It was the week of the Reaping. Gale was finally feeling strength, being able to move around without wincing. He had just picked fresh strawberries, piling them all in a small woven basket before heading over to Madges house. This would be the first time he'd seen her in about 2 weeks. He truly missed her. He just had to heal his back first before he saw her. She couldn't worry about him. Not with the Reaping coming up. She was so scared he would be picked.

Ding. Dong.

He waited at Madges front door, looking at the crown molding around the door. It was about a minute later before someone came to the door.

Madge was looking down at her white flats as she opened the large door. She looked up, her blond hair gracefully falling away from her face and framing her face. When her crystal clear eyes locked with Gales cloudy grey eyes she gasped, a huge smile breaking out on her face before she threw herself at him. Gale wrapped his arms around her, breathing in her soft scent as he picked her off the floor and twirled her around.

She giggled in his ear before he set her down.

"I uh- I got you some strawberries." He smiled handing them out to her.

She took them. "You think this will make up for you ignoring me?" She raised an eyebrow, trying to hide her smile. She wasn't really upset. She was glad he was here.

"Well no. But-," He started leaning in, he wore a very sexy smirk on his face.

Madge rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the front of the shirt, dragging him inside the house to the Kitchen.

"Come on, let's make a strawberry shortcake," She laughed.

Gale was standing behind Madge, his chest pressed to her back as his hands covered her small dainty fingers while she slowly cut the strawberries into tiny pieces. The seedy, pink juice squished out and covered some of her fingers. She smiled as she quickly turned around in Gales arms and smeared Gales face with the juice. He laughed before picking up a strawberry and smearing it on her face.

She let out a small squeal, ducking under his arms and running around the island in the middle of the huge kitchen. Gale was across from her, faking a right before running around to the left. Madge laughed as she ran away, grabbing a hand full of flour and throwing it all over Gales shirt.

He looked down, smiling. "Oh no you didn't," He said before running, pushing her gently against counter and capturing her in his arms, wiping the flour all onto her light pink shirt.

"Do you want me to lick it off? Huh?" Gale asked, laughing as he kissed her cheeks repeatedly.

"My kitchen!" the maid said. Gale and Madge turned around and looked at her shocked.

"Oh I'm so sorry," Madge said, her voice sincere.

The maid shook her head laughing. "It's okay. You two just uh- go wash up."

"Yes ma'am," Madge nodded, smiling, as she grabbed Gales hand and began dragging him out the kitchen.

"In separate bathrooms!" The maid yelled after them.

Madge was in her room, slipping on a new yellow tank top. She fluffed out her skirt and went over to the vanity to begin coming her medium length golden blond hair. Then there was a knock on the door.

"Madge, it's me." Gale said.

"Who's me?" Madge teased, getting up and walking to the door. Still not opening it.

"Um, a tall handsome guy from the Seam," Gale laughed.

"Hmm. I don't think I know any."

"Okay, do you know your boyfriend?" Gale asked.

"Well why didn't you just say that!" Madge laughed before opening the door. She opened it enough to see his face before she smiled and closed the door again.

"Eh never mind, I don't want you to come in," She laughed.

Gale began knocking on the door. "Oh please! Pretty please?" He knocked on the door for a couple minutes before he stopped.

Madge wondered if he was even still out there. She opened the door and stuck her head out, checking down both hallways. He was nowhere to be found. That's when she heard a familiar voice coming from downstairs.

She crept out her room and down the hall to the top of the stairs. That's where she saw Gale halfway down the steps, standing as stiff as a log as Cato and the District 2 mayor spoke to him.

"So you're the boy?" Cato asked.

"Excuse me?"

"You two are dating! Really dating. Wow and she chose you," Cato shook his head.

"And see that's not good." The mayor said, taking a step closer.

Madge couldn't let them keep talking. She ran down to Gales side, wrapping her arm around his.

"I assure you he takes great care of me," She said a little too harshly so she added. "Mayor. Cato. Good to see you again," She nodded before leading Gale upstairs to her room. Shutting the door and locking it, as if that would lock them out of her room and her life.

She sighed.

"Why is he always here?" Madge asked strutting back and forth. "He's such a jerk." She huffed.

"Maybe he likes you," Gale pitched in.

"Oh ew, don't be gross," Madge said.

Gale smiled as he leaned forward and grabbed Madge by the waist. "But I like you," He smiled.

Madge smiled but that's when she remembered something she needed to ask to Gale.

"Like me enough to tell me the truth?" Madge asked seriously.

"I always tell you the truth," Gale said, his eyes diverting away from hers.

She backed away. "Gale your mom told me about what happened when I was away. How couldn't you tell me?" She asked.

"What?" he asked confused. "She told you?"
"Yes! She told me that you didn't want me to worry but now I'm worrying about what else your not telling me. I don't want to seem naggy or needy or anything but Gale i- I love you alright. But I want you to tell me everything because honestly your excuse is complete….bullshit!"

That was the first time Gale had ever heard her curse. It didn't sound right coming from her mouth. It sounded silly and he couldn't help but smile.

"Why are you smiling! I'm upset at you!" She said.

"I know, I know you are. I'm sorry. It's just Madge. Wait. You said you loved me?"

She didn't answer him. She just looked away embarrassed. They had never said it allowed to each other.

He smiled. "I love you to." He said as he touched the side of her face gently. "And that's why I didn't tell you. You're already worried about the Reaping. I didn't think you also needed to worry about this to. And I know you said that sounds like bullshit but it's the truth. Then I waited till I was healed to visit you cause I didn't want you to see me weak. Madge, I'm so sorry." He said, his voice slightly catching.

Madge closed her eyes, nodding. "Just tell me. Did Katniss know?"

Gale nodded. "I told her you had more powerful medicine her then her mom so I told her where you guys hid it. She broke in and took it for me. I will pay you back I promise."

"So you didn't tell me and you broke into my house?" Madge said, looking at him.

"When you say it like that…" He said, looking away from her.

"Well, I'm glad you broke into my house. But you still didn't get the powerful medicine. We lock that up incase people like you try to break in," She gave a small laugh. "Let me go get it. Stay put." She said, patting his hand before leaving her room.

Gale could see in her face she was sad. Sad that Katniss had known and not her. Sad that she thought Gale didn't trust her enough. He didn't know what he could do. He rested his hands on his palms, rubbing his eyes until Madge came back into the room.

She shut the door and climbed behind Gale on the bed.

"Can you please take off your shirt?" She said as she opened the huge container in her hand.

Gale did as she asked, slipping it over his head to reveal his whip lashes. They were just blisters and some open wounds with stitches holding them together. Madge did not gasp. Instead she reached forward, gently touching the skin that wasn't damaged. Gale shuttered. Feeling her fingers trail up his skin, reaching up and around his neck as she kissed his neck. Gale looked over at her, grabbing her face and kissing her passionately.

"Madge, please forgive me. Please," He said against their kisses.

She nodded, a tear falling down her cute face. "You better start telling me stuff though or I'm gonna whip you myself," She gave a small laugh before pulling back and putting her fingers into the cream in the jar and rubbing it on his stitches. His back was straight and he tried to remain still but every once in a while you could hear him wince.

When all the medicine was placed on him, she got a towel and laid it down on her bed, instructing him to also lay down. Gale looked at her face. The hurt wasn't there as much. He loved that about her. She didn't think of anything to serious. But the hurt still lingered there in her eyes when she looked up to see him looking at her. This was the girl he had watched for so long. She was beautiful. Everything about her was beautiful. When he was with those other slags from the Seam earlier in his life, he would always think of Madge. And now he had finally gotten the girl of his dreams and then he had hurt her. In his mind there was no way he could fix this.

Eventually Gale fell asleep. Madge smiled as she stroked his face before getting up to go get him some tea. She walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, pouring the hot water into a stove to boil it.

There was this sudden rage in Madge she'd never felt before. She gripped the counter top, trying to hold back her tears. She barely cried. Only when her mother died. But now… how could Gale not tell her! How could he tell Katniss and not her! She tried to think over what he said, he didn't want her to think he was weak. He was always scared that she was to good for him. Madge understood but she just couldn't get over the… the what? The anger of him not telling her? No. The jealousy. She was jealous of Katniss. Madge took a deep breath, shaking her head clear. No they were only goods friends, it's nothing. Nothing more. Madge reassured herself before she heard the beeping of the stove. She mixed in the green leaves for the tea, slowly mixing it. Then she heard footsteps behind her.

"Madge, are you crying?"

She turned around to see a shirtless Gale. She shook her head. "No, it's just this tea is all in my eye."

"It's in your eye?" Gale said, smiling as he resaid her awful lie.

She laughed. Yeah it was a bad lie.

"Now you're not being honest," Gale said.

"I know… I uh. I'm getting over it, I'm fine."
"Lies." Gale said simply.

Madge laughed. "You're right. I uh- I'm jealous. Of you and Katniss,"

"You shouldn't. Me and Katniss are just good friends, we grew up together. There is nothing between me and her. But there is something between me and you," He said walking towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

" I love you. And I promise I will tell you everything. I should have from the start and I feel so guilty, you have no idea." He whispered as he leaned his head into her neck.

She let herself breath. Clearing her mind.

"I forgive you." She said and she truly meant it. "I won't let this separate us. I don't know why I cried,"

"Maybe it's that tea that got in your eye," Gale joked.

They both laughed. And for the rest of that night they sat in the kitchen, drinking fresh tea and catching up on the past few weeks.