Chapter 4
After getting over the initial shock of realizing I have two dates tomorrow, I quickly head to my closet and I search through everything to find something suitable to wear. I am not saying my family is poor, but the only beautiful dress I have is for the reaping for the 74th Hunger Games, which is in exactly one month. It is a pretty plain blue dress, and I am supposed to save it for the reaping, but this is an emergency.
I plan out how I am going to do things tomorrow night, and then I take a cold bath in the water bucket.
The next day, at school I don't pay attention. I think about Gale and Peeta. Maybe I should just call one of them and rescheduele. But that would make me feel bad. And believe me, I cannot deal with guilt.
It is Six forty seven. Gale should be here soon. Prim set up the dining room table with candles and even roasted the turkey I shot in the woods yesterday. She topped off the elegant dinner with asparagus and fresh tomatos picked from Farmer McGill's garden.
I hear a knock, and I open the door. For the first time in my life, I see Gale Hawthorne wearing a suit. An actual suit. Throughout my whole time of knowing him, the only thing he wore was a stained white T-shirt and blue overalls.
I greet him, and hang his silk jacket on the coat hook.
"Nice to see you, Katniss," He says, "You look beautiful."
"You look handsome," I say.
"It smells delicious in here," He says.
When he enters the dining room, his eyes widen with surprise and delight. He pulls out a chair for me, and I sit down. Gale walks over to the other chair and sits down.
"This is amazing," He smiles.
"Thank Prim, she cooked the turkey and boiled the asparagus," I say.
As we eat, the only thing I can think about is Peeta. He is probably sitting in the bakery right now waiting for me. The guilt overpowers me, and I stand up.
"I'll be right back," I say.
I exit my house silently, and I take off my high heels, leaving me barefoot. Then, I make a mad dash to Peeta's bakery.
I arrive there breathless. Peeta opens the door for me and I smile.
"You look beautiful," Peeta says.
"You look handsome," I reply.
"Please, sit down," He says.
The Bakery lights are off, and the smell of fresh, warm bread makes me drool a little bit. He directs me to a table, that has many different types of bread and pastries.
I sit down, and he does too. I grab for a roll and I stuff it in my mouth.
"I'm so sorry, I'm being so rude," I say with my mouth full.
"Don't worry, It's fine," He laughs.
"Thanks," I say.
There is an awkward silence as each of us takes a piece of bread and munches on it.
"So, Katniss, I need to talk to you about something," He says.
"What?" I ask.
"Well, Katniss, you're one of my best friends and I think that you and I should,"
I cut him off. "I have to go to the bathroom,"
I get up, wipe my face, and dust the bread crumbs off my dress. I run out of the bakery like there is a stampede of cows chasing me.
When I get back to my house, I immediately sit down by Gale.
"That took a while," He says.
"I had a stomach ache," I lie.
Over the next hour, I switch between Gale and Peeta, engaging in deep coversation with each of them, and then abruptly leaving. I can tell they are both starting to get annoyed, but in order to keep them both happy, I need to keep switching.
After my date with Peeta ends, he gives me a kiss on the cheek and then I leave.
At my house, I get ready to end the date with Gale.
"Katniss?" He asks.
"Yes?" I answer.
"We have been friends for a long time, and I think that we should take things to the next level," He says.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Katniss Everdeen, I love you," He says.
My heart stops. Gale Hawthorne likes me?
"I love you too," I say.
He leans across the table and kisses me on the lips. It lasts for about ten seconds.
"I have to go," He says. And with that, Gale Hawthorne disapears into the dark night.