A/N Had this one nearly finished so here you go..

2.

It's still dark when I make my way to the woods to meet Gale. Vick is sick, so Gale has to be home early.

The cool night air is still lingering. When I get to our rockledge, he smiles and gives me a fairly small, but still warm and rich piece of bread. ''Happy birthday Catnip.'' I smile too and inhale the scent of the bread, before tearing off a piece with my teeth.

''How did you get it?'' He shrugs casually and answers; ''Trade a fat squirrel for it.'' I finish the bread. ''We check the snares first?'' I ask, al ready standing up, before he pulls me back down again.

''Katniss.. We need to talk first,'' Gale says, his expression serious. I cautiously sit back, my eyes narrowing. What's wrong? Why is he so serious? He sighs before talking. ''Katniss.. Be honest with me.. What is it between you and Madge?''

I look at him in disbelief. Madge? This is about Madge? What does he mean? ''What do you mean,'' I repeat my thoughts. He rolls his eyes. ''I see the way you two look at each other, Katniss. You're my best friend.''

My insides freeze. The way we look at each other? Whát?! ''Gale, seriously, you're seeing ghosts. Madge and I are just friends!'' I snap at him. Gale frowns and stands up. ''Whatever.''

The silence that follows is more loaded then ever, as we go to check on our snares, and retrieve our bows and sheats with arrows to hunt. When the sun has come through fully, and it's around 12, we have 4 squirrels, 2 turkeys, 15 fish and a fair amount of berries, roots, and of course strawberries.

We go to the Hob and trade one turkey, 11 fish and some of the roots for wool and laces and other stuff. After that we go to the mayor's house backdoor. But instead of Madge opening the door, it's the mayor himself, and I can't help but feel a bit disappointed. We trade the strawberries for money and leave. We share our catches and money, and go home.

When I come home, my mother and Prim are sitting at the table. When they notice me, my mother smiles at me and Prim runs up to me and gives me a big hug. ''Happy birthday!" I hug her back and smile. Then she lets go, and hands me something. It's a goat cheese of proper size with a rough pink ribbon tied arount it. I laugh and take it. ''Thanks Prim,'' I say while putting the cheese under a wooden bowl and empty my bag.

Mother starts on a stew and I plunge down on a chair. ''Katniss, I made a warm bath for you,'' I look up to my mother who is smiling. I stiffly nod at her and go to the tub, and sink in. A few minutes later, when i'm all washed up, and even my hear is clean, I dress into the clothes I wore before and comb my hair, braiding it again.

I'm nearly done when there is a knock on the door. Prim and I look at each other with the same question on our minds. Who is that? Prim goes away to open the door and leaves my sight. When I hear the door close again, I walk up to them.

My mouth hangs open at the sight of the person in front of me. Madge. She walks up to me, and only when she stretches her arms out to me I notice what is in her hands. A cake. A white birthday cake with a beautiful icing of leafs on it. My mouth is now hanging completely open. ''Madge.. You really shouldn't have done this..'' I stammer. She puts the cake down and takes my hand for a moment. ''I know, but I still did. You're my friend Katniss. Happy birthday.''

She then proceeds to cut the cake into pieces, and serves it. Prim is ecstatic. We all eat and my mom is asking Madge all kind of things. I don't really pay much attention to anything other than the cake.. or Madge.

How could she be so kind to me? When we all have finished our cake, it's close to 5 and Madge has to leave. After she has said goodbye to my mother and Prim, whom excitedly ask her to come and visit us more often, she asks me to walk her out.

When we're outside, she smiles. ''It was really nice of you to come by, really.. My mother and Prim seem to be really fond of you.'' She nods. ''They are nice. See you tomorrow at school.'' And before she goes she gives me one last birthday present. A kiss on the cheek. Then she quickly walks away, and i'm stunned.

The next day when I wake up, the sun is still nowhere to be seen. Prim is already awake to milk her goat Lady. I quickly get up and get dressed, not bothering to fix my hair. ''Prim, are you coming?'' I call at her. ''You can go Katniss, i'm still busy!'' I shrug and make my way out.

When i'm at school, I take my usual seat and wait for Madge to show up. I'm starting to get worried, but just before class starts she comes in and quickly takes place next to me. ''I overslept,'' she whispers to me. I look at her and see her eyes are a bit puffy. ''Are you okay?'' I ask, a bit confused. She nods and gets her stuff. ''I'm fine Katniss,'' she says with a small voice. I sigh as I figure it's not the time to ask more questions, and the class starts.

Through out the class I keep my eye on Madge, but her face is closed off. At break, we sit together. I look at her, still worried. ''Madge.. What is wrong?'' She looks up to me, with that same closed off expression. She gives me a strange smile. ''It's nothing, Katniss.''
I frown and continue lunch. The rest of the day is a blur.

When school is out, I drag Madge with me to a quiet corner. ''Madge, look at me, what's wrong?'' She looks up to me when the urgency of my tone hits her. Her pained expression cuts right through me.

''I'm trying so hard Katniss, so damned hard to break through those walls of yours..'' I watch as a tear rolls down her cheek, and inhale a large amount of air. ''But you just won't let me. And I wish you'd just let me in, let me know what you think, let me know your fears..'' Her cheeks are wet now.

I can't take it anymore, so I pull her into a hug. The first hug I ever gave her. First she puts on some resistance, but soon enough she gives in and crashes in my arms. She has a sweet scent lingering around her, and just like her hands her body is lean and delicate.

Then suddenly she pushes me away and runs off, leaving me stunned, once again, not knowing what just happened. Why do such things happen to me? I don't go home, I head straight towards the woods, feeling my heart drop with each step I take.

When I reach the safety of the woods, and climbed into a tree, I drop my head in my hands. I don't get it. I don't get her. ''Katniss?'' a low voice is calling me.

I look down and see Gale standing there, concerned. ''Katniss come down please.'' I sigh and climb down. He pushes me against the tree. ''Don't tell me there is nothing Katniss, I can see there is.'' I look at him with big eyes. ''What do you mean?'' He rolls his eyes and lowers his voice. ''Don't play these games with me Katniss.. Not with me, not with her.'' I push him back and snap. ''I'm not playing games, Gale! You are! You all are! I don't get any of you guys!''

He comes closer again, only an inch away. Then he suddenly plunges his lips on mine, and i'm shocked, frozen. Just when i'm about to push him away, he already steps back and turns around.

I look around him and feel as if someone has just punched me in the gut.

Madge is standing there, mouth open in horror, eyes wide. Then she runs away, and all I can think of is following her, explain it to her, and I don't even know why. It's not like I owe her an apology or something.. But I feel like I do. I know I do. I owe her one for the last year.

But Gale stops me. ''Do you know why I did that, Katniss?'' I look at him, and see the urgency in his eyes. And I do know. He wanted me to see something I was too damn stubborn for to see on my own. I give him a stern nod and he lets me go, and I run away.

I run to Madge.