Secretly, every girl thinks I'm weird. No one has anything to say ever because they all are head over heals for my best friend. They know he'll never accept insults toward me. They only do it when he's not around.

Our teacher, Mrs. Ruth seems to be very nice. She's interested in reading and writing, just like me. She also loves drawing, like Peeta. I think we'll get along just fine.

Mrs. Ruth assigned us seats in the school's new desks. It's odd if you ask me. She's seating students in groups of two.
I cringe at the thought of sitting that close to another person. Although my worrying stops when Mrs. Ruth places me next to my best friend.
Peeta never mentions to me how shy I am, although he knows. I'm only outgoing when with him and my family.
We do normal things on our first day. Like a getting to know you game. The teacher has us sit in a circle and we go around and share our names and what we like to do. The bell signals lunch, so Peeta and I quickly grab our paper bags and race to the front of the line to leave the classroom.

"Peeta! Sit with me at lunch! All my friends want to talk to you!" A merchant girl says.

"No thank you." he politely says, "I'm going to sit with Katniss."

She seems humiliated, being declined due to a shy, seam girl.
As she's walking away, her blonde hair flips over her shoulder.

"What could he possibly see in that seam rat?" I hear her mutter to her friends.

Other girls walk up to him, asking the same question. Once again, he denies their offers.

I deeply sigh, holding onto my two paper bags. The bigger one from Peeta. What does he see in me, I ask myself as I look at him.
He and I sit alone at lunch, but Peeta has no problem with that. He never has.
I sit and stare at the small peanut butter and jelly sandwich, trying to push away that dropped stomach feeling you get before you cry.
I just place my head down on the lunch table, turning to the side looking at him. He's eating a cupcake before his sandwich, like usual. The orange icing is all over his nose and mouth. It makes me smile a bit, but then it reminds me why I'm upset.

"What's wrong, Katniss?" He looks over, and wipes his hands on his pants, carefully taking the stray hair from my face that has fallen out of my braid.

"Why are you friends with me?" I ask quietly.

He's taken back, eyes widening. He carelessly wipes his nose and mouth with a napkin and stares at me, before mirroring me by placing his head on the table.

"Why would you ask a question like that?" Peeta asks me gently.

"Because I am a seam rat and don't deserve any friends."

"We've been best friends for five years, and you're questioning this now? What is making you think that I don't care about you?"

His words flew effortlessly, and my head shoots from the table after his last sentence.
I look over at the table of girls who stare at me, and then proceed to laugh with each other.
He sees where my eyes wander to, and it's too late. He's already standing up. I grab his arm and desperately shake my head. Scared to say any words.

"They need to know their place," he simply says.

Locking eyes with him, I slowly let go.

His feet drag across the floor, stopping at the girls table. They all look up delighted.

"He left the seam rat!" A girl screams.

I see his face harden. If a ten-year olds looks could kill.

Next thing I know he slams both of his hands on the table, causing them to dramatically gasp.

My jaw is on the floor as I listen to what he has to say.

"Have you ever heard of a word called bullying? Bullying a boy's best friend is no way to get my attention. It's a way to aggravate me. If you want to make fun of Katniss, you'll have to make fun of me. Just because you're jealous, doesn't mean you should turn into snobs. Get this through your little blonde heads, I will never date any of you, and I will never be your friend. So don't talk about my best friend!"

He says the last sentence so loud, that everyone  in the class looks toward him. Even a couple kids from the other classes that sit on the other side of the lunch room. As he continues to rant about the topic of harassment, I just stop listening. He's gotten his point across.
I rest my chin in my hand, eating the cookie he carefully iced for me. Suddenly, I feel a hot breath on my neck and I jump.

I look to my left, to see a tanned boy with green eyes, and bronze hair.

"Nice cookie. Where did you buy it?"

I was never one to socialize, because no one ever talked to me other than Peeta. Now this boy is face to face with me, asking a question. I can't ignore it.

"Peeta made it for me," I respond.

"Ahh. Peeta?" He takes a seat next to me and my eyes widen. Why? Why? Why!

"He must be the one arguing with those girls. Usually people flirt with girls, but arguing works too."

I stare at him, and then turn back my gaze to the cookie.

"Would you like a sugar cube?"

The confused expression on my face makes him laugh. He reaches his hand into his pocket and pulls out a yellow box.

"Are you just here for my cookie?"

He chuckles, and shakes his head.

"You just look, lonely."

"I have all the friends I need. Thank you."

"Okay, stubborn girl. What a fiery attitude. I'll call you... The girl on fire."

"I have a name." I say.

"Oh do you now? I don't believe you."

"It's Katniss."

"Have any secrets worth my time, Katniss?"

"Huh?"

"Usually new friends tell each other secrets. Have any to share?"

"Nothing to know. Open book."

"Well maybe there's a certain crush on a blonde boy you'd like to tell your new friend."

"No, but thanks for the offer."

The boy sighs, placing a sugar cube in his mouth.

He sees Peeta walking over and smiles at him, waving.

"This isn't over, girl on fire. We're friends now," he walks back to his table, continuing to eat his lunch.

Peeta sits back down next to me.

"I see Finnick Odair talked to you," he chuckles.

"So that's his name?" he nods.

"What'd he want?" asks Peeta.

"To know all my secrets," I answer, pulling the cupcake out of the paper bag.

"He'll have to get in line." Peeta smiles the warm smile I love seeing. I mirror it.

"Who knows? He's our friend now."

He then proceeds to joke, saying that he will be at the front of the line because he's more handsome and smarter. I laugh, looking down at my cookie.

"Did you eat my cookie?" I ask Peeta.

"No, I'm the one who made it for you," he giggles.

I look up and over at the table Finnick Odair sits at. He gives me a thumbs up, stuffing my cookie into his mouth.

"So that's how you want to play, Finnick Odair."