Chapter 24
(Madge POV)
I can't even explain what it means to me when he tells me that I should keep thanking the Avox. It's like he actually understands why I do it and that matters more than the risk of getting in trouble for it. And I find that admirable. And I actually think I may keep doing it, at least when I'm not in District 4 with Drew. I've always done it and it's never been a problem so I really shouldn't worry about it now. Besides, Drew's fear is a little far fetched seeing as how I am almost always alone when I see an Avox. I mean, who does he think would report me for it? It's not like the Avox would or even could. Yes, I'm definetly resuming thanking them when I'm not around Drew.
We stayed out by the tree for several hours. We mostly talked though every single kiss was better than the one before it. He'd walked me to the edge of the Seam when I was headed home and then I'd hurried home and tiptoed into the back of my house. Upstairs in my room I crawl into bed and fall asleep feeling really happy. Unfortunately, when I wake up, my mood sinks a little. Bethany has woken me up saying I have a meeting with a woman from the Capitol. She doesn't know any details as to what it's about but whatever it is, I'm not interested.
After I've gotten dressed and eaten a quick breakfast, I head to the front parlor room to wait for this woman to arrive. As I wait, I flip through today's copy of the Gazette, wanting to see if anything is said about Katniss and the games. I'm sidetracked though as I see a picture of Drew with Ellison at the opening of the games. They look really happy, very comfortable with one another. He's standing behind her with his arms around her waist and leaning in to whisper something in her ear and she's laughing as if he's just told her something hilarious. And they look really good together. And while I still hate to see them together, I notice I don't feel as jealous as I did before I started seeing Gale.
"Miss Undersee?" A woman's voice calls out and I look up to find a woman in a rainbow feathered dress and tights with rhinestones. She's definetly the woman from the Capitol given her attire.
I stand and smile, holding my hand out to shake hers. "Good Morning."
She gives my hand a shake and flashes a smile where I see her teeth have a sparkle to them. Capitol people have the most insane sense of style. It's almost as if they think the more outrageous something is, the better it looks. Personally, I disagree. "I'm Suzette Livingstone and I'm here to teach you all about your duties as wife of a Panem leader."
"Oh, I didn't realize there was a training needed for that." I say.
"Well, typically the mother of the heir handles this but in your case that isn't possible so it was arranged for me to handle things and make sure you're up to date on exactly what your responsibilities will be."
Oh. I didn't know about this part of the matching process. Probably because my mother died when I was so young. "How wonderful to have someone show me the ropes! Who arranged this? I want to be certain I give them proper thanks." I am curious if this is standard procedure or if my father arranged it.
"Mr. Whitney did. He's such a sweetie that one, isn't he? Now, shall we get started?"
Drew set this up? Without warning me? Annoyance rushes through me and I try to hide it. I take a seat and she hands me a notebook. A very thick notebook with lots of pages in it. Fantastic.
We spend the next 5 hours going over the notebook she's prepared for me. By the time she says we are finished for today, my head is pounding and I'm super pissed off at Drew for making me do this. Apparently I'm going to have quite a bit of work as a Capitol leader's wife. And none of it sounds appealing in the least.
I eat a late lunch in the kitchen and then head up to my room to get ready for the viewing. I toss the notebook on my bed and sit down at my vanity. I freshen up my lipgloss and apply some light peach blush to my cheeks. I have never been a fan of wearing tons of makeup but apparently once I marry Drew, I'll be expected to always have a full face of cosmetics mirroring the latest Capitol trends. But not to worry, I can hire someone to do my hair and makeup daily. I pull my curls back with a satin ribbon and tie it on like a headband, hiding the bow beneath my hair. I slip into the least fancy dress I can find in the closet that no longer feels at all like it belongs to me. Normally I'd be in a sundress right now but instead, I'm wearing a blue satin empire waist dress with cap sleeves. And heels too of course. Once I'm a wife, I will be required to never be seen publicly in the same outfit. Talk about a complete and total waste of clothing and shoes.
At the viewing area, I look for Gale and see him over near his family, playing around with his little sister. I head over to them.
"You okay?" Gale asks immediately when he sees me. I must be wearing my current mood on my face.
"Just had a very long and crappy day is all." I reply, letting out a sigh.
"Tell me about it later?" He asks, knowing we can't really talk very long right now with so many people around us.
"I'm skipping dinner tonight. Meet me just after sunset?" I have no intention of suffering through a dinner tonight. I'm going to say I have too much studying to do with my new wife training class and take dinner to my room. I doubt my father will question it, especially since he really wants Drew to pick me and I can slip out the back without being noticed once they're all eating dinner. ,
"Sure. Tree?" He asks.
I nod and turn to make my way towards the stage that I'm now required to sit on during viewings. When I'm the wife of a leader, I will always be seated front and center at all events so I suppose this is good practice for my future. I plaster my fakest smile on my face to hide my true mood and take my seat. As I wait for the viewing to begin, I think about how I want to discuss all of this with Drew. I really wish he would've mentioned this training to me ahead of time and I also feel like he should've just known I'd hate it. And I'm not even finished with the training yet, I still have to work with Suzette all day again tomorrow. Hopefully after that, I can be done with it all, at least until I'm actually married.
The viewing begins and I focus on the events of the games. Katniss is doing okay still, she's alive and on her own. I wish she had some sort of alliance with someone but that's not really like her so I'm not surprised she's working alone. Nothing significant happens with Katniss other than we find out the career tributes are looking for her and Peeta seems to be helping them though I feel like he's trying to protect her by befriending them somehow. When the viewing ends, I head home and locate my father to tell him I can't be at dinner this evening. As I suspected, he's fine with me missing dinner if it is for the purpose of me working on learning all the information in that notebook. I fein excitement about what I'm learning and how I love that Drew set all this up for me and my father commends me for my dedication to becoming a valuable Panem citizen. After that, I go to the kitchen and find Bethany to tell her I'll just be taking a plate up to my room. She prepares one for me and I carry it upstairs to wait in my room while dinner gets started. Once I know it's in full swing, I'm slipping down the back stairs and out the back door. And I may just stay out all night again. I decide to make my room look as if I have been studying just on the very off chance anyone comes in. I rumple my bedding, open the notebook and place a highlighter on top of it. I eat a little of my dinner and set the half eaten plate on my nightstand. Then I turn on my bathroom lights and close the door. Hopefully if anyone does come in, they will assume I'm in the bathroom. I doubt it will happen though. I pull my one, battered pair of ballet flats from under my bed and slip them on my feet. I wish I had a more comfortable dress but I don't.
Just as the sun is setting, I quietly slip downstairs and out the back door. No one notices a thing and I smile to myself as I walk to the Seam. I wish we had a better place to meet but I'm only familiar with places in town and none of those are private. So for now, the big tree by the fence at the back of the Seam will have to do. I actually get there before Gale this time which is nice since I feel like I'm usually making him wait for me.
"For you." He says as he sits next to me and hands me a pretty purple wildflower.
It means so much to me that I almost cry. "I love it, thank you!" I tell him, leaning over and pressing my lips to his cheek.
"Thought it might make your day a little less crappy." He shrugs.
"It does, it definetly does!"
"So what happened? Do you want to talk about it?"
I let out a long sigh. "I had to take a training class on all the expectations of the wife of a Panem leader. It was over 5 hours long and I have more to do with it tomorrow."
"They make you train to be a wife?" He asks, a look of shock on his face.
"Well, not training for the wife to husband part so much as training for how I am supposed to present myself to the country at all times."
"That's a lot of training time for something that doesn't seem like it would need it."
"There's a rule and requirement for absolutely every single thing you can think of. Did you know that I will be required to wear a full face of Capitol makeup featuring all their latest trends at all times, even if I'm not even leaving the house? Can't you just imagine what a clown I am going to look like?" I laugh.
His face contorts. "You're gonna paint your face up like Effie Trinket?"
I nod, eyes wide and say "Absolutely! And my hair will be all in fashion too! No more blonde curls for this girl. Nope, only florescent colors and too much hair product for me!" I laugh, feeling humor is the only possible way to deal with this nightmare that is my future.
"Don't do it. Don't change your hair. Don't cover up your face." He begs jokingly.
"I'm afraid I have no say in the matter. I'll also be hosting regular dinner parties and events for a whole bunch of people I never care to talk to and throwing my clothes away after I wear them instead of ever wearing them again."
"You have got to be kidding."
"I really wish I was. I don't suppose you managed to find District 13 today did you?"
He shakes his head and then pulls me to his lap, kissing me and making me forget about everything that had me angry.
When the kiss ends, he laughs and says "Do you know how out of place you'll look walking around here in full Capitol garb? It's gonna be awfully hard not to laugh at you." He's teasing, trying to make me laugh but it makes me realize he thinks I will still be around 12 once I'm married.
"You won't see me. I probably won't get to live in District 12 anymore."
"Where will you go?" He asks, his face more serious and less funny now.
I shrug. "Wherever Drew's job takes us. He's likely to become a Mayor and he would likely have the choice of eventually taking over District 4 or District 12. I'd be shocked if he picked this place over his home district. I would leave as soon as we were married."
He's thinking about what I said and while he isn't using words, his face tells me he doesn't like this new information. "But enough about me, tell me something about you." I say, feeling bad that I come with so much emotional Capitol baggage.
He smiles then. "What do you wanna know?"
"Anything. Everything. All your secrets, all your wishes." I reply, flirting a little.
He smiles and presses his lips to mine, his hands pulling me closer against him. "A secret huh? that's what you want?"
I nod, my forehead leaning against his.
"I've had a crush on you forever and getting to be with you finally feels very surreal."
I cock my head a little. "You had a crush on me? Why didn't you ever say anything?"
"Never felt like I had a chance and never felt like I could just go up and talk to you or anything."
"But you could have any girl you want. I've seen the way everyone falls at your feet. Did you think I'd be different than any of them?"
"You saying you would've been happy to fall at my feet if you'd known I thought you were hot?"
I blush and smile at the same time. Gale Hawthorne just called me hot. "Maybe." I tell him, not wanting to admit I totally would've swooned over him.
He laughs and I loop my arms around his neck as we kiss again. I may have had a really crappy day but this is a very good night, all thanks to Gale.