Chapter 11: Master Plan

Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games.

Peeta:

Peeta took the loaf out of the oven, inspecting his work. Yup, another flawless loaf of banana was such a great way to relax; especially after finally being finished with all those college applications!

The kitchen door swung open. "Hey, man, there's some scary chick out here. Says she'll rip my throat out if I don't call you. I told her you were busy and I could help her but, she's nuts!"

"I'm right here, you brainless idiot! Peeta Mellark, come out here and face me like a man!" That threatening voice belonged to the one and only Johanna Mason.

The brown haired girl was now standing behind Rich.

"Hey man, you're not supposed to be back here-" Rich began, but he was interrupted by Johanna.

"Mellark, I'm gonna go wait out there." She turned and left.

"Thanks Rich. I'll be right out." Peeta took off the apron and washed his hands.

Rich shrugged and went right back to work at the cash register.

"Johhana. Hey." Jo was a regular at the bakery, but she wasn't his friend. She was, however, Katniss's friend.

"Look, I'm here to tell you something very important." She said that while glaring at Rich, who tried to appear uninterested in the conversation.

"Uh, I'm kinda working right now, so could you maybe comeback later?"

"No. Now's good." She said.

Peeta had to agree. No one liked to mess with Johanna. Rich was right, she could be scary. How Katniss was friends with such a confrontational person, he didn't know.

"Okay, cool. What is it?"

Peeta was nervous. What could she possibly want with him? She looked annoyed at being here, but there was a sort of grim determination on her face. Like she came here with a purpose and no matter what, she'd get this done. Johanna studied him for a second and a tiny smirk appeared on her lips.

"Do you like Katniss? " She asked bluntly.

Peeta stared at her dumbly for a few seconds before answering."Wha-no. No. Why would someone think that I-no. No I don't."

Subtle, Peeta. She definitely believed that.

"I thought so." Johanna said. "You know, she likes you back. Crazy about you!"

He sighed, not attempting to deny his feelings for Katniss.

"This isn't funny, Johanna. If you think this is a joke-"

"I'm not joking, Mellark! She talks about you all the time. Stares at you during lunch, talks about how great it is to work here, it's getting ridiculous!"

"She's dating Gale Hawthorne. They've been going out for almost a month now. You should know that."

Her expression darkened. "Yeah, I know. And that's why I'm here. I'm going to be clear, you want Katniss. Katniss wants you. I'm here to make sure my best friends are happy. Do you see what needs to happen?"

He didn't.

"You are blind. If you tell Katniss you love her, she'll pick you over Gale. All you have to do is tell her."

"I have a girlfriend. She has Gale. She's already happy with him!" He argued.

"She isn't. I'm not going to go into detail about her relationship, but it's not going anywhere. You and Glimmer, not going anywhere. Why make yourself miserable?"

"Why do you care? Since when are you a matchmaker?" He questioned.

Johanna frowned, not liking the question. Peeta had her there, she wasn't the caring best friend type.

"I'm doing you a favor, Mellark." She hissed. "You're going to tell me you want to be with Glimmer?" She gave a mocking laugh.

"She hasn't done anything wrong, why would I just break up with her?"

Yeah, nothing wrong except party with random guys. Shouldn't that bother me?

Peeta let all that slip by because, in truth, it didn't bother him. He felt no real attachment to Glimmer. At the beginning of their relationship, it was comforting to have someone that knew about the affair. Glimmer understood perfectly, obviously, because it was her father involved. Months later, they had nothing more to say and the issue was still there.

She had the title of his girlfriend, but she offered nothing. He realized that now. He couldn't bring himself to tell her that their relationship was based on nothing but their common problems. And it wasn't doing anything to solve them.

Glimmer never really talked to him anymore. She just kissed him and held his hand at school. Not even a text when they were apart. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to mind her indifference.

But he wasn't going to cheat on her. No, he wasn't like his mother.

"Why not break up with her? I'm making this easy for everyone!" Johanna spat.

"I don't even know why I believe you. You have no proof."

"I have proof! Katniss is dating Gale and all she can do is compare him to you. I sit there and listen to it. She might as well be cheating-"

"She isn't! Katniss would never do that. Mason, comeback when you want to buy a cupcake or something." He got up and returned to the kitchen, leaving behind an angry Johanna.

Johanna's words were stuck in his head.

"...she likes you back. Crazy about you!"

"...all she can do is compare him to you."

She couldn't be serious. Katniss loved Gale. Gale loved her back .They were the perfect couple, the one that half the school expected to happen before the year was up. The other half thought they were already a couple. The only way he'd believe that Katniss loved him, was if she told him herself. As far as he knew, that day would never come.

Katniss:

"Guys, I swear, this chip looks just like Abraham Lincoln! Look at it!" Finnick held up his potato chip, waving it in everyone's faces. After spending days in detention for trolling the halls, he had finally brought Annie over to their table. She fit right in.

"Finn, that looks like a potato chip." Annie said.

"Annie, your supposed to say, 'Yup, Finn, that's clearly Abraham Lincoln's chip twin.' You're my girlfriend!" He whined.

Katniss rolled her eyes and laughed at the couple. She and Gale were never like that. He always agreed with her. It was always what Katniss wanted. She guessed he was just trying to please her. Still, it would be more interesting to disagree on something.

"Since I'm you're girlfriend, I'm going to give you some advice: eat it before I eat it." Annie told him. He made a face of mock hurt and ate the chip, thus ending the debate.

"Hey, you wanna go see a movie or something tonight?" Gale asked Kat.

"Sure." Katniss responded. The lack of excitement in her voice painfully obvious. She didn't even think about it.

One month into their new relationship and already she more than regretted giving him a chance. It would have been kinder to tell him that she wasn't able to see them as a couple.

She failed to notice Gale's frown or Johanna's stare. Across from her, Katniss watched as Clove typed madly into her phone, a slight smile on her face.

"Clove, are you done with your college stuff yet?" Katniss asked.

The black haired girl didn't hear anything, still typing into her phone.

"Clove!" Johanna yelled onto her ear. Startled, Clove dropped her phone.

"Jo! What the hell! What!?" She quickly reached down to retrieve the phone and put it away.

"Texting, Clove. Who's on the other end?" Annie asked. A playful smirk on her lips. The girl was spending way too much time with Finnick.

"No one important. A friend. Can I have friends besides you guys? Please?"Clove asked innocently.

"No. Tell us." Finnick demanded.

Clove stuck her tongue out at him. "Shut up. Don't worry about it."

"Guys, leave her alone. If she wants to have a secret boyfriend, let her. We can take her phone and ask Finch to unlock it later." Gale added with a laugh.

Clove threw a piece of lettuce at him. "Kat, did you say something?"

"College apps, Clove. Has Haymitch mailed your stuff yet?" Katniss had been meaning to ask their counselor about her own applications.

"Ugh! That's what I need to do! I have to ask him about my transcripts. Thanks for the reminder, Kat!" Clove said before turning to have a private conversation with Johanna.

Katniss worried that they were plotting something. Jo and Clove had evil minds. Absolutely diabolical when combined. One time, they changed the combinations on all of the lockers in the girl's changing room. They never got in trouble because no one could prove it was them. To this day, vice principle Coin was searching for incriminating evidence.

Katniss put a hand under her chin as her eyes swept around the Cafeteria. There they were, those baby blue eyes. Almost instantly, they turned away.

She caught him looking her way often, him being Peeta Mellark. It had been going on all week and she had no idea as to why.

Every time she caught him staring, she remembered all of the teasing she endured from her friends. All of them, except Gale, told her Peeta liked her. Katniss never believed them, but she was starting to think something was up. She caught him staring at her at work, too. It was weird.

I've gotta say something. What if he's stalking me!? Oh my gosh, what if!?

She's be at the bakery that weekend and she'd ask him what was going on. She was going to march right up to him and confront him. Katniss Everdeen was brave and she was not going to tolerate a stalker. Even if it was the guy she was crushing on.

So, this is Jo's plan in action. She needs to get the ball rolling, ya know? Peeta sort of believed her, and he's still hooked on Katniss. And Katniss is starting to think Jo is right about Peeta liking her. Next chapter: Katniss and Peeta talk. Until then, REVIEW! Do you guys have any ideas? I'd love to hear them!