I think this will be the last installment.

I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter Three

"Pull over, Gale."

"I'm fine," I counter, even though the windshield wipers are on full blast and I'm hunched forward, eyes squinted. Seeing through a rainstorm is a lot harder than you'd think. "We'll stop at the next stop, get a motel."

"You're ridiculous."

"Says the girl who forced me to take an impromptu road trip."

"I thought you'd enjoy yourself. I was giving you something to remember me by."

I scoff. Like I needed something to remember her by. I close my eyes and I see every detail of her; her golden hair sprawled out around her head like a crown while we lay out in the meadow, watching the clouds or stars, whichever, her blue eyes looking over at me, shining like they always do. That's enough for me. I'd say she haunts every single thought I have, but she doesn't haunt me at all. I welcome any thought of her my brain sends my way.

"Check what that says!" I scream, pointing wildly to one of the signs off the side of the road.

"I think it said Exit 43B."

"You think or you know?"

"Gale, if you can hardly see through the pouring rain what makes you think I can?"

I don't answer her. I just squint through the pouring rain, hoping that she was right about the exit.

"Shut up, put something good on." She's got another Peeta Mellark friendly tune. "Nothing that might remind me of Mellark."

She laughs, looking through her book of CDs.

She puts on Arcade Fire and I am momentarily satisfied. Getting out of the fucking rain and into a hotel would make me extremely happy.

"There!" She screams, slamming her hands on the dashboard. "That exit, right now, Gale!"

I pull quickly toward the exit, thankful there are barely any other cars on the road or we might've been in trouble. I slow down when we're on the main road, both of us on watch for the cheapest and closest motel to the interstate. When we pull up to the motel 6 I see that most everyone else on the road had the same idea. There is absolutely no fucking parking close to the entrance. We're forced to park all the way in the back so when we get the entrance our clothes are soaked through and then naturally since it's summer the air conditioning is blasting. We're both shivering by the time the guy comes to the front desk.

"What can I help you with?" He asks eyeing Madge.

"We need a room," I answer.

Even though I'm the one who answers his eyes stay on her. When I look over I know exactly what he's looking at. Not only is this beautiful girl standing wet, clothes sticking to her body, but also her shirt is white. This day of all days Madge is wearing a white v-neck. Her lilac bra is clearly visible. I can even make out the pattern of the lace. Actually, I can see everything. To make matters worse, let me remind you that the air conditioning is blasting if you catch my drift. She looks gorgeous and if we weren't standing in a motel lobby I don't think I'd be able to control myself.

I snarl at the man. He must be in his forties. He has no business looking at my Madge. I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her toward me. I force her into my side. "Turn into me," I murmur the words into her hair. It must look like I'm kissing her hair to him. She follows my direction, tucking her small body into my side and wrapping her arms around my middle.

I fight a hard-on now that her body is pressing into mine. I can feel her breasts against my stomach, the roundness of them. Goddamnit.

I force myself to think of everything but the way they feel.

I practically rip the keys from the guy's hands. It isn't until we're out of his sight that Madge pulls away from me, and I curse myself for yearning for her touch, yearning for her to be pressed into my side.

She's my best friend, only my best friend.

I cough and command myself to look away from her. "You should cross your arms over your chest." This is awkward. It's incredibly uncomfortable telling your friend to cover her amazing breasts.

Madge looks down and I can see her cheeks redden. "Oh Christ," she groans.

When we enter the motel room I look around the bathroom hoping there'll be a complimentary bathrobe or something so she can cover herself while our clothes lay out and dry. There is no sense in running back into that rain, just to get our bags soaked as well.

"Well there's no bathrobes. Guess I shouldn't have expected much out of this place," I say walking out of the bathroom.

The last thing I expect is to see Madge standing by the window in her underwear. Her wet hair is sticking to her skin. The sight makes my breath catch in my throat.

"What are you doing?" She asks, while I stand there, my mouth wide open.

"What are you doing?" I ask, the surprise evident in my voice.

She throws her head back to laugh, exposing the smooth pale skin of her neck. The image of my hands all over her body while my mouth discovers every single favored spot on her throat.

"It's the same as seeing me in a bathing suit."

I nod. Her logic is pretty sound. If she's not going to sit around in her wet clothes then I won't either. My fingers find the hem of my shirt and I bring it over my head. My pants find their way to the floor as well, though I struggle a lot more with the wet denim. I hear Madge giggling from her spot on the bed. She's moved underneath the covers so the blankets muffle her laughter.

"Shut up, Undersee, not all of us can get away with short shorts."

"I don't know Hawthorne, I think you'd look great in a pair of daisy dukes."

I chuckle at her sad attempt at a joke and crawl under the covers as well.

The bed's a queen so if we really tried it would be really easy to not touch each other, but neither of us seem like we're trying, both of us lying toward the center of the bed. Our legs are tangled.

"Will you tell me about your dad now?"

She sighed, turning over to examine me better, her legs intertwining more so now. "It's nothing really."

"It is something, I know it is." I rubbed her arm. "You can tell me anything."

"He just really upset me the other day. It was my graduation day, which he hardly made it to by the way, and he was just there to tell me everything he expected me to do and to be. I'm going to his alma mater already and he still wants to control everything else, which dorm I live in, what classes I choose. I don't know what I want to do yet, but I don't want to follow in his footsteps. I do not want to double major in economics and political science. I want to make my own way in the world." Madge whispered the words. Her words brought me closer to her, our faces only inches away now, our bodies curved into each other.

"You're going to pave your own path, Madge. You have to know that."

She looked up, her lip between her teeth. "I don't like disappointing him."

"No one likes to disappoint their parents, but you'll be a lot worse off if you disappoint yourself."

She nuzzled herself into my side, hugging my body to hers, her head fitting perfectly under my chin. "Thank you, Gale. I can always count on you to give me the best advice."

It wasn't the same hugging your friend when you were clothed then when you were only clothed in your underwear, not to mention when you are in love with said friend.

I found breathing incredibly difficult with the strong scent of her hair in my nostrils and her smooth skin against mine. It didn't feel forced or awkward to be this close to her. It felt right, like I had always known it would feel.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'll always be fine with you by my side." She moved her head so she could look into my eyes and her lips grazed my chin in the process.

I held my breath.

"Do you ever think of what it would be like if we were more than what we are?"

I felt her palm on my side.

"What do you mean?" I asked, surprised by my ragged voice.

"I mean what if we were like Peeta and Katniss?"

"I don't ever want to be like Peeta and Katniss," I admitted, a smile tugging on my lips.

She laughed and I reveled in the sound. Her laughter vibrated through my chest. "I meant together, but we wouldn't have to be like them, we could be like ourselves."

I smiled at her, but it was in her hair so I don't think she would be able to feel it.

I was right because soon enough she looked up at me again, nervousness was written all over her face.

I didn't want to talk anymore. I didn't want to profess my love for her because frankly I thought it was obvious and unnecessary. She was my friend. She was beautiful. She was loyal. She was honest with me. She was everything I would ask of a significant other. So I didn't talk, I laid my hand on the slope of her neck and leant in. The kiss was sweet and slow. There was no rush. We had the rest of the summer ahead of us. Our lips swept over each other's and I felt her palm squeeze my side. I didn't want to go very fast because everything was heightened when you're half naked. I couldn't tell if it was just because it was Madge or because she was in her underwear (or maybe both) but this closed mouth kiss was incredibly arousing to me.

When she pulled away the first thing I asked was, "Are you cool with this?"

"What? Kissing this incredible guy that I've always liked?"

I smiled at first but then furrowed my eyebrows. "You've liked me for a long time? I-I mean you've always liked me?"

She nodded, burying her face into my bare chest. I wasn't going to let her get away that easy; I tipped her chin up. "How long?"

"Sophomore year."

Sophomore year? "Sophomore year?" I asked shocked. "Are you kidding me? Why didn't you say anything?"

She blushed, looking away from me. "I don't know. You made me nervous."

"Nervous? I made big bad Madge Undersee nervous."

"You can be quite intimidating," she murmured into my skin.

"Is it too soon to say I'm in love with you?"

Madge's body tensed against mine for a second before she looked up, her eyes meeting mine. "No, because then it'd be too soon for me to say I'm in love with you too."

I rolled her over so I was hovering over her. I ran my hand down her face, while my other settled on the curve of her waist. "You're so beautiful," I whispered, brushing my lips against hers.

"Do you regret this road trip now?"

I smiled down at her to witness her shit-eating grin. "I still think you're fucking crazy."

She leaned upward, planting a peck on my cheek. "Fair enough."