It was days before the warmth from Gale's smile left the pit of my tummy.

I had nobody to talk about it with, considering my only friend had been shipped off to compete in the Hunger Games, but I floated through the days with a dreamy smile on my face.

The next time I saw Gale was at school and I caught a brief glimpse of him in the hallway between classes. He didn't smile at me, but he nodded gently, and that was enough.

Though Gale's affection had left me feeling positively giddy I still couldn't lift the heavy sense of dread that followed me around. Katniss was everywhere I looked.

"Madge."

I turned and smiled when I saw the tall form of Thom walking towards me, his thin lips split apart in a soft grin.

"Hello Thom."

I was walking home - alone of course - when he sidled up beside me.

"How are you?"

I shrugged, "I'm alright. Coping, I suppose. How are you?"

"I'm fine." Thom's smile widened, "Listen I was wondering if you were free tomorrow night?"

I furrowed my brows, "Tomorrow night?"

"Yeah." He seemed almost embarrassed, "It's my birthday and uh, some kids are getting together for a kind of celebration."

I blinked. Was Thom actually inviting me to a social event?

I couldn't believe it.

"Madge." His dark eyes glittered, "Are you even listening to what I'm saying?"

"Oh. Yeah, yeah." My cheeks heated up violently, "Uh…I'd love to go." Despite my efforts to keep my voice solid, my tone shook and I could've kicked myself over the head for it.

Way to sound entirely too excited over the prospect of a party Madge. It's not like everyone didn't already think I was a total social leper, anyway.

"Great." Thom slung an arm around my shoulder, "I'll come pick you up at around seven, is that alright?"

"Uh - seven, yeah sure. Great." I was smiling so widely it felt like my mouth would fall off.

He squeezed my shoulders in a sort of side-hug.

"I'd better be off then." He licked his lips, "My mom will kill me if I'm late for dinner again. Especially the night before my birthday."

"Right." I attempted a weak smile as his arm fell off my shoulder and he started walking backwards.

"See you tomorrow Madge!"

"Bye!" I waved him off and he gave me one last ear-splitting smile, before he disappeared into the tall, grey buildings that led towards the Seam.

It was then that I realised how loudly my heart was thundering against my chest.

I was certain he'd heard it. How could he have not?

Another hot blush crawled up the length of my cheek and I shook my head, suddenly giggling when I realised what had just happened.

I had been invited to a birthday party. And not because one of the Town kid's mother's had forced them to send me an invitation, but rather because Thom had wanted to invite me.

I was sure my luck had taken a turn for the extraordinary.

…

I spent almost three hours getting ready the night of Thom's birthday party.

It had taken me absolute ages to get my hair to curl the right way, and poof up just the way I wanted it to.

Then of course I had to do my make up, which nice as it looked, sort of made me feel like a fish out of water.

I slipped into the pale yellow, frilly dress that made me feel like a pastry and looked at myself once again in the full length mirror in front of me. I patted my hair back into place and slicked on a final layer of pink lipstick before deeming myself acceptable.

My father was sitting on the couch when I stood in the doorway of the front room nervously, playing with the hem of my dress. He looked up and quirked a dark brow, his face scrunched up in what seemed to be confusion.

"Madge?" His tone was questioning, "Where are you going?"

"A birthday party," I answered quietly chewing on my bottom lip.

"Who's?"

"Thom's." My voice dropped to an even softer volume.

"That boy from the Seam that's been following you around?" He scowled, "Margaret you know how I feel about…things like this."

I rolled my eyes tiredly, "Things like what father? Friends?"

"I just don't don't like the idea of you traipsing around with boys like that."

My blood boiled hotly and I scowled, "Boys like what father? What are you trying to say? "

"Madge." He pinched the bridge of his nose, "I know you miss Katniss but that doesn't mean that you should just…throw everything away for a few hours of fun."

"Aren't you being a little bit unfair?!"

"I'm only being realistic!" He answered, his volume rising, "You don't belong with people like that!"

"Enough!" I screeched, tears suddenly streaming down my cheeks, "I can't believe you would say something like that father! After everything the Capitol has put us through you'd think you would be past this!"

My father's face softened at the anguish painted clearly across my features and he reached out towards me softly, "Madge…"

"No." I jutted out my chin determinedly, "I am going to this party father and I'm going to have fun. With, or without your blessing."

And with that I turned away from him abruptly, ignoring his attempts to call me back and racing out of the front door. I was so busy being furious at my father that I didn't notice the tall, broad figure that had been standing on my porch. I barrelled into said figure, headfirst, and tore back, disorientated.

"Oh my goodness! Thom!" My sight was blurred by tears, "I'm so sorry - "

My breathe was caught in my throat when I saw who was looking down at me strangely. It wasn't Thom - but rather a certain dark-haired Hunter who had been invading my thoughts for a very long time, now.

"Gale." I whispered, wiping at my eyes harshly, "I - uh…" I looked up at him dumbly, my mouth hanging open.

"Undersee." His unfathomable grey eyes darkened, "Are you crying?"

I shook my head furiously and ducked my face from view, "Forget it." I said, my voice wobbling uncontrollably, "Let's just go."

He furrowed his eyebrows and I followed him wordlessly as he stepped down, our feet crunching against the fresh gravel.

We made our way through Town silently, afraid that if I spoke my voice would crack and I would start crying again.

Gale's presence, though intimidating, was also strangely comforting, and when he sighed heavily and grabbed my arm, I wasn't really that surprised.

"Undersee." He grimaced, "I hate to pry but really…are you sure you're okay?"

I sniffled and nodded, "Yes." I croaked, "I'm fine."

He gave me a wry, lop-sided smile and my heart flipped over clumsily the way it always did when Gale looked at me like this, "You sure as hell don't look fine."

"But I will be." I wiped my nose, "Come on Gale. Let's just go."

He gave me another sharp look, before nodding resolutely, and leading the way towards our destination once more.

"Why did you come for me anyway?" I asked curiously, "Thom said he'd pick me up…"

"He got held up last minute. Since I'm the only other person who knows the way to your house, he asked me to do it for him."

"Oh." I nodded gently and ignored the way my pulse was still racing from his closeness.

Maybe I would never get used to him and the way he made me feel.

The buildings were getting smaller, and smaller. More dilapidated and less elegant, and I could tell we weren't in Town anymore.

"You still okay?" Gale's voice breathed from beside me, and I could punch him for what his question was implying.

"Of course I'm okay." I answered indignantly, "It's not like I've never been in the Seam before."

He quirked a dark brow but said nothing, instead stopping in front of a small house with what looked to be rotting floorboards, but a cute little chimney and windows that were thrown wide open and laughter spilling from the inside out.

"This is it." He told me, "Thom's house."

I nodded and allowed Gale to grab my arm as he led me up the rickety steps, my skin sizzling from the contact.

When we were at the front door, my heart suddenly crawled up my chest and rested in my throat, and I turned to Gale almost desperately, my eyes wide.

"Do I look okay?" I asked, worried that evidence of my tears remained stubbornly put on my cheeks.

Gale tipped one side of his mouth up, "You look ridiculous, Undersee."

My mouth dropped open and I stared at him, my heart dropping from my throat right down to the tip of my toes, "What?"

"I said." He arched a brow, as though challenging me, "You look ridiculous."

My cheeks burned hotly, and I felt tears squeeze out of my eyes again.

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence Gale." I squeaked out, "Really means a lot." I whipped around and made to walk down the steps and away from him not quite sure where on Earth I intended to go, when Gale's big warm hand landed on my elbow.

I swivelled back, a hard glare still set in my eyes, but my heart betraying me by fluttering uncontrollably.

"Let me clarify." He dropped his grasp and gestured towards my make-upped face, "You don't need all of this to look okay Undersee." He shrugged, "I always sort of admired that about you - that you weren't like all the other Town girls - fawning over boys at every chance they get and wearing make-up to bed." And then he smiled again - a real, beautiful Gale smile that knocked the wind right out of me, "Sure it looks good on you, I suppose, but I like you better without all the make-up and fancy hair." He licked his bottom lip, "Maybe I'm just old-fashioned."

I gaped at him wordlessly, my eyes practically bugging out of their sockets and he chuckled, "Hey, careful there Undersee. You trying to catch flies, or what?"

My mouth snapped shut and I shook my head, suddenly dizzy.

"Did you just…compliment me?"

Gale tilted his head to one side and nodded, "Huh…I guess I did." He looked unaffected by the entire thing and really that was what set my heart racing, "Don't get too used to it though, Undersee."

"Thanks." I croaked out, tugging my hair behind my ears nervously, "I guess."

"No problem." He smirked and then sighed, "Now do you think we can finally get to celebrating Thom's birthday?"

I nodded gently, the butterflies still crawling angrily across my stomach, "Yeah, yeah, sure of course."

I spent the rest of the night laughing at Thom's irresistibly cheesy jokes and trying not to let my gaze wander over to a certain dark-haired Seam boy who had most certainly won my heart.

It was on Thom's birthday that Gale Hawthorne complimented me for the first time ever. And though he'd told me not to get used to it, I couldn't help but hope that this would be the first of many, many more.

…