The Hot Soccer Coach

A/N: Happy birthday, Jenn (jennycaakes)!

The Panem High girls' soccer team was getting a new coach today. The other one wasn't very nice and half the girls would go home crying every day because of his tormenting and rude style of coaching. So when the girls caught wind of the new coach they had little flames of fear settle in their stomachs. Although, they never expected to get the spokesperson from tall, dark, and handsome.

The warm, summer air was not helping. It made them sticky and gross and they could hardly focus on the direction the ball was being kicked because Mr. Tall, Dark, and Illegally Attractive's shirt was sticking to his perfectly chiseled chest and back. His cheeks were flamed red from the heat or maybe he was embarrassed, Madge couldn't tell but the way he kept pulling his shirt away from his flawlessly outlined abs might have something to do with the latter.

When he called for the first water break he walked over to the bleachers to introduce himself. He was late getting here on his first day (something Madge always thought looked bad) because his class ran late. Which might explain why he could be embarrassed because when he came he did look flustered. The gym teacher, Mrs. Oburst, started practice with 12 laps around the field (all the girls groaned at that) and warm up until he got there.

"Hi ladies." His voice was awfully quiet for a coach, but that might just be Madge's opinion. "I'm sorry I'm late for my first day. I know that looks bad, class ran over and I tried to get here as fast I could. I'm sorry. But because of my class schedule I will be moving practice to 3:30 from now on. I hope that's okay and if it isn't you're out of luck. Sorry not sorry." He smirked and Madge could have sworn she saw girls about pass out and she could bet you $500 that the busty, blonde girl in the back just pushed her boobs up trying (and failing) to make her boobs look good in a sports bra. Sorry Blondie, you look like the rest of us – uni-boob.

"I'm Gale, by the way. You can call me Coach, Coach Hawthorne, Coach Gale, whatever."

"Can we call you sex on legs, too?" a girl muttered. A freshmen that Madge doesn't know.

Blondie, of course, added, "Can we get in your pants too, there sexy?" the girls laugh, some nervously, others blatantly. An adorable blush spread across Gale's – sorry Coach Hawthorne – chest and cheeks.

He laughed and playfully pointed at the two, "No!" Madge likes him a little bit more now that he isn't flirting back with the girls like the last coach (part of the reason he got fired….if you catch wind of what she's saying…).

After their short introduction and more sexual comments they begin to actually practice soccer. Today he's accessing where they are at and what needs to be fixed and improved. With the illegally hot coach standing in the corner of the field they probably look like a bunch of bumbling idiots that need major help. Yeah, they need help to not daydream about him and his glorious body.

"Alright," Gale claps his hands together and rubs them together, his clipboard long forgotten on the bench across the field. "I'll see you all tomorrow, 3:30, and we're going to work on defense first, then offense. Okay?" Madge watches his butt as he goes around the circle of sweaty girls handing out papers with contact information on it. What? Got a problem? She's a teenage girl, she can't help it! He does have a nice ass, small and barely there, but nice.

You could hear the highway traffic across town for as quiet as it got when they watched him run across the field to grab his clipboard so he could have their contact information. The girls quickly fill in the sheet so they can go home and shower and gossip to their moms' how hot the new guy is. Madge just wants to get home, take a lukewarm shower, eat some damn cheerios, and see her parents.

Madge throws her gym bag and backpack into the trunk before hopping into the passenger seat of her mom's red Porsche. The air conditioning was on full blast and she was in heaven for a moment as she wiped up her sweaty neck with a Wendy's napkin from the glove box.

"Hey honey, how was practice?"

"Hot! Oh, and we got a new coach." She was too busy being unladylike and wiping her armpits with another napkin, this time from Panera Bread, to notice her mom squinting out the window to admire the coach.

"Man, that guy knows how to wear a pair of jeans. Is he a new student?" her eyes travel the path Coach Hawthorne is taking to his beat up red pickup. She's ogling him with no intention to be ashamed of it. You can look, you just can't touch.

"Who?" catching the direction of her eyes… "Oh God! Mom! No! That's the new coach. Coach Hawthorne. Aw gross, mom, now every time I look at him I'll hear that comment! Gross!"

"Oh that's the new guy, there was a thing about him on the school website. Something about him being super smart and a good soccer player. Hey!" her eyes light up with joy, "At least I'll enjoy soccer a little more. It will be much more interesting watching him running the sidelines!"

Madge shakes her head as the red pickup drives past them. He sticks his hands out the window and Mrs. Undersee smiles brightly and waves. He dips his head and Madge and her mom pull out behind him.

"Wanna follow him, see where he lives?" Mrs. Undersee offers. God, it's like she's the one in High School.

"Mom, no!"

"I want too, who knows maybe you guys will develop a relationship."

"Mom," Madge whines, "He's older than me and he's my soccer coach."

"Fine, fine."'

They drive home.

…

It's been a month into the school year and they finally have their first game. Coach Hawthorne turned out to be worth something and has taught the girls a lot and has even helped some of the girls prepare for college next year. Madge likes him…not…not in that way. In a way she likes her math teacher for her skills not…you know…not that way. Or so she keeps telling herself.

On the bus ride over the girls spit out question after question for him to answer. About 15 minutes into the bus ride he closes his physics book and turns so he's facing the aisle. I guess he finally realized he's not going to get any work done with these girls, Madge thinks.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Blondie says, pushes her chest out. Madge and some of Madge's friends on the team have noticed that she started wearing non patted bras to practice just in case it got cold. Always wants the center of attention.

"No, I do not."

Several girls light up in joy, even Madge if she's being honest about the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Blondie moves closer to him and rests her hand on his knee. He looks at it and you can see the wheels turning in his head of whether or not he should ignore her hand or push it off. He shakes it off and her hand fall limp between them.

"Are you looking for one?" Gale can swear he can hear Miss Madge Undersee's eyes rolling in her head at the comment. He must agree that Miss Underwood is trying too hard to constantly be sexy. He should have said yes to the girlfriend thing and played it off. Fabricated some elaborate story together of a longtime girlfriend of 3 years and they are thinking of moving in together thing, one of his majors is journalism after all.

"No." his eyes flicker to Madge for a quick second to see what she thought of it. He can't deny the mass of butterflies flying around in his stomach every day; especially today after her arm brushed his when she got on the bus. He knows she didn't mean it and was just trying to get her bag through the aisle but his stomach still hasn't calmed down yet. He's been trying to brush off the feelings as nerves about the upcoming game but he can't deny that she makes him feel something. Something so special that it's palpable and insensible. Thom, his best friend, got it out of him just last night after a few drinks and a hard day at school. And ever since then she's been on his mind and he ached to see her once again. He knows it's stupid and wrong and he knows that. God, he knows that. And because of that he doesn't plan to act on it, despite Thom's taunting that maybe he should after the season is done.

"What's your major?" Madge pipes up.

He's grateful for getting them off of the topic of his awful love life.

"I have a double major. One is in Journalism, minoring in music production. And the other is Physically Engineering and minoring in architecture."

"Hmm, writing and engineering don't usually go together." He laughs and she lets out air through her nose.

"No, I suppose not, but backup plans are always nice to have."

She nods a few times, processing this. And the girls goes back to drilling him with relationship questions – What do you see in a girl…what do you look for in a girl…number one thing they have to have…do you drink (he's not old enough so Thom buys the drinks but he doesn't tell them that)…how old is too old to date… (and of course) how old is too young to date (he doesn't answer that)?

Gale is only a freshman in college and is only 2 years older than Madge, and yes he's looked. He wants to get to know Madge but he knows that he shouldn't. So he tells the girls that he has to do homework and they should too just to resist the temptation of getting to know Madge just a little bit more.

…

The girls' won their first game by one point, but that's okay because they still won the prize Coach offered them if they win. If they won their first game he would take them to his next college soccer game – which happens to be tomorrow. He's hoping Madge can come because he wants to impress her. She obviously likes soccer, as does he, so he's hoping it will win his way a little bit closer to her.

On the bus ride home they're all texting their parents to see if they can go this weekend. Gale already had Thom, who's also on the team, buy the tickets. Gale expected no less than the girls' to win. Everyone confirms they can go but Madge. Her father is picking her up tonight and would like to get more information on the game before he permits his only daughter to go. Madge prays she can. She wants to see how Gale plays on an elite soccer team. His school – NYU (New York University) – has one of the best soccer teams in the country and it's hard to get in already but to get on the team is even harder. If Gale can make it then that makes him tall, dark, and handsome; smart, a great soccer player, coach, and even hotter than usual.

When he looks back they catch eyes. He must have felt her fire searing stare on the back on his shoulder. Her phone lights up with a text message. From none other than the guy in front of her.

Coach Hawthorne:
Is everything okay? Do you need to talk to someone? You've been awfully quiet since the win.

Madge Undersee:
No, I'm fine. Sorry for staring I was just daydreaming. I didn't mean to freak you out.

Madge sinks lower in her seat and turns the brightness lower on her phone. Her eyes flicker to him as his phone screen lights up with her message, another time it buzzes. He looks at the other person's first. Jealousy rises in the back of Madge's throat. Did someone else see her texting him? Are they texting him now? And he answered them back first!

Coach Hawthorne:
Okay, but if you ever need to talk to someone, I'm here. I'll listen. (She watches his fingers hover over the send button but goes back to typing) I'd do it for any of you girls.

Madge Undersee:
(Although a little crestfallen) Thank you, but I'm totally fine

Madge knows she's lying to herself. She hates that he added the last part. She hated it even more of the idea of admitting she wished it was only for her. But the hovering? Don't get too hopeful, Madge, she thinks.

The bus ride is a long one so when her phone lights up again 15 minutes later she expects it to be Katniss or Delly or even Peeta in the back of the bus, not Gale Hawthorne. She can't help but feel scandalous for texting her coach when she's so obviously around other peers or even at all! And she has a love/hate relationship with the tingle in her stomach every time his name pops up.

Coach Hawthorne:
So what's up?

Madge Undersee:
Oh you know, the usual, making fire balls appear out of my palms and training my pet fire breathing dragon to stop burning me inside my book bag.

(She can see him laugh as he reads it, she does a little mental victory dance)

Coach Hawthorne:
The usual, huh? My life seems really boring against yours then.

Madge Undersee:
(she has to ask, even if she doesn't want too)
Are we even supposed to be doing this?

Coach Hawthorne:
What? Texting?

Madge Undersee:
Yeah

Coach Hawthorne:
Probably not, why? Do you want me to stop…

She sits, hunkered down, in her seat pondering this very question. She knows she should say yes because it's highly inappropriate and if she wants a single chance at going to that game tomorrow she should say yes. If her father ever found out about this she would be dead, Gale would no longer be a soccer coach, and if Madge's dad got into this, Gale may not being going to NYU in the fall, and if worse comes to worse her dad might charge Gale as a sex offender and ruin his whole life. But it's High School and she's young…Isn't she supposed to make bad decisions and have some fun and what is scandalous texting without the fun and thrill of it?

So she replies:

Madge Undersee:
No

Coach Hawthorne:
Phew! I thought you might say yes and I was hoping you feel asleep back there instead of ignoring me! haha lol

Madge Undersee:
(She laughs) You're too cute to stop texting…

He sucks in a giant breath. His hearts racing and all he can think of is Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer saying I'm cute! She thinks I'm cute! And then taking off flying. Odd, he knows but he still thinks it. He even tells her so.

Madge Undersee:
haha, dork

Coach Hawthorne:
Dorky can be cute too :(

Just as she was going to reply back Delly Cartwright hops into her seat, Katniss across from them, Peeta sneaking in behind her by the window (he's the stat person).

"Who are you texting that has you smiling like that?" Delly asks, just about scaring the piss out of Madge. They all chuckle at her antics.

"No one." She replies

Delly goes for the kill and tries to snatch Madge's phone away from her but Madge shoves the damned thing in between her sweaty boobs so Delly won't even dare to go there.

"I will." Delly warns and Madge shakes her head.

"No you won't or I'll get Coach Hawthorne to get you all away from me for assaulting me on a school bus." She knows it's a close call to bring him up but she hopes her cheeks aren't flaming at the sound of his name passing her lips. All the while, Gale's chest burns with a beginning of a blush and his heart swells. He tries to act natural and pretend he's not listening to their conversation.

"Oh whatever. I'm sure he'd like to pull your ass up there to sit next to him." Peeta jokes.

"Why do you say that?" Madge panics for a moment and hopes no one picks up on her panicked tone.

"You're a knockout, Madge. He isn't blind." Peeta states it like it's obvious. Yeah, obvious to everyone but Madge Undersee, Gale thinks.

"Yeah, and he's a lot older than us…" she pleads.

"Only two years, you guys could date." Delly says.

"Um, he's in college and I'm in high school…"

"SO!" they all chorus.

Coach Hawthorne:
Does that really matter? That I'm in college and you're not? I'm only 19, you're 17

He doesn't know what was brought over him to send that text right in the middle of their conversation but he did. He had to know. And god, now her boobs are gonna jiggle because of that, but he doesn't know where she stuck her phone.

Madge reads in through the tiny gap she's made between her chest and shirt. Of course it's him. He would listen…

She tries and succeeds to type back a text and hide it from Delly and the others.

Madge Undersee:
No! I'm just trying to get them off my back. It would look bad. You are my coach after all

Coach Hawthorne:
Just tell me to stop whenever you want me too

Madge Undersee:
Maybe I never want you to stop ;)

Coach Hawthorne:
I'm serious though…

Madge Undersee:
I know and so am I… ;)

…

Madge can go to the game. She was so happy she hugged her father and Gale when she was told she could go. Right there in the middle of the parking lot where all the girls could see but she didn't care. Gale, unlike her father, was warm and inviting. He actually hugged her back tightly for the quick second that he could and Madge tried to stay against his firm chest for as long a coach/player status would allow – which isn't very long to both of their disappointments.

…

Gale. Kicked. Ass.

Gale is so uber excited that he did well and could impress Madge that he and Thom (whose is such a big supporter of the relationship) did happy dances in the showers. When both boys were clad in fresh, clean clothing they hugged and smacked each other's backs. The other schools and teams were coming in and out of the locker rooms. The boys all laughed every time a tour guide had to yell in "All clear?" which basically was a kind way to say "is your junk put away?"

Most of the boys were in various styles of jeans and shoes (another way to say their have no shirts on). They always do this; ya know to see the women swoon over their chiseled physiques. Gale did it mostly for Madge's benefits. And it worked, their eyes caught immediately when she entered the locker room, her breath catching in her chest at the sight of his bare chest.

Gale was laying against Thom's knee with his laptop prompted on his thighs, the button and zipper on his jeans were undone. He arched his back and stretched even though he didn't have to just so he could flex his muscles for Madge to see them ripple against his lean figure. When he was done showing off he looked at her and when the tour guide pointed to something on the wall and everyone but Madge on the tour looked away he winked to let her know he did it for her. Her face broke out in a bright red blush as she quickly looked away from his beautiful figure.

She bit her tongue so she wouldn't flirt with him in front of everyone. She wanted to tell him good job but she didn't want to draw attention to herself. She turns her attention to the wall of achievements, trying to pay attention anyways. She can feel his eyes on her every once in a while but she knows he has a big paper due on Monday so she supposes the keyboard clicks are from his long and skinny fingers typing feverishly against the keyboard. Something for his English comp class but it had to do with the scientific fact of black holes. She didn't understand why his English teacher cared so much about black holes but whatever; it wasn't her grade that depended on black hole creative stories.

The group ran out of time fast. They had to leave the amazing soccer boys in their locker room for another group to come in, but don't worry Madge will get her chance to see the locker room again in about 30 – 60 minutes.

Outside the tour guide took them around the bend towards the merchandise. You could, like football, buy your favorite players jersey numbers and wear it with pride. Madge considering buying Gale's – Coach's, she had to keep correcting herself – jersey number – number 22. She refrained from doing so because she didn't want the other girls to catch on. Even if she did they would probably think she had a crush on him and try to ruin it for her.

She must have been staring too long because Katniss slides up to her and whispers in her ear, "You know, our families are pretty tight – longtime family friends – I could probably get you one of his old practice jerseys, if you want." Her voice was so low that only the two of them knew that Katniss ever said a word. Madge's eyes widen in fear that Katniss figured it out. "Peeta." She whispered. Of course Peeta would figure it out and tell Katniss Oblivious to Everything Everdeen. Damn Peeta, he can't keep anything quiet from Katniss. Ever since Katniss and Peeta started dating at the end of last year they have been joined at the hip since then. Madge loved their relationship and thought it was cute but after a while the no secrets allowed on Peeta's side gets old fast!

Argh! Madge's thinks, she knows she wants one. It would smell like him and everything instead of this new $25 jersey that would smell like shit until she washed it.

"Just think about it, if you don't then I won't. And if you want to spend a crap ton of money on a stupid jersey that he's never touch then go ahead, it's not like half the team hasn't bought one already." That's when Madge notices that Katniss is right. Half the team is buying Gale's jersey and others. Almost every girl on the team has the number 22 jersey and the number 32 jersey – Thom's (Gale's BFF's) jersey. They are both good looking.

Thom has shaggy; similar to Gale's but shorter, hazel brown hair with gray eyes likes Gale's. But unlike Gale's whose are like storm clouds about to burst, Thom's are like ashy smoke after a volcanic eruption. Both beautiful but deadly. Thom is wider than Gale, but most average people are. Gale is like a stick! Muscle and bone and skin is all that makes up that boy! Thom has the perfect width of shoulders and a small waist, powerful legs (obviously), and a hairless face. His cheekbones are perfectly curved and stick out just enough but not too much. Both Gale and Thom have similar facial structure but Gale's cheekbones and jawline are more prominent but in a good way, just like Thom has softer features in a good way. Salt and pepper in a way – both good in their respected places. But both are clearly knockouts.

At the same bend of the stadium, are roses. You can buy one and wrap a note around it to give to a specific player. Madge aches to buy one but is nervous that someone will read what she writes. There is a lot of things to give to the player on both teams. They have violet roses for NYU and white roses with a painted blue trim for Baruch College. Madge excuses herself to falsely use the restroom but is really going to buy flowers at the table she saw closer to the locker rooms.

"One violet rose please." She says sweetly.

"Would you like a note to go with it too?" the sell's clerk ask.

"Yes please."

"Here you go, and here's a pen too."

It's a purple colored pen nonetheless. And she can see the Azul blue pens in another container for the other team.

Madge is struck dumb of what to write. They aren't dating so she can't write love Madge at the end. And they are exactly publically renowned friends. They are private and she wants to make the note private but she doesn't know what to say.

Meanwhile, inside the locker rooms, the boys studiously ignore the visitors until the first group comes back in.

"So the blonde chick is the girl you never seem to shut up about?" Eric, the goalie, asks while rolling his eyes.

Gale takes a deep breath and nods. Here comes the taunting…he thinks.

"She's a pretty little thing and like soccer. Bonus!" someone says behind the opened wooden shelves where they keep their bags in. Everyone laughs.

The said person comes around the corner of the shelves – Luke – and says: "And don't think we didn't see you showing off those muscles." He swoops down and jiggles Gale's abdomen. Gale laughs and rolls his eyes.

"There's nothing to be ashamed off. Just got to give her something else to stay for." He winks at the guys and gestures to his lean body. It's no secret among the group that Gale hasn't dated in years after his last girlfriend. They know she took her toll on him after she was murdered outside the front steps of her house, two apartment buildings away from Gale's apartment building. And they all agree that the cop was stupid to tell Gale that if he showed up two minutes earlier he could have saved her. Thom, who's been friends with Gale since Gale moved to the United States, has told the team (when Gale wasn't around) that he became a lot quieter, not as happy, since her death. It was Thom who told the team about Madge Undersee before Gale even had the chance. They're like a big family – the team. They all tease and pick on one another and blurt things out the others don't want them too, just like Gale's siblings at home.

The team is all really incredibly happy that Gale's actually getting back out there. They have noticed that extra pop in his step, him actually wearing cologne from his sister, and is actually trying to look nicer – hence why he has taken to wearing jeans (which he hates but looks astonishing in) instead of sweatpants (which are like his babies, besides his guitars, phone, laptop, and his baby sister Posy). He needs this, the happiness and the thrill of dating again.

"No there's not." Thom says, eyeing the guys to know he means business. Thom is a big supporter of this relationship because it's the first girl that Gale has own any interest in since high school. She died at the beginning of junior year and he hasn't been the same yet. Thom knows that Gale "doesn't" plan on acting on his feelings but after today, the happy dance, the hug, and the flirtatious flexing…Thom's not so sure Gale remembers his own plan.

At this moment the second round of groups come in to question anything they want to the guys. The guys always laugh around the weird or stupid questions but after a while it is tiring to constantly answer questions.

"How many of you guys know you are actual hot?" one girl questions as the tour guide passes out the roses from this group. Gale receives 6 and Thom 5. Most of the team receives something, even if it is from their parents. It's only a few dollars a rose so Gale's family set up an account so he always gets one from them at all home games. Also, Thom and Gale are the closes on the team so they get each other one at all games and pretend to act like sweethearts. Just something funny after an exhilarating but exhausting game of soccer.

Some raise their hands, Thom included. Gale doesn't because he doesn't care what he looks like but good genes are on his side and he won't lie about that. They laugh like howling idiots but no one seems to mind.

The groups come in and out for about an hour. Madge's group is second to last but end up going last because of how many of them were still buying roses and jerseys.

When Madge comes back in she looks more gorgeous than before in the harsh lighting. Her hair may have a duller color in here but the blush on her cheeks is clearly present. Gale likes it when she blushes a real one, not a hot and sweaty need-a-drink blush from the heat on the soccer field. Like now, every time they catch the other's gaze her blush spreads even brighter and further up her forehead, anymore and it will hit her hairline.

Gale is passed about 11 roses. The one that sticks out the most is the one that says Sincerely Madge. It's like his eyes are drawn to all things her. She never seems to leave the back of his head or thoughts and apparently eye sight too. If only I was in high school again, then this would be so much easier.

At least you weren't in a 'black hole' today. Sincerely, Madge.

Gale bites his tongue not to laugh at her reference to his English paper. She would remember that but then again not every day does someone have to write a paper on black holes. He can't seem to wipe the smile off his face.

He looks up with hooded eyes under his lashes, he mouths 'thank you' to her. That blush from earlier finally reached her hairline. He bites his lip to hold in the burst of laughter on the tip of his tongue. They just hope no one saw.

They're hopes are ruin because Blondie saw the moment between the two. Ms. Underwood already has plans to get rid of Madge in her plans to bed the coach. A smirk appears on Blondie's face and Gale's stomach sinks and his face goes pale. He tries and failed to keep his normal color but he knows that Underwood would go to no ends to get what she wants. He doesn't want Madge to get in trouble and he's grown to like coaching the girls. God, this whole situation is coming undone. This whole thing between Madge and I is becoming out of control! It's as bad as a teacher dating a student! Gale begins to panic and finds another person sent him a flower and mouths thank you, hoping against reality that it works and it looks like he's doing it for everyone and not just Madge. Blondie isn't stupid though.

…

The next practice Blondie (Ms. Underwood) has decided to put her plan into motion. The second every girl is out on the field and so is Coach; she exits, in full practice uniform, to the field. When she is inches from him she calls out "Mr. Hawthorne!" in a high pitched voice and before he can even finish 'it's coach' her hand has slid up his right cheek and has her last two fingers hooked under his chin. She pulls his lips towards hers in a swift motion. She couldn't decide whether or not she wanted to pull him slowly to her or fast. She went with the latter so he didn't have time to decide.

His lips are warm and soft and inviting on hers. The heat radiating off her makes her want to undo his buckle and zipper but as her free hand goes there he's 10 feet away from her in a millisecond.

"What the hell was that!?" he yells. His cheeks are red with embarrassment and anger. How dare she do that to him? He could lose his job! He could go to jail! What was she thinking!? That's right, she wasn't. She was acting on jealousy and hurt because he showed more interesting in the category of feelings for Madge than her.

She inspects her nails like moments before was something that happened all the time. And maybe for her it did, but for him no and never with one of his players.

"Like you didn't want it." Her voice is monotone and her face is set in stone. She and he both know that her comment would be true if it was directed at herself.

"I did not, thank you. That was extremely inappropriate and uncalled for. Ms. Underwood, you do not do that. I could lose my job or even go to jail if I were caught doing that here. Ms. Underwood, I would have say you need to leave practice today. I can't have that happening on my field. You can come back tomorrow – no wait, come back when you fully understand what you did was wrong and why it was wrong. Until then, I do not want to see you here at practice. Please leave, Ms. Underwood." He points to the parking lot. He knows he should follow his own advice and not text or call Madge anymore but even if he knows it's logically, his heart won't let him. Damn it.

When she doesn't move he considers picking her up and carrying her to the parking lot. He won't because that would make the situation worse.

But when the principle comes storming on the field…

"What in God's name is going on out here!?" his voice is so enraged the girls take a step back. Gale wishes he could too. "What happened here?"

Blondie, who hasn't moved either, says: "Coach Hawthorne kissed me!"

"What!?" Gale's voice is nothing short of surprised and filled with disbelief.

"Is this true, Mr. Hawthorne?" the principle's graze is condensing and scornfully. His hand goes inside his trouser pocket where his phone is located. Gale's heart rate spikes about a 1,000. He wouldn't. Not until he heard both sides of the story!

"No, of course not! I wouldn't do that."

"Girls?"

All of them look around at each other, which probably looks bad. This is the point where they pick who there more afraid of – Blondie or the principle.

The principle is harmless but Blondie's a bitch. And who answers first? Naturally, the girls that worship the ground Blondie walks on.

"He kissed her." The chorus in time together.

The principles eyes widen like he wasn't expecting it to be true. It isn't like Blondie's known for her virginity and modesty…

Gale looks like he's about to puke and pled the principle to believe him, at the same time.

"Please, I didn't do it. I swear I wouldn't!" seems like he goes with the latter.

"That's what a liar would say!" did anyone mention the principle isn't the greatest.

Gale narrows his eyes and look dead on at the principle, "It's also what a truthful person would say." His tone left tone room for arguing. The principle and Gale have a little standoff. "You wouldn't want to believe the wrong person, here, would you?" Gale has gone too far and he knows it the second the words leave his mouth.

"Get off my school property and you're lucky I don't call the cops, you dirty pig! Don't come back, you're fired!"

"Guess I'd rather have a boss who isn't so hotheaded anyways." Gale leaves with a smirk and maturely closes his car door softly and drives off.

"He didn't kiss her. She kissed him." Madge pipes up. A lot of other girls nod as well.

"You don't have to protect him, he's gone. And Ms. Underwood, ISS tomorrow, all day." Blondie looks offended that she got in trouble too. Madge finally sees sense why he sent Gale home and fired him. He didn't know who to believe and he couldn't have another coach like last year. But Madge was glad that Blondie got punished too.

The girls pack up their bags to leave.

"Do you want a ride home?" Katniss asks Madge.

"Isn't Peeta taking you home?" she questions in doubt.

"Yeah, but its Peeta. He'll take you home, he loves you. And he's your best friend!"

"Yeah sure, okay."

They head over to Peeta's shiny blue Dodge Dart. The car just screams Peeta and not just because there's flour and frosting stains all over the new interior. Madge thanks Peeta for the ride and Katniss stops her before she's completely out of the car.

"Madge!" she calls. She's rooting through her backpack. She pulls something purple from the bottom of her bag. "I didn't know if you wanted it but I got it anyways." She gives Madge a sad smile and folds the violet practice jersey in her hands.

Madge smiles, her day brightening a little. He does like her. She hopes that stays even after today's event.

"Thank you." She'll have to call him tonight, make sure everything all right.

…

He calls her before she does.

"Hey."

"Hey, I just needed someone to talk too, you came to mind first." Her heart skips a beat. She feels like she's about to explode.

"What about Thom?"

"Eh, he's out with his girlfriend. Probably fucking her. And I don't really want to talk to him about this. He couldn't help me here."

Madge's heart speeds up even more! How is she supposed to handle this!?

"So…about us…" he begins. All the glee from before vanished and just become nerves.

"Yeah…?"

There's silence on both lines of the phone. No words are spoken. Both seem to be holding their breath. The only sound comes from Gale's line. Madge suspects he's rolling over in his bed. She can hear swishing of the blankets hitting the phone. Speaker? No, he's just covering his head with the blankets to block out the rest of the world.

"What about us?" she fills the silence. Her words laced with fear. It's so clearly obviously that if this conversation wasn't so tensed she'd slap herself in the forehead with all her might for her own stupidity.

"Um," more silence. Then a sound of a whine, "After today I…I just don't know."

"You don't know what?" You don't know how you feel about me? You don't know if you ever felt anything for me? What, Gale, what? Please talk to me…but she doesn't say that.

He groans loudly over the phone, "After today made me think things through a little and I realized what we were doing, whatever it was that we were doing, was dangerous and stupid and inappropriate."

"Gale…" her voice is full of watery, unshed tears. He's breaking up with her without actually breaking up with her. Great.

"Madge let me finish."

"No!"

"Madge Undersee if you don't let me finish you'll never know how beautiful and smart and kind you are. You'll never know how much I like you and that's a big deal to me. I haven't dated in years, not after… not after Emily. And…"

"Gale," she doesn't let him finish. She already has tears running down the side of her nose and spilling on the violet jersey she has on. It smells like him, she realizes in that moment and it's like he's actually, physically there. "I like you, too, a lot." She lets out a breathy laugh directed at herself.

"Really?" he whispers hoarsely. She laughs again; she'll never understand how he doesn't think people like him with his good looks, illegally attractive abs, and a flawless butt. Not to mention the way his voice sounds in the morning that one time he accidently called her. Or at least he "claims" it to be accidently. Either way, she doesn't care. She wishes she could hear that every day.

"Yes, Gale."

"I guess you can call me that since I'm not your coach anymore."

They both laugh a sad laugh. "I guess so." She whispers into the phone.

She hears a sniffle on the other end of the phone. And then another one. He lets out a breathy laugh, much like hers from earlier.

"You make me happy, Madge." She can hear he is crying. She doesn't understand why or how but her heart aches to hold him against her chest and comfort him. Couldn't they be dating so she could make her mom let her drive the Porsche to go see him? You know, just to go over to his apartment and it wouldn't seem wrong or inappropriate. She'd even take the hell from Peeta if she couldn't take the Porsche and had to call him up for a ride.

"Are you okay?" she whispers. She doesn't want to directly call out his crying. And if she's wrong! She'd never live it down.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He sounds exhausted. "Do you want to maybe meet up somewhere?"

"Like now?" nothing short of surprised.

"Yeah now! I have some things to tell you if we're going to make this work." When there's silence he panicked and added on: "Nothing bad, just I think you need to hear some of my past before we go on. See if I'm for you. I want to do this right, Madge. I want to keep you safe."

She doesn't understand why he said he wanted to keep her safe. The only thing that comes to mind is drug deals and illegal activity but that doesn't seem like something Gale would do, but maybe, after all, she doesn't know him that well.

"Okay, the coffee shop right out of town towards the country club. You know where that is?" it should be a desolate coffee shop. Most people don't stop there because they're either going to the country club or back into town. Nothing much out there, to be honest.

"Yeah, I know the place."

"Meet me there."

…

They spend hours in the place. They spend the time talking about Gale and his past. He can't seem to stop the tears from flowing half way through and Madge pats the spot next to her. They're in the middle of the room against the wall in the booth. Most people can see and Gale knows they see him when they walk in. So when he slips into Madge's booth, not only does he feel safe and the tears are heavier but he's glad to be out of the street view.

He curls into Madge's side, his head on her shoulder and her hands in his ebony locks. He keeps on telling her the story of Emily and her death. He smiles through the good times and cries harder during the darker, deeper, deadly spots. Madge never knew he carried the burden of Emily's death on his shoulders. She never knew about Emily at all and she understands why he's telling her this. Not to make her jealous or anger but to simply let her in and silently ask if she can handle the broken mess of a boy that had to grow up too fast.

When he's done telling her his tale she merely answered, "Yes."

"Yes?" he gives her an adorable look of confusion.

"I'll take one boy with black hair and gray eyes. And a shot of boyfriend." She smiles at him and orders him like a latte.

He gives her a water laugh and wipes his eyes. "Who ever said I was gonna ask you?"

She raises her eyebrows. She has total confidence that he was going too. "You were using me?"

"Nope."

"Then you better hop too it, Easter Bunny." He rolls his eyes at her nickname.

"Madge," he tilts his head down, giving her the Flynn, from Tangled, smolder. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

She catches on quickly to the look he's giving her. Tangled is Madge's favorite Disney movie.

"You're lucky I don't have my frying pan."

…

It wasn't long until the evil Principle was caught using the school's credit card to pay for his apartment, his lady, his brand new TV, and his brand new dashing red Ferrari. The gym teacher demanded that the girls' soccer team get a coach stat because she didn't know what she was doing. The girls only won 75% of games because they only got so far in Coach Hawthorne's training camp as he liked to call it.

So when Mr. Tall, Dark, and Madge's boyfriend shows up on the field the next day with pizza and Mountain Dew the girls couldn't be happier. Madge and Gale kept a respectably distance when they ate their cold pizza because practice comes first you know. The refreshing taste of Mountain Dew and the delicious taste of pizza, warm or cold – who cares! – that everyone is enjoying is when Blondie decides to apologize for kissing her coach and getting him fired. That ISS did more for her than a day in jail would. She understands now why she can't do that and she shouldn't act out of jealousy. Madge and Gale liked each other and he didn't like her and not everyone will, but she doesn't say that.

Madge and Gale aren't official yet among the crowd of teenagers but they are among the NYU soccer team. Madge is accepted as a sister among them and actually gets to spend time in the locker room after games, not on tours, with the other girlfriends. And the best part of it all is that she gets to sit in Gale's lap, him in a pair of sweatpants (he doesn't care now that he has her even if the team will never let him live it down) and no shirt with him presses soft kisses to her shoulder as the guys share they crazy stories or even crazier weekend plans.

They probably won't become official to her team or school until after the season or maybe even a little after the season. They don't want to make Gale look bad now do they? No reason to have another "bad" coach like last year even if Gale's would just be a false representation of him. He's done the girls well.

Madge helps Gale clean up the boxes and empty 2 liters after practice. Their arms brush as they walk to the dumpsters. They share a smile and Gale kisses her forehead and squeezes her hand before they turn back to head around the school to the field. When they turn around there's a car horn honk and the familiar red Porsche that Mrs. Undersee's blonde head it sticking out of.

"Mr. Hawthorne, I taught my daughter better than to be kissing by the dumpsters." She wages her finger at him in a playful manner. Mrs. Undersee likes Gale and loves to see how happy her only daughter is being with him. She would even trade her beloved Porsche if it meant that her daughter would be this happy forever.

"My deepest apologies, ma'am. I wouldn't want that either for this beautiful, young lady. She's worth a little more than dirty, smelly dumpster kisses." Madge blushes her pretty blush that makes Gale melt a little, or maybe a lot. He may or may not go weak in the knees at the sight. But he'll never reveal the answer.

"I'm glad we're on the same page." Mrs. Undersee winks in his direction as Madge hops in the back seat, talking about her gym bag. Mrs. Undersee taps none other than her pink and black duffle bag with Madge stitched into the top.

Forever the princess, Gale thinks, forever my princess.

"You should come for dinner sometime." Mrs. Undersee says as she starts the car. "Bruce wants to meet you."

All the while, Madge is in the back seat making the cutting motion over her neck, mouthing no, no, no, you don't have to come.

"I'll think about it." He winks in Madge's direction. They say goodbye and Gale wants over to his clipboard and backpack on the bleachers before heading to his car.

Katniss is sitting in his passenger seat when he gets there. It's no surprised she's there, he has to take her home today. The Hawthorne's are invited over to the Everdeen's for dinner tonight and Gale isn't a fool. He isn't missing Mrs. Everdeen's food, it may not be a good as his mother's but his mother made cheesecake. Even if Mrs. Everdeen was a bad cook Gale would go for the cheesecake.

"Ready?"

"Yup." He buckles his seatbelt and pulls safely out of the school parking lot and made a beeline for the highway. "You and Madge make an adorable couple."

He groans, "Ugh! Not this again!" Of course Katniss, Peeta, and Delly know about them, they are best friends to Madge and Katniss is like family to Gale. Did anyone mention that when Gale came home that night from the coffee shop and told Thom he was literally so overjoyed he was actually jumping off the walls and on the couches and beds. Come on, the best friends had to know! There was no doubt about it.

…

When Christmas rolls around and Gale is walking up the Undersee's walkway on Christmas Eve, he isn't nervous about meeting her family. He's already met Bruce (Mr. Undersee) and Arnold, the housekeeper. He isn't even nervous about the rest of her family being there. All he wants to do is give Madge her present and kiss her lips. And he can only hope she wants that too.

He rings the doorbell and Madge, in a snow white lace dress, appears in the doorway. She lets him in and walks around him. He swoops down and presses a lingering kiss to her lips, oddly tasting of m&m's rather than strawberries.

"Pretty dress." He whispers against her lips before pressing them to hers again. She kisses back feverishly, her hands grip his coat front.

"You didn't tell us you were dating Coach!" the team yelled out. Gale jumped a little and let out a exasperate breath against her lips before looking up. He didn't realize they were going to be here, he might have held off kissing her if he did.

Madge stare at his chest and when he looks down at her she's smiling softly. Not annoyed like him but happy. When she turns around and his shadow isn't covering her you can see the prettiest blush of them all appear on her face. She looks down and Gale takes her hand.

"Yes, we are." Out of the corner of his eye he catches her smirk, "And you can't have him!" her voice is vicious which causes him to look over at her. She's still smiling. Her smile isn't vicious or mean but teasing and sarcastic.

The girls all laugh and cheer for them.

Most surprising of them all, Blondie says, "Your secret's safe with us."

Gale's heart swells with new respect for her. "Thank you." He nods.

Madge turns her head up to look at him when she hears his voice. She squeezes his hand and gives him that look that can only be described as love. Something that, no matter how cold Gale is (he's a popsicle!), will always make him feel warm. And no matter how use to it he gets with that look it will never make the butterflies stop fluttering in his stomach, sometimes so much he's afraid he'll puke in happiness. Something he doesn't need to do right now. He doesn't want to get use to that look, though, he wants to see it and be surprised it there not just expect it to be. He wants that look to make him feel special and warm and loved. He wants her to always look at him with that look but only if she means it. He loves that look and he hopes she can see how much he loves her.

It's only been a short while between them but it couldn't have felt more right between them. He loves the thrill he gets with her, even if he makes him ride rollercoasters that he hates. And she loves that he's willing to put up with his fears long enough to go with her.

"Come on!" the girls yell as the head up the stairs, Madge dragging Gale behind her.

"Are you sure it's okay that I go up there?"

"Yes? I asked earlier."

The present he brought for Madge sits in his lap as they all sit in a circle. One of the girls points to it and he mentions it's for Madge.

He hands it to her.

"Should I wait for later."

"Sure, it's a box of condoms. We can break them in later." He winks at her but he's clearly being sarcastic.

She laughs and pushes his chest until he's leaning on one elbow. His other hand break the stiff bend of her elbow until her lips fall on his.

She laughs, "You're horrible you know that. And I think Thom would break those condoms in before you." She teases back.

"Oh most definitely, he would." Gale won't deny that he likes to take it slow, especially with Madge. He doesn't want to jump into anything and for things to spiral out of control like last time. No matter how many times Madge promises him it won't he doesn't want to take his chances, not that she wants to move any faster either.

"It's about the right size, the box I mean."

Gale laughs loudly and shakes his head. "I guess it is, but you shouldn't know that."

The girl shakes her head and grabs the present, shoving it at Madge. "Open it."

Madge's face burns bright red, she looks a Gale. He shrugs, she can open it whenever.

The box was deceiving to what was inside but not less important. Inside laid concert tickets to Taylor Swift and VIP passes as well. Two tickets and two VIP passes. And $200 with a note wrap around it saying for dinner and t-shirts. Or whatever she wanted.

"I figured you and Peeta could go rock out to some Taylor Swift."

"Me and my bitch thank you." Peeta says as he and Katniss enter the room. "That's of course if you want me to go."

"Of course I want you go, Peeta. We've been planning this since the RED tour came out! We're on 1989 now, we're losing time!" then she turns to Gale, "Peeta's t-shirt on you too?" she gives him a playful look.

"Of course! I gave you money, if that includes a t-shirt for Peeta so be it."

She flings herself at Gale and hugs him, thanking him profusely.

"You're welcoming."

They remain hugging for a long time, neither of them wanting to let up. She loves the smell of his natural scent and the warmth radiating off him. And he loves to just have her in his arms. She thanks him another time for releasing him from his awkward position.

"What did you get him for Christmas?" Katniss' asks.

Madge tugs the gray sweatshirt Gale has on. The one coat he did not take off when he took off his winter peacoat.

"He said he wanted a sweatshirt so he got a sweatshirt."prisn

"Promise not to steal it this time?"

"Error. No promises can be made for your request."

He laughs and lightheartedly smacked her arm.

…

Gale and Madge were happy in their little bundle of blankets back in Gale and Thom's bachelor pad, as Thom calls it. Gale shook his head and muttered something like, "Apartment, just an apartment" before they curled up together in Gale's big, fluffy, cream color, oversized blanket his mom gave him when he moved out so he wouldn't get cold.

Thom and his girlfriend, Bristel, even stayed. They, too, curled up in another of Gale's big, fluffy, blue this time, oversized blanket that his mom gave him as a backup so he would never be cold. Thom popped in Tangled, much to Madge's pleasure, before nestling in beside Bristel. They already had hot chocolate made and popcorn freshly popped from the microwave and Gale's cats, Pickle and Lightning, curled up under Gale's arm and leg.

Life was good and everyone in the room hoped it stayed that way. When Gale fell asleep, using Pickle as a pillow and Lightning as a foot warmer, Madge wished that she could do this every day. She wanted to fall asleep and wake beside Gale (even if her parents were gonna be pissed in the morning). She wanted to feel the heat radiate off him and keep the chills away and she wanted to explore new things with him whether it was traveling or other things she wanted to do it at their own pace.

And a few New Year's from that Christmas Eve she got her wish. He had asked her to move in with him, Thom, and Bristel that night under the stars that held so many promises.

And a few years later on June 23, he asked her marry him and she said yes. And a year later she was walking down the aisle in a gorgeous dress towards the most handsome guy in the world to say I do.