After the Rebellion

Gale

*Katniss's POV*

I felt Peeta's body tense up and looked in the direction that he was looking. That's when I saw him. Gale.

Gale had caused me so much pain in my life. Every time that I saw him, it was a reminder of the mine accident that killed both of our fathers. But since the rebellion, he had become an even bigger reminder of pain in my life. He tried to take me away from Peeta when he was still in the Capitol's clutch, and he designed the bomb that killed my sister. I know that he didn't order that the bombs be dropped--it was Coin's order--but he and Beetee still designed it.

"Hey, Catnip."

"Gale, what are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here. You're supposed to be in Two," I said, trying to sound a bit venomous.

"I heard you were getting married, and I wanted to see it for myself. So, you couldn't live without Peeta?"

"Yes, Gale. He also didn't kill my sister." I tried to walk away from Gale, but he grabbed my arm.

"Let her go!" Peeta retorted.

"Katniss, if I'd known that Coin was going to use them on our own people, don't you think I would've tried to stop her? I kept Prim and your mother alive while you were in the Games. Why would I want to kill Prim?!"

"Gale, please. Just go. I want to have this day to be happy, and you being here reminds me of so much sadness. You embody my father's death, the death of innocents, and the death of my sister. I can't possibly live with seeing all that death every day. I chose Peeta, and if that's a problem for you, then you should just go back to Two."

"Fine, but this won't be the last you see of me. I'll be back once I give you a little time to bask in this messed up happiness that you've conjured up." Gale stomps his way out, and it's only then that I've noticed that the music had ceased, and everyone was watching the argument that had arisen.

"Hey, what are we all standing around for? Let's get this party started!" Johanna shrieked. The man in charge of the music started up again with a timeless classic; the chicken dance. Everyone from toddlers that could barely stand on their own to elderly people who also could barely stand on their own (and everyone in between) had gotten on the dance floor and formed a circle to dance.

The rest of the night was an endless blur, which I can probably attribute to the countless glasses of champagne and wine that Haymitch managed to coax into my system. Along with that, Peeta and I were also guilted into drinking shots of liquor with Haymitch and Johanna.

Despite the fact that I couldn't remember much after the chicken dance, it was still a night to remember.