A/N: Finally back, I know, I know. I am ashamed of myself. I have to tell you guys: I cannot get online as much these days. There are some schedule conflicts for me...sorry :( Now I'll stop talking.

Chapter 10

The interviews consist of three main things: questions about our personal lives, our training score, and anything else. Our score is supposed to be revealed during our interview.

I can't keep myself from fidgeting around in my seat. All the tributes are seated in a big arc in front of the stage. I can't even hear what the tribute on stage is saying right now. All I can hear is my heart pounding.

At last my name is shouted by Caesar Flickerman. I stand up and feel Gale gently peel my hand from his. I didn't even know I was grabbing onto it. I feel myself flush slightly. I'm pretty sure I cut off his circulation, because he is massaging his hand right now.

He smiles at me. "Go win them over Catnip."

I duck my head and run to the steps. I walk onto the stage, and screaming and whooping follows.

Caesar Flickerman beams at me. "Katniss Everdeen, ladies and gentlemen! She's a real beauty, don't you agree?"

The crowd screams and whistles in response.

"First off, folks, is her training score!" Caesar gestures to the big screen behind us. The screen flashes for a second, then my face appears. Next to my face is a big bright 12.

The crowd gasps in astonishment. I blink several times, unsure if this a dream or a reality.

Caesar smiles at me. "Now Katniss: how did you ever manage that?"

I feel like running off the stage, but then I recover myself and I feel myself instantly transform.

"That, I can't tell you," I say coyly, batting my eyes. "But it was an...intense session."

Caesar chuckles. "We can tell!"

He gets more serious. "So, tell us about yourself. Your family and life back home. Anything special? Or anyone?" He winks, and the crowd bursts into laughter.

I look directly into the crowd and say, "Prim. My little sister. She's waiting for me back home."

The crowd sighs in sympathy.

Caesar looks sympathetic too. "You volunteered for her, right?"

I nod slowly. "Yes. I love her more then anything else in the world." I feel tears gathering, and I look up at the night sky, trying to keep them from spilling over.

Caesar seems to sense that I can't say anymore, and moves on to another subject. "Did you have a sweetheart back home?"

I let out a small laugh. "No, oh no. No sane guy would like me."

Caesar protests. "No? A great girl like you?"

The crowd shouts their approvals. I see Cinna among the crowd, and he gestures to me to spin.

I twirl around, and my dress shimmers and gleams. The crowd goes wild, and Caesar says, "See? Everyone loves you!"

I come to a stop and stay silent, but I grin.

The timer buzzes, and Caesar groans comically. "Too bad, folks! Our time with the lovely Miss Everdeen is up! Watch for her in the games, she's a keeper!"

I carefully descend down the steps and regain my seat next to Gale, but he is already standing up. He grabs my hand for one second, then releases it and heads to the stage.

I watch him carefully. He shakes Caesar's hand.

Caesar presents him to the crowd. "Gale Hawthorne, everybody!"

I hear the girls go crazy, shouting terms of endearment.

Gale just smirks, then winks. The noise escalates to a whole other level.

The screen behind him flashes, and my face is gone, replaced with his. The score next to his face is an 11. He must have really impressed the judges.

Caesar whistles. "An 11! Great job!"

Gale shrugs modestly. "I wasn't that good."

Caesar pats him on the back. "Handsome and modest? Ladies, he's a sure keeper!"

The audience grows loud again.

Caesar moves on. "Gale. Handsome boy like you, you must have a girl back home."

Gale looks down. "No, not really."

"What does that mean?" Caesar inquires.

Gale puts his hands in the pockets of his pants. "There were girls back home. I had a lot of them." He pauses. "But..none of them were actually true love, you know?"

Silence. Caesar says, "So, no girl?"

Gale mutters, "No."

"Oohkay," Caesar trills. "How about Katniss? You've been spotted holding hands, hugging."

Gale avoids looking at me, I can tell. "She..she's my best friend."

"Is that so?" Caesar asks. "You guys seem real close. How long have you known each other?"

"We've known each other for years, ever since our fathers died in a mining accident. We got together and helped support our families." Gale finally meets my eyes, and tries to give me a smile, but I can tell something is bugging him. The smile doesn't meet his eyes.

Caesar moves on from the subject and creates some friendly banter with Gale. Gale slowly returns back to his charming self, and everyone forgets how awkward he was before. Except me. I can't help but dwell on it. He was so...nervous.

The buzzer rang, and Gale strode off the stage and sat down next to me. Peeta got up and got on stage.

Caesar shakes his hand. "Peeta Mellark!"

The screen flashes to a picture of Peeta, and the number 9 appears. Hmm. Not bad.

Caesar talks about his training score, then asks about his family and relationships. "I'll bet you have a lucky girl waiting for you back home, huh?"

Peeta slowly shakes his head. "No."

Caesar pushes on. "Handsome guy like you?"

Peeta says, "Well, there's this one girl.."

Caesar grins knowingly. "Uh-huh."

Peeta ignores him. "This one girl. I've liked her since we were kids, but she never noticed me. She was always oblivious to everyone around her. Especially me."

Everyone sighs. Caesar says, "Aww. So you win, go home, and win her heart."

"No, that can't happen." The crowd gets even more sympathetic, crying for him.

Caesar looks confused. "Why not? The girl would be crazy to turn you down."

Peeta deliberately pauses, psyching up the crowd. "But the girl, she came here with me."

I can feel all eyes on me, and I feel myself blushing. I look at Gale, gauging his reaction. But he isn't looking at me. He is staring intensely at Peeta, and he looks pissed off.

Gale jumps up and I grab his arm. "Gale. What are you doing?"

Gale doesn't respond, and shakes my hand off. He stomps up the stage and stops in front of Peeta. The audience goes quiet, and even Caesar Flickerman has nothing to say. Everyone just watches Gale and Peeta.

What happens next seems like it happens in slow motion to me.

Gale's arm rises slowly.

Then, the slow motion stops. Gale punches Peeta in the jaw.

A/N: Holy crap! Gale just punched Peeta! Cliffhanger :p This chapter was really intense! It was a lot more difficult to write this then expected. I'll try to update ASAP. Please review! :)