Teenage Dream
Chapter One
"Katniss, what are you doing here?" Brandon Mellark, Bran for short, asked Katniss when he answered the back door to the bakery.
"I have to collect some things from Peeta's room." Katniss replied, fighting back the tears that shone in her dark grey eyes, the tears threated to stream down her face.
"Fortunately for you, everyone including mom, is at the wrestling match." Bran said, opening the door for Katniss and studying her with clear blue eyes. She quickly darted up the stairs, and Bran followed when he noticed she had a sizable backpack filled to the brim with her.
"What's all this?" Bran asked, when he gained Peeta's room and saw that she was removing many items, items that belonged to Peeta.
"I'm giving all this stuff back, and I'm taking the things that belong to me. I only have tonight to get all this done." Katniss explained in a voice clearly strained from refusing to cry.
"What are you talking about? What's going to happen after tonight?" Bran asked, clearly confused.
"I'm leaving and not coming back. You know my Aunt Effie, right? She came in a few days ago for a visit and offered to have me go to some preppy all girls school, and I've decided to accept. We leave tonight. Can you just leave me along for a minute?" She asked. Bran dumbly nodded in response and left Katniss to her own devices. Once Bran was gone, she put all of Peeta's belongs away, so that he wouldn't know that she had left Panem county. She then collected her things and looked around for a final goodbye.
She knew she couldn't leave without anything to remind her of Peeta, so she went to his closet, opened the door and stood there momentarily, trying to figure out what she wanted to take. Before making a decision, she leaned forward and gathered a bunch of the hanging items into an embrace and deeply inhaled his scent; laundry detergent, baked goods, nutmeg, cinnamon, a woodsy scent she wasn't sure of and that final note that was specific to Peeta, like a fingerprint. Katniss let his scent intoxicate her, making her feel weak, and something else deep inside, pooling in her core, she was sure she was too young to feel at sixteen years of age. Katniss removed two button down shirts she liked, then looked in his drawers and took three pairs of boxers, a pair of jogging pants, two of his favorite t-shirts, a sweatshirt, a hoody and then because of sheer desire and spite, took Peeta's letterman jacket. He inexplicably had two, so he hopefully wouldn't miss one too much.
"Why did I even bother bringing his stuff back if I knew I couldn't live without something that belonged to him." Katniss muttered to herself. She then packed up these things with her belongs and left. Bran was waiting at the bottom of the stairs and as Katniss walked past, she handed him a letter.
"Bran, please. I'm begging you, please don't give him this until tomorrow, if possible, tomorrow after school. It's not like it would matter much to him anyway, but if he asks about me, give him this letter." Katniss said in a voice Bran had never heard from her before, it was so sad and distant.
"Kat, what happened?" Bran asked, now truly concerned.
"You'll have to ask Peeta." She replied, and then left out the back door and into the night heading straight for the Seam. Moments after Katniss left, the rest of the Mellark family burst through the side door of their home and bakery.
"Peeta came in second place in his weight class. The whole team did very well and if they keep up at this rate, they'll be eligible for state." Mr. Mellark said proudly. Even their mother looked impressed. Bran nodded his head. "What did Katniss say? I'm sure she was happy for you?" Bran asked, he wanted to see how his brother responded. It was like a light went out.
"I don't know she wasn't there, besides; it doesn't matter. Delly was there." He answered.
"Delly? Delilah Cartwright?" Bran asked
"Yes, you know she's, his girlfriend. Good thing too, looks better for him to be seen with a beauty like that, beautiful red hair, such a step up from that Seam brat." Mrs. Mellark interjected. Bran and his other brother, Gauge turned to see what Peeta would say to their mother at this remark. When Peeta didn't remark, but cast his eyes down, looking… angry? The two oldest Mellark brothers looked at each other and knew there was trouble in paradise. Once everyone went to bed, Bran contemplated telling Gauge about Katniss' letter, but decided against it.
"Katniss, are you sure you don't want to think about this?" Mrs. Everdeen asked her oldest daughter.
"Yes mom. Being from the Seam was never a big deal to me, especially with my friends around, Gale, Peeta and Madge. I didn't need a lot of friends, I was happy. I didn't know I loved him, until school started this year, until he brought home a girlfriend. Now he hates me and I don't know what I did wrong." Katniss sobbed out.
"Love who? Gale?" Mrs. Everdeen asked in confusion.
"No, Peeta. He went away for the summer and I knew something was different when he came back, but I didn't think he was capable of humiliating me. All for some girl he started dating over the summer that conveniently moved here supposedly to be closer to her family." Katniss answered, while packing her small suitcase.
"But, to leave altogether… I know Euphemia has put a great opportunity before you, but should you take this opportunity because you're running from Peeta, or because you want it for yourself?"
"Both?" Katniss replied, even hearing the question in her own voice. Mrs. Everdeen sighed. "Mom, I just need a different life right now."
"You can't run forever, dear. Peeta will be here when you come home for vacations, and holidays. You will have to have it out with him at some point. Preferably sooner rather than later." Her mother pointed out.
"Maybe, or maybe not. If I speak to him again, it will be all too soon. I'll just think of him as one of my teenaged dreams; something I want, but can't have." With that, Katniss slammed her suitcase shut and headed downstairs where Aunt Effie was waiting. Mrs. Everdeen and Primrose, Katniss' sister walked slowly downstairs, not wanting to see Katniss leave and not wanting to miss saying goodbye.
"Please don't go, Katniss." Prim sniffed and running up to her sister to hug her.
"Prim, Aunt Effie will offer you the same opportunity when high school comes, and I'll be home to visit. I have to get away for a while." Katniss replied, trying not to cry in front of her sister. Prim hugged Katniss harder and then stepped away from her sister. Katniss then went to hug her mother.
"I'll be back during winter break." She said and turned to Aunt Effie. "I'm ready to go."
"Excellent. Katherine, I promise to take good care of my niece. Here's something to help you two get along for a while." Effie said, handing her sister an envelope. Mrs. Everdeen didn't bother to look inside, just grateful that her sister stayed in contact and helped her and her daughters out.
"What school is this again?" Katniss asked.
"Wycombe Abbey, it's an all-girls school, with an excellent curriculum. I think you'll enjoy England, lots of greenery and forests for you there." Effie said as they headed for the car. Katniss got in and then Effie slid in the back seat besides Katniss.
"Now, I know you consider 'finishing school', type manners to be a bit much, but they will help you in the real world as well as just showing that you have good manners. I promise not to smother you too much, but I feel a little culture will help you see things differently." Katniss nodded dumbly. For once, she didn't fight Effie on this, she just listened and while listening, she pulled out Peeta's letterman jacket and put it on, drinking in his scent, and trying to stop the tears from falling. Katniss watched as all the familiar houses and buildings were going by in a soft blur as the car drove towards the train station. The last building Katniss fixated on was Mellark Bakery, she pressed her hands against the window, noticing Peeta's bedroom light was on, her heart beat wilding in protest as the bakery faded into the background along with the rest of Panem County.
The next day at 12th District High started out like any other day. Madge Undersee and Gale Hawthorne met up in front of the school, waiting for Katniss and Peeta. Neither Gale nor Madge wasn't in school the day before, for various family reasons, and so weren't privy to what had transpired.
"Catnip and Peeta are both late." Madge said to Gale, looking worried. Before Gale could reply, they turned and saw Peeta holding hands with Delly Cartwright and heading into school. Peeta looked over and gave a nod and kept walking. Both Gale and Madge looked incredulous, looked at each other and then ran into the school building to find out what was going on. Before either Gale or Madge could find Peeta, they ran into Thom Peterson.
"Now you two finally show up, would've been nice to see you two yesterday." Said Thom when they walked into school.
"What are you talking about?" Gale asked.
"You didn't hear?" Thom asked in disbelief
"Hear what?" Madge asked faintly. Looking over at Peeta and Delly, she could tell this wasn't going to be good
"Well, you know Peeta went away over the summer and met a girl. That girl is Delly Cartwright, family moved to Panem county two weeks before school started. She's the reason you two and Katniss didn't see much of Peeta during those last two weeks of summer break, and it's been tense between Katniss and Peeta since school started a few weeks ago. I know you two have been in and out of school the last few weeks taking care of family issues, but you probably noticed that Peeta… well he's gotten pretty big, I would imagine all that time working at the bakery finally caught up with his body. Anyway, Peeta's been scarce all around and when you two didn't show up, Katniss went to hang out with Peeta and his new Merchant friends. They didn't take too kindly to Katniss coming around just because of her relationship with Peeta, and Delly liked to have snakes spring from her hair, she was so jealous. Delly started picking an argument with Katniss, one thing was said, then the next, and before anyone could even believe it, Peeta turns to Delly and says, 'I've always felt sorry for the Seam bitch, it's the only reason why I let her hang out with me' and then turned with Delly and walked away. Katniss just stood there in shock and even the Merchant kids didn't see that coming. I guess you never know people… I could've sworn Peeta was crazy, lovesick in love with Katniss. I guess people change." Thom finished. Madge just shook her head in disbelief, but Gale went over towards Peeta.
"Hey Mellark! Where's Katniss? What did you do to her?" Gale raged. The hallway was silent, because Gale was tall, well-muscled and commanding.
"She's not with you?" Peeta replied coolly. Only he and Gale knew he was nervous.
"You call her a "Seam bitch"?" Gale asked, cutting to the chase.
"So, what of it?" Peeta replied, Delly looking smug standing next to him.
"Oh. I get it. Finally got a piece of Merchant ass, and now you think you can shit all over your friends. It's fine, at least the girl you're really in love with found out about you before it was too late." Gale said in a deceptively quiet voice. The bell rang and students began to scatter and Peeta looked like he had been punched in the gut. Delly saw the look on his face and for the first time, began to truly worry about their relationship. Peeta turned and walked to his first class of the day, and could barely concentrate. Gale's statement affected him more than anyone could know and it was as if he were snapping out of some alternate reality. Peeta never thought any girl would notice him, not with Gale around anyway, and then suddenly over the summer, he shot up several inches to just getting to six feet, and his body suddenly had muscles everywhere and he notice the way girls and even women looked at him. When he noticed the change, his first thought was, maybe Katniss will notice me. Then Delly came out of nowhere and asked him out and he said yes. He was flattered that a girl like her would want to be with a guy like him, and it felt good to have romantic attention being paid to him, but he still only thought of Katniss, until Delly talked him into having sex with her. Once Peeta had that first blowjob, to finally being able to push his cock into a pretty and willing girl, it was as if another person took over. He definitely had no issues with being with Delly after that first time and after a few times, Delly couldn't complain about Peeta in or out of bed.
All too soon he was back in the 12th District and admittedly the women folk there had noticed his changes as well. Women folk included Katniss, and he would never forget the look on her face when she came into the bakery to pick up a few items and she saw him, she looked as if she saw him truly for the first time and instead of feeling ecstatic, he became unreasonably angry with Katniss. Peeta contained his anger, because he didn't know why he was angry with Katniss and it confused him, but both Katniss and Peeta knew something wasn't right and things became strained and tense.
Then unexpectedly, the Cartwrights moved into the area and there was Delly, with her red hair and good looks and still into him. The first few weeks of school were ok, he paid Gale and Madge just enough attention to keep them happy, that is when they were in school, but he was distant with Katniss. Peeta was still trying to figure out his anger towards her, and it wasn't until Gale's comment he realize he was angry with Katniss, because he felt she should've noticed the changes going on with him and with the combination being very much in love with Katniss and now that he was fully sexually awakened, desired her more than before, with was a deep and visceral desire that scared him and so he channeled all that emotion into his relationship with a very delighted Delly.
Little did he know that Katniss did notice the changes, even within herself when it came to him; she realized she not only missed him while he was away, but that she was in love with him and then he returned home before school and she noticed the muscles, the height, the more defined face and jaw… the girlfriend. Peeta just saw that she treated him the same, never thinking that she wouldn't do anything different with the added element of a girlfriend. That day he called her a Seam bitch, was one for the record books. He was just so angry that Katniss didn't seem to notice him that he lost it. He would never forget the look in her eyes or how other people looked at her in pity, but he didn't apologize, because he wasn't sorry then. Today, after Gale called out exactly what the issue was, he was sorry now… and Peeta had never been so sorry about anything before in his life. Right after school, he would go to the Everdeens and apologize.
Unfortunately, his trip to the Everdeens had to wait, because his now former friend Gale threaten to gut him like a fish if he showed up at the Everdeens and his other former friend Madge didn't feel a need to correct this line of reasoning. So, Peeta went home, worked in the family bakery for a few hours and then washed for dinner. As the Mellark family sat around their dinner table, Peeta started the conversation.
"Did Katniss stop by today?" He asked. Bran and Gauge both stopped in mid bite. Gauge, because he was confused in the change from last night to today and Bran, because he knew he would have to give Peeta that letter that was burning a hole in his desk drawer.
"No, that Seam girl didn't stop by, I thought you were over her." Mrs. Mellark said in distressed tones.
"I just wanted to know; I have to find her. I need to apologize." Peeta explained. Bran then choked on his food.
"You okay?" Mr. Mellark asked, Bran waved him away and excused himself from the table for a few minutes. He came back with Katniss' letter.
"What's this? When did she drop this off?" Peeta asked.
"Last night, while you were away at your wrestling match." Bran replied.
"You had this last night? Why didn't you say anything?!" Peeta yelled.
"She asked me not to give it to you until you asked about her, you just asked about her, and now you have your letter. I have to say, I didn't think you would ask about her so soon." Bran replied. Peeta eagerly opened the letter, and as he read the contents, his face fell. He soon put the letter down and sat there in silence.
"Well? What does it say?" Gauge asked. Everyone was waiting with baited breath.
"She said her Aunt Effie came to town and offered to have her live with her in England for a while and to attend high school there. She intends to stay until she graduates." Peete replied.
"Well, I have to say, that's a big come up for her." Mrs. Mellark said sourly. Mrs. Mellark didn't bother to comment on Effie, because Effie was considerably wealthier than the Mellarks and Mrs. Mellark was also gulled by the fact that the Everdeens had access to people like Effie Trinket. That Katherine Lacey was a fool to run off and marry Jordan Everdeen, the marriage considerably lowered her status.
"Peeta, this is a good opportunity for her." Bran said, trying to be encouraging. Bran and Gauge exchanged glances communicating that they would talk to their little brother after dinner. Peeta then excused himself and went to his room. He paced back and forth trying to figure out when he could get over to the Everdeen's and still apologize, when he noticed his letterman's jacket was gone, but there were items that he knew were supposed to be at the Everdeen house here in his room… did Katniss take his jacket? If she did, then he had to hope she still cared. He would call over to the Everdeens instead.
"Hello?" Mrs. Everdeen answered the phone.
"Hello Mrs. Everdeen, this is Peeta Mellark. I'm calling to apologize to you and Katniss for my recent behavior." Peeta said sincerely. Mrs. Everdeen was quiet for a moment, before she replied.
"Peeta, I understand that when you're young, you sometimes do and say things you regret. You really hurt my daughter, and it will be a while before I can forgive you. Due to your actions, my daughter thought it best to leave the country. When I speak to Katniss, I'll give her your message, or you can give it to her yourself when she comes home for winter break." Mrs. Everdeen said. With that, Peeta had to be satisfied. He hung up from Mrs. Everdeen and laid on his bed, day dreaming, wishing he could take back everything he said to hurt and drive Katniss away. Winter break was three months away, he could wait.
Peeta wouldn't see Katniss for seven years.