Katniss' POV

The New Year seemed like the best time to try and work things out with Gale. Things had gotten worse and worse between us since I started at The Capitol School, and now we hardly spoke. I took it as a good sign that he still agreed to host our traditional New Years Eve party with me, even though he barely looked at me while we set up, and avoided me all together once Peeta arrived.

Once I finished work for the day, I bought a large pepperoni pizza, Gale's favourite, and prepared to knock on the door of his apartment. It took a few second, but eventually he opened the door, standing in front of me with a confused look on his face.

"Urgent Seam meeting required." I said.

It was a little code we had used for years, and Gale immediately understood that I was asking him to join me on the roof of the apartment. I could tell he was conflicted about whether to come or not.

Finally he called to his mother, "I'll be back later!"

We walked in silence up the remaining flights of stairs to the roof of our apartment, which offered an amazing view of the city. We sat in our usual spot, with our backs against air duct box, and I offered him a slice of pizza. I realised I hadn't actually thought of what to say to him once we were up there, but luckily Gale was the one to speak first.

"I've been an asshole." He said, partly apologetic and partly just stating a fact.

"Yeah, but it's okay." I replied.

"No, it's not." He returned.

"I don't want to fight with you anymore." I told him honestly.

He was quiet for a moment. "Me neither."

"So what do we do now?"

"Well first I have to apologise for everything I said." Gale began. He took a deep breath before continuing. "I know you aren't turning into an Upper East Sider, I just hated the idea that they were going to change you, or that you would like that world better. I should have known that would never happen." He looked at me, "And to tell you the truth, Peeta is actually a really nice guy. That made it a lot harder to hate him."

"I felt the same way when I first met him." I laughed.

Gale laughed. "So how about we just forget everything I said because I was a total idiot and I'm sorry."

"Forgotten already." I smiled. "I'm sorry too, I guess I did get a bit caught up in everything at school. I've missed hanging out with you."

Gale put his arm around me, just like he used to. "Me too, Catnip."

We were quiet again, while we ate some more of the pizza. Again, Gale was the first to break the silence.

"So, are things getting pretty serious with you and Peeta then?" The way he asked wasn't icy like he had been in the past, instead, he was genuinely interested. I felt so much more comfortable knowing that whatever Gale's feelings towards me were, or had been, he had accepted my relationship with Peeta.

"I guess so." I said. "It's still a little hard getting used to how different our lives are, but it's okay."

"That's great, Katniss." He said earnestly. "I just want you to be happy, that's what I've always wanted."

"I know." I told him, "You've always looked out for me."

"Well, once a Seam, always a Seam." He mirrored my words from my first day at The Capitol School.

I felt a pang of guilt, thinking back to my conversation with Cashmere. I knew I should tell Gale about what had happened, and warn him about being careful for the time being, but things between us were finally good again and I didn't want to ruin it. I decided I would tell him soon, though.

"Sooo." I said to change the subject. "I couldn't help but notice you and Madge at the party the other night."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Gale tried to hide his smile.

"Oh come on, Gale." I exclaimed, "You've got to give me something."

"Madge is a nice girl." Gale shrugged. "I had a good time talking to her."

"And?" I persisted.

"And nothing!" Gale said.

"Do you like her?"

"I don't know!" Gale exclaimed.

"You so do."

"Do not." Gale said stubbornly.

"Fine." I smirked. "Do you want her number?"

Gale paused for a moment. "Yes, please." He said quickly.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Only if you admit that you like her."

"Okay fine!" Gale laughed. "Maybe I could potentially see myself possibly liking Madge."

I shrugged. "Close enough."

This was good. Gale and I were talking again, and not only talking, but having a nice time. It felt like an enormous weight had been lifted off my shoulders when I realised that I could have my time with Peeta on the Upper East Side and know that Gale would always be there too.

Screw Cashmere, I thought, when I entered school on the first day back for the year. So far she had been all talk and no action, and I was sick of letting her control the way I acted at school. I was done caring about what any one thought, and I hated how self conscious they had made me feel. It wasn't fair to Peeta, and I wasn't going to let Cashmere stand in the way of my relationship with him. So as I walked through the halls, I didn't listen to the things people were saying about Peeta and I, or Finnick and Annie, for that matter.

A lot of things had changed since the Christmas Ball, and now that we were back at school, it was clear that the rumours had spread quickly around the neighbourhood regarding Annie's past. Finnick couldn't care less, and at lunch didn't sit in his usual place in the courtyard, instead he slid in next to me at the table Johanna, Delly, Madge and I were sharing.

"Hello, you lovely ladies." Finnick said cheerfully, putting a pink candy heart into his mouth.

"What are you doing here, Odair?" Johanna said.

"Needed a change of scenery." He explained casually.

"Well, I almost didn't recognise you without Annie's face stuck to yours." Johanna continued. "It's seems you two have almost overtaken Katniss and Peeta on the scandal metre."

"Sitting with you might just put me on top." Finnick suggested, "Although I wouldn't want to take the spotlight away from you, Katniss."

"That won't be happening any time soon." I said more seriously than I intended, as I flashed glance at Cashmere on the opposite side of the courtyard.

"What about you, Madge?" Finnick asked, grinning. "Do you have any secrets this lot might be interested in?"

"Oh yeah, about a certain friend of Katniss'?" Johanna quickly joined in.

Madge blushed bright red. "I don't know what you're talking about." She tried to stay serious, but a smile was creeping onto her face.

"You know- that six foot tall, really attractive guy you talked to all night on New Years Eve?" Johanna laughed.

"Oh Gale." Madge said casually, still trying not to smile. "I might remember him."

"And?" I pressed, hoping that Gale had actually done something with the phone number I had given him.

"And he might have called me." Madge continued.

"And?" Johanna asked.

"We might be going to dinner this Friday." Madge was smiling widely now, and so was I. Even Finnick was smiling, and it seemed that since meeting Annie he had become The Capitol School's cupid, hoping that everyone would find their one true love. "I don't even know how he got my number." Madge added.

"Oh." I laughed. "I might have had something to do with that."

"Way to got Katniss!" Finnick laughed. "You know, we should set up a matchmaking business- Johanna, you're next!"

Johanna scoffed. "Please, I need a date just as much as you need to be any more tanned."

As I laughed along with Johanna, I realised how nice it was to be with this group that we seemed to have formed. We were an interesting bunch- the principle's daughter, the girl that always smiled, the rebel outcast, the player turned poetry writer and me, the girl on the scholarship. All that was missing from our table was Peeta, the baker and the sweetest guy I knew.

Just as I began to think about him, Peeta appeared in the courtyard and made his way over to our table.

"Peeta, just in time." Finnick said. "Johanna was making fun of my tan again."

"I had a meeting with the football coach." Peeta laughed. "I'm sorry I missed it."

Peeta locked eyes with me, and a thousand words were expressed with his face, and I knew that he was making sure I was okay today. It was almost as if we had an entire conversation in a second, unknown to the rest of the world. I suddenly jumped up, filled with a new sense of confidence and courage. I didn't care who saw me, especially not Cashmere, when I pulled Peeta closer and kissed him deeply in the middle of the courtyard.

I'm not sure how long it lasted, it could have been days, but I was suddenly aware of people whistling and laughing. We broke apart to see that most of the people in the courtyard were staring at us, including Cashmere who was glaring intently at me.

I kept my arms draped over Peeta's shoulders and felt freer than I had in months. "Want to come over to my place after school?" I asked softly.

Peeta gulped, obviously trying to stay in control of himself. "Sure, can't wait."

"Good." I said, kissing him again.

I took him by the hand and we sat down next to each other at the table. Everyone was silent for a moment, staring at us.

"Well." Finnick laughed. "That really was something!"

"They might be giving you and Annie a run for your money in terms of over the top public displays of affection." Johanna joked.

"Oh, I don't think so." Finnick smirked, biting down on another candy heart.

I was buzzing with happiness as we continued our lunch and I couldn't stop smiling at Peeta throughout. There was no need to hide how much I liked him anymore, because I didn't care who saw, and that revelation made me feel like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders, just as it had when Gale accepted that Peeta and I were together. However, I couldn't help but glance back to Cashmere's table. Immediately our eyes met, and the look on her face was pure evil as she shook her head slowly. It didn't phase me, because I was too caught up in how happy I was. I wasn't afraid of her any more, especially with Peeta sitting right by my side, and I couldn't believe that I'd ever let her get to me at all.

Prim was at the dining room table working on her homework when Peeta and I arrived at the apartment.

"Hey Prim, why don't you go and work on that with Rory?" I suggested.

Prim eyed both of us hesitantly before agreeing. She packed up her things much slower than I knew that she could, and gave me a knowing look as she left for Rory's apartment.

"Sooo…." Peeta said. "We're alone."

"We are." I replied. It just so happened that my mother had actually gone to work today. "Would you like something to drink?"

"This wasn't just as excuse for you to get me drunk and get with the guy from the bakery, right?" Peeta mocked me.

I rolled my eyes. "Very funny."

"Water would be fine." Peeta said smugly.

I poured us some water and took into my bedroom, and cautiously Peeta followed. In comparison to Peeta's organised room, mine was a mess, with furniture crammed into the tiny room, books and Prim's old toys filling every available space. Clothes were spilling out of the cupboards and Prim's mug of hot chocolate from that morning was still on the bed side table.

I realised I hadn't really thought the whole 'inviting Peeta over' idea through properly. It was a spur of the moment decision, and I wished I'd had the forethought to clean up a bit. I'd also wished I'd made my intentions clearer to him. I doubted that Peeta thought anything major was going to happen between us, but I guess inviting him into my room could have given him that idea.

"Look." I said, sitting down on my bed. "I don't want to give you the wrong idea about you being here. I just want to spend more time with you."

"That's what I want to." Peeta sat down beside me. "I liked that kiss in the courtyard."

I blushed. "I'm glad."

"So we're not avoiding each other at school anymore?" Peeta asked.

"Yep!" I said happily. "I don't care what anyone says!"

Peeta beamed. "You have no idea how great that sounds." It looked like he was about to kiss me, when he suddenly pulled away, as if he wasn't sure whether to say what he was really thinking. Finally he said slowly, "Can I be honest with you?"

"Always." I replied, a little scared.

"I was a little worried that you didn't have a good time with me at the ball. You were a little distant when we left."

"I was just overwhelmed with everything- it's not my usual Friday night." I tried to reassure him quickly. "I had a great time."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." I laughed. "How could I not? You looked so good in that suit."

"Did I now?" Peeta asked softly.

Before I could reply, Peeta caught my lips in his and kissed me deeply. Since that kiss in the courtyard, I couldn't wait until we were together again, and like most times we were together, I was surprised by just how hungry I was for more, every time we parted.

I felt like a new person, some one who wasn't self conscious of my relationship anymore or afraid of the rumours. Peeta liked me, and I really, really liked him. It didn't matter than he was from the Upper East Side while I had hardly anything, it didn't matter that the whole school questioned why he was with me, it didn't matter than Cashmere didn't like it at all. All that mattered was that Peeta and I were together.

As his hands moved down my back, I was totally overwhelmed by him- how his hair was still messy, how he held me so tightly and that he smelled of baked bread and cinnamon. I felt like I wanted to stay like that with him forever. That was when I suddenly realised: I was in love with Peeta Mellark.

I broke away and searched his face for a moment. I wanted to tell him, I had to tell him. From the very first day Peeta had not given up on me, doing whatever he could to make me feel comfortable in his world, and I was always the one feeling insecure or confused. I wanted him to know that I wasn't going to be distant anymore because he was the only one I wanted, because I loved him.

"Peeta, I think I'm in-" I began, but before I could finish my sentence Prim and Rory burst through the door.

"Katniss!" Prim exclaimed, extremely distressed. "It's Gale!"

"What?" I jumped up, starting to panic.

"He's been arrested!" Rory explained, his voice breaking.

"How?" There were so many questions I wanted to ask but my head was starting to spin.

"I don't know." Prim said, almost in tears. "He called from the police station- they have him locked up Katniss!"

"But what did he do?" I pressed. Two hysterical thirteen year olds were not the best source of information, and I was beginning to get agitated by how much I didn't know.

"He was caught breaking into a warehouse down the road. He said he was set up!" Rory cried.

I felt sick. My head was spinning and my heart was pounding so loudly I could hear it in my ears. Gale was being held at the police station. He had already been in trouble before, and this was not going to be good. There was no way Gale would go back to theft, he promised me he wouldn't years ago, and he most definitely wouldn't have gone without me. So if he said he was set up, that only meant one thing.

Cashmere.