DISCLAIMER: The Hunger Games was written by an amazing author named Suzanne Collins.
After the war ended, Gale and his family went to District 2 for a new beginning. Leaving all of the nightmares and pain from the war and from District 12 behind. He also left his feelings for Katniss behind. He figured it's Peeta who Katniss really loves and he gave way. He was even Peeta's best man on their wedding day. No prejudice there. He was glad for his best friend and constantly wished them well. Gale dated and he was happy, well, not really.
Gale sat on the bar. He cleared his throat and the beautiful blond beside him looked up expectantly.
"Why'd you bring me here, Gale?" she smiled that dazzling smile that made him like her so damn much. But somehow, he thinks that she had over used its dazzling-ness.
"I, uhm, ah, the thing is…" he trailed
"What is it, Gale? Tell me." She was still smiling.
Why is she still smiling? Doesn't she realize that I'm going to break up with her? Why am I even stuttering? I've done this countless of times before. Man up, Gale, man up.
He took a deep breath Here goes everything.
"I'm breaking up with you, Ivy."
She laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, but I think I heard you wrong. Did you just say that you're breaking up with me?"
"Yes"
He let that sink in and he noticed that she bowed her head and her shoulders start to shake. Oh, no. She's starting to cry. "Ivy, please, don't cry"
"How can I not cry, Gale? I love you. I did everything to make you happy." She's sobbing really hard now.
"I know you did. But this – "he gestured with his hand to indicate us
"- what we have is not going to work out. I'm sorry, I really am. But I no longer feel the same way about you." Why is breaking up so hard!
"Then tell me why, Gale. Tell me why you're breaking up with me." She said between gasps of air.
Because I'm tired of sweet, caring and, innocent girls. Because girls like you are all goody-goody and predictable. Because I want someone spontaneous. Because I want someone who's fun. Because I don't want to be babied by the likes of you. Because I want someone who's bad and not a spoiled little daddy's girl.
He had several reasons why he's breaking up with her but the main one is because he's bored. Nothing exciting ever happens. But he didn't dare say anything, instead he just told her that one morning he woke up and he knew that what he and Ivy had isn't going to work. Basically, he just repeated himself. She tried to convince him not to break up with her for half an hour but her attempts were futile. Gale would never change his mind about breaking up with her, not in a million years.
Ivy was a really bad idea. She clung to him like an ivy, like the plant that she's named after. She suffocated him, asked him where he is and what he's doing every hour, every minute and, every second. And in the end, Gale just have had enough.
Ivy calmed down a little, nodded at him and planted a kiss on his lips. She gathered her things and stormed out the bar without looking back.
I think she took it well. Gale smiled to himself. Free at last of the girl whom he thought he loved.
"Girls." Nick, the bartender, shook his head.
"I know." Gale leaned back on his seat at the bar and ordered a drink.
"Thanks, Nick."
He was finishing his drink when a really loud banging sound came from the direction of the door and he instinctively threw his glass at the person who entered. Some kind of post-war syndrome he acquired. He automatically assumes the worst around really loud and unexpected noises, like bombs exploding or guns shooting. It's a bit pathetic really.
"Watch it, jerk!"
Gale seemed to have realized that it was a girl's voice. He shot out of his chair and rushed towards the girl whose arm was bleeding.
"Oh God I'm so sorry are you hurt?" he blurted out and tried to touch the girl's arm. She jerked it back.
"I'm bleeding, you idiot! And don't touch me!" She shoved him harshly away from her and went straight to the bar.
"Hey, Johanna." He heard Nick say to her and something about District 7 which he didn't quite understand.
Johanna? Johanna Mason? The Victor from 7?
Gale tried to see the girl's face from his spot near the door. He heard her say something about a cloth and a vodka to Nick and the latter gave her both. Gale watched as she expertly wrapped the cloth around her bleeding arm and made his way back to the bar.
He sat beside her. "Sorry about that." Nodding his head to indicate her bandaged arm.
"Yeah, yeah." She finished her drink in two long gulps and looked up at him.
"Hey! I know you! You're Katniss' cousin!" She pointed her finger at him and he smiled.
To be perfectly honest, I'm not her cousin. We're not even related whatsoever. But he wouldn't tell her that, so instead he said "Yeah, that's me."
"Johanna Mason, right?" The last time her saw her was at District 13 where she had a pixie crop but now she has long brown hair in a tight ponytail.
"Yeah. What's your name again? Glass throwing jerk?"
"Uhm, no. It's Gale. Gale Hawthrone."
"Well, Hawthrone. Just because you're Katniss' cousin doesn't mean I'm not going to make you pay for what you did." She turned towards him and gave him a wicked upper cut with her good arm. Gale fell backwards with his chair from the unexpected blow. Gale heard Johanna and Nick laugh, he straightened himself and picked up the chair, rubbed his jaw and sat back down.
"I guess we're even?"
"Not quite, Hawthorne." She ordered another drink "Pay for my drinks and I'll call it quits."
"Okay, sure."
He sat there and listened to Johanna guffaw with Nick about how it seemed like he was in slow motion while he fell and watched her finish two bottles of vodka. She stood and made some kind of salute to Nick, patted him on the back and left.
He was thinking of how amazing it is that she can still walk after drinking all of that vodka and can still make graceful gestures like that salute and not even reek of alcohol or stumble while walking. When he heard Nick saying about Johanna being really nice but still one hell of a chick.
He paid Nick, asked him whether or not he knows where she's headed and ran outside hoping that he could catch up with Johanna Mason. He looked for her everywhere and sighed. He couldn't find her. Gale decided to swing by the school to pick up Posy and go straight home when he saw her.
Johanna was on all fours throwing up what must have been everything she ate for the whole day in a corner. He rushed towards her and started to trace soothing circles on her back when she stood and gave him a slap on his face.
"Oh. Hawthorne. It's you." She rolled her eyes at him and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Do you need any help getting home?"
"No, thanks. I can manage. And don't you even dare try to follow me home or I swear I will cut your throat." she narrowed her eyes as if to give him a warning, turned her back at him and started to walk away. Gale was staring at her and thinking what on earth did he do to make Johanna Mason so mad at him.
Oh, wait. I threw my glass at her.
That night, Gale lied awake on his bed. His thoughts didn't even linger on Ivy for a second but on Johanna Mason. For some unknown reason, he's attracted to her even though she treats him trash. And he can't stop thinking about her. Maybe, just maybe, Johanna Mason is whom he really needed in life.
A/N: I hope you guys like it. Reviews are much appreciated. :)