Gale POV

Just like that, they're gone. The train rolls away. They didn't even let us say goodbye.

God, I'm never going to see Katniss again. I know she doesn't feel the same way I do about her. She's barley known this Mellark guy. Them and there fake baby fake engagement fake love. Am I going to end up dieing alone. I can't even think anymore. The Everdeen's are crying. There never going to see there daughter again. I hurt for them, I know what there feeling. My mother is trying to comfort them, she just needs to back off. Everyone is in the middle of the town square. The crowd is screaming at the peacekeepers. They want to say goodbye, I don't blame them though, I hope nobody does something stupid...

I see, what's her name... The Mayors daughter. Pssh what's she doing here. Oh that's right she's "Katniss's friend" Bull... She's crying. My good nature has me walking over. I don't really know what

to say to her. "Hey Ma-" She throws her arms around me, and puts her head on my shoulder. Sobbing loudly. I'm shocked, she's never touched me like this, her warm breathe against my ear. It gives me goose bumps. I think she came to her senses and realized what she was doing. She staggers backwards and says with a sniff.

"I'm sorry I just.." she was quiet not knowing what to say.

"I know its ok." I say patting her back awkwardly. We just stay there for awhile and look at each other. I never realized how pretty her eyes are. Light blue and sparkling, they always sparkle. Her Snow White blonde hair is in a bun. She has really nice... The hell? What am I saying. I turn around and start walking away,

"Gale wait!" I hear. I stop and turn around. She's running up to me. "I.. I can't go through this by myself. Not again, I really need a friend right now. Your the only person I truly kn- Know." Wow she considers me as a friend? Weird. I sigh

"I can't go through this alone either. How about we meet up tomorrow in the meadow. I don't have work tomorrow since its Sunday." She's blinking quite a bit. She always does that.

"Uh sure. Is 5:30 ok?" I nod. She hesitates and opens her mouth to say something but

turns around and starts walking back. What a weird day.

...

Madge POV

Its so cold. I'm walking back to my house. I can't believe Katniss is gone. She can be gone forever. My only friend. Wait.. Didn't Gale just give me a chance at being friends? Wow. I wish this could've had happen four years ago. When I had a major crush on him, but this is just for getting our minds off of things. Not thinking about Katniss and Peeta's Death Trap. I wonder how he is taking this personally. I know what Katniss feels for Peeta is real. But can Gale get over her just that fast? I doubt it. I bet his heart is ripped to shreds every time they touch or even look at each other. Poor guy, this is exactly why I want to do this, just let our feelings out. I Guess.

Sunday Morning.

I wake up feeling refreshed. I'm really glad that I can talk about what's on my mind to someone who is feeling the same way. My dad is at the Justice Building, he's been there a lot lately. I must've slept in. I walk up the stairs to my moms room, she's peacefully asleep with bottles of morphling by the side of her bed, wasting away. Why won't she get better? There's also an empty bowl of strawberries. Hmm maybe I can go by Gales house and "get some more" I giggle to myself. Its 2:30 a few hours early isn't gonna hurt anything will it?

As I'm walking down the street, and thinking about what I saw on T.V yesterday. Katniss and Peeta meeting the other tributes. She doesn't seem to fond of Finnick Odair or Joanna Mason. Mmm Finnick is quite a character and really handsome, but cocky. I hope she forms a good alliance, but she might not even have to. Her and Peeta are the youngest contestants the older ones might just kill each other off. Obviously they would be slower then my friends.

I'm deeper into the Seam and people are giving me really annoying glares. An old woman said to me.

"What's a little princess like you doing here. your kind shouldn't be her. Go off with some merchant prince and move along." I was really offended, I hate the name princess. I didn't say anything back to her because people were snickering at me. I don't understand why people think of me this way. Cant we all just get along? What if Gale still thinks of me this way? Oh gosh. He's probably annoyed by me. Maybe I should just go home. I turn around and run into someone, we fall to the ground. I'm on top of.. Gale? Well speak of the devil.

"Well hello there." He says. Oops I'm still on him, I roll off and he helps me up. "What are you doing roaming around by yourself. Don't you remember last time..." He's referring to the three Peacekeepers that almost raped me. I shiver just remembering it. Gale came just in time. It was before the big feast at my house after Katniss and Peeta came back from the Hunger Games.

"I... I was just going to your house." I stammer, he looks at his watch.

"But its only three, did I get the time wrong?"

"No I just needed some strawberries, my mom ate the last of em." I feel so stupid.

"Oh, well I was actually headed towards the.. woods" he says in a whisper. "You should come."

"Uh how are you not being electrified?" He chuckles. That cute, chuckle.

"I'll show you c'mon." and he grabs my hand and we run. He's holding my hand? He doesn't even realized my pink face. We're at the fence, still holding hands. he looks down and his eyes pop out realizing how embarrassed I am. "S-Sorry." Awkward. "K listen." he holds his hand up to his ear. His big grey eyes are telling me to do the same. I listen and here the buzzing.

"So.. the fence is on and running.."

"Mhm now come over here." We walk for awhile and he bends down. He starts moving his hand towards the fence.

"Stop! Your going to kill yourself!" he snorts.

"No look. This part is fine. No electricity." I put my hand on it. Wow that's really weird. I start moving my hand and he grabs it quick.

"Heh that part is on." My eyes bulge. I gulp. He chuckles, I can feel the red creeping up my neck. I hate being laughed at. "Do you want to come in the woods." His thick eye brows arch. I can feel myself hesitate.

"What if were caught. I really don't feel like being punished today.." He smiles. I never see him smile. I like it. He lifts the bottom of the fence, It was cut. Did someone try to escape? How did it only effect this part?

"Please?" His eyes make me feel so guilty, he looks like a lost puppy. I get on my stomach and army crawl under it. I sigh because I have ruined one of my favorite shirts. Once I'm on the other side I hold it up not as high. I'm not very strong. He takes me deep into the forest, he defiantly knows where he's going. I start talking to break the awkward silence. I tell him about how Katniss took me into the woods lots of times. And how I know how to shoot an arrow pretty good, even though my attempt at shooting a squirrel almost got me killed. He laughed really hard at that one. I start talking about teaching Katniss how to play the piano he stops.

"You play the piano?" I nod, "Wow, I guess I don't know anything about you huh. You should show me sometime." Is he... blushing?

"Yeah. That would be cool." I say lamely. We finally reach the strawberry bush, There very red and large. I can already taste them. "Mmm, they look so good." I lick my lips and notice Gale's watching me. I start blushing all over again.

Great.

"Eat some." He says with a side ways smile and picks off the juiciest one.

"Hey.. I wanted to eat that one." I roll my eyes. Gale looks at the strawberry in his hands and starts moving it towards my face. Is he feeding me? O gosh I'm turning pink again! I chomp down slowly on the strawberry. Keeping eye contact with him. He laughs and wipes the strawberry juice off the corner of my mouth.

Gales POV

I wipe the strawberry juice off of the corner of her soft lips. Soft, full, pink lips. I can't stop starring at them. I bend down to kiss her when we both hear something in the bushes. She jumps.

Damn.

"What was that?" she says in a whisper. I shrug my shoulders, and pick up the strawberry basket. I think its time we start heading back. Were back on the other side of the fence. We walk in silence. Why did I try to kiss her. I don't have feelings for her or anyone right now. Do I? Its only been a day since Katniss left and my hormones are already going wacko? Hells Teeth! I don't need this right now. What I need is a friend. And I need to keep it that way. Madge is still pink. I hope she thought I wasn't going to kiss her and thought, I was still wiping her mouth... And what the Hell was that about me feeding her a strawberry? I just made a complete fool out of myself..

"Um it's 4:15 right now. Do you want me to walk you home or just hang." she's quiet.

"We we can do both? Hang out at my house. I need to bring the strawberries home anyway." I nod. It takes us about 20 minutes until were at her drive way.

Wow I never realized how big her house really is. Pfft. Lucky. We walk inside and I get a rush of warmth. I can finally feel the blood running back through my body.

"Madge is that you?" I hear a weak voice from upstairs.

"Mhm, sorry I didn't tell you I was going out I went and got some strawberries in the... with Gale." Madge stammers.

"Oh tell the strawberry boy I say Hello." Mrs. Undersee says walking down the stairs. She realizes that I'm here and her face lightens up. "Hello Gale, How's your mother?"

"She's great." I don't really know what to say I've never really talked to her. She smiles at me.

"Margret is your father still at work?" Madge nods. I didn't know her name was Margret, Mrs. Undersee sighs. "Well lemme have a handful of those berries. You two can eat the rest." and with that she's walking back upstairs.

"Do you want to go to my room?" Madge says with a whisper. I nod. Just stay in control Gale. Remember just friends. Just friends.

Madge POV

We walk silently up the stairs. I can't get my mind off of how Gale try to kiss me! I think I might faint. And did I just invite him to my room. ALONE? Uh teenage hormones! I just need to keep my thoughts clean. We get up to my room, It's light purple with flowers all over. I'm a little embarrassed of my childish arrangement. I sit on my bed putting the strawberries between us. "Hey Gale..?" He turns and I shove a strawberry in his mouth. We both laugh. We sit there for awhile just... eating strawberries. I turn on my T.V and it is showing Katniss, Peeta, Finnick and Mags running for there lives from this.. fog!

"Oh, my, god!" Gale says not realizing that I turned the T.V on. His eyes are looking watery, so intense. Oh no, I could've just turned on the T.V right to Katniss's death! Finnick is carrying Peeta and Katniss Mags. She's having a muscle spasm or something and drops Mags! Mags kisses Finnick and runs right into the fog and does this horrible spasm dance and falls to the ground. The cannon sounds. The three of them are running making it out into the jungle and onto the beach. What a weird arena. They are all covered in bumps, ugly, ugly bumps. Peeta is awake now and kisses Katniss. Oops.

"Turn it off." Gale says in a low whisper. There's tears! Oh my goodness Gale Hawthorne is crying. Seeing him like this is just heart breaking. I turn off the T.V and wrap my arms around him. His arms are around my waist.

"I'm sorry." I whisper in his ears. We know for sure that Katniss and Peeta are alive for now. But we, (scratch that) I also know how truly she loves Peeta. I think Gale realizes too. "Do you still love Katniss." I ask in a whisper.

"Yes." he's quite, then smirks. I'm confused now. He sees it in my face. " I thought that if Katniss didn't love me that my life would be... Horrible. And that I couldn't love anyone ever. Heh. I just realized that I do love Katniss but just friends, she loves Peeta, and I can love other girls too. And I can also stay her friend." He smiles and turns to me. "Can we be friends?"

"Well obviously, you've already tried to kiss me." His eyes go wide. And face turns pink. "Its." I'm interrupted by a loud beeping sound. It's coming from my dad's study. Gale looks at me with his eyebrows arched. "Oh just my dad and his rebel network crap." I stop myself. Gale gasps. Oh... what have I done!