CHAPTER 1. HANG ME UP TO DRY.

"We're getting married!" Annie exclaimed, her excited squeal reaching Katniss all the way from the other side of the line, thousands of miles away.

"Wow… Well, that's-" Katniss stuttered, feeling her friend's expectant breath on the other side of the line, "-you know how I feel about long term commitments, but I'm so happy for you Annie!" she finally said sincerely, trying to channel all her positive emotions into her voice.

She couldn't deny she'd had her doubts when she first met Finnick. Now, almost two years later, Katniss really was happy her sweetest friend was marrying him.

"That means a lot coming from you," Annie said, the big smile on her face almost palpable.

Katniss asked a few more questions about the wedding, finding out it was only three months away. Her friend, unsurprisingly, was very stressed about planning every little detail to perfection. She wanted a perfect fairy tale wedding.

"I know you hate these kinds of things but please be one of my bridesmaids!"

The brunette had to use every ounce of self-control not to blurt a negative response right away.

"Please Katniss! It would make me really happy," the redhead insisted.

Katniss pulled at the strands of dark brown hair at the bottom of her braid thoughtfully. She could hear Annie's excited breathing on the other end of the line.

How bad could it be, really?

"I'll do it," she said feeling a bit nervous, "is there anything I should do, you know, as a bridesmaid?"

Annie excitedly launched herself into a detailed account of what she was expected to do and how pretty their gowns were gonna look. As she listened to her friend's happy babble, it began to dawn on Katniss that she'd have to travel early down to California - a week or two early, probably.

It would be her first time there after over two years.

It was too late to regret it.

"Oh, and now that you've confirmed I'll have three bridesmaids and it really makes me want to cry because you're my best friends in the world and I can't wait for you guys to meet!" Annie gushed.

Katniss had met Annie during her first semester in college and, despite their different personalities, they'd quickly become friends.

"So you asked your friends from high school to be you other bridesmaids?" the brunette asked curiously.

"Only Maggs, the other one is Madge," Annie said, her voice finally sobering up after all the high-pitched, excited rambling.

Madge Undersee, Annie's college roommate, who Katniss had also befriended during college. The three of them had been inseparable right until their senior year, when Annie and Madge had insisted on visiting Katniss' hometown during winter break.

This was not good news.

"Oh," she answered, chewing on her bottom lip anxiously.

"It's time to try and make things work like they did before, don't you think?" Annie said, sounding a bit tired. Katniss could almost picture her rubbing the bridge of her nose, "It's been more than four years since we graduated college and I really miss hanging out. The three of us".

Four years, indeed, since college senior year.

Twirling the end of her braid nervously, Katniss thought about the fallout of her friendship with Madge. A familiar pang of guilt crept on her and Katniss desperately tried to push it to the back of her mind. The shame at how their falling out had mostly been her fault was something that had been buried for almost three years and she would like to keep it that way.

"Yeah, I miss that too," Katniss admitted, "I miss how we used to be."

"I bet planning the perfect wedding and partying together might just do the trick," Annie said, the excitement returning to her voice.

"Stress and alcohol, it'll be just like college," Katniss added somewhat dryly, making her friend giggle.

"And hot guys," Annie added, "you can bring a date if you want… or you could finally let me set you up with someone."

Katniss laughed at the random comment, it never ceased to amuse her how easily Annie could jump from one topic to the next. Truth was, ever since college, Annie had been trying to play matchmaker. With disastrous results.

"I think I'll pass up on that offer," Katniss smiled.

"This won't be like last time at all!" Annie exclaimed, "Plus, you know it was an honest mistake! How could I have ever known that Cato was such a creep?"

Katniss snorted.

"Uh, by the horrible way he leers at women maybe?"

"I thought he had some problem with his eyesight!"

The three of them had spent their their senior year winter break at The Seam. Annie, Katniss and Madge. It had seemed perfect for a while and then Madge met Gale Hawthorne, Katniss' childhood friend and neighbor. It had been instant infatuation for both of them, despite Gale's initial fake indifference. Katniss had noticed it first, unable to understand the strong feeling of betrayal she felt when it became obvious her two friends were spending a lot of time together.

She had always sort of assumed that she'd end up with Gale. She was sure Gale had assumed it too.

Gale and Katniss had been friends ever since both of their fathers died in a fire that reduced the factory they both worked in to ashes. Bonding over grief is the sort of thing that only few people could understand and Katniss always felt it was rather especial. Despite their closeness, however, the thought that her bond with Gale might go beyond friendship had never once occurred to Katniss until her first year of college, when she came home from school and reunited with her childhood friend after several months.

One morning they went to the woods together, embarking themselves on one of their usual long treks. Those treks which didn't need to be filled with unnecessary small talk. Those treks in which they both moved as one around the forest. Around midday, as they rested near a long boulder, Gale had suddenly kissed her. Katniss pretended nothing had happened up until they got home, just as the sun began to set. Gale, stoic as ever, kept a nonchalant silence. As they made their way inside Katniss' empty home to get themselves some water, the brunette girl turned to him and simply said that she would probably never be ready for a long-term, serious, happily-ever-after sort of relationship. Then, she reached up to kiss him and he'd kissed her back.

On their last day of break, they'd kissed as they said their goodbyes.

Sometimes, when they both happened to be on vacation at The Seam, they hung out like always and made out in the bowels of the forest they both loved. Nothing was ever said about their relationship but, ever since that day in the woods, her childhood home, The Seam, the woods, Gale, and Gale's warm kisses had somehow morphed into one single concept for Katniss: familiarity. When her final year of college rolled around, Katniss was already used to her vacation routine.

Everything changed, though, when Madge and Annie appeared one day on her front door, all smiles and giddiness.

It had been hard for Katniss to reconcile her two different lives colliding all at once. Especially because she couldn't keep hiding this part of her anymore. And she didn't feel ready for that yet.

Not to mention that, despite more than three years of friendship, Annie and Madge had no clue about any of the struggles she'd gone through as a child. These struggles were now painfully obvious in the facade of Katniss' house, not to mention the inside. These struggles were now evident when Madge and Annie saw Katniss' mother, swaying absentmindedly in her rocking chair.

Prim had been great though: immediately charming Annie and Madge, casually keeping the conversation rolling away from uncomfortable topics, and giving her older sister reassuring smiles and sympathetic glances every once in a while. And just when Katniss thought this winter break might turn out alright after all… Gale and Madge met. And everything changed forever, turning into some sort of cheesy real-life romantic chick-flick where Katniss was a powerless spectator.

Madge smiling up at Gale, looking at him like a lost puppy, her big blue eyes sparkling in the sun. A grin, finally breaking Gale's apathetic expression, at something Madge retorts to one of his usual sarcastic comments. Madge blushing under Gale's intense grey gaze. Gale grinning his familiar lopsided smirk at Madge, his arm hovering behind her seat at the movies before, finally, resting protectively over her dainty shoulders.

Everything kept happening before Katniss' eyes, like a movie-reel. A horror one.

All the while, she'd known she had to talk to Gale. Nevertheless, both of them seemed equally squeamish about it and spent most of the vacation actively avoiding spending time alone with each other.

Katniss never addressed her feelings with Madge either, feeling both angry and guilty about everything. Prim, observant as she was, noticed the change in her sister's demeanor right away but Katniss didn't feel prepared to talk to her either. Her feelings were confusing to even her!

When winter break finally ended, Katniss had never felt happier about having to leave The Seam. As Annie drove them back to campus, the brunette had to fight the huge relief she felt about leaving her home – and, hopefully, all of the bad memories that had resurfaced – behind.

Back at college, however, nothing was ever the same.

During their time at The Seam and despite her best efforts to keep her feelings at bay, Katniss had become a bit distant from both Annie and Madge. Now, her sarcasm scaling to almost hurtful levels (due to Prim not being around anymore to steer the conversation to less dangerous topics and Katniss feeling she had no one she could really talk to), made her irritable and hard to be around of. It didn't take long for Katniss to notice her friends' confusion and hurt feelings at her attitude. It didn't make her feel any better.

Under the excuse of having too many assignments, she slowly began hanging out with Madge and Annie less and less.

This situation went on right until a month before graduation, when Annie and Madge insisted so much on going to a small party in a friend's house that Katniss couldn't refuse. It was the first time in several months in which Katniss truly felt like she could wind out. After taking a couple of hits from a blunt and eating a bit of pizza, Katniss was feeling truly happy and relaxed. She had managed to forget everything that went on during winter break, which was a feat she'd failed to achieve ever since it happened. Her jumble of feelings had consistently been bubbling in a confusing puddle within the recesses of her mind and, every now and then, Katniss had to fight to keep them there, away.

"Will you finally tell us anything about that hunk that I've seen with you around campus?" their mutual friend, Glimmer, asked suddenly, raising her blond eyebrows mischievously and effectively cutting off Katniss' reverie.

Madge's round cheeks had immediately tinged a rosy-pink shade.

"That would be her boyfriend, Gale," a drunk Annie had answered, rolling her eyes and smiling affectionately at Madge.

Maybe because of the drugs, Katniss sat through the scene feeling strangely detached, as if they were other people she didn't know talking about something she had no idea about. The only thought playing in her mind at the moment was the vague realization that Gale and Madge couldn't have been dating for too long and he was already driving to see her on campus, whereas Gale's friendship with her went on for more than a fucking decade and he'd never once seemed even remotely interested in visiting or hanging out with her outside of The Seam. At that moment, Katniss was thankful that she was way too high to feel any pain, or else she would have felt the stabs deep in her heart.

The morning after the party, as memories from the previous night slowly found a place in her scattered mind, Katniss couldn't help but feel a pang of betrayal in her gut. Gale, her oldest and dearest friend, had told her nothing about his new relationship with Madge. True, Gale and Katniss hadn't been texting as much or calling each other at all since winter break. Nonetheless, Katniss couldn't shake the feeling that both him and Madge had been going behind her back. And that hurt.

Days and weeks flew by. Thankfully, finals kept Katniss busy enough to avoid thinking much. Graduation day came and she sat with her friends and smiled along and even agreed to pose on some pictures. She even forced herself to smile. Three toothy smiles.

Annie and Madge tried to convince her to move in with them to their new apartment, just like they'd planned only a year ago. Katniss said she couldn't really afford it, especially since she was trying to help fill up Prim's college fund. A half-lie, really. Katniss ended up renting a small apartment on a less-nicer part of town.

A month went by and then another. Suddenly, it'd been more than a year and a half since graduation.

By then, despite living in the same city, Katniss got used to hanging out with her two college friends every four or five months. It wasn't as if she was actively avoiding them anymore, it was just that work and responsibilities and life kept providing her with excuses more often than not.

On a rare rainy day, Katniss had decided to step onto a café until the storm withered. Just as she headed to the back of the small place, however, she caught a glimpse of familiar long, reddish hair. Annie Cresta was sitting on her own, glancing at her phone screen. Without a second thought, Katniss approached her.

They'd talked until long after the storm completely subsided, until it was really late and Katniss couldn't walk home on her own anymore.

"You can stay at our place, sleep at Madge's room," Annie said with a smile, "It'd be awesome to have a sleep-over the three of us like old times, but she's out of town right now".

Back at Annie's apartment, they drank some wine and talked as the TV in the living room droned on with some Friends episode. Annie told Katniss about this cool friend of hers she had a huge crush on. She seemed discouraged and thought that he would probably never see her as more than a friend. Katniss declared he was a jerk and a waste of time.

"So what's the deal between you and Gale?" Annie suddenly asked between sips, "Madge told me you guys aren't really friends anymore."

Katniss frowned, trying to come up with an answer.

"Things are sort of awkward now," she finally answered, her tone making it sound like a question instead of a statement.

Katniss was painfully aware of the stupidity of her actions: driving her friends away, people she cared a lot for and valued.

Maybe because of the wine, or the guilt she couldn't seem to shake anymore, or because rainy days always made her sad, without planning to, Katniss found herself finally blurting out all her bottled up feelings. Annie listened to her patiently, her face unreadable but her eyes sad, empathizing with Katniss' position. This, especially, because Annie understood that the turn of events had taken her friend by surprise, forcing her to do what she did best (become guarded and hide her feelings), which resulted in her ultimately isolating herself.

"Maybe we could've worked it out," Annie said, "maybe we still can."

Afterwards, Katniss did make an effort to reconnect with her friends. At least until Gale moved to the city and she was offered a job in Chicago. Both events, ironically, occurred in the lapse of a week.

Thinking back on it, Katniss could never make up her mind if the promotion had been a blessing for giving her a ticket out of her problems or a curse for never letting her get the chance to work through her issues.

On rare good days, Katniss liked to think that maybe it had been for the best.

It wasn't until a couple of weeks after, as she casually scrolled through Instagram, that Katniss really thought back to her earlier conversation with Annie.

Katniss wasn't all that much into Instagram and, the few times she did check it, were mostly due to her having nothing else to do. That day, her order at her favorite coffee shop was taking a bit longer than usual. Soon, she found herself sitting on one of the comfy couches scrolling through her feed.

Suddenly, Annie, Finnick, Madge and Gale's faces filled the middle of her screen. "Double Date ❤️" the quote below the picture read. The four of them seemed to be at a fancy restaurant, maybe celebrating something.

Despite herself, Katniss took longer than necessary to glance at the photo, taking in the happy crinkles on Madge's eyes and the huge smile on Annie's face. The stab of nostalgia hit her with the force of a tidal wave.

She wished there was a way to make things less uncomfortable between them. That was impossible, Katniss was sure.

The very day Katniss got the job offer in Chicago, she'd been invited to dine at Madge and Gale's new apartment. However, despite Annie's comforting presence, it had definitely been one of the most awkward and mortifying evenings of Katniss' life, a fact that had also been painfully obvious to everyone in there. The small talk was excruciating, especially because Madge, Gale and Annie now had very different lives from her own. Without her. And it'd mostly been due to her own doing.

Throughout the evening, Gale seemed to be on edge, reaching for Madge's hand every few minutes and pointedly ignoring Katniss. Annie was a thousand times more cheerful than normal, jumping at every opportunity to change topics. Madge kept giving Katniss pitiful glances when she thought the brunette didn't notice.

Towards the end of the evening, as she was sitting with Annie on the living room, Katniss excused herself and went to the bathroom. On her way out, she couldn't help but overhear a bit of the conversation Gale and Madge were having in the kitchen. That's how she found out that Madge knew everything about the furtive kisses in the middle of the woods. She also found out that Madge, Gale, and possibly Annie, thought Katniss was moving away because she was jealous and brokenhearted.

Needless to say, it had been humiliating to find out the reason everyone was acting so patronizing and condescending lately.

After all those years and after a lot of reflecting on her part, Katniss no longer felt betrayal at her friends' relationship. She'd come to terms with it. However, Madge and Gale still seemed to walk on eggshells around her, and that made everything infinitely more awkward. Katniss knew for a fact that they had restricted her from their social media for that reason and even Annie had stopped texting back as often as she used to.

If only there was a way to convince them all that she'd moved on, so they could too…

Tugging at the end of her long braid, Katniss found herself thinking of an online article she'd read not long ago. It was about some people who got paid to attend events with someone. She'd only clicked on it, really, because Prim had shared it on Facebook and she had some time to kill while waiting for her turn at the dentist.

Even though the idea repelled her a little - the very thought of paying someone to be her date was repulsive -, Katniss found herself at her sister's profile. She clicked on the article but there was no contact number or anything at all. Katniss scrolled dejectedly through the text seeing nothing but a description of what these people did and a couple of interviews.

Sighing, Katniss went to close the tab until a small detail caught her eye: the author of the article. It was someone called Peeta Mellark - what a weird name, Katniss thought - who, apparently, was studying journalism and art. She clicked on his name and it took her to a brief profile page which included some other details, like his contact info and location.

He listed his current state as Illinois. Her lips tugged into a wry smile at the coincidence.

Trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach and before she could talk herself out of it, Katniss typed a quick message asking about the article and sent it to the email listed on Peeta Mellark's profile.

That night, she got an answer. The email was longer than she expected. He thanked her for taking the time to reach out and explained how his experience interviewing these people had been. Katniss found the excitement he conveyed was sort of endearing. It also made her feel weird about making Peeta Mellark think she was really impressed by his writing when all she wanted was someone to pretend to be her date.

Katniss was able to put the email away from her thoughts for a few hours, until she was lying down in bed. There, with nothing else occupying her mind, she grabbed her phone, opened the email and pressed reply.

Katniss' thin fingers hovered on her phone screen, unsure of how to ask Peeta Mellark where or how to contact one of the people from the article. How was one supposed to ask this sort of thing without seeming like a sad, lonely person?

It was embarrassing.

Sighing, she closed her email, cursing herself for ever considering this idea, and went to sleep.

Fate had other plans though.

"You need to bring a date! Finn's friend Marvel can't make it and he was the one supposed to walk with you during the ceremony," Annie said sounding extremely distressed, "Finn says there's no one decent to replace him."

"Huh?"

"You know, when the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk to the altar before the bride comes out?" she asked in desperation.

"Annie! The wedding is less than two months away!"

"I know!"

The was silence over the line for a few seconds.

"Oh, Katniss, I'm so sorry," there was sympathy in her voice. "I'll talk to Finn's friends about this, I bet they'll know someone who can step in."

Lonely Katniss. Stoic Katniss. Unfeeling Katniss. The girl who no one will ever see "that way".

She closed her eyes tightly, willing those thoughts away.

"Don't! I have someone in mind."

"Are you sure?" Annie asked thoughtfully, "You know I coul-"

"-I'm sure Annie," Katniss interrupted her, trying to sound cheerful, "I've got it."