Chapter 25 of Rebel or Madge?

(Gale's POV)

It's been a month and a half since our return home from the 74th Games. The weather is starting to cool down and the heat of the day is coming bearable again. Everything, nature wise, is doing fine, perfect even. My family is doing great and is healthier than ever and happier too. Katniss and Peeta are slowly but surely getting better and back to normal. They have even ventured out into the public again but are clinging to each other for support. No one seems scared of them like they did to me, but then again we perceive things differently by our own emotions to be for sure how people really are. The one thing that isn't right (besides what's always wrong in my life) is Madge Undersee, my girlfriend.

Madge and I are doing great and all, but then again we're not. She isn't coming over as much and now I realize that I may have taken her time for granite. And every time we're together…she doesn't talk much. It's like she's distancing herself from me. You know what; she is distancing herself from me.

Is she unhappy with our relationship? Did I do something wrong? Is she only staying with me because she's too nice to breakup with me?

I haven't seen her in a week. No that's wrong, I have seen her this week, but only in passing. And every time we're in the same place, she looks down and ignores me. My head's going to explode if she keeps this up. I just need to talk to her.

Blowing the stray hair away from my face (man is it getting long); I stare up at the pale, cream colored ceiling in hope that it will tell me everything. Like everything else in this world, that doesn't happen. The patterns on the ceiling start to swirl together, giving me a headache from staring at it too long. No matter how long I rank my brain for something, anything, it will not come.

I should just go talk to her, I think again.

But every time I even think about talking to her, my gut twists in an unfamiliar way and my throat closes up. I slam my hands against the covers on my bed and release a cry of frustration from my throat. Why are girls so freaking complicated! God, if Madge didn't mean the world to me, I would be so done with this relationship. You can't just ignore me like that.

"You okay in here?" Rory sticks his head. He was always the wise one, an old soul. He always know what to do…Heyyyy

"No! Everything is so fucked up!"

He stifles his laughter by biting his lip, but comes over the sit on the edge of my bed, nonetheless.

"Do you need Old Rory's advice?" he jabs at me.

Sometimes he goes a little too far with other people problems. I roll so my back is facing him and scowl at the wall. I don't say a word and neither does he.

"What's wrong?" he whispers, as if saying it any louder the world would crack right now the center.

My stubbornness refuses to let me tell my brother anything. I'll just mull over it myself. Like that was working before? My conscience yells at me, angrily.

"Madge." I say it so low, I'm afraid he will make me repeat it.

"Mmm, I didn't realize melon was causing you so much stress." I glance back at him; he has a serious look on his face. That bastard knows what I said. I'm about to yank out the stick in his ass.

Grinding my teeth, "Get out!" I yell at him, my glare burning holes into his pretty little face.

"Sorry, sorry, okay so what about Madge? From the looks of it, you too were doing fine."

Blowing out another puff of air with an eye roll, "We never see each other anymore."

Rory bursts out laughing at me. You have no idea how bad I want to punch him right now, right this very second. Bash his good for nothing face in. I jab my finger into his stomach.

"That's what all that," he gesture to me and mimics what I did earlier, "is all about? Jeez, your my brother, and more importantly your Gale Hawthorne…since when does Gale Hawthorne get frustrated about girls?"

"Because this one's important." I snap.

He shoves me backward out of nowhere. With a yelp that I would never admit came out of my mouth, my head slams back into the mountain of pillows behind me. My brother looms above me, his hands on either side of my face, his hips resting against my raised knees.

He doesn't do a thing but stare at me. I don't get why he shoved me or the point of him showing his dominance, which I could take easily from him.

With his steel gray eyes burning into my stormy ones, he says, "Why are moping around when there's a girl out there with blonde hair and the last name of Undersee. If you want to know what's up, go talk to her, idiot!"

"That's the point! Every time I see her out and about, she ignores me! Acts like I don't exist!" I shove his face backwards and flops back on his butt. I lean up on my elbows, "Now what do I do, smart one?"

"Oh, I don't know, go on a date, go to her house, corner her, go talk to her!"

"How can I do any of that when all she does it ignore her."

"Be you, be spontaneous. Just show up with a picnic basket and say, let's go have lunch. It would only take an hour to an hour and a half for it. And she's a girl, she'll love it. Now stop moping around and go pack a lunch. It's eleven now, you got an hour to make it and get there. Now go!"

Sometimes you just have to love my brother and others you just have to hate him. It's one of those times that love shines a little bit brighter than hate.

But I stop dead in my tracks once I reach the kitchen. What do I bring? Strawberries are a must.

Mom walks past the entranceway of the kitchen with a few baskets full of laundry. Ever since I won, she hasn't given up on laundry. More town people are giving her clothes because I'm a Victor now and not a Seam Rat. It bothers me a little, but I would never take away business from my mom.

Do I ask her or do I not? She would know what a girl likes, but do I really want her to figure out what I'm doing?

"Need help with something or are you just gonna stand there with a confused look on your face?"

A blush creeps into my cheeks and I hope that it doesn't show behind my dark complexion. Apparently the odds aren't in my favor today.

A sneaky smiles tiptoes on to her face, "What are you up to, mister?"

I tuck my head against my collarbone, looking at the newly polish wood. "Nothing mom."

"It doesn't seem like nothing, what are you up too." She jabs her finger into my side. I squirm because she knows that's one of many ticklish spots.

"Nothing!" I yell as her fingers start digging into my sides. I'm squirming like a worm, my back up against the island.

"Tell me or the tickling will never stop!"

"No!" I hop up on the counter, trying to get away from her hands, but all she does is grab my leg. Oh no! My legs are more ticklish then the rest of me. She grabs my knees and tickles my inner leg. God, it tickles so much! Kicking my legs to try to get away isn't working. I scoot across the counter, but in my attempt to get away I fall into the sink. The sink is deep and I'm stuck in it now. To no avail does the tickling cease.

Once it stops and my laughing ceases (I've always wonder why we laugh when we are tickled, it's not like we like it) she grips my sides my all the strength she has, her fingers curled in an attack pose. Her expression says she will never give up.

Sighing, I look at the buttons on her green coat, "What should I bring on a date with Madge?" I mumbling, hoping she won't hear.

"Like a picnic?" nodding, she carries on, "Strawberries, the girl can't get enough of those!" she laughs, "Um, sandwiches, something to drink, a blanket, you." She laughs at her own joke.

"Will you help me so I can surprise her before she eats lunch?" I smile hopefully.

"Yes, I will you make lunch for your future wife." She chuckles.

"Mom!"

"You never know!" she goes back at me.

(Madge's POV)

A knock on the door makes the beautiful sounds coming from my fingertips terminate with a loud clash of my fingers. I wasn't expecting anyone to come back. No one ever does and most recently, never does anyone come. It's always been a lonely house, but with everything going to shit, it's even worse.

I can tell the figure is Gale before I even get within reach of the door. The tall, slim frame with the dark mess of hair is almost always Gale. I almost turn around and go back to my piano and leave him there. Almost being the key word. But I know he heard the piano and I know that he knows that I would come to the door anyways.

With a deep breath, I open the door. I plaster a fake smile on my face, like I have been doing for everyone these days. "Hello, Gale."

"Madge, you can cut the crap. I know your smile is fake." Always so elegant.

Why try to fake it with Gale. But I keep the smile anyways.

He sighs, "Lunch?" his smile is hopeful with a slight hint of petrified. I haven't eaten all day…

"Sure, why not…" even to my own ears my voice sounds monotone and noncommittal. I probably sound like a major bitch, right now.

His smile falters a little bit, "You don't have to go if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you to do anything you don't want too."

"I haven't eaten anything all day and anything is better than being here." The light in his eyes falters and his smiles slips off his face for a few seconds before he forces it on again. I can see the strain of the smile taking its toll on him. I can tell he wants to leave because I made it seems as if he means nothing. I am a major bitch…

"Do you – we – need anything else before we go. Blankets?"

"Nope." He pats the basket hooked to his arm, "I've got everything." His smile is still forced and mine is nonexistent, but we go anyways. Probably to everyone around us, we look like a couple that doesn't want to be together anymore. The one that won't tell the other they don't want this anymore. It's not like that, I want to be with him, I do…I love him. I guess I just haven't been there to show it lately.

And he's trying, I know he is. But everything in my life right now is thrown off kilter and I'm just…I don't know.

We set up our date in the meadow. Gale lays out the blanket as I unpack the picnic basket. We do it in silence, awkward silence.

Gale sits down with a sigh, leaning back against his hands. He tilts his head up towards the bright, blue sky, his eyes closed and for once, he looks peaceful.

My eyes trace down his jaw line to stomach where I watch him breath in and out. The shirt he has on fits better than most of his shirt. Usually they hang on him because he's so thin but needs the length or he would be wearing a crop top.

I lean forward and kiss his cheek. He's startled and looks at me with confusion. I kiss his cheek again and then the tip of his nose from the side before whispering, "Thank you."

"No problem." He still looks confused.

"Shall we eat? I'm starving!"

He laughs before grabbing two barbeque pulled pork sandwiches. One of my favorites of Hazelle's doing. He throws one at me and I can't help the huge smiles the plasters itself on my face at the sight of it. He chuckles and ruffles my hairs a little.

I rip open the bag immediately and sink my teeth into the goodness. I make the most unladylike sound at the taste of the sandwich. I undoubtedly sound like a dinosaur roaring.

"You'd make a cute dinosaur!" he taps me nose before taking a bite of his sandwich. He mimics my sound before laughing. He's mocking me but I can't help but laugh too until he starts choking. I slap his back a few times and offer him a bottle of water. Which he accepts graciously.

"You okay there?" he nods before tackling me, his body pressed against mine, my arms pinned above my head. He kisses me, long and deep. His lips taste of barbeque and mint. The taste of his Chapstick winning out the barbeque. Thinking of Chapstick, his lips were always soft even when he lived in the Seam. He must have splurged on Chapstick.

The thought makes me laugh against his lips. He pulls away, his head tilted in confusion.

"I was just thinking about how your lips were always soft even before winning."

"Why is that funny?" His voice on the line of defensive.

"I just – now don't take this offensive – thought that you probably splurged on Chapstick." He laughs and sits back against my legs. He nods his head, "You did, didn't you! Gale Hawthorne of all people splurged on Chapstick! Ha!" by now he's dying of laughter.

"Why?" I question.

"It's one of my pet peeves."

…

It's been hours since I've left home and I should probably head back…but I don't want too. I haven't been the nicest person to Gale lately and he deserves some of my time too.

He's sitting like he was earlier – with his head tilted back – still looking gorgeous. I pull him to me; he doesn't even open his eyes, and put him in between my legs, his head against my chest. I slip my arms around his torso and watch the sunset.

"Don't you want to watch it?" I whisper into his ear. He opens his eyes and looks up at me.

"I think I can already see that any time of day with your hair, or maybe it's just you." He hangs out with Thom too much, he's starting to pick up on Thom's crazy, cheesy pickup lines.

"I love you." He whispers before kissing me upside down. His chin comes to rest against my chin, his lips upside down against mine. I poke him the stomach and he wiggles, curling up against me.

"I love you too." I whisper into his ear, planting a kiss against the sensitive skin behind his ear. A brilliant smile crosses his face and stays. I love when he smiles like that. I just love when he smiles at all. His whole face lights up and looks happy for once. I hate those fake one you see on TV and when he's hiding within himself or when he's hurt. I don't like those, but I love the ones that are just for me and when he is truly happy.

We watch the sunset in silence before packing up to go home. We kiss one last time before splitting ways. He offered to walk me home but I told him I needed so time to just think. He looked worried but I reassured him with a kiss.

A stupid, silly grin is glued to my face. This day started out stupid and bad but now it is great.

Well it was great until I hear the blood curling scream…