CHAPTER 4

I walked up to the podium and looked up, I saw Gale looking at me and when our eyes met he gave me a smile and wink. You can do this.

"I'm not exactly the best at giving speeches, well, I suck," cue laughter throughout the crowd, "but I think that a few people deserve some sort of thanks from me. First, I want to thank Haymitch for his support and help throughout our stay in the Capitol. He may not be exactly what Peeta and I were expecting, but he's a big part of the reason we are standing here today. Next, I want to thank the people of District 11, for helping me at a vulnerable time in the Games. Rue was a great person and I don't think I could ever forget her." Now it was time to be in love. I turned around and looked at Peeta, filling as much emotion into my eyes as possible, and smiled a big, bright, smile. "Last, I want to think Peeta, without him I could have never walked out of that arena alive, and I would never want to."

The crowd stood and applauded like they did when Peeta gave his speech. I let out a big breath that I realized I had been holding and went over beside Peeta and took his hand. In the crowd, I could see Haymitch giving me an approving nod. Peeta handed me a handkerchief and I realized that I was crying.

We walked down the stage and stood with our families. I released Peeta's hand to go stand beside my mother and Primm. Gale came over and whispered something in my mother's ear. She nodded and looked at me, a smile playing on her lips. Gale signaled for me to come to him and I followed as he led me out of the square, and towards the woods. We went to our usual hiding spot and just stood there, staring at each other. I could not help but think about how much we had changed since we last stood here. The look on Gale's face told me he was thinking the same thing too.

"Nice dress," he said as he sat down.

"Nice dress? That's what you called me out here to say? Gale, you could have just talked to me back-

"It's not all I wanted to say, idiot." He smiled to let me know he was kidding, "I wanted to say sorry." The smile was gone, and his look was genuine.

"Sorry?" I really did feel like an idiot. I had no idea what he meant.

"Yes, Katniss. Sorry. I should have been the one out there helping you in the arena, keeping you alive, not Bread Boy. Since that first day I met you in the woods I knew that no matter what I was going to protect you and I didn't. I should have volunteered and went with you. I know that I had to stay back to help take care of our families, but you and I both know that it's always been about us. Do you really think that the people down at the Hob would really let our families starve, after all we've done for them? It should have been us in that arena and I will forever hate Peeta for what he made you do. Everybody else bought it, hell even I almost bought it there in the cave, but something in your eyes told me that you didn't feel the same about Peeta." He had been looking at his hands, nervously twirling them around, but he looked up right then with a look in his eyes that I had never seen before in him. I had seen it a few times in Peeta, and I knew what it meant.

I stood there, a million thoughts racing around in my head. Did Gale really think that way of me? Why me? He had dozens of girls at school drooling over him, and the thought of liking Gale had never even crossed my mind once. Maybe he is just overwhelmed. I am his best friend and I just got back and he thought he was going to lose me. There we go, he is just glad I am back. Geeze, one guy declares his love for me on national television and now I think everyone is in love with me. Get it together Katniss, and stop acting weird.

While I was standing there, internally debating the situation, Gale was look at me intently. Maybe I have something on my face. I reached up to wipe whatever it was off, and what he did next was the most startling thing that has ever happened to me.

When your bestfriends with someone, you learn to think like they do, always predicting and knowing what their reactions, or thoughts would be. I had hunted with him a thousand times, and we had shared with each other some of our deepest and darkest secrets. Even though I thought I knew Gale just as well as I knew myself, I could have never predicted what he was about to do.

He reached up and moved my hand away from my face, placing it at my side, and put his hand right where mine had been, on my cheek. I could see myself reflected in his eyes, mine were about the size of boulders, popping out of my head. He bent down and gently brushed his lips across mine, and kissed me. All of this happened in less than ten seconds and before I knew it, Gale was drawing away, looking pale and worried. He must be just as shocked as I am, of his actions.

He licked his lips and let out a breath, "I'm here Katniss. You will never have to pretend with me," and he walked away.

For a second I just walked. I went over to some of mine and Gale's favorite hunting spots and just sat, remembering how easy things between us used to be. I remembered how he told me that he would want to have kids, the day of the reaping. Maybe this is something he had been thinking about. I mean, it's not like I was oblivious. I knew how the girls in my class looked at him, and I knew he noticed. I remembered one time, I asked him why he never went out with any of those girls and he said "Find one of them who's alright with you as my best friend and tell them to call me."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"I'm not the only one with admirers Katniss," he had told me, smiling. I never believed this, of course. I just thought Gale was kidding.

I took my time walking back, not yet wanting to face cameras and nosy people. I could hear music, which meant that the celebration was really starting. When I got back, I found Peeta talking to my mother. There were tears in his eyes. When he looked up and saw me he immediately wiped his eyes and smiled at me, embarrassed.

There was no sign of Gale, which left me thinking that he had skipped the celebration and decided to go home. When Peeta saw the confused expression on my face, his eyebrows turned upwards, looking concerned. I just shook my head, that was not a conversation I wanted to have with Peeta.

"Your mom was just telling me a story from when you were younger. The way she talks, it sounds like you might have actually been nice back then. Oh, how things change," he said with a grin lighting up his handsome face.

"I'm nice now, just not to people who annoy me," I said playing along. Peeta seemed to find this hilarious but he never had a chance to come back with a smart comment because right then Effie came back up on stage and the music stopped.

People stopped dancing and looked up at the newly green-haired woman.

"I'm very sorry for interrupting everyone but I just wanted to say that the tour has been postponed for another few days so Peeta and Katniss will have more time to reunite with their families before they are off. Have a great night everyone."

Peeta looked relieved. I think we had both been expecting bad news, considering our usual luck. "Would ya look at that? Something good is actually happening. I think the universe might be turning around after all."

He could not have been more wrong.