Author's Notes: Thank you to those who reviewed. It means a lot to me.

This chapter was tough to write with my computer being all weird and not saving, and I had to start all over, and GAH!

Well I hope you guys like this one as we see a darker side in Peeta.

There will be violence in this chapter. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Prologue:

Chapter 2: The Bully

The blonde teen was walking towards Summer looking like he just won the lottery, a very sick lottery. On his right shoulder, he lifted five sacks of grain roughly a dozen pounds each. On his left arm, he cradled five bottles of oil that's used for heat. Between his lips, he carried five sheets of what looks like advertisement posters.

"Mmhummerm!" he called to his friend mumbling due to the posters he carried in his mouth.

Summer turned around from the boulder she sat on and saw her best friend struggling with the weight he carried. "Oh my gosh, Cheesecake!" she exclaimed with worry. "Let me help you with that!" Of course, Summer snatched the lightest thing she saw: the posters.

"Wow. You're such great help!" Peeta was filled with sarcasm when he was finally able to talk.

"You are quite welcome," she scanned the advertisement posters.

"Very funny, Summer,"

"Fine. Here, give me the bottles of oil."

Peeta obeyed. "Thanks," he smiled. "Hey, we should head back. It's getting dark."

"Oh my gosh! I forgot about my little sister. Her soccer game's probably over by now." she gasped.

"Ha. I totally forgot how easily distracted you get," the blonde commented with a laugh.

The walk back was silent. It's not because they had nothing to say, but because speed walking in a rush while carrying a heavy load makes it hard to catch a breath.

By the time they made it back to the location of June's soccer game, the sky was the color of Summer's hair, and the light posts along the electric fence was flickering like a toddler who can't sit still. Then, a buzzing sound: the electric fence was turned on.

"June!" Summer yelled in hope that her little sister was still there. "Where are you?" She scanned the shadows of buildings with an effort to locate her younger sibling. It was hard to see, but she finally spotted a small girl in the corner of a building fiddling with a ball with her feet.

"Summer!" the little girl exclaimed with enthusiasm as she saw her older sibling. "I've been waiting forever for you, and I am starving." Then, there was a grumble in the pit of her stomach as if she swallowed an angry dog.

"Here, how about both of you help me carry these things back to the bakery, and I'll bake bread for the both of you, my treat." The young baker offered.

"Won't your mom get mad at you?" Summer asked remembering the red mark on Peeta's left cheekbone.

"Yeah, she will, but she'll probably lighten up once she sees you," he winked at her flirtatiously.

June stared awkwardly at the two teenagers. "Um…" she started, "Are you guys boyfriend and girlfriend?" she asked innocently because she didn't know that Peeta was… gay.

The question caught Summer and Peeta off guard. They stared at each other, became wide-eyed, and tried to hold back a laugh.

It didn't work. There was a very audible 'pffffftt' as their laughter escaped their lips leaving June speechless and confused with two laughing teenagers in front of her.

"Oh, you have no idea," the two friends recited in unison when they've finally calmed down and wiped a tear from their eyes.

Then, the trio took their time heading towards the 'Mellark Bakery' as they shared jokes and embarrassing stories along the way.

Back at the bakery, Peeta's mother was giving her husband a spoonful of nasty tasting concoction that was supposed to relieve his symptoms.

"Here take your medicine," the baker's wife commanded as she spoon-fed her husband in bed with the liquid.

"Thanks," was the only word he could muster up as he laid back down.

"Are you okay? I mean, your temperature doesn't seem to be going down at all, and your symptoms are getting…" she trailed off. She knew her husband wouldn't be able to last until Peeta's birthday which is in three months.

"I'm fine." he replied while coughing violently and his stomach growling.

"I'd make you some bread, but we don't have anymore flour," she reassured.

"I know," he began, "Peeta told me before he left to get tesserae."

The baker's wife broke eye contact.

It got harder for the old couple to begin a conversation since his wife found out about the baker's true feelings. Or according to Peeta's dad, ever since 'he got sick'. The baker knew it was awkward now, but he always hid it. Sparks just weren't there for him anymore.

In the room, the silence was unbearable. So the sick man began to speak about his wife's confrontation with Peeta earlier this afternoon.

"You didn't have to yell at him," the baker cleared his throat.

"He was giving back talk. What did you expect meto do?"

"You didn't have to hit him either," Peeta's dad weakly stated with an effort to defend his son.

"He gave someone a discount which the full price could have been used for your medicine!" she began raising her voice as tension grew in the small room. "And don't start pointing fingers at me!" She hissed.

"But you didn't have to hit him!" he repeated with assertion and a cough. "You know, if it weren't for him, we wouldn't even have raw baking supplies for the bakery."

"If it weren't for him, there wouldn't be another mouth to feed…" she murmured almost inaudibly.

The baker paused for a moment being offended about his wife's remark regarding Peeta. "You've changed," he vented, "I remember how you used to love Peeta like a true mother would, but now-."

"I don't want to talk about it," she sternly interrupted.

Mr. Mellark finally gave up on her. "Just promise me, before I pass away…" The baker took his eyes off of his wife's and pointed them towards the ceiling. He probably knew his time was almost up as well. "Just promise me that you'll love him again."

She turned away from her husband as moisture built up behind her lower eyelids. That's when she heard the chimes' little jingle down stairs.

"Peeta's probably home with the things," she stated still looking away. "I better go make some bread for dinner." the baker's wife began to walk towards the door frame.

"Wait."

She paused for a moment; her back still turned to her sick husband.

"Promise me." the baker repeated, this time more as a command.

But she simply sighed and continued her journey down stairs.

As she descended the steps, she began to hear Peeta's voice ringing from the kitchen, so she grabbed the wooden spoon next to the cash register habitually ready to hit him. It was probably because of the tension she got from her husband just minutes ago, but in her mind, it was a good enough excuse to justify hitting Peeta.

She entered the kitchen with the spoon proudly held up high when she saw a glimpse of Summer and a little girl who looked similar to her.

"Hi, Mrs. Mellark," Summer greeted with a smirk. "This is my little sister June."

Summer pointed towards the little girl who gave Peeta's mother a shy 'hello'.

Soon, Peeta explained how they helped him carry the tesserae items back to bakery, so he's repaying their kindness with bread.

With that, the baker's wife put her arm down and began to lighten up at the sight of Peeta's childhood friend. Therefore, she just allowed him to make some bread for the entire family and June and Summer as well.

x x

Fourteen whole days have passed since Peeta's mother hit him. It was a new record. The bruise on his left cheek finally healed as he entered his school with pride as he was without a single black eye or mark from his mother.

But a different mark was about the draw itself on him. Guilt.

It began with bread.

During lunch break at school, the young baker ate his bread at peace. It was only a small roll, and it was aged (and cold), but it was better than what most of the kids ate: nothing.

"Hey faggot!" The voice came from a tall, skinny boy with brown hair and olive skin who sat across from the baker. He was Peeta's bully ever since they were in fourth grade. "What ya eatin' there, Gayboy?"

Gayboy. His other nickname. Apparently, the kids at his school thinks Peeta's gay just because cake decorating and art is just was too feminine in District 12. Real men are miners. Real. Men. Don't. Bake.

Peeta rolled his eyes at his bully, and he took his bread with him to a different empty table.

But the bully just followed the young baker. "Hey, where ya goin'?" he asked as he slipped a seat next to his prey a little too closely.

"Get away from me, Zep!" the blonde ordered.

But Zep just pushed him out of his seat with his tailbone landing on the ground. The predator was smirking. "What are you gonna do about it?"

The blonde boy painfully got up and dusted the back of his pants while Zep started munching on Peeta's lunch.

Zep stood up from the seat as well imitating his prey's actions.

"Go away, Zep. I don't want to fight." he demanded in a harsh but barely audible whisper.

"What was that?" he asked acting stupidly as he projected his voice to the entire lunchroom, "Did you say you wanted to fight?"

Before long, a large number of students gathered around and encircled Peeta and his aggressor. The audience was cheering, all of them. It reminded Peeta of the Capitol people during the Games, and he cringed at the thought.

"Are we gonna fight or what? Huh, Gayboy?" Zep challenged while pushing his prey forcefully on the shoulders.

Peeta took a step back as a reaction. "I don't want to fight you," he replied not wanting any part of this.

"Why?" he began to mock him. "You afraid of me?" The predator double tapped his chest with both of his hands.

The young blonde didn't want to admit it, but the taller boy was very intimidating. He just tried his best not to show his fear. "I don't want to fight, okay!" he repeated in a yell while he looked at the floor as he spoke.

"Oh, I know." Zep began, "you don't want to fight because you're GAY!"

Laughs up-roared from the audience which centered towards Peeta.

He felt weak, useless even. The snickers and laughs were thrown at him like stones bruising his very flesh. A tear drop leaked down his cheeks.

That was when he had it and pushed his laughing bully back enough for him to stumble backwards loosing his balance.

"So you do want to fight me," the bully said with a smile that was ready to beat the gay out of Peeta.

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" the crowd chanted.

This was it. The aggressor was looking forward for this moment since fourth grade. Zep balled his fist and threw the first punch. It landed right on Peeta's temple as the blonde boy flinched at the physical contact. His vision blackened, and he slouched for a second due to the impact.

"OHHHHH!" The viewers reacted with joy at Zep's punch.

Peeta stood there defenseless.

"C'mon, Gayboy, I though you were gonna fight!" he smirked as he raised his fists in a fighting pose.

The young baker slowly regained his sight and stood up straight to face his predator. He shyly raised his fists as well because it was too late to back away from the fight that already began.

Instantly, his eyes met with the small, brown eyes of a skinny girl with jet-black hair. It was Summer. She was the only one who wasn't cheering in the crowd. Instead, she gave him an approving nod signaling him to stand up for himself once and for all. Peeta nodded in response as he returned his focus on Zep who was ready for another strike.

Zep started toward the blonde with all his weight attached to the punch. As his body shifted forward, Peeta quickly ducks and drives a low jab to the stomach right above the belly button. Before the predator could put his hands on him, Peeta lunged to the left in an effort to get away.

There was another 'OHHHHH!' from his peers. He turned and looked at Summer who had a serious expression on her face.

While Peeta was distracted, Zep took advantage of this moment, and landed a hooked punch to the young baker's left ribs. His fist came in contact with the baker's flesh, and he gasped and exhaled at the strike.

Then, the bully grabbed Peeta's shoulders, but he quickly pushed his predator away before he dealt any damage.

Before long, Zep tried a quick punch towards his victim's face. Peeta blocked it with his left arm and attempted to ignore the stinging pain.

The tall boy wasn't smirking anymore and went for a messy kick to the baker's sides. But before the brunette's foot contacted Peeta's ribs, the blonde darted to the right, which dodged the blow. Peeta then landed a speedy jab to Zep's face.

'OHHHHH!' cheered the audience.

This forced the predator to snap like a twig as he gritted his teeth at Peeta. His face had a hateful expression stamped on it. "You cocksucker!" the bully screamed as he lunged forward with both hands grabbing and wrinkling Peeta's shirt.

As a reaction, Peeta stapled a lighting jab to Zep's diaphragm which forced air out of the taller boy.

After he recovered his breath, Zep sought for another, yet more polished, kick to the blonde's ribs. But while his right leg was airborne, Peeta sweep kicks the predator's left leg which forced dust to fly and Zep's knees to buckle.

The tall boy fell hard on the ground, and looked up at the short boy standing over him like a giant.

Peeta drew his right leg back and released a devastating kick to the predator's ribs.

An outburst of cheers escaped from the crowd which echoed in the cafeteria.

His father would definitely not be proud of this.

Peeta didn't care.

His bully curled into a ball as a reaction from his kick. He kicks again, this time aimed at Zep's lower spine.

"WHOA!" the audience howled.

'Look at him…' Peeta thought as he gritted his teeth. Anger bathed his entire body. Rage invaded him like a virus.

The tall bully arched his back due to the pain.

Peeta didn't care. '…Pathetic,' he thought.

This time, it was a stomp. The blonde put all his weight on his foot and directed it to Zep's chest. Blood began dripping out of the tall boy's nose as air is forced out of his lungs yet again.

Students all around him were silent now at the sight of the crimson red liquid. The bully started to cough bile.

Peeta didn't care.

He drew his leg back once again, and proudly kicked his predator's head like it was a soccer ball.

A torrent of blood squirted our of Zep's lips.

Silence.

"Who's the gayboy now, Zep!" Peeta questioned as rage overtook him.

The bully began to choke on some dark red fluid, a small pool of blood gathered next to his head, and a single drop of red liquid swam from his lip to his jaw as if it were a tear.

"Answer me!" The baker yells.

Silence.

He pulled his foot back once more, but frail arms embraced his body tightly in an effort to stop him.

"Peeta, stop!" The voice ordered. "You've won!"

Again, Peeta didn't care. He struggled out of Summer's grip and pushed her hard to the floor.

The short blonde was about to kick Zep once again, but a voice stopped him.

"Peeta!"

He turned around still with gritted teeth. His face made it obvious that he was enraged.

Summer glared at the victor with innocent eyes. Her lower lip trembled in hurt due to the fact her best friend pushed her to the ground. Heavy tears rained down the red sky that was her cheeks.

She then got up, pushed students aside to get through the crowd, and ran away.

Peeta snapped back to reality. The lunch room was quiet except for his heavy breathing of anger. He turned to his bully.

Blood continuously dripped out of his mouth, and his shirt was soaking up the growing pool of the red liquid adjacent to his head. He laid there. Motionless.

The baker took a look around his audience, and they all looked at him in horror and fear.

That was when his own tears of guilt trickled down his face, and he ran away just like Summer did.

'What have I done.'

x x

The sky was the color of District 12. Rain poured heavily and washed most of the coal dust from the ground. Summer hasn't spoke to Peeta in two weeks, and he missed hearing her hyperactive yet innocent voice.

Outside, the young blonde saw Katniss looking at him motionlessly in the rain. Peeta motioned his hand towards himself signaling for Katniss to come under the small awning to protect her from the pouring heavens.

Katniss, being limp and starved, pushed off the tree she leaned on, stood up, and trudged towards the young baker.

"You okay?" he asked as Katniss made it to the porch.

She only shook her head having no energy left in her to talk.

"Come in," he ordered as he pulled Katniss by the wrist into the safety of the bakery.

The huntress sat on a stool and laid her head down on a sack of flour on the kitchen table.

"I'll make you some bread." Peeta offered.

Katniss shook her head again in refusal, but the young baker knew she needed help and fast.

"It's fine," he explained. "I'm baking a cake anyway. I'm pretty sure an extra roll can fit in the oven."

Katniss sat there with her head on the pillow-like flour sack and smiled at the aroma that the oven diffused throughout the room.

The kitchen became silent as they waited for the things to be ready, but Peeta entertained himself by drawing on the back of the tesserae posters. He began with a round shape creating a head. Then, he started adding some human like features. The blonde began with ears, then the nose, then the lips. For the eyes, he draw them small, and finally, he pressed hard with his pencil to draw straight, smooth, jet-black hair.

When the two items in the oven finally finished baking, Peeta put his pencil down, folded his drawing, and neatly placed it safely in his pocket.

First, he took out the bread for Katniss. "Here," he handed her the freshly baked bread steaming from its warmth. "You need to eat." he ordered.

It took all of the huntress' leftover energy to sit up, meekly grab the soft bread, and place the warm delicacy into her mouth. She drooled as the pastry came in contact with her taste buds.

Then, Peeta took the one layered cake out of the oven.

"Thank you." Katniss finally regained the energy to speak. "But won't you get in trouble? I don't have money to pay for this."

"It's no problem," he stated, "just glad I could help. You see, my mom's left to get medicine for my dad, and she won't be back for, at least, another two hours. I don't think she'll notice some of the flour missing." Peeta reassured her as he was icing the cake with white, homemade frosting.

"I heard about Zep," she informed.

"Oh," he sighed scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, I got expelled from school," the baker explained with a slow, shameful tone.

"Did you kill him?"

He paused. "Thankfully, I didn't. Even though he's bullied me since forth grade, I'd hate the thought of killing him. School Monitors and Peacekeepers examined the damages, and the worst I gave him is a concussion. It's pretty bad though. Then, I got a beating from my mom once I got home."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"No, it's not," she began. "This is the second time you've saved me from starving to death," She remembered the first time when he threw her burnt bread, "and you had to suffer getting a beating from your mom. And…"

"Yeah?"

"I just feel like it's my fault,"

The young baker soon grabbed some cherry juice and added the color to the white icing to make pink. "Don't blame yourself. That's just what friends are for." he comforted her.

"Friends?" the huntress asked.

"Yeah," he said approvingly.

"I was never really good at making friends." she looked down at her moist bread in embarrassment with half of the roll in her stomach.

"Well," Peeta began. "You start making friends by not questioning it," he explained smiling as he wrote the words I'm Sorry on the cake with the pink frosting.

"So, who's the cake for?" she continued eating the roll of bread.

"Some one I care about."

"That girl I always see you with?"

"Her name's Summer," Peeta weakly lifted the corner of his lips. "I haven't heard her voice since… Zep. I'm just hoping she'll forgive me," he said sympathetically as he finished decorating it with fancy swirls. "Done," he exhaled with accomplishment.

"Want me to help you deliver it?"

"You really want to?"

"It's the least I could do. And besides, we're friends now right?"

Peeta smiled at her and nodded kindly towards her direction.

The young baker picked up the platter which the one layered cake was stationed in, and he pulled out the drawing from his right pocket. "Here, you can hold this," he ordered as he made his way to Summer's home with Katniss following him.

After arriving at her front door, Katniss knocked, and Summer answered it.

"Peeta?" Summer asked questionably.

Then, the baker showed her his creations. First, the cake, and then, the drawing of her which Katniss wonderfully presented. He smiled innocently in hope for her forgiveness.

Summer just gave him serious expression as she raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Aw, c'mon," he rolled his eyes. "Forgive me? Please?" Peeta begged her pleadingly with the same innocent smile.

She gave in on his puppy dog eyes and smile. "Just promise me your not going to try to hurt and kill again. Okay? I really didn't expect you to go that far, and you really scared me when you pushed me down."

The blonde nodded. "I promise. I'll never try to hurt and kill anyone again."

"Oh, come here, Cheesecake, I missed you!" she vented as she pulled Peeta into a hug.

"Cheesecake?" Katniss questioned.

Peeta grew rosy cheeks. "Umm… How about let's eat the cake first," the baker suggested trying to pry Summer off of him.

With that, Peeta introduced Katniss to Summer, another new friend, as they all sat on Summer's front steps. The three of them soon snacked on the cake with their bare hands handling the pastry, Summer commented on how precise and accurate Peeta's drawing was of her, and Katniss stuffed some cake in her pocket probably saving it for her family.

"Are you guys nervous?" Katniss broke the silence of the eating.

"About what?" Summer asked with a mouthful of cake.

"The reaping," she replied.

Katniss ruined a perfectly friendly mood. She really needed work on this whole 'making friends' thing.

"Well, my name's in the bowl thirty-two times," there was seriousness in Peeta's voice.

"Mine's been there twelve times," Summer became serious as well.

"Thirty-six for me," Katniss informed them.

"It's gonna be in two days," worried Summer. "Do you guys feel good about your chances?"

Peeta gulped down the piece of cake he was chewing. "No."

Author's Notes: Ahhh! The reaping is finally here! I hope you guys enjoyed reading. :D

Hmm, I seem to have a habit of writing long chapters. I hope it doesn't hinder actual story. :/

Oh and sorry if I went overboard with Peeta beating up his bully. I kinda got carried away with it. And Cato will be introduced in the next chapter!

And I'll try to update every Friday, but I'm going to California next week so, next chapter might be delayed.

As always, please review! Tell me what you like or what you didn't like. Constructive criticism is much appreciated. :) Thanks!