I lead her into the forest. The bits outside of the fence.
"It's so beautiful in here." She breathes. She starts to pick at some berries.
"DON'T TOUCH THOSE!" I yelp. I brush them out of her hands.
"Overprotective much, Gale?"
"Did you want to die by lethal berries?"
"Nightlock." She whispered.
"Yes, Undersee."
We pick strawberries. I teach her how to make some snares. Showed her how to set up a bow and arrow.
"Come home with me, Gale." She held her arms to my wrists. We gave all the berries to everyone at the Seam and the Hob. I got twice the money then I normally receive.
"I don't know, Undersee."
"For lunch. Just lunch. I promise." She started to flutter her eyes.
"Fine. But you're coming home with me for dinner. Okay?"
She giggled. "Of course. I think Posy likes me."
"She does." I smile.
When we walked to Madge's house, I was in awe. I always forget how big it was.
"I know it's a big house. It's a shame that I don't have any siblings. It would be much more fun here." She opened the oak French doors.
"You can take some of mine." I laughed.
"Now how would your mother react to that?"
"She'd hate you." I whisper.
She starts to look around the hardwood floor. Almost as if conversation lines would appear.
"What do you have here, to eat?" I ask.
"I've got everything."
We ended up eating berries and bread and cheese. We talked a lot. About our lives. Our gazes would meet every once in a while. Only with the serious topics this occurred. But she'd drop the gaze first.
"We should be going home."
"You mean to your house, Gale. This is my home. That is your home. We don't have a home together."
I start to blush. Wait. Me? Blushing?
"You know what I meant, Undersee."
She laughs and loops her arm through mine.
"Let's go."
We were halfway to my house when she started talking again.
"What happened to your father?" she asked.
I clench my jaw.
"He died. With Katniss' father. In the mining accident, four years ago."
She looked down.
"I am so sorry."
That's when I noticed she still had her basket around her arm.
"What's this?" I motion toward the basket.
She lifts the basket to make sure she knew what I was talking about.
"This is bread that my family will not eat. Don't think of it as charity. Think of it as a thank you for teaching me all that you did today."
I sigh. "Thanks, Undersee."
She beamed. "Anytime, Gale."
When we got to my house, I could hear the squeals of my sister. She must have been being tickled.
"LOOK! RORY THERE SHE IS! GALE'S NEW GIRLFRIEND!" Posy yelled.