A/N: The first few chapters of this story will focus on the Katniss and Peeta relationship, with the Finnick and Annie storyline being introduced in later chapters. This is my first fanfic and I would appreciate any feedback on how to improve my writing. Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of The Hunger Games. All rights go to Suzanne Collins.

Katniss' POV

The day I had been dreading for months had finally arrived, and I lay in bed willing myself to get up and ready. Dragging myself from underneath the bed covers, I leant over my sister who was fast asleep in her own bed.

"Prim," I whispered, "It's time to wake up."

My sister groaned as she began to wake. She looked up at me with her bright blue eyes. "What time is it?" she asked sleepily.

"It's 7am. You have school today, remember?"

Prim groaned again as she realised that the summer was over once and for all.

I got things ready for breakfast as quietly as I could, so I wouldn't wake up our mother. Since the death of our father nearly two years ago she had taken to sleeping through most of the day. Soon Prim entered our tiny kitchen dressed in a shirt and skirt, both hand me downs from our mother.

"Do I look okay?" she asked, spinning around.

"You look beautiful." I told her, crossing to her, "But tuck your tail in, little duck." I reached behind and tucked the back of her shirt into her skirt.

"Are you nervous about today, Katniss?" she asked.

I bit my lip and tried to hide from her just how nervous I really was. "Not at all." I said unconvincingly, "Now have some breakfast."

I went back into the bedroom, got dressed and tied my hair in my usual braid, trying to fight off the nerves that were steadily growing in the pit of my stomach. In less than three hours, I was to start my junior year at The Capitol School, one of the most prestigious prep schools in New York City. Coming from one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the city, there was no way I had ever imagined that I would one day be enrolled in a school in the heart of the Upper East Side. The thought of being amongst so many rich, privileged teenagers while I had next to nothing both frightened and repulsed me.

The year of my father's death, he had helped me apply for a scholarship at the school. Growing up with very little money, it was my father's dream for me to graduate from a good school with the best chance of being accepted into an Ivy League College. For months we sat together once he came from work and worked on my application. I finished the application only two days before he died, and for months it sat on the dining room table surrounded by folded laundry and piles of unopened mail. I just couldn't bear to submit it. However, my best friend, Gale, with help from Prim, submitted it without me knowing. To my surprise, I was graciously accepted.

So here I was, on the first day of the school year, preparing to start at The Capitol School. Saying goodbye to Prim, I took the five flights of stairs down to the ground floor of my apartment block. I found Gale sitting on the curb outside. For a moment, I sat beside him.

"Ready, Catnip?" he asked.

I nodded, feeling a little more confident.

"You deserve this." He said seriously, "Your dad would be so proud." He pulled me into a hug. "Just don't get too used to the Upper East Side, okay? You can't leave me here in this place." He joked.

I laughed, "Don't worry, once a Seam always a Seam." Seam was the name of the gang Gale and I had when we were children. Most of our lives it had always been the two of us, and had always helped out each other out when things were tough.

"By the way, nice uniform." Gale smirked, but I rolled my eyes.

Not only was I starting at a new school, but I also had to wear a uniform for the first time in my life. It consisted of a white shirt and a high waisted tartan skirt in blue. I had a blue sweater and a stiff blazer that made me feel very self-conscious of myself as I left the apartment. To complete the horrible outfit, I had a blue cross over tie and knee high white socks. Not only would I have to go to school with people I knew I would despise, but I also had to dress like them. I promised myself that the dress code would be the only aspect of the Upper East Side lifestyle that I would conform to, and nothing else. While I was entering a new school, I was determined not to let the experience change me.

I got up from the curb and we said our goodbyes. I forced myself to walk on through the streets to the bus stop, growing more anxious by the second. It took me thirty-five minutes to reach my destination, and I stepped off the crowded bus at the gates to the school. I was immediately awe struck by how huge and grand it was. A central courtyard shaded by trees was already filling with students and two wide staircases curved up towards the landing where the entrance to the school was. Wrought iron framed the windows and the steep rooves of the building were covered in grey slate tiles. I groaned internally when I saw students arrive in private cars and limousines. Seriously, who takes a limousine to high school? The excess of these people would never cease to astound me. As I watched the students stepping out of sleek black vehicles, checking their expensive phones and fixing their already perfectly styled hair, I felt like I had stepped into a completely new world.

I gulped and felt the palms of my hands start to get sweaty. I promised myself I would not look nervous, so I took the first steps into the school with my chin up and a determined look on my face. I found my way to a wood panelled corridor lined with blue metal lockers. I knew from the information package I had been sent the week before that my locker was number 12, and I found it soon enough. I began unpacking my books into the locker as more and more students spilled into the corridor, friends squealing and phones beeping. I turned around, and began studying my timetable, a feeling of dread washing over me as I realised I had no idea where I was going.

I suddenly had the feeling that someone was watching me, and I turned to come face to face with the bluest pair of eyes I had ever seen. They belonged to a boy, leaning against the locker beside mine. He had messy blonde hair that differed from the carefully styled hair I'd already noticed that most of the guys had at the school. It gave him a sense of genuineness, as though he was more real than the rest of them. However, as he leant casually against his locker, his shirt untucked and his tie loose around his neck, he watched me with confidence that meant he must be just as cocky as the rest.

"You must be new." He said in a surprisingly gentle voice, "Here, let me help you."

I was taken aback at first. I had not expected someone who appeared so confident to act so nicely towards me. He took my timetable and studied it for a moment. "You have English first, we're in the same class. I'll show you the way."

His kindness surprised me. I had expected that nobody here would notice me, but as I walked down the corridor I realised that almost every pair of eyes was following me, and I could hear them whispering already. Not only was I new, but I was also here on scholarship- the biggest sin in the world, apparently.

"Here we are." The boy said.

"Thank you." I replied, and turned to walk into the classroom.

"I'm Peeta, by the way."

"Katniss." I told him, eyeing him warily before entering the room.

I took a seat in an empty area of the classroom, while Peeta joined a loud and lively group of boys in the back row who greeted him with handshakes. As I watched, one pointed to me. He was, I have to admit, extremely attractive, with impossibly tanned skin, bronze hair and intense sea green eyes. He had to be an athlete, and looking around at the group Peeta was with, I realised that they were possibly the 'popular' group in our year. The other guys laughed, probably because Peeta explained how he had helped me, and any gratitude I felt towards his help disappeared. He was just another stuck up rich kid, looking to make fun of me because I didn't have a trust fund. Sighing, I opened my notebook as the class began. I reminded myself that I came here to get good grades, not to make friends. However, through the class I still couldn't shake the connection with Peeta, the first person to help me in this new and terrifying place.

In the free period I had next, I had a meeting with the school guidance counsellor, Cinna, to make sure I was settling in all right. I was hesitant to go, but Cinna's calm and gentle demeanour immediately made me feel at home.

"Miss Everdeen, welcome to The Capitol School." He said, leaning back in his leather desk chair. "How are you finding it so far?"

"It's different." I replied, "I'll get used to it."

"I'm sure you will." Cinna smiled, "Met anyone you could see yourself becoming friends with?"

"I'm not very good at making friends." I said honestly, "And I can't see myself wanting to be friends with anyone at this school."

"Why is that?"

"They live in a completely different world. They've never had to work for anything in their lives, never had to worry about going hungry and the biggest problem they face is deciding what party to go to on the weekend. "

"Do you think maybe this perception is a little biased?" He questioned, "Maybe you need to get to know them first. You might have more in common than you think."

"I doubt that."

"Look, I'll let you know a little secret. I'm not from here either, I was born and raised in Brooklyn. It took a long time for me to find my feet in a place like this, but I'm fine now!"

"That's different." I said stubbornly.

"How about we make a deal?" He asked, "Come back and see me in two weeks, and if you haven't made at least one friend here, then I'll admit that I was wrong and everyone here really is just as shallow as you described to me."

"So you don't think they are?"

"I know they aren't." He said confidently.

I thought for a moment. "Fine, deal."

"Deal." Cinna smiled.

I walked out of Cinna's office smiling. Maybe Cinna was alright, but I was yet to make up my mind about the rest of the people at this school.

The whole, 'not needing any friends' idea got a little harder at lunch, when I was met with sideways glances and sniggers as I tried to find a place to eat my lunch. I internally groaned when a group of girls came up to me.

"Hey, you must be the new girl, Katniss- right?" One girl said, who had a high-pitched voice and blonde curls that bounced when she spoke.

"That's me." I said, hoping she would go away.

"I'm Cashmere." She replied, "I heard you're here on scholarship- how cute. If you need any help going back to… where ever it is you're from, just let me know."

"Great, thanks." I said sarcastically, mimicking her bubbly tone.

"Well, bye!" Cashmere left, giggling with her group, each identical in their perfect uniforms and overly glossed lips.

So far, not one person seemed to appreciate the school that they were in. Spending class time checking their phones or slipping out of the classroom to check their makeup, it made me sick to think of how many kids back home would die to be in a place like this. But here, they are just throwing their education away.

"Bitches, right?" Another girl came and sat down beside me.

"Right." I agreed.

"Don't let them get to you. They'll forget all about you once there's a party to be planned. " She joked, "I'm Johanna, by the way."

Johanna didn't look like all the other girls I had seen. She had black hair that was streaked with red, a nose ring and combat boots on which I'm sure weren't part of the dress code. Looking at her though, I don't think any teacher would be game enough to call her out on it.

"You don't really look like you…" I began.

"Belong here?" Johanna questioned, "I don't. But my daddy dearest seems to think that I do. Technically, I'm one of them," she pointed to Cashmere's group, "But I do my best to reject the materialistic world in which I was raised." She had anger in her eyes, and it seemed like she really did hate this world, maybe even more than I do.

"So you've grown up with these people?"

"Yep, went to kindergarten with at least half of 'em. Cashmere actually used to be my best friend, until middle school when I realised how fake she was." She laughed, "Hey, how about I give you a little tour of the beauty contest that is The Capitol."

"Sure, why not."

Johanna pointed to Cashmere's group again. "Cashmere is the queen of her group, and her friends are nothing more than her little assistants. She looks sweet, but she is seriously deadly."

She turned to a group of guys sitting opposite. "See that big guy there? That's her brother, Gloss- a total idiot, spends most of his time smoking up. Next to him, that's Finnick Odair." She was talking about the tanned guy who pointed to me earlier, "He goes through more girls than anyone could keep of track of. Charming, yes, but don't be fooled by how ridiculously tanned he is." She laughed, "His best friend is Peeta, quarter back on the football team. His family owns Mellark Bakery downtown- great cupcakes, but that's about all he's good for."

"He helped me find my way to class." I added, watching him joke with Finnick.

"Really?" Johanna asked, "I've never seen him speak to a girl other than Cashmere's little posse. You must have had quite an effect on him."

Without meaning to, I blushed. Johanna scowled.

"Seriously, if you want my advice, stay away from those guys. They don't care about anything but sex, money and drugs. In that order. You're better off making friends with someone like me."

"I'm not really good at friends." I said, breaking my gaze way from Peeta.

Johanna shrugged, "Well you're better than no one. I need someone here to stop me from going crazy in this place."

It struck me that while Johanna may look and act tough, she probably was pretty lonely in a place where she didn't fit in. Even thought I realised Cinna was right and it meant that I had to admit that to him in our next session, I decided that maybe I could make one friend here, just one.