Diamonds (Gale/Madge)

Chapter One: I Lost a Friend

Madge's POV:

"Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days?

Always a bigger bed to crawl into,

Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything,

And everybody believed in you?"

"Innocent" ~Taylor Swift~

"I volunteer, I volunteer as tribute!" The words echoes in my head. I didn't say them, but it didn't matter. My only friend did. And like that she was gone. I gave her my aunt's pin, before she left. That's all I could do. They took her. Just like my aunt, just like everyone.

But Katniss will make it out. She's strong. She can hunt, she does everyday.

But sometimes that's not enough. That thought was nagging at the back of my mind. My aunt was smart, strong, she could've made it out. She didn't.

I shake the thoughts from my head. She will come back. I feel tears start to leak from my eyes. My vision gets blurred with those stupid tears, making me bump into someone. He catches my with quick reflexes, stopping me from falling. I look up, surprised to see Gale Hawthorne.

"Sorry!" I say, trying to make it look like I'm not crying.

"Would ya' stop feeling sorry for yourself? I mean, these people have just been shipped of to their death! One of them being our friend! And you have the nerve to cry?" he yells.

"I-I'm-"

"Just stop. You're probably happy! I mean, your name didn't get picked, I was right wasn't I?"

"No, you stop!" I argue, turning on my heel quickly, and walking away. I'm walking so fast the little pink ribbon in my hair falls out, but I leave it in the dust. Maybe someone else will find it. Someone who needs it more.

I walk to my house near the center of the district and walk in, slamming the door. "Stop!" my mom yells. I open and slam it again. And again. And again. My mom screams rude things at me but I don't pay attention. Finally my dad yells,"Madge Maysilee Undersee! Stop it right now, your mother is getting another headache!"

hat does it. My eyes spill with tears and I collapse to the ground, trying to stay strong but look what happened! I lost her! I lost my best (not to mention only) friend!

My dad comes in. "I know, she was your friend, I liked her she was a nice girl, you can't let things like this stop you."

"Like mom did?" I ask, rudely.

"Your mother can't help it." he states firmly.

"You know what dad? Neither can I!" I say, getting up and going to my room. I hear his footsteps coming up the stairs, but I guess he stops, because the footsteps go back down.

I look at the clock, it's six o'clock. I don't know how it got so late, but I grab a book off my shelf and read. After the first chapter my head is spinning. I give up. My mind is too busy thinking. I mean, I have enough money, I could sponser her, couldn't I?

I could! So, after that, I went to sleep, hopeful for the first time today.

_________

When I woke up I had to get ready for school. Today everybody would arrive at the Catptol. Then, the tribute parade is tonight. I get up and get dressed in a pair of black jeans and a grey long-sleeve top. I started to walk to school.

On my way Gale walked over to me. "What do you want Hawthorne?" I asked harshly.

"Just wanted to talk Undersee. Why?"

"Forget it." I mumbled.

"Look, Madge, You need someone to talk to, I need someone to talk to, Katniss is gone, we might as well be," he pauses, "friends."

I take a deep breath. "Fine." I say, picking up pace with Gale coming up behind me.