Chapter 16
(Gale POV)
"Always." I tell her and she heads towards me. "What are you doing out here?" I ask.
"Nothing. I was out on my balcony and thought I saw you over, thought I'd come say hi." She says as she sits next to me, her dress pouffing up around her.
"You can see me out here from your house?" I ask, glancing back at her house up on the hill. It surprises me she spotted me out here.
"Well, I saw something, some movement. Thought it might be you."
So she came all the way out here just to see if it was me? I smile even though I try not to. She wanted to see me. "Well you found me."
"I see you've been doing a little light reading. Did you not like the article?" She asks as she picks up the crumpled newspaper.
"It was mostly nonsense, like you said." I tell her.
"I didn't even read it." She says as she uncrumples it and starts skimming it. "Hmmm, I had no idea I was so excited about the games." She jokes as she sees what they've said about her. She flips to the next page and I see her stiffen as she sees the giant picture of her making out with the guy. She sets it back down and doesn't say anything else about it. I can't really figure out how she feels about that guy. What little she's said about him makes it seem like she isn't really sure she likes him but she sure seems to like him in that picture.
"So was the makeout shot a set up too like the water? They don't make you kiss people just for the article do they?" I ask. I need to know more about how she feels about him and this seems like a good time to ask some questions.
She picks at the pouffy fabric on her dress. "It wasn't a makeout session, just a kiss and when it happened I didn't know anyone was watching. At least not until the camera flash alerted me to it. If I'd known they were watching, I probably wouldn't have kissed him." She replies a little glumly.
I feel like I might be bumming her out a little so I lighten the mood. "Well, that hat..." I tease as I flip back to that picture. "That hat is really something. You definetly picked that one out yourself, huh?"
It does the trick. She looks over at me and shoots me a look. I laugh.
"Well, get ready to start seeing me in top Capitol fashions all the time now. While we were on our little adventure today, my closet was cleaned out and all my clothes and shoes have been exchanged for the newest Capitol trends. It's going to be fancy dresses and heels all the time now."
"Who did that?" I ask.
She shrugs. "My father. Or well, he had it done. He feels it's time I stop acting and dressing like a child and start looking and acting like a Capitol adult."
"How have you been acting like a child? You throw tantrums I haven't seen or something?"
She lets out a little laugh. "No, nothing like that. Today, I was a child by going out for a long walk when I should have been at home, waiting by the phone for an unexpected phone call from Drew. Apparently adults don't miss phone calls."
So I made her miss a phone call from the boyfriend, huh? Wonder if she cared as much as her father did. "You mad that you missed his call?"
She shakes her head. "He's in the Capitol with Ellison right now and truthfully, I'm not sure I really want to talk to him when he's visiting her."
"Not a fan of the whole shared boyfriend thing?"
"No. It makes an already hard thing that much harder." She admits, then adds "And you keep calling him my boyfriend. I'm not sure that's really what he is."
"Would you date him if the whole matching thing didn't exist?"
She's quiet, like she's thinking it through herself before she answers me. "I don't know." She finally tells me. "I never even considered dating anyone because I knew I was going to be matched eventually and so I didn't figure there was any point in it. I never allowed myself to be attracted to anyone. But really, I think all that did was cause me to not know when I wanted to date someone or even to know if someone wanted to date me. So now, here I am paired up in this unique situation and I have no idea how to navigate it all."
That's a whole lot of truth and insight, much more than I expected her to tell me. I'm a little surprised to hear that she thinks she'd have no idea if someone was attracted to her. "You'll know when you're attracted to someone, don't worry about that." I assure her.
"Doesn't matter at this point. I have to marry my match, whether it's Drew or someone they match me with next year."
"Well you're not married yet." I tell her flirtatiously. I really just want to kiss her. I want to kiss her and let her know that I've been interested in her forever. That I'm interested now. But I don't. I hold back.
Her eyes meet mine and she smiles then looks down and picks at the grass. We sit for awhile longer, not talking, just sitting. And it's nice, not awkward at all. Comfortable, like we've been friends for years even though we haven't. Eventually, I decide I need to get home and she does too. I hold out my hand to help her to her feet. Before we part ways though, me heading to the Seam and her to that big house on the hill, I squeeze her hand and say "I meant what I said. You're not married yet." Then without waiting for a response, I flash my flirtiest smile and head home. It takes all I have not to look back at her.
(Madge POV)
I flop down on my bed and feel like I'm floating. I have never felt like this. I've never felt this giddy. He was flirting with me. I'm sure of it. And I'm also sure I really liked it. I know I shouldn't. I'm promised to Drew, if he decides he wants me and not Ellison. But like Gale said, I'm not married yet. I'm snapped out of my bliss when the phone rings. I sit up and grab it as I glance at the clock. It's nearly midnight.
"Hello?"
"Hey, did I wake you?" I hear Drew say.
"No, I wasn't asleep yet. Just laying here. It's late. Is everything okay?" I ask, a little concerned he'd call this late.
"Oh no, sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. I just got back to my room and saw I'd missed your call. Wanted to call you back while I had the chance." He explains.
I'm a little put off by the whole part about how he wanted to call me while he had the chance. I'm so glad he could squeeze a quick phone call into his night. I know I'm being unfair too though so I try to ignore the feeling. "Busy night?" I ask.
"You know how it is here in the Capitol. Always a party that never ends."
"Are you having a good time?" I ask and immediately regret it and hope he doesn't start giving me a detailed run down of his date with Ellison.
"I always have a good time when I'm in the Capitol." He says and I know it's a proper etiquette type answer. If they listen to what's said inside my house, they probably listen in on phone calls too.
"Don't we all!" I reply with fake enthusiasm.
"Listen, I wanted to invite you for a visit to District 4. Would you like to come up on the train tomorrow after the viewing is over? You could stay for a couple days and I can show you around. We could have some time alone, just the two of us so we could get to know one another a little better."
My stomach flip flops and suddenly I feel a little nervous. I want to go, I think, but I'm also not sure because of the nervousness that washed over me when he asked. "That would be wonderful, thank you for inviting me." I tell him, pushing away my nerves and indecisiveness because I know I don't actually have a choice in the matter. If I'm invited, I'm obligated to go.
"I'll pick you up at the train station. Looking forward to seeing you." He tells me.
"I'll see you soon. Goodnight." I tell him as we hang up.
After I hang up, I sit and try to figure out how I feel. I'm excited to get to see him without Ellison in the way but I'm also really nervous about it. What if we have a terrible visit? And of course I'm always going to wonder if he's inviting me because he has to or if he genuinely wants to invite me. And of course, there's the whole thing I was feeling earlier when I was with Gale in the meadow. That certainly doesn't make any of this less complicated. It takes me a long time to drift off to sleep with my thoughts bouncing between Drew and Gale.
The next day I get to the viewing a little early, hoping to find Gale before it starts. I want to tell him I'm leaving for a few days because I don't want him to think I'm avoiding him or anything like that. I search the crowd but don't see him. When it gets close to starting, I go ahead and take a seat but still keep craning my neck trying to see if I can spot him anywhere. I see him slip in right at the last minute and grab the first empty seat he sees. He sees me looking back at him and gives me a smile that makes me bite my lip and smile back.
I turn my attention to the viewing. All the tributes come out, riding in chariots, dressed in elaborate costumes that represent the trades of their district. Our district's trade is coal and our tributes never have very good costumes. I suppose it's hard though to find a way to make coal seem intriguing. But today, when Katniss and Peeta come out, they draw lots of oohs and ahhhs from the audience. Their costumes somehow look how they're on fire! Actual flames are burning on their outfits which is mesmerizing but then, they pull the audience in even more by holding hands and raising them above their heads as if they're trying to show unity. No one ever shows unity in the games so this is an entirely new thing. And everyone seems to be loving it. This is fantastic for Katniss! She's made her first official appearance as the girl tribute from 12 and she's made herself unforgettable in a very good way. Sponsorship funds will be rolling in, I just know it!
As soon as the viewing ends, I only have a minute to try and speak to Gale before I have to be on the train so I head in his direction.
"Hey there." He says, flirty smile and all as I walk up to him.
"Hi." I reply, sure I'm blushing. "Listen, I only have a second because I have to go catch the train but I wanted to tell you I'll be traveling the next few days."
Disappointment registers on his face for the tiniest fraction of a second. "When will you be back?"
"A few days. I don't actually have my itinerary yet so I'm not sure but I'll find you when I get back."
"Have a safe trip. I'll see you when you get back." He tells me.
I lean in just a little and whisper "Oh and Gale? You were right. I am not married yet." And then do exactly as he did last night by smiling then walking away without looking back. I grin cheek to cheek all the way to the train. I cannot believe I just did that and I love how it felt, flirting back with him like that. What a rush!