Panem High School {COMPLETED}

Chapter 48 - Peeta

(Peeta's POV)

I don't even know what's happening as I lean in to kiss her. Suddenly, when we're seconds away from what I've been dreaming of for months, Katniss pushes me away.

I immediately come to my senses, and look down. I feel my cheeks growing hotter. What was I thinking? "Sorry," I mutter.

When Katniss doesn't answer, I look up. He cheeks are flaming red, and she looks flustered. She's staring at me, and I honestly can't tell what she's thinking, which is worse than if she were to look angry.

"I...I think I should go," she says after a minute.

I nod. "Right. I'm sorry..."

She just nods, then pushes herself off the stool and walks to the door. She turns and gives me a sort of half-wave, then slips out into the hall and down the stairs.

I give her a few minutes, then retreat to my room. "Stupid!" I kick a pillow. "Stupid!" I kick the empty trash can over. "Why are you so stupid, Peeta?" I kick the door closed.

How could I do that? I knew she didn't want that. And now any chances of salvaging our friendship are going down in flames. Great. Nice job, Peeta. Really did well on that one.

I know it's only a matter of time before Madge calls me, asking what happened. Katniss will tell her something vague, and she'll want my side of the story. Then she'll make it her personal duty to reforge our friendship. I don't think she'll have much luck.

I lie on my bed for an hour, thinking of a million words to describe my stupidity. I only get up when I hear my family come in from downstairs. I don't feel like explaining to Tyler why I'm holed up in my room, so I try my best to act like nothing's happened and join my family in the kitchen.

"How was it with your girlfriend?" Tyler asks, making kissing noises. For one second, I'm afraid that Katniss told him what happened, but then I realize that Tyler would say that anyway. I roll my eyes.

~~~~

At school the next day, I do my best to avoid Katniss's eyes. Madge catches up to me after first hour and demands details, and I tell her to wait until yearbook. She doesn't look happy about that, but agrees.

I had planned to think out what I was going to say beforehand, but as I walk into yearbook I'm no closer to any sort of plan than I was after first period.

As I walk in, Clove orders me to smile and snaps my picture. I don't smile, and as she lowers her camera, her smile fades. "Are you ok?"

I nod quickly. Clove is a completely different person from the girl who walked into this class in September. It's strange how friendships can form this fast. And how they can crumble to nothing in one instant.

Mr. Heavensbee sends all the groups out to take pictures, just like we've been doing for over two months. Instead of taking pictures, though, Madge drags me over to a quiet part of the school, and Clove trails after us.

"Where are we going?" Clove asks.

Madge doesn't answer, so I shrug. Finally, she seems to find a suitable place (outside one of the science classrooms) and we stop. "Spill."

I glance apprehensively at Clove, who is glancing between the two of us in confusion.

"Oh please," Madge says. "She'll find out sooner or later. Wouldn't you rather she hear it from you?"

"Hear what?" Clove asks, a bit annoyed. I don't blame her, since Madge is talking about her like she's not there.

"Peeta, you said you'd tell me." Madge crosses her arms.

I sigh. "Fine..."

"If you want me to go..." Clove trails off, sounding a bit worried.

I shake my head. "No, you're fine." I sigh again. "Katniss came to the bakery yesterday..." Madge nods. "With Prim...but Prim's friends came and dragged her off. Tyler kept making annoying comments, so I suggested we go upstairs...and Katniss was just telling me how this didn't change anything, my liking her," here Clove's face fills with understanding, "and she trailed off. And we almost kissed. But she pushed me away." I shrug. "That's it."

Madge sighs. "This'll be hard to fix..."

"You don't have to!" I say quickly.

"Yes I do! I can't have my two closest friends not talking to each other!"

I hadn't thought of that. This is going to affect the whole group. What have I done?

Madge seems to take my silence as agreement. "Let's see. The first thing is to have Katniss realize this was a one-time thing..." She trails off, but I can tell that she's still making plans in her head.

"I'm sorry, Peeta," Clove says quietly. I try to smile and shrug, but somehow my face gets stuck on the "smile" part.

(Again, thank you to ryleighhammock for that lovely little plot twist at the beginning. You know, I think she's as evil as me.

Ok, how many of you are Harry Potter fans? Well, could you do me a favor and check out my new fanfic, Star of Gryffindor? There's only one chapter so far, but I'd really like some feedback, because this is the first time I'm branching out from HG fanfics. Thanks!)