Two weeks after the football scrimmage, Prim and Rue sat at a small wooden round table in the Student Union coffee shop called "The Buzzed Eagle." Rue was editing her intro to agriculture essay on crop rotation while Prim was reading a large book called: So, You Want to Apply for Medical School. Both girls sipped on carmel frappachino drinks as they studied. As it was six o'clock, many of the off-campus kids had left for the day leaving the student union somewhat deserted. "Girls, we close at eight, but if you need more coffee, there's 'The Buzzed Eagle Book Nest" in the library.'" A student employee said as she cleaned the counters. She smiled at the two students hard at work.
"Ok - oh yeah, I forgot there was a coffee shop in the library!" Rue giggled. The girl nodded.
"It gets slammed during Finals week. We're open 24/7 in both locations."
"I'll need that!" A familiar voice groaned as the glass doors to the coffee shop opened.
"Peeta!" Prim squealed. "You're done with football practice?"
"Finally!" Peeta groaned. "I need to start on an essay that's due Friday!"
"That's not so bad." Rue said glancing at her planner before crossing another assignment off her notes on the Tuesday column.
"The rough draft is due tomorrow!" Peeta groaned.
"That's harsh, dude. We can do something with a double shot of expresso." The student barista offered to Peeta who nodded gratefully. Soon he joined the girls at the table as he opened his laptop and a large textbook on microeconomics.
"Katniss said you had to take some business classes." Prim remarked. "Are they hard?"
"Well, I'd rather take baking classes, but I know I need them." Peeta replied. He sighed. "It's so hard studying at The Frat sometimes. Cato likes to throw parties and he and Marvel could care less about their classes."
"Do you have to maintain a 3.0 to keep your Panem Univerity scholarship like we do?" Prim asked.
"No, but I have to get good grades for mom and dad to help me with tuition." Peeta groaned. "It's not fair. You and Kat come from Rolling Green and have to work hard to keep your full ride and Cato and Marvel's parents both make six figure incomes and they'll pay for anything."
"Is Rolling Green a poor town? I thought your town was called Seam." Rue pointed out.
"It is." Prim said. "Rolling Green is the name of the mobile home complex where Katniss and I live and the Hawthornes live." Rue nodded.
"I'm on an ag scholarship to encourage more people in our generation to pursue agriculture, but yeah, my town has some pretty pooor people." Rue nodded. "I guess I'm just lucky that I'm here." Peeta nodded.
"Yeah, I shouldn't complain either, but I guess a lot of the guys in the frat don't get having to work hard. I went out for the football team so I can get a partial sports scholarship." Prim grinned. "My dad was pretty happy."
"What about your mom?" Prim asked. Peeta chuckled in reply.
"She told me not to get hurt because I'm still under their insurance which she reminded me was small business insurance that doesn't cover much." The girls chuckled. "Mom the penny-pinching bookkeeper." Peeta looked out the window and noticed the sky was darkening. "Wanna go to the library? The Book Nest is in there, so we can get refills. I'll walk you two back to the dorm when you need to go."
"Thanks, Peeta." Rue said smiling. "No wonder Katniss likes you. You're nice."
"Well, she'd kill me if I didn't look out for her little sister and her roommate." Blushing, Prim packed her backpack and the three of them trekked across the tree-lined expanse of sidewalk and lawn known as The Plaza.
"Dear, you can explain the experiment." A gentle voice soothed as Prim and Rue passed a wooden table pushed against a window. Professsor Wright sat across from Wiress as she sketched on some Engineering paper.
"Yes, but you haven't covered –" Wiress began before glancing at the three students passing their table.
"Hello, Professor Wright. And Wiress." Rue and Prim greeted their Physics professor and Teaching Assistant.
"Hello, girls. Studying for Physics, I assume?" Professor Wright asked with a twinkle in his eye as he adjusted his glasses.
"Oh, that's a bit later." Prim said adjusting her book in her arms. "But we'll get to it." Wiress smiled at Prim.
"And are you liking the –" Wiress began gazing shyly at the freshmen in her lab class.
"Labs?" Prim and Rue asked. They exchanged glances. After overhearing their TA and professor's extracurricular activities in the room shortly before their lab session, they were careful to sit far away from the door until Wiress opened it for the students to file into the room.
"They're good." Rue said. Wiress nodded.
"Well, we work together to prepare them for you." Professor Wright said, oblivious to the snorted down laughter of the two freshmen girls. "Good luck with your studies this week. I'll see you two tomorrow."
"Didn't you tell me about walking in on them?" Peeta asked as Rue and Prim sat at a table on the other side of the library from their Physics instructors.
"We didn't walk in. We just oveheard things." Prim clarified before she and Rue burst into quiet giggles. "Ok, different subject!"
"Like your med school book!" Rue giggled before Prim stuck her tongue out at her. However, she returned to eagerly taking notes. That was Rue and Peeta's cue to return to their studies as well.
The next weekend, Katniss was privy to Peeta's lament about his fellow football players over breakfast in the dorms. "I know he's stressed." Katniss sighed as she ate her second plate of eggs and toast. Prim smiled knowing Katniss was making the most of her guest pass into the dining hall. "Microeconomics is his hardest class. And the coach having him run the ball more in practices." Katniss finished proudly.
"Hey, Katniss! Prim!" Rue called coming over with her tray. "Peeta's in the paper! Actually, the whole football team is!"
"There's Peeta!" Katniss gushed. "I hope I can gush about him without you two getting mad. I have to find some way to save this picture but hide it from Gale." Rue and Prim giggled in response. "Wow, 'Athletic Director Seneca Crane, under the direction of University President Snow is launching a plan to make Panem University's football program more prominent to enhance the university's image.'" Rue raised her eyebrows.
"Panem University has a good ag program. So, I mean, I guess if we want to be known for our atheletics, that's cool."
"If the sports made more money, Peeta could get a full ride scholarship." Prim pointed out.
"Well, if he makes the team as the first string on the offense, he could." Katniss said smiling.
"I'm sure he will." Rue commented. "Hey – there's a picture of Finnick Odair in here!" She squealed before taking the paper out of Katniss' hands. Ignoring Katniss' and Prim's giggles, she read aloud: "'Grad student Finnick Odair is excited to promote Panem University's athletic program. 'We will be able to showcase the research from the Health and Exercise department that's utilized in training our athletes.'"
"Rue has a crush!" Prim sang teasingly before Rue playfully smacked her. "Hey wait –" She paused as another article caught her eye. "Oh – Gross Anatomy Lab Renovation pushed back two years –"
"Ew, Prim!" Rue yelped. "I don't want to hear about anatomy experiments while I'm eating!"
"Shush!" Prim replied. "They just want a new building." Her brow furrowed as she read the article. "Why can't they build the lab before they build the new football practice facility?" The three girls exchanged glances before Prim shrugged. "Well, when I become a doctor, I can donate some money to Panem University's premed program." She remarked cheerfully.
"Girl, you will probably be too busy buying a mansion for you and Rory." Rue pointed out causing Prim to blush darkly.
"Or being the lifeguard for you and Finnick's Olympic sized swimming pool!" Prim squealed before the two girls began giggling.
"Or paying off your med school student loans." Katniss added to bring the two freshmen back to reality. "Prim, get a to-go box."
"Why?" Prim asked. "I'm full. And you eat three plates of food, so you have to be full too."
"I promised Peeta I would bring him a snack when his practice ended. He has a half an hour left." Katniss explained.
"You can always say no if you're against the football thing." Rue pointed out seeing Prim's expression as she worked out a response.
"Peeta would probably like some pastries." Prim replied. "Ok, the whole 'athletics is suddenly cool' is something I don't understand, but I know Katniss wants to kiss up to her boyfriend!" She explained to her roommate before the two of them burst out giggling. The three trooped out of the dining hall to their room knowing Katniss would want to freshen up and put on her makeup before bring her boyfriend some treats.