Panem High School {COMPLETED}

Chapter 30 - Madge

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(Madge's POV)

Johanna looks dejected when she walks back over. Clove watches her for a moment, then turns and hurries back the way she came. When she reaches us, she sighs and shrugs. "Clove said she has a ride."

I frown. "What?"

"That's what I said. She didn't tell me who. Said she'd explain it tomorrow." Johanna sighs again. "Why are friends so confusing?"

I shrug. I've never had many problems with my friends.

"Well, if she said she'll explain tomorrow, she'll probably explain tomorrow," Katniss says.

"I hope so." Johanna's phone vibrates, and she glances at it. "I gotta go. See ya later." We all wave goodbye as she walks toward the parking lot.

"When will Gale get out here? It's cold!" Katniss pulls her jacket tighter around her. Gale is driving us all home in his truck, so we have to wait until he gets back from the locker room. We finally end up sitting down on the bleachers again and waiting.

When I'm waiting for someone, I normally people-watch. And that's what I'm doing right now, and that's why I notice Clove sitting on a bench down by the sidelines. I frown.

"What?" Peeta asks. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head. "Nothing's wrong. Just wondering why Clove's just sitting down there." I point in her general direction.

Katniss shrugs. "That kid is weird."

"Like you're not?" Katniss stares at me in surprise, then realizes I'm joking and rolls her eyes, chuckling a little.

"Hey, look," Peeta says, as he jabs me in the side with his elbow. Katniss and I look down at the bench Clove was sitting on, but she's gone. "Over there," Peeta tells us. "Walking towards the parking lot."

There's Clove, walking hand-in-hand with... Is that Cato?

"What the..." Katniss trails off.

The gears in my head start turning. Cato and Clove dated in middle school. Glimmer obviously had reason to suspect Clove of "stealing her boyfriend" (not that Clove was doing that, but Glimmer isn't so terrible as to jump to that big of a conclusion.) Cato broke up with his girlfriend because of Clove. Obvious conclusion: they both still like each other. I'm not the kind of girl to get excited over a cute couple (ok, let's be honest, I am totally the kind of girl to get excited over a cute couple), but they're adorable.

I don't get time to share my thoughts, because I spot Gale walking into the field, looking around for us. "Let's go," I say, standing up. We make our way onto the field, stepping over litter and a few forsaken jackets to get there.

After congratulating Gale on the win, the ride to drop off Peeta and Katniss is remarkably silent. With Peeta, having to sit next to his crush, the quiet is understandable, but usually Gale cracks jokes about the other team, or I try to start a conversation. Of course, my mind is whirring too quickly to form a coherent thought.

Finally, after pulling away from Katniss's house, I find someone thing say. "So, what's up with Cato and Glimmer?"

Gale chuckles. "They broke up. About time, too. He's not a bad guy, and he didn't like her. Just didn't know how to tell her."

I raise my eyebrows. "Hold on a second. Cato's not a bad guy, but Clove is terrible? Even though they've both acted practically the same, under 'The Glimmer Influence'?"

Gale bites his lip. "Well, it's different."

"How so?"

"Well, Cato's different at football, I guess."

"Clove has changed too." I cross my arms. "And, you know what? I think they're dating."

"WHAT?" Gale slams the breaks and turns to stare at me.

I raise my chin snobbishly and turn away. "I saw them leaving together, hand-in-hand, tonight. And that lined up exactly with what Johanna said."

Gale scoffs. "I thought you didn't even like Johanna! What'd she say, anyway?"

"That Clove has been acting strange and won't tell her why and this is the only logical explanation!"

Gale shakes his head. "You're insane, Madge. Cato would never date that rich, spoiled brat."

I honestly doubt Clove is rich, but I don't know, so I ignore that. "They dated in middle school. Face it. She's changed. In fact, she even apologized for yelling at me in the cafeteria that morning." Why is he being so irritating?

"You talked to her?!" Gale stared at me in disbelief.

"Of course I did, because I'm not a prejudiced, judgmental, grudging idiot!" I yell.

Gale stares at me, mouth open. Slowly, my senses come back. What did I just do?

We ride the rest of the way to my house in silence. After he pulls up in front of the house, Gale hops out and comes to open my door. "Good night, Madge," he says coldly. He climbs back into his truck as I walk up to the front door. Before I close the door behind, I turn to see him driving off.