Hey guys! Hope you all like the chapter, this one is a little shorter than usual but i didnt want to just add too much randomness and make it a filler. Once again shout out to my beta, Mirage Meister, i sorta punked with her on this chapter so, sorry love ya! Alrighty as always please ENJOY :D

DISCLAIME: I OWN THE HUNGER GAMES/span... JUST KIDDING I OWN ZIP

Chapter 11

It hurts worse than before. Just like Jude said it would, it breaks every piece of me, it tears away any tiny hope I had left. I cry loud, painful tears that make my chest hurt.

Somehow I end up on the couch, my legs pulled to my chest as I look up at the streamers that are still hanging. The party was a hit once everything calmed down.

When Jude and I came back inside, everyone was bustling about, cleaning up flour and trying to decorate as fast as they could. No one said anything to me, which I was grateful for. Peeta however did give me a devilish grin, after catching me look at Jude, that made my cheeks burn.

My father, Darius, Nora as well as Peeta's brothers all made it. Even Haymitch made an appearance, giving me a tight embrace. I was surprised to see him showered and dressed in clean clothes and even more surprised to find that I have actually missed him.

Later on everyone sang happy birthday to me, and Peeta brought out a cake that was beyond exquisite. Emma and Grayson had apparently made baked chicken with carrots and potatoes, one of my favorites. Even the sugar cookies, which Peeta made in the end, turned out great.

My father and I, pressured by Nora, played a duet on the piano, and even though, I messed up a great deal of the first part of the song, no one seemed to notice.

I pulled Jude to the side right before he left, my cheeks red as I said, "Listen, about that kiss. I-I'm still not-"

He stopped my babbling, holding a finger gently to my lips. "I know you're not over Gale, Madge. And we have barely known each other for a few weeks, but I'm not going to lie and say I didn't feel anything. Did you?"

I bite my lip, looking down as I admit, "I did. I just don't want you thinking I'm trying to use you to make Gale jealous or anything like that."

"I know you wouldn't do that. I think maybe you ought to have a long, overdue talk with Gale. Get everything out in the open." He pauses, and I begin to see the faint hint of pink on his cheeks. "And then maybe when everything's cleared up there, we can figure out where we stand. Or if that talk goes in another direction, I guess I'll start running as fast as I can. I've seen how far he can throw a spear."

I laugh at his joke, and he smiles down at me. Cupping my face in his hand, he tells me, "I just want you to be happy, Madge. You deserve to be happy."

I force myself to take calming deep breaths, to try to think rationally through the pain. Eventually the tears stop, the pain slowly but surely begins to ebb as another feeling begins taking its place.

Relief.

I don't have to worry if he cares anymore. I won't lose sleep trying to convince myself that even some minute part of it was real. I don't have any more sense of false hope holding me back from moving on with my life.

I finally have closure.

The weeks pass faster, the warm summer days slipping into fall. I spend every lunch during the week at the school and every Friday night everyone comes to my house for dinner. Peeta asks if I need any help multiple times, but I like cooking for everyone; it reminds me of helping Nora prepare family dinner as a child.

I visit home at least twice a week, often more. I help Nora with the chores, and I play songs for my mother. On good days she'll sit next on the bench next to me, singing along even though most of the songs have no words.

The office picnics with my father resume, and it surprises me how much I've missed them. He asks me about my new friends, and I tell him about all of Thom's kooky jokes, Bristel's witty comebacks, Emma's genuine kindness, Grayson's humorous charm, and Jude's sweet thoughtfulness.

Our little lunch group becomes gradually close-knit. I meet Jude's sister, who is the perfect mixture of fire and sweetness, just as Jude described.

I go to Bristel's home, where her older brothers remind me so much of Rye and Barley that I introduce them, and they become fast friends. Bristle and Emma grow very close, neither of them ever having a female friend before.

Grayson and Emma do in fact go on that double date with Bristel and Thom, and they both have raving reviews from Greasy Sae.

Darius visits me often now, and, when one of his visits overlapped with our weekly dinner, he instantly became a new addition to the group.

The narrowed looks we get become scarcer, or perhaps we just don't notice them anymore.

Jude and I spend increasingly more time together. I make it clear that I'm not completely healed, and he makes it known that he is still not completely mended, but we slowly patch up ourselves together.

Peeta is oddly enough the one that teases us the most, to the point of it becoming a daily routine, but I can tell by his sincere smile that he is happy that I am happy.

One more than one occasion I try to play matchmaker with him: the worst being an incident with his childhood friend Delly. They spend an entire afternoon rehashing old childhood tales, and Peeta laughed in my face for a solid five minutes when I told him I meant for it to be a date.

Sometimes at night Jude sneaks out, and we sit in the meadow, watching the stars and whispering our secrets. I tell him how sometimes I dream in black and white, and he tells me that if he could do anything with his life, he'd want to be an architect.

It's still early in fall when Effie sends me a large package, filled with seemingly random items and the note reading simply: For your talent.

The piano is my only talent I have, but I pass around the items to anyone who wants it. Grayson takes up the violin, already knowing how to play the fiddle. Emma tries her hand at the flute once more, and Jude uses up all the drawing paper to sketch pictures of skyscrapers worthy of the Capitol. When I present Peeta with a set of oil paints and canvas, his eyes nearly pop out of his head in awe. Once he uses up all the canvases, as well as paints every inch of his and Rye's bedroom walls, I order more from Effie.

It's when I'm towing in the box of paint supplies that I see Gale for the first time since the day after my birthday. He's leaving his house when he spots me, and I walk quickly to my front gate. I struggle for a moment to unlock the gate, trying to hold the large box with one hand when I see a tan arm reach over and unlatch it for me.

"Thank you", I mutter, readjusting the box in my arms. He's standing in such a way that I can't get past him without getting very very close to him.

"Need some help?" he asks, opening his arms to take the box from me before I can respond.

I take a step away from him. "No. I got it."

Gale nods once, although he doesn't move out of my way. "That the box of talents Effie sent? Didn't you get it last parcel day?"

"I did. I ordered more paint supplies."

In all fairness, he does look genuinely surprised and interested when he responds, "I didn't know you painted."

I shake my head, repositioning the bulky box on my hip. "I don't. But Peeta does."

"Oh." He doesn't say anything more, and, after a moment, he moves, allowing me room to pass. I take that as my cue to leave, and I walk past him quickly.

"You don't play anymore."

I'm already at my door when his words hit me, making my hand freeze around the handle. "The piano," he continues, his voice almost shaky, "at night."

I guess it was foolish of me not to think that all my late night playing wouldn't travel across the few feet that separate our houses.

I turn around to face him, shrugging my shoulders nonchalantly as my fingers tighten around the bottom of the box. "I don't need to anymore."

He pauses, and I can almost see his Adam's apple bob when he swallows thickly. His eyes stare into my face as he says, "I miss it."

There's something hidden in his confession, but I don't have the strength or the patience to sort it out. "Maybe you should take it up. I'm sure Effie can order you one."

He doesn't respond, and I swiftly retreat into my home, locking the door behind me.

The temperature continues to drop, the days growing shorter. The leaves begin to fall off the trees and, for some reason, I feel another yearning to venture beyond the fence.

It comes out one night when Jude is helping me with the dishes after our Friday dinner.

"What's on your mind?" he asks me, splashing me with some soap water.

I bump him playfully with my hip, drying the wet plate he hands me. I answer his question with one of my own. "Have you ever gone into the woods?"

"Nope," he replies, handing me another cup dripping wet. "Why? Didn't your last adventure into the woods end pretty dramatically?"

I suppose there might be a problem with oversharing after all. "Well, yeah. But I thought maybe it might be nice to try again."

"Okay." He turns off the faucet, wiping his hands on a dish towel as he faces me. "But I want to go with you."

A smile beams on my face. "Good, because I was going to ask you to anyway."

We plan to go on a Friday morning. At first I'm against him ditching school for me, but he just rolls his eyes at my protests. "I haven't missed a single day this year so far, so I'll have six more days until I get fined."

"Fine," I tell him, trying to sound stern. "Just don't tell your mother. I don't want her thinking I'm a bad influence on you."

He grins at me. "Never," he says, dipping down to give me a quick kiss on the lips.

I'm always so amazed how soft his lips are, like velvet or butter. And no matter how many times he does it, it still surprises me whenever he kisses me.

We are not a defined couple, although we have both made it clear to one another that we don't have any intentions of seeing anyone else. I don't think either of us is emotionally ready to make it official. Plus, it is already so complicated with me being half of District Twelve's star-crossed lovers, putting a label on what is going on between us would add just another unnecessary complication.

We meet at the porch of my house at dawn, and I raise an eyebrow at the wicker basket in his hands.

"It's a surprise," he tells me with a wicked grin of his.

Just like before, the beauty of the forest astounds me. It's even more beautiful now than it was in the summer, what with all the leaves on the ground in an array of reds and oranges.

Jude marks the trees with a small red marker, drawing a 'x' into the side as we pass it. Like before, I allow myself to let go completely, jumping and dancing wildly. Unlike before, I find myself with a dance partner.

My eyes are closed as I spin around in a circle when Jude suddenly laces his hands with mine, twirling and spinning me around as we waltz around the forest's grounds.

He jumps into a pile of leaves alongside me. I teach him how to climb a tree properly, and he catches me as I jump down from my perch. He picks a bouquet of wild flowers and gives me to me, tucking a yellow one behind my ear.

Once the sun is high in the sky, Jude shows me his surprise. A picnic, complete with cookies from Peeta, a bundle of grapes, and two ham sandwiches.

"Delicious," I say as I dig in.

He laughs at me, settling down on next to me on this large rock formation we stumbled across. "You eat so unladylike for the Mayor's daughter."

I snort at him, stealing a bit of his cookie. "I don't see any Capitol guests around here do you?"

Jude raises an eyebrow then grins widely, sitting up straighter.

"My goodness!" he squeals in a loud, obnoxious voice, "You look like a barbarian! Ladies should never eat in such a way."

Food comes sputtering out of my mouth in a very unladylike fashion at his awful Capitol accent, and Jude erupts besides me, both of us falling onto each other.

I look up at his smiling face, feeling comfort by just looking into those green eyes of his.

He leans down fast, his hand cupping me face as my eyes close. The kiss is tender, sweet and tastes of innocence. It leaves me breathless.

The nights grow longer, and the days grow cold, the sky becoming cloudy and dark. I'm readying myself to go to lunch at the school when I first notice it from my window.

Snow.

It's the first snowfall of the season. It's light, and probably won't stick. But it means that winter is here. That the Victory Tour is coming.

I take a step towards my window, looking into the gloomy day, a strange feeling coming over me as I realize that playtime is over.

Trouble is on the way.

Dun dun duuuuun! Trouble is definitely on it's way Madge. Okay so please REVIEW! I have gotten a few requests on one-shots and i promise I will start buckling down and get them up as soon as possible, for now this story continues to be my main concern as far as updating goes. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and PM'd me, the responses and support for this story has been so great and i just love you guys :) so please REVIEW, KISSES FROM MADGE/GALE/JUDE/HAYMITCH/DARIUS/BRISTEL/EMMA/NORA/ME!