I don't like to see people alone.
There's something about it that bothers me. For the sixteen years of my life, loneliness has always been my only friend: my mother stays on the bed all day long, because she has a sick that makes her whole body aches. My dad, Mayor Undersee, is always out of home. I am used to be alone in the most part of time. However, I've found a friend, only one,so I had the opportunity to talk to someone of my age. And, for my great luck, she was reaped for the Hunger Games.
I'm totally alone now.
My house is almost empty, but there's my mother on the second floor, sleeping by the morphiling effect. I could play the piano, but for some weird reason, I don't want. Suddenly, I figure out that all I want is get out from here. Walk a little, maybe. The reaping was a few hours ago, and I am still dressed with the fancy white dress which my father gave me. I grin when I remember I gave the mockingjay pin to Katniss. Right now, she can be reminding me. Then I can feel that I really have a friend.
I open the door and go out. I live in the richest part of District Twelve, so the square is very near from here. I was going there, but something makes me change idea. I don't want to go to the square and relive those memories of the reaping. I want to go somewhere I can be free.
So I start walking through the empty streets, not to the square, but to the meadow, near the fence. It's allowed to stay outside of it, but no one tries to go in because the fence is electrified.
However, I like that place. I've gone there just a few times, the first with my dad, who pointed the woods to me beyond the fence and told me what happened to people who had gone in. Since this time, I come there when I want to clean my mind. For a weird reason, I don't feel alone when I'm there. The mockingjays make company for me and it's funny to sing short songs to they repeat them. It's my favorite place in Earth, I think.
But every pleased thought about the meadow disappear when I get there and see the person who I less want to see. What surprise!
A boy is sitting on the grass, turned to the woods, with his arms around his knees. The place I usually stay is a bit far from here and I know I should go, because this boy is just the stupidest Seam boy I've ever talked, and I don't want even to care about him. I really want to go away. However, I don't like to see people sad and alone. You can say: "well, you are always sad and alone and see lots of people also sad and alone and don't say a word." It's true, but something about him makes me stay. Something in the way that strong and revolted boy undressed his armor and now he's as vulnerable as me.
I get close and notice that his black hair is shining with the afternoon end's sun. In less than an hour it'll be evening and everything will be dipped in darkness, because here in District Twelve the streets don't have light. I figure out that is a nonsense stay stopped here, staring the backs of this boy. I should be at home, with my parents, not in the meadow with this fancy dress, with the risk of being robbed and…
"What are you doing here, Undersee?"
Fuck. He heard my steps. Lucky Madge, lucky Madge. Of all the boys I could ever meet, I meet him! That stupid boy who almost call me rich girl this morning, when Katniss and him came to sell strawberries to me. The worst of all is the fact that I had the chance to go away without been seen, but no, I had to stay here like an idiot, thinking that I could…
Could do what? Maybe say that I am so sorry for Katniss… but it wouldn't fix anything. And now, when I finally want so bad go away, I can't.
"I was just… walking, Hawthorne." I say, suddenly a bit angry. It's not his business what I'm doing here!
He doesn't answer. With a lack of sense, without think right and measure the consequences, I get closer and sit on the grass, by his side, letting the white cloth touch the grass and it makes a great contrast. He turns slowly, anger in his eyes.
"Who's given you permission to sit here?" Hawthorne asks. But I notice that beyond the anger, there's sadness in his eyes. They're red, so I can swear he's been crying. Suddenly, even that he still looks at me as I am crazy, I feel pity for him. He's also Katniss friend and must be very awful with all this Hunger Game's stuff.
However, I can't let this dickhead be so rough with me.
"Nobody must allow me to do this" I answer, and he laughs with mockery.
"Of course, how could I forget it? Nobody must allow you to do anything, you're the Mayor's daughter! And if you haven't notice yet, I don´t need and I don't want you here. Go away."
Ouch. That dickhead knows how to hurt someone. After this, the most acceptable was going away. Gale Hawthorne hates me, it's obvious. But he can't be so nasty with me. Who does he think he is to expulse me this way?
I decide to be stubborn and I don't move myself. He sighs.
"Ok." Hawthorne says, closing his eyes for a minute, probably trying to keep his eyes far from me. This is very childish, if you want to know my opinion. "I will."
"No!" I say, and I don't know why. I could let this dickhead go away and stay here, alone and calm, relaxing. But the thought of stay alone again torments me. A soft breeze blows and my hair shakes. I take a deep breath."I know what you're feeling, Hawthorne. She's my friend too!"
He has already gotten up and he was almost going away when I said these words. Hawthorne stopped and turned back with a haunt look in his face. I thought he would fight with me and say terrible words, but he just sigh and say:
"Stop calling me Hawthorne, Undersee."
"So stop calling Undersee." I say, challenging.
He shrugs, sitting again, for my surprise (one more for the day). I glance at him, but he drops his glance.
"Were you really friends?"
"Yes. I mean, I consider her as my friends, the only one, but I don't know if she-"
"She likes you too" he interrupts.
"Yes. I knew it when she defended me this morning, when you said that stuff to me" Shit. Shit. I shouldn't have said it, but every word dropped from my mouth before I could hold them. Suddenly, I am so furious with him that I can't stop the words and, oh fucking God, tears. Yes, I was crying in front of him. I am the stupidest girl on earth, you may say.
"Why do you do that?" I ask, feeling more and more stupid. Finally I've broken, because I couldn't handle with so much hatred came from someone who doesn't even know me right. And suddenly I was there, relieving everything I've felt for all the sixteen years of my existence. "What did I do for you? Oh, I know. It's just because I was born rich, huh? It's because I've never been starving, as you and Katniss doesn't it? So I'll tell you something: this is not my fault! Do you think I am happy because I've got everything I want? My mother is dying and my father doesn't look at my face since I was a child!"
I can tell that, for the first time, I've let Gale Hawthorne speechless. For the first time I don't see that expression in his face, that where he laughs at me and call me rich girl. No, now I don't see that stupid boy, who's used to selling me strawberries and always looks at me with the same hatred that I've never been able to explain.
"Sorry" Finally he says, ashamed, blushing. I can't believe it. Did I really make Gale Hawthorne blushes? I should win a prize or something like that. I wise the last tears of my face and face him, surprised. He's apologizing me?"
"I have never thought that you…well…and now I am sure you really like Katniss."
"She's my friend. My only friend."
"You aren't that girl I used to think you were" He says, closing his eyes for a minute and feeling the slight breeze of the woods in his face. God, he's so fucking handsome. That black hair, that olive skin... I'm taken for a sudden desire of touch him, feel the warm of his skin, the texture of his hair….
What the fuck was that?
Ok, I must be sick. Because I can't be imagining this kind of things about a boy, and worst, about Gale. It must be my nerves or something like that. I wake up of my torpor and notice that his eyes are still closed. He must be thinking about Katniss.
"She'll be alright" I tell, putting my hand on his arm and looking at sky. Now it is very beautiful with orange and pink colors.
"I know. But tomorrow is her parade and…well, if you want to get out of your privileged seat with your father for a moment, you can watch the Games with us. Me, my family and the Everdeens, I mean."
"It would be a pleasure" I say, grinning. He looks at me with a weird look.
"What?" I ask, confused.
"Do you really want to stay with Seam people? It wouldn't stain your reputation or-"
"But it was you who invited me!" I interrupt.
"But-"
"No but, Gale Hawthorne. I am going and that's all!"
He grins. Oh my goodness, this guy is absolutely crazy.
"Okay" Gale says and get up. I get up too, wiping my hands on my dress.
"Won't it be dirty?" He asks, pointing to my dress.
"I don't care." It's true, I have so many things to think, then why would I care about a dress being dirty or not?
"You should. It must be an expensive dress." He says, lifting his right eyebrow.
"Maybe" I say, looking at the sunset. The light makes everything orange and red, including my hair, dress. Gale's pretty hair is a little reddish, and he seems more beautiful than never.
Ok, I have to stop with this stuff. The sound of his laugh make me comeback for reality.
"The town girl does not care about her belongings? That's ok. But now I have to go. I've got a family to feed and they will replay the reaping images."
I can see the pain in his face. Poor Gale. If it is difficult to me see the Games, for him it must be worst. But how I am so clever, I ask an obvious question.
"Do you want to see it?" Oh Madge, do you want to shut up?
"No" Gale admits the obvious answer, but he doesn't seem mad with me for being stupid and ask things that he wants to forget. "But I must. Things will be more real if I watch it. Maybe I will finally realize that she isn't besides me anymore."
"But she'll be back." I say.
He nods. The last sunshine meets my face and my hair, making everything shines more than before. It' seems that Gale finally notice the light in my face or something like that, because now his grey eyes are looking at me, more beautiful, out of anger. He gets closer and takes a tuft of my hair.
"Your hair is beautiful" He says, seeming admired.
"Thanks" That's what I reply, because I can't think in anything more cool to say. Suddenly, the world seems to have stopped. But he drops my golden hair, and I realize that now the sky is dark. Then I remember my father will be home soon.
"I have to go, or my father will kill me"
"Me too, I've got a family to…"
"Feed" I complete and we both laugh. It's quite weird. In the morning he was almost murdering me with his eyes, and now we are laughing like we were… I don't know, friends?
But we aren't. Aren't we?
"Bye Unders…Madge."
"Bye Gale" I say and he squeezes my hand. "See you tomorrow."
"Fine. Do you want I carry you home? It's dangerous here, at night."
"Oh, if you want…"
And we go my home, without talking so much. The meadow isn't too far from my house, anyway. We try don't talk about the Games or Katniss, and I am happy we don't do. I don't need think about it now. After a few minutes, we are in front of my house. It's night, a pretty night, with shining stars and a full moon.
"Here we are." Gale says.
"Thanks." I answer.
Gale seems want to say something or do something. I think he would hug me, but eventually he just nods and goes away. I watch him going, feeling something very weird in my chest.
So I pass through the door of my house and so to the gardens. I sit on a swinging that my father built for me when I was a child and start thinking about what just happened. Is Gale mad? Well, he invited me to watch the Games with him! With his family, Madge, with his family. But anyway, he was kind with me. Not in the beginning, but after.
I get up and go in my home. In the living room, I see my dad sitting on the couch, watching the replays of the reaping. This is very unusual, because he's often in his office, without say a word for hours. But everything is weird today, so I forget it.
He sees me and grins, seeming relieved.
"Thanks God, you're here, my daughter. Where were you? You are not used to getting out…"
"I was just walking to clean my head, dad." I answer, while I try not look at the TV. "Katniss is my friend, you know."
He nods and smirks. He's still wearing his job clothes.
"And were you walking alone?" My dad asks.
"Why?" Oh shit, how did he notice that I wasn't walking alone? If he knows I was hanging out with a Seam boy…
"I don't know, you just look… happy, maybe? But you don't need to tell me what happened. I like to see you happy, anyway."
I grin and start to climb the stairs. And I remember my day: sure it was bad in the beginning, because my only friend was sent to the Hunger Games, at all. But after I found out that I could have a friend or I don't know... Gale. And I don't need to say that it got my day better. And now there's my dad, saying he likes to see me happy…
"You're right, dad. I am happy."
I can't see it, but I know he's smiling. And he thinks that I can't hear, but I hear what he mutters to himself.
"I bet it's a boy."
Hey people! This is my first Madge/Gale fanfic. I am crazy for this couple since I've started reading jennycaake's fanfics (They are great!). It's a pity that Madge dies in the books… she could end up with Gale, maybe. I wrote this fanfic last month and I was very anxious to post it! Well, English is not my native language, so if you find mistakes (I hope you don't find lol) please forgive and tell me, ok? I hope you enjoy and review it, because nobody's reviewed my last fanfics (one is Draco/Hermione and the other is Cato/Clove). Oh, and I so sorry for the bad language. That s why the story is T. Xoxo