Author's Note: The start of a new WIP! I didn't intend to start a new one so soon, but the story bug for this one just kind of hit me, and Chapter 1 is the result! For anyone worried that because I'm starting this one, I will neglect my others, please don't. I love writing in all my worlds and have no intention to stop :)

This story is modern AU and if you're wondering what the Panem of this new universe looks like, it's modeled after the Hamptons. Just to give you a visual.

A big thank you goes to Solas Violetta for her awesome beta-ing skills, Titania522 for her always wonderful support, and nightlockinthecave for the banner she's making for me for this story (that will be posted shortly).

Last note, there will be some minor Galeniss in this story, but please be assured that Everlark will always be end game in my stories…And that the endings to them will always be happy, even if the journey gets rough sometimes along the way.

Hope you enjoy, reviews are welcome, and thanks for reading!

Katniss

Katniss sighed loudly and glanced at the clock for fourth time in five minutes, her knee jiggling impatiently against the counter.

11:55

Almost there.

She looked around the store, scowling at the doily covered tables and poufy pink and green chairs scattered about the shop, Effie's words from when she'd walked into work trilling in her head.

"Oh Katniss, darling! Today is going to be a big, big cleaning day! I'll be closing the shop early tonight so that we can get everything done. It'll be so fun!"

Katniss grimaced, wondering what random thing Effie was going to have her clean first. Her eyes halted on the rows of decorative plates covering the far wall of the shop. She bet the masterfully painted blue and white platters covered in scenes of a pastoral countryside would require some dusting.

11:57.

How long is it again until you can quit this nightmare?

She looked out the shop's large plate glass window, staring longingly at the sprawling green lawn and stately trees of the well-kept park that lay across the street. It always looked beautiful but to someone who had been stuck inside a sweltering boutique since 5 this morning, Snow Park could practically be called paradise.

Katniss was so distracted by the bright sunlight filtering through the softly swaying leaves of a giant oak tree near the edge of the road that she almost failed to notice a man with slicked back brown hair and impeccably groomed goatee sauntering towards the shop.

Oh no.

Katniss looked frantically back up at the Hello Kitty! themed timepiece on the wall.

11:59

One minute. No way was she going to let a customer take away from her lunch time. It was her one hour of freedom from this blasted place until 5:30. Or later, if Effie's threat about a big day of cleaning came to pass.

Katniss willed the man to look at her, but it wasn't until he had placed his hand on the door knob that he noticed Katniss staring at him through the glass. He gave her a wide simpering smile, which Katniss met with her trademark scowl, deliberately trying to look as unpleasant as possible.

Open that door, buddy, and you'll get your ass kicked, she tried to communicate to him silently.

And as the man's smile slowly faltered under her gaze, and then dropped off his face altogether, a deep sense of satisfaction welled within her. Katniss had him running. There was no doubt now.

But for good measure, she quirked an eyebrow at him and glared daggers, daring him to come any further into the store. A shadow of fear passed across his face before he spun on his heels and quickly walked away.

Katniss looked back up at the clock once more and almost started laughing in her relief.

12:00

Made it.

As if to confirm her impending escape, Katniss heard the familiar clacking of Effie's heels against the wooden floor as she made her way from her office to the storefront to relieve Katniss for her lunch break. Katniss let out a deep gust of air and braced herself for her boss' entrance.

The woman walked into the main space with a look of happiness on her face that fell dramatically at the sight of the empty shop. She gasped loudly in obvious dismay. Katniss could barely contain her eye roll.

Effie Trinket was a forty-something year old woman who tried to maintain the look that she was in her twenties. Unsuccessfully.

Her hair was dyed a bright fake looking blonde, and she had more make-up on her face than Katniss had ever worn throughout all her life combined. Every necklace, bangle, and ring Effie wore always carefully coordinated with her expensive dresses and tailored suits. She never wore any shoes other than the six-inch stilettos she jammed her perfectly pedicured feet into. A clothing magazine was never far from her grasp, and her favorite topic of discussion was what Dior, Cinna, and a host of other fashion designers had put out for their summer collections.

And she was also the proud owner of Effie's Effervescent Essentials & Boutique Coffee Shop. Or well her husband, Plutarch, was anyways.

Katniss knew for a fact that the store operated at a loss, judging by the record books she'd peaked at one day while grabbing something from the back room. It wasn't surprising considering the ridiculously high hourly rate Effie paid her, not that Katniss ever felt obliged to tell her that. It was the only reason Katniss tolerated working here.

No, the fact was Plutarch let Effie have the shop as a way to keep her busy when he was away on his business trips and also to keep her somewhat out of his hair whenever he came home. Katniss could respect that. A little Effie went a long way.

"Oh, Katniss, dear. Have we really had no customers since the morning rush? I thought for sure that the buy 2 get 1 free special on the tea candles would have enticed some people to come in." Effie trilled out in a high-pitched voice.

"Nope," Katniss lied, avoiding Effie's eyes. She was a terrible actress, and even someone as airheaded as Effie could often tell when she wasn't being honest.

At least you're good at keeping your thoughts hidden, Katniss reflected, repressing another eye roll as Effie rambled about the new mahogany tables she'd ordered that would shortly be replacing the perfectly adequate oak ones scattered throughout the room. Only two people had ever been able to discern her thoughts with ease, one of whom was her sister, Prim, while the other...Well, he has been gone a long time now so it doesn't matter, she reminded herself sternly, trying to quickly end such a dangerous line of thinking. That path only led to pain. She looked back up at the clock.

12:03

Damn it.

Katniss narrowed her eyes at Effie, trying to determine the best place to interrupt her nattering while simultaneously being in awe of Effie's ability to talk non-stop. It was a wonder the woman wasn't turning blue from lack of oxygen. Katniss certainly didn't see her taking any breaths…

"...I was thinking of redoing the counters in mahogany too. And perhaps the wood paneling. Of course, I would have to talk to Plutarch about all this, but I don't see how he would mind. I mean mahogany is in this year after all. I think he'd understand. What do you think, Katniss?"

Katniss blinked in alarm. The only woods she liked giving an opinion on were the ones you could walk through. "Uh, I'm sure whatever you pick Plutarch will love. You have um, the best...taste?" Effie beamed at her praise, and Katniss sighed in relief that the woman didn't want her thoughts on anything else. Overall, Effie was fairly sweet, sometimes even endearing, but she was just a little dense at times.

"Thank you, Katniss, my dear. You are just too kind," Effie said, dabbing at her eye with a pink and white polka-dot handkerchief.

Katniss nodded. It was now or never. "Effie? Would you mind if I go to lunch now? It's after twelve," she asked bluntly.

Effie gasped. "Oh my! I'm so sorry. Look at me, prattling on like a ninny. Of course, you may go. Just remember to be back promptly at one please. Yesterday, you were late, and I know your parents raised you to have better manners." Effie gave her a wide smile. "And manners are what matter the most, as my mother always said."

She patted Katniss lightly on the arm in what Katniss assumed Effie thought was an affectionate way, but fortunately failed to notice the way Katniss stiffened at her touch. She didn't appreciate being addressed like a five year old girl rather than the twenty-one year old woman she was.

"Alright, Effie. I'll be back at one." She whipped off her apron and rushed out the door without another word to her employer.

A light breeze hit her face, feeling refreshingly cool after the stifling, perfumed air of the shop. Sunlight beamed down from a bright blue cloudless sky. Children's laughter floated over from where a dozen of them were capering around the playground. And not a hundred yards off, a group of people in varying colored work outfits were waving her over to an ornately carved white picnic table.

Katniss smiled slightly. If Effie only knew the way your parents actually raised you, maybe she'd forgive you being tardy a second day...Or maybe she'd still lecture you on bad manners.

Either way, Katniss was going to find out. She sprinted across the street to meet her friends.

XXXXX

"God, this summer is going to be awful; I can already tell. How can it only be May 21st and be this fucking hot out?" Johanna said, glaring around at the table like she expected everyone else to make it better.

"Jo, it's like 80 degrees. It's not that bad," Finnick said with a laugh, his sea green eyes sparkling with amusement at the tiny dark-haired girl's malicious facial expression.

"Says the guy who'll be playing in his parent's mansion the entire summer." She punched him hard in the arm. "Why is it you want to work with all of us poor people again? Don't you have a college degree that you're supposed to be using to find a real job right about now? "

"Hey now! Working as a lifeguard is a real job, and the parental unit left for a four month tour of Europe yesterday. It's a burden having parents who don't give two fucks about what you do," Finn replied airily. He pointed at everyone around the bench. "All of you are expected to come to the parties I plan on holding. That goes for you, too, Madge," he said, nodding at the mousy looking brown haired girl to his left. Madge blushed a wild shade of red at having been put on the spot, but she smiled timidly in acquiescence.

He then turned to Katniss with a wily grin. "And yes, that goes for you also, Kat. You can even bring Grumpy, and we'll see if we can finally succeed in turning his frown upside down." Katniss scowled at him. Finnick knew how much it pissed her off when he called Gale that, but Finnick only smiled wider at her deepened frown.

"This is the summer we're all going to get you to live a little. There are still several spots open on the lifeguarding roster for Snow Beach." Katniss started to shake her head to tell him no, but Finnick narrowed his eyes in disbelief. "You can't tell me Trinket isn't already driving you nuts. I think part of the reason my parents ran for the hills is that they didn't want to sit through any more drinks at the club with her and Plutarch. There's a reason she never keeps help for long. Jo, you lasted what, one day?"

"A half day."

"So if Jo lasted a half day, the fact that Catnip has lasted there two weeks should be viewed as a minor miracle, right?"

They all whipped around at the sound of Gale's familiar low rumbling voice and watched him make his way over to the picnic area. At over six-feet tall with short dark hair framing a handsome olive-toned face, Gale Hawthorne looked like he could be a male model. If that was, he ever dressed the part. But his green, grease stained t-shirt, ragged blue flannel over shirt, and faded hole-ridden jeans didn't exactly portray the image. Only Finnick rivaled him in looks.

"And egos," a wry voice in the back of Katniss' head said.

Katniss almost snorted with laughter. Both the boys had very healthy egos. In fact, Katniss was convinced Finnick thought he was God's gift to the female population at large. She still wasn't exactly sure how she'd become friends with him.

"Yes, you do," the same small voice said.

"Fuck off," she told it, trying to ignore the lancing pain in her suddenly rapidly beating heart. She focused on Gale.

"She's not that bad, Gale," Katniss said, offering up a rare smile to her oldest friend, as he sat down to join the rest of them for lunch.

Their fathers had been best friends and had encouraged their children to be as well. And with Gale being only two years older than her, that friendship had indeed come easily. Gale was a good friend and often Katniss' best support, watching over her and her sister like a protective older brother.

Though lately, Katniss mused, He's also become your occasional fuckbuddy. So...really not so much like an older brother at all. She didn't care though. They both knew nothing serious would ever come of it. There was simply a point where you knew too much about another person to make something romantic work.

"Yeah, sure, Brainless," Johanna said loudly, interrupting Katniss' thoughts. "As long as you ignore the endless talks about who-gives-a-fuck-who-they-are fashion designers, discussions on which pastels coordinate best with the woodwork, and torture sessions where you dust endless rows of decorative kitten plates. Seriously, I'm surprised you lasted any longer than me with Miss Rainbows and Puppy Dogs given your oh-so-sunny personality."

"Thanks, Jo," Katniss grumbled, trying hard not to acknowledge the truth of Johanna's words.

"Oh Katniss, I wish you would lifeguard with us," Delly said from where she sat next to Finnick. The buxom blonde clapped her hands together. "They pay really well, and I bet if you talk to Haymitch, he'd give you the equivalent of what Miss Trinket is paying you." Delly gave her a pleading look when she noticed the skeptical one on Katniss' face. "Really. You might even be able to get him to take on Prim as a concession worker. That's what Rory is doing, right Gale?" she said a little desperately.

"Yeah, he is. I bet Prim would like working there too," Gale replied shortly. Katniss' gave him a sharp look, and he had the grace to look a little guilty.

Delly continued with one last pitch. "It's probably the last summer we'll all be together now that most everyone has finished their degrees. It would be so great to be with each other every day. We haven't all worked in the same place since we worked at Mellark's Bakery in high school."

A barely detectable frisson of tension ran through the group, and Katniss felt a hard lump in her throat at Delly's mention of Mellark's. She glanced around the table nervously and noticed how suddenly no one was looking at anyone else nor at the large blue and white storefront several doors down from where Effie's shop lay. Katniss could almost taste the thick sadness that now hung in the air. Unable to come up with a reply to Delly's words, she started picking at the chipping white paint on the picnic table.

Delly looked from face to face, her ever present smile faltering slightly. "Remember how much fun we all had?" she asked quietly.

After a lengthy awkward silence, Katniss finally answered, "Yeah, Dell. It was great. But a lot has changed." She winced at the crestfallen look Delly gave her upon hearing her blunt words. She sighed. "I'll think about ok?"

"Yay!" Delly exclaimed and grasped Katniss' hands tightly in both of her own. "I know you'll like it, K. It'll be great! This will be great!" Everyone, even Katniss, started laughing at Delly's enthusiasm, and her presumption that Katniss was going to work there even though she'd just said she would just consider it.

The minutes passed in comfortable silence among the six of them after that. They'd all known each other since they were young, having attended grade school onward together. And though some of them hadn't become friends until much later, they hadn't stopped hanging out since.

Katniss supposed some people would find it pathetic that she had lived in Panem, a coastal town of about 50,000 known for its quaint shops, fine restaurants, first-class resorts, and white-sand beaches, her entire life. Or perhaps they would think she was a loser for still hanging mostly with her friends from high school. But Katniss didn't make friends easily, and most of the people at the local college, Panem University, she had attended were snobby douchebags. At least in her opinion.

She, Gale, and Johanna were all from the Seam, the unseemly poor area on the far edge of town that the mostly uber-wealthy people of Panem liked to pretend didn't exist, even though Seam residents were often the ones who cut their perfectly landscaped lawns, cleaned their large pools, and even taught their children.

While Gale had a gotten a two year associate's degree before apprenticing himself to the local car mechanic, Katniss and Jo had scrounged their way through four years of school with the aid of merit scholarships, low-income grants, and working long nights as receptionists for the residence halls. Just one week ago, Katniss had graduated with a degree in social work. Katniss supposed she should have felt more proud of herself during that graduation ceremony, but social work prospects in the town of Panem weren't great. And unfortunately, she couldn't move away until Prim graduated from high school next year.

Finnick, Madge, and Delly, on the other hand, were all from very wealthy families. Delly's mother was a famous shoe designer, and her father was in hedge funds. Finnick's father was the CEO of his own sportswear and equipment company, while his mother had once been a famous swimmer who now gave inspirational speeches across the country. And Madge's father was one of the representatives to the Senate in the Capitol. Madge hardly ever saw him.

The three could have gone anywhere in the country for school, but much to Katniss' surprise, they had all stuck around Panem instead. She could still remember Delly explaining how she was just a homebody, while Madge had blushingly told everyone that her father wanted to show the people how the Undersee family supported the local community. And Finnick had just said he didn't give a fuck where he went. Katniss' head still hurt just thinking about some of the antics he'd gotten up to while he attained his business degree.

Katniss was grateful for them, even if they didn't always understand her. How could they really? Except for Gale, none of them had experienced any of the same tragedies life had thrown at her. But they were all supportive, nonetheless. Though they probably seemed like an odd sextet at first glance.

"With a missing seventh member," the now cruel voice in the back of her head added.

Katniss pinched herself, disgusted that she was allowing so many thoughts of him to rise to the surface today. She was usually better about blocking out feelings she did not want to explore, and memories she did not want to relive. But tomorrow is the anniversary after all, Katniss thought, her sorrowful heart clenching painfully in her chest.

"Good fucking God, how much flour did Rye buy? I know the place is popular, but that's just ridiculous," Johanna's barking voice said, crashing through Katniss' thoughts.

They all swung around to watch a large white pick-up truck with a peeling "Mellark's Family Bakery" logo plastered on its side stop at the red light near them. The bed of the vehicle was filled with boxes stacked to a dangerous height and precariously secured with some thin bungee cord. Judging by the constant teetering of the top row, Katniss guessed he had done a pretty poor job of tying them down.

"Hey Rye, next time leave some flour for the rest of us!" Finnick called out loudly towards the open window of the dark cab where Rye Mellark's profile could just be seen. He gave them all a short wave, before gunning the engine as the light turned green.

"That can't really all be flour can it, Finnick?" Delly asked as Rye pulled into one of the parking spaces in front of the bakery. Katniss looked back towards the table, as uninterested in the boxes as she was looking at the store. Her memories kept threatening to overwhelm her as it was.

"I don't know, Dell. Your guess is as good as mine, and I haven't talked to Rye in a long while. Maybe they're doing another expansion," Finnick said with a shrug, starting to turn away. But then he froze, a look of awe crossing his face.

"Finnick? You ok?" Johanna asked. She waved a hand in front of Finnick's face, but he didn't seem to notice, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

Finally, he gasped out, "Did they hire someone new over there?" He pointed back towards the bakery, and everyone turned back around again to see what he was pointing at. It took a second for Katniss to figure out who Finn was pointing at, so short was the girl that he had noticed. But finally, Katniss caught sight of her as she walked around the truck to grab a box that Rye handed her from atop the pile.

She had long auburn hair that flowed past her shoulders, milk-white skin, and a very petite frame. While Katniss, too, was small, she had what most called a "sturdy" frame, given her fit muscular arms and legs toned through many days of hiking and hunting. But even from a distance, Katniss could see that this girl looked very dainty, almost to the point of being frail. And though Katniss couldn't see her face clearly, she could easily see that the girl was very pretty. No wonder Finnick was mesmerized; he'd never been able to resist flirting with anyone. Katniss was just grateful he'd given up trying with her pretty much the day they had become friends.

"Or maybe she's Rye's new girlfriend. Ever think about that, Finnick?" Gale said with a mocking laugh. Finnick glared at him, while everyone else sighed. Though the two had been "friends" for years, they just tolerated each other more than anything else.

"No way Rye is capable of getting that sort of tail. Maybe Bannock, but he's been up in the Capitol for two years now. Think Rich actually just made him the new CEO of the company, from what my dad said. And of course, Peeta-." Finnick stopped talking abruptly; a brief flash of pain ran crossing his face, while the tension in the air thickened again. Finnick gave them all a guilty look. Katniss' sucked in a breath, her heart racing, as she struggled to not let any of the turmoil she too was feeling show on her face. "Well, anyways, she has to be a new hire." Finnick finally said with a strained smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"I'm sure you'll let us know soon enough, if you're dick is getting that hard just looking at her," Johanna said amiably, picking at the spot of paint Katniss had loosened. She then gave Finnick a wicked looking grin. "Maybe she'll even be the one to finally capture your heart and end your playboy ways for good."

"Ha! As if, Jo. One woman is simply not enough for one guy." He looked around at rest of them with a wide grin. "No offense meant, ladies." Katniss rolled her eyes at him again while Delly started giggling. Madge blushed as usual.

"Nice, Finnick," Gale said bluntly. He gave Katniss an oddly furtive look. Katniss raised her eyebrows at him, not understanding the look. But he looked away quickly once he noticed her staring at him, leaving Katniss in a state of complete bewilderment at his uncharacteristic reticence.

Finnick just shrugged at Gale, unusually quiet, and continued to watch Rye and the red-headed girl pull some boxes down from the truck. Johanna gave him an incredulous look before she turned to Katniss and asked-

"So are you going to come out with us tonight or is Squirt gonna take up your time?"

Katniss cringed internally. She never wanted to go to the bars very much, but she'd already told Gale that Prim was going to be sleeping over at her friend Rue's house. She knew he'd call her out if she lied. "No, Prim is spending the night at a friend's house. But seriously, Johanna, can't we just stay in and hang out for once? When's the last Friday we did that?" she almost whined.

Johanna gave her a look of disbelief. "Not since we were loser high schoolers who didn't have fake I.D.s. And now that we have real I.D.s, I like to give mine a work-out. How else am I supposed to meet all the guys in this town?" Katniss huffed out a breath. Johanna was nearly as promiscuous as Finnick when it came right down to it. Johanna narrowed her eyes at Katniss' expression. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, Kat. This is the first weekend of the summer. It's time to celebrate and get-"

The roar of the motorcycle drowned out the rest of Johanna's words.

They all looked to the far side of the park where they could just make out a motorcycle turning the corner at the far light, it's tail pipes glinting in the sun. Another roar echoed through the trees and sent a few startled birds flying into the air.

"Oy, the old biddies around here aren't going to like the sound of that," Finnick said, the rumbling noise of bike finally pulling his eyes away from the bakery.

"Or the younger biddies," Katniss said with a laugh, pointing to where Effie had just poked her head out of her store, the scandalized expression on her face evident even from here. "If that guy isn't careful, Thread is going to be after his ass for violating the noise ordinance." She watched with mild interest as the motorcycle came to a stop at the red light Rye Mellark's truck had halted at a few minutes before.

"OH MY GOD," Gale suddenly said loudly, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. He looked at them sheepishly, but the overall awed expression on his face remained. "That's a Vyrus C3 4VV. They can cost up over $100,000 dollars," Gale said weakly. "Supercharged 1200 cc Ducati engine. 211 horsepower. Only 350 pounds. One of the world's fastest production motorcycles. Perfect for racing. I'd give anything to own one or even-"

"Never mind that," Johanna said, cutting off Gale's rambling with a wave of her hand. "Where can I get me one of those?" she said, pointing at the motorcycle's rider. Katniss hadn't paid attention to him, but upon a closer look, she understood what Johanna meant. She couldn't see the person's face, covered as it was by a full helmet and completely black eye shield, but the motorcyclist's body was something to behold.

He didn't look particularly tall, but height had never been something Katniss cared about all that much. Her eyes ran over the blue, orange, and white plaid shirt he wore, her stomach fluttering wildly at the sprinkling of hair that could be seen covering his broad muscled chest where it peeked out from the top two buttons of his shirt that he'd left undone. He'd also rolled his sleeves up to just above his elbows, giving Katniss a good view of his well-developed biceps, which flexed as he moved to adjust something on the bike. Katniss guessed his abs would be just as glorious if they were visible. And when she looked further down his body, Katniss felt a sudden rush of heat between her legs.

The faded blue jeans he wore stretched over his powerful looking thighs and sinewy calves, his feet covered in scuffed brown leather work-boots. A silver chain attached at his belt looped to one of his back pockets, securing what Katniss assumed had to be his wallet. She leaned slightly to the left in what she hoped was a discrete way, trying to get a good look at his back side. But the proper angle was too far to achieve without being noticed. Seeming to hear her prayer, the rider leaned over the handlebars, allowing Katniss a spectacular view of the way his jeans molded to his perfectly sculpted ass. Her heart thrummed erratically at the sight of it.

Johanna let out a loud sigh of clear satisfaction. "They don't make them like that in Panem. Sorry, boys," she added, noticing the now sour expressions on the Gale's and Finnick's faces. Then, she gave Delly, Katniss, and Madge a wide grin. "Hope he's staying around because I'd really like a taste of what he's packin'." Katniss looked away from her quickly, the tiny spark of anger she'd felt at Johanna's words flustering her.

Being possessive wasn't like her. It's not like she knew the guy. She hadn't even seen his face! And if what Gale said was true about the extreme cost of the motorcycle, he was probably just some rich visitor to one of the local resorts. Those people were always here for the summer, gone come fall, with never a glance to spare at any of the locals in the meantime.

So when the rider pulled into the spot next to Rye Mellark's truck, Katniss was very confused. It was so unlike resort guests to stop in town in the middle of the day. They were always too eager to get to the beaches.

She looked at everyone quizzically, but they only answered her with baffled looks of their own, staring at the driver as he turned off his bike. He didn't take off his headgear right away, but instead sat there silently, his helmet upturned, seemingly staring at the bakery sign.

"Another new hire?" Finnick guessed.

Gale punched him lightly. "Yeah, sure, Finn. Because riding a motorcycle that costs 100 grand really screams that you need money," he said sullenly.

"Maybe he wants to try the 'original' Mellark breads?" Delly said in a perplexed tone. But then she let out a large gasp of surprise as the motorcyclist finally removed his helmet.

Katniss felt Gale go rigid at her side, his eyes suddenly shining with poorly concealed anger. Finnick made a choking noise as the color drained from his face. Madge clasped both of her hands over her lips, and Johanna's mouth fell wide open. A wave of dizziness rolled over Katniss, forcing her to clutch tightly to the wood of the bench to keep from falling off.

"Is that..." Madge trailed off, forgetting to complete her sentence out of sheer wonderment.

"That, that has to be," Delly squeaked out, eyes wide with shock.

"No fucking way," Johanna said, astonishment lacing her tone.

But if anyone said anything after that, Katniss didn't hear it. She wasn't listening anymore.

Even with his back turned to them, Katniss didn't need anyone to tell her who that mop of wavy ash blonde hair belonged to. If anyone asked who that was, she would also be able to tell them the owner had a beautifully straight nose, a jawline so well defined it could probably cut glass, a crooked smile that made girls go weak at the knees, and eyes so blue the sky itself was undoubtedly jealous. Her heart started pounding so hard that she could barely breath.

If Gale was her oldest friend, this boy had once been her best friend. And her childhood love. The one Katniss hadn't spoken to in three years, three hundred sixty-four days, nine hours, and twenty-seven minutes.

Peeta Mellark had finally come home.

.