The Boy With The Bread

Chapter 56

Katniss POV

I'm not sure of everything right now. Haymitch updates me on Panem and the conditions of everything. The Victory Tour is coming up and I've invited Peeta to come along, but Gale will be there too, and I'll have to spend most of my time with Gale, who has been purposely ignoring me for the past week or two. I don't mind really, because the one thing I'm sure of is that Peeta makes me smile, and he makes me feel happy and safe, and I really like him. Yep.

Prim told me last night that I spend too much time with Peeta, and that the Capitol crew is getting suspicious. But I don't know if I could trust Prim because last night, after the dinner party, she looked out of it and feverish. Although who am I to judge? I must always look like that. Especially after the Games. But Peeta has helped me.

"Katniss, the telephone is ringing for you!" My mother calls out. It is mid morning, and I secretly hope it is Peeta. Or Cinna. I could live with that. I pick up the black contraption and put it on my ear.

"Katniss, is this you?" A low voice asks. Cinna.
"Hello, Cinna!" Peter and Lucky are hanging around me, nuzzling my ankles and whimpering.
"I have important news for you... President Snow wants you and Gale to start the Victory Tour early. We'll be picking you up tomorrow at 8 A.M. sharp. Meet us at the train station okay?" I don't get time to reply when he hangs up. I groan. I don't want to go on the Victory Tour just so I can lie to the whole country about Gale, and to "calm things down" in the districts. Everyone knows that nothing can really stop a revolution. Except for Snow obviously. I trudge into the kitchen where my mother is crushing herbs for homemade remedies.

"Mother, we're starting the Victory Tour early. We're getting picked up tomorrow morning." I sigh. My mother doesn't glance up from her bowl and nods. Prim's at school so I'll tell her later. But I know she'll be excited.

"Katniss... Can I ask you something?" She finally looks up and gazes at me sympathetically. I nod. "Do you really love Gale?" A breath hitches in my throat, and not in a good way. No, I don't love him. But I'm supposed to. And that's what I tell her. She looks at me with a small smile. "Katniss, I know you love Peeta, but you're going to have to tone it down a little for the Tour."

"I don't love Peeta." I say.

"Okay, dear. Whatever you say. But remember, actions speak louder than words. Also, during the Tour, you really are going to have to step up the act with Gale. You'll have to talk to him."

"I, ah, don't think he's in a very good mood right now, if you know what I mean."

"And I'm sure his mood will brighten if you talk to him, if you know what I mean. Now I want you to go fix your friendship with him and work everything out. You two are best friends! You can't let something silly like this get in the way."

"It's not silly, Mother. Our lives are at stake! Your life is at stake! I'm really pretending to love him so I can save you, and Prim, and Cinna, and Effie, and practically everyone I love."

"Okay, just go talk to the boy. I know he would like to talk to you." I stomp off, and slam the door unnecessarily loudly, making sure Peter and Lucky are following me. I guess I should talk to Gale. It would make everything easier, now that the Tour is beginning tomorrow.

The midmorning summer air is warm and slightly humid, so I peel off my sweater on the short walk to the Hawthorne's. It only then occurs to me that Gale is probably at the Hob, or in the woods. He would never be cooped up in the stylish home. I know he wants as little to do with the Capitol as possible. I swivel around and walk briskly towards the black market, where I spent most of my time in pre-Games.

Minutes later, I enter the Hob and scan my eyes for Gale's tall, stately figure. When I realize he isn't there, I run to the woods, slip under the fence (which surprisingly, still isn't charged with electricity. I would think Snow would order to have that right away.) and fetch my bow and arrows. I don't have a new or more expensive set (although I wouldn't want them anyway) because weapons are forbidden in the districts. I stop to pat Peter and Lucky on the heads, and we hurry to the peaceful clearing in the woods where Gale and I always met.

I hear Gale muttering things and see him pacing, so I wait for a moment in the treeline, leaning my head to hear what he says. I pick up a few words, like "tour" and "Katniss" and "complicated." Unfortunately, Lucky gives me away, by bounding to Gale and jumping on top of him. Peter joins his friend in playfully attacking Gale, which forces me to go help him.

I pry my companions off Gale and say hello. He just grunts and avoids eye contact with me.

"Gale, please don't be like that with me. I really miss you, and I wanted to make amends. I am sorry for playing with your emotions and being a bad friend, and I am sorry for always being impatient with you and ignoring you when we're not acting. We've always been best friends, and we can't let this get in the way. I really am sorry." Gale's stony expression softens a bit. "Will you please forgive me?"

"Yes," he says almost inaudibly. "I'm sorry too, for being so childish about this whole affair. I understand our lives are at stake, and-" His voice cracks at the end and I his eyes are watery.

"What's wrong?" I pat his shoulder, having to tiptoe.

"I-uh, well I guess Snow doesn't like my acting and-" He chokes a little. No. Snow wouldn't threaten to kill Gale's family personally. We're in this predicament because of me, and only me. I'm dragging way too many people into the mess I've unintentionally created.

"And... He visited me and told me if we don't step it up, he'll take Posy and Vick-" I do something impulsive, something that cannot be undone, something that could seriously hurt our relationship. I interrupt him with a kiss. And maybe my feelings toward Gale changed, or maybe it was the woodsy atmosphere, but I would be lying if I said I didn't like it.

A/N
i'm shit at updating omg. if you haven't read the little "update" I just posted I suggest you read it now. hope you all are having a great summer :) my birthday is in eight days woot woot