Today, Gale Hawthorne smiled at me for the first time ever.

He was standing on my front porch, a basket filled to the brim with strawberries hanging off one arm, when I opened the door gingerly and tried to calm the butterflies climbing up the sides of my stomach.

"Hello." I nodded, hiding the blush that was heating up my cheeks almost angrily.

He grunted in return, his grey eyes as dark and haunted as they always were. He licked his bottom lip and shoved the basket towards me.

I took the strawberries wordlessly, handing him the money he was owed and watching as he carefully slid it into the back pocket of his grey trousers.

"Are you - are you okay?"

Gale's eyes widened a fraction and his lips pulled into a thin, taut line, "What do you think?"

"So that's a no?" I breathed, my heart heavy, "If it's any consolation I think she's got a shot at winning."

"She will win." He told me firmly, "She's Katniss."

That she was. I was scared to say anything more on the matter because of the way his dark eyes were blazing so hotly, so instead I tucked a strand of my hair behind one ear and sighed.

"Are you hungry?" I asked gently, "There's some leftover lamb - "

"That's alright." Gale's voice was gritty and cold, "I've already eaten."

"Oh."

There was a beat of silence, and I was afraid he would walk away without saying goodbye. But as always, he surprised me.

"I saw you talking to Thom the other day." He sounded strange - almost strangled, "Are you interested in him?"

Again a hot blush flushed my skin embarrassingly and I shook my head furiously, mad at him for even insinuating such a thing.

"No!" I protested, "Of course not. I was just - " And then of course my lips snapped shut.

Because I couldn't possibly tell Gale the real reason I had been talking to one of his closest friends.

"You were just what, Undersee?"

"Nothing." I muttered, my blush deepening, "Forget it."

"Hey." I looked up sharply at his gentle tone and was surprised to see that his features had softened a great deal, "What were you talking to Thom about? It's okay if you two like each other I'm just - "

"No! It isn't like that at all, I swear." I rushed out, wanting more than anything for Gale to understand that the only boy I wanted to notice me, was him, "I was only asking about…uh…you."

His thick brows furrowed and he tilted his head to one side, "Me?"

"Yeah." I was sure my cheeks couldn't turn a brighter shade of pink, "I was making sure that you were alright."

And then, Gale did something that took me completely by surprise. He threw his head back…and laughed.

When he looked over at me again and chuckled I crossed my arms angrily, "What is so funny, Gale?"

"You." A smirk that left my insides feeling like jelly, spread out across his lips, "Checking up on me."

"Well I'm glad you find me amusing." Suddenly I had the irrational urge to cry, "I'm sorry I actually care Gale." As soon as the words left my mouth, I wanted to stuff them back inside and swallow them whole.

Gale's expression dropped and he quirked an eyebrow, "What was that?"

"Nothing." My hand landed on the doorknob and I made to slam it shut, before Gale's foot stopped me.

"I said." He stepped closer and my heart crawled up the length of my throat, "What was that, Undersee?"

Despite the fact I was sure he had rendered my speechless, I was somehow able to put together something that sort of a resembled a sentence, "I just…I care for you, alright Gale? And ever since Katniss left I've been worried for you and it's killing me inside because you couldn't care less about me - "

"Hey." He interrupted, "Whoever said I didn't care?"

And really that rendered me speechless.

"Would I keep coming by if I didn't?" And then Gale surprised me for a second time today. Because he didn't smirk or laugh he didn't even grin. No…Gale Hawthorne smiled at me. A full out, teeth-baring, butterfly-erupting smile that made everything from the top of my head to the tip of my toes, turn to mush, "Keep that in mind, next time you talk to Thom."

And then, he turned around and swept away, his tall, broad figure melting into the shadows.

I dropped the basket of strawberries I had been holding so tightly, and didn't even care as I heard the fruit rolling around the ground. Closing the front door slowly, I leaned against the surface, my heart feeling as though it would honestly beat right out of my chest.

Oh my gosh.

Gale Hawthorne smiled at me.

And really that was the moment I knew I had fallen in love with Katniss Everdeen's broken, best friend.

…