I couldn't understand. I didn't really want to. Gale, he was always such a good friend to me. Not as close as Katniss Everdeen ever was, but close all the same. I was always slightly jealous of Katniss, because I knew he always liked her, but I was never expecting this. I pulled away quickly and looked at him in disbelief. What was going on? Why was he doing this? Was it to get me to shut up, because he did a great job of it there! Or was it because he actually wanted to? My eyes met his grey and I kissed him back. I don't know how long we stood there for, but it felt like an age. We may have stayed like that for an age if it wasn't for Gale's communicuff going off. We broke away once more and he looked down to see who was calling.

'It's Coin. It must be urgent, or she wouldn't call at this time.' He said, quietly. What was the time? How long had we stayed there? He looked at me as if waiting for a reply, but I couldn't think of what to say. What did you say when something like this happened?

'Gale? What…?' I began, but he cut me off.

'I have to go.'

He turned to leave, but he wasn't getting off that easy. I grabbed his wrist, and he turned around again. 'What do you think your doing? What, you kiss me then you leave, without giving me an answer? How ignorant are you? I was annoyed now, and you could tell by the tone of my voice. He was too when he answered.

'Ignorant? Ignorant! I have to go or I may lose my position!'

'Really? Really, Gale? I'm sure they wouldn't miss you for the 30 seconds it may take you to explain where your coming from?' I said, my voice growing louder.

'Oh right, 'cause your so smart tell me, where do you think I was coming from?' he said in a harsh tone that made my flesh crawl. This wasn't like him.

'I don't know, did you think you would make the pain easier? Maybe you thought 'Oh! She just lost her family, so why don't I kiss her and leave just to make it all better again?' I was shouting now. My temper rising. Gale looked at me, not with anger, but with, was it pity?

'Do you really think I would do something like that? Is that what you think of me? I didn't think you were that low, Holly, I really didn't!' he said in a quiet voice that struck me like a knife.

'So what was it then, Gale, because I really would like to know, and be honest!'

'Maybe it was the fact that I actually care?'

This stopped me. Care? Was it right that Gale Hawthorne cared about me?

'Gale? What do you mean?' I asked slowly, wishing the answer I thought was right.

He took a deep breath and said, 'Because I love you.'

'You what?'

'I love you.'

Silence. That was what followed. The whole room was ringing with a deafening silence. What did I say to this? I love you too? Because that was what I had known for long time. I just didn't know he loved me too.

He sighed again. 'Well? Say something?' He folded his arms and added , 'You do realise that I am getting later and later for this urgent meeting with Coin's lot?'

'Gale, I'm sorry. Your not ignorant at all! I love you, Gale. I'm sorry!' I said, crying slightly, ashamed of what I had said. He took hold of my hands.

'What did you say?'

I took a deep breath and said again, 'I love you.'

He smiled slightly and said quietly, 'now lets try that first kiss again?'

And he kissed me again, not like before, but almost like he would never see me again. I kissed him back. I relised now something I had never admitted to myself properly before. I love Gale Hawthorne.