I read the scroll over and over and over, the words blocking out everything. The air suddenly becomes limited, and my arms feel as if bricks were attached to my palpitating fingers.
Come back home Katniss. Come back to me. Where you belong.
Come back home Katniss. Come back to me. Where you belong.
Come back home Katniss. Come back to me. Where you belong.
My head is shaking in slow pathetic motions. Disgraced at the moment, the world, at Peeta. My thoughts jolt back into reality and Gale is leaning over my shoulder, obviously haven read the note and seeing the ring. His silence matches mine, but unlike him my expression is hidden, being overlooked by the confusion and fire in my eyes. Turning my back, I roll the ring around the palm my hand for what seems to be years. Gale puts his hand on my shoulder quite forcefully and turns me back towards him.
"Katniss, it's alright. You and me, maybe in another life." For once in his life he is unable to make eye contact with me, and his words are painted with regret. The night air finally hits me with full blast, and how badly I long for the light conversations and the fire right now. I scuff my feet against the freezing dirt towards Gale, and I encase myself in his arms, shivering and holding my arms together like a child. My breathing slows and I feel safe, secured for eternity in his hands. My usual self takes over, and I push Gale away with my newly strengthened arms, and I charge towards the pond. My feet pound the ground, the soles of my shoes smacking noisily against the hardened surface. I feel endangered, away from Gale. My nightmares flash behind my eyes and for a moment I'm actually in the hunger games. Peeta is standing before me, arms outstretched for a kiss. I barrel into him, knocking him into the pond with a swift movement from my body. I scream every obscenity that comes to mind into the air, into the pond for Peeta to hear. And then everything is still.
I sit down on the ground panting from my realistic episode with Peeta. I wonder what Gale saw. Me screaming at no one, fighting the air as if someone was really being pushed into the pond. I look down at the ring still sheathed in my hand. Gale come trotting over and stands next to me, basking in the moon for a moment before he joins me on the ground.
"You're like a wild animal, Jeez Katniss you sure you're not some mutt the capitol sent out to kill me?" I lean my head against his shoulder, burying my face in his flannel shirt.
"I'm sorry. I saw Peeta. He wasn't… in reality… here, but just the thought of him messed up something within me." Usually speaking as soon as I've drawn in a breath, Gale takes a moment to think. But instead of words he lets out a long and exhausted sigh.
Getting the urge once more, I draw back my right hand and aim with my left as I prepare to throw the ring deep into the pond. Feeling my head change positions, he lunges at me, bringing my hands down.
"Katniss, don't!" Struggling underneath his grasp I kick and squirm just as Prim did when she was a child.
"No! Gale stop! I've already made up my mind! Why are you fighting me on this?" Bringing down my hands for a temporary truce, he lowers his head away from eyesight.
"Katniss I don't know who you love. Only you do. And sure I love you, but you will always have a connection with the boy with the bread that you'll never have with me." Embracing the full moment I lean my head back down on his shoulder.
"But even sometimes, Gale, your heart will tell you to let go. And the boy with the bread is no longer apart of who I am. Who I want to be." Gale silently brushes my mangled braid out of my eyes, and kisses my forehead lightly. I gently toss the ring into the pond so gracefully you can't even hear the stirring of the water. I wrap my fingers around Gale's and I close my eyes tranquilly. Feeling the murky water with my toes outstretched, Gale's warming hand against mine, my head against his shoulder, I realize that I will never have a connection stronger with anyone else but Gale. Not even the boy with the bread.
"No one is making you stay Katniss."
"No one is making me leave, Gale."
HELLO:D I just want to take a moment to tell ALL of my readers. The readers that LOVE my story. The readers that HATE my story. ALL OF YOU. I just want to say that I am just a beginning author, and yeah I'm pretty awful at it, and yeah, I make a lot of mistakes. But yeah, you guys are what make me keep going. You guys give me hope:) Thank you, so much. My gratitude is inexpressible.
GaleOlivia
And ps, don't tell anyone…. It's a pretty big secret….. I LOVE reviews:) Okay, I'm pretty lame ;) God Bless everyone, have a wonderful night my dearest readers:)