Chapter 3.

Katniss POV

"Right. Are you going to tell me what is wrong or do I have to beat it out of you?"

I am lying on my bed face down, hair in disarray, hiding from the world. I have been like this a long time, maybe a couple of hours? Johanna has been here thirty minutes now and I have yet to acknowledge her.

"Ok, that's it. Get your ass up Everdeen! Start talking cause my patience is just about gone". She jumps up from the chair she had been lounging on and approaches the bed. Before I know it my legs have been dragged of the bed and she grabs my arms to do the same.

"Ok, Ok Jo! Just give me a minute!"

I slowly drag my head up of the bed pushing the long strands of my face. My head is in turmoil. A memory of bright blue eyes flashes across my brain and I want to hide again. What the hell happened earlier? One minute I had been working the afternoon shift, the next I was up against shelves making out like a sex starved lunatic. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. Peeta Mellark. I kissed Peeta Mellark. A red flush floods my cheeks at the memory. It had been a seriously hot kiss. I didn't have a great deal of experience with kisses but that one had pretty much blown my mind.

"Tick tock Katniss. I am waiting…."

I look over at Jo and she looks at me expectantly. I don't know what to do now. On one hand I don't want to share what happened with anyone. It was embarrassing yes, but also I don't think I will be able to keep just how much it affected me hidden from Jo. On the other hand she is my best friend and will know exactly how to deal with this as her experience with the opposite sex is vastly greater than mine.

I take a deep breath and prepare to get personal.

"Ok, so you know I was working today?" I start of nervously.

"Oh, don't tell me! That hot drummer from the band we seen last week came in and asked you out?" Jo rushed out excitedly jumping up from the bed.

"Are you insane? No Jo!" What is she talking about? "Look sit down you're making me nervous".

Jo took a seat beside me, brushing her brown hair over her shoulder and fixes me with all her concentration.

"Ok spill"

"Well….. I was working and I had an unexpected visitor…"

Jo looks at me expectantly, waiting. "Come on Katniss, just spit it out already!"

"Peeta came in andhekissedme!" I blurt out all at once. I can't meet her eyes to see her reaction but I feel the bed move as she stands up beside me.

"You are freaking kidding me! Well I'm in shock. Lover boy finally got the balls!"

I look up at her in confusion. She is pacing excitedly in front of me.

"Katniss, I know you live under a rock most of the time but you had to have known he liked you?"

I fix her with my best glare. "No, I didn't know and I can't believe you did and didn't say anything".

She turns and looks incredulously at me now. "I wasn't saying anything because I was waiting on you to say you liked him. Katniss, I'm not blind. You've been watching him for months now. I was starting to take it personally you weren't filling me in on your crush." She shoots me a cheeky grin. Mischief fills her brown eyes.

"Seriously though, he is smokin hot! Tell me everything, did he get dirty?" She kneels down now looking at me expectantly wanting all the details.

"He… he is a seriously good kisser" I tell her honestly. "Like crazy good." I blurt out. "Oh Jo, what am I gonna do" I wail as I drop my face to the bed again. There is no point to this I tell myself again from the hundredth time that evening.

"What's wrong Katniss?" Jo lies down beside me and I feel her face beside mine.

I slowly open my eyes "You know what's wrong Jo. I just had possibly the best kiss of my live with a boy who will live thousands of miles away from me in a couple of weeks." I sit up again and rub my eyes. I take a deep breath. "Ok. Enough with these girly dramatics, it just isn't me."

Joanna shoots me a sympathetic smile. "I'll say it again Everdeen, there is always a bed at my house. You don't have to leave."

"I know Jo but I can't leave Prim on her own with mom. I really appreciate the offer though."

We sit in silence for a minute. I know Jo means well with her offer and as much as I would love to stay I just don't trust mom to take good care of my sister. When dad died, my mom went into a world of her own, suffering deep depression. It had taken a good eighteen months to pull her out of it and during that time I had looked after my eight year old sister on my own. I had been there to comfort her when she missed dad so much she cried at night. I had packed her lunches and made her dinner every day making sure she was eating properly. I had scheduled her appointments and made sure she kept up with her school work. I had basically become her only parent. I didn't mind though, I would do anything for Prim. Where I was tough and withdrawn, Prim was kind and full of personality. She radiated happiness and anyone who met Prim couldn't help but love her. I sigh again, no I definitely can't leave her.

"So what are you gonna do about Peeta?" Jo asks quietly beside me.

That's the question I have been asking myself. He had asked me to give him two weeks. I didn't really understand that, I mean, why bother? Peeta Mellark could have any girl he wanted in school. He was blonde, blue eyed, fit and I mean seriously fit but on top of that he had a great personality. I didn't know one person who had anything but nice things to say about him. He was one of those genuinely nice people you didn't come across too often. The thought that he liked me was something I was finding it hard to get my head around.

"He asked if we could date for the next two weeks. " I mumble. "Two weeks and then what? I don't think it's a good idea Jo."

I turn to watch what she thinks about this? She seems to be contemplating my words, staring blankly at the wooden floor.

"Two weeks…" She sighs then and lifts her head to look at me. "Do it Katniss." She states determinedly. "I think you should do it." She sees the disbelief in my eyes.

"Ok, so the circumstances aren't ideal but why the hell not go for it? Peeta is a good guy and it is a pity he didn't get his ass in gear earlier but he has now. Date for two weeks, see how it goes and you never know, you could do the long distance thing?"

I let out a groan and lay back on the bed staring up at the ceiling.

"I'm afraid" I whisper. "I'm afraid I'm going to get hurt." I hate admitting vulnerability to anyone.

Jo looks at me in understanding. "You might get hurt Katniss, but what's the best option here? Leaving without giving him a chance and then being thousands of miles away regretting it? Or at least giving him a shot, if it doesn't work at least you tried but if it does….." She trails of letting me form my own conclusions.

If it was any other boy I wouldn't have even thought twice about giving him a chance. There was just something about Peeta that had always made me aware of him. I only had to look into his eyes and my heart started racing. I thought of the chance of feeling his lips against my own, his fingertips on my skin once more. A shiver of excitement runs through me. Jo is right. I can't leave without knowing. I don't want to get hurt but I know I'm not willing to let him go just yet either.