Chapter 9
(Madge POV)
After lunch Drew and I head to the house. I show him around the place but show him my room last. And once we're inside it, I shut and lock the door behind me. I have to know more about what he told me at lunch.
He looks at me with a surprised half smile on his face when he sees me lock the door behind us and he takes a hesitant step towards me. Oh God, he's totally getting the wrong idea. He thinks I want to make out.
I hold my hand up to stop him and shake my head. "No, I did that because I wanted to be able to talk to you alone without being interrupted." I explain quickly.
His face tightens up and he shakes his head, holding a finger up to his lips. What? He wants me to be quiet?
He looks around and goes over to my balcony, pulling me out onto it and closing the doors to it behind us.
"Are you crazy?" He hisses in a whisper.
"What?"
"We cannot talk about what I know you're going to ask me about inside your house!"
I stare at him, not sure I understand. Is he trying to tell me that someone is listening at my house? The thought sends panic all through me.
"Where can we talk?" I whisper so quietly that I'm not sure he'll even hear me.
"Let's go for a walk." He grabs my hand and we head back through my room and down the back stairs. We cut through the kitchen and out the back door. Outside he looks around and I think he's going to take me to our gardens but he doesn't. He walks hurriedly away from the house, away from the whole property. We end up over by the meadow near the Seam. He doesn't utter a word to me until he's looked around and made sure no one is anywhere in sight.
"I didn't realize how much you were unaware of." He begins. He's holding both my hands and looking right at me, his face all serious.
"Me either. How about you fill me in a little?"
He looks around again, like he isn't sure he should tell me anything. In frustration I blurt out 'Who are you looking for? No one can hear us here!"
He huffs. "First, you should never talk about anything important, about anything private at your house. It's not as private as you think."
"Well how was I supposed to know that?" I ask, feeling a little defensive for having been so unaware.
He squeezes my hands. "They are always listening, Madge. Especially when you think they aren't."
I know the "they" he is referring to is the Capitol. "How do you know this?"
"I've paid attention."
I take it as an insult. Not sure if that's how he meant it or not but that's how I take if he thinks I just walk around blindly all the time, unaware of my surroundings. I pull my hands away from him and fold my arms across my chest and stare at him, waiting for him to tell me what all it is that I've missed.
"Look, don't be mad at me. I had no idea you didn't know." He says, almost pleading.
"How come our names aren't in the reaping? They're supposed to be in there."
"None of the heirs are ever put into the reaping bowl. They don't want us reaped. We're the future of the country, the ones they plan to have continue all their traditions. They need us alive. We're just supposed to merely pretend to go along with the reaping as if we're eligible but really we aren't. Didn't your father ever tell you any of this?"
"My father never tells me anything." I spit out angrily. I'm not even sure who I'm angry at. My father, the Capitol, Drew. I'm just angry. Angry that it's all been a lie. Angry that I have worried every single year for no reason. And surprisingly, I feel a little angry that my name isn't in there because that feels very unfair to the other kids in 12 who really do have their names in the bowl. Hot tears sting the corners of my eyes.
"I'm sorry you've always had to worry that your name would be pulled. That isn't fair that he made you endure all that." Drew says softly as he reaches up and wipes a tear as it rolls down my cheek.
"How do you really know they listen in at my house?" His answer from earlier about paying attention isn't enough for me.
"Remember that training program I mentioned? The one my father had August and I take part in? I learned it while I was in that program."
"So they can hear everything I say?"
"Nothing is private in your house. Or any Capitol owned building." He tells me. Then adds "You haven't said something that could get you in trouble have you?"
I shake my head. Lucky for me, I have no true social life and barely any friends. Any feelings or thoughts I have about the Capitol have only been in my thoughts, never spoken aloud. Mostly because I have no one to share them with.
"Is there anything else I need to know?" I ask, unsure if I even want to know if there is.
"Probably. If there's one thing I know, it's that you never really know what the Capitol is up to. They're really good at always being a step ahead."
The way he says that, combined with the way he just shared all this information about the reaping and about my house being bugged, tells me he may be a lot more of a free thinker than he is a Capitol supporter. And I like that. I like that a lot. I reach out and take his hand again.
"Come on, we need to go back to the house. We'll be expected to look nice for dinner so I need to freshen up." I say as I give him a smile.
As we walk, he slips his arm around me and I let myself lean against him a little. And it feels nice.
At home, I can't help but feel a little creeped out as I get ready for dinner. Is there someone listening to me now? Are they always listening or do they pop in and out with it? Can they see me too? No, surely not. But just knowing they're listening is scary enough.
I slip on a short, sparkly black dress that makes me look much older than i actually am. It's got long sleeves, a high neck and the back is completely bare all the way down to my hips. The black strappy heels that go with it are not at all comfortable but they go perfectly with it. Steffi put this outfit together for me almost a year ago and I've never worn it. She will happy to see me wear it tonight I'm sure. Mostly though, I wanted to wear it to look nice for Drew. He didn't have to tell me what he told me earlier and he didn't have to comfort me when I got upset. But he did and that showed me the side of him I've been curious about, curious if it existed. He may actually be a good match for me after all and I intend to get to know him better.
I go knock on Drew's door when I'm ready and when he opens it, a smile melts across his face. I smile back. "Ready for dinner?"
"Ready. You look amazing." He tells me, still smiling as his eyes trail over me once.
Drew and I arrive to the dining room together, hand in hand and as soon as we enter the room, I'm completely caught off guard. Sitting right there at the table amongst all the Capitol guests is none other than Ellison Crane. What is she doing here? Who invited her? Drew must be caught by surprise as well because I feel him stiffen next to me, just briefly.
"Ellison, what a wonderful surprise! How wonderful to see you again." I say with the most phony smile plastered across my face.
She stands and gives me a little hug and then gives Drew one too though she lingers a little longer on his hug. "It was the funniest thing. I was talking to my father about how it's such a shame that I've never had the opportunity to attend a reaping ceremony in person, we don't have them at home in the Capitol you know, and he suggested I pick a district and have a visit, so here I am! Ready to participate in all the fun and excitement first hand!" She squeals with what sounds like actual delight.
I swallow and maintain my grin. "Well I am so happy you've picked District 12 as the place to view the ceremony. Welcome."
Drew pulls my chair out and I take a seat. I cannot believe she's crashing my time with Drew. But she has every right. She's a Capitol citizen with important ties to one of it's leaders and she doesn't need an invitation to be a guest in my house. For all I know she will show up each and every time he visits. Drew helps her into her seat and then takes the one between us. So much for hoping I get a chance to get to know him better.
All through dinner I don't get to talk to Drew at all. Ellison is chatting away nonstop and making sure he's part of her conversation. I'm forced to chat with the other guests to my left. I also don't miss the fact that my father is glaring at me. As if it was all my fault that Ellison showed up. Dinner seems to drag on forever and when it finally ends, Drew, Ellison and I all stand there awkwardly staring at one another for a moment. She's going to linger and make sure I don't get any alone time with him at all.
"Ellison, if you'll excuse me, I've had a long day and need to get my rest for tomorrow. It was so wonderful having you join us this evening. I'm hosting a tea in the morning before the ceremony and I do hope you'll join me for that." I tell her. Maybe she'll disappear if she thinks I'm going to bed.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." She chimes at me. We both know neither of us is being sincere right now. She turns to Drew and says "Guess that leaves just you and me. How about we go listen to some music in the parlor for awhile? There's a new Capitol band that's simply marvelous, you've got to hear their new album."
He looks uncomfortable but complies. "Sure, just let me walk Madge to her room first. I'll meet you in there in a few minutes." He tells her.
"Oh don't worry about her, she lives here silly! I'm sure she can find her room all on her own." She tells him as she loops her arm through his. It's all I can do not to snort in laughter. She is something else.
Drew throws me an apologetic look as she pulls him from the room. I shake my head and laugh to myself. I head up to my room and I'm about to change out of my dress when I notice the envelope with the money for Katniss sitting on my nightstand. I totally forgot to leave it out for her in the kitchen! Crap, now I'm going to have to take this to her. I can't have her thinking I had her make all that jam and then didn't pay on time. I grab the envelope and head down the back stairs and out the back door. It's late and there aren't many people out which is nice because it's sort of peaceful but it's also really dark as I approach the Seam because they don't have street lamps here. And I've run out of paved road to walk on which is not good since I forgot to change shoes and I'm still wearing heels. And heels and gravel do not mix. I groan at my forgetfulness and stop to pull my shoes off. I'll have to walk barefoot.
(Gale POV)
I'm sitting on the porch of our house, trying to get my head ready for the reaping tomorrow when I see her. Walking barefoot through the Seam, carrying her shoes, wearing the sexiest dress I've ever seen. And she looks kinda lost.
I hop up and jog to catch up to her. She startles as I come up behind her.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. You lost or something?"
"Oh, hi. I'm just a little turned around. I was trying to get this to Katniss. I forgot to leave it our for her earlier today. It's the money for the jam." She explains looking a little relieved to see someone she knows.
"I can give it to her if you want." I offer.
"That would be great, thank you so much! Oh and please tell her I'm sorry it was waiting for her when she dropped the jam off." She says as she hands me an envelope.
"No problem." I hesitate with what I want to ask next but then just go for it. "Want me to walk with you back to town? Just until you're back where the street lamps are and can see where you're headed?" I offer.
"Would you mind? I just want to get back before anyone notices I'm gone." She tells me sounding a little flustered.
"C'mon, it's this way." I smile at her. God she looks so good in that dress. I wonder where she's been that she had to wear that?
She's quiet as we walk and I am too for a moment. Then it occurs to me to ask why she took her shoes off. "Why'd you take your shoes off? Your feet are gonna be covered in soot you know."
She sighs. "I wasn't thinking about what shoes I had on when I realized Katniss hadn't been paid yet. In my rush to get the money to her, I forgot I was wearing heels and well, heels and gravel don't exactly mix so well."
"Is it hurting your feet? the gravel?" I ask, kinda concerned because I doubt she normally walks anywhere barefoot.
"A little. It's okay though. I just didn't want Katniss to think I was never going to pay her. All I cared about was getting her the money."
"She probably wasn't worried about you not paying her. I'm sure she knew you'd pay when you saw her next." I stop walking and turn towards her. She stops too, looking at me questioningly.
"You're gonna cut your feet up and trust me, you don't want that."
She holds up the pointy heeled shoes and shakes her head. "Well it's either that or I put these back on and risk breaking my neck. Think I'll take the foot risk instead." She laughs. Her laugh is nice, gentle sounding.
"I'll carry you, just until we reach the pavement." I offer. I don't know how she'll take my offer but I just can't let her tear up her feet like this and not offer.
I swear she blushes. It's dark so I'm not certain but I swear she just blushed before she looked down. When she doesn't say anything, I speak up again. "I'll be a perfect gentleman, I swear." I say jokingly as I pick her up.
She gasps ever so softly as I swing her up into my arms. I think I startled her by just going for it. I start walking again. We aren't far from the edge of town where the pavement is so I won't have to carry her far. I could though. She's light as air. We don't talk anymore until I reach the pavement and gently set her down.
"Thank you. I appreciate all your help. You really didn't have to carry me." She tells me as she flashes me what looks like an embarrassed kind of smile.
"Couldn't let you hurt your feet. Have a good night!" I tell her with a wink and then I turn and head back home without another word.
I smile all the way back home. It's the most interaction I've ever had the opportunity for with her. She is so genuinely nice. Selfless even. She didn't even care about the fact that she was hurting her feet because all that mattered to her was getting this money to Katniss. She is so not a person I could ever see married to a Capitol leader. She doesn't even seem like the daughter of one. She sure is something special.