A/N: Quick update- don't get used to it. This is to demonstrate how the chapters will work- each from a different person's point of view. This is Gale's.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.


I'm practically floating on my way to the Hob. Telling Katniss my secret had actually made me feel more relieved, and now I'm reaping the benefits of spilling my news. It makes it all the more real to me- that Madge Undersee actually talked to me.

Sure, our conversations are never deep or meaningful- 'Hey, how are you?' 'Good, are you a hunter?'- but I constantly replay them in my head.

Just a month ago, I felt she was unattainable, and now, she's closer than ever. Yes, she'll be getting married in a year, but in that year, she won't constantly have Effie breathing down her back. At that point, Effie will be too busy planning the wedding then messing with me.

I glide into the Hob and make my trade- a rabbit for a bushel of the finest berries I can find and a couple coins for a few ears of corn. I make these trades with a serious expression on my face, all the while my insides are dancing. It's a dangerous dance- a mixture of elation and fury.

Tonight, it'll be required for us to watch Mr. Undersee announce his daughter's future husband, Rumor has it, the district will get a lot of money if the marriage takes. If not, Madge'll move on to another district, and… may the odds be in favor forever she discards.

I'd do anything to be that guy, and I'd never do anything to upset her or make her unhappy. I know they say beauty is only skin-deep, but she's more than just beautiful. She practically glows. Her personality shines through and makes everyone around her happier.

I'm lost in thought, thinking of the beauty, when I run into someone. I'm easily one of the taller people in District twelve, so I have to stare down at who I ran into.

And, of course, it turns out to be Madge Undersee.

"Holy shi- Madge!" I gasp. "I'm so sorry!"

I glance around and see no Effie anywhere, and I notice that Madge is breathing heavily. Her small hands are gripping my arms, and I notice a faint blush to her cheeks. "Are you… okay?"

"No." She tells me, and she begins panting. "I had to run away from Effie… but I have to tell you…"

"Tell me what?" I ask.

"Hide me!" She whispers with fear in her eyes, so I sling my food sack over my shoulder and grab Madge by the arm and drag her into the Hob.

"What is this?" She asks, mystified.

"My trading grounds. You can get anything you want in here, for the right price. I glance around and notice people are staring. "Follow me, people are getting curious."

Madge agrees and grabs my hand as we walk over to where Katniss and I usually keep our table. We crouch behind it, as its set on its side, and talk. "So what's going on?" I ask. Her hand is still wrapped around my own, and I try to hide my pleased expression.

"Today we announce my fiancé." She tells me, as if I don't know. I nod, playing along. "And, to be honest, I don't want to marry a complete stranger."

"I understand." I tell her, and she grins at me.

"At least someone gets it." She looks back to the door, the same door through which I spend most of my time staring out at her, and sighs. "Effie will probably have a cow when she realizes I'm not in the bathroom like I said I'd be."

"You lied?" I ask, mildly amused.

"Well, there was no other way of getting away from her. She's rather…" Madge starts.

"Nosy? Annoying? Meddlesome?" I offer. Madge shoots me a scathing look.

"Formal." She breathes out heavily. "And, of course, she's going to do her job well. But it's so frustrating. Anyway, they're making me announce my fiancé, and I don't even know him. Part of me never wants to, but I figured I'd ask… Do you know Peeta Mellark?"

Something clicks inside my head, and I know why Mr. Mellark suddenly has come into a lot of money, and why today is a 'special day'.

"Ahh, yeah. He's a good guy. A lucky guy." I try to murmur the last part, but Madge hears me.

"Why lucky?" She scoffs. "He's going to be shipped off to some new and frightening place to be married into a family that he didn't even ask for. What if he has a girlfriend, Gale? Or a sick family member? And I'm taking him away from that? I couldn't live with myself."

So, not only is she beautiful and sweet, but very compassionate. She's perfect.

"He's lucky because he gets to be with you. Any guy would be. Madge, you're gorgeous." I hear my voice crack on the last word.

She sighs. "I just hope Peeta Mellark feels the same way."

We sit in silence for a few seconds, until Madge breaks it with a giggle.

"What?" I ask, curious as to what brought about the sudden laughter.

"My name… it's going to be Madge Mellark. I hate alliteration."

"Alliteration?"

"It's a term for repeating consonants, more often used in writing. Like… Gale's grateful geese." She says my name and I can feel my face flush.

"You're smart." I tell her and she waves an arm.

"You can thank Effie. She's been my tutor while I'm out of the Capitol's schools. I finished school two days ago- my parents wanted me to have my education completed by the time I'm married so I can settle down and continue the family." She sighs. "This isn't what I want."

"It's crazy, how your life is all planned out for you." I offer. "I mean, no choice whatsoever… I can't imagine."

"You get a lot of choice?" She asks. I nod. "I'm so jealous."

I can imagine Katniss's jaw dropping at this- rich, beautiful Madge being jealous of us Seam rats? It's almost laughable. My thoughts must project on my face, because she shoots me a curious look.

"Never thought I'd hear anyone say they're jealous of me." I explain to her. "My life isn't easy, Madge, and sometimes because you have a choice, doesn't make it any better."

She's about to ask another question, I can tell, but we hear a shrill cry cut through the air. "Madge?" Effie's voice is panicky.

Madge sighs and gets up. "I'd better go calm her. Thanks for talking to me, Gale. I hope to see you later."

"You will." I assure her, and start to leave. However, Madge grabs me by my jacket and whirls me around and kisses me softly on the mouth. It's slightly awkward, because she's so much shorter than me, but I smile into the kiss and when she pulls back, I give her a look.

"I wanted to make a choice, and I wanted my first kiss to be my choice."

I give a sort of goofy laugh that I've never heard come out of my mouth before and watch her slink out the door of the Hob. I hear Effie give a cry of relief and feel a sense of déjà vu as Madge walks by the door.

It's different this time, though, because before she slips from my sight, she looks my way and shoots me a smile that makes my knees go weak.

I grab my game bag, which had been set on the ground, and run home quickly to get dinner to my mom. She'll be upset that it's taken so long, but there'll be no room for apologies.


I barely reach the front door when my sister and brothers come banging up to the front door. Posy flings it open, and I bend over and sweep her up into my arms.

"I missed you, Posy!" I squeeze her tight to my body, and set her down. She giggles and wraps her arms around my legs. I reach out with both hands and rub the heads of both Rory and Vick at the same time, and muss their hair up.

"Gale, is that you? You better have a good reason for bringing the food home so late!" My mom calls out, but her voice is good-natured. My mom's always good-natured.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, ma." I tell her, and hand the bag over. "We've got a little extra for tonight. Good pay today." I half explain to her as I walk to the living room and flip the television on. It's old and has one channel- the required programming the Capitol wants us to have- but it's better than having to sit out in the town square to watch on their giant projectors. I know a lot of the Hob regulars have to do that, and I'm grateful that my father's meager life insurance could afford us this.

I mute the t.v. and watch as two Capitol television personalities talk about tonight's ceremony. Apparently, they send a young man or woman to a district annually to pick a spouse- it's a two year process. They're not only choosing Madge's future husband, who I now know to be Peeta Mellark, but also picking the next Capitol teen and where they will go to get their future husband or wife.

Posy comes and sits beside me. "Madge sure is pretty." She smiles a gap-toothed smile at me as a picture of Madge fills the screen. Facts about District 12 are ticking along beside her image.

"Yes, very." I tell Posy, wondering if all six year olds have this uncanny sense of people's secret feelings, or if it's just my little sister.

"I hope she marries you." She tells me, and I practically choke on the breath I take in.

"Why do you say that?" I ask her, but she's already getting down off the sofa and heading into the kitchen.

"Time to eat, Gale!" My mom calls out, and I flick the television off and head into the kitchen. My brothers are setting the table, and Posy takes her special seat. My dad made it when I was the only kid in the house- it's built with a higher up seat so whoever sits at it can reach food easier. My mom sits beside Posy, to help her eat, and I pick a seat between Rory and Vic.

"I'm so glad you could get corn, Gale." My mom comments, and I grin at her.

"I know it's your favorite." I tell her, and dig in. She's fried up the rabbit meat and grilled the corn, so it's all warm and juicy. I remember a time when we had no money and most of our meals were cold or raw, so this is a huge step up.

"It's always nice to come home to a good meal and happy family." My mom smiles at us. "You all are such a blessing."

Vic, who's always silent, gives mom a solemn nod, while Rory, who's more outgoing, smiles at mom.

"It's you we're lucky to have, mom. You could be bad, like Mrs. Everdeen. Prim told me she doesn't even leave bed." Rory explains. I feel my face flush and I glare down at the plate. Even though he means nothing by it, it's still uncomfortable to talk about Katniss's home life that way. She doesn't even talk about it to me, so I feel like we're betraying her by bringing it up.

"Well that Prim sure has a mouth on her, doesn't she?" My mom laughs, trying to make a joke. "You keep an eye on that girl."

I finish eating as quickly as I can and make to get up, but my mom shoots me a look. "Just wait here with the rest of the family, Gale. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

It's true. My mom is always at work (she's a house keeper) and I'm either at school, hunting or trading. It's difficult, for both of us, but worth it to see the smiles on Posy, Rory and Vic's faces.

Sometimes, I'm grateful for the distance, because it'll only make my condemnation to the mines easier. I'll then have to get married to some Seam girl and start my own family, and leave my original one behind.

The Capitol isn't too fond of long-standing relationships in the districts.

Sometimes, it makes me feel as if they're reverting us back to animalistic behavior, disallowing us our ties and relations.

I think all this through as I watch my family eat. Posy's telling a story, getting excited in that little kid way, while Vick picks at his plate and Rory gulps it down quickly. My mom gets up and puts all our dishes away, then carries Posy to the living room. Rory and Vick follow suit, and I bring up the tail. All five of us squeeze together on the couch, and my mom turns the television back on. We're shown a live programming of the town square, where Madge is standing on stage with Effie to her left and her parents to her right.

"Greetings, people of District 12!" Effie trills into the microphone. "I just want to thank you all for tuning in. Today, we're going to announce the future husband of Madge Undersee."

She holds for applause from the people watching in the town square, and not surprisingly, there are a few claps.

"Now, now." She takes a suspenseful breath, but I already know who she's going to call. "Put your hands together for the next Capitol spouse, the third from District 12… Peeta Mellark!"

I hear a deafening roar from the crowd downtown and try to hide my unhappiness. Effie plays up to the crowd as Peeta walks on stage. His face is pale and sweaty, and I wonder why.

"He doesn't look very happy." My mom says, and I agree with her.

Peeta nervously takes the microphone and thanks the crowd. I know him from school- he's in Katniss's grade and he works at the bakery. Katniss doesn't talk much about him, but from what I hear, he's nice. Very kind and generous and has never gotten in a fight. The only negative thing said about him is that girls get ticked that he won't date them.

I put together his nervous expression and the rumors and wonder if he's gay, but quickly push the thought out of my head. He'd better hope, for his sake, that he like girls.

Peeta says a few more words, but I just pay attention to Madge, who's eyeing him carefully. Taking in his broad shoulders and curly blond hair. I wonder if she's thinking of me, when she looks to the camera, and winks quickly. I don't take much time to realize that it's for me, and I feel my heart skip a beat.

The screen immediately flashes to the Capitol people who were talking earlier, who are now discussing Peeta and Madge's compatibility. They also pull up a picture of a young man, who looks violent and angry, called Cato. Cato is off to District five for marriage. A script flashes along the bottom of the screen which says we are no longer required to watch the program, and my mom shuts it off.

"Well, wasn't that exciting?" She smiles at my siblings. "Time for bed, now!"

Rory complains, as usual, as Vick gets up and goes to our shared bedroom without complaint. Posy shares a bed with mom, but always asks me to tuck her in, so I lead her to bed while mom cleans up the kitchen.

I lay her on the bed and wrap a blanket around her, and give her a quick kiss on the head. She smiles up at me.

"Gale?"

"Yes, Posy."

"I'm sorry it wasn't you."

I pause, and watch as she quickly drifts off into sleep, before I respond, "Yeah, me too."


A/N: Poor Gale! Poor Madge! And Poor Peeta! Do you like my story so far? Is it okay? It's gonna jump from all different points of view, the next one is Madge's.