A/N- I have not updated in forever. I am SO sorry. Please don't kill me. I love you.

I don't realize that I fall asleep, but I do. I gave up trying to find my way back home hours ago. When I finally wake up, I'm hungry and thirsty. I don't know how long I've been asleep, but it seems like a very long time.

I am lying on the cold ground. This is not a bad place to die. I wouldn't mind dying. No one would really miss me anyway. I'm outside the restrictions of my father and of the prying eyes of the Capitol. If I died here, I would die free.

I fall back asleep peacefully. I wake to the sound of my name. I ignore it, thinking it's my imagination. I hear someone call my name again, and the voice is too familiar.

I don't move a muscle. I debate whether I want to be found or not, but I honestly don't. I don't care anymore. I don't care about anything anymore. I don't want to go home. I don't want to go back to my life.

"Madge," the voice calls. "Where are you?"

I still don't move. I close my eyes and will him away. I don't want to be found. I want to die here. I wonder if anyone would ever find my body.

"Madge," the voice calls. It sounds like it's getting panicked. The voice is getting closer. I'm scared to move; I'm scared of being found.

I curl into a ball, preparing for the inevitable.

"Madge." The voice is quiet, and I know he's staring at me. I open my eyes to see Gale.

We stare at each other silently. I feel a pang of sadness, but I ignore it. I close my eyes because looking at him is much too painful.

"What do you want, Gale," I mumble under my breath.

"What do I want," he asks furiously. "I've been looking for you for days! Everyone is worrying their asses off because the mayor's daughter went missing! What the hell is wrong with you, Undersee?"

The name he calls me makes me cringe.

"Leave me the hell alone, Hawthorne," I reply with as much venom as I possibly can.

"What did you say to me," he asks with as much poison as I had.

"Leave me the hell alone," I say as I stare intimidatingly into his eyes.

"Stop acting like the goddamned brat that you are. Let's go."

Gale's words hurt me more than anything he's ever said to me before. I place my head into my hands and clench my hair into my fists.

"Just let me die here, you asshole."

My words take him by surprise. I know this because he doesn't say a fiery response back. He doesn't move at all actually. When I open my eyes, though, I do expect him to be gone. I expect him to leave me again.

"Madge," he starts, but I cut him off.

"Let me die. It's not like anyone will care anyway. Especially you," I mutter. The words are so true that they hurt.

"You know that's not true. Stop being dramatic. Let's go," he says harshly.

His words sting. Tears stream down my face. I get up and stare into his eyes while I say, "Go to hell." I stumble off into the opposite direction, but my hunger pains slow me down.

"Madge, stop," he insists. I don't stop or reply. "Madge."

"What, Gale? What do I have to go back to? A father that doesn't love me? A mother that's dying? Friends that don't care? People who hate me?" I stop to stare into his grey eyes. I'm furious, and I'm sure it shows. I hope it shows.

"You have Peeta."

I begin walking again, and the hunger pains are very painful. I laugh at Gale's comment.

"Yeah, like Peeta gives a shit about me. He's too busy caring about Katniss."

"Madge, stop," he sounds more serious now.

"Why? Shouldn't I die now? Everyone would be happier."

"Not everyone," he replies.

"Oh yeah? Name on person who would miss me."

"Me," he replies quickly. I stop walking to gaze into his eyes to see if he was serious. He takes this chance to lean in and kiss me roughly.

This kiss wasn't like our other kiss. This one was rushed and desperate. It wasn't a real kiss. I don't respond to his lips on mine. I simply stand there with my eyes closed. He eventually stops, and I open my eyes.

My stare is met with a confused one.

"Just stop," I whisper. "Please stop, you're killing me."

"What are you -," he starts to say, but I cut him off.

"This," I yell, gesturing between him and me. "You act like you care about me one day and the next you act like I'm just another townie."

"Madge," he whispers as he cups my jaw with his hand. I involuntarily lean into his touch. His guard is finally down, and I can see some of his vulnerability. That doesn't stop me, though, from what I'm going to say next.

"Five minutes ago you were treating me like shit, and two minutes later you kissed me. I can't take this anymore," I say as I take steps away from him. "I'm not like those girls you make out with at the slagheap."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Figure it out," I respond bitterly.

We are cursed with a wretched silence.

"I'm sorry," he says simply.

"It's too late. I'm not going to let you hurt me again."

Gale stares at the ground while I stare at him, waiting for a response.

"Let's go home. Katniss is going to be worried," he replies simply. He is expressionless now. He is guarded.

"She doesn't know?"

"Katniss and Peeta don't know. We've been making excuses for you ever since you ran away. We don't want them to worry."

"Why," I ask awkwardly.

"They have enough shit to worry about."

Gale turns around and begins to make his way back to the fence, and I follow him wordlessly.

We walk for a long time, and my hunger pains are killing me. I'm uncomfortable walking with him. He doesn't even spare me a glance.

We finally get to the fence, and he shimmies underneath it first. I go under second, and I do it much more graceful than I did it last time.

Gale finally looks at me as he says, "Go home, Undersee."

I don't respond.

I feel empty.

A/N- I am so sorry I have not updated in forever! I did not want to give up on this story. Please don't be angry with me! Please review! I LOVE YOU ALL!