imperfect fit ; an everlark au based off of 'the selection' series

f i f t e e n

I wait in my room. I had to keep my dress on at dinner, and sitting down in the tight fabric for so long is beginning to make my back hurt. I don't know how long Peeta will be, and I don't want to sit and start a book and have to stop, or sit down at the piano only to hop right back up. I end up lounging on the bed, waiting.

I let my mind wander. I think of Clove and her kindness, and realize that, besides a few small details, I know very little about her. Still, I trust her actions towards me are in no way fake. Then I think of the girls who are all too fake. I wonder if Peeta can tell the difference.

It seems like Peeta's experience with women is so great and so small at once. He is gentlemanly enough, but when he gets too close, he comes undone. It's like he knows how to treat a lady, he just doesn't know how to treat a date. It is quite contrast to Gale.

Gale.

His name, his face, his memory hits me so quickly that it's hard to process. Gale. What is he doing now? It's getting close to curfew in District Twelve. He still works in the mines on Sunday's, hunts and trades every other day. Or maybe he hangs out with Brenna, or whoever else he picked up after we broke up. Part of me wants to know . . . part of me wants to crumble thinking about it. Maybe he ran to Madge after she came back home. The thought makes me so angry I have to force myself not to punch my pillow.

I look over to my jar. I pick it up and feel the penny slide around, so lonely.

"Me, too," I whisper. "Me, too."

Was it stupid of me to keep this? I'd given back everything else, so why save one little penny? Will this be all I have left? A penny in a jar to show my daughter one day, to tell her about my first boyfriend, that no one knew about? I don't have time to dwell on my worries. Peeta's firm knock comes only minutes later, and I find myself running to the door.

I draw it open in a big sweep, and Peeta looks surprised to see me.

"Where in the world are you maids?" he asks, surveying my room.

"Gone. I send them off every day when I come back from dinner."

"Every day?"

"Yes, of course. I can take my clothes off by myself, thank you."

Peeta raises his eyebrows and smiles. I blush. I hadn't meant for it to come out that way.

"Grab a wrap. It's chilly out."

We walk down the hall. I'm still a little distracted by my thoughts. I had looped my hand around his arm almost immediately, though. I'm glad there's sort of a familiarity there.

"If you insist on not keeping your maids around, I'm going to have to post a guard outside your door," he says.

"No! I don't like being babysat."

He chuckles. "He'd be outside. You wouldn't even know he was there."

"I would too," I complain. "I'd sense his presence."

Peeta makes a playfully exhausted sigh. I was so busy arguing, I didn't hear the whispers until they were practically in front of us. Glimmer, Raven, and Esim were heading past us towards their rooms.

"Ladies," Peeta says. and gives them a small head nod.

I suppose that it was foolish to think no one would see us together. I feel my face heat up, but I'm not sure why. The girls all curtsy and carry on their way. I look over my shoulder at them as we go down the stairs. Raven and Esim look curious. Within minutes, I'm sure every other girl will know. Glimmer gives me a death stare. I'm sure she thinks I have personally wronged her. I turn away and say the first thing that comes to mind.