Chapter 4: The Party

Darius picks me up ay 7:00 on the dot, and we go to the Hob. The illegal black market of Twelve, where I often traded, has since been rebuilt since Peacekeepers burned it down just after Peeta's and my Victory Tour. There, I dance with Darius most of the night. And we talk. He is so easy to talk to, so funny. A little flirtatious, perhaps, but good to be around.

When we get tired, we go off to the side of the market to be alone. From where we stand, we can look up and clearly see the stars. Just then, I hear music and drunken voices wafting over from the bar:

"Kiss your darlings, Oh Johnny boy..."

I giggle. "What are they singing?"

"Oh, it's a drinking song. Usually sung to signal a last call for dancing, or for special things at midnight on New Year's Eve. Ask Haymitch about it sometime, he'll tell you."

But I see couples, prompted by the song, rushing into each other's embrace.

"Then why are...?" My voice is cut off, and I gasp into his mouth, as Darius takes me in his arms and kisses me full on the lips. Nobody except for Peeta (and, a time or two, Gale) has ever kissed me before. But Darius's lips taste so good. So I sink my fingers into his red hair, right down to his scalp, close my eyes, and hum in pleasure as I kiss him back. "Hmmmm..."

We break apart slowly, sensuously. Darius must think I might do something like deck him for kissing me out of the blue for he stammers, "You didn't have a partner," by way of explanation.

I just smirk and pull him back to me, kissing him this time.