Catching Fire: Peeta's Story....

Chapter 40:

Chapter 40:

**Cough Cough** "Huh hemm!" We turn to see a laughing crowd of tributes. Then we look down and see the trays of food all over the floor. We both laugh, "We should probably clean that up." says Katniss, grinning. "Yeah, probably..." I say, laughing and pulling Katniss into me. She smiles, and kiss's my lips. But we get interupted by someone who walks by us, bumping into me, making Katniss fall over. I turn to punch them, but find that it is Haymitch who pushed her over. "Oh..." I say, looking around at the tributes.

Haymitch glares at me, "Pick her up, and CLEAN UP THE MESS!" Haymitch yells at me. "Sorry..." I say, blushing, and reaching down for Katniss. I help Katniss up, and look at her and start laughing as we pick up the mess, and get more food then go eat with the rest of the group.

Chaff doesn't try to kiss Katniss again, and she does try to be a bit more sociable. She grips to my hand the whole time, I swear if she holds on any tighter, I might loose my fingers too! When it's time to go back in to the Training Center, I watch Katniss walk over to the edible-bugs station, with the District 8 tributes- Cecelia, who's got three kids at home, and Woof, a really old guy whos hard of hearing, I know because I did a station with them. I then see Cashmere and Gloss invite Katniss to make hammocks with them, I can tell she's thinking about Glimmer and Marvel.

She leaves them after a while, and joins Enobaria at the sword training. Finnick appears again but only to introduce Katniss to Mags, the old lady from his District, 4.

After a while of watching Mags make fishing hooks, Katniss leaves and goes over to the archery range. I watch her, because I have never seen Katniss shoot for real before. The targets are too simple for her, so Tax, the trainer, starts throwing these fake birds high into the air. Then he starts increasing the number of birds he throws. The whole gym stops and watches her when she takes down five birds in one round!

WoW!

After training, Katniss and I hang out, waiting for Haymitch and Effie to show up for dinner. When we're called to eat, Haymitch ounces on Katniss immediately. "So at least half the victors have instructed their mentors to request you as an ally. Now I know it can't be your sunny personality."

"They saw her shoot," I say with a smile. "Actually, I saw her shoot, for real, for the first time. I'm about to put in a formal request myself."

"You're that good? So good that Brutus wants you?" Haymitch asks me.

Katniss grabs my hand, "But I don't want Brutus. I want Peeta," She says, smiling at me. "And Mags and District 3."