I try to slither my way into the heart of the crowd, but it doesn't work. Gale and Peeta are in big trouble, I don't know what for, but they just are. I push and trip my way over to both of them. But before I can yell stop, I feel a rock hard fist slam into my stomach. I fall, but very quickly stand back up. Knowing any signs of hurt would get me pity. I don't want pity. I rub my wound, and look around furiously for who did this. I see this boy, probably the same year as me. He's smirking. He's my height, and he's pretty muscular. I mean, as muscular as a 14 year old can get. He has blonde hair, like Peeta, but his hair is hard. Most probably like his skull.

"Sorry, Everdeen. You got in my way," He chimed. I don't think anyone can get as stupid as him.

"Sorry, idiot. You're hurting my friends," I counter. His face lights up, and he throws his arm around me.

"You know, I like a feisty girl like you. You know we could-" I cut him off.

"You know, I hate muttations like yourself," And with that on target retort, I land a well aimed blow to his smug face.

"Katniss!" Gale yells. He pushes me back behind him. And Peeta does the same.

"I think that'll teach you to mess with our friend 'Everdeen,'' Gale puts air quotation marks around my last name.

"Yeah brick-face, back off." Much to my suprise, Madge comes running to the rescue. She didn't strike me as a girl who wanted to throw names. Especially considering how scared she looked when I had almost punched that girl's nose in for barging into our room.

"C'mon guys, let's not waste time on mutts like him," I say, taking both their arms and pulling them to my dorm. I ignore all the staring and the whispering while I head to my room. I slam the door shut and get down to business. I'm furious for letting that idiot hurt my friends. I study both of them. They seem to look ok, other than Gale's throbbing neck and Peeta's mangled face.

"Ok, what happened?" Gale and Peeta exchange a half worry - half nervous glance. The look down at their feet, as if their worn out old shoes are the most intricate thing to look at. I wave my hand in front of their face trying to get their attention. Peeta sighs.

"We were being accused of doing inappropriate things with you and Madge." I'm angrily clenching and unclenching my fists. How dare that boy think of them like that? I can't even imagine Peeta doing that. Or Gale. But if I had to bet on who would be sparked first, I would have to choose Gale. Gale has more fire to him. Something I already have so much of. Peeta wasn't fire at all. If anything he was sweet, kind and very gentlemanly. Probably the solution to all this fire Gale and I were throwing. Come to think of it, Peeta is nothing like us. I mean, sure he had some competitive spirit, but we weren't as easy going as he was. While I kept on ranting to myself, Madge and Peeta had broken off to a quiet conversation on the side. I kept hearing things like 'when are you going to tell her,' and

'it's a suprise she hasn't seen that,' but I just figure they're talking about someone else. Some other girl. I realize I have started to mumble under my breath after I see Gale peering at me curiously. He motions for me to look at my corkboard. I see Gale has tacked one more picture on my board. It's me smiling in the woods. That's when I smile the most. When I'm surrounded by trees, fresh air and birds calling. I was wearing my archery attire that day. A light hoodie that fell to the knees, a pair of lace up boots and my father's hunting jacket. I was ready to face anything that picked on my friends. That was the day I announced I was in love with archery. That I was going to be the best archer in the world. My bow was loaded in the picture. I notice in the background that Gale and Peeta were staring at me. Why? They never stare at me. Then the realization hits me. I must have had something on my face. I inspect my face in the picture. Nothing. Why? They never stared. Peeta only stared at cakes, and Gale only marveled at the beauty of the woods. Nothing else. Why? Why? I figure that they only were talking about me and were merely looking at me as the camera took the shot. But why do I feel it's not that? I shrug the feeling off. Gale had settled on my couch, and when I looked back at them all, they were both staring at me. Madge was snickering, and Gale dropped his gaze. Peeta claimed to have been looking at the picture. A teacher barged in on us. My anxiety level was rising. Had she come to tell us off about what we did? No. She simply said it was 6, and that boys were not allowed in girl's rooms after 5:45. After they left, and after Madge and I were in bed, I asked,

"Why do Peeta and Gale keep looking at me?" Madge scoffs.

"You haven't noticed? Really Katniss, you should pay more attention to the boys who like you."

I snort.

"They don't like me."

'Katniss, you should see the way they moon over you. That's why Jess was so jealous. That's why that guy got them into a fight. They like you Katniss."

They like me? The realization hits me again.

"That explains so much." I say to Madge.

"Oh Katniss. You have no idea the effect you can have."