Hunger Games: Confessions and Consequences

Chapter 1 of my first Hunger Games fanfic, takes place after the first novel, but goes a differnet direction from the other novels, Katniss/Peeta pairing. Hope you enjoy it :)

Disclaimer: Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins.

Chapter 1

PEETA POV

I sighed as I ran a hand through my hair. I had survived the Hunger Games and could now live in the Victor's Village, I had returned to the old home, to pick up some of my stuff which had been left behind. My father and brothers were out so only my mother would be in. I harboured no illusions to the welcome I would receive, especially since I was certain she had seen all my...'interaction' with Katniss before, during and after the games, and she hated Katniss. I sighed again as I thought about her, Katniss Everdeen, the girl who I loved more than anything, I had had a crush on her from the moment I first saw her. But despite how she acted during the Games she told me it was all an act, she tore my heart out and stomped on it without even considering how it hurt me. Yet despite this, I didn't hate her, I still loved her.

'I must be an idiot,' I thought to myself, 'I still love her after everything she did to me, why doesn't she...Oh wait of course.'

The answer came to me and I couldn't believe it had taken so long.

'Gale Hawthorne, of course,' That guy Katniss was friends with, 'She must feel something for him, great.'

I rolled my eyes and walked into the house, might as well get it over with.

The moment I walked in I saw my Mother standing waiting for me, she was glaring.

"Explain?" She stated darkly.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, how could she expect me to know what she was talking about, when she didn't even say what it was.

"You know what I'm talking about?" Mom stated angrily, "I saw you, with...Her."

I rolled my eyes, my Mother never called Katniss by name, as if she was breaking some kind of unspoken law if she did. Mom blamed Katniss for the first time I burned something working in the bakery; it wasn't the incident when I had done it deliberately however. The incident I was thinking of had occurred when we were ten; I had seen her walking past the bakery and got distracted by seeing her. Unfortunately I was in the middle of helping Dad bake something and I had accidently burned it, luckily by the time Mom worked out what had happened it was already over but I received a beating anyway. I waved my hand dismissively.

"It was an act Mom?" I declared, but she saw through the lie instantly.

"Not for you it wasn't, was it?" She snapped.

I simply shook my head and hurried upstairs to grab my things.

My Mother followed me upstairs, I tried to ignore her but then she said something I couldn't ignore.

"You're wasting your life away because of that girl," She was raging, "And she acts up, plays with your feelings and does that to you, I'm surprised you can even talk to her!"

I shook my head and rounded on her.

"You don't get it Mom, just because she acted like that doesn't change how I fell, so just back off!"

With that I grabbed what I needed and began to leave. Before I could Mom grabbed my arm and spun me around.

"What is wrong with you, how can you just throw away your happiness for her," She screamed.

"I can because to me Katniss' happiness is far more important!" I yell back only for Mom to strike me on the face.

I glare at her and shake my head, "I don't have time for this, I'm outta here," I reply, keeping my cool and leaving, ignoring Mom screaming after me.

I fought to keep my temper in check and get I back under control as I headed for the Victor's Village. I was annoyed at my Mother's unnecessary and unfounded hatred. All the same, what she said bothered me, I was hurting because of Katniss and what she had done but, I was right my feelings hadn't changed; she just didn't feel the same way.

'Maybe I'll just leave her alone, let go to that Hawthorne guy,' I thought to myself, 'It doesn't matter about me, if it makes her happy, then...so be it.'

Just then I heard something, I stopped and listened.

"Get off me!" A female voice, I recognized as Katniss', yelled, she sounded angry, but there was a slight undercurrent of fear.

I then heard another voice, male, not one I recognized, "C'mon, I just wanna talk."

I hurried in the direction of the voice and saw what looked like some crazy drunk, a year or so older. He had pinned Katniss against the wall, nobody else was about, she was struggling against him, glaring at him in disgust and a little bit of fear. The only reason she wasn't able to fight him off was due to him being twice her weight and his drunken bravado. I quickly hurried over to them.

"Hey, get off her!" I yelled, they both stared at me, Katniss in surprise and the guy with a superior smirk.

I then realized I recognized him, his name was Orion, he was at school with us and had a rather unhealthy obsession with Katniss, the combination of Katniss' victory at the Games along with his state of intoxication meant he wasn't so subtle and was trying to force himself on her.

Orion turned back to Katniss, still smirking although the smirk turned lecherous.

"This is none of your business Mellark," He slurred, "This is between me and Katniss."

Katniss looked passed him towards me. She was looking at me as if silently pleading with me to help her, she could fight him off, but not on her own, not when he was like this. I walked over and tried to haul him off her.

"What the hell Mellark?" He yelled and elbowed me in the stomach, before shoving me.

Normally I could handle something this, but there was a problem this time, my artificial leg. Due to the way he shoved I ended up falling to the ground in pain. I saw immediately what it was; the leg had been twisted and was now 180 degrees turned in the wrong direction, the foot pointing directly backwards. However that incident meant Katniss was able to get her hands free and she was able to punch him right in the face as he turned around. Orion staggered back, his nose bleeding.

'Nice shot,' I thought to myself.

He staggered away in shock, finally he left, I tried to straighten up but Katniss hurried over and knelt down next to me.

"Peeta, you okay?" She asked and then saw, "My God, your leg."

I winced, "Yeah, it's fine, I'll just fix it."

I tried to fix my leg back into place; however to my surprise Katniss laid her hand on my shoulder.

"Here, let me, it'll probably be quicker, and easier," She said.

I was surprised but did as she said and let her fix my leg, after a long, uncomfortable silence she spoke, her words however worried me.

"Peeta, we need to talk, I have to tell you something."

End of chapter, what do you think? please read and review and let me know, thanks. Hope you enjoyed it. I will accept constructive criticism but no flames.