I don't own anything you recognize. This is AU, so characters might be OOC.

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"Come on, Katniss, one date! He's a nice guy, besides, what have you got to lose?"

My friend Madge is one of the sweetest people I have ever known. Unfortunately, she is also one of the most persistent. She has been hounding me non-stop about going on a blind date with a childhood friend of hers. I'm twenty-three now, and I have almost sworn off men for good after a disastrous relationship when I was nineteen. I have only gone on casual dates after that, but nothing serious.

"Sorry, Madge, Cinna wants me to work that night," I told her. "Love you, bye!" I hung off the phone before she could protest more.

A few days later, my phone rang again, this time, it was my mother. She told me about running into an old friend of hers, who had a son my age.

"…and Chris wanted to know if we you go out for dinner on Sunday, would you be free then?"

"Sorry, Mom, but I have deadlines," I apologized to her. "Maybe some other time, okay? Send my love to Prim, and I love you."

I heard her sigh exasperatedly on the other end of the phone before bidding me goodbye.

I know she was getting worried about me and my marriage prospects. Our family was said was said to have a 'spinster curse': any woman who remained unmarried after she was twenty-five would remain a spinster forever. My grandmother told me about it when I was sixteen, but I merely snorted in disbelief. I didn't believe in superstitions or curses. My aunts swore it was true. Out of my grandmother's four daughters, only my mother was wed, and she came dangerously close. She married when she was twenty-four. I still believe it was purely chance, or that my aunts simply stopped looking for husbands when they reached what they have dubbed 'The Finish Line'.

Every family gathering, they make it a point to remind me how close I am to twenty-five.

But I don't really care. I was still enjoying my life. I work as a designer under the famous Cinna James, who have taken me as an apprentice in high school, and I am able to help my mother send my sister to Medical School. It's all I ever wanted.

Besides, most of my dates end up in disaster, so I made up a few rules about them about a year ago:

One: No dates recommended by my mother. She has too many friends, and she's too nice to say 'no' to any of their children, no matter how unappealing they may be. Heaven forbid the next time I end up on an awkward date with someone who can only talk about how his video game collection has grown tenfold over the past three years. I learned that the hard way.

Two: No dates recommended by males. They make each other sound better than they really are, especially if they're close friends.

Three:No dates recommended by a single female friend. If he's so great, why don't you go and date him?

So with three simple steps, I have eliminated about ninety percent of the dates recommended to me, including the one recommended by Madge.

"You and Mom are the same," I told her when she called me again. "Why don't we let nature take its course?"

"Because you're as stubborn as a mule?" she responded sarcastically. "Come on, Katniss, this could be it!"

"Sorry, Madge, but you're ruled out by rule number three," I said to her.

"Katniss, you're being stupid, you know that?" she said. "You and your crazy rules are eliminating the guy for you!"

When I still won't go, she sighed. "Okay, but just take his name and number, just in case you change your mind."

I did, only to get Madge off my back. The guy's name was Peeta Mellark. I didn't give it any more thought.

A few weeks later, Annie, a friend and colleague of mine, told me of a friend of hers from college who has recently moved to town.

"I was wondering if you want to come with us. Finnick and I are taking him out for dinner, and I think it would be nice to be a double date, don't you think?" she said eagerly.

Since Annie was married and therefore, I would not be breaking any of my 'rules', I agreed. She squealed in excitement. "I can't wait!" she said. "I'll tell Peeta right away!"

The name catches me by surprise. I was sure I've heard it before, but I wasn't sure where or when.

The day came. Annie told me to dress up, so I chose a pale yellow dress and black sandals with two inch heels.

We went to a nice little restaurant in town. Annie and Finnick were already there when I arrived, with a (I had to admit) good looking blond sitting opposite them.

"Am I late?" I asked.

"Nope, we were just early," Finnick smiled. "Nice to see you again, Kitty."

"Stop using that nickname with me," I groaned.

Annie placed her hand on Finnick's. "Don't make her so angry so early on," she said. I give her a grateful smile before sitting next to Peeta, who smiled at me shyly.

"Hi," he extended his hand to shake mine. "Peeta Mellark."

"Katniss Everdeen," I took it. "Pleasure to meet you."

The night went great. After dinner, the four of us went dancing, something I don't usually do but I found myself greatly enjoying that night. Peeta and I hit it off. He was funny and charming and a real gentleman. Finnick was beside himself with glee when he heard him ask me out again. We could hear him chanting, "I told you so" to Annie.

Peeta and I went on two more dates. I saw Annie giving me a knowing look when I told her about our third date, making me curious.

"I don't know, ask Peeta," was all she told me.

The next time Peeta and I went out, I asked him. He just laughed.

"I was going to tell you," he said, lowering his gaze. "I just don't know how."

I cocked my eyebrow. "Come on, tell me. I'm really curious!"

"I've had a crush on you for years," he said, his cheeks reddening.

I was taken aback. "How? I've never even met you!"

"When we were kids, I saw you at Madge's birthday party," he explained. "My father was from here, but he moved away when he married my mother. He was good friends with Madge's father so she and I became friends too. We visited for her sixth birthday and that was when I first saw you. You were wearing this red dress, with your hair tied in two braids and you stood on top of the table singing 'Happy Birthday' at the top of your lungs, just in a higher pitch than everyone else. I thought it was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. Then you helped me up when someone spilled soda all over my shirt. You had the nicest smile."

A vague memory of a shy blond boy came to my mind. I do recall singing at Madge's birthday party, I do that every year. And I do recall helping a boy when Gale spilled soda all over him. I also recall liking my hair in twin braids when I was little, as well as a red dress that became a hand-me-down to my sister years later.

"Are you mad?" he asked. I can see that he's worried.

"No, of course not," I told him. "I was just…surprised. I never thought anyone would pay that much attention to me."

"I've tried talking to you every time we come here for a visit. But I never seem to get the courage to. Madge finally took pity on me and helped me, but you said no."

I laughed at myself. "She was right. My rules and I are crazy."

Madge would not let me live it down when she found out. She gave me a smug look when Peeta and I arrived together at her birthday party a couple of weeks later. She was only mad that it was not her who managed to get me to go out with him, but she was appeased by the fact that she was right when she said I'd like him.

Peeta and I became officially together after a few more dates. My mother laughed, telling me I might be saved from the curse after all.

"You know what?" I told Peeta one night as we sat in my living room, watching old movies. "I have one last rule for blind dating."

"What is it?" he asked, playing with my hair.

"Never again."

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Well! Something random this way comes! I hope you liked that! Review please.

P.S: This is a COMPLETED story. Please don't put it on alert. If you MUST press a button, press review, it'll make my day.