses at me. Then she whispers, "I trusted them."

I sigh before lightly whispering, "The same way Gale trusted us?" It's a low blow, but it's the only way I can get her to stay. "At least try, Johanna."

"Fine." Johanna joins everyone around the couch and I follow her back. "But if I'm staying I wanna have fun. Annie, where do your parents keep the alcohol?"

"No," Annie says. "Absolutely not."

"Annie, please," Clove says while standing up. "Do you know how many times Cato has taken a bottle from his parents? They never notice." With that she heads into the kitchen with Glimmer right behind her.

"I don't like this," Annie mumbles. "Maybe Cato's parents didn't pay attention to this kind of stuff, but mine do."

"They're all coming back tomorrow night, right?" Cash asks and Annie nods. "Me and Gloss will have a replacement bottle for you by then, so relax."

"You can't buy alcohol. You're underage."

"That's why they call them fake IDs, Annie dear."

Glimmer comes back with a dozen shot glasses and Clove follows with a bottle in her hand.

"As the only person here who came in a car, I think I'll sit this out," Gloss says while he rejects the glass Glimmer hands him. "I am going to be the one driving all your asses home so, yeah."

"Let's start with something simple," Glimmer suggests while she hands the last glass out, mine. I consider rejecting the glass like Gloss did, but then again some alcohol could ease my sadness. I take it without another thought.

"I got one," Annie exclaims. "I've never dated more than one person." She smiles at Finnick.

"Hold up, define date," Gloss says. "Like relationship or just one date?"

"You aren't even playing."

"I just want some clarification."

"Relationship," Annie says. "I meant relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend. In other words, if you have had more than one boyfriend or girlfriend you drink. Now drink up, people."

Annie was right, that was a simple one. Nearly everyone took a shot.

Finnick and Glimmer obviously didn't date anyone other than Annie and I in high school, but even though middle school relationships aren't really relationships, they still count.

Marvel and Cash dated each other along with other people in the past. They take their shots.

Clove and I are the only people here who have dated only one other person than the person we are with now. We drink.

Johanna has only ever been in a relationship with Gale. Katniss has only ever been in a relationship with me. They are the only ones who don't drink.

"Hmm, interesting," Annie says. "Okay! Who's next?"

...

Nine rounds in I have already had two shots. I can feel the tipsiness getting to me.

"Cash, you are insane. You've drank five already," I say, while Glimmer fills the glasses.

Cash shrugs. "What can I say? I love living wildly."

"Okay, my turn!" Katniss shouts. Katniss has had three so far, and she is already tipsy. "I've never kissed Finnick."

The amount of people who take shots has me bursting into laughter. Johanna, Annie, Cash, and Clove.

"Shut up, Peeta." Finnick glares at me. "I got one. I've never kissed Peeta."

Katniss is the first to take a shot, then when Glimmer refills the glasses, her, Johanna, Annie, and Cash drink.

Finnick smirks. "Looks like someone gets around, huh Peeta?"

"Shut up."

"Okay," Katniss says staring at me with wide eyes. "If you've only dated Glimmer and me how is it that Clove is the only girl in this room who you haven't kissed?"

"Katniss, it isn't what it looks like—"

"Wait a minute," Johanna interrupts me. "Clove and Peeta have kissed. Remember, in Cinna's classroom?"

Clove giggles. "I totally forgot about that." She takes her shot. "How could I forget? I was right after Cash."

"Oh God," I groan out. "You guys are making me sound horrible right now." They all laugh expect for Katniss. "Freshman year I played Romeo in the school play and Johanna was Juliet, but she needed an understudy. I had to kiss a bunch of girls before Cinna picked the right understudy."

"Yeah that totally makes me feel better," Katniss says with a frown.

"If it makes you feel any better, Katniss, Cinna was giving extra credit to anyone in the play so no onereally wanted to kiss Peeta," Clove says. "Everyone wanted that extra credit."

"Now doesn't that make me feel good," I say sarcastically.

"Suck it up and Finnick, it's your turn," Cash says.

"Okay hmm…" Finnick takes a moment then a smile appears on his face. "I have never been so drunk that I almost killed someone."

I snort while everyone else just stares at Finnick like he's insane.

"I think you've had enough," Annie says sweetly while trying to take his glass away from him.

"Nope," he says. "Not until Katniss drinks."

"Are you still on that?" Katniss says with an eye roll.

"Yes I'm still on that."

"I did not almost kill you."

"You were pointing an arrow at me!"

"Well maybe you deserved it!"

"So you admit it!"

"Don't make me get my bow, Finnick!"

I smile as I watch them argue. We all do.

…

I quit after my fourth shot. Granted it was only eight o'clock when I called it quits, but I can't afford to be drunk when my mother gets home. Not if I wanna avoid a bruise. Plus, I prefer hanging out with Gloss on the sidelines and watching everyone act ridiculous.

"Damn, Cash is so drunk," Gloss mutters while we stare at everyone surrounding the couch.

Cash is slowly falling off the couch but Annie, who is probable the only sober one, is holding her up.

"She is such a clumsy drunk."

"Rather her be the clumsy drunk than the slutty drunk," Gloss says. "And Peeta, no offense, but Katniss is kind of a crazy drunk."

Right now Katniss is lying on the coffee table and she looks like she could be sleeping if it weren't for legs swinging up and down.

"Yeah," I say with a smile.

"What about you? You drunk yet?"

I shake my head. "Just a little tipsy that's it."

"So, besides my sister, who's had the most tonight? I think Clove has." I nod. Sounds about right. "Well, the girl sure can hold her liquor. She doesn't even look drunk."

Gloss is completely right. Clove doesn't look drunk at all, not even a little buzzed. She sits perfectly still on the floor in front of the coffee table with a clearly drunk Marvel next to her playing with her hair. Clove pushes Marvel's hands of her with a smile before resting her head on his shoulder.

"I don't get it," Gloss mutters. "How the hell does he get her?"

I shrug. "Clove is on the rebound. Clearly she isn't thinking right, right now."

"Still. It makes me sick seeing them in the halls together at school. I'm just so—"

"Jealous?"

"Well I was going to say mad, but that works too."

I shouldn't tell him. I really shouldn't tell him what Clove told me earlier. Clove said she wasn't looking for a relationship, but Gloss is. I shouldn't tell him. I shouldn't tell—

"You shouldn't be jealous." I curse myself for caring too much. "Clove told me she is only seeing Marvel to keep guys from hitting on her."

Gloss smiles. "Really?"

I nod. "Don't tell her I told you, 'cause I have no doubt that she'd kill me."

"Definitely."

My phone goes off but the call goes to voicemail before I can see whom it is.

Dad.

It's almost nine.

I'm so fucked.

I rush out the door without so much as a goodbye to Katniss. I don't have time. Now that Delly is gone Mom might go back to smacking me around on a daily basis. I'd rather not give her a reason to start again.

I get home only a few minutes before father comes home with mom from the train station. After I greet her with a warm smile and tight hug I go to my bedroom and call Delly.

We talk all night until the sun sets.

Someone told me they wanted more Delly... Yeah. Her leaving has a purpose I promise!

Please review! Tell me what you think/what you might want to see.