Chapter 44
(Gale POV)
I just let her cry, never asking her to talk about anything, just letting her feel what she's feeling and know that I'm here for her. I want to talk to her but I'll wait until later. I don't want to do it before we go do our tests. After Madge calms down, we go back to the Orientation room for our placement tests. The test is more like a questionnaire sort of thing than a test, basically asking what we are interested in and what we actually have experience with. I finish mine quickly but don't turn it in yet. Instead I sit and wait for Madge to finish hers. No way am I leaving her in here with Drew still here. Plus, I want to see how she feels about the test, if she thinks there's something she wants to do.
When I see her put her pencil down, I stand and go turn mine in, her right behind me. Out in the hallway I look to her and raise my brows. 'How'd it go?"
"I don't know. I'm really not sure where I'd be most useful. I'm hoping they could use me in some sort of work with children. I don't have any experience but I do love children and I'm well educated so I could help teach maybe? Do childcare? I don't know. I guess we'll find out tomorrow."
She sounds almost happy and it takes a little of the weight off my shoulders to not worry about her finding a job she likes. They have a whole education department and I'm sure she could do something for them there. We're supposed to find out tomorrow where they want to place us so hopefully things can start looking up for her soon.
"We have some time to kill before dinner. Want to go for a walk, maybe to that park we saw during the tour or hang out at your place for awhile?" I ask her.
"No more walking please! My feet are still killing me." She says with a groan.
"Why? Didn't you use the rest of your medicine on them?"
"I actually forgot all about it. I put the backpack down when I entered the room and never picked it up again. But now that you mention that, I know what I want us to go do." She says with a laugh.
"Sounds like a plan."
We head back to her room and she pulls the first aid kit out of the backpack. When she sits on the bed and pulls off her shoes, I cringe inwardly at how bad they look. I really regret letting her wear those shoes on the hike to 13. I should've tried to find her something better suited at the Hob ahead of time and put those in her backpack instead.
She rubs ointment all over them, not needing to ration it any longer. "There. They'll be healed up perfectly by morning. I'm glad you reminded me about the first aid kit."
"Wish I'd have gotten you better shoes so that it never happened to begin with." I say with a frown as I stare at her ointment covered feet.
"Stop, I'll be fine." She says with a smile, not wanting me to worry with the should have stuff.
I go over and sit next to her on the bed, looping my arms around her. "Hey, I actually want to talk to you. I know things have gotten off to a rocky start for you here and I want you to know that it's going to get better, I'm sure of it. Meanwhile though, I'm going to do everything I can to make your life easier."
"Gale, I know I got upset earlier but it was just momentary. I'm fine, really." She says with a smile, brushing it off.
"It's okay to feel overwhelmed, I know it's a lot to deal with, living here alone, not having family, having people who don't really know you judging you, having to start a new job, eating weird foods. And then having the Capitol news thrown in your face on top of all that. It's sort of a lot and anyone would feel that weighing on them. So just know that I will do everything I can to make it easier for you and that I'm always here for you." I reiterate, really wanting her to know I mean it.
"You know what the hardest part is? Having people not like me because of the image I've always had to portray. They think that's the real me and I can't stand that." She says as she leans agains my shoulder.
"Give it time. Once they meet you and spend just a little time with you, they'll see how great you are."
"I hope you're right."
We lay on the bed in comfortable quiet for a little while until it's time to leave and go to dinner. As we enter the dining hall, I can tell people are still talking about Madge being here but she pretends not to notice. Thankfully, the viewing screens are off so we won't have to worry about any more Capitol news drawing attention to us. We collect our trays of food and head to an empty table. Dinner looks better than breakfast did and since we skipped lunch, I'm starving and I hope Madge is too since that'll make the food taste better for her. It's some sort of stew and a corn muffin, nothing fancy but a good dinner all the same.
She takes a bite and chews slowly. I can't tell if she really likes it or not but she does keep eating so that's a good sign. I shovel mine down and wish I had more but there's a rule about no second helpings with food here. Everyone gets the exact same food and the exact same portion. They're really big on things being equal across the board here. That's why we have to wear uniforms. That way no one's clothing can outshine anyone else's clothing. The uniforms aren't anything special. Simple grey shirt and pants. Comfortable which is a nice bonus. It occurs to me that Madge won't ever wear fancy dresses anymore and while I'll miss some of them, I know she hated them so this fact ought to make her a little happy.
"Hey, how does it feel to not have to wear fancy ball gowns anymore?" I ask, gesturing to her outfit.
She laughs a little. "I don't miss the fancy ball gowns at all, but I have to admit that this feels very strange."
"Why? Because they're plain?"
She laughs again. "No, because they're pants."
I stare at her for a moment and realize what she's saying. She's never worn pants before. "You never wore pants did you?"
She shakes her head. "Only the best Capitol dresses for me! Seriously though, other than pajamas, I've never worn pants. So walking around in this feels very much like pajamas to me."
"Well you sure look cute in them." I tell her with a wink.
"I do not. I saw myself in the mirror this morning and I know my hair is a rat's nest of a mess, I have no lip gloss and I barely slept last night." She tells me with a look.
I smile at her hair comment. "It is not a rat's nest. A little wild and free but definetly, not a rat's nest."
"I wish I had conditioner and a good hair tie." She tells me as she reaches up and touches her curly hair.
I make a mental note to figure out a way to get those things for her somehow. At a minimum I can at least find her a hair tie. As we finish up our meal, I tell her to head back to her place and I'll meet her there. I need to swing by my housing unit and let my mother know where I'll be and see if she knows where I can find a hair tie. When we part ways, she's looking better than earlier in the day, smiling and seeming a touch more relaxed.
(Madge POV)
I decide to go ahead and shower while Gale is gone. I get my things and head down the hallway. The shower room is not empty like it was in the middle of the night and I suddenly realize that the shower rooms are coed. I never saw a sign or anything saying they were for women or men only so I probably should've realized it sooner but I didn't. I wait at the far shower stall for it to be available and try to keep my eyes focused on the floor. No one is visibly naked or anything but this still feels incredibly awkward. When the shower curtain opens at the stall I'm waiting for, Drew steps out. Our eyes meet and I immediately look back down at the floor. It never occurred to me that he would be living on this floor and again, it's something that should've been obvious to me.
"It's all yours." He says as he steps past me, thankfully not lingering.
I shower in the cold water as quickly as possible, finishing before it even turns itself off. I quickly dry off and then decide to slip my uniform back on instead of my sleeping gown. The gown is thin and I feel less exposed in my uniform. I can change into the gown in my room. As I hurry from the shower room, I bump into a woman, knocking her towel from her arms to the floor.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I say as I bend down to pick it up.
"Don't touch that!" She snaps at me as she snatches the towel from my fingers before I've even picked it up. "You can keep your Capitol loving hands to yourself!" She adds as she storms past me and I stand there in shock.
"Ignore her. Some of us have better manners." Another girl tells me as she rolls her eyes at the woman who just snapped at me. "I'm Holly, refugee from District 5."
"I'm Madge, from District 12."
She laughs. "Oh everyone knows who you are. You and that boyfriend of yours have been all over the newspapers for weeks now."
She means Drew. "Oh, he and I actually aren't together anymore." I say quickly.
"So we noticed." She says as she heads for a shower stall. "Nice to meet you!" She calls back as she steps behind the curtain.
I head back to my room and find Gale already waiting for me inside.
"Hi, sorry you had to wait for me. I wanted to shower." I tell him.
"Why'd you put your uniform back on? Did they not give you pajamas?" He asks.
"Well, the shower room is communal and coed and I just felt more comfortable walking down the hallway fully clothed. Figured I'd just change in here." I tell him as I hang my wet towel on the hook by the sink.
"Coed showers?" He repeats and I can see the wheels spinning in his mind. I know he's wondering if Drew is on this floor. I decide not to mention that I just saw him in there.
"There's a curtain on each stall but I still felt more comfortable changing here."
"Go ahead." He says, turning to face the wall so I can change.
"Well aren't you quite the gentleman." I tease as I change clothes. I appreciate his manners in turning around but it also wasn't really necessary.
"I do what I can." He jokes back with me.
"Alright, you can turn around." I tell him as I start combing out my curls.
"Hey, I got you something." He tells me as he pulls a hair tie from his pocket, holding it out for me.
"Oh my goodness, thank you so much!" I tell him as I take it and pull my hair up in a bun on top of my head.
"I'm still working on figuring out how to get you some conditioner."
I reach up and plant a kiss on his lips. 'You're the sweetest ever!"
"You sleepy?" He asks, looping his arms around my waist.
"Honestly, yes, I'm exhausted. Do you have to go home tonight or can you sleep here?" I ask, silently pleading for him to be able to stay tonight. I will sleep so much better with him holding onto me.
"I can stay." He tells me with a kiss and a smile.
We switch off the lights, both tired from lack of sleep and climb into bed. I feel myself really relax as I curl up in his arms and I know I'll sleep well tonight with him here. As I drift off to sleep, I hear him whisper so softly to me. "Sweet dreams pretty girl, I love you."