Chapter 1- Naked Carnivals?

Peeta

June 1940 –

The dark, glimmering night sky was filled with both happiness and excitement as the carnival rode on. I stood surrounded in a cloudy blanket of warmth as a tepid wisp of air blasted us from the side.

I was here, in the crowded fair ground with my two best friends. Finnick and Thresh.

Finnick Odair, Cocky and vain as most would say, threw the steel grey hammer onto the large machine. Testing his strength.

Regrettably, the small ball races to the top, and pings out in defeat.

"Woohoo!" He shouts as he fists pumps into the air. A few passerby's turn to look at him, shaking there heads.

I chuckle to myself quietly as he rises his eyebrows at them. Flirt.

A man with a striped red top comes over to Finnick. He says a few words of dull congratulations and hands him over his prize.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this!?" Finnick states glumly, looking at the small fluffy bear in disappointment.

A small frown covers his face, as the man just shrugs and walks away to the next customer. Finn curses him silently from behind.

We take off from the games arcade and head towards where we see a couple of our close friends.

Finnick checks out a couple of ladies, clothed tightly in small dresses.

"How you doing?" He asks them playfully, but they just laugh and walk off.

Finnick sighs and shakes his head "Your'e missing out then." I smirk at him knowingly, Finnick is the biggest man whore I have ever known.

We soon come to a stop as we arrive at the bright, noisy fairground ride.

The bumper cars.

I feel my gaze roam around the cars, only coming to a sudden stop as they set on a very pretty girl. No – not pretty – Beautiful.

My heart quickens and my body stops in shock, time seems to stop for a moment.

"Who's that girl with Annie?" I ask Finnick curiously, as I see his girlfriend, Annie, laugh along with the mystery girl.

"Her name's Katniss Everdeen, moved here for the summer with her family."

"Finnick!" I hear Annie shout loudly from her cart, catching his attention "Hey honey – Look I won you prize" his hands reveal the small teddy bear to show her.

She smothers him, shouting out a loving reply – but I don't hear it, because the world seems to quiet down, as my gaze focuses on her.

Katniss Everdeen.

Her wavy brown hair shoots up in surprise as her bumper car is hit by Johanna's cart – another one of her friends. Her beautiful red lips turn up in a grin as she turns to get her revenge. I feel a genuine smile spread along my face at the sight of her.

The girls all jump out of their cars as the ride finishes – their hearty laughs echo around the large fair ground, as they all run swiftly to meet with their big group of friends. Heading off to get on another ride.

As they all walk forward slowly, chatting animatedly together. Heading towards the roller coaster that lies behind me, I stride towards them. Or in particular, her.

They come to a stop as I block their way. I see Katniss stop in confusion, she hastily brings her head up so that her beautiful grey eyes join with my own shining blue ones. I give her a friendly smile.

"Can I dance with you?" I ask lowly, my voice flirtatious, her mysterious grey eyes quickly widen, surprise is etched on her beautiful features.

"No" she answers in a daze, her eyes still joined with mine. I feel a roaring heat run hastily along my body.

"Why not?" I ask playfully, a cocky grin rises on my face. She looks backwards to the guy next to her.

"Because I don't want to"

"Peeta...She's with us" Marvel says to me, a small smile covers his face at my display. However I soon feel the grin disappear of my face as another guy from her group walks up to her.

It made me angry and I guess quite jealous .. probably because this guy was everything I wasn't.

Mr Tall, dark and handsome. Well maybe except from the last bit, I guess I have been told quite a few times that I was handsome and sometimes even... Sexy.

"Katniss, you want to go ride the Ferris wheel?" He asks her darkly, sizing me up with a cocky smile as his arm goes around her slim waist.

"I'd love to" she replies sweetly, she slightly draws out the love bit. A light smile appears on her face as she moves her hand to meets his.

As he smugly leads her away; I feel him purposely bump me on the shoulder, "Scuse us" he says strongly, as there whole group tags along behind them.

My hand goes awkwardly to scratch my chin, as I turn around. I watch her walk away, a cheeky grin slides onto my face.

Katniss

"Peeta Mellark" Annie says giddily as we walk away from him,

"What?" I ask confusedly, my eyes wonder backwards and I turn to see him staring at me, a beautiful smile covers his face.

"His name is Peeta Mellark" She sings she hugs the bear Finnick won for her.

"Oh" I reply distractedly, as his face swarms through my mind.

His beautiful grin.

Cunning blue eyes.

Strong, handsome features... and body.

I smirk secretly to myself – if only my parents could hear me.

"Did you see how he was standing like two inches away from my face" I whisper as my friends close in on us.

"Yeah, so. That's Peeta for you" Madge smiles simply as she adjoins our arms, skipping away like children.

"I'm not surprised he came over" She grins at me, "I think he likes you."

Her face leans into mine playfully as she speaks; I nudge her away, sighing in contempt as I feel my eyes roll at the statement.

I wish...

Peeta

As I walk through the crowded carnival my eyes wonder along the bright rides. I feel my gaze and body stop as my eyes set on one couple that ride on the Ferris wheel.

Katniss and that boy – Gale. A shiver runs along my spine.

As if noticing my eyes on her, she turns to meet my heated gaze; her beautiful smile turns shortly into an thin, annoyed frown.

She glares at me, shaking her dark head distractedly, as she regains her posture and turns sweetly to Gale.

She tries to start a conversation with him; I see her body leaning into his – as if to make me jealous. I grin widely as my eyes travel upwards.

She'll see, I think playfully as I feel my feet race quickly along the ground, closing in on the Ferris wheel.

Just as their carriage approach, my body jumps up onto it, joining them on the ride.

Katniss screams loudly, as our seats rock.

"GET OFF ME!"She shrieks nervously, at the sound of creaking hinges. They squish themselves towards the side of their seats, trying to make enough room for me to sit down with them.

I smile as I take a seat.

"Hey-" Gale starts to shout at me angrily, but I stop in mid sentence.

"-Hi" I reply to him humorously, turning to make more room for myself, they both look at me in shock.

"What are you doing!?" He yells out, as I lean backwards, trying to get myself comfy.

"HEY YOU CAN'T DO THAT PEETA!" The man who owns the Ferris wheel shouts from the ground; he was a close friend to my dad so I know him personally.

"I'll pay you when I get down Haymitch" I shout back at him. He looks up at us regrettably and takes a quick swig of the bottle in his hand, which was most definitely whiskey.

I hear Finnick guffaw out from beneath our carriage at this.

"I'm Peeta Mellark" I say gently, turning my body towards Katniss,

"So?" she questions fustratedly.

"So... It's nice to meet you" I push my hand out, willing her to shake it.

"Katniss, who is this guy?" Gale asks her confusedly, looking at me in disgust.

"I don't know?" she says exasperatedly, "Peeta Mellark?" She gestures to what I had said earlier.

"I'd really like to take you out" I say to Katniss genuinely, interrupting there conversation.

"Oi Pal, do you mind?" Gale questions annoyed, as Haymitch stops the ride.

"YOU CAN'T SIT MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE IN A RIDE, PEETA!" He shouts at me knowingly, raising his arm towards me.

"Okay, Haymitch, alright" I reason with him, as I lift my body out of the seats.

My pale, muscled arms reach out, and I grab the steel poles that hold up the ride. I jump onto one pole that lies near to our carriage.

My strong arms lift me up, so that I lay hanging in mid air, my hands only keeping me from falling.

From underneath us, I hear Annie shout out,

"GET DOWN PEETA, YOUR'E GOING TO KILL YOURSELF!" I hear Finnick laugh loudly at me, earning him a hard smack from Madge.

"Peeta cut it out" I hear Thresh call out from the ground. But I just ignore him.

"Will you go out with me?" I ask Katniss flatly, as I hang from the pole. I hear Marvel laugh lowly at this, whilst Katniss just looks at me shell-shocked.

"What - no" She sighs exasperatedly,

"No?" I ask blankly as I just stare at her.

"No" she says.

"No" I repeat.

"Hey pal- she just told you" Gale butts in.

"Why not?" I question perplexedly, she just stares at me like I'm a maniac.

"I don't know... because I don't want to"

"Okay – well you leave me no other choice then" I mutter to her sadly, as I release one of my hands of the pole.

She screams frantically, her hands go to cover her mouth as I hang from there with only one arm.

"Oh my God" I hear Gale say quickly, Finnick and Johanna laugh humourlessly as I do so, but Annie just shouts at me,

"IM NOT KIDDING PEETA – STOP FOOLING AROUND!"

"What are you doing?" Gale questions me hastily, as my arm hangs limply next to my body.

"I'm going to ask you one more time" I say un-easily, as I turn my hand around the pole shakily. Katniss covers her mouth scaredly.

"Will you – or will you not go out with me" I make my arm quake quickly, shaking slightly as I gasp out in fakery.

"God damn, my hands slipping" I gasp, looking up to my hand nervously, as if about to fall any moment.

"Get down Peeta. You're gonna die you idiot!" Madge calls out to me,

"Not until she agrees"

"Ahh- just go out with him honey" I hear Finnick shout up to Katniss,

"Ok – fine I'll go out with you" she says reluctantly,

"Well don't do me any favours" I say, moving my arm hastily,

"No- no I want to" she shouts at the slipping of my hand,

"Want to what?"

"I want to go out with you!" She whispers angrily,

"You want to"

"YES" she shouts frustrated.

"Say it again" I command gently,

"I WANT TO GO OUT WITH YOU" She screams irritably,

I grin cockily and bring my other hand up to grasp onto the steel pole,

"Alright – alright we'll go out" I laugh heartily, grinning down at her fuming face.

"Oh you think you're so smart – don't you" Katniss says aggravated, a small cunning smile crawls on to her face.

"That wasn't funny Peeta – you idiot" Annie calls out from below us,

"Oh don't worry – I'll take care of it" Katniss calls back to her, turning around she levels me with a sly grin.

Hastily she reaches forward and lies her long fingers on my hard trouser belt, undoing it quickly, she then moves onto my zip, swiftly pulling it down.

"What are you doing?" I question her startled, as her fingers pull the zip down fully. My gasp echoes out through the silent carnival as her hand accidently brushes through my trousers to my growing erection.

"No – don't do that" I plead her, as she drags down my beige trousers, leaving them circling around my ankles, so that my boxers are revealed to everyone watching.

I feel my face heat up in embarrassment, my head turns upwards so that it now faces the glimmering, night sky. Finnick and Marvel guffaw at this, whilst Annie and Katniss chuckle loudly, I faintly hear the laughs of Thresh and Johanna as they crack up on the ground.

"Not so cocky now, are you" Katniss laughs at me, whilst Gale covers his mouth trying to hide his chuckles.

"I'm gonna get you for that" I threaten lightly, swinging tactically – trying to get my trousers up. Katniss leans back onto the seat and grins playfully at me,

"Maybe you will, maybe you won't" she whispers flirtatiously, trying to hold down her laughter, as her arms cross over her chest.

I look towards the growing crowd around us, they hold up their fingers to point at me, there amusing laughter getting the better of them.

I sigh in remorse, forget it. I think aggravated, leaning my face on my arms.

For now.

Authors note: I just wanted to remind you guys - that this story is basically exactly the Notebook – but the Hunger Games version, however with a few twists!

Anyways – What did you guys think of the first chapter?

Review please – even if it is just one word – you have no idea how much it means to me.

I don't know if I'm going to continue – so please tell me if you want the next chapter up.

Thanks... to anyone who reviews/follows or puts as favourite – I love you all.