When Gale entered my room quietly that night I pretended to be asleep. I didn't want to look him in the eyes or even talk to him. I had never thought he would do something like that. It hurt so much that I was so wrong about him.

"Honey, are you still awake?" He had lain down next to me in the meantime and although it was completely dark I knew he was looking at me.

I got fed up when he laid his arm around me, kissing me softly on the cheek. "Are you crazy?", I hissed at him.

"Hey, Katniss, what's wrong?"

"LEAVE! NOW!" I stood up and opened the door for him. Gale was still sitting on my bed, giving me a confused look.

"Talk to me, okay? What's wrong?" He reached me with a couple of steps and took my hands. I freed myself from his grip angrily and started beating him with my fists. I finally wanted to get rid of my anger and beat him as hard as possible. It took Gale just a couple of seconds to grab my hands again, forcing me to stop my attack.

"Would you talk to me now?"

"I saw you", I answered him, my voice still bitter and angry.

"What? You mean you saw me and Octavia?"

"Damn you Gale, you are such an…" I couldn't think of a word that was insulting enough.

...

"Catnip, I didn't go to Octavia because I like her", Gale said with a small smile on his lips.

"You didn't?"

"No, of course not. Do you really think I could be such an jerk?" He took my hand again and started caressing it with his thumb.

"But why did you meet her downstairs?"

"I just had to settle something. Listen, I really can't tell you more, but you have to trust me, okay?"

God, I felt like a complete freak. I already got crazy as soon as I saw him with another girl. I really wanted the floor to open, letting me disappear in a huge hole. I had seriously just punched Gale, the boy who meant the most to me.

"I am sorry", I whispered and laid my head on his shoulder.

"So we are good again?", Gale asked.

I just pulled him closer and kissed him. As soon as I felt his lips on mine, every bit of anger was gone and our whole argument seemed irrelevant. He moved his hands to my waist and pulled me as tight as possible.

"I guess that's a yes, then, hm?"

I nodded and he sat down on the bed again. I still felt bad for my behaviour. "Gale, I am really sorry. I didn't want to punch you."

He smiled at me. "Just forget it, okay? You are actually really cute when you are jealous." He pulled me on the bed.

"Don't go too far, alright?"

"Would never dare to." Gale wrapped his arm around me and I used the chance to move closer to him. "But if we always end our arguments like that we should really fight more often", he continued.

I didn't even need to look at him to know that he was having a huge grin on his face. "Hm, you would like that."

"Hell yes."

I was quiet for a while, then I asked cautiously, "Gale?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"Love you too, Catnip."

...

The next morning I was so excited that I couldn't swallow one bite of food. Effie tried to distract us, but all I could think about was the arena.

"Where is Haymitch, by the way?", Gale asked and pointed at the empty seat next to Effie.

"He has to settle something. But he wants me to wish you luck."

"We don't see him before the Games start?", I wanted to know, surprised.

Effie shook her head. "I don't think so. He is really busy."

It felt really strange to not see Haymitch anymore. Yesterday he hadn't said a word about that, he hadn't even said goodbye. I thought about my last moment with him. We had had dinner together and he had smiled at me encouragingly. Had he already known that we wouldn't see each other today?

...

Later Effie brought us to a hallway that was leading into different rooms. These rooms were our access to the arena. We had had to leave all our stuff in our apartment because personal things were forbidden in the arena. I had looked for my pin before we had left, but I didn't find it. I was sure that I had seen it on the small table next to my bed the night before, but there was no pin. Neither Gale nor Effie knew where my token was. That left only Haymitch, but why should he take my pin?

When we reached the hallway two peacekeepers were already waiting for us.

"So, I guess it's time to say goodbye for now.", Effie said und hugged both of us. She wished us luck and disappeared in the dark hallway again. The peacekeepers came closer to us.

Wait? We weren't allowed to go into the arena together? Obviously not, because Gale pulled me tight. "Listen, honey. As soon as you hear the signal to start, you run away, okay? I will grab one of the backpacks and follow you then."

"WHAT? You can't be serious about that!", I screamed, terrified. He seriously planned on running right into the bloodbath? Right into the arms of Cato and the others? "No! Gale, they are going to attack you and…" I couldn't finish my sentence.

"Don't worry, I am fast. Just head south and start looking for water and some shelter, make a bow. I'll find you."

How could he be so calm? Sure, he was fast but no one knew Cato's strengths. "Gale, please, don't do that", I begged desperately, my voice shaking.

...

He kissed me one last time, in a way he had never kissed me before. I clang to him. I knew that I couldn't stop him from turning his purposes into action, but I worried about him so much. I couldn't bear the thought of him running into the bloodbath. At least not alone…

"Okay, if you really need this backpack, I will come with you."

He shook his head and looked at me sternly. "No way. You start running and try to find some water and a place to hide, you got me?"

I pursed my lips. I would come with him, whether he liked it or not. If we were running together we could at least protect each other.

"Don't even think about it, Katniss! It's much safer if I am doing this on my own", Gale said although I hadn't even expressed my thought. Safer? SAFER? Was he really talking about safety?

"Katniss, do you understand me? You run away as fast as you can!"

I didn't have time to answer him, because the peacekeepers grabbed our arms and yanked us apart, right in opposite directions.

"Wait!", I yelled and tried to break free. I had to talk to Gale! Damn, let me go!

"Stop moving!", the peacekeeper yelled at me and I gave up. I didn't have a chance to get rid of him.

"Remember, I love you!", Gale shouted, then they closed the door behind him.

...

I was pushed into a room as well and they closed the door. I hammered at the door like crazy and yelled. I wanted to get out of here!

Two hands grabbed my waist from behind, pulling me away from the door.

"Katniss, Katniss, calm down." Cinna?

I turned round and faced him.

"Shhh, calm down, okay?", he soothed me and clasped me in his arms.

"I want to see Gale." I sobbed at his shoulder.

"I am sorry, but you have to enter the arena in two minutes. You will see him there."

I wiped the tears off my cheek, but suddenly I felt dizzy.

"Come, sit down." Cinna led me to a chair and helped me with my jacket. My breathing was unsteady and it was hard not to faint. Why did everyone – except Cinna – have to leave me? I felt weak and…alone.

"Katniss?" Cinna opened my jacket a bit and showed me a golden object. My heart jumped a little as I recognized my mockingjay pin.

"Hide it well, okay?"

I nodded. "Thank you. Where did you get that?"

"Octavia gave it to me."

Octavia? How did she get my…Of course, Gale mast have given it to her yesterday. I immediately remembered our fight and felt bad again. He was so cute.

...

"Listen, you have to go now, okay?" Slowly Cinna pulled me on my feet and led me to some kind of elevator. A deep voice started counting. "Ten."

"Cinna, I can't do this!", I whispered in panic and clang to his arm. I didn't want to go, I didn't want to say goodbye to Cinna and I didn't want to worry about Gale. It drove me crazy.

"Nine."

"Of course you can do it." He looked at me encouragingly.

"Eight."

I hugged him quickly. "Thank you!"

"Seven."

"Trust me, you will be great." He drove his hand through my hair. His last try to calm me.

"Six."

"What makes you so sure about that?" Why did everyone believe in me so much? Why did they think I would be great? I'd never learned to use a knife in a fight, I wasn't strong enough to win a fight against the careers, the only thing I could do was hunting.

"Five."

"Believe me, honey, I am not allowed to bet, but If I was, my money would be on you!"

"Four."

Cinna led me into the elevator and closed the door. I stared at him, completely frightened. No, it was too soon!

"Three."

"CINNA!", I screamed, but the door was so thick that he couldn't hear me. He smiled at me one last time and gave me a thumb-up, then he turned round.

"Two."

I knocked at the glass-door and Cinna turned round again. "Thank you!", I mouthed and waved at him. I would miss him so much, more than anyone else in the Capitol. I was so glad that I had the chance to meet him, he was just great! I felt empty as I looked at him one last time. It was not the same kind of emptiness as I had felt while I was saying goodbye to Gale, but it hurt exactly as much.

"One."

He waved at me, too and made a soothing gesture with his hand.

"Zero."

Suddenly the elevator started moving and brought me upstairs, right into my personal hell…