THE MAN IN THE HANGING TREE | Gale Hawthorne

TEN - Arriving for the Interviews

YOUR POINT OF VIEW

After the events of yesterday, I couldn't get Gale out of my mind.

His gorgeous grey eyes, staring into my own. His tousled brown hair, laced in my fingers. His warm pink lips, pressed against my own. His calloused hands, from years of shooting, wrapped so gently around my waist. His passionate, fiery personality clashing with my own.

When I'm not thinking of Gale, I'm wondering about the boy, now a man, my mom was talking about.

Was he someone I knew? Have I seen him around twelve before? And why had she acted a little hesitant to tell me? I mean it was long ago, why does it matter now?

But I suppose, like she said, a part of her still loves him.

"So, they're doing interviews with the tributes family and friends today." Says my dad, interrupting my train of thought. He, my mom, and I sit around the dinning room table having breakfast.

As soon as it gets down to the final eight tributes, they interview their family and friends, to provide more entertainment for the Capitol I suppose. They tend to get attached to the last few tributes, and want to snoop more in their lives before they witness their gruesome murder.

Right now, in the games, it's Katniss, Peeta, and a little girl named Rue that Katniss has allied with. The boy named Thresh from Eleven, Marvel from One, Cato and Clove from Two, and the cleaver red head from Five named Finch.

I'm not quite sure why they have the interviews, probably just to make it more dramatic for the Capital citizens watching. Have interviews with eight families, seven of which will never see their child again.

It's almost sick and taunting., like when the Capitol returned my aunt's pin to my mother, but not my aunt alive.

"They would like to interview you, for both Katniss and Peeta." My dad continues, taking a sip from his usual black coffee.

My dad is the one who is informed about all this stuff, it's his job to tell the others.

"Yeah, of course." I say, pushing my food around my plate with my fork.

My stomach flips. I have to go on live television, for all of Panem to see.

My dad continues, despite my obvious nervousness. "Effie Trinket and a prep team will be here soon to get everyone ready." He says, fingers steepled, all serious like. "They're using the sitting room here to do the interviews, so Katniss and Peeta's families, and their other friends, will also be over. The camera crew will come at noon."

They always film the interviews here. Our house is the nicest in twelve, well other than the the houses in Victor's Village, only one of which is occupied.

This means Gale will be over too.

I smile to myself at the memory of yesterday.

We finish breakfast quickly, and as if on cue, the door bell rings.

It's Mrs. Everdeen and Prim.

"Come in Clara!" My mom ushers Mrs. Everdeen in, along with little Prim.

My mom converses with her, an old friend from her youth, as I talk to an anxious Prim. Then the door bell rings again.

My stomach flutters, thinking it might be Gale. But when my mom opens the door, and it's just Peeta's mother, father, and his two older brothers, I feel almost disappointed. Then I scold myself for being so.

I share a glance with Noah, who catches my eyes from across the room solemnly, before my mothers voice breaks it.

She claps her hands together once, getting everyone's attention. "We can all sit in the sitting room and wait for the others." Says my mom, rather cheerily, leading everyone into our perfectly neat sitting room.