~Sketching Out Our Love~

~Chapter 4~

Hello everyone! Thanks so much for the overwhelming response for the previous chapters! You guys are all so amazing, I can't thank you enough!

Firstly, a HUGE thank you to my new Beta, Milanpia! She fixed all my insane mistakes in here!

*Also, an anonymous reviewer said they were confused about Thresh last chapter. Basically, Thresh works at the Mellark's bakery. I know that he has a grandmother and sister in the series, but I don't really want to use them in my story. So, he was abandoned by his parents (since we never hear about his parents in the series), and is now working with the Mellark's and trying to get enough money to go to college. He's about 18 or 19 here, and I've always imagined him to be very quiet. Hope that helps!

Now, on to the chapter! Enjoy!

~Katniss POV~

"Whoops! Sorry, my bad!" My right shoulder crashed into the door of my metal locker painfully, and I staggered a bit. I looked up to see what ignorant person had crashed me into my own locker, and found myself face to face with a stunning blonde girl.

I knew this girl from somewhere, but I couldn't quite place her. She had silky blonde locks, bright green eyes, and a heart-shaped face. She was by far one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen, and she seemed to know it. She gave off an unmistakable aura of self-assurance and narcissism. Her cat-like eyes narrowed to mere slits as she scrutinized me thoroughly. I tried to pretend that her searching eyes didn't bother me, but in truth, I felt very self-conscious.

The girl smirked loudly, obviously finding nothing special about my appearance. Whereas I was thin, she was curvy and toned. Her dark blue jeans fit her like a glove, showing off her hourglass figure. Her next words confirmed my suspicions.

"There's nothing special about you." Her voice was as smooth as honey, and as she spoke, I suddenly remembered who she was, and I made a note to ignore her and not say a word to her. Glimmer. An insanely strong hatred for her rose up inside of me, though I didn't know why I hated her so much.

I snapped my locker shut, and gave Glimmer one of my signature scowls. A lesser person might have flinched, but Glimmer wasn't that easily deterred. I guess her lacking intelligence was made up for in her sheer willpower. "Oh no, I'm not done yet." Glimmer sneered. She moved in front of me casually, as if to cut me off. I reflected on breaking her perfectly shaped nose in half with a well-aimed blow.

"Well, I'm done." I snapped, forgetting my resolve to be silent.

"Look, stay away from Peeta." She snarled, her face mere inches from mine now. "Stay away from him, or I will make you pay."

I didn't for one second doubt her words. "It's not like that." I told her coldly. How do I explain to her I'm not trying to steal her boyfriend?

Or am I subconsciously trying to do that?

No, I'm not, that's just stupid. I countered a split second later.

"Don't lie to me." Glimmer twirled one of her blonde locks on her pinky finger. "I've seen you guys at the football game, at lunch the other day, and then all the times in class."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes, refusing to give her the satisfaction of knowing she was dead-on. Peeta did sit with me at lunch, and we do talk in class. And it's completely my fault he sprained his ankle at the game! But I don't like him!

"I'm not going to steal your boyfriend." I snarled, but she still looked unconvinced.

"You better not, or you won't know what will hit you." And without even giving me a chance to respond, Glimmer turned on her heel gracefully, and flounced off. I glared at her retreating form for a second, and turned back to my locker.

I swallowed uneasily as I walked to English. I knew Glimmer would make good on her words. She might be dumb, but she has the jealousy thing pinned down perfectly.

I could think of only one thing to do that might appease the situation.

I have to persuade Peeta to never break up with her, that way she won't have any reason to get mad at anyone.

And I decided to start that very day in English.

I was relieved to see Peeta walking into English that morning. I was afraid his injury was worse than he'd let on, but he looked fine. His limp was barely noticeable, and he looked as cheerful as ever. When I saw him and Glimmer holding hands, my heart lurched a little bit.

No, Katniss, what are you thinking? Heart lurching? Stop it, you can't and you don't have any feelings for him! He's just a classmate!

Then why did it feel like I was lying to myself?

Glimmer gave Peeta one last lingering kiss before McCrane walked in. He hobbled over to his seat by me, and gave me a hundred watt smile when he saw me watching him.

"Hi, Katniss!" He greeted me brightly. Peeta was usually a happy person, but he seemed to be happier than usual today. I decided to leave the Glimmer conversation until the end of class, because I couldn't bear to ruin his mood.

"Hey, Peeta." I gave him a brief smile, more to keep him happy than anything else. "How's your foot?"

"Fine." He replied easily. "I've had worse."

"It was my fault." I stated. There was no question about it. He'd been staring right at me when he'd been hit. I knew Peeta would try to deny it, but I wouldn't believe him.

Sure enough, he responded with "It wasn't your fault!" Peeta was very easy to predict in these ways.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out the words without thinking about what I was saying. I never apologized to people. I don't ever recall saying sorry to anyone before, not even Gale. And I had a lot to apologize for when it came to Gale. But it was too late now.

Peeta's smile softened as he replied "It's fine. I'd rather talk to you than play football."

My cheeks turned rosy, and I felt a warm, fuzzy feeling rise up inside me. Then I realized what was happening to me, and I turned away from Peeta coolly. I didn't talk to him or look in his direction during the whole period, and he kept quiet. I felt a tiny prick of guilt for wiping the smile off his face.

At the end of class, I turned back to Peeta, and forced myself to say these next words. "How long have you and Glimmer been together?"

He looked surprised, and a little hurt. I didn't blame him, because I'd been terrible to him so far. Still, he answered, "Two years in October."

I nodded, and tried to hide my inner feelings. I'd deal with the heartbreak, or whatever it was I was feeling, later, when no one can see me. "Good, and make sure it stays that way."

"What do you mean?" He asked curiously, his blue eyes fixed on my face.

I forced myself not to drown in his gaze and keep my voice steady. "Don't break up with her."

His face remained composed, but I saw a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. He replied "That's my choice, not yours."

"Fine." I snapped back. "I'm just trying to help you!"

"Katniss, stop." Peeta sighed and ran a hand through his tousled blonde hair. "Sometimes, I think you care about me, and the next you ignore me and try your hardest to hurt me."

I stared at Peeta nervously. "I… I… I'm not trying to hurt you!" I took a deep breath, and tried to compose myself.

"Well, you're doing an excellent job at it." Peeta got up from his seat abruptly as the bell rang. He headed to Glimmer's desk at the front of the room, and put a hand around her waist. They walked out laughing and looking like a perfectly cozy couple.

I had tried my hardest to stop the tears, but I couldn't control the salty trail cascading down my face. I prided myself on never crying, but I wasn't in control of my feelings. When it came to Peeta, I just wasn't sure what I felt for him.

I had told myself time and time again that I didn't care about Peeta. If he never talked to me, I would've been fine. Sadly, the truth was that Peeta made me feel complete again. I could forget about Gale, and all the horrors I'd been through if he was around me.

Gale. What would he think if he saw me opening up my heart to another man two months after his death? The thought of him just made me feel worse. The wound was still raw, and I was rubbing salt into it.

I staggered through the hallway and headed for second period. I leaned against a wall, the thought of going to class put off for the moment. I decided to head to the bathroom for a couple minutes. It would probably be empty because everyone else was heading to class.

I pushed the bathroom door open and staggered in. It was, as I'd hoped, empty. I stared at my blotchy, teary appearance, and sunk down to lean on the wall ungracefully. When I felt somewhat more composed, I headed out of the bathroom and down the hallway.

I walked into second period three minutes late, but nobody seemed to care at all. I just took a seat, and stared off into the distance without really seeing anything.

Images of Gale clouded my mind painfully. The sound of his laugh, deep and throaty, surrounded me. If I closed my eyes, I could imagine the pair of us sitting on the beach, holding hands and laughing. The image was so tangible that when I opened my eyes and saw the cold white walls of the classroom, I almost had another breakdown.

How did I forget you so easily, Gale? You were the only person, besides my father, that I've ever trusted. I let you go so easily, and I'm thinking about another person already! I am so selfish and cruel.

I vowed to never talk to Peeta ever again. Peeta, with all his sentimentality and affability, was dangerous. He was ruining my thoughts of Gale. The further I stayed away from him, the better for everyone.

I belonged to Gale, and he belonged to me. How did I let his death cloud that simple fact? There wasn't another man for me. I'd accepted that since the day of his death. Not Peeta, and certainly not anyone else, would ever be able to replace Gale.

I focused on my breathing, like Cinna had taught me. In, and out. In, and out. The repetitive action gave me something to focus on besides the droning lecture going on at the front of the room. It was calming, and eventually, my raging thoughts quieted down.

The bell rang for break, and I jumped in surprise. Had I really been in here for fifty minutes? I hadn't heard a single word of the lecture or taken any notes. I was shocked, but also relieved. I needed a small break from class, and now my head wasn't clouded with thoughts of Peeta and Gale.

I headed to my locker, to take my stuff out and replace them with what I needed for the next two classes. No one talked to me, or even glanced my way. There were many benefits to being the unpopular new kid. The one that I was reveling in the most was that no one ever talked to me.

"Katniss?" I turned around sharply at the voice, trying to wipe away my lingering tears inconspicuously.

"You should be in class." I whispered. I abandoned the quest of wiping away my tears. One of his hands, soft and warm, came up to my cheek and wiped a single tear away. I froze up at his touch, as if I was expecting a blow. He didn't miss my tenseness, but chose not to comment on it.

"We still have twenty minutes of break." He sighed instead as he took in my teary appearance.

"Then you should be with Glimmer!" I snapped, desperately wanting him to leave me alone.

"I don't want to be with her. I've honestly had it with her." Peeta gave me a small tug on my elbow, and I jerked away sharply at his touch. A small part of me secretly craved his touch, but I would never let him know that.

"I know somewhere we can sit and not be bothered." He responded, ignoring my weak attempts at protest.

"No, I'm not going anywhere with you!" I retorted. I gave him the best glare I could muster through my tears.

Peeta gazed at me with some degree of amusement. "What am I going to do with you?" He shook his head, and gave me his signature Peeta smile. I felt my heart beat painfully against my ribcage.

No, stop, what is wrong with you? Remember Gale!

Peeta moved towards me, and before I knew what was happening, I was wrapped in his arms. His strong arms were steady on my back, and his head rested securely above mine. I couldn't help but lean into his steady embrace. He noticed this, of course, and I felt him chuckle into my hair. He suddenly let go of me, as if he just realized what he had done. "You need more hugs." He said into my hair with a grin. "I have a feeling you don't get too many of them."

Was he seriously trying to flirt with me?

Once he'd let go, the spell was broken. "What the hell was that for?" I screamed so loudly that several passing students turned around. I glared at all of them until they went back to their business.

He looked at me sheepishly, and I noticed that his face had gone cheery red. "I thought… it just seemed like the natural thing to do… for the moment."

"Yeah, well you thought wrong." I retorted caustically. I kept my silence as I followed him outside, and tried to pretend that I hadn't enjoyed that hug. I hope he didn't know that I was secretly starting to surrender to him and his charm.

"Peeta?" I asked quietly as we walked outside. I couldn't resist, the silence had gotten way too awkward, and I had to somehow break it. "Are you going to get in trouble for this?"

I could care less about what would happen to me, but Peeta didn't deserve to get in trouble. Not after putting up with me. "Why would I?" He asked in a somewhat guarded tone.

"Well…Glimmer seems like the jealous type." I responded truthfully.

"Stop worrying about her." Peeta gave me a heartwarming smile that made my brain freeze for a moment.

A small voice inside my head snickered at my foolishness. You just can't stop liking him, can you, Katniss?

I don't like him! I argued. I felt like I was fighting a losing battle, though.

"Ok." I replied, snapping out of the imaginary battle in my brain. I stared up at him, taking in his handsome features. I noticed things about him that I hadn't before. Like how his blonde eyelashes were so long that I was amazed they didn't get all tangled up, or the expanse of the light, or how dark of a blue his eyes really were. He was so different from Gale, but equally, if not more, good-looking.

As hard as I tried to stop these thoughts of Peeta, I just couldn't. But whatever my feelings were, I knew that I needed to stop them. The problem was that I don't think I can stop them.

He led me to a small rickety bench surrounded by large green trees. For a moment, I remembered the woods where Gale and I used to go hunting.

There was no one in sight, because most of the students stuck to the courtyard or stayed in the school building. I sat as far as I possibly could from him on the bench, and stared at my folded hands in my lap.

"Katniss?" Peeta asked softly, as he scooted closer to me on the bench. His hand reached up to cup my chin, and forced me to look at him. I closed my eyes, though, refusing to let him know how his gentle touch had sent a wave of electricity through my whole body. "Katniss." Peeta repeated. "Look at me, please."

I forced myself to open my eyes and keep my expression as stoic as possible. His sapphire blue eyes were staring right into my own, mere inches away from my face. I tried to pretend that the proximity of his body didn't affect me, but that was far away from the truth.

"I barely know anything about you." Peeta whispered almost reverently.

"My favorite color is green." I randomly blurted out. It was the least personal thing I could think of telling him.

"Green?" His eyes stared at me thoughtfully.

"Like the trees in the forest." I elaborated.

"Yes, that suits you," Peeta stared off into the distance for a moment, as if he was envisioning the color I had described. "Mine is orange." He added after a few seconds.

It was my turn to be confused. "Like a pumpkin?" I asked with a small laugh. Peeta was the only person who could get a laugh out of when I felt this chaotic.

"No, not like a pumpkin!" He replied amusedly. "A softer, more muted orange, like a sunset."

I pictured the color he was describing. I remembered all the sunsets I had watched from the beach with Gale, and I saw the orange of the sunset perfectly. The color matched Peeta perfectly. It was full of light, just like him. "It fits you so perfectly." I whispered. "Have you ever seen a sunset from the beach?"

"No, but I wish I could." He replied wistfully. "I'd take my sketchpad with me so I could draw it."

"Do you draw?" I asked curiously. Now that he was talking, I realized how little I knew about Peeta. And I found to my dread that I wanted to learn as much as I could about him.

"Yes, I love to draw. It's so peaceful." He replied with a small smile. I knew there was more to it, but I didn't probe. He wasn't bothering me with questions, after all.

"Can I see, please?" I asked without thinking. "I mean, if you don't mind." I added hastily with a small degree of chagrin.

"No, of course I don't." He reached into his backpack, and pulled out a sheet of loose paper. It was all folded up, but he hastily unopened it and handed it to me.

I took the paper from him with shaky fingers, and stared down at it hesitantly. I couldn't help but gasp as I looked down at the paper. The longer I stared at it, the more beautiful it became. Peeta's attention to detail was remarkable. Every detail of the sunset was etched in perfectly, and the light bounced off the waves he had drawn. It almost looked like a real black and white picture. "Do you like it?" He asked me nervously.

"Like it?" I asked hoarsely. "I love it. Are you sure you've never seen a sunset on the beach?"

He laughed, and leaned into me more. I found that I didn't mind one bit, even though the sane part of my mind was begging me to leave right now. "Do you really like it?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes." I replied, putting as much sincerity as I could into the syllable.

"Then you can keep it." He replied with obvious pride. I knew Peeta wouldn't say it outright, but he was obviously pleased that I'd liked the drawing.

"Are you sure?" I asked, clinging to the paper tightly. It felt like such a personal gift, and I couldn't believe he would give it to me.

"Positive." He replied. "I'll draw more for you."

"Thank you." I replied, my throat closing up painfully. It's been so long since anyone has ever given me a gift, and one as personal as this one at that.

The bell rang piercingly, shattering the moment. I leaped up from the bench, suddenly brought back to reality. I had said way too much to him. I made to walk away from him quickly like the coward I was, but he caught me securely from behind, and I found myself in his arms for the second time that day.

"Let go." I said harshly. He immediately let go of me, and I felt so bad when I turned around and saw the crushed expression on his face. You just can't stop hurting his feelings, can you Katniss?

"Sorry." I apologized. "That was mean."

He gave me a crooked smile, and I felt my heart stop for a moment. "It was. It's about time you admit it too."

"Whatever." I replied innocently.

"Will you sit with me at lunch today?" He asked hopefully as we began to walk back to the school building.

I really didn't want to sit next to anyone at lunch, but I didn't want to hurt Peeta's feelings either. I swallowed uneasily, but ended up saying, "Sure, I'll sit at your table."

His eyes lit up like the sun, and I marveled at his happiness at such a seemingly simple thing. "Thank you!" He replied excitedly.

He stopped in front of his classroom, and looked at me like he really didn't want me to leave. "Bye, Katniss." He said with a wide smile.

"Bye, Peeta." I answered with a small smile of my own. I marveled at how the simplest things seemed to make him happy. "I'll see you at lunch."

I walked away with a small spring in my step. When I saw my reflection in one of the classroom doors, I realized with horror that I looked exactly like a high school girl in love.

Peeta had made me fall for him in less than two weeks, and it took me two years to open up to Gale!

No, this is so not happening! Please tell me this is not happening! I can't like him!

"Katniss, this is Annie." Peeta introduced me to Annie excitedly that day at lunch. "Annie, this is Katniss."

"Hi, Katniss." Annie smiled up at me reassuringly. She was very pretty, with wavy light brown hair that fell down to the small of her back and soft green eyes. They weren't a thing like the piercing green of Glimmer's eyes, and I found myself liking her immediately.

I sat down next to her hesitantly, but she didn't bombard me with questions or attempt to start gossiping with me, like most girls I've known over the years.

Peeta, who was sitting across from me, shuffled around in his backpack for a moment, before pulling out a white paper bag and handing it to me. "What's this?" I asked him curiously.

"Open it." He grinned at me, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him. He was so childish at times.

I found two cookies wrapped in the bag, and I felt warmed by his kindness. He gave me so much while I kept pushing him away. I immediately bit into the first cookie, a double chocolate one, and moaned in satisfaction as the gooey chocolaty goodness exploded in my mouth. I looked up at Peeta, and found him smiling widely at me.

"Thank you." I said once I had swallowed my extra big bite.

"You're welcome." Peeta replied. He gave me a shy smile with just the right amount of sweetness that I had no choice but to smile back at him. His happiness was so infectious. When Annie turned away for a moment, he looked at me, and mouthed, Look, I told you you'd be fine!

Whatever, Mr. Know-It-All. I mouthed back at him. He feigned indignation, and I couldn't help but laugh at his acting skills.

"Peeta!" I immediately recognized Glimmer's silky voice, and my heart sank a little. She waltzed over to where Annie, Peeta, and I were sitting, and yanked Peeta away by the arm. He looked back at me with a mix of disappointment and dread, and mouthed Sorry.

The discontent at Peeta's leaving must have shown on my face. Annie smiled and asked, "Do you know Peeta?"

I considered not answering, but Annie didn't seem like the type who would make fun of me. "Yeah, we've talked."

"Just talked?" She asked with a grin. I suddenly remembered how good it felt to have a friend who I could confide in. The last person I've known who made me feel this comfortable was Madge. Unfortunately, I had left California without even saying goodbye to her.

Suddenly, I found myself telling Annie everything. I told her about how Gale and I have been best friends since I was two weeks old, and how our friendship eventually turned into something much more. I explained to her how we would hunt together, and that he was the only person who has ever understood me. When I told her that he was diagnosed with cancer, she reached for my hand in a comforting gesture. I didn't want her to let go, and she didn't. She didn't say anything when I told her about Gale's death, and I appreciated it.

When I finally got to the part about Peeta, and told her about how Glimmer had threatened me, she made a sound of dislike. "What?" I paused with my sob story for a moment and asked her curiously.

"Nobody likes Glimmer." She replied with a small gleam in her eyes. "Most of us have been waiting for her and Peeta to break up since day one."

That's news to me. I had thought Glimmer was popular and well-liked, so this came as a surprise. "Why does no one like her?" I wondered out loud.

"Because she is the dumbest person ever, and is also obsessed with herself. Not a good mix." Annie explained.

I sat quietly for a couple minutes, digesting all this information. A part of me still couldn't believe that I had told Annie all of this, but I knew that it was the right thing. "Don't tell anyone, Annie." I begged her. "Especially not Peeta."

"You know I won't, Katniss." Annie smiled that reassuring smile of hers. "But I know that soon enough, you and Peeta will be together. You just need some time to move on from Gale."

"So, if I like Peeta, I'm not betraying Gale?" I asked her, desperately looking for her confirmation.

"You do like him then?" Annie asked excitedly.

"No! I mean, a little, maybe. It's just a crush." I blushed scarlet, but Annie didn't probe any further.

"You aren't betraying him." She added after a couple minutes, as if she'd just remembered my first question. "He'd want you to move on."

I looked around the table for the first time. Glimmer was having a whispered conversation with a dark-haired girl who I think was Cato's girlfriend, and Peeta was talking to a brown-haired boy who I knew was named Marvel. "Who's that girl talking to Glimmer?" I asked Annie curiously.

"Oh, she's Clove." Annie explained. "She's going out with Cato." Annie didn't elaborate any further, but I knew from her voice that there was more to Clove.

Glimmer turned to suddenly look me in the eye, and turned back to Clove hastily. They whispered some more for a couple seconds, no doubt about me, and then Clove turned to face me. I looked back at her, refusing to let her know I was intimidated, but I was secretly very scared of Clove. She looked like the type of girl who could throw a knife and hit me dead-on.

"Glimmer and Clove really have it in for you." Annie whispered, not missing the staring contest that just transpired.

"Yeah, you can say that." I replied in a feeble tone.

"Don't worry, Katniss." Annie said reassuringly. "It will work out, eventually."

Eventually being the key word, Annie. I thought despairingly.

I was chasing after Gale in a bright meadow filled with beautiful flowers. He looked strong and healthy, like the Gale I remembered before the cancer struck. I ran as fast as I could, but I couldn't catch up with him. His legs were longer, and his strides much bigger than my own. "Gale!" I screamed as loud as I could. "Wait for me!"

But Gale didn't respond, either he didn't hear me or he was taunting me, I couldn't tell which. For some reason, I was unsure of this Meadow, and knew it held a danger to Gale. I ran desperately, trying to catch up and warn him. But it was no use.

With every step I took, the Meadow got darker and darker, until I was in the middle of a dark, intimidating forest. I didn't stop running though, because Gale was just a couple paces in front of me now.

I suddenly tripped over something on the ground. I had been so caught up with catching up to Gale that I hadn't noticed anything on the ground. I got to my feet heavily, knowing that I can't catch up to Gale anymore, it was futile.

I stared down at what I'd tripped on, and started screaming. I'd tripped on Peeta, lying sprawled out on the ground. I looked up, and saw that Gale had disappeared into the darkness. I crouched down beside Peeta, urgently looking for a pulse, trying to shake him awake. Deep down, I knew it was futile, but I had to try.

"Katniss." A deep voice from behind me called my name.

I whipped around at the sound of my name, and found myself face to face with Gale. "Gale, you're ok!"

"Katniss, you abandoned me, for him." Gale shook his head in disappointment. "I thought you loved me."

"I'm sorry Gale!" I screamed through my tears. I leaped up from Peeta's side, and ran to Gale's arms, but he disappeared once I got close. I screamed his name over and over, begging him to come back, but of course he didn't.

When I turned back to Peeta, I saw that he was gone too. I started screaming for both Gale and Peeta, but no one answered my screams.

I awoke shaking and covered in my own sweat. My throat felt hoarse, so I knew that the screams from my nightmare had been real. I lay in bed, shaking and crying, not even trying to get a grip on myself. I had fallen asleep in my jeans and shirt from school, so I hastily ripped my jeans off and looked for a pair of shorts.

A piece of folded up paper fell out of my jeans and into my lap. I opened it with shaking fingers, and stared down at the drawing of the sunset Peeta had given me earlier. I stared down at the picture for several minutes, before flinging it away from me.

The message of my dream was very obvious. If I kept dwelling on Gale, I would lose Peeta too. Sometimes, I didn't know if losing Peeta was a good thing or a bad thing. I got up from the bed, and picked up the drawing I'd flung aside.

I clutched the paper in my hand, being careful not to tear or crumble it. I slipped under the blankets again, and brought my knees to my chin. I felt safer this way; whenever I had a nightmare I slept in this curled-up fetal position.

I flung Peeta's picture of the sunset to the floor again, overcome with so much confusion about our relationship, for lack of a better word. I didn't want to have anything to do with him, but I couldn't seem to help myself. From now on, I resolved to not talk to him. For real this time, no excuses. As I fell asleep, my semiconscious brain could only form one coherent thought.

I will not fall for Peeta Mellark.

Haha, she's trying to deny it! Not going to work, Katniss… :)

Thanks for reading, everyone, and please leave a review so I know what you are thinking! Keep reviewing, reviews are like little pockets of energy to me. :)

Next chapter: Peeta's POV, and a lot of action in the form of Glimmer.

Until next Sunday, bye! 3