They walked home under the light of the setting sun. Neither of them felt like hanging out in the dining hall, so they grabbed some sandwiches and brought them up to their room.

"So," Belle said, sitting against the foot of her bed and unwrapping her sandwich, "how did the job search go today? You know, besides the spiked tea."

Veeta shifted uncomfortably, she couldn't very well tell Belle the truth.

"Um, it was okay I guess. I met Johanna, she seems nice. I don't think Alice likes me much though, and I'm pretty sure she spiked my tea on purpose." She tossed her sandwich wrapper across the room, bouncing it off the wall and into the waste bin.

"Really? Why would she spike your tea on purpose?" Belle arched a skeptical eyebrow.

"Because she's nuts and hates me for no reason." Veeta regretted saying that as soon as it came out of her mouth.

"There really was a more Amity way to say that." Belle chided. "I'm not saying that I don't believe you…"

"But?"

"Well, I know Alice has been acting a bit strange lately, but come on. She's always been the sweet motherly figure for us. People trust her, and no one loves Amity more than her."

"Yeah," Veeta scoffed, "I got that when she accused me of being a spy."

"She did what?" Belle had stopped eating.

"She accused me of transferring to Amity so that I could work in the government and give information to my dad."

"But that's crazy, you would be a terrible spy." Belle resumed her sandwich.

"That's the part you're focusing on?"

"Well, logically, if she was going to look for a spy she should look for someone who was at least a little better at blending in. That person would probably be friendlier too."

"I am so friendly!" Veeta exclaimed, a fleck of ham falling out of her mouth.

"Okay, let's say I do believe you, why would Dauntless spy on Amity in the first place?"

"How should I fucking know?" Veeta snapped. "I'm not a spy!"

"Clearly!"

"I would be a great spy though, I will have you know."

"Spies don't tell people that they might be spies. And for the love of god will you stop talking with your mouth full."

"Bleh!" Veeta opened her mouth wide.

"You're disgusting."

"And you don't believe me. You believe some woman, who you don't even really know, over me, the person who I thought was your best friend."

"You are my best friend," Belle stood and brushed crumbs from her lap, " but you do have a tendency to exaggerate."

"Exaggerate? Belle this isn't like me saying I can jump six feet in the air when I can actually only go six inches. This is the real deal!"

Veeta stood up to look Belle in the eye. Why didn't she believe her? Belle was supposed to be her friend, the one she could share anything with. Now, when she finally needed her, Belle was accusing her of lying.

"I don't understand why you are so upset with me. You know this sounds far fetched. Besides, you aren't a spy so why does it matter?"

"Because, she's only questioning me because I'm Dauntless. Everyone here treats me differently because of that, even you! I would think with your special taste for Dauntless you would at least be different, but even you think I don't belong here."

"Because you don't! I still wonder why you're here in the first place. We both know that you're strong enough to get through Dauntless initiation, and either brave or stupid enough to try. And I know it's where you tested. So why are you here?"

"Why are you here, Erudite? We both know where you belong. And you say you stayed here for Bloom, but I don't think that's true. You stayed here so people would pity you. So that you can keep playing the big sister, who's been abandoned and left to carry this burden all on your own." Veeta knew she was going too far, she could see Belle cracking, her whole body physically sagging under the weight of Veeta's words. She could see it, but she couldn't stop. It was as if all her pent up aggression had busted through a dam and was now spewing out.

"I never wanted anyone's pity, that's all I've ever gotten from anybody. That's why I only hung around with Dauntless, because they never treated me like I was broken. And don't you dare suggest, ever, that I don't love my sister enough to stay for her." Belle pointed her finger in Veeta's face, and Veeta slapped in away.

"Oh please, you hung out with Dauntless so you could use them. You wanted to get away from your pathetic life and they were the farthest you could get. Well guess what, I'm not going to be your little getaway anymore." Veeta pushed past Belle and stalked out of the room, letting the door slam shut behind her with a loud BANG that went off like a gunshot. She started climbing the stairs, jogging up them two at a time. When she reached the top of the staircase, she turned and jogged back down. She repeated this several times as she tried to clear her head. As her thoughts cleared, she began to replay the events of the argument in her mind. It was around her sixth lap that she realized she had spoken in anger. By her eighth lap, she realized that what she had asked Belle to believe was outlandish, even if it was true. If anyone accused her father of that she would push them into the chasm. And by the tenth lap, she realized she had been a total jerk, and needed to apologize.

She opened the door of the bedroom to find Belle sitting on her bed with her face in her hands. As the door swung closed, Belle's head shot up.

"Belle, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said any of that." Veeta sat on the foot of Belle's bed, pleading with her, silently, for forgiveness.

Belle wiped a tear from her cheek and sat forward, hugging Veeta and whispering in her ear, "I'm sorry too."

Belle turned her head to the side, nuzzling Veeta's cheek, before bringing their lips together in a sweet soft kiss.

A/N: I feel mean leaving you like this, but then again not really.