THE MAN IN THE HANGING TREE | Gale Hawthorne

THIRTEEN - Total Denial

YOUR POINT OF VIEW

After the events of everything in the past couple days, I need to confide in someone. Someone who could hold all my secrets, someone who would keep them forever, someone who would give their own-- usually helpful-- input on the matter. And I know just the person.

My parents are out of the question, without a doubt, as is my new friend Gale.

He is one of the topics I need to talk to someone about anyway.

So I prepare to leave immediately, the day after the interviews. I quickly change into more comfortable clothes, just a long sleeve and some jeans, before rushing out of the house-- hoping to avoid my parents.

I successfully make it out without being questioned, thankfully, and continue down the street to the Cartwrights' shoe store. It's after closing hours, but the door is unlocked.

I open the door without knocking, like Delly does at my house, to find her putting things away behind the counter. I've become just as comfortable here as she has at my place.

"Hey (y/n)!" She grins, always happy. "What brings you here?"

I give her an uneasy smile. "Would you be able to stay at my house tonight? I need that talk you promised."

»»---------------------►

Delly and I sit on the plush couch in my room, our legs pulled up underneath us like usual teenage girls gossiping.

We had watched a little bit of the games, but it was too much to watch our best friend suffer in there. It's too much for us just to watch, I cant imagine what they are feeling trapped in there.

We sit in silence for a little, before I speak up, addressing the elephant in the room. "It's a little weird hanging out just the two of us. Peeta's normally here, it feels empty." It does, so much so. Peeta is usually here, joining in our giggling conversation as much he can. Calling us insane, but laughing with us anyway. 

I never really saw the importance of those moments, until now. Now that he's gone, and may never be coming back. 

Delly sighs, glancing at the empty char he would normally sit in. "It does, doesn't it. I hope he can get out of there."

I nod. I hope so too, but these games are truly wicked.

After another moment of silence, Delly speaks up again. "So, you and Gale huh?" She smirks at me, wiggling her eyebrows teasingly.

Now it's my turn to sigh as I put my face in my hands, shaking my head exasperatedly. "I have no idea Delly." I groan. I truly don't know what we are after everything, or even if what I feel for him.

Delly's bright blue eyes observe my nervous stature. "He kissed you, didn't he!?" She asks excitedly.

I peek through my fingers at her, and carefully utter my next words. "I kissed him."

Her eyes light up even more. "Oh my god, really!?"

"Why do you sound surprised?" I ask her.

She rolls her eyes shoving me playfully. "Because normally your oblivious to people's feelings towards you, and they have to make the first move." Delly tells me. "And you're always in denial about your feelings towards them. And I mean all. The. Time."