25. Friends

Peeta's look is one of extreme confusion, which passes through his voice as he exclaims in a bewildered manner "What does that have to do with anything?!"

Now I am getting madder, because it seems like he's trying to protect her identity from me, and I can't imagine why. "It has to do with it, because I want to know!" I say, and by now, there are at least 3 other couples no longer trying to hide their eavesdropping as they sway beside us nosily.

Peeta is staring at me his mouth gaping, before suddenly he closes it and he says slowly, cautiously. "Well…who do you think she is?" I feel my fingers itching for my bow and arrow now. Why won't he just tell me?! "I don't know." I say quietly, my arms involuntarily crossing protectively over my chest and I stare down at my feet thinking about how I've been wondering that for weeks now. Trying to figure out why it matters so much and why I couldn't just verbalize the reason.

And then, Peeta nods slowly and his mouth forms a thin smile that soon breaks out across his whole face and ends in an exultant laugh. I imagine knocking my knee into his mouth and scattering his teeth in all directions across the room. I feel a similar feeling to the one when Johanna stripped naked before us in an elevator before the Quarter Quell. Peeta said everyone was having fun teasing me because of my 'purity', but what angered me most was that he laughed at me. Peeta, who is supposed to be on my side always, laughing at me. This time about another girl.

I turn to walk away again, making it much further because he is distracted this time, and I almost reach the stairs, thinking of collapsing on my bed in tears, when I feel his arm on mine again, this time softer as he says in an apologetic tone "Katniss, wait! I'm sorry."

This time I don't care, and I wrest my arm away from him, determined to make it up the stairs. "I was just surprised that you were…intimidated!" He calls up, and I stop because I won't let him get away with that. I look back at him huffing out "I'm not intimidated!" I try to stare him down but his look is one of calm, content. He is holding up his hands apologetically.

"Well, then whatever's wrong I'm sorry, Katniss." I turn to walk away again, when Peeta calls "And I wasn't trying to laugh at you." His voice sincere, pleading "I mean I know how much you hate that." He adds and this time I stop and fully turn around staring at him from my place on the bottom stair, the people around us, now barely noticing us over the loud music and the flashing lights.

I can't help but smile as I notice Peeta's sad eyed look as he clasps his hands together saying in a voice as small as can be managed in this crowd. "Please, come dance with me. And I promise I won't laugh, and I'll answer any questions you have."

I walk back down the stairs and ease over to him. I am so confused as to why I felt so angry that I have no chance to remain that way.

Peeta takes my hand and we walk quietly over to the dance floor again, this time facing one another uneasily as the other couples mill around us. "So." Peeta says with a slight smile. "Ask me again."

I feel so stupid, but I croak out "Who…who is the redheaded girl?" I ask, this time staring at the ground, feeling so nervous about the answer.

"She is my friend, Ilaynia." I hear him saying and my mind races. Friend. Friend? As in…Friend!

I look up at him smiling, "I didn't know you had any girl friends." I say feeling even more foolish than I felt a moment before.

"I have exactly two." He says slowly and his smile is widening as he adds. "You and Ilaynia." Again, I feel the familiar pains but I can't explain them. I am, after all, Peeta's friend, but something about him saying it, upsets me. I nod, careful not to display my disappointment and continue warily

"Well, I know how you know me. How did you meet her? I don't ever remember seeing her in town before."

Peeta looks down at the ground his smile disappearing "That's because she isn't from District 12. She's from the Capitol." I am confused. When did he have time to make any friends in the Capitol? And I realize when at the same time he is speaking it out loud. "I met her after the Quell, when they were holding me captive."