Chapter 10

Primrose Everdeen POV

I'm so happy Katniss let me keep the cat, even if it is temporary. I named him Buttercup because he reminds me of butter with how pale he is. Maybe I can convince Katniss to let me keep him forever if I show her how responsible of a pet owner I can be.

Rue and I are in my backyard playing with the cat, she was so relieved when I told her Katniss let me keep him.

"I'm so glad you got to keep Buttercup," she says. "I was so worried he wouldn't have a home."

"Katniss said it was only temporary," I respond. "But I hope she'll change her mind when she sees how good care I take of him, or she'll get attached to him."

"I can't see Katniss getting attached to anything, especially a cat," Rue says. "She's too heartless for that." She's laughing about it, but Katniss really isn't that empathetic of a person.

"Don't you see how cute he is?" I ask, gesturing to Buttercup. "How could anyone not fall in love with that face?"

"You have a point there," Rue says. "He is definitely a really cute cat."

"So are there any boys you like this year?" I ask Rue, even though I think I know her answer. I don't think she's ever had a crush, unless you count thinking a boy at summer camp was cute when we were really little.

"Not really," she says, laughing. "I don't think so, why do you ask?"

She's looking around, and she seems nervous that I asked. That's weird, I've asked her that before and she's never had that response.

"Just curious," I say. "Just being nosy like I always am."

"What about you?"

"Probably not," I say. "I don't know, there's a couple cute guys in my math class. No guy has ever really wanted to date me, so I don't know why I bother thinking about it."

"Come on," Rue says. "You're cute, you know that."

"Thanks," I say. "I just want to have my first kiss before high school, you know people will make fun of you if you get to high school without having done that."

"I honestly couldn't care less," Rue says, seeming nervous again. "Let's not talk about boys, okay? It gets old."

"Okay," I say. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Anything else, honestly," she says. "Maybe you can show me a couple cheer routines."

"Okay," I say. "Sure, I'd love to."

I show her a couple routines before she has to go home. She's never been that insistent on changing the subject, it's weird to me that she was today.

I try not to read too much into her weird behavior after she leaves, but she was acting really different. I hope she isn't mad at me, though I honestly don't know why she would be.

Gale Hawthorne POV

I need to find a way to make more consistent income, my family really needs my help. I had a summer job, but I had to quit because it was seasonal. It was only part time, but at least it was something. I'm walking around town today to see if anyone is hiring for a weekend job, I know Katniss also needs something. Maybe I can find something that will talk to her too.

I've talked to a couple shop owners, but most of them don't need help that would work with our schedules. I walk by the bakery, and trying to work there actually doesn't seem like a bad idea. As much as I don't like Peeta Mellark, working early mornings and on weekends would be an easy schedule to manage.

"Hi there," Mr. Mellark says when I walk in. "Can I help you?"

"I was just wondering if you guys happened to be hiring," I say. "My friend and I could really use a part time job."

"Who's your friend?" He says.

"Her name is Katniss Everdeen," I say. "We go to school with your son."

"Oh," Mr. Mellark says. "Yeah, I know the Everdeens. Katniss is a sweet girl, let me go talk to my wife about it."

I just nod and watch him go into the back. I'm really hoping this works, I know Katniss and I both have been really stressed about our families' financial troubles lately.

He comes out a few minutes later. "My wife and I really could use some help around the bakery on weekend mornings," he says. "If you and Katniss want to come in for an interview next Saturday, we can move forward after that."

"That sounds great," I say. "Thank you so much. I'll let her know and call here to confirm if that's okay."

"For sure," he says. "That sounds great."

I walk outside of the bakery and give Katniss a call. "Hello?" She says when she answers.

"Hey," I say. "I did some looking around for jobs today since you mentioned you were hoping to find something."

"Oh really?" She asks. "Any luck?"

"Yeah, I stopped by the bakery," I said. "Mr. Mellark wants to interview us next Saturday, if you'd also be interested. If not, I'll just go on my own."

"That's awesome! I'll totally be there."

"You sure? I was hesitant to give them your name since I didn't ask you before hand."

"I'm glad you did," she says. "I was worried about how I was going to keep helping my family, so thank you."

"Of course," I say. "See you later, bye."

"Bye."

As much as I don't like her getting closer to Peeta Mellark, maybe I can prevent something from happening between them if I'm there. We both really need jobs, so this will be good for us even if it's not the ideal people we should be around.

Finnick Odair POV

Peeta and I are hanging out this weekend, he was able to get out of working at the bakery on a Saturday. That's really rare, he usually always has to work weekends at the bakery. We're just going to sit around and maybe smoke some weed.

I pick him up at the bakery and he runs out the front door to meet me. "Hey," he says. "Let's get out of here before they change their mind and make me stay."

"I'm surprised you got out of working today," I say. "You always have to work weekends."

"Yeah, I think my dad feels bad. He convinced my mom to let me be a teenager for a day, lucky me I guess."

We go to a park where there's a bridge that we like to sit under. It's pretty isolated, so it's a good spot to smoke weed. We sit under the bridge and I roll some joints for us.

"I wish we could graduate already," I say, taking a hit. "I'm over high school."

"You're just excited for college women," Peeta says, also taking a hit. "High school women are too immature for you."

I chuckle. He isn't completely wrong, but I've actually been rethinking the whole ladies' man persona that I've put on for the last couple years.

"I don't know," I say. "I've actually been wondering if maybe it's time for me to consider having a real relationship."

"Really?" Peeta asks me. "We're still young, you have time. I know it may sound like I'm judging you, but I'm really just messing with you."

"I don't know," Finnick says. "I mean, sex is great. I'd definitely want to have sex with a girl I'm dating, but I'm starting to think I'd like more in a relationship than just that."

There's a pause. "Is this about the girl that Johanna and Madge brought to your party?" Peeta asks me.

"No," I say. "She was cool to talk to, but I really don't know her."

"You seemed to be talking to her a lot, from what the guys were saying."

"I talked to her for like, five minutes," I say. "I was trying to be a good host. She doesn't party much and had never been to one of my parties."

"Okay," Peeta says, sounding like he doesn't believe me. "I support it, I think you should find a girl to be with for a longer period of time and not just be sleeping around."

"Well, that's because you have no fun," I say. "Any more luck with Katniss Everdeen?"

"Not really," I say. "We've just talked some, but I'm hoping to keep going with it. Even if I just get to be her friend, that'll be enough."

"That would be no fun," I say. He playfully shoves me. "I'm just saying."

I drop him back off at the bakery, and they've closed by that point. That's good, his parents can't get mad at him for being high around customers. I'm just hoping they won't get too mad at him for smoking in the first place.

I'm starting to think about what Peeta said more and more, maybe I do want to talk to Annie more. She's friends with Johanna, and I have Johanna's number.

*Hey* I send a text to Johanna. *Do you have the number of that girl Annie?*

Ding. *Yeah, why?*

*I just wanted to get to know her better and talk to her more, she seems cool.*

Ding. *I'll have to ask if she's cool with you having her number. She's a pretty private person.*

*For sure, I get that.*

Ding. *If you just want to sleep with her and dump her, then no. She's worth more than that.*

I'm a little offended that she jumped to that conclusion, but I also can't be surprised.

*It's not that, I promise.*

Ding. *Ok, I'll let you know what she says.*

*Thx*

This is a good thing, I need to be able to talk to girls without just wanting to get into their pants. Even if she is just a friend, that isn't a bad place to start.