Hi. This is my first fanfic so it may be a bit rubbish. But oh well I enjoyed writing it! ;D
I apologise for any spelling/grammar mistakes now as I'm terrible at that…
I wrote this cos I wondered what Gale and Peeta's life was like before the books and if they had friends and girlfriends and stuff.
Please R&R! :D
Nancy
Gale's P.O.V.
I watch the turkey fall, arrow straight through it's eye. It lands with a thud on the forest floor.
'Nice shot' I comment.
Katniss gives me one of her rare grins as she stoops down to collect the bird.
'As always' she adds, laughing.
I roll my eyes in time to see a flash of red hair through the trees. I raise my bow, expecting it to be a lynx or a wild dog. Katniss sees my wariness and silently straightens up, looking in the same direction. We stand like this for a moment; the only noise is the whisper of leaves.
Suddenly a girl bursts through the undergrowth. She has a mane of curly ginger hair with a few leaves in it and was covered in freckles. She stumbles cursing under her breath then gives us a nervous smile. She was quite pretty in a cute way.
'Flo'? Katniss asks. 'What're you doing here'?
The girl, Flo, bites her lip. 'I was… err…. Going for a walk'.
'Wait, you know her'? I ask Katniss, looking suspiciously at the girl. She might be a peacekeeper in disguise or something.
'Yeah, she's in my year at school'
The girl holds out her hand to me. 'I'm Flo Ashby'.
I lower my bow and shake her hand. 'Gale Hawthorne' I say looking her up and down. She smiles.
'I know'.
I narrow my eyes at her before deciding she's okay and giving her my most charming smile. She raises one eyebrow at me and I laugh immediately warming to her. Flo was shorter than Katniss with green eyes that almost looked golden in the dappled sunlight. She was curvy, which was a nice change from all the skinny girls in the seam. But that also meant she was rich and probably lived in town. It was one of my rules to stay away from town girls; they annoyed me too much. But Flo seemed different. She was nice and funny, not stuck up like most of them. And she wasn't too scared to go in the woods on her own.
Flo was looking at Katniss, expecting her to say something. When she doesn't, Flo looks like she's about to leave so I decide to intervene.
'So are you in the same class as Katniss'? She looks relieved that someone had interrupted the awkward silence.
'Nah. Same year, different classes'.
I nod trying to think of something cool to say. In the end all I can come up with is 'I'm two years above'.
I curse silently, wanting to impress this pretty girl. She nods again.
'I know'. She blushes deeply. 'I'd better go. See you at school, Katniss' she waves and turns round to leave.
When she's gone I look at Katniss.
'Why didn't you talk to her'?
'She's kinda… I don't know'.
I end her sentence, 'friendly? Nice? Funny?'
'Yeah, and I'm not'.
I sigh. Katniss has literally no friends apart from me. She could have loads if she wanted, she just doesn't try.
As we make our way back, I decide to dump my girlfriend Sienna. She was getting a bit clingy. Then maybe I could have a couple of dates with Flo. Just for her cuteness and curves. It wouldn't be long-term or anything. And to make her blush more…
Flo's P.O.V.
'I know! I can't believe I said that! Oh my god it sounds so stalkerish. Like I know where you live…'
Peeta laughs. 'Calm down Flo. You're over analysing this'.
'Am not! The hottest guy in school now thinks I'm a creep. Well done' I add sarcastically. 'I was only there 'cos of you and your crush on Katniss'!
'SHH! Not so loud'! Peeta looks round nervously to make sure nobody overheard me. I burst out laughing.
'Sorry! Your secrets safe with me'. I wink at him and he lightly punches my shoulder.
'Oww! Just cos you lluuuuurrrrrvve her'! That earns me another punch. I rub my shoulder and stick my tongue out at him. 'I wont do spying for you next time'! Peeta gives me the evils.
'Shhh. Mr Cartwright's coming' he whispers.
We were sitting in history class the next day. Peeta and me were at the back of the classroom. We had been best friends since we were little and he was still one of the only people I told everything to. Everyone always said we fancied each other but that wasn't true. He fancied Katniss and I just liked random boys. We had never been more than friends.
Halfway through the lesson he scribbled something on a scrap of paper and handed it to me under the desk.
Wanna help me out in the bakery tonight?
Sure what time? I handed the note back to him.
Bout 7?
Cool. See you there.
Gale's P.O.V.
I turn round to see the mayor's daughter (Madge I think her name was) standing timidly behind me. She narrows her eyes at my gaze. I don't think she likes me.
'Katniss told me to tell you she's sprained her ankle and can't hunt tonight. She wants you to bring some food for her'. And with that she turns round and swiftly walks off.
'BYE'! I yell after her. She doesn't look round.
Bloody marvellous. I now have to hunt on my own AND bring back extra food. Damn. I kick the locker. It rattles loudly and falls over. Suddenly I had an idea. I could ask Flo to come with me! I could teach her to set up snares and shoot. It would be a great chance to get to know her more.
So, at lunchtime I go down the 5th year corridor. Sienna gives me a dirty look as I pass her and I smile. From the stairs I spot the red hair immediately. Flo was standing by the lockers talking to a stocky blonde boy with bright blue eyes. I tap her on the shoulder and she turns round, blushing at the sight of me.
'I was wondering if you wanna come to the woods with me this afternoon'? I ask. 'Katniss has hurt her ankle'.
She frowns. 'So, I'm replacing her'?
I gaze deeply into her eyes and give her my most flirty smile. 'No. She's only my friend'. I wink.
Flo looks amused. Most girls normally go mad when I flirt with them this obviously. Maybe she was a lesbian? But she does answer:
'Sure. I'll meet you by the gate at 3'.
I smile and walk off. Halfway down the corridor I hear the blonde boy mimic me in a stupid low voice.
'No. She's only my friend'. Flo laughs then I hear the sound of her hit him.
'Shut up!' she says but bursts out laughing again.
Note to self: kill blonde boy.