Chapter 6
(Gale POV)
Sweat is dripping down my face and my hands feel like they're blistering. It's hot as hell out here and this stage building is taking forever. I knew it would be hard work but they've made the stage much bigger this year for some reason and there's only about 15 of us working on it. When the peacekeeper overseeing our work blows a whistle and tells us to break for lunch, I go over to a nearby tree, yank my shirt off and collapse in the shade.
"Here." Thom says as he thrusts a bottle of water at me.
We don't get the luxury of buying bottled water in the Seam so I have no idea where he got this. "You didn't buy this did you?"
"Nah, golden girl is passing them out."
I raise myself back up and look over at where we were working. Sure enough, there's Madge, handing out waters. Some man is trailing behind her, photographing her doing it. Capitol guy probably. Wonder what the photos are all about? And what prompted her to do this? I stare for awhile trying to figure it out and she ends up making eye contact with me. She looks a little red in the face, heat must be getting to her too. She quickly looks away and finishes what she's doing.
"What's with the photo op you think?" I ask, frowning at the guy with the camera.
"Beats me. Probably something to do with that whole Heir thing they wrote about in the gazette."
"Since when do you read the gazette?" I ask. We don't get the paper in the Seam either so I don't know where he read it.
"I don't. Just heard she was front page is all."
Front page? I suddenly find myself wanting to read this article now. Maybe it will explain the whole thing about that other girl being paired up with her and that guy. I may have to see if I can find a copy somewhere later. One someone already threw out or something. Certainly can't just go buy one. I down the water and pour the last bit over my head. It's cold and feels good. I slide my shirt back on as the whistle blows calling us back to work again. I'm ready to be done with this.
We manage to finish just before sunset and I'm totally beat. I'm supposed to go to some party in the Seam tonight but honestly all I want to do is wash up and crash for the night. And get a copy of that paper Thom told me about.
I glance around and decide to check the trash cans in the alley behind the cafe up ahead. I slip behind the building and peek inside the trash cans lined up against the wall. I'm on the 4th can before I luck out and find a copy. Thom was right. There's a full front page article. I tear the page off the paper, fold it up and shove it in my back pocket to read later when I'm at home.
I slip out of the alley and continue on my way home. My mother is outside hanging a load of wash on the line. I hand her the money I made today as I go around the back of our house to the rain barrel to wash up.
"Thank you Gale. This helps quite a bit." She tells me as she tucks the money into her apron pocket. I know she hates that I have to help support the family but I also know my help is genuinely needed and fully appreciated.
We use a rain barrel out back to collect rain water in. Seam plumbing isn't something you can count on because it's really old and very poorly maintained. Ours almost never works. So much so that we rarely even try to use it anymore. The rain barrel works good enough though. When we started using it, I hung up a little shelf on the back wall of the house so we could put a scrub brush and a bar of soap. I fill the small wooden bucket with water and start washing up. The soap stings my hands so I know the blisters I felt forming probably busted already. Great. Just great. That'll make life easier. I pull my hands from the bucket, look down at them and exactly as I suspected, my hands are raw and red, skin peeling in places. Gonna have to put some salve on them. I finish washing all the sweat and filth off myself and head inside.
Pulling the article from my pocket I lay back on my bed and take a look. There's a big photo of the three of them, probably taken during the actual ceremony. They're all smiling. The guy isn't ugly. I could see them as a couple. Other girl isn't bad to look at either. The article talks about how for the first time ever there were two girls who matched with the same boy. Apparently they'll both spend the next year dating him and then he gets to pick one of them at the end of the year to marry. There are a couple other smaller pictures at the bottom of the article with captions below them. One is the guy, Andrew, dancing with the other girl. They look happy and the caption says he called her a great dancer. The picture of he and Madge though is her leaning into him, kissing him as she holds up a champagne glass. She almost looks drunk the way she's standing and holding that glass. But that doesn't seem like her. At least not anything I've ever seen or heard. She's usually pretty prim and proper. My eyes go down to the caption below and I see that he says kissing her was dreamlike. Annoyed I ball up the paper and throw it across the room. Dreamlike, huh? I bet he's right. I bet kissing her does feel like a dream. I close my eyes and drift off to sleep, that picture of her kissing him replaying in my mind over and over as I do.
(Madge POV)
I was right. That article was not something I wanted to read. Apparently Drew and I have shared a kiss. I know this because there's a photograph of us kissing right there at the bottom of the article. I am beyond mortified for so many reasons when I see it. First, because I don't ever want a picture of myself kissing being spread around all of Panem. Secondly, that was my very first kiss ever. And lastly, I don't remember it whatsoever. And who initiated it? Was it him or did I do that all on my own? Oh and Drew must really have called kissing me dreamlike because they put that in the photo caption. Well my father certainly won't be able to accuse me of acting disinterested in Drew, that's one good thing I suppose. I'm sure Ellison probably really hates me now if she didn't already. I toss the paper back down on the breakfast table and put my dishes in the sink. I'm about to try and disappear for the day when my father walks in.
"Madge, you will have a reporter following you around for a few days, photographing and documenting your work within the district as we prepare for the games." He tells me without so much as a good morning greeting.
"My work?" I question. What work is he talking about?
"The other girl, Ellison, well she has been documented helping the Capitol get set up for the games and I think you need to do the same. We cannot have her being the only one seeming to support the games you know."
I want to argue that she's probably helping set up for the games because her father is the gamemaker but I know it'd be a lost argument on my father. He's clearly already decided I'm doing this. So I just stare at him and wait for the directives I know are coming.
"I've arranged for you to distribute water to the workers building the reaping stage at noon today during their break. You'll host a tea for the Capitol guests before the reaping ceremony and you'll talk up the games. You will invite Drew to be here in District 12 for the ceremony and you'll sit on stage with him alongside me as they draw the names. And the reporter will be documenting all of this and preparing a small piece that shows you've been supporting the Capitol and the games."
"I can't sit on the stage during the reaping." I remind him. It's like he's forgotten that I am in the reaping itself.
"You can and you will. And so will Andrew so do not neglect to invite him here."
"Won't he have to be present at his own district's reaping?" I ask.
"Arrangements can be made but that is none of your concern. Your job is to invite him and I suggest you do so promptly." He tells me as he turns and exits the kitchen.
"Spectacular. Just spectacular." I mumble to myself as I go upstairs to call Drew.
In my room I go over to the phone and ask the operator to put me through to the Whitney's house. I don't even have his phone number. I cannot believe I'm going to invite him to come here for the reaping. This is ridiculous. Part of me hopes he isn't there so I can't invite him but I know that won't be a valid excuse when I tell my father that he isn't coming. Maybe he will say no. Maybe he'll tell me that it isn't possible.
His housekeeper answers and tells me to hold while she gets him for me. So much for hoping he isn't home.
"Hello?" He says, coming on the line.
"Um, hi Drew, it's Madge." I start. My mouth suddenly feels super dry and my voice sounds a little scratchy.
"Hey, I was actually going to call you in a little while. Guess you beat me to it." He says, sounding pleased to hear from me.
"Well, I um, wanted to invite you to visit here in 12. My father suggested you come here for the reaping ceremony. I know that probably isn't possible and all but he insisted it was and said I should ask you. I know its a crazy idea and also very short notice so I totally understand if you can't come and..." I ramble, stumbling a little over my words. I am not good at this asking a guy out thing, that's obvious.
"Madge, stop. I can come." He laughs as he puts me out of my misery.
'You can? But what about the reaping ceremony in your district? Don't you have to be there for that?" I ask, curious about how he's so sure he can come.
"Don't worry about that. I'll talk to my father and he will take care of any details that need to be seen to."
"What were you going to call me about?" I ask.
"Oh, just to see when we could schedule some time together. With you being in 12 and Ellison being in the Capitol and me in 4, I'm going to have to stick to a pretty set schedule if in order to see you both and still take care of my obligations here."
"Do you think it will cause problems with Ellison if you come here for the reaping? I don't want to be a source of strife for you two."
"I'll call and invite her to watch the presentation of tributes with me in 4 right after I hang up with you. She can't be mad about me spending time with you. I have to see both of you."
"That's true." I admit although something tells me she's going to be jealous every time he sees me.
"I'll have my father make the travel arrangements and see that my itinerary is sent to you as well." He tells me.
"That would be great, thank you. I'll see you soon."
"Looking forward to it." He says as he hangs up.
I place the phone back on the receiver and think for a moment. He sounded friendly but also simply on task with making sure we see one another. Still can't figure him out.
Just before noon I head to the center of town where my father has arranged for me to pass out bottles of water to the workers building the stage. So stupid if you ask me. And sort of embarrassing that I'm being photographed doing it. I mean, could it seem more fake? Clearly with a photographer following me around I am only doing this for the camera. We would normally never do something like this. It's all just for show. Someone from his office hands me a few bottles and tells me to start passing them out. So I do. I can hear the clicks of the camera as the reporter snaps a few shots. I ignore it as best I can and continue giving out the water and then I notice someone staring at me from a distance, over under a tree. It's Gale Hawthorne. And he's got his shirt off. I find myself staring back, my eyes drifting down over the very toned muscles of his chest before I even realize what I'm doing. Quickly though I realize what I was just doing and look away but not before my face turns red with embarrassment. Since when did I start checking out guys? And Gale Hawthorne at that! As if he would even have an interest in someone like me. And it's not like he has a shortage of admirers. He doesn't need me admiring him too. I shake my head to myself. First I'm photographed making out with a boy at a Capitol event and now a shirtless Gale Hawthorne is catching my eye? I've clearly lost my mind. That's the only plausible explanation at this point.