Madge sat upon Delly's bed, an uninterested look upon her features. Delly stood in front of mirror twirling in the most magical way she could. She was already regretting the decision to attend this party. She wanted to stay home very badly, and her bed in the other room was tempting her to no end. "I just want to look good you know? Who knows what may happen? I might meet my future husband!" Delly's words brought Madge's mind out of sleep and back to her impending bore of a night.
"I highly doubt that, Delly. You know how small this island really is? There's tons of guys out there for you to meet. Don't settle for a guy here unless you really like him!" Some might call Madge as too logically wired, she could honestly see it. She didn't exactly live a life of some fairytale princess despite what bitter kids back in grade school might have said about her both behind her back and to her face. Truth be told, she just didn't want Delly to meet some sexist drunk soldier. Those types of guys littered the platoon that was stationed on the island, from the few that Madge had met on a personal basis anyways.
"You are such a downer about these types of things! Are you telling me that if a cute guy comes up and asks you to dance, you'll just outright reject him?" Delly countered placing her hands on her hips to emphasize her counter. Delly was always trying to look sassy, but mostly failing based on how adorable her features were.
"Like I said, I'm not much of a dancer. He'd just have to go find some other girl." She'd dealt with plenty of boys asking to dance with her back at her father's parties. It was like second nature to reject them.
"Yeah, but everyone loves the whole innocent blonde thing you have going on. Especially adding with the mysterious part on why you're reading a romance novel at a party instead of dancing with those amazing legs of yours." Delly stepped closer, pointing to Madge's thighs.
"You think my legs are amazing?"
"Don't change the subject, Madge. At some point you're going to have to drop that boring librarian façade you like to play up. Where's the girl who made the drill sergeant laugh?"
"That wasn't exactly a good thing. They made me do so many push-ups." Madge sat back on the bed, remembering the memory with both fondness and pain.
"And it made your arms just as amazing as your thighs." Delly quipped cheerfully, doing one final twirl in the mirror. "Blue is definitely my color, now what are you wearing?" Delly's clear distaste for Madge's outfit from earlier was quite apparent. "I'm thinking green or black for you."
"Maybe I should wear something that shows off my amazing appendages. " Madge muttered dryly, studying the cover of the novel she chose for the party closely.
"Now that's the spirit!" Delly chirped excitedly, and far too louder than necessary. Making Madge drop her book after flinching from the noise.
"I was being sarcastic!" One last chance at saving herself.
"Shush." Delly quickly silenced her, grabbing Madge's arm gently and dragging her to her bedroom. "Time to sexify you up!"
The remaining time before the party was filled with groaning and one torn dress as well as both girls freaking out over the large spider that decided to visit through the open window.
Gale hadn't taken long to get ready, he just changed into some nice clothes and stood in the now bustling lighthouse. Trying to hold in laughter with Thom at the sight of some of his fellow soldiers dancing quite badly, some were already full blown drunk.
Katniss approached the two boys with an almost wicked smile on her face. Gale really didn't like that smile. "Where's Bristel?" She asked both, but directed to Thom who looked at the ground slightly disappointed. He felt bad for his pal, he was looking forward to spending time with the cadet.
"Something came up. She said maybe next time." Thom explained. While Gale definitely thought she got cold feet and bailed at the last second. Katniss's malicious smile returned as she moved between the two men, linking her arms with them both.
"I know how to cheer you up! We get to watch Gale fail incredibly hard at landing a girl's number." Katniss acted like she was in heaven, as if fifty bucks was such a big deal, she probably just wanted to see him be a fool and the money was just a bonus.
"As if I'll fail. Have you picked a girl yet? How about that blonde over there?" Gale pointed subtly to the blonde who had at least danced with seven guys already. She was a good dancer at least.
"As if. But I have picked a girl out, I think the girl she arrived with is a much more suitable match. You'd have so much chemistry!" Katniss pointed to the blonde wallflower in the corner, her green dress didn't move at all as she sat there, her nose stuck inside the pages of a book.
Both Gale and Thom had noticed her before, after all she was very attractive, but Thom did point out how her foot didn't even tap once during any music that played so far. They both mused about why she came if she was just going to sit in the corner and read. Gale was mildly surprised that Joanna hadn't approached her about bringing her party's vibe down.
Thom was already smiling at the thought of Gale approaching this girl at all, and Gale just frowned in return. "Her? Really? Like two guys already asked her to dance! You're setting me up!" He really didn't want to sound like a whiner about this, but it seemed like a lost cause.
"Didn't you say you could get any girl? Why is this one any different?" Katniss asked with the most satisfied smirk she could muster.
Gale could practically feel his own pride and ego swelling. Like why wouldn't this girl want to give her number to him? She probably already noticed him and was waiting for him to sweep her off her feet. Okay, that was clearly dramatic and totally wrong, but he was grasping at straws in his mind at this point. "Fine! I'll get her number, get ready to pay up fifty bucks, Catnip."
Taking a few moments to gather up the best "manly" walk he could, Gale made his way over to the blonde. Thom and Katniss watching intently from afar.
Delly of course had ditched her right away to go court some poor soul. So Madge found the quietest corner in the lighthouse and began to read. The novel was decent, it reminded her of quite a few she already read, but it was way more important and entertaining than watching a bunch of drunk adults knock heads while attempting to dance.
Halfway through chapter five a shadow lingered over her. She assumed this was yet another solider here asking her to dance, so with one quick breath she recites what she said twice already. "Sorry, not interested, and I don't dance. Good look finding someone who does!" A reflex.
Gale felt his eyebrows draw together in confusion. She didn't even look at him! He could hear Katniss's laugh faintly across the foyer. She must have saw his face. "Who said I wanted to dance?" That made her look up from her book, she had pretty eyes.
Saving her page, the blonde sets her book on her leg with probably the most neutral face one could make ever. She gestures to the party itself. "What else could you want?"
He felt dumb, blanking for a moment after mentally kicking himself. "Okay, maybe I did want to dance, but maybe now I just want to get to know you." Yeah that was so smooth, smoother than polished marble and-
Gale's thoughts were immediately interrupted by the girl picking her book once more up. "I still said I wasn't interested. Maybe try my friend?" She motioned to Delly who was actually talking quite excitedly to Thom. Katniss wasn't paying much attention to them, her eyes still on the pair in the corner.
"Okay fine, sorry to bother you!" Gale replied back, annoyed that she wouldn't even give him a chance. He felt his ego deflate as he walked back over to Katniss who was now openly grinning.
"Looks like she said no. Time to pay up, Hawthorne." Her voice was bold and cocky.
"The night isn't over. I can still get that number." He replied back, annoyed. Making his way over directly to where the girl's friend stood. "Hey, you."
The girl and Thom turned, the girl smiling brightly. "Hello, soldier." Her flirtatious voice was quite obvious. Which in turn made Thom raise an eyebrow.
"Hey. You came with her right?" He asked, immediately getting the point, gesturing to the girl in the corner.
The friend glanced around him, her demeanor immediately changing into a more excited one compared to her flirtatious one prior. "You mean, Madge? Yes! I'm so glad you noticed her, it must be her thighs."
Gale hadn't been looking at her thighs, but he knew when he approached again he'd sneak a peek. Nodding his head in reply, he tries his best to give her a bewildered look. "Any reason why she's reading?"
"She likes to read, I guess she isn't one for partying, it was actually me who dragged her along. I'm Delly by the way." Delly replied almost instantly as if she had already been asked that question. "Are you interested in her?"
Gale rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "She is very pretty, and she has something interesting about her." He admitted.
Delly immediately moved forward pushing him backward. "Then go talk to her!"
"I already-"
"No shush! Don't change the subject, go!" Delly continued to push until Gale walked on his own. Katniss was still smiling evilly in the corner. He refused to let her win. Gathering his pride, he approached Madge once more.
"Hey I-"
"Sorry, not interested, and I don't dance. Good look finding someone who does!" Madge immediately repeated, not looking up from her book.
"Yeah I know." Gale deadpanned. She must have remembered his voice, since she glanced up from her page, her eyes clearly spelling out the word ANNOYED.
"Did you forget something?" She asked glancing around at her feet.
Gale ignored her question and instead moved to sit beside her, also ignoring her baffled expression. "You see the girl over there in the long braid?" He gestured in the least obvious way he could. "Try not to look at her long."
Madge glanced at the girl and then back at Gale. "What about her?" She didn't sound very thrilled with him, and he honestly couldn't blame her despite his pride.
"I have a bet with her that I can get any girl's number, and she chose you, and if I don't get your number I'll lose fifty bucks!" He explained quickly, at least he was telling the truth. Gale noticed her raised eyebrow and expression immediately, and held his hands up in defense. "Not that I wouldn't have approached you if not for the bet!"
Madge bit her lip, saving her page once more. "If it makes you go away…"
"Wait!" Gale halts her with a gentle hand. "It'll look weird if you outright give it to me. Maybe we should talk for a bit?" That was part of the reason. He also really wanted to get to know her.
Madge looked conflicted, on one hand she obviously wanted him to leave her alone, but maybe she didn't want to be rude? Gale didn't know, this girl was a mystery to him.
He must have looked surprised by her suddenly shrugging her shoulders with a small "Okay." because she seemed to be hiding an amused smile.
"Thank you! I just really want to show her up." Katniss being the her, being spoken of.
"The book was getting a little too cliché for my liking anyways. I'm Madge Undersee." The blonde peered around him for a moment before bringing her eyes back to his own.
"Gale Hawthorne." He held his hand out for her to take in a friendly shake.
He was pleasantly surprised that she took it, and even more surprise at the warmth he suddenly felt in his chest and stomach. He liked that feeling and felt disappointed when she pulled her hand away.
"So tell me about yourself, Miss Mysterious Madge."
She cocks her head to the side, confused by the nickname. She seemed to be thinking over her words carefully, the blonde was a clear thinker. Straightening her self out, Madge finally answered, and that's when Gale noticed that he liked the sound of her voice.
So many surprises.
Sorry about the cliffhanger! But I'm writing this at like 7 am and I haven't been to bed yet, so I think that's a decent place to stop it. Next chapter they shall get to know one another! Thank you for your lovely compliments and words of encouragement. You all deserve every happiness!