Girlfriend?

In the woods- 4 hours before the reaping

Gale and I are in the woods. In the fresh air away from my problems, however it doesn't seem that way today. Today in the woods, I'm still incredibly stressed out. In just a few hours, we will gather for the reaping where Prim, Gale, me, and every other kid in Panem could go into the Hunger Games and die. Gale and I have been sitting on this rock now, for a while, but we haven't said a word. We're both thinking. Suddenly his voice breaks the silence. "We could do it, escape into the woods."

"No, the Capitol has those big hovercrafts and everything. We wouldn't make it a week. And I don't know about you, but I'd rather live here than be tortured to death."

"Katniss, it sucks living here."

"It does... Don't you have a girlfriend? You'd leave her?"

"Girlfriend? I don't have one."

"Oh, so you broke up with her?"

"Who?"

"I don't know, I feel like you mentioned someone before or something. Besides, how would Gale Hawthorne, not have a girlfriend?" I say as I put my hand on his chest staring into his grey eyes, but then push him back with a smirk on my face.

"Haha, you're so funny. No, I don't like having a girlfriend, it's so much better just to fool around with different girls."

"Oh my gosh, please stop talking. I do not want to hear about your sex life." As much I don't want to hear more, it is nice to joke around him, especially when we both have to worry about the reaping.

"Hey, I never said having sex."

"I'm sorry, but what does 'fooling around' mean to you?"

"It means just not get attached to one girl. For now at least, it causes too much trouble in my already stressful life." It kind of does make sense though, that's why I've never spend too much time worrying over men. My life is already too stressful to worry over such nonsense.

"So, someone's gonna have a hard time finding a wife then?"I tease him. Almost everyone in the district is married, so it is expected of you to find a spouse a little after you finish school if not before then. I don't know about me, though.

" It's just that I don't need a seriously relationship now. I'm not speaking about in the future."

"Oh, okay." I say sarcastically, however Gale and I both know he won't have any problem finding a wife.

"Now, what about Katniss?"

"Will I find someone? Just look at me, I'm beautiful, and I can hunt, who wouldn't want me?" I say as I flip my braid over my shoulder and smile.

"Oh yes, hunting is on the top of people's priorities when it comes to finding a spouse."

"Yep."

We walk back into town and part our ways to get ready for the reaping. "Katniss, it's going to be fine. Everyone's going to be fine." He says as he pulls me into a hug. I want to believe that, I really do, but I can't. I give him the biggest smile I can muster to give both him and me more confidence and then walk back to my house.

Primrose Everdeen!" Effie shouts to the crowd of glum faces. Wait, what? Did she really just say that? Did I make that up in my head? No, Prim got called, Prim. Prim who had one slip in that bowl out of thousands. I see Prim white as a ghost slowly walking up to the stage. I can't let her do this. I cannot let her die. It is my responsibility that she stays safe and okay.

I start making my way out of my section pushing through people. I start going toward Prim, however Peacekeepers are there to keep me back. "No! No! I... I-" Can I do it? Can I find the small amount of courage inside of me and volunteer for her? "I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE." I walk to the stage with as much confidence and pride as I can muster because I know everyone will watch this, and I want them to understand that I am no weakling.

Effie says a few more words about the Capitol or whatever and then she announces the male tribute. Please don't be Gale, please don't be Gale.

"Peeta Mellark!" Oh no, not him. He slowly walks toward the stage just as dazed as I was only moments ago, however he doesn't even try to be confident, he stands there blank. Weak. They rush us into our rooms in the Justice Building.

Gale steps in the doors. I automatically rush into his arms. I need them right now. I need to feel safe, even if only for a second. "Oh my God, Gale. What am I going to do?"

"You're going to win, that's what you're going to do. It's just like hunting, and you are an excellent hunter."

"What?" He can't possibly think that I'll actually come out of this thing alive, can he? There are 23 other tributes, some of them careers, all of which ready to kill me.

"Get a bow, you can win Katniss, I know you can."

"They don't always have a bow." If I can't get my hands on a bow, then I'm definitely screwed.

"They will if you show them how good you are."
"Okay, okay..." I'll try I guess. I guess all I can do is hope. Hope that there will be a bow. Hope that I can get my hands on a bow. And that's so frightening to me, my fate could totally be determined by someone else. If the gamemakers don't want me to win, then I'll for sure die and there's nothing I can do about it.

Then I remember the most important thing I need him to remember. "Take care of Prim and my mom please?"
"Of course, of course." I know he will. He adores Prim, because well she's Prim and Gale's so sweet. I don't think he could stand by and watch as she starved.

"Gale you mean so much to me." This is the last time I will ever see him. Wow, that's such a sad thing to think about. I lean forward and kiss him. I've always wondered what it'd be like to kiss him. We've spend so much time together, we cared about each other, but we never dated or anything. I mean he is gorgeous with his gorgeous eyes and his hair and his ripped body, but he had his girls, and I never butted in. However, now kissing him, feeling the passion and warmth on his lips makes me sad I haven't ever kissed him before. Now, just as I'm about to die, I realize that I care about him, and have wasted so much time just being friends with him. We kiss again, probably the both of us wanting to seize the last few moment we will have together.

He pulls away but still leaves his hand on my face. We're both smiling, enjoying each other, forgetting the world around us, the fact that I am going to die, just for the moment. "But, Katniss, you're going to come back to me." A guard comes in to take him away as I try and flash him a smile. I am on my own now. I will never see my friends and family, ever again.

Okay, so thanks for reading! I am going to skip the whole Hunger Games, because I want the story to take place after the games, but I just wanted to include a few changes in Katniss and her relationship with Gale.