A/N: Third Chapter! YAY! Will Katniss and Gale end up together? WHO KNOWS, OH WAIT, I KNOW! R AND R PLEASE!
Chapter 3:
Light Years Away
Emotions hit me with no warning. I want to scream, kill, and cry all at the same time. I always suspected that they were together, but to hear it from her is much worse than I expected. I am angry and furious with everyone; my mom for not bothering to tell me, my ex-best friend, and of course myself. I don't know what to say, so I just stand there trying to master a calm exposure. Katniss doesn't bother looking at me. We just stand there awkwardly, until I break the silence. "Well, I'm happy for you two." I say with just a hint of sarcasm.
As soon as I say that she just lights up.
"Really? You are? It would just mean so much to me if you were…"
"Katniss, you have been through hell these past years I just want you to be happy," Once again, I'm surprised at how I said that. I guess it's kind of true though; all these years I've been trying to protect her and keep her safe, and now she is. Suddenly I remember why I came here, it was to ask of her forgiveness, so I add that to my sentence. "You know with your sister and all…" Katniss just stands there and I can see tears flood to her eyes. She mouths her sisters name and looks away. She doesn't respond so I continue. "Anyways, Katniss… I need to ask you something." She just stares and I keep going. "It has to do with your sister and the bomb and how I'm so sorry that all this happened. You see, last year I was talking to Plutarch and Beetee about the bomb I made, and they told me that they didn't even have it made yet, and Coin put in a special request for Beetee to make it for the uprising. See Katniss? I never intended for it to be made, and when it was I wasn't even told about it. I'm so sorry that it killed your sister, but I didn't even do it! And when I came to you last year to apologize, and you didn't even let me finish; you broke my heart!"
It's at that moment that I realize I'm yelling. I put my hand over my mouth and whisper, "I'm so sorry…"
"Don't be. I know it wasn't you that killed her, it was Coin who thought that killing off my sister would push me over the edge, and now Coin is dead. I guess I always knew you didn't, but I was at a bad place when it happened, and…I guess I'm sorry I let the best hunting partner that I ever have go." During that last sentence, she lets out a smile.
Relief fills my entire body. She forgives me. I want to hug her and kiss her and just be happy with her, but instead I say, "I meant what I said before you know, about how I'm happy for you and him. And I'm just so glad that you forgive me." I don't know what causes me to do what I do next, but I lean in and kiss her. A warm rush runs through me. They're still there; the feelings I have for her, but not as bad as before. I pull away from her. "Sorry, I just had to." I let out a smile and so does she. "I hope you're happy Katniss."
"I think I am." She replies and bites her lips. I immediately turn away and think about how I feel. I'm happy. She's forgiven me and seeing her is bearable. I think that I can get over her, but it will take a lot of work. I'm starting to like District 12 more and more, and I'm thinking of moving here. Now I've just got to clear it with my mom.
I head into my house, my mom is home from the market and she's making us dinner. I explain to my mom about how I want to move in, and she says, "Sorry Gale, but since you've moved out, Rory has taken your room" I tell her it's fine, and she comes up with a brilliant idea.
She tells me that since I was the one who came up with the bomb, I can basically ask Plutarch for whatever I want. I thank her and find the phone. I dial his number and we ask each other the norm-how's work, how are you, how's District 12 ect. And then I tell him about my little dilemma. Plutarch tells me that almost all the houses are being lived in, and the ones that aren't, are there for the important Capitol people on trips. He says that I really have only one choice if I want a house for free. So I agree, and he promises he will mail me the info and deed.
By the end of the day, I now own a house in Victors Village.