I lean against a tree for hours, thinking my day through. Maybe Clementine was wrong. Maybe this was a mistake. A much as I missed District 12 and my old life, maybe I didn't belong here anymore. District 2 had certainly changed me.
This wasn't Clementine's fault though. I'm just an idiot. Why would I go into the woods and say 'Surprise Katniss! I'm your hunting partner again!' Delly was shocked to see me in town, so why would popping out of the trees make it any better?
Then, I thought about Katniss and Peeta's daughter. That still sounds weird. So, Peeta had convinced her to have a kid. Maybe even more than one, I don't know. What did Katniss call her- Ivy? I still can't stand the resemblance I saw between them. Aside from her misplaced blue eyes and pale skin, she was certainly related to Katniss.
Ivy thought I was a threat. Katniss and Peeta did too. I know it's suspicious that I'm here out of the blue, but why would I ever hurt Katniss? Peeta seemed to get why I was here before we left, but he told me to give her time. Maybe I could ask Delly to try to talk to them for me, since she always made the situation better than it was.
Soon, the stars came out. I decided to start heading back out of the woods. I eventually got to my luggage, when I remembered that the first thing I was supposed to do when I got to the district was go see my brother, Rory at his house. Stupid. I got so caught up in the moment seeing Delly, and Katniss, that I realized he was probably worried sick something had happened to me.
I made my way towards his house, where he told me was right near the crossover from the Seam into town. I got there fast enough, and walked up to the house to knock on the door. It flew open before I had the chance.
"Gale! What the heck man, I've been waiting at the window for like 5 hours! Where were you? I was about to send out a search party!"
"Hi to you too, Rory." I said. I looked at my brother. He changed so much from the 12 year old skinny boy I had to feed as a teenager. He was old now, and while he was shorter than me, he looked like I had at that age. I caught a glimpse of stubble on his chin, when he invited me inside.
I take a look around. It's a quaint place, a kitchen and a living room to my right and stairs leading up to my left.
"So? What's the story?" Rory asks, arms crossed.
"I ran into Delly in town. Went to go see Katniss. Didn't realize how late it was." I say, only giving him half of the story. "It's good to see you."
Rory smiles. "Good to see you too, Gale. There's someone you better meet, though." He turns towards the stairs, and calls up. "Angela?"
"Coming!" A high voice calls back. Soon, a girl emerges from upstairs. She has dark hair and chocolate eyes, and she looked like she was from another district.
"This is Angela, my fiancé." Rory says. Fiancé? Why didn't I know about this?
Angela is now grinning from ear to ear, and I smile back at her, extending my hand. "Nice to meet you." I say.
She shakes my hand "I'm so happy to meet you! Rory has told me so much about you!"
"He sure can be a pain, huh?" I ask jokingly. In response, Rory smiles and rolls his eyes, while Angela lets out a delightful laugh.
"You've got that right!" She says, playfully pushing Rory's shoulder. "Come on up, I'll show you your room!" I follow her up the stairs into the guest room. It has a dresser, a bed, and seperate bathroom. I lay down my suitcase while she goes to make tea.
I'm halfway unpacked when I hear Rory behind me. "You must be tired after a long day in the woods." He says, leaning against the door frame.
"How did you know that?" I ask quizically.
"You've got dirt and leaves all over your back. Losing your touch?" He questions.
"Yeah, right." I say, brushing off my back to find he's telling the truth. We're silent for a few moments. "I've missed you, Rory" I say.
He looks up at me, and responds, "Me too." My family has never been affectionate, but hearing that is like getting a welcoming hug to me. Angela comes in behind him, giving me tea. "See you in the morning?" Rory asks, already leaving my room. I nod, and once he leaves, I finish unpacking, drink my tea, and fall asleep, dreaming of my past.