A/N: Sorry this is really late. I was so busy today so I gave you guys a long ass chapter! Please enjoy and leave reviews ! :)
Gale immediately jumped up and rubbed the back of his head. Madge looked awkward just rubbing her legs back and forth on the coach. They looked so awkward like they'd had gotten in deep trouble just now. It was just me Katniss. In fact, I was slightly relieved that it wasn't someone trying to break into Gale's home. Maybe they acted like this because it's assumed Gale and I had a thing. I mean I don't think we did, he was my best friend, my rock, and my shoulder to cry on. But nothing ever got past that. But of all the people in District 12, Madge? Don't get me wrong Madge was a great girl, beautiful even. However, she's the mayor's daughter and he's from the Seam, the bad part too. "Hey Katniss what are you doing here?", Gale asked, awkwardly laughing. "I just wanted to come say good-bye, I'm leaving for the tour.", I said. I'll admit it, there was a really weird vibe in there. I continued, "I went to your place too, Madge.", I said, turning towards her. "But you weren't there, so I left you a note." She nodded and said, "Well you found me." I looked down and said, not to anyone particularly. "Well I'll be gone for two weeks so I'd figured I'd just say see you later!" I said, laughing awkwardly. No one said anything after that, so I just waved to both of them and left.
"The daughter and Gale!", Cinna exclaimed. "Well, isn't that something?" I shook my head laughing. Cinna knew about Gale, Madge, and pretty much everyone I talked to, since we chatted on the phone regularly. I didn't want to talk anyone when I got on the train, but Cinna came inside my room and got it out of me. "Are you okay with that… I mean if they get together?", Cinna asked, holding my hand. I gave him a confused look and said, "Aren't they together already? And I'm fine if they are." Cinna laughed and said, "Just because you kiss somebody doesn't mean you're actually with them Katniss. Especially at you all's age." I rolled my eyes but giggled. He was right though, the fact that Peeta was my first kiss was a surprise to everyone I told, even myself when I thought about it. I shrugged and said, "Well it's their lives you know." Cinna snickered to himself but let the topic drop.
The Victory Tour was exhausting. Cinna and my prep team had thirteen different outfits and hairstyles for each stop, the twelve districts and the final party. Effie and Haymitch had to write what I would say, and even tell me how to act because apparently I still didn't have any charm and sounded like a broken record. The path was to go to District 1-11, celebrate big in 12, and then go to the Capitol for a final bang. Then for the next few months the Capitol would leave me alone until it was time for the 75th Hunger Games, better known as the Quarter Quell. I don't know anything about the 25th one, since it was almost fifty years ago and the person who won the 50th won was Haymitch. That being said, I didn't have high hopes for this one coming up. In every district, I had to say how greatly honored I was to fight alongside my fellow tributes from that district and the tributes all brought something to the Games that made them more challenging than I could imagine. It was easier to say in districts where I didn't know the tributes but when I almost couldn't bare it when I hit the Career Districts and especially Rue's. Rue was my friend and her death haunts me because every night I think about how I could've saved her. Then they show Thresh. He was a monster and definitely a worthy opponent. After Rue died, if Peeta and I couldn't go home I was hoping he would. They show highlighting clips of the Games throughout each District of the fellow tributes. Some like Cato, Thresh, and Foxface last long, but others like District 8 and 9 who lost both tributes on the first day can only show deaths. Panem knows that only one person can survive so I'm not met with too many bitter faces, except the ones from tributes families. However, I would react the same way.
After, leaving District 11, Effie prepares me for the Capitol dinner in my honor. Though we are going to District 12's celebration first, there's no need to prep on much. I'll be with my family and friends, and the only tough part will be giving a dedication to Peeta. They'll show our brief celebration, then Peeta killing himself so I can live. I wonder if I can sit there and watch it without gouging my eyes out. Effie tells me the Capitol celebration is a very important ceremony. Everyone will be there, to meet me, dance with me, let me tell them the "wonderful" stories of the Hunger Games. Yes, let me tell them how I loved killing children, they get off on that. Cinna and my prep team sit in another room, changing my dresses and hairstyles and my nails fifty times. Bored with the glamours of the Capitol Effie tries to force on me, and knowing my stylists won't make up their minds until tomorrow, I go to my room and order a movie. We don't have a theater in District 12, but you can buy movies from a little shop in the town and watch them on your projectors at home. Unfortunately, they are too expensive to buy and the shop owner refuses to trade with you. Only cash. Now that I have money, maybe I'll buy some for my friends and I. Anyway, I plop down and find a movie about District 12. Of course it doesn't show the real horrors of District 12 and everyone in the movie looks well fed and the makeup to make the actors look pale and sunken eyes is horrible. I could do a better job and I've only worn make-up a few times. It's a story about a girl who overcomes poverty in the Seam by marrying someone in town. How romantic? The only way to not starve is to marry someone with money. I turn off the movie in disgust and go to sleep. Eager to go home to District 12.
There's a big festivity in the square. A banner with the name Katniss in red. I laugh because it's probably painted from some animal blood since no one can afford paint. The kids at school have made bows and arrows out of brown paper and hung them around the building. Due to my donating, we have better lights and even ordered some instruments so we could have some music. I look and see the food tables overflowing with food. I see a nice assortment of breads at the end of the row, and see Peeta's father. I walk over to him and see his two sons are there but not his wife. I nod to them, thanking them for their attendance. Peeta's younger brother I assume, grabs my hand and hands me a small roll. Peeta came from a loving and decent family, a blind man could see that. It was that evil mother of his that made them anti-social. I walked around the square, chatting with everyone and making sure everyone had a good time. The last time we had a celebration like this, it was Haymitch's. Twenty-five years ago and probably without as much stuff as I have, I doubt anyone remembers it. Haymitch is there, except not drunk, like he usually is at public events. He eyes Thomas in the crowd of people, and though never speaks to him, constantly follows fifteen feet behind his every move. Candice, Thomas' mother is there. Since I visit Thomas a lot, and now that I know their secret, Candice is very pleasant to me and even offers to make my family's clothes with more quality material than she does everyone else. She waves to me and asks me to tell her all about the Capitol's clothing style. I point her to Cinna and my team and she runs over to them asking all types of questions. Though my stylist team is rude to her, which I will talk to them about later, Cinna answers all her questions and even walks with her by himself.
I try to spend lots of time with Prim, but she's such a busy body making sure everyone has food and is happy. I explain to her it's my party and she shakes her head and continues to be the perfect hostess. I even see the Peacemakers drinking and chatting with coal miners. I shake the idea from my head as soon as I think it, but maybe winning the Games aren't all that bad. I find Gale eventually and we talk and catch up about what's been going on the last couple of weeks. He doesn't say much, rather just asking me about how all the districts and all the people looked. We don't really to get to learn about other districts and we only see pictures. You're not even allowed to move districts either. I'm telling him about the tall trees I saw in District 5, when I see Madge. I wave my hand to invite her over to talk to us but she just shakes her head and walks the other way. I wonder if I had done something to make her mad and Gale must've read my mind and said, "You must some things these last couple of weeks." I start to ask what happened, but he just shakes his head and asks if I want to dance. I dance with him, Thomas, Haymitch, Cinna, Prim and eventually I get to talk to Madge. "I'm sorry Katniss, it's just things are weird between me and Gale that's all." I nodded understanding, even though I really didn't, but I really didn't care either. I told her about all the other districts, like I did with Gale so we could stay off the topic. I really didn't want to know the details of their issues.
It was the end of the celebration and everyone was rushing home so they could wake up in the morning and be ready to work. Tomorrow I would be on my way to the Capitol. I had said goodnight to everyone and I was walking home alone with Thomas. It felt really good to be with for some reason, maybe getting to know someone for the first time, after I came home from the Games, someone could see the new me, the real me. I was not the same girl I was a few months ago, and I don't think anyone understood that not even Gale or Prim. Thomas only knew "After-the-Games" Katniss, as I call myself and he still thought she was awesome, not PTSD, paranoia driven crazy woman. "So when will you be back?" I shrugged, "Less than forty-eight hours, then back here for good." I sighed and said, "Until the next games." He rubbed my shoulders and said, "Hey that's not until awhile from now, okay. Don't worry about it." He gave me a hug and I actually hugged him back. Then Thomas pulled back and kissed me. I closed my eyes immediately, but didn't kiss back. I opened my eyes and that's when I saw him, in the distance. He was in the woods behind the Victor Village. He was nodding, and there was a light to his eyes. He mouthed "Go ahead." I jumped back from Thomas and looked into the woods in horror. He was still there, looking confused and worried at what had shocked me. Thomas turned around to what I was staring at. He shook his head and said, "What do you see Katniss?" I looked at Thomas as if he was blind and pointed to the woods, but there was nothing there. I grabbed my head with both hands and start to sob. I had actually gone crazy. I didn't believe in much, but never knocked any belief off, since I believed they all had truth. However, I knew what I saw in the woods. I saw Peeta.