A/N: Caution: Gale is going to be shirtless, *fan girls faint
Chapter 7:
A Lack of Colour
In my nightmare, I am back with Katniss, Leeg 1, Boggs, and Peeta in the Capitol. But instead of Jackson being there, it is Crescent who takes her place. I turn around just in time to see her being killed by the Meat Grinder. And then there is the black wave of tar that seems to be coming for me, I try to move my legs, but I can't. It consumes me and tar fills into my lungs, I am dead.
I wake up, but just to rest my eyes. I turn over to see the time, and then turn back to the original side I was on. I am so startled that I immediately fall out of my bed with a loud thump. Sitting down on my chair, a couple feet away from me, reading a magazine, is Crescent. "Hey there sleepy head." She says calmly, like this is normal for her. I look around the room, and then look down at my body, I am shirtless, and this is going to get awkward. I quickly grab the blanket and wrap it around me. "What the hell are you doing here?" I ask furiously. She looks me in the eye and says, "Well, you said that I could stop by whenever I want. I wanted to now. Plus I think I should have too, you were acting so weird when we went out." I try to compose myself, but I can't, "I'm sorry but you need to go, now!" I yell. I get up and grab her by the arm. I walk her down the stairs and to the front door. I turn to her and say, "Knock next time, please!" She looks at me surprised and says, "Why would I do that when I can easily climb through your window?" I mutter something unintelligible and open the door for her. As she walks through it, she chimes, "It was nice seeing you again! Oh, and nice six pack!" I slam the door on her and walk back up to my room. For some reason, I can't help smiling.
The rest of my day is filled with preparing for my next class, which will be in two days. I am thinking about borrowing that plant book that Katniss has so I can show the class. Before long, it is almost time to see Crescent and I am nervous for some reason.
The day just before my second class, I get Rory to stay over again. In the middle of our conversation at dinner, we hear a knock on the door. I get up to answer it. I slowly open the door. Behind the door is something that shocks me, I see Crescent in tears holding Coal. I don't say anything, I just let them in. I ask Rory to help Coal into a bath and make a meal for them. When Crescent is sitting on my couch, I finally get a good look at her. Her face and clothes are covered in ash, she has burns on her hands, and she has a nasty cough. I walk over to her and sit down. I sit there awkwardly until she puts her head on my shoulder, and starts sobbing. I put my arm around her and we sit there until it is bearable for her to speak. I turn to her and whisper, "Crescent, what happened." She starts crying all over again, but I can still hear her voice, "My house, it's gone." I hold her tighter, "What happened to it?" I ask. She avoids making eye contact with me, "It burned down. I didn't mean for this to happen. I knocked over a candle, and it caught onto a rug. We didn't have a phone to call the firefighters. We barely made it out as it is, and I don't even have insurance or anything!" I try to calm her down, "We'll figure something out." I say in a soothing voice. The sobbing starts again. Crescent is bordering on hysterical right now, the last words I catch before she runs upstairs are, "I am so stupid." I run up the stairs to find her locked in the bathroom. I can hear her sobbing. I pound the door, "Crescent, please come out." I can just barley hear her but she says, "Gale just go." I pound on the door even harder, "I'm not leaving until you come out." She makes a groaning noise and doesn't respond.
I am currently sitting in front of the bathroom door, it's been about a half hour. "I'm still here if you care…" I mumble, but there's no response. Until finally I come up with something to say, "Crescent, you and Coal can stay here for a couple days until we get this figured out." Instead of a response, she unlocks the door and comes out. She looks me in the eyes, "You don't have to do this for us, we'll probably be a pain in your ass." I smile, "Well Crescent, you already are a pain in the ass." I say lightly. She shoves me a bit, chuckles, and says, "Hey Gale, I really liked those magazines you kept in there." I give her a look and she starts laughing even more.
A/N: Well that was cute. I am currently working on the 8th and 9th chapter. Expect to see them in the next week. Oh ya, I have something to tell all you readers: WHY THE HECK AREN'T YOU REVIEWING! I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE! anyways, please review, I want to know how you like my story so far!