A/N: My first ever fanfic so be Nice ;) If you have any story title or other suggestions please PM me or put it in a review R&R, constructive criticism only please :P xxxx
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all hunger games characters/ themes/ quotes are from the brilliant mind of Suzanne Collins ;)
I wake up and the other side of the bed is cold. It's then that I remember I have slept alone for a while now. It's been a year since the divorce and I still can't get used to the idea of being alone. Not necessarily the fact that Gale is gone, but simply that I haven't really ever been completely alone.
When I was still living with my mother and Prim, my younger sister, we would have to share a bed as we couldn't afford another or even the space for one. We would comfort each other after nightmares, stay up with the other when going back to sleep and falling into that deep pit of haunting memories was just too painful. We were so close, and loved each other so much. I would do anything for my baby sister.
Everyone always thought I would marry Gale, I did too. We were inseparable, best friends, we got on so easy it was no wonder we ended up together. Gale was pretty clear of his feelings for me from a very early age. At first I was confused and a bit scared, seeing as I'd never had any interest in getting married or having children. When Gale proposed, I reasoned with myself that I would be spending the rest of my life with my best friend, someone I love; no matter what kind of love. I could have done much worse than Gale too; you could tell by the way the girls at school and at the hob would stare at him, he was considered a very attractive man. And I had to admit, I caught myself just gazing into those familiar, grey eyes and finding comfort in them. I thought I loved him. I did, just not in the same way he did me. His love for me was more intense, the way my mother had loved my father before he was killed in a mining accident when I was 8. My love for Gale however, was the same way I loved Prim. Unconditionally; but not romantically. We had relied on each other as hunting partners, as protectors, we would help each other when the winters were tough, but never for this kind of relationship.
This was part of the reason it never would have worked out, and why it didn't. We just weren't meant to fall in love in that way. I keep thinking that maybe I am simply incapable of that kind of love.
All this thinking of Gale was making my head spin. I got up out of bed, and took a cold shower to wake myself up. That was one of the perks my marriage to gale; we had been moved into a house for married couples soon after our toasting, and after we separated we were allowed to keep the house. A shower was a privilege we didn't have in our family seam home and even though I now have a reliable supply of hot water, I still find more comfort in the familiar cold water.
After my shower I dress quickly in a simple long sleeved top, trousers and my father's old hunting jacket. On my way out, I slip on my leather hunting boots, grab my bow and sheath of arrows and head out the door. I clear my mind of all thoughts of Gale and instead focus on hunting. I start at a light jog towards my favourite weak spot in the fence that surrounds district 12, and slide through the gap on my stomach. I start up my jog again until I get to my usual rendezvous spot with Gale. Immediately pushing him out of my mind, I carry on moving at a slower pace, my footsteps now nearly inaudible. I shoot down a few squirrels from the trees, hitting every single one in the eye, and came across a family of rabbits; 6 arrows for 6 rabbits. I set up a few snares and go foraging for berries and roots that I can sell or take over to my old house and the Hawthorne residence. There were no hard feelings after the break up and I still remain friends with the whole family, except Gale of course, who I hadn't seen since the day he left. I often wondered what he was up to... Damn it! I promised myself I wouldn't think about him anymore today. I find a nice patch of strawberries and I start to gather them. When all the best berries are picked, I move on to another nearby bush. I check to see if they are in fact edible and my father's voice comes back to me "Not these Katniss. Never these. They're nightlock. You'll be dead before they reach your stomach." I avoid the deadly berries and walk back down towards my snares. There's an additional two rabbits and I swiftly untangle them from the snare, pushing them into my nearly overflowing game bag. I continue my route back towards the hole in the fence, slide under again and make my way towards the hob.
The hob is an old abandoned coal storage warehouse that had gradually been converted into a black market. More and more stalls open up every year, and it is my prime trading spot. I sell half of the rabbits to the butcher, and trade another one for a bowl of Greasy Sae's mystery meat broth. Being from the seam, I'm not fussy; meat is meat. I left the hob and made my way into town where I know the baker will trade bread for squirrels, and the mayor will buy my strawberries. I stop by Mayor Undersee's house first. I know to go to the back door just in case there are any strict peacekeepers around, and I knock quietly. It is his daughter Madge, who I was friends with at school, that answers the door.
"Katniss, hi!"
"Hey Madge, haven't seen you around in a while"
"Yeah, I've been busy helping my dad with work. He says I'm a natural at this politics stuff"
"That's great! I have some strawberries for you."
"Oh yes, let me give you this…."
Madge hands over a fair amount of coins. I would complain that it is too much but she has told me before how she has so much money she can't spend it. Not that she is very rich; there just isn't a lot to buy in district 12 if you aren't starving.
"Well, I'll seeya round Katniss."
I smile at her and give her my thanks before making my way down the path to the centre of town. I know what times the baker trades with me as I have been there so often. He won't trade if his wife is around for my sake, as she despises all things associated with 'seam trash' as she calls me. Years ago, we were having a really rough winter, almost starving to death and she caught me rummaging through the bakery trash cans and threatened me with a rolling pin.
I'm a little later than usual as I spent too much time thinking of Gale this morning, so quicken my pace slightly. I'm almost at the door of the bakery and I don't notice when I walk straight into something. No, someone.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! That was completely my fault" A young man's voice says
"No I was in a hurry, I wasn't…" I stop mid-sentence realising who I have crashed into.
It's Peeta Mellark.
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Suggestions for the story are welcome (no galeniss though :P) xxx 3
To the guest asking me why I ended it there, thanks for being the first to review! Remember in my story there is no hunger games so Peeta and Katniss' only interaction was when he threw her the bread, so she was a bit shocked when she ran into him. (if that answers your question :P) I also was thinking of doing the next chapter in Peeta's pov? So we can find out what he's been up to and he will talk about his feelings for Katniss and other stuff Thank you to everyone that's already read/followed/ favourite/ reviewed :*