You And I (A Katniss and Peeta Story)

Chapter Eleven: First Day of School

I had the hardest time finding a place to watch Elijah on such short notice, and no one was willing to take him until at least next week. That's why he is walking into school with me today. I'm afraid I will be making a bad impression by having my kid with me, so I can only hope the principle will understand. We go into the main office where the Secretary greets us. 
"Welcome, Welcome, Welcome." She says, coming out from behind her desk and shaking my hand. "You must be Katniss, and who is this cutie?"  
"Tell her your name." I say. 
"I'm Elijah." He hugs my leg a little tighter. 
"Well my name is Effie, it's nice to meet you." Elijah giggles at her. 
"That's a funny name." 
"Young man, where are your manners?" Effie says in a  very posh accent that I find it hard to not laugh. 
"Sorry." He mumbles, hiding his face. 
"I was looking for Haymitch Abernathy?" I ask, making sure I have his name right. 
"He will be in his office right over there, just knock before you enter." She stands back up, straightening her bright pink dress and going back to her seat. I begin to walk towards the office, but not before I watch her push her 80's styled hair do, big and puffy. I knock on the door, hearing a rough 'come in' and I turn the doorknob. Upon entering I see the principle, a scruffy middle aged man with blonde hair, reaching his ears. 
"Ah, Katniss right?" He asks. 
"Yes." I answer. 
"Please, take a seat." I sit with Elijah in my lap. "I'm guessing this isn't your husband right?" 
"No, this is my son Elijah. I couldn't find any day care centers that would take him in this week since we just got in last Friday, and I need to know if he can stay with me." 
"Him being in the classroom may be a distraction for you, and we can't have that on the first day now can we?" He says and I feel my heart drop with the thought of not knowing what to do. 
"No sir." I say looking at my son.
"However, Miss Trinket has been going on and on about how she absolutely needs an office helper. Elijah? Do you want to help the crazy lady out there?" That's when he looks at me. 
"Do I mommy?" 
"Yes honey, yes you do." He looks back at Haymitch. 
"Yup." He says. 
"Perfect, come with me." Haymitch stands up, taking Elijah by the hand and walking out to where Effie is fixing her make up in a mirror set up at her desk. If you ask me, she should really lay off the pink eye shadow. 
"Effie? Meet your new assistant." He looks at Elijah. 
"You are joking right?" She stares at Haymitch as if he is on drugs. 
"No, didn'y you say you needed some extra aid? Well, her is an intern. He works for free, well, aside from the occasional juice box and bag of animal crackers." 
"This is ridiculous, what help will he be?" 
"He can file, or run notes to students in the other classrooms. You just have to tell him what to do." She waits a moment, moving her long, fake finger nails next to her ear and pursing her lips. With a stare, and possibly thinking about what she could have him do that a three year old couldn't screw up, she sighs. 
"Fine, I suppose I can find something for him to do. Besides, while he is here I will be able to teach him proper manners." The way she says proper I can tell she believes that I haven't shown my son the correct demeanor. At least what she thinks is the right way for a child to be raised. I wonder if she has any kids. 
"Thank you Effie." I say. 
"I prefer Miss Trinket." She says, looking back into her mirror and it seems as though she is done with this conversation. I bend down to Elijahs level. 
"Sweetie, you listen to Miss Trinket and do as she says. Then maybe after school we will have a special treat but you have to be very good. Alright?" 
"Yes mommy." 
"Okay Katniss, follow me and I will show you to your room." Haymitch says and I nod, standing straight and walking with him out the door. As we walk down the hallways, a few student at school early and more rushing in various doors around the school. 
"I also know Miss Mason in the gym, Haymitch, so if Elijah gets to be a distraction maybe he can go in there and play with a basketball." 
"Effie won't let him leave until he is acting like a business man." He informs me, making me laugh a little at the thought of Elijah coming home with a brief case and in a suit. As we round the corner, I collide with someone and we both fall to the ground. Papers fall from the sky it seems like, raining around us. 
"I am so sorry, are you alright?" I ask, looking up expecting a kid. I look up at the person I bumped into and the first thing I notice is ashy blonde curls, making him look more like a teenager, but his attire makes him look like an adult. He holds a bag, which must have had the papers in it before they flew out. 
"Boy, you should watch where you are going." Haymitch says. 
"Abernathy, I am twenty six years old. I'm not a boy." 
"You are compared to me, go on now and get your papers." I help him grab the papers and hand them to him, after taking notice they are sheets of music. I recognize a couple of the pieces, some newer and some older, before placing them in his hands. 
"Thank you." He says, smiling and standing up before briskly walking away. Haymitch helps me up and we continue walking to my classroom. I am in room B204, my name written on a sign outside of the door. It reads Mrs. Hawthorne. I suddenly feel angered by just seeing the name, because it is no longer mine. I will not be defined by the name Hawthorne ever again. I can almost feel my cheek stinging and I can almost picture the hand print.
"Can you have that changed to Miss Everdeen?" I ask. 
"What? Why?" 
"Because I'm no longer a Hawthorne." I push the door open to a classroom empty of students. I go to my desk, sitting down in the chair and rubbing my temple. 
"Katniss?" Haymitch says. 
"Yes?" 
"Are you alright?" 
"No, but I have a class to teach. So if you will just sign me into an account for the day that would be great." I try not to have an attitude with my boss, but that's how it comes out. Either way, he comes tot the computer and types in his own information. 
"You will use mine today, but we have a technology computer geek dude that will come and make you your own account. His name is Beetee, he may be around today or tomorrow. You will show your student a video today because it is your first day, it's about poetry and gives them a huge back ground on it. Don't be offended if they sleep during it I would too." He says, reaching into the desk and pulling out the DVD. 
"Thank you." I say and he looks at me. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. My last name is a very touchy topic right now." 
"That's none of my business, class starts in 15 minutes so I would get your video set up, and be ready for a nap." He smiles before turning on the smart board and DVD player before walking out. I put the DVD in the player and sit, waiting for my class to come. 
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He was right, this video is boring. I cannot believe I'm making these kids watch it. But I don't have anything else to teach them right now, tomorrow we will read some poems and then maybe make some of our own. But right now, half the class is on their phone and the other half is asleep. I'm on the computer, looking through facebook because I'm bored of the movie. I am stalking Gale, as bad as that sounds. The status he made the day I left comes to me as a surprise. 
Feeling upset.   Is this really happening? This is all falling apart. 
Many comments, people asking what was happening and that he would message them, no doubt making me look like the bad person. Not mentioning that he slapped his wife I'm sure. I click out, trying to focus on the movie. That's when there is a knock on the door. 
"Come in." I say, everyone's attention being drug to the opening door. A teacher, with a bronze colored hair barely visible by the lack of the light in the room stands out. 
"Katniss." He says. I see a few of the girls begin to giggle, blushing and watching the teacher. I get out of my seat, walking to the door and stepping outside of the classroom. Forcing them to either watch the movie, play on their phones, or go back to sleep. And I know they won't be watching the video. 
"Can I help you?" I ask. 
"Yes, I am in the class next door and the video is just a bit loud. Do you think you could turn it down?" 
"Oh, of course. I'm sorry." I say. 
"It's alright, I will let you get back. Obviously you are having an exciting time right?" He smiles a crooked smile, making me laugh a bit. 
"Yeah, If you are a million years old." He smiles a little more before turning away for his class. "Wait." I call out. "How did you know my name?" 
"Who doesn't? You are the talk of the school." He walks into his room. The talk of the school? What does that mean? I'm simply an English teacher, nothing more and nothing less. Whatever, I need to get back to my class. 
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Finally, it is the end of the day and I can go home. I wonder how Elijah held out with Effie, or Miss Trinket as I have been instructed to call her. I need to go to the teachers lounge before I leave for the day though because Haymitch called classroom phone to tell me I had some papers to pick up. So as the last student walks out of the room I grab my keys and follow, turning out the lights and locking the door. As I do, I notice the science teacher I talked to earlier today walking out of his room, headed in the direction of the teachers lounge. 
"Oh, hey you." I say, not knowing his name. He looks at me and laughs. "I'm sorry what is your name?" 
"My first name is Hey, and my last name is You." He smiles. 
"Very funny." 
"My name is Finnick Odair. And you are Katniss Hawthorne." He points out. 
"Actually it's Everdeen." 
"Oh, I'm sorry the paper said Hawthorne." 
"It's alright. Um, do you mind showing me to the teachers lounge? I'm a bit lost?" I lie, trying to get off the topic of my last name. I know exactly where the teachers lounge it. 
"Sure, let's go. I will introduce you to some people." We walk through the halls, There are so many twists and turns that I think I will never find my way around this place. I feel I will always get lost. We come to a door that reads "NO STUDENTS" in big letters. Knowing this is the place we walk in. There is a coffee table with a few plush chairs around it. In the back there in a counter, a fridge, and a pop machine. There aren't as many teachers in here, not the amount I thought there would be. Finnick though, seems to be looking for someone. 
"Annie?" He says, and a red haired woman looks over at him. 
"Johanna?" I say, looking at the woman the lady names Annie was talking to. She looks at me and they both walk over. When the do, Finnick kisses her and Johanna stands by my side. 
"Katniss, this is my wife Annie. She is a history teacher." 
"It's nice to meet you." I say shaking her hand. 
"Hey everyone, I'm Johanna, thanks for involving me." Jo says beside me. I roll my eyes. 
"This is Johanna, she is very obnoxious and annoying and she helped me move in the other night so I bought her pizza. That's all I know I swear." I put up my hands in self defence. 
"She has no idea what she is talking about." Now she rolls her eyes. 
"It's nice to meet you Johanna." Finnick shakes her hand. We talk for a few minutes before I spot Haymitch talking to the someone people when I remember I need papers from him. I excuse myself from Finnick, Annie, and Johanna to go to Haymitch. I make my way over to him, only to be stopped because I bump into someone. We both fall to the ground, the second time I've done this today, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. I look over to find I have hit the same person I did earlier today with the ashy blonde hair and bright blue eyes I didn't notice before. He smiles. 
"We have got to stop meeting like this." He stands up and extends his hand to help me. When I'm off the ground is when Finnick comes over. 
"I see you have met my good friend, Peeta Mellark." 
"Well, I know his name now." I say. "I'm Katniss." 
"Oh yeah, I thought you looked unfamiliar." 
"That would make sense, I just came from California." There is a s short, awkward silence while none of us know what to say. When Finnick speaks up, I think he will be coming to our rescue but he only makes it worse. 
"I'll uh, leave you two to talk." He goes away. 
"I um, I walked by your classroom earlier and I noticed the sign said Mrs. Hawthorne. Is that right?" 
"No, it's Everdeen." 
"So is that MISS Everdeen then?" He emphasizes Miss. 
"Yes, I am not married." I answer, looking at him and waiting. 
"Well in that case I have no other option but to ask you out for dinner this Friday night." He smiles and I almost feel bad about having to turn him down. But what surprises me is what I do next. 
"I'm sorry, you seem sweet but I am just getting out of a divorce. I'm not ready to date yet." I smile shyly at him. I'm shocked that I tell him this, considering I have been so secretive about what's been going on lately so I'm not sure why I trust him. 
"Oh, Oh my I am so sorry. I had no idea." He says in a rush. 
"It's alright, you didn't know it's not your fault." I reassure him, feeling guilt for making him feel bad on the spot. 
"I am truly sorry." He says again. 
"It's fine, I do need to talk to Haymitch about some papers though so I will see you later Peeta" 
"See you later Katniss." He says, walking over to Finnick. They seem to start talking right away, Peeta runs his hand through his hair before they both look over at me. That's when I decide now is a good time to talk to Haymitch. As I walk to him though, I feel comforted that with this group of friends this school year will be calm. 
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Welcome Peeta! And you have been denied.... 
So you have all been waiting for Peeta to come into play! And he will be a big part of the next few chapters :) 
I hope you liked this second update in one day! 
Galatians 6:9-10 
Love you all!! <3 :)