A/N: I'm going to try to add some Everlark fluff in the next few chapters, but I need to keep the story moving along, so be patient, the fluff will come. :3

Review from last chapter:

The Capitol is going to kill everyone I love if I don't convince the districts that I did what I did because I am a 'soft-hearted fool'. Hence Katniss. The fact that I mentioned a girl back home will help, they said. It already makes me seem soft. But now I have to be completely foolish and weak. I should be the kind of person that screams at a spider, they said.

I need to seem like a joke, basically.

And I need to do it well.


Our week is up.

We have spent it telling our families what is going to happen, why it has to happen, what will happen if it doesn't.

We must play our parts perfectly.

Every time I look at Katniss, I feel a pang of guilt in my chest. I'm the reason she's in this position, I'm the reason her life is in danger. If I had just left her out of it, admired her from afar as I had been doing for the last eleven years, she would be safe.

I can barely stand the guilt.

Whenever I try to bring this up with her, she doesn't let me finish. Nonsense, she tells me.

I don't believe her.

Yesterday, a white rose showed up on our front door. Attatched to it was a note, signed President Snow, telling Katniss good luck and 'May the odds be ever in her favor.'

That note and rose are now ashes in her fireplace.

Today, my prep team showed up on my front doorstep, demanding to see 'my girl'. When she walked in, I could see her try to mask her laughter.

She didn't succeed.

Of course, I can't really blame her. It's hard to take anyone with pink zebra-striped skin seriously, especially one that's a muscular grown man.

I know they took her to remake her to 'beauty base zero', whatever that is. She is in the bathroom for a much longer time than I was in the remake center, and when she comes out, she ignores me for the rest of the day, after glaring at me as she stormed out of the house.

"She's a real charmer, that one," Says Orion, A.K.A pink zebra-stripes.

I can tell he is obviously being sarcastic. While most people view Katniss as brazen and abrasive, I think she is full of fire. Beautiful, strong, bright, fire. But you have to be careful, because if you take one step out of line, you're going to get burned.

As Peeta's prep team works on me, I mentally curse him out with every unthinkable word that comes to mind. I have no conception as to why on earth anyone would willingly subject themselves to this: Having their skin scrubbed raw, hair plucked, groomed like a pet.

I am set firm on one thing though: If they try to put pink zebra-stripes on me, it will be the last thing they ever do.

After I'm finished with what I would call a torture session, I am free to stay with Peeta all day, but I can barely look at him.

I walk out of his house, glaring at him for what he subjected me for the last three hours, and he lets me go.

Smart move, Mellark.

As I make my way back to the Seam, someone calls my name behind me.

I would know that voice anywhere.

Gale.

"Catnip, Catnip!" He calls, running up to me panting breathily, "Hey, Catnip. I haven't seen you all week. How's it been?"

Of course. He's been at the mines all day, and only comes home to sleep and eat, so it would make sense for him to have no idea as to the predicament I'm in.

The predicament Peeta's in.

"Hey, Gale," I say, bracing myself for giving him the news.

I explain to him about Peeta, about last week, about how we kissed, about the Victory Tour (Which I'm surprised he doesn't know about, it was in an official broadcast six days ago, with Peeta bringing along a 'mystery guest'), what the Capitol will do to Peeta, to me, if he doesn't perform, what he has to convince the districts of.

Gale's face turns cold and stony.

I don't know what to expect him to say, maybe something along the lines of 'You better brush up on your acting skills then, Catnip,' or 'Since when did you develop human emotions, oh mighty superior one,' but I'm not at all expecting what he does say:

"How long? How long have you had feelings for Peeta?"

Shouldn't he be more worried about the fact that, oh, I don't know, I have a chance of being killed! He's just surprised that I like someone! This makes me livid, makes me want to punch Gale in the face, I never thought he would be so shallow as to say something like that! Make a joke about it sure, but then he would normally have said to stay safe, or promise to keep Prim safe!

"Really Gale? Really? That's what you pick up on?" I yell, not caring who's listening, "My life is in danger, and you care about the fact that I kissed Peeta!"

"Catnip, Catnip, no! I didn't mean it like that at all!" His words are coming out in a rush, as if he is trying to prevent me form saying anything further, "All I meant was that I was surprised, that you would, you know, kiss him."

"Let's just ignore the fact that my life is in danger, shall we Gale?" I say, unable to hide the bitter contempt in my voice.

"Catnip, I do care! I really do! But I know Peeta will do whatever it takes to protect you," I can sense a touch of jealousy in his voice, which confuses me, "And I will too."

What?

"Catnip, I've seen Mellark. He's been in love with you for years."

I really don't see how this is relevant to our conversation, but I nod him on, curious.

"But here's the thing Catnip," He says, taking a deep breath, "So have I."