Katniss Everdeen POV
Slowly, I approached the door of the house I shared with my fiancée. I wanted that moment with Gale to last, and I held onto it with every fiber of my being. I didn't want to go inside and ruin the feeling. Yet, Peeta was waiting for me, and I knew I had to go in. My feet dragged themselves up to the front step, and I eased open the door.
I wiped away my tears and paused before entering the family room. Peeta was sitting there, looking distraught. "Katniss!" he exclaimed, running over to me and pulling me into a passionate hug. "Where were you? I was worried he might have…" he trailed off, leaving the sentence open and haunting.
"I'm fine, Peeta, we just went out into the Meadow and had a talk. Nothing serious, but I'm tired. I need some sleep." I shrugged out of his loving grip and trudged up the winding staircase.
I could hear his footsteps behind me, so I turned back around. "Really, Peeta. Just…kind of…alone, okay?"
His eyes widened a little bit. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm fine." I snapped. He looked hurt, but I didn't care. I was too angry with myself for assuming things. He headed for the hallway.
"This better not be about Gale, Katniss. You're with me now, we're engaged. You're with me, and only me." He slammed the door behind him, obviously upset. I wondered if he would come back in the morning.
I sighed and continued up the stairs, studying every fleck of paint in the wall as if I had never seen my house before. My eyes were opening, seeing beyond what I used to. For instance, I never noticed that little painting on the wall. It must have been here when I moved in. Or the crack in the ceiling just before I walk into my room.
I flopped onto my bed as soon as I got there, eager for some comfort. Without changing clothes or taking off my shoes, I curled up underneath the covers and nestled into my pillow. It scared me how much I assumed.
I assumed that Peeta would always be the one I loved.
I assumed that Gale would never be the one for me.
I assumed that Peeta would always come back.
I assumed that Gale would always stay in District Two.
I assumed that Peeta's love would always be mine, that he wouldn't care about what I did or who I was, he would just love me for who I am.
I assumed that Gale's love would be someone else's, a girl who caught his eye in Two or one that used to wink at him in school.
I assumed that I would never have to make a choice. I assumed that other people's actions defined my choice. Gale left, therefore I didn't have to choose between Gale and Peeta. They made my choice for me. This time, Gale was back, and I had to make my own choice.
It scared me, because nothing was the same. Even when we were fighting side by side, I had always assumed that Peeta would love me, that Gale would stay a friend. It would never have occurred to me that I could have the choice for something more.
Peeta Mellark POV
As I slammed the door behind me, I stalked away to my house next door. What Katniss didn't know is that I followed her. I got worried, and I followed her. I saw their whole exchange, and ran back before Katniss could return. I was sick of it. Even when Katniss loved me, I could see that she wasn't quite sure.
She never had to make her own choice, and I felt as if she was never fully seeing me.
But now, now Gale had come back. The nerve he had to come back after leaving her infuriated me. And the fact that she didn't care that he left…just a few smooth words made it all better for her. She would believe anything he said. And I couldn't do anything about it.
If I told her that I was there, she would get mad at me for sure. If I didn't say anything, she could go on seeing Gale. I had to plan my strategy carefully…it was just like the Hunger Games all over again. Except this time, Katniss wasn't coming back for me, she was coming back for Gale.
It infuriated me how she could just leave me that easily. I could feel the tracker jacker venom bubbling up inside me, as it did every now and then. I could feel the anger, and I couldn't do anything about it. It scared me how I couldn't do anything about it.
Easy come, easy go, that's just how she lives, she'll take it all from me but she'll never give. I should've known she was trouble from the first kiss-she had her eyes wide open…why were they open? I gave her everything…and she tossed it in the trash, all in one moment.
And I didn't know what to do.
Katniss Everdeen POV
When I woke up the next morning, I realized that Peeta wasn't beside me, and it all came rushing back. Gale…Peeta…and the kiss.
I immediately got out of bed and changed into my old comfortable hunting clothes. Grabbing my bow, I prayed that Gale was home. Since I didn't want to alert anyone to my leaving, I crept silently out of the house and trekked down to the village. There was a light on in Gale's house, and my heart did a little leap in my chest. I knocked on the door, and he answered almost immediately.
"Hi, Gale." I said, feeling like a little girl.
"Hi, Catnip." he replied. "We going hunting?" he asked, eyeing my bow and arrow. I nodded. "Okay, hold on." I did, and a few minutes later, he reappeared with his bow and hunting gear. "Let's go!"
Together, we set out for the Meadow, still untouched, even after the rebellion. We hunted like it was the old days, covering each other's backs and cornering prey. When we were done, we had caught a young deer, two squirrels, and a small rabbit.
"Good work." Gale said. "How much do you think we could get at the…" He trailed off, about to say "Hob," but realizing that it had burned down.
"All this is for us." I reminded him. "We could even share it with some of the other families."
He laughed. "It's a nice feeling."
I stared at the man I was falling in love with all over again. "Yeah, it is."
Gale cocked his head. "What are you staring at?"
I shook my head. "Nothing, nothing."
"Okay. Last one back to my house is a tribute!"
I chuckled as he took off. "No fair!" I yelled. "I have the game bag!" But I ran after him anyway. When I finally got to his street, he was nowhere in sight. "Gale?" I called. "Gale!" He wasn't anywhere. I set off back to the forest, but after searching for half an hour, I still couldn't find him.
I was tired and sweating, and had lugged around the heavy game bag with me. I decided to go back to his house and wait for him there. When I got there, he was leaning against the wall with a smirk on his face.
"Gale!" I admonished.
"What?"
"You cheater." I said. You disappeared so I wouldn't get here first." I pouted.
"Now, now, I never said there were any rules."
"Of course there are. You know, cheating is punishable by-" I was cut off by the feeling of his lips against mine. He entangled his hands in my hair. My body responded, but my mind was reeling. Did this mean he liked me, too?
He pulled away. "Punishable by what?" There was a self-satisfied look on his face.
"Nothing." I said, sighing.
Gale smiled proudly. "I thought so."
I looked away, and I thought I saw a figure disappearing. "Did you see that?" Gale shook his head. "Huh, must have been my imagination…" I trailed off. My thoughts went from giddy to worried. Could that have been Peeta? Did he see the kiss? And, worst of all—
Would he hurt Gale to get me back?
A/N: Sorry that I haven't updated, but I hope this was worth the wait! We should be having better updates from now on… Anyway, please review and tell me how I did with this chapter. Are you Team Peeta or Team Gale, for all purposes of this story?
Have a wonderful 4th of July and thanks for reading!
Peace, Love, Happiness, Freedom,
~DG~