Katniss and the Rebels
Chapter 22: A Magical, Secret Hideaway
AN: You ready for the first date guys? You ready for it? Because here it is!
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Peeta POV
You know those girls in usually rubbish movies?
The stereotypically, pretty, popular, teenage girls who stand in front of their closet for hours before a date or outing, sighing because they apparently don't know what to wear?
Well that's how I feel right now, standing over my bed, staring at the possible clothes I could wear while my wet, freshly washed hair effortlessly sticks to my forehead in an apparently effort to cool down my slightly sweaty face.
It's ridiculous as I am lucky enough to have plenty of clothes.
But none of them seem suitable for a 'maybe a date or a not date at all night out' with Katniss Everdeen.
Maybe it's because I stupidly left choosing clothes to the last minute.
Today was the day.
You'd think I would have woke up singing and dancing about how glorious life was.
Instead the school day occurred pretty much as normal except there seemed to be a permanent smile on my face.
Katniss smiled and mouthed hello to me in any classes we had today which only caused me to grin wider.
The smirks, teasing comments, pointed looks and expressions were all things I expected from my friends today. Thankfully Annie's supportive words and Delly's threats helped quieten Thresh and Finnick for a few classes at least.
At home, I had wisely decided not to tell his family anything. Knowing if I had I would likely be forbidden from going.
I'm drawn out from my thoughts by two sharp knocks on the wooden door behind me.
I turn stiffly, anxious that it will be my mother behind the door, though rationally I know she never bothers to knock when she enters my room.
Opening the door I find a grinning, well dressed teenage boy with dirty blonde hair waiting for me with his hands tucked into the pockets of his faded, caramel coloured leather jacket.
Unconsciously I frown, "Finnick? You're early."
"Well nice to see you too." His low voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Sorry!" Stepping aside I let him stroll into my room and I close the door after him, "I thought you weren't arriving until later."
Finnick had offered his assistance with this evening.
Insisting it would be more than beneficial if he and Annie went with Katniss and I to the long anticipated football game.
'It will be perfect! Your first date with your dream girl is a double date with my girlfriend and me! It will be legendary."
I hadn't been so convinced.
If Katniss was hoping, just as he was, that this was actually some vague form of date then I didn't think she would appreciate me bringing Finnick and Annie along.
However Finnick isn't an easy person to talk out of something he believes in so with the help of Annie we convinced him that perhaps it would be better if we all went to the game together, but sat in different seats so we wouldn't crowd each other.
I think Annie persuaded him with telling him if he sat alone with her, she could spend the majority of the time trying to distract him from watching the actual game. He didn't complain about it after that and agreed instantly.
Finnick casts his eyes around the room, as if he hasn't been in this large, cosy, blue room a million times before. Raising an eyebrow at the mess of crumpled clothes on the bed that contrasts the otherwise spotless room he faces me again.
"Trouble finding an outfit?"
I dabble with the idea of lying but I know it's pointless so I sigh and nod.
Finnick smiles, "Looks like I came just in time."
Straightening out the clothes, Finnick quickly as them sorted into three different outfits.
I watch in awe as he places different shoes at the end of each outfit. Of all the talents I thought Finnick possessed I never would have guessed this to be one of them.
Catching my shocked, confused, amused expression Finnick shrugs,
"Delly wants to work in fashion, I help her out sometimes."
My eyes remain wide as I struggle to hold back a laugh, pointing a finger threatening at me Finnick orders,
"Never. Tell Annie."
Before I can nod in agreement Finnick points to the first outfit lying on my, now neatly made bed,
"If you want to impress her wear that one" moving his finger to the right, "if you wish to remain casual yet still want to give off the impression that you want this to be a date wear this," pointing to the final outfit Finnick's face turns uncertain, "And if you want to just act casual, like this is just a friend thing then wear that one."
"Oh…right em…thanks."
Finnick nods, "Anytime, right you get changed I'm going downstairs to make myself some tea. I'll be back up shortly and we can strategize tonight." Winking, the taller boy escapes the room, slams the door behind him and saunters down the stairs.
Turning back to the clothes I wonder whether closing my eyes and just picking one at random would be an easier choice.
Sighing dramatically I select the middle one, the 'if you wish to remain casual yet still want to give the impression that you want this to be a date' outfit and hastily put it on.
I'm just placing the recently purchased, shiny black shoes on my feet when Finnick returns to my room, walking slowly, juggling two cups of tea in his hands.
Smiling I accept one and thank him.
His eyes run over the shoes, dark denim jeans, scarlet sweater and cheque shirt underneath.
Nodding he sits on the desk chair and smirks
"What?"
"Nothing?"
"What Finn?"
"Nothing it's just Katniss is likely going to want to jump your bones the moment she sees you."
I scoff, "Shut up."
"Only speaking the truth man, only speaking the truth."
I snigger, "Since when do you call me 'man'?"
Spluttering and hiding his face behind his tea Finnick mutters, "That doesn't… I'm trying something new okay. Anyway strategizes for tonight! What are they?"
"First, don't fuck up, second, don't make her hate you, third-"
"Relaaaaax Peeta. Just be your usual lovely nice self and make it obvious you're attracted to her otherwise she won't think you like her and will move on to someone else. That's our strategy!"
Biting back a smart comment I take a sip of tea and contemplate all the ways in which today could go very wrong and all the ways they could go very right.
The plan was Finnick and I would pick up Annie, the three of us would drive to the Seam and collect Katniss and then we would all drive to the game together.
Of course nothing ever goes as planned when it comes to the day you've been waiting for ever since you were five years old.
Pacing back and forth, I clench my fists in an attempt to restrain myself from slapping myself due to my idiocy.
Who forgets to fill up their car with petrol before the biggest day of their life?
Me apparently.
"Peeta you're giving me a headache, can you please pause for a minute?" Finnick sighs, leaning against the car and crossing his arms.
Forcing my feet to halt I huff and lean against the wall opposite him.
"I'm such an idiot."
"Well obviously but we'll sort it don't worry about it."
"We're going to be late."
"Peeta you were about to leave over an hour early, relax, we have ages. Plus girls are always running late getting ready, at least Annie is so we've plenty of time."
"What will we do?"
Rolling his eyes Finnick pushed himself off the car and walked onto the footpath,
"Come on."
I frown, "What?"
"Well we can either walk to Annie's and all the way to the Seam or we can go to mine and use my car."
"But-"
Paying no attention, Finnick walked down the road in the direction of his house and called back,
"Hurry up or you'll be late for your date Peeta!"
Glaring at his leather clad back I chase after him and fall into stride beside him.
You wouldn't think they had been dating for over a year by the expression on Finnick Odair's face when Annie opened her front door.
She is wearing a knee length pale blue dress with pink spiral designs running along the hem. She has her dark, red hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. She wears subtle make up, pale pink heels and a faded jumper that I recognize as one of Finnick's old swimming hoodies.
I smile as I remember all the countless girls who desperately dressed up and wore a lot of make up in attempts to impress Finnick. Not that there was anything necessarily wrong with that.
But anyone who knew Finnick knew that deep down he didn't care about any of that, he only ever cared about Annie.
"You…I..eh-" Finnick rubbed the back of his neck nervously before grinning widely and kissing Annie's nose softly, "You look amazing."
Biting her lip, grinning as her face flushed the shade of her hair, Annie slipped her hand into Finnick's while shutting and locking her front door with the other hand.
Annie turned back to them and grinned teasingly at me,
"We ready to embarrass Peeta to hell?"
Finnick's laugh resonated with my groan and Annie smiled while leaning further into Finnick's side.
"Just kidding! Finnick and I are gonna be on our best behaviour tonight, we promise."
"Well-"
"Well we promise to be on our best behaviour while Katniss is around." Annie corrects smirking at Finnick who seems to like that answer much better and nods.
"That's the best I'm gonna get isn't it?"
"Yup." Annie and Finnick respond together and I sigh, turning my back to them and getting in the back of Finnick's car.
"You've five minutes to be all lovey dovey before we go and get Katniss!" I yell at them as I shut the door shut.
When I was six years old I imagined what my first date with Katniss Everdeen would be like.
In this fantasy we were approximately seven or eight, two happy, little kids who had never known any fear or loss or betrayal.
I remember planning it all out.
I would pack a picnic, full of all her favourite treats that she would buy from the bakery when she came in once in a blue moon, then walk to the Seam, knock on her front door and ask her father if I could take his eldest daughter to the meadow.
Six year old me was very confident that this plan would work, he even packed a picnic basket at one point, with one of his mother's old blankets and everything. Then he was forced to come to terms with the fact that he was incapable of carrying such a heavy item all the way to the Seam at his age so he would wait until he was older.
As I stand outside the front door of the Everdeen household, I can't help but realise that a football game was probably the least romantic idea for a first date ever.
At the age of twelve I had firmly decided to ask her to the cinema with me one day after school, each day I went to school determined to invite her to the movies with me that weekend. Every day I came home with regret ridden in my stomach. I brushed it off to Finnick that there had just been no good movies out that year.
He didn't believe me.
As the years passed and as Gale and Katniss grew closer I forced myself not to fantasize on the impossible.
Grinning to myself and bringing a trembling hand up to knock on the door, I accept that perhaps it wasn't so impossible after all.
It takes less than two minutes for Katniss to open the door but it's enough time for my right hand to mess up my hair in while the left fidgets with a loose thread on my jeans that I cursed myself for not cutting off sooner.
Looking up hesitantly from the irritating thread of fabric I am met with the sight that I've imagined for the past ten years.
She wears light brown ankle boots with a faded hint of mud along the sides, black skinny jeans with a plain maroon sweater which is completed with a beautiful necklace that hangs low and takes the image of a bird.
Her hair is out of its classic braid, I'm pleasantly surprised at how wavy and long her hair is compared to when she has it in a carefully tied braid.
Her silver eyes shine and her rose coloured lips grin when my eyes eventually meet hers.
"Hey" She whispers and I blink twice in an attempt to bring myself back to reality.
"H-Hi!" I reply and she smiles wider
A million thoughts and questions and hopes and doubts race through my mind as I mindlessly stare at the truly beautiful girl in front of me.
Thankfully Katniss doesn't let the silence linger and quickly thanks me for picking her up, insisting that he didn't have to.
I can feel the blood rush to my cheeks as I cast my eyes at the footpath and murmur the story of why we took Finnick's car and not my own.
Katniss laughs loudly, a genuine, happy laugh that makes my stomach twist and a grin to unconsciously spread across my face.
"Well you made it here…that's what matters."
You.
You made it here.
Not you guys.
Not you three.
Not you, Annie and Finnick.
Just…you.
Me.
I allow my heart to flutter as I nod in agreement,
"Yeah…yeah well it was Finnick you know. Always the loyal friend"
Katniss nodded, "Of course"
The silence continued for less than a minute before I relented to the hopeful, nagging voice edging me on.
"So, you ready to go?" I ask, cringing at the distinct trace of hope in my voice as I pointed back to the car behind me.
Katniss moved closer to me and I tried not to make the catch in my breath obvious as she lay her hand on my forearm and smiled.
"Yeah, let's kick the asses of whoever we're playing against."
It's my turn to laugh loudly know as we walk the few meters to the car and on instinct I open her car door for her.
Praying to whatever god exists that she takes no offense, I meet her smiling eyes with my nervous ones.
Hopping into Finnick's fancy, spotless car Katniss mouths a thank you to me before turning to greet Finnick and Annie.
Shutting her door for her I practically run to the other side and get in myself.
As the car drove and the three other teenagers in the car chatted aimlessly about trivial matters, I look out the window, attempting to hide my still trembling hands and I remain adamant in ignoring the feeling that occurred in my stomach when Katniss Everdeen placed her hand on my arm.
The stands were packed, air humid, moist and filled with the sound of hundreds of teenagers loudly discussing the upcoming game.
Finnick, Annie, Katniss and I make our way up the steps as quickly as possible, smiling politely at those who call my or Finnick's name, entertaining the two girls who approach Annie for a minute before excusing ourselves.
I notice Katniss swallowing and keeping her head down as she tries not to get recognized by any undesirables.
Apparently I'm not the only one.
Annie smiles brightly at Katniss and links arms with her, "Come on, I'll show you where the best spot is"
I raise my eyebrow, "You never showed me this place before."
Annie smirks, "I doubted you wanted to be stuck in this place with just Finniick and I, Peeta. We might have made you a tad uncomfortable."
Finnick and Katniss laugh as my eyes turn wide and I cough awkwardly.
"Yes…well….yes show us then."
Barely hiding back a giggle, Annie takes Finnicks hand and leads us on a mystery tour through the throngs of nameless faces.
From the corner of my eye I think I catch Cato watching me but we are walking too fast for me to double check.
Katniss is smiling widely when Annie and Finnick come to a sudden halt in front of us.
I frown.
We are standing at the very end of the stands and there's nothing more than a wall in front of us. Before I can even think of asking the obvious question, Finnick pulls out a large stone approximately half way down the wall, drops it carefully on the ground beside him and pushes into the wall.
The built in door pushes inward, not enough for anyone else to notice but enough for the four of them to individually squeeze through.
Annie turns and rolls her eyes at my gobsmacked expression before smiling in appreciation at Katniss's impressed smirk.
"Come on then, we don't want anyone following us."
Finnick sneaks in first, followed soon after by Annie.
Katniss and I hesitate and meet each other's eyes for a second.
"They're trustworthy right?" she whispers light-heartedly under her breath and it's my turn to nod and laugh.
"Yeah, don't worry, you'll be fine." I smile gently and gesture for her to go first.
Katniss makes her way through slowly and then it's my turn.
My previous expectations of a pitch-black, dusty room with loose floorboards and spider webs hanging from the low ceiling are cast aside as I stare open mouthed at the hidden room.
It's by no means large, we enter at the end of the room and on my right hangs blue and pink fairy lights, stuck up with some duct tape. On my left are two rows of benches behind loose boards which Finnick is kneeling in front of.
He pulls it down slightly and as I make my way over I bend down beside him to peek through the gaps.
We are only a few meters away from the goalposts and you can clearly see from there to at least the centre of the pitch.
"Peeta! Catch!" I stand and turn abruptly and am met with a small, miniature telescope being thrown at me.
Fumbling, I catch the black and gold telescope and frown in confusion at it.
Without explaining, Finnick pulls back more of the wooden boards and sits up on the bench. Following his lead I sit next to him and look through the telescope.
My eyebrows raise and I laugh in surprise at the view I get through it.
"How did you find this place?" I hear Katniss ask gently from behind me.
"I have my ways" Annie replies, "I found it last year though and it was a lot worse than this, dusted it a bit, put up some twinkly lights and a comfy bench and ta da! Magic hideout!"
I hand the telescope to Katniss who copies my actions and looks through it at the pitch and the crowd.
"So this is where you two are when you're late for lunch?" I ask, smirking
"No-" Annie starts before Finnick interrupts her,
"Late for lunch, skip lunch, study classes, before school after school-"
"Finnick!" Annie glares at him but he just shrugs and murmurs something about her wanting him to be honest.
Caught up in the typical, adorable, petty argument between my best friends I miss Katniss sit beside me and I jump when her arm brushes against mine.
"Are they always like this?" Katniss whispers in my ear and I suppress a shiver,
"Yea-yeah pretty much...it's their thing though. They're never serious."
Sure enough two minutes later they are cuddling in the row behind us.
Katniss looks back and grins at me and before either of us can worry about coming up with a subject topic to talk about the whistle blows which signals the beginning of the game.
We take turns holding the telescope and within a half hour of the game Finnick stands up and gently pulls Annie up with him, "Right, we're going to…eh…head out and see the view from out there. We'll be back soon."
Oh great.
Real smooth guys.
Thanks.
I narrow my eyes at them as they make their way towards the door.
Katniss smiles at them before going back to watching the game with the telescope which gives Annie and Finnick the perfect opportunity to wiggle their eyebrows at me and make several hand gestures.
"Bye." I respond shortly and they only grin wider before exiting through the slim passage and shutting it behind them.
I'm not sure exactly when it happened.
Whether it was just before, during or after half time but I can't quite recall when one of us put that telescope down, began paying no attention to the match and just…talked instead.
Annie and Finnick never returned, not even during half time but Katniss never mentioned anything so I didn't either.
The conversation started with the game, how utterly useless and rubbish the opposing team were. Commenting on flaws in our teams' strategy while praising our friends moves and scores.
Somehow the topic shifted into one about other sports, then other hobbies and so on.
I told her how my mother forced me into playing soccer and wrestling ever since I was a child. I despised playing soccer as I was never skilled at the sport, however wrestling I grew to accept as I had a talent for it. As I grew older I enjoyed having something or someone to take my anger or frustration out on. While in keeping with the rules of course.
Katniss responded with her own story. Brushing a strand of chocolate coloured hair behind her ear she smiled as she recalled memories of her father and her playing basketball in the local park when she was around seven or eight. Neither of them were very good, she laughed, but they had fun and that was all they cared about.
I wanted nothing more than to take her small hand in mine then. To run my fingers over her caramel skin and never let go.
Cowardice and fear took root in my brain and over-ruled my heart's aching wish and instead I offered her a sincere smile and told her it sounded like a beautiful memory.
Katniss looked away and nodded,
"Yeah…yeah it is."
This time I can't stop myself.
Hesitating for a split second, my large, rough, ivory hand reaches out and touches her beautiful, brown one.
Soft, small, cold, gently, beautiful, perfect.
Words run through my mind at ninety miles an hour as I try to control my emotions and gage her reaction. I watch as her grey eyes flicker down to where my hand covers hers. She blinks twice before her cautious eyes meet my anxious ones.
I want to say something, words of comfort, assurance or even regret.
I'm not sure whether to squeeze her hand gently or retract my own.
Before I can really panic, this amazing, admirable girl in front of me, squeezes my hand back gently before hesitantly intertwining out fingers together.
Inhaling a sharp breath, it's my turn to stare uselessly at our interlocked fingers.
Katniss interrupts any thoughts of confessing my undying love for her right there and then as she begins telling another story from her childhood regarding the time Prim joined in with her and her father and fell, spraining her wrist and her father and her freaking out because they knew her mum would be so mad at them for letting Prim get hurt.
I listen to this story and the ones that follow eagerly and intently. Taking in the small pieces of information she reveals about her late father, what her mother used to be like before she fell ill and most of all her face when she talks of what her family once was.
The dimples that appear on each sides of her lips when she talks of Prim, that unmistakable glimmer of something in her eyes when she remembers something about her father and the new softness about her when she reveals pieces of her past to him that he never knew before.
But through all the stories and memories we share throughout the game, in the midst of the cheers and whistles and screams from the crowd outside, she never lets go of my hand and the butterflies in my stomach never stop fluttering.
Neither of us noticed the game had ended until Finnick and Annie returned, completely wrapped up in each other as always. I couldn't help but imagine Katniss and I like that. My arm wrapped around her shoulder, hers locked around my waist, head against my shoulder.
Blinking rapidly I force myself out of my daze, trying to concentrate on Finnick's rant,
"-everyone's talking about it! We knew the other team was awful but they were a travesty tonight! They let our guys stroll right by them!"
Katniss coughed and stood, causing our hands to separate and I tried not to dwell on the ache I felt at the loss of warmth.
"Yeah, yeah they were really bad, we played well though." Katniss remarked positively as she pretended to have been paying attention to anything that occurred in the match.
I hide my laugh with the ruffling of my jacket as put it on and stand.
"Sorry we took so long to get back to you guys, Annie ran into some friends and we couldn't get away." Finnick winked slyly at me and I resisted the overwhelming urge to roll my eyes.
Katniss smiled and even though I have a sneaking suspicion she knew Finnick was fibbing she told him it was fine anyway.
We sneak out of the hidden escape one by one and are each met with a gush of cool air.
I'm beginning to regret not bringing my gloves when I feel a warm hand sneak into mine.
Katniss.
I turn back to her but she is pointedly not looking at me and is in deep conversation with Annie who is huddled close to Finnick and he is staring down at her in utter adoration.
Needless to say I keep my mouth shut as we head back to Finnick's car.
"Thanks for this evening."
"Don't mention it."
"No I…I had fun." Katniss smiles softly, "I really did, it was nice."
My lips turn upward unconsciously as I reciprocate her smile, "Yeah…yeah I…I think so too, thanks for…eh thanks for coming out."
Katniss grins teasingly, "Don't mention it."
Standing outside her front door, Katniss faces me, wearing that grin that displays to the whole world her dimples and makes her silver eyes shine like the moon.
She steps toward me and I momentarily forget how to breathe.
"I'll see you Monday then."
It takes a second for me to remember how to speak but eventually I get the words out, "Monday, yeah."
Katniss's smile falters slightly and she retreats back, sticking the key into the lock and twisting it.
Before I can stop myself or consider the consequences to what I'm doing I step forward and place my arm on hers.
Katniss freezes and her eyes meet mine.
I wait a moment, searching her eyes for any signs of disdain, disgust or danger.
Taking another step closer I summon the courage to smile down at her,
"Sorry I just forgot to say…you look really pretty tonight."
Katniss opens her mouth to respond but before she can I bend down slightly and throwing all caution to the wind I kiss her rosy cheek gently.
Retreating rapidly, I smile awkwardly and murmur a goodnight while turning towards Finnick's car.
A small hand stops me and playfully tugs me back to face her once more, I am met with Katniss Everdeen with the biggest smile I've ever seen plastered on her face.
"You forgot something else too Mellark."
I frown, my eyes wide, mind in overdrive as my brain scams through all the possible ways I screwed things up tonight. Did I forget the slap she's gonna give me for kissing her cheek? For holding her hand? For-
Thankfully my brain shuts down the second Katniss Everdeen reaches up on her tippy toes and her pale pink lips connect with mine.
AN: And that's it!
I know exactly what the next chapter is gonna be so I'll try have it up today or this week.
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Thanks for reading!
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