Title: Strawberry scent

The countdown for the games had just started and everyone in the square waits patiently. Dead silence filled the square and there is a slight grim feeling to the atmosphere this year as compared to previous games where they would all just feel…dead with emotion. But this year was different. Madge could feel it and it wasn't because that her one and only friend was chosen. She could see it in the downcast eyes of the people in District 12. They all share her pain and sorrow. This was the girl who sacrificed her own life to save her dear sister. At only 16, she had shown great courage and devotion that the people here looked up to.

Madge stood at the front of the square this year as compared to previous years where she would just stand at the aisles of the square with Katniss. She hated watching the games but it was part of the school's curriculum to gather at the parade square where large TV screens were installed and watch. No one is to be excused. So she and Katniss would just stand at back row or the aisles and talk quietly among themselves. But this time round, she didn't have anyone to talk to and as much as she hated watching the games, she had to. Katniss's last moments would be shown on screen. No matter how painful it would get, she had to stay strong. For her. Madge knew it was pointless. Watching her in the games isn't going to increase her chances of survival but it was the only thing she could hold onto at this point. As the countdown comes to a 0, Madge held her breath awaiting the horrors.

It was awful. The sight of blood and death churns the insides of her stomach as they threatened to come out of her body. She had to excuse herself to the washroom for fear she might throw up anytime soon. She washed her hands on the sink and looked at the mirror. Her face showed immense terror. The same terror that was reflected in Katniss's eyes when she nearly got stabbed by the District 2's flying knife. In an instant, she found herself staring back at Katniss's reflection rather than hers. She shook her head vigorously to rid of the image and walk out of the washroom without a second glance.

As she made her way back to the square, she found a group of students gathering at the sidewalk. They had crouched together in a small circle and heads bent low so as to obstruct anyone's view of what they were up to. When Madge crept closer to get a better view, she found out they were Seam kids by the way they were dressed and the heavy Seam accent in their soft murmurs.

"10 pennies that she'd last till Top 4"

"No way! Did you see how that district 2 gal almost killed her? She's all ready to pounce on her, man! She'd be lucky if she doesn't die by the end of today!"

"Nah…I bet she got more chances than that bread boy. He's such a softie, I think my little sis's can kill better than him!"

"5 pennies he'll die before noon?"

Madge was disgusted. They were betting on the lives of their ex-schoolmates. And here she thought that this year, they would sympathize with the tributes a little bit more because of the girl who sacrificed herself.

She walked away from the group, not wanting to hear anything more. It wasn't in her place to say anything to them. Betting among the Seam kids was a common sight. They needed money fast and easy and betting was a risk they were willing to play. What Madge found funny is that they would only bet among the Seam kids, never with the Town kids who had a lot more pennies to bet on. It was as if their bets only result on which family among them would have no food on their table that night.

'Maybe they just don't like us' Madge thought. But considering herself as a town kid was an understatement. The term 'town kid' is no fit for a mayor's daughter for seam kids hang out with other seams and the town kids hang out with the other town kids. But nobody wants to hang out with the girl whose father had relations to the Capitol. She felt as though the kids here treated her as one of the 'Capitols'.

Brushing off the thoughts, she decided to bail on watching the games and started walking over to the small meadow just across the sidewalk. There, it was quieter and more serene. She glanced around to see if there were any teachers and swiftly swoop into the gap of the metal grid fence. She breathed in the heavenly scent of grass and daffodils that filled the meadow. She trudged deeper into the unkempt meadow where the grass had grown up to her knees. She halted to a stop when she found out that she wasn't alone in the meadow. Apparently, someone had the same idea of escaping too and he was sitting idly with his back facing toward her. Her eyes took in the tousled dirty brown hair, rugged hunter's vest and the broad shoulders.

'Gale'

Upon realizing who it was, she contemplates on whether to continue on walking and sit together with him. She knew, for sure, he wouldn't be too happy to see her. If the kids here already treated her as one of the Capitols, Gale had treated her as if she was President Snow's granddaughter herself. She knew Gale wasn't fond of her. She wasn't blind nor ignorant but that hadn't stop her from answering the door every Saturday morning when the pair of young hunters arrive with the usual bag of berries. She would be lying if she had to say she didn't have a slight crush on this avid hunter here.

And seeing him now, alone, Madge had only wanted to sit with him and comfort him and maybe even make him less resentful towards her. But she wasn't daring enough to do that for fear she would only get her heart ache further if he were to reject her presence. She was only starting to walk her back when she heard his voice call her name.

"Undersee"

Madge turned to look at him. He still had his back facing towards her so how could he knew it was her?

Gale wasn't sure why he called her name. He had sensed someone had entered the meadow when his sensitive hunter's ears picked up the metal grating sound. He had heard the trudging of footsteps come closer but he couldn't make out who it was. When the footsteps came to a stop, he wondered why the person had done so.

As the chill air blew between them, the sharp hunter picked up the scent of this newcomer. The scent that the wind carried was sweet and light. It was a rather familiar smell. It reminded him of the woods strangely, of him and Katniss wandering around of the small patch patches of grass to pluck…Strawberries! The same faint strawberry smell that also hovered around the blonde girl when he came to deliver her the berries.

That was how he knew it was her. It also made sense why she he had paused just now. Gale didn't hide his hostility towards her and she must have thought he hated her enough to not want her to be around. True, he wanted to be alone but he felt a sense of guilt when he heard the sound of footsteps drawing away. Unable to cope with this guilt, he had unknowingly called her last name.

"How….how did you…?" She wavered

"You wanna sit?" He turned to face her, with slightly gentle eyes and patted at the patch beside him.

Madge slowly walked over and quietly sat beside him.

"You too, huh?" He mumbled.

"Yeah…" She said quietly, not knowing what else to say.

They sat there in silence before Gale finally spoke up.

"Why did you stop" He said quietly.

"What?" Madge understood the question perfectly; she just didn't want to answer it. She couldn't.

"You wanted to go back when you saw me, didn't you? Why?" His silver-grey eyes were trained on her blue soft ones.

Madge let a few seconds passed by in silence. She wasn't sure how to answer this.

"I…I thought you wanted to be alone. I didn't want to bother you" That was a reasonable answer and she was telling the truth. Just not all of it.

Gale nods, accepting the answer but he knew there was more to it than just that.

"Gale"

"Mmm?"

"How did you know it was me?"

"Just a hunch, that's all" He shrugged, not wanting to tell her the truth. He looked back at her, disappointment apparent on her face as she slightly pouts.

He gave a sigh. "I figured…you would be the only one to want to get away from watching the games. Katniss doesn't have any friends, besides you and I"

Madge wasn't sure why her heart jumped slightly at the thought that Gale had claimed her to be a friend of Katniss. No one actually officially acknowledged her to be Katniss's friend. Besides, who was she, really compared to Gale, the guy that hunted with her and took care of her as well as her loved ones. They had been through thick and thin, one another dependant on the other for survival.

What about her and Katniss? What had she done for Katniss except giving her a mere gold pin that would not even do any significance at all in the games. She realized on the reaping day after her meeting with Katniss in the justice building that she hadnt been much of a friend to her at all.

But after hearing what Gale had said, she felt a little less guilty.

"…Though i didn't know you two were close" Gale continued on.

Madge gave a questioning look towards him.

" I mean, yeah i saw you two together at school all the time but didnt really think that you two had anything else in common besides school. It was a bit odd for me to process why a seam would end up with the mayor's daughter"

Madge felt her heart cringe a little at that term he used on her. Seeing her pained expression, Gale felt a twinge of regret mentioning this.

"But i knew you must have really cared about each other because i saw you at the justice building that day."

"Yes…well i wanted to say goodbye to her" She sniffed. She casts her eyes down and fiddled with the grass, not wanting to let him see the tears that was brimming in her eyes. God, why did she have to be so emotional at a time like this.

Madge remembered that day vividly. After she left the building, she had ran home and cried her eyes out.

"And you gave that pin to her?"

Madge nodded, surprised at how sharp Gale really was. He had noticed the pin peeking out of Katniss's black jacket when the cameras zoomed in on her at the start of the countdown.

"Why?'

"As a token. I thought she needed something to remind her of home."

Gale wasnt exactly sure how a golden bird pin would remind her in any way of District 12. To be honest, he felt a little bit jealous that Madge's pin had been her token and that he couldnt give Katniss anything. But he decided to brush away the thoughts.

They exchanged no more words and continued sitting there in serene silence