Made it to 100 reviews! Thank you to everyone who commented on the last chapter. It's always great to hear from you! Enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 13
I've waited two weeks for this moment. Today the girl I love is returning to District 12. Just like the previous time, she won't be returning alone. History has decided to repeat itself. She started her love affair with Peeta Mellark in the Arena and tried to end her life with nightlock to ensure both of them would return home.
I quickly get ready and then start for the train station with my family to welcome her home. A mix of emotions swirl through me as I try to remain calm and collected. I can't help but feel giddy about seeing her again. It sounds silly for a boy of my age to feel this way but love will do that to you. I also feel nervous about her return. Since her time away she has gained a boyfriend…or so that's what Panem is expected to believe. I can only hope that all those kisses were only for sponsorship during the Games. I don't think my heart can take it if they meant more than that.
We find a spot on the train platform next to the Everdeens and wait. The train arrives on time. She emerges from the train car with her hand interlocked with Peeta's. I'm not sure if it's a solidarity thing or something more. The mayor gives a small speech before releasing them to their loved one for their welcome home. Katniss runs straight for Prim, taking her into her arms. Her mother huddles them close to her. There are tears of joy, laughter, and relief on their faces.
I impatiently wait for my turn. There is nothing more that I want than to have her in my arms. I had a little taste of that in the Justice Building before she left and my heart swells when I think about her body close to mine. I don't get that chance. When she releases herself from her sister and mother, I watch her eyes meet mine for just a second before they flicker away. She takes her sister and mother's hands and escorts them past me. I murmur her name when she's close by she doesn't even acknowledge me. She pushes forward to the cars that await them.
Once the spectacle is over, the crowd quickly disperses. I find myself stuck, my feet unwilling to move.
"Gale, time to go." my mother says gently.
'What the hell just happened?' I think to myself. Katniss Everdeen, my best friend in the world, just whizzed past me as if I didn't exist.
"Gale, time to go." my mother repeats.
"What was that?" I whisper.
"What was what?" my mother questions me, as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.
"Not even a hello." I sigh as I start home. We walk home in mostly silence. Posy comments on Katniss' pretty dress and about her and Peeta. I drown it out as best I can. I don't want to hear any of it.
Shortly after Katniss' arrival back to District 12, I started working in the mines. Each day I come home, eager to see if she has stopped by only to be disappointed. I've seen her around town twice. Each time she made a quick get away before I could reach her. After weeks of waiting for something, I've lost any hope that something will happen. She's changed, which isn't uncommon with victors. She doesn't need me anymore.
I'm still having a hard time accepting that it's over betweens us. I wanted so much to end up with her. Sometime, I lie in bed at night and think of her, my heart aching. Tonight is no exception. Despite my exhaustion from my long day of work, I cannot drift off. I think about the times we had together in the woods. I yearn for those days to return but know they never will. I have been replaced by Peeta Mellark.
An incessant knocking on our door wakes me from my slumber. It's well into the night and I am not sure who could be calling at this hour. It seems as if the person has no intention of stopping so I roll out of bed and stumble through the darkness until I am in the living room. Things become even more peculiar when I hear the knocking coming from the back door instead of the front. Whoever it is wants to be discrete. I slowly open the door and am shocked to find Katniss on my back porch. Anger swells up in my chest at the sight of her. This is the girl that has avoided me for weeks. I'm not sure what to say first. Part of me wants to hurt her like she hurt me.
As I try to formulate the words to say, she makes the first move. She steps inside my house, closes the door, and wraps herself around me in an embrace. The easy thing to do would be to return the gesture, but I'm too stubborn for that. I want answers.
"Why are you here, Katniss?" I murmur into the silence. She releases herself from me and looks up to me.
"I've missed you." she replies.
"So you decided that 2 a.m. would be a good time."
"I have to be careful now."
"Careful of what?" I ask her.
"Things are different now. I'm a victor." she tells me.
"And you can't be seen with the likes of me." I reply bitterly. "You know, last time I checked you were Seam too. Just because you live in a fancy house and have tons of money doesn't change that!"
I expect her to come back at me, but she doesn't. She stands there quietly and looks as if she is about to cry.
"That's what you think of me now?"
"You've made it a point to avoid me. I never thought that you'd feel as if you were too good to be seen with me."
"I can't have people getting the wrong idea about us." she retorts. I give her a confused look, not quite sure I understand what she is saying. She explains further. "I'm with Peeta now…well supposed to be. I can't have people thinking there is something going on between us."
"Why would they think that?" I ask her quietly.
"People talk Gale. Make up rumors."
"Since when do you care about rumors?" Again, she is quiet. She's keeping something from me. I can tell. "What is it Katniss?"
"I'm supposed to be with Peeta."
"Supposed?" I question.
"It's not real, Gale." she gasps. I take her in my arms after her last confession. I hear her whimper and then feel her tears collect on my shirts. All this time, I thought she was fine without me. In reality, she had been hurting just as much I had been.
"I'm so tired." she murmurs.
"You can stay here for the night." I tell her as I bring her around to the couch. I lay her down and cover her with a blanket resting on the back of the couch. I brace myself as I stand up but feel her hand wrap my wrist, stopping me.
"Gale, stay."
"Katniss, I'm also tired. There isn't any place for me to sleep." I tell her as politely as I can. She removes herself from the couch and takes my hand, leading me to the door.
"Put your shoes on." she tells me. I give her a questioning look but she doesn't give me any more information. I do as she says and then follow her outside. It isn't long before I realize we're walking towards her house in the Seam.
"They let us keep the house…in case something happens to me." she adds. I'm not sure why she even says it. Everyone knows that if a victor dies, their family is forced out of Victor's Village. It's a messed up system, but most things in this country are. We walk to the back of the house, where she locates the key and opens the door. I go to switch on the light but she stops me.
"No. I don't want anyone knowing I come here." she says. I slide off my shoes and she leads me through the darkness. My heartbeat quickens as I think about where she inevitably is taking me: her bedroom. We enter her room and she leads me over to her bed. The room is lit by the moonlight entering the lone window near her bed. She climbs under the covers but I am still, my feet planted on the floor. I have been anticipating this moment for so long, although never under this circumstance. I always thought we be more than what we are when this happened.
"What are you waiting for?" she asks looking up at me.
"It's a small bed."
"We can manage." she answers back.
"I know you like your space." I comment as I join her.
"Not tonight." Katniss murmurs.
"Why?"
"I've been having nightmares, horrible ones. I think it might help to have someone near." Her last statement unofficially allows me permission to move closer to her after having balanced my body on the edge of the bed.
"What kind of nightmares, Catnip?" I inquire.
"Mostly about the Games…what happened there." she quietly tells me. There is plenty from her Games to plague her mind.
"Do you think about that stuff before you go to sleep?"
"It's hard not to."
"I'll protect you." I murmur as I wrap my arm around her. It's the most romantic confession I've ever said to her although I'm sure its true sentiment is lost on her.
"Ok." she whispers as she cuddles closer to me. I'm surprised by her answer. I expected her to renounce the idea that I could protect her from bad dreams. She must really need to believe that I can. I lay in silence until suspect that she has fallen asleep. I close my eyes and drift off as well, hoping only good dreams will come to her tonight.
When morning comes, I am the first to wake. She is cuddled close to me, safe in my arms. This is all I could ask for. The love I feel for her returns. I wonder if she could ever love me back. I let her rest, knowing she needs her sleep. I doubt she has gotten a good night's rest since her return. After about an hour, I grow impatient, wanting to talk to her. I gently rub her arm with my fingertips as I whisper her name. She shifts her body and slowly opens her eyes, still drowsy.
"Sleep well?" I ask.
"Yes." she mutters.
"Any nightmares?" I add. A grin spreads across her face and she lightly shakes her head.
"Good." I reply. A silence falls between us but it is in no way uncomfortable. We are used to it by now. "I missed you Katniss."
"I missed you too."
"I thought you didn't need me anymore." I reveal. She looks up at me clearly confused.
"How could you ever think that?"
"Don't really need to hunt anymore."
"And that's all you think you mean to me? Just a hunting partner?"
"I didn't know what to think. All I knew is that you were avoiding me."
"It wasn't my decision to do that. I went to the woods a few times but you were never there."
"Don't go there too much. Mines are keeping me busy."
"The mines?" she inquires with worry.
"You knew I'd have to start sooner or later."
"I didn't realize…" she pauses. "Gale I have more than enough—"
"No Katniss, I don't need that."
"Gale, I don't want you in the mines."
"I'll be fine, Catnip."
"What if something happens to you?"
"I'm very careful." I tell her with a sense of finality. I don't want to talk about this anymore. Nothing she can say will change my mind. I need a way to provide my family and this is the best way possible. "We should probably get home. I'm sure our families are wondering about us."
"Ok." she says sitting up. We work together to make the bed. We then make our way to the door, and sit on the bench to put on our shoes.
"Gale."
"Yes?"
"Maybe we could meet here tonight."
"Tonight?" I question.
"It was nice…not having the nightmares." she says.
"Ok." It's a nice arrangement. Maybe this is just what I need to make her realize what we could be.
"Good. Thank you." she corrects herself.
"Want me to walk you back?" I offer.
"No, I'll be fine." she insists.
"See you tonight." I say before giving her a big hug, which she returns. We leave through the back door and then part ways.
When I get home, I see my mother is already awake.
"You must have been up early." she comments.
"Decided to make a early start." I reply. One look from her tells me she doesn't believe that for one second. I won't give away where I really was.
"You weren't in your bed." she says.
"No."
"Where were you?" she asks. I remain quiet. I don't want to tell her. "At the slagheap again?"
"I don't go there anymore." I say, annoyed. "And how do you know about that?"
"I'm your mother." she quips.
"I was with Katniss." I huff. My mother gives me a quizzical looks. She clearly doesn't believe me.
"What? She was. She came here last night. You can ask her yourself. You know she won't lie about it." I remember trying that once, asking Katniss to cover for me when we were younger. She ruined my cover by telling my mother the truth.
"I'll make sure of it." she says before leaving me to myself. I walk back to my room and climb in my bed with a smile on my face, happy that things were finally turning around.
Little bit of Galeniss for you. More to come in the future ;) Let me know your thoughts in the reviews!
