district high school ♞ everlark

Chapter 2

Peeta POV

Today is my first day at District High. I used to live in District 4 with my cousin, Gale Hawthorne, but my father insisted that we moved here to start our bakery business.

My family has had ups and downs. My mother is so hateful. She beats me when she sees any of my flaws whatsoever. I honestly don't know why she does because my two other brothers don't get beaten.

My brothers, Michael and Rye, are twins that are two years older than me. They study at the District University a couple blocks from here.

My father loves to make pastries, so he established Mellark's Bakery. Our house is right above it, kind of like that Disney show Wizards of Waverly Place.

After locking my black Chevrolet truck, I grab my backpack and stride to the door. On my way, a tall, skinny girl talks to a huge group of kids. She has dark brown hair in a cute hairstyle that causes it to cascade down her back. She's gorgeous.

I get my schedule and place my unnecessary things inside my locker. A person opens the locker next to me. It's the girl I met earlier. She doesn't acknowledge me, though.

She struts down the hall with her textbooks. My eyes set on this boy whose water bottle drops from his hands. She's about to slip on the spilled water, so I dash over to her and catch her. Her grey eyes are so intriguing.

We get back up and she says, "Uhh, thanks for catching me. You didn't have to."

"No, it was my pleasure. We wouldn't want a face that beautiful to get hurt, now would it?" I smirk.

She blushes and smiles slightly.

"Thanks. I'm Katniss. Katniss Everdeen."

"Peeta Mellark. I'm new here. Do you think you could show me around? It's a really big school," I gesture.

"Yeah, sure, let's compare schedules," she takes hers out of her purse and I take mine out of my back jeans pocket.
It seems we have every class together except for the last period. "Cool, we have almost every class together!" Katniss flashes a white smile.

"I'll show you around in free?" She asks. I nod, "Yeah."

We walk into the music room and sit down in the desks in the middle of the humongous room. Katniss acknowledges the same group of people she was talking to by the tree. They smile and wave back. Musical instruments are lined up along the walls.

A woman dressed in a blue dress and orange wig comes through the door. "Hello!" She smiles. "I'm Ms. Trinket, your music teacher. Today, I want you to show me your abilities in this class."

I hear some groans throughout the room.

"First up is Marvel Aubrey."

He grabs an electric guitar and plays a wicked solo. The class cheers and he smiles after returning to his seat.

"Impressive, Mr. Aubrey," Ms. Trinket says while scribbling something down on a sheet of paper.

After a couple more people go, Katniss's name comes up. She nervously walks up to the stool on the stage and says, "I can play the guitar and piano. I'm learning how to play the drums presently."

"Wonderful, so which one will you do today?" she asks.

"The piano."

"Good choice," she smiles.

Katniss smiles back and sits at the piano. She starts playing and her angelic voice fills the silent classroom.

"We know full well there's just time
So is it wrong to toss this line?
If your heart was full of love
Could you give it up?
'Cause what about, what about angels?
They will come, they will go, make us special
Don't give me up
Don't give...
Me up
How unfair, it's just our love
Found something real that's out of touch
But if you'd searched the whole wide world
Would you dare to let it go?
'Cause what about, what about angels?
They will come, they will go, make us special
Don't give me up
Don't give...
Me up
'Cause what about, what about angels?
They will come, they will go, make us special
It's not about not about angels, angels"

My jaw hangs wide open. Most of the girls are at the brim of tears, others displaying jealousy. Ms. Trinket inhales, "That was brilliant."

"Thank you," Katniss says while taking her seat beside me.

"Peeta Mellark."

I rise and walk to get a guitar. I strum a few chords to warm up and then I start playing some music, humming along.

"Very nice," she nods while writing down something.

"Thank you." I take my seat.

After the bell rings, Katniss turns toward me. "That was really good."

"No, yours was flawless," I argue.

"No."

"Yes.

"No."

"Yes, Katniss, yes!"

"Fine," she grumbles. "I wanna introduce you to a few people," she drags me over to the group.

"Hey, guys, this is Peeta Mellark. Can he join our group? He's really nice," she tells them.

"Oh is he your boyfriend?" a bronze-haired boy teases. She slaps his arm and hisses, "Shut up, fishboy."

"Kitty got claws!" He laughs.

"Whatever, can he be in the group?"

"Yeah, sure, sup Peeta?" a blonde haired boy shakes my hand.

"This is Annie Cresta and Finnick Odair," Katniss gestures to the two people holding hands. "Glimmer and Marvel Aubrey, the twins," she points to a blonde haired girl and dark haired boy. "Cato Morgan and Clove Silvers," she looks at the two holding hands. "And Johanna Mason."

"Nice to meet you," Annie politely says.

*LUNCHTIME*

The group sits down at a big circular table in the cafeteria. Katniss and I get our lunch and sit down as well. She digs into her chicken salad while I eat a sandwich.

"So, Peeta, tell us about yourself," Marvel says.

"Well, I used to live in District 4 but my dad opened up a bakery here. I have two brother who go to the university."

"Cool."

A part of me knew not to tell them about my devil of a mother. After lunch, we head off to free period.