Katniss runs the same route on Thursday, hoping Peeta's jeep is still in the shop and she'll run into him again. He has the same idea and she has a hard time suppressing her smile of relief when she sees him running toward her about a half mile from The Hob. Once again they both slow as they approach each other and then stop completely when they are face to face.
"Hey," he says. "I was hoping I'd see you out here again."
Katniss is taken aback that he's basically just voiced her exact thoughts. "You were?" she asks, a bit of shyness and incredulity edging her voice.
"Yeah, I was," Peeta says and he gives her a big, blinding grin. She has to physically bite back the urge to ask him why.
In unspoken agreement they begin to jog back toward The Hob together. "How many miles have you done so far?" Peeta asks her.
"Just two," she responds, glancing over at him. He's looking straight ahead but she can see that he's grinning again.
"So that means you're plenty rested to join the running club for a few more?" he asks. There's just a hint of teasing in his voice, combined with what sounds like hope.
"Oh, uh, uh, no," she stumbles. She sees his face fall and she looks away with a frown of her own. "I, uh, promised Gale I'd keep an eye on things out front tonight. He's giving a tour to some distributors; showing them the brewing process."
Peeta nods thoughtfully, biting his lower lip. "That's nice of you," he finally says.
She's not sure if it's because she wants to bring back his smile, or if she's just looking for ways to spend more time in his presense but she suddenly blurts, "I can run next time. On Tuesday."
And just like that his grin is back. "Really? That'd be great!" he says.
"I mean, I'm going to be running anyway," she concedes.
"You'll love it," he tells her. "Running with a group is more fun than running alone."
"Maybe," she says skeptically. But he flashes her another spectacular smile and she forgets why she was ever reluctant in the first place.
….
She shows up at the brewery right on time to meet the running club on Tuesday. Peeta is working the check-in table and he beams when he sees her and waves her over. "Katniss! Glad you're here!" he says loudly and she ducks her head a little, her face flushing as she makes her way over.
"Hi," she says shyly. "Do I need to sign up, or…?" She trails off, unsure.
"Yeah," he smiles up at her from his seat and then pushes the sign-in sheet in her direction so she can add her name and contact info. "We just like to keep track of who's out there; no man left behind, you know?" His eyes crinkle at the edges and she finds herself smiling back at him without even thinking about it.
"Sure, that makes sense," she replies, quickly writing her first and last name and adding her cell number.
She pauses on the line that asks for an email address. As if psychic he quickly speaks up. "You don't need to add your email unless you want to receive the group emails we send out."
"Oh," she says, her fingers hovering over the page for a moment more before she decides that, no, she doesn't really want the group emails. She doesn't really even want to run with the group. She's only doing this because HE asked. This is completely ridiculous, she thinks. I don't do things like this just because of a boy.
Her head is shaking back and forth ever so slightly with her inner thoughts and he must notice because he clears his throat suddenly to get her attention. It's only then she realizes he's waiting to take back the sheet of paper so the next person can sign in. "Oh sorry!" she says, releasing her grip on it and pushing it back in his direction.
"No worries," Peeta replies, a small smirk on his face. He turns slightly to hand the paper to the person on his right and then turns back to face Katniss. But she's already walking away to the back of the bar.
She hangs out alone, away from the other runners, for the 15 or so minutes until it's time to take off. Peeta is busy with the sign-in sheet, sitting at the front table where he's surrounded by other runners all laughing and talking easily. Several times she sees him glance back to where she hovers in the corner, but each time she pretends to be preoccupied, either tying her shoe or stretching her legs.
It has suddenly occurred to her that Peeta might want to run together and the thought makes her somehow queasy. So when she sees him take the sign-in sheet to put it back in its spot behind the bar, she does what any nervous, awkward person would do: she bolts.
She heads straight to the bathroom, where she goes through the motions of washing her hands, even though there's no need. Then she waits a few extra minutes for good measure. Only when she's sure that most of the runners have likely taken off, does she exit the bathroom. She sees the last of them passing the front window as they begin their run and she breathes a sigh of relief.
"Hiding from someone, sweetheart?" Haymitch says, the amused smirk on his face making his statement even more annoying.
She gives him her usual scowl and heads to the door. She did say she'd run, so she plans to join the tail end of the group.
"Better hurry if you want to catch up," she hears Haymitch toss over his shoulder as the door closes behind her.
The last of the running group is only about a quarter mile ahead of her and she has to slow her pace or she's going to catch up soon. And then what? What do you say to a group of strangers who you just happen to be running down the street with? She's still not sure she gets the point of all this.
She's only gone a mile when Peeta doubles back on purpose to find her. He falls in next to her and runs with her for several minutes before he says anything. "Sorry I didn't wait for you," he says. "Where'd you go?"
"There was no need," she says, almost too quickly. And then, because she's not trying to be rude she adds, "I was washing my hands."
"That's good," he says casually. "Clean hands help you run faster, I hear."
She lets out a little laugh at his silly attempt at a joke and glances over at him. He looks good—too good—as usual. He has on dark green running shorts and a gray t-shirt today. Sweat is just starting to form along his hairline, his blond curls beginning to stick ever so slightly.
Katniss has a sudden urge to reach over and smooth those curls back off his forehead. As if he heard her thoughts, Peeta looks over at her in this moment. The realization of what she was just thinking makes her flush hot all over and then, to her horror, she actually trips.
"Nooooooooo" is all she can think as she feels herself pitch forward unsteadily and watches the pavement rise up to meet her face. And then, almost as quickly as she began to fall, she's upright again. A strong arm is wrapped around her middle, holding her steady. She looks up into eyes as deep and blue as the ocean, her breath coming hard from both the near disastrous fall and the running. "You okay?" Peeta says.
No, she thinks. No, and I don't think I'm going to be, ever again.