Maybe It Can Be Real

Chapter 45

Ending of last chapter:

My eyes take in the familiar features. I see the dark hair, the Seam-gray eyes like mine. The eyes are.... sad, they're not lit up with joy. The man's build is much larger than it was the last time I saw him - what, seven years ago? His shoulders are broader, and his arms are more muscular.

"Gale? Wh-what are you doing here?", I stutter.

He smiles softly, sadly. "Hey, Catnip. It's been a while."

****

What is he doing here? How did he get here? Why is he here? I didn't expect to see him here - well, him in general for a while.

I miss him. I really do, but I can't look at him without remembering what he caused. I miss our friendship and the stability it provided me in rough times.... But Peeta is my stability now, I don't need anyone else.

"What are you - what are you doing here?", I repeat my previous question.

He spins in a slow circle, his arms spread out wide. "I grew up here, didn't I? I came back to visit where I grew up."

I roll my eyes, annoyed. "There's no need to be rude," I scold him as if he were a child.

He shakes his head, somewhere between exasperated and amused. "No, I didn't mean it like that. I-"

I cut him off. "Well, it sure sounded like it."

He sighs. "I'm sorry, Catnip." From the intensity in his eyes, I can tell that his apology runs much deeper, means much more than what it seems like on the surface.

I'm just not quite sure I can forgive him.

"Can.... can we go somewhere? Private? To talk?", he asks timidly. I never thought the day would come where I would describe Gale as timid.

I think for a moment, biting my bottom lip. I'm not sure if I want to. I don't know what he wants to talk about - the only thing I want to know is if they were his bombs that killed Prim. But then again I'm not really sure if I want to know that either.

Finally I nod and say, "Yeah, we can go back to my house."

He breathes out a sigh of relief and replies, "Great, thank you."

I don't say anything in response and begin to walk back to my house, assuming Gale is following me. I hear his footsteps follow behind me not long after.

"Do you need help carrying all of that?", he inquires.

"Uhm, sure," I reply. This is so awkward. I hand the bag with my dress over to him, then I unsling my bow, sheath of arrows, and game bag from around my shoulder and put them on the ground. "You can carry that," I say as I take my dress back from him. I don't want him carrying my dress; I want to.

"Okay," he says. I know he can feel the awkwardness as well.

We're silent for the rest of the walk. Neither of us say anything, presumably too wrapped up in our own thoughts to even think of saying anything else.

I lead him up the stairs to my house, pulling the key out of my pocket and unlocking the door. I step inside and close the door behind Gale.

"I'll be right back. You can just set that stuff down on the kitchen table," I say quietly.

I turn around and walk away before he can say anything, heading to the guest room upstairs to put my dress away. I take my time doing so; I want - need as much time as I can get to collect my thoughts.