AN: This is just a dabble I wanted to write when I need a break from my main story, The Artist and The Mockingjay. I will continue this story too if you'd like to read more.
My favorite thing about Sunday is that it's my 'date night' with my best friend Gale Hawthorne. He's not really my boyfriend and I'm not his girlfriend, we're just really good friends. We met for the first time almost five years ago, but it wasn't a happy meeting.
Our father's had been co-workers at the coal mine, the major source of income from most of the families in our small town. Our mine is know as 'District 12' the other 11 mines are in other different states.
I remembered seeing Gale at school but we never really talked because he was two grades ahead of me in school, so we never had a class or even a lunch at the same time.
Like I said our first meeting was not a happy one, because we met at the funeral service, paid for by the mining company Panem Industries, for our dad's at the Justice Building. I remember his mom, Hazelle, who had Gale and his two younger brothers Rory and Vick. She had Gale's sister Posy two weeks after service. We didn't speak that day but I will always remember how sad his face looked that day.
The first time we talked to each other happened about six months after the accident. My mother, who is the closet thing our little town has to a real doctor, shut down after my father died. She would get up, go to work and treat her patients, come home and just sit in front of the tv in her bedroom and cry.
I hated her in those days, I was hurt and I wanted to cry too but I couldn't because someone had to make sure Prim and Buttercup were taken care of.
Prim was only seven when are dad died so she couldn't really take care of herself, that fell on me to do. I would help her with her homework, fix her dinner and put her to bed at night.
One day I had grown tired of my mother's at home depression and I needed to get away from things for awhile. I took Prim over to my best friend Madge's house, her dad was the Mayor and we had been friends since forever and our mom's had gone to school together so I felt safe leaving Prim with her.
Me and my dad had gone hunting every Sunday morning, he loved to go bow hunting and fishing. He had made me a bow for my birthday the year I turned eight. I hadn't been able to go by myself after his death because it was too painful but that day I had decided to go just to feel closer to him.
I had worn a pair of old jeans, a simple white v-neck tee, and my dad's hunting jacket, a worn caramel leather jacket. I unpacked the bow and arrows from the storage closet and set out for the woods.
The best hunting spot was the woods behind Madge's house, so I head into the woods after dropping Prim off and promised to be back in time for lunch at 1pm.
I had been walking for a while just getting use to using my bow again, it had been six months since my last hunting trip so I felt rusty. I had shot two squirrel. when I saw the rabbit hanging from the snare.
I ran my finger along the line of the snare, I had set a few but mine never worked. This one was really well done and I was watching the rabbit twitch when his voice came out of nowhere and scared me.
"You know stealing isn't taken to kindly around here." He was big, too big to have just turned fourteen. He was taller then me by at least six inches, his shoulders and chest already broad and muscled.
We kinda looked alike, straight black hair, gray eyes, and olive skin. The difference was I looked like a twelve year old kid, Gale looked like a man already.
"I...I...know that." I was so nervous I thought I would die on the stop where I stood.
"What's your name?" His lips turned up in the hint of what might be a smile.
"Katniss." My voice was so small it might only be a whisper and I kept my eyes focused on my boots and not the boy ten feet from me.
"Well Catnip, that's my snare and my rabbit so..."
"Katniss." My voice sounds a bit stronger so I try it again just to be sure. "Katniss...Katniss Everdeen."
This time I'm sure that there is a smile on his face, bit it's a sad one like he's remembering something he doesn't want to. "Everdeen? Your dad and mine..."
"Worked together in the mines. They died in the same accident." I say and kick a rock at my feet, sending it flying into a near by tree.
"I remember you. It's just you, your mom, and sister."
I nod my head and finally look up at him, he's less scary now but still intimidating. "You have two brothers and..."
He cuts me off, I hate this but say nothing. "A sister. Posy." At her name his smile grows soft and he is now just a boy, still scary but just a boy.
"You're really good...with snares, mine never catch anything." I say running my finger along it again. He closes the space between us and runs a finger along my quiver.
"And I'm no good with one of these, not good enough to hit anything."
"I could teach you everything I know about bows, if you'd like. But you have to teach me everything you know about snares. Deal?" I hold out my hand and wait, feeling like an idiot.
"Deal Catnip." He shakes my hand and I turn up my nose at his nickname, this earns me a real smile. I like him when he smiles like this.
After that we would talk after school everyday, just normal talk about our families, friends, the teachers, and he would help me with my math homework because I suck at it and Gale's a wiz with numbers and stuff like that.
I would take Prim over to Gale's instead of Madge's because Rory and Vick liked having someone older to play with and Prim was in love with Posy. I still had lunch at Madge's and she insisted that Gale join us.
After a few weeks my mother started coming out of her depression and Gale started coming over to my house a lot but we always went back and forth between our houses and the laundry mat that his mom ran.
But my favorite day was always Sunday and our weekly hunting trips. Gale and I where always happiest when we where in the woods together.
We had a special spot that was just ours, a large flat rock in what some people would call a meadow. It had wild flowers and berry bushes. We would pick berries and eat them on the rock. We always made a game of it.
"Ok Catnip let's play a game." He smiles and I glare.
"Gale you know I hate that name it's stupid."
"No, it's cute. I like it so...you're stuck with it. So deal with it and play a game with me."
I shrug and roll my eyes. "Fine. Let's play this game."
"Good, now you sit here," he its me on the edge of the long flat rock and walks to the other side. "And I'll sit here." He smile and I laugh.
"So what's the game, Hawthorne?"
"It's simple Everdeen. I'm going to take these," he picks up a handful of blackberries and shows them to me. "And you're going to catch them." I hold out my hands and he laughs. "Not with our hands Katniss."
"Then with what Gale?" I look confused, he laughs harder. I turn up my nose and he almost falls off the rock from laughing so hard.
"Don't get mad Cat...Kat." he draws out the second so I know he's correcting himself. He knows that if he uses that awful nickname right now I'll slap him.
"With your mouth Kat. You catch five and than you get to throw some at me. Deal?"
I smile and plan my payback. "Deal. Hawthorne."
The first few miss but after three I get the hang and quickly catch my five and get ready to exact my payback. I pick up a handful and take aim.
The first hits him in the hollow of his throat and he glares at me.
"That's not very nice Katniss. What would Ms. Trinket say?"
I roll my eyes and snort. Ms. Trinket is the principal of our town's school and she obsessed with manners. "Something like 'That's quite unlady like Ms. Everdeen. Now say you're sorry.'" I smile. "But you know that I'm not at all sorry."
We both laugh and the next five go right into Gale's mouth.
After our game Gale lays across the rock and pats his shoulder and I can't help the smile. This is my spot. I nestle my head into the crook and his arms wrap around me. I love being this close to Gale because it makes me feel so safe.
"So are you looking forward to next Saturday Kat?"
"Kinda, but only because it means so much to Madge and she is one of my best friends."
"She loves a party, even if it's not about her. But with it being your birthday she can't wait for this one."
"It's going to be a lot of people though." I say ever though I know it's not going to be that bad.
"Just her and Peeta, Finn and Annie, Jo and Cato, and our siblings and moms. So not that bad Katniss, stop being a pain." He pokes at my ribs and I yelp in mock hurt. "But the real fun happens on Sunday."
I raise an eyebrow and life my head to look into his eyes. "What happens on Sunday that's so special?"
Gale smiles the kind of smile that he saves for when he plans to egg a house or paper a tree or sneak out after curfew.
"Well I talked to your mom and she said that I could take you some place special, just you and me."
"Where are we go?" I ask but I know he'll never just give me that kind of information and none of our friends will.
"Don't think of asking anyone...not even Jo, because she won't tell."
"That's fine. I'll ask Annie...she'll tell me everything."
He smiles and I want to hit him again, just for being a dick. "She doesn't know anything, we all made sure of that cause she can't keep a secret for five seconds before she spills it." He gives me a kiss on the forehead and looks at his watch. "Let's get back before Prim and Vick drive Jo crazier then she already is."
My phone goes off and I smile. It's the little four note tune that tells me I have a text from Gale. I slide my finger across the screen and see his message. 'Be there in ten. You better be ready Kat.'
I roll my eyes and put the finishing touch on my hair. I've been wearing my hair in a braid since I was five. My dad would put it in two braids and when I started hunting with him at eight he started to do it in one.
Gale told me dress comfy but pretty and told me if I needed help with that I could always ask Madge and Peeta, who are the best dressed couple at school. Personally I would rather let Finnick do it, he's not gay but he does have a better handle on style then Peeta.
I pick a hunter green halter top and a pair of black skinny jeans I got from Johanna for my birthday. I put on my black ankle boots and a gold locket Peeta gave me and the matching bangle from Madge. Finn and Annie provided the seafood for the party so that was their gift.
I hear two short blasts of a horn and I shoot down the stairs. When I open the door I see Gale standing in front of the passenger side door of his truck. I love his truck it's a vintage red Chevy that belonged to his dad.
Gale is wearing a gray tee shirt and dark wash jeans, and his ever present black cowboy boots. I love this look because it's who Gale is, my rebel.
I walk toward the truck and he opens his arms for me. I let out a content sigh when his arms wrap around me.
"Happy birthday Katniss." He smile and I return it.
"Thanks Gale. So..." I start but he cuts me off with a finger to my lips.
"I'm not telling you, so stop trying. Trust me Kat."
"I always trust you, you know that. Right?" I ask and he opens the door for me.
"I know." I watch as he walks around the truck and gets in.
We drive down the back roads and we sing along to the music on the radio until he turns it off and I protest. "Hey I liked that song." I say with a pout.
"I like it too Katniss but I love to hear just you...you're better than her any day, so please?"
I roll my eye but give in because it's Gale and I only sing for him or our friends, never in public.
Cause I'd give up the chance to walk through the gate
Heaven doesn't want me
Cause my wings won't fly straight
To this world I'm just a sinner
But for you I'll be the saint
You belong in my arms
My angel, my light, my everything bright
I'll love you forever, just stay in my arms tonight
"Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire." Gale calls me this every time he hears me sing. I just roll my eyes and playfully smack his arm.
"I'm serious Katniss you're voice is on fire when you sing. It's almost as beautiful as you."
"Flattery will get you nowhere Mr. Hawthorne." I say in an impression of Ms. Trinket's odd accent. She's from the next state over from a town called Capitol.
Gale pulls over to the shoulder and stops the truck. I start to get a little nervous. "Are we there yet or is something wrong with the truck?" I ask and Gale smiles.
"No there is nothing wrong with the truck and we are very close to where we are going so it's time for the surprise." He reaches over and pops the glove box open and pulls out a long green piece of fabric. He moves over so he's next to me and puts the fabric over my eyes.
"Gale what's this for?" I ask and he snicker.
"It's for the surprise Katniss. Can you see anything?"
"Just green, that's all." With that he slides back over.
"Good." Is all he says as he restarts the truck.
About ten minutes later the truck dies again but I don't dare say anything. I just wait for him.
"Ok we're here. Are you ready?" He asks and I shake my head. "Good now stay put and I'll come get you."
I hear his door open and close and a minute later my door opens and Gale helps me out. "Ready?"
"Yes." I say as he unties the knot. When I fabric pulls away I am standing in front of a small cabin by a very large pound.
"Wow it's beautiful, how's is it?" I ask and know that this can't be my present.
"It's mine. Well it was my dad's, my grandpa built it when my dad was my age. He left it to me. It's so beautiful I just had to bring you out here to see it." Gale says with a sad but brilliant smile.
"It's perfect. Thank you for bringing me Gale." I rise up on my tip toes and place a gentle kiss to his cheek and I feel his arms wrap around me like one of his snares.
"You're the one who's perfect Karniss." He breath fans out on my skin causing an odd sensation to run through me. He release me with a smile. "So what do you have planned for the day?"
"I was thinking a swim first then lunch to start with. Sound good to you Everdeen?" I nod and he takes my hand, leading me toward the cabin.
"So how I'm going to swim without my suite?"
"There's a bag in the bathroom, Prim packed a few things in it for you."
I raise an eyebrow, "My sister? She knew and didn't say anything?" I see Gale's smile and I know I'll want to hit him when he opens his mouth.
"I had to bribe her. Paid her $10 to keep her mouth shut." I roll my eyes and he laughs. "Go change Katniss. I'll be ready when you get out."
I go into the small bathroom and find my black backpack with my suite, two sun dresses, a change of underwear, and my sandals. Prim had picked my favorite suite, my light green boyshorts and matching top. The top was a pushup that Jo picked out for me.
I grab a towel and throw it over my shoulder and exit the bathroom. When I get back to the main room Gale is folding his clothes and dressed to swim in black board shorts.
"Wow Hawthorne you look almost as hot as Finnick in those shorts." He glares at me and I laugh.
"Please Finnick wishes he was me." Gale says puffing himself up.
"Finnick is the strange one, be glad you're normal." We both laugh and Gale pulls me into his arms.
Finnick is only one of group who looks different. In our little town most kids fall into one of two groups.
Group one is blonde haired and blue eyed like Madge, Peeta, Cato, and Prim.
Group two is black haired and gray eyed like me, Gale, and my Uncle Haymitch. There are some kids who ended up with brown eyes like Johanna or Rue.
Finnick has bronze colored hair that shines like a million pennies in the sunlight and his eyes are a soft sea foam green. All the girls at school drool over him but he's madly in love with Annie Cresta, who everyone thinks is mad. Annie's dad moved her here after she saw her brother killed. I like Annie and she's good for Finn because she tames his massive ego.
"Let's go for a swim Kat." With this he leads us out of the cabin and we walk to the small lake behind it. Gale goes in first and holds him hands out to me and smiles. "Come on Katniss the water's great."
I shake my head and roll my eyes. "I do know how to swim, I mean really, two of our friends are fishes."
"Don't let Annie hear you say that. Now come on."
I walk in and put my hands in his. Gale and I have been swimming at the local pool together put I like natural water better, plus we don't have to deal with Finnick Odair as a lifeguard. The water is the perfect temp and we swim around for awhile and I'm just starting to enjoy myself when Gale chimes in.
"Let's dry off and get some lunch Kat."
"You're just mad cause I'm better than you." I say splashing a handful of water at him.
"Oh really?" He splashes back and I feel a war coming on.
"At swimming, bow hunting, and running." I say with pride but let out a yelp when Gale comes out of nowhere and grabs me.
"I'm hungry Katniss. Let's go already."
"Fine. You win this time."
We get out and I wrap the towel around myself as we go inside. I go back to the small bathroom to change and redo my hair. I find the soft yellow sundress and white wedge sandals. I brush out my hair and leave it down.
When I exit the bathroom I find the small table set my two plates. Turkey and swiss and potato chips. Ice tea and water. Sugar cookies.
"You know me so well Gale." This gets me a huge smile.
We eat in silence but it's not uncomfortable. When we're done Gale takes my plate and starts washing them as I pick up a cookie.
"So did he give them to you or did you have to pay for them?" I say before taking a bite of the cookie.
"He knows you don't like cake so he made them for you. They where a gift."
I roll my eyes. "Peeta's so sweet but please tell me he didn't ask you about hunting lessons again."
"He did," Gale laughs and I smile. "I told him what I do every time...that he's just not cut out for it."
"He's too loud. Way too loud. Even Jo told him and he still won't listen." I say with a laugh remembering Johanna's very forward attack on what she calls Peeta's 'elephant feet.'
"So what's my birthday movie this year?" I ask with a mixture of excitement and dread. Mostly because my friends have questionable taste in movies, even Gale.
"It's called The Hunger Games." Gale says as he riffles through his bag to find it.
"Sounds sad and painful. What's it about?" I say with a roll of my eyes, the dread setting in.
"About teenagers who have to fight to the death for the enjoyment of the country. There's a love story in it too, a triangle. You love those kind of movies Katniss."
"No you have me mixed up with Finnick and Madge, they love the triangles and all that stuff. Oh and don't forget Peeta, he gets all in a twist over love stories." I stick two fingers in my mouth and fake gag.
"Come on Kat...it will be fun. I'll pop some popcorn and you can throw it at the screen."
"Fine. Let's get this party started."
Gale comes over with a bowl of popcorn in one hand and the movie in the other. He leaves the case on the table and hands me the popcorn. Hmm extra butter. I pick up the case and turn up my nose.
He sits and puts the bowl on his lap and holds his arm open, waiting for me. I smile and settle my head into the crook of his neck and he wraps his arm around my shoulders.
"Comfy Katniss?" I nod and he presses play.
I spend the whole movie half watching it and half planning the accidents that will lead to Peeta and Annie's deaths because Madge had nothing to do with this one.
"So what did you think?" Gale asks and I lift my head to look at him.
"It wasn't that bad. Less mush then I had planned for so I guess Annie and Peeta are safe. That Liam Hemsworth guy was pretty hot. Kinda looked like you."
"So you think I'm hot?" Gale says raising an eyebrow.
"I said he was hot. You're...you're just...Gale." I smile and he has a look of mock hurt on his face. "Oh don't start that Hawthorne you know every girl in school thinks you're hot. So don't even act hurt."
"I love you Katniss."
"I know. Everybody loves me, I'm the mockingjay." Our school's mascot. Every year Ms. Trinket picks someone to represent the school at all the important events and this year she picked me.
"Wanna go hunting in some real woods Katniss? See how good of a hunter you really are." I glare at him and he laughs.
"Bring it on Gale. Cleaner kill wins." I say this and I know that it will turn into a fight because we both believe we have the cleaner kill.
"Well it's your birthday Kat. So why don't I just let you win this time and next time we can debate it?"
"Cause there's no fun in letting me win and you love fun fighting as much as I do Mr. Hawthorne." I smile, tilt my head, and shrug. This gets me a huge laugh.
"Come on Katniss. Let's go."
We spend a few hours circling each other and catching nothing, I know that Gale is waiting for me to make the first kill but I won't let him have the satisfaction. I loose sigh of him and it's getting close to sunset and I don't like being in the woods when it's dark.
"Gale...Gale where are you? It's getting dark and you know I hate..." I almost jump out of my skin when his arm wraps around my waist from behind. "Jesus Gale you scared the sh..." He cuts off my words by producing a bouquet of wildflowers.
"Beautiful flowers for a beautiful girl." He says as he gives my waist a gentle squeeze.
"Thanks. They're beautiful." I smile as I inhale the scents.
"Wanna go out to the field and see the stars?"
"Of course." He knows I love to watch the stars out here where there seems to be a million more in the sky here then in town. I have other reasons for loving it but I keep them to myself.
We drive for about twenty minutes until we get the the field. It's a corn field with a driving path through it and a large open space in the middle. Every year we have a Harvest Feast dance in this field. Gale like to come out here and just look at the stars with me.
Gale loves this truck, it was his dad's but last summer we repainted it ourselves with some help from Peeta, who is going off to art school in New York after we graduate and Madge is going to take some classes at whatever school he ends up going to.
Gale is already working part time with my Uncle Hatmitch doing construction work and I help out part time at his mom's laundry mat. I keep telling Gale he needs to go off and do something big, maybe even join the military or go to school for architecture, but he says he doesn't want to leave West Virginia yet.
Gale had a thin padding fitted into the liner of his truck bed, he said it was to protect it from dents but I think it's because he wants us to be comfortable when he go star gazing. I lay with my head on his chest and his arms wrapped around me, a blanket over us to hold in the warmth, the nights here are cool.
"Gale why don't you go to New York with everyone else? Madge's Uncle Caesar is renting her that house. Peeta's going to art school and Madge wants to teach, Finnick thinks he can be the next male sex symbol and Annie goes where he does. Cato and Jo are going too and I wanna go too but...I don't..." I don't know what I want to say or even how to say it.
"Don't want to what Katniss? Leave me here alone?" Gale says in an easy tone but it's true I don't want to leave him here but I don't want to force him to go with me just because I don't want to go alone.
"Would you go with me to New York?" I look up at him and instantly regret it. The look on his face is pained and he's chewing on his bottom lip.
"Do you really want me to Katniss?"
"Of course I do." I look into his eyes and they seem so pale in the moonlight. "You're my best friend."
"Is that all I am Katniss?" His face is again drawn in careful lines, his eyes so filled with emotions I can't read.
"No...I don't know. What else is there? You've been such a huge part of my life since that day with the snares and everyday since. You're my Gale and I'm your Catnip."
I see him smile and the pain seems to wash from his face for a moment. His fingers curl under my chin and pull my face up. "I hope this work...I really do."
"Hope what works Gale? I don't understand."
"I love you Katniss Everdeen. I know I say that every now and then but I mean it...I mean...I'm..." He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "I love you, I have been since that same day but now I realize I'm in love with you like Peeta is with Madge, Finnick with Annie, even Cato who is very much in love with Johanna...she's just to much of a smartass to take him seriously. But there is only one girl for me and that's you Kat."
"You've never even kissed me." I say in shock because it's the only thought that will go from my brain to my mouth.
"You're mom said I had to wait until you where sixteen before I could do it." He says matter of factly.
"When did you ask my mom that?"
"Two years ago." He says with a smile."So I've been waiting for this day for a long time."
"Gale. I..."
He closes his eyes and I can see that he's taking my silence as rejection when it's not. I move up so that my face is next to his. "Please look at me." I wait a moment and he finally opens his eyes. "I love you too. You know that. I just always thought that you didn't feel the same so I never said anything."
"Katniss there hasn't been any other girl for me since you can into my life and I don't want any other girl but you." He smiles and I smile back.
"So have you kissed other girls?"
"Yeah just a two, but not since we started talking. I wanted to the but you where just a kid and..."
His hand cups my cheek and his thumb runs along the bone. He leans in and presses his lips to mine. He holds them there and after a moment he pulls back and looks at me before pressing them back to mine.
This time I feel them against mine soft and light, gentle as if I was an animal in one of his snares. He runs the tip of his tongue across my bottom lip and when I part my lips he gently explores my mouth.
His arms lock around me and pull me on top of his body before our lips pull away. "Gale. Wow."
"I love you Katniss and I can't wait to make love to you for the first time." Again he looks almost sad.
"How long do you have to wait for that?" I ask knowing my mom put some kinda rule on that too.
"Your eighteenth birthday."
"Guess you'll just have to settle for kissing me until then." I see a smile come to his face and a gleam in his eyes that makes me nervous.
"There's other things we can do until then Katniss. I'll show you." He pulls me down and kisses me again.