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GALE POV AGAIN

CHAPTER TWO

A gasp fills the crowd as everyone takes in the fact that there has been another volunteer. Two volunteers on the same day in District 12.

A wide berth is formed as I step forward towards the stage. I sneak a peek back at Peeta, who is standing there, stricken, scared. He also looks relieved and his eyes seem to say thank you. I give a slight nod and continue my way up to the stairs. I stare up at Katniss's face and I see the second shock of her day register.

"No! Gale! No!" Her voice cracks as she screams at me. I shake my head and continue my journey. She's still screaming and she's trying to run towards me but the Peacekeepers restrain her. "Gale! GALE!"

I finally get to the stage and I walk up the few steps to the podium. I stand next to Katniss who looks at me with an anger in her eyes that I'm dimly afraid of. She whispers, "How could you?" and my heart breaks at the sadness and defeat in her voice.

"I had to." I say it quietly, only loud enough for her to hear. She looks at me, her eyes dark and black, like holes in space.

"Ah… what an unexpected turn of events." I hear Effie's voice continue but I can't hear anything.

What have I done?

I'm waiting in a room for my family to come and say goodbye. Katniss is in a different room.

Will anyone come?

My mother walks in, my father close behind. (a/n Gale has both parents right? Does he have any siblings? I can't remember) My mother is weeping openly and even my father's eyes don't look dry. My mother and father come to hug me and they squeeze me tightly. I squeeze back and I'm overcome with a sadness at the thought of never seeing them again.

I have to win.

But… Katniss.

What have I done?

My parents leave. I think that that's going to be the last of it when an unfamiliar face walks in.

Peeta Mellark.

"Hello, Gale."

"Hello, Peeta."

"Look, I know we've never said a word to each other before but I just wanted to say thank you. But you didn't have to. I was perfectly okay with going to my death." His words are tinged with sarcasm and bitterness.

"It's okay. Katniss is my best friend. Of course I would volunteer."

I hope I sound confident. And brave.

"Well… thanks." He looks like he wants to say nothing more but he refrains himself. An awkward silence ensues.

He's not that bad looking. I mean, his blond hair is perfectly gelled and his facial features are proportioned and handsome to a girl I guess.

I clear my throat. "Well… you're welcome, I guess."

All of a sudden the doors open and three Peacekeepers come in. "Time's up." Peeta leaves the room with two of them and the remaining one takes me to a train. Then I see her.

"Katniss."

She regards me stiffly, her face betraying no feeling, no emotion, no expression. I'm scared for what's surely going to come next.

Sure enough, she walks over and slaps me hard, enough to make my face buzz with tingles and for me to recoil in an unmanly fashion.

"I hate you, bastard."

"Kat—"

"Gale, how could you do that to me? You were supposed to stay there and protect Prim! Do you even know what you've gotten yourself into?"

Prim.

I was supposed to protect Prim.

Katniss sighs and sits down. I sit next to her, though I'm still slightly afraid.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm glad you're here with me but I wish it wasn't for this. Not to die, Gale. You know in the end, only one emerges. If it just happens to be one of us, it'll only be one of us."

"Look, hey, shhh. I know. But I couldn't let you go without me."

"Why? What are you talking about?" Katniss looks bewildered.

I can't tell her so I say nothing.

"Gale…"

All of a sudden a sliding door opens and in walks Effie, a disheveled man trailing her with a beer bottle in one hand.

I'm glad for the interruption. Effie tut-tuts at our relaxed positions but says nothing. The guy behind her stands next to her, obviously drunk, or half-drunk.

"Hey guys." The dude gives a half wave and takes a swig from the bottle. "I'm Haymitch. I'm your tutor person. I'm here to help you with the games."

"What he means is, he's your Mentor and his job is to give you guys tips on how to survive the games as well as give you guys Sponsors," Effie says primly, pursing her lips. The man nods and takes yet another gulp. Katniss wrinkles her nose in disgust and says,

"Are you sure this guy is the right one?" Her voice holds a tone of mockery and disbelief.

"Little girl, you need to understand. I'm your only chance to survive." The guy looks at her with an innocent expression on his unshaven face.

"Then I guess my chances aren't very high then. They seem more like nonexistent." Katniss gets up and leaves the room. I smile at the two but they give me no acknowledgement so I get up and follow after Katniss.

"Catnip!" It's the first time I've used her nickname in a while.

She turns around. "What do you want, Gale?"

I don't know what to say. "Let's just… sit. Or something."

"Come to my room." I follow her into the room on the train where there is a small bed and a dresser. I lie down next to her on the bed. That's it, though I wish I could tell her how I really feel.

Now might be a good time to tell you that I love Katniss. We've been best friends for years and years, ever since we were children, but a few years back, my feelings grew past friendship. However, I know Katniss only thinks of me as her best friend, a brother even. Not a lover. Not a boyfriend. It's been harder and harder to hide my feelings, especially when we do things like this… lying in a bed together just as friends.

"Gale…"

I tense. Her tone is strange.

"I don't think we're going to make it. But I promise that I'll do anything in my power to protect you. You shouldn't be here."

"No, Katniss, no. I'm the one who volunteered. You need to live. For Prim. For your mother. For your family."

"I just keep thinking it would have been so much easier if it was that other boy, Peeta. I feel so horrible when I think that but it's true. It's going to be so much harder to lose you."

"It'll be the most hard to lose you." I don't know if that statement was grammatically correct but I leave it be.

I should just say it now. We're going to die anyway.

I love you. I've loved you for forever.

She sits up and leaves the room.

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