I'm encouraging all our silent readers to make themselves known and review! Still CookieCruncher here and I'm still happy that you're reading. Sorry for not proofreading enough, I'll do my best next time! I beg for your forgiveness if my Chicago facts aren't right. I used Google to look up for their train stations and streets :(

Disclaimer: We won't even bother disappointing ourselves by thinking we don't own THG… Oh great :(

Hey MiiMyselfandTime! Delly Cartwright was originally Vanessa Hudgens, and Delly Young was Vanessa Carlton :) SnowandJames4eva, thanks and yeah, we just changed the names ;) For ChrisHitch, thank you so much! :)

*Fun Facts* - If you don't know Ziggy, it's Miley's birthday gift for Liam for his 22nd birthday. Weird thing is, I've never seen Liam with the dog. And what do you say about Miley Cyrus becoming Miley Hemsworth soon?

Chapter 4

New friends

Peeta snapped out of his trance. And the first thing he asked himself?

Why would Gale tell a lie?

Speak of the devil, Gale came back, beaming. "What happened?" Katniss asked. "Bailey was throwing a tantrum over wearing clothes." He chuckled in response, shaking his head. A longing look masked his face as he thought of Bailey. Then he shifted his gaze to Katniss. He looked endearingly at her.

Peeta didn't want to see this. It was hard enough to know that his friend and extremely-close friend were together. But to see them looking at each other like some romance-induced couple, it had come to the point of unbearable situations. He was zoning out again, and he tried to shake the thoughts off his head. Stupid beam. Making him think of such stupid things.

"So, where're you two staying in Chicago?" Peeta asked curiously. "We're going to book a room in Hyatt Regency Chicago. Which reminds me, Gale, have you booked us a room yet?" Katniss asked. "Oh, hold up," Gale reached his left pocket for his phone.

"Oh, you could stay at my place." Peeta offered.

Gale stopped abruptly, and Katniss looked up.

"I mean, I've got a house there. So you won't have to pay for anything." He continued. "Oh, no, that's too kind." Katniss declined. "Yeah, we don't want to intrude." Gale agreed. "Nah, I'm all alone in that house. No worries." Peeta looked at their faces. Katniss looked like she was going to agree, but Gale was having second thoughts.

"Hmmm, why not?" Katniss looked up at Gale. "Do you want to?" Gale asked. "Sure," she smiled, nodding. Gale turned his head to Peeta and asked,

"Exactly where do you live?"

The train stopped at 1119 North Boulevard, Oak Park. Some people boarded off, including the trio. Delly and Bailey were moving on the next station. So, they went up to the road and looked for any empty cabs. Fortunately, they didn't have to wait too long. A yellow cab pulled over in front of them.

"Where to?" the driver asked. His eyes widened at the sight of the 'famous' Peeta Mellark. "Peeta Mellark?" he asked, eyes widened. "Yes, sir." Peeta smiled awkwardly. So he still was distinguishable after all. The driver got more surprised to see the very famous Gale Hawthorne and his girlfriend, Katniss Everdeen. "I'm sorry, Mr. Mellark, where to?" the driver asked yet again. "North Lotus Avenue?" Peeta clarified. "Sure, pitch in." he grinned. Gale and Peeta hauled the luggage in the trunk. After two good minutes of shoving 3 wheelies and 2 duffel bags, they shut the trunk and climbed in. How they managed to fit them, Katniss didn't know. Katniss sat at the back with Gale, and Peeta rode shotgun. "5407 North Lotus Avenue," Peeta informed, smiling.

The drive was eerily quiet for the three passengers. But they were thinking different thoughts.

Peeta was smiling at the familiar place he would go with his family on special occasions. Like Connor's graduation, their parents' anniversary. He recognized the Harlem Avenue where he used to take Diesel when he wanted some fresh air. They used to run around and chase Connor. Those were great memories to look back on.

Katniss awed at the clear blue skies with fluffy white clouds above. Spring was always her favorite season. Lush green trees patched up some empty spots between houses and buildings. She envied the people outside who got to take a whiff of the spring air. She wanted to open the windows and breathe in some air herself. This was the life she loved, carefree and innocent.

Gale, on the other hand, had troubled feelings. Katniss forgot all about Peeta, but Peeta knew her better than him. He glanced at Katniss beside him, and just one look at her, just the mere thought of her, made everything seem better. She was his own personal reliever.

The cab pulled over a large brick house which resembled some antique house. "You live here?" Katniss asked in a rather demanding manner. "No, we just use this as some form of rest house," he shook his head and pulled out his wallet to pay the driver.

"I got it," Gale looked at the meter and pulled out $30. "No, it's okay," Peeta handed the driver two $20 bills. "Look, if you're going to fight for it, pay $15 each." Katniss laughed at the two acting immaturely. Reluctantly, they paid and got out, getting their luggage and stopping in front of the house.

They made their way to the door, and Peeta fished his set of keys. He grasped the familiar metal key. He inserted it through the keyhole and it clicked as he turned it.

The house was large, and it only appeared to be an antique house. The inside was really modern. What made Katniss curious was, it didn't have that old house smell. It smelled like perfume, and it just didn't have that you-left-me-for-years-and-now-smell-the-dirty-stench-of-despair smell. "Was someone here before us?" Katniss asked. "Yep, my parents just came here recently." Peeta nodded. "I figured." She shrugged. She put the two duffel bags down. "This is beautiful," Katniss grazed her fingers over a coffee table and stopped to look at a picture frame.

It was a picture of Connor and Peeta, lying down flat on some bed. Feet raised up and chins rested on their hands, they beamed at the camera. (A/N: Have you seen this? Do you want to?) Peeta looked at Katniss and snatched the picture away. "That was embarrassing," Peeta laughed. "No, you were cute. Now gimme!" Katniss reached for his back, where he hid his hands that held the picture.

Gale looked at them, and remembered his lie to Peeta.

He had to do it. He had to lie.

All he wanted was revenge. Revenge for what Peeta did to him.

Gale was walking to Peeta's apartment, twirling a dog harness and leash in his hands. They didn't fit Ziggy very well, so there he was, looking for Peeta's door. He stopped at the cream white door and opened it. Peeta wouldn't mind. Best buds, right?

No, he didn't think so.

Peeta was there, sitting on the couch with someone. The TV was on, but the two people didn't mind the bluish light it sent. It was dark, the TV being the only source of light. The person Peeta was with was in an intense lip lock session with him. The girl had her hair in a loose bun. Not once did Gale think Peeta would do this, but who was he to intrude in his personal love life?

"Peeta?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

Both gasped and looked at him.

Johanna.

"Gale, come on, Peeta's going to show us rooms!"

Katniss tugged on Gale arm, still grinning. Peeta had put the picture frame on top of the fridge. "Oh, sure." He eyed Peeta once more before they went up the stairs. No, he had to let go of the past. He should be happy now. He has Katniss, and that was his target after all. To retrieve her from Peeta.

"So, Katniss, you could sleep here," Peeta opened a mahogany door and revealed an empty guest room with a fair-sized bed that could fit at three people the most.

"Wow,"

If Peeta could only count the times she'd awed throughout their whole trip, he'd need more fingers and toes. Then he remembered how she awed at almost everything she found 'impressive'.

Before her amnesia.

So she still had that trait…

"And Gale, you could sleep here," Peeta opened the opposite door. "Oh, it's okay. Katniss and I could share a room." Gale waved his hand in a 'shrug-it-off' manner. Peeta opened his mouth to say something, but shut it immediately. Wouldn't it be rude if he interfered with their romance?

"Oh… sure…" he said, a bit of gloominess coating his voice. However, it was not heard by the couple who were already looking around. So, Peeta had no choice but to tip his head and slowly, and really awkwardly, leave. He shut the door and made his way to his own room, cozying his self.

He felt his heart give a little tweak as he was reminded of his childhood. They often spent time in this place as a family before.

After mussing over memories once more, he went down the hall to knock on the guest door. After some soft thuds, Katniss answered the door, and he couldn't help the corners of his mouth from twitching upward. He just couldn't get over the fact that she was there, in front of him. That was enough.

"Have you settled in, yet?" he asked. "Yeah, but, um…" she bit her lip, cutting her sentence off. "But what?" he leaned in just a bit closer. "We're going to this pet shelter, to pick up a puppy Gale got." She replied, a bit shyly. "Oh, okay. I'll take you there. Where's Gale?" Peeta looked over her shoulder to see Gale talking to someone over his phone. "He's just calling over the shelter to make sure." Katniss shut the door behind her, and they walked towards the stairs heading to the first floor.

Someone tapped on the door, breaking the silence the living room had. Peeta jogged to the front doors and opened it.

His Aunt Meredith, who was ridiculously rich and ridiculously fat, was standing there. In her purple cashmere coat and pink silk dress (which worked perfectly with the pink Prada heels she wore. Josh swore one day those heels would give in and crack, humiliating his aunt in front of public), she had her Yorkshire terrier puppy Wicked with her. Poor little dog, she had to be squeezed between her owner's large sweaty arms.

"Peeta, my dear nephew!" Aunt Meredith embraced Peeta in a tight squeeze, enveloping him in a sea of about twenty heavy nauseating perfumes. "Hey—cough—Aunt Meredith," he pried her off gently off of him. Katniss stood on the middle of the stairs, not knowing what to do.

"I heard you were in town, and I need someone to look after Wicked! You wouldn't mind would you? Thank you, my boy. I'll see you in a few days, take care of her! Bye baby!" And with that, the woman handed her puppy in his arms, kissed the pup's head and dashed out of the house and in a waiting limousine before Peeta could have a chance to react.

So he was stuck with his extremely-close friend, his uh… friend and a nearly-fainting puppy. Great. How much worse could this day go?

"Who was that?" Katniss asked as she went down the stairs. "My aunt Meredith. Apparently, she chose me as her dog-sitter." He rolled his eyes, bouncing the pooch in his arms. "Oh, how cute!" she stooped down to pet the little head. "What's her name?" she cooed. "Wicked," he replied rather proudly, petting it.

"Katniss, they'll be expecting us in twenty minutes so… uh…" Gale stopped his jogging down the stairs and looked up to see them playing with the dog. "Gale, don't you think she's adorable?" Katniss waved a paw in the air. "You got it already? I thought—" "Oh, it's Peeta's aunt's." "So, are you ready to go?" Peeta asked the two. "Sure," Gale gave him one of his carefree shrugs.

"What pet shelter are you headed at?"

"South Western Avenue, Friends of Chicago Animal Care & Control." Gale read off his phone. A cab passed by, and Wicked started barking madly at it. The bright yellow cab stopped in front of them, and wordlessly, they climbed in and started their trip.

The room smelled of bleach, and muted barks, mewling and other various noises were heard from somewhere deeper inside the building. The lady on the desk looked like in her mid-forties, and she had strawberry blond hair that curled up to her shoulders. With a kind smile, she greeted them good morning.

"Good morning, sir, I'm Aisha, how may I assist you today?" she asked sweetly. "We're here to pick up Oreo, a Yorkshire terrier?" Gale asked. "One moment, please," she told them and picked up a telephone.

"Oreo, Yorkshire Terrier,"

A boy, about twenty, came appeared with a black soft crate in his arms. Two sparkling blue eyes flashed at them, and Wicked started squirming in Peeta's arms, itching to see her new playmate. "Here he is," pulling the pup out, the furry black and white body latched up on the boy's arm, brown head bobbing up and down.

Both puppies stiffened at each other.

Katniss looked back and forth at the two, Peeta pet Wicked's head, Gale got Oreo, the boy gave it to the rightful owner, and Aisha beamed. All that happened in a span of five seconds.

"New friend," Aisha smiled. "You two are going to get along real well," Katniss looked happy enough to see two new playmates for her. "So, I guess this is it…" Gale awkwardly muttered.

Arrangements had been done, needless to say. Katniss made the two get along while Gale signed some papers. "Hi, Wicked!" Katniss touched Oreo's paw with hers. Both yapped happily and jumped out of the arms they were tucked in. Chasing each other, they skidded through the bleach-white corridors. Katniss and Peeta laughed to themselves, calling them back.

Gale looked behind him to see them happily discussing. At first, one thought surfaced in his mind.

He was egocentric, greedy, narrow-minded and selfish.

Selfish to take Peeta's happiness and take Katniss away for his own satisfaction.

But another one materialized.

Peeta bought this up in his own good. After what he and Johanna did.

Maybe, just maybe, Gale deserved her.

Gale deserved Katniss.

He did… right?

FictionPress is being a meanie. It won't let us log in. If you want to read the Peetaifer fic, I'm gonna have to post it in my blog sometime next week, if FictionPress still won't let me in. Have a great day and thanks for reading! :)
P.S. Nameless, call me as soon as possible. We need to have a talk.