The Boy With The Bread

Chapter 24

A/N
Hey! Listening to The VAmps! They are actually really good, I never heard them before. IF you love Taylor Swift, follow my Instagram account, @ swiftie.on.fire Hope you enjoy this chapter! Ugh the time change is seriously getting to me:(
Katniss POV

Gale has to know that this is an act. Right?! I mean, he was never one to show his feelings. He was always hard as stone and guarded. And the Capitol people are suckers for this romance-y stuff. He must know. And if he doesn't, he will understand that it is because President Snow wants it this way. Good thing Haymitch warned me through the mask. I am so physically close to Gale, but my mind is wandering off, so very far away. GAle pulls my mind back to reality.

"Katniss," he gazes at me. "Do you love me?" What?! What kind of Gale am I with right now? Shock, sadness, love, care, anxiety, and for some reason anger flow through me. Love...? Never.

Gale looks a bit sad by my silent reply, so I answer by bobbing my head up and down excitedly as if I never thought he wwould ask. The grin on his face grows till I am afraid I might have to use the mask on him again. I can't seem to talk much after that and it is getting late, so we climb a tree in hopes of a peaceful night.

"Katniss, about Rue..."Gale says quietly. We are sharing a sleeping bag to maintain our lovers act. To be honest, it is a too warm and stuffy for my taste, but I can't obviously ask to use my own bag.

"What about her?" I ask somewhat growly.

"Well, I tried to gether for you. Some Silverblades followed me, not the whole flock thank goodness. I reached Rue, who was perched back in the tree, huddled on her knees." As Gale speaks, I try to paint the picture in my head. Poor Rue. "I got her, but she ran from me. Perhaps she was afraid of me, like I came back to kill her or something. It was a strange experience really, because as she fled, she told me to run, too. She disappeared fast, and it was the right thing to follow her, but I had to get back to you. I weaved through the trees to escape the Silverblades. I don't remember much after that."

"You were unconscious." I tell him. He wraps his arms around me, and I am whisked back to the dream I had where the blond boy held me tight. Gale's arms don't feel the least bit like the boy's arms. that boy...seemed so familiar...but it seems so wrong to think about it when I am with GAle.

"Yes, and I only have you tothank to bringing me back."

"And Haymitch and the sponsors. I did nothing." Then I tell him what happened after he practically drowned, leaving out the part about Haymitch's note. Beep. Beep Beep. I bolt up, and scan my eyes for a silver parachute. "I will get it!" I race out, balancing myself on the large branch, and open it. A note sits on a rectangular container. I read it quickly, so that Gale doesn't see, hiding it so the camera doesn't catch it either.

Katniss, good job. Physical t ouch isn't what makes lovers lovers, though. Good job, girl on fire. - Haymitch Good job, mentor. There is one more line, written with a pretty penmanship that I have seen before.

Hello, Katniss. I love you. I am sorry I was never able to give you your surprise, but here it is. I love you so much and I am so sorry for whatever pain I make you go through. -Levia Daymont

Levia! I miss her dearly. I wonder what my mother would say if she knew Levia were alive. And what does she mean by pain? I forgave her for forging her death already. And for Haymitch's note, this makes me groan internally. Now I must talk about mushy love stuff with him. Eugh. I feel like all this Hunger Games expectations are so cliche. Nonetheless, I must do as Haymitch instructs. After all, he won teh 50th games. He should know a few things.

I eagerly open the container and find two little doll. It was the dolls Levia and I played with!! Hers, with the red yarn hair and button eyes, and mine with the dark braid and twig arms. I hold them tightly, inhaling the scent of District 12 and a wonderful childhood. There is another small package within the container. I open it and instantaneously a heavenly aroma fills the freezing night air. It is a small cake! So beautifully decorated with colors of icing. I can hardly see, so I shine my light upon it. It is a small round cake, with yellow, red, and orange flames. On the side, it says: From Prim, Peeta and Sali.

Aw, Prim made a cake for me? And Peeta...? And who the heck is Sali? This gift really touching, with the dolls and the cakes. But one thing that I cannot get over is why did Peeta Mellark, of all people, make a cake for me? I barely even know the guy, and the only time we ever really interacted was when we were very young. Also, why did Sali make a cake forme? I don't even know who that is!

"Katniss! What do you got there?" Gale asks. I hurry back to our sleeping area and show him what we got. He smiles when he sees the dolls, but his face hardens when he sees the cake.

"Only one person could have made that.." HE practically growls.

"Uh, no. Prim and Sali and... Peeta made it!" I tell him childishly. well, obviously they made it it says so righton the cake.

"I knew he was trouble..." Gale mutters under his breath.

"Who? Also, do yyou know who Sali is? that is nice of him to make a cake for me but I don't know him." I blabber as I inhale the sweet scent of the baked good. "Can we eaet the cake like right now?"

"Peeta! That's who!" Gale yells. "He just annoys me so much! He is so stuck up with his blond hair and blue eyes and being the baker's son. Ugh. And Sali is his older brother, who actually isn't that annoying. But go ahead, eat the cake, why should I care." Geez. What's Gale's problem?

"well I think they are nice."

"You never even talked to them!" Gale snaps.

"Gosh. what is up with you tonight. Whatever. Let's just eat it I'm hungry." I dismiss him with a wave of my hand and I carefully take the cake out of its container. ''Sorry, Gale." I apologize, remembering that Haymitch wants us to talk. I peck him on the cheek. "Gale?" I ask timidly, as I snuggle into the warm sleeping bag holding the two dolls close to my chest.

"Hm?"

"when did you start loving me?" Okay, okay, this was a terribly disgusting question for me to ask but this is what the Capitol lives for. Drama. I nibble on a piece of the cake which was beautiful and delicious.

"Well, we have been friends for a long time and I never thought of us as anything else. I was fourteen when I met you, and there were other girls then. Maybe last year, when I was seventeen and you fifteen, that's when I started loving you. I recall the moment easily. we were at the Hob at Greasy Sae's for lunch and when you sat down you screamed. It turned out you sat on a pinecone! And it's quite silly but that is when I realized I was yours."

It's sweet, that Gale remembers such a thing, but one thing nags me constantly, like an annoying mosquito that won't go away. Why did Peeta make that cake for me?
A/N
Okay I got that from Sound of Music but whatever LOL. I dont really like this chapter but hope you guys liked it! Kay bye!;)