I own none of the characters, but love them with all my heart!

Madge liked to think of herself as the ultimate escapist. She had an astounding amount of hobbies, because for the most part she didn't have much to do besides her schoolwork and care for her mother. She didn't have friends other than Katniss, who was gone. Each of her hobbies helped to fade away her nagging thoughts on the problems with the house she lived in inside of the district she lived in inside of the awful country she lived in.

One of Madge's hobbies was people watching. She was so quiet that no one took much notice of her and since she hardly ever talked no one really minded her presence, because in all honestly who would she tell? Katniss? Katniss was in the Hunger Games fighting for her life. Her mother, who was too sick to care about senseless gossip? Her father was definitely too busy running the district to give a shit about Cain Peterson cheating on Lynn Masters. Most circles just let her leech on because she was the Mayor's daughter, so she learned everything about everyone. This is where she learned most of the information she knew about Gale because she definitely didn't get any information from Katniss.

Gale who liked to think he was more of an enigma than he really was. Maybe all the other Town girls couldn't figure him out, but Madge was far too smart and well read to be confused by him. He hated girls like them. He wouldn't give any of them a second glance, especially not her. She was the absolute worst to him, with her pretty dresses, new shoes and makeup. She didn't care much for him either in all honesty. She saw the way he teased some of the Town girls. They fell all over him. But he didn't want any of them, but he knew they wanted him. It was almost like he broke their hearts in retribution for their higher social standing.

But worse was the way he always failed to see the bigger picture, and it infuriated her. She personally did not cause every single problem in District Twelve. She was just a sixteen-year-old girl, who had no control over anything. She didn't even pick what she wore, half the time; it was all her mother. Her mother, who was too ill to stay awake, but made sure to set up dates for Madge to ensure she married someone worthy of the mayor's daughter. Madge herself couldn't care less about marrying someone from a good family.

Madge couldn't even focus on the future when her only friend's life was hanging in the balance.

She was quietly anyway hiding behind a tree in the meadow shielding herself from none other than the Gale Hawthorne. She knew he was going to get in trouble for leaving while the Games were being shown. His presence would especially be missed since most everyone watched him for his reaction to every moment Katniss was on screen. Today had been an especially hard moment to witness. The irony of the Girl on Fire on fire was not missed by anyone in that square.

Before she realized what she was doing she was already entering in the meadow, and it didn't make much sense to go back now. However, she was apparently not as quiet as she had thought. Leaves crunched louder than she expected underneath her sandals.

Gale turned around, a grimace on his face. "Come to turn me in, Undersee?" To anyone else he would probably have been extremely menacing.

She shook her head. His grimace continued to grow.

"You don't belong here, Undersee, wouldn't want to ruin your pristine dress." He fingered the collar of her dress. Gale was towering over her; she backed up until her back was to a tree.

Madge swallowed looking up at him. "You just fall right into line, don't you?" She stared up at him defiantly. Let him rack his brain trying to figure out what she meant by that! Just like she had with that damn "pretty dress" comment on the day of the reaping.

Gale's eyebrows furrowed in confusion; he couldn't begin to understand what she was referring to. They were interrupted before he could ask what she meant. His thoughts had been too preoccupied with Madge's words to hear the steps of Peacekeeper Cray approaching them. She quickly embraced Gale and placed her head on his chest, but not before harshly whispering, "Shut up and hold me!"

Her small body was pressed hastily against his. Gale confusedly wrapped his arms around her.

"I just can't believe what they're doing to our Katniss! It's so unfair!" Madge bellowed loudly enough for Cray to "accidentally" overhear.

"Miss Undersee is that you?" Cray shined his flashlight toward the embracing figures of Madge and Gale. She stepped away from Gale and slowly approached Cray.

"Yes, it's me. I am so sorry, I know we're supposed to be watching the Games, but I just couldn't. It hurts so badly. Gale was just a gentleman, he didn't want me walking this late alone." She was really laying it on thick, even producing a few fake tears for the production. Gale smirked as he saw Cray's face soften.

"I'll let you off the hook this time Miss Undersee, but next time I'm sorry you'll just have to grin and bear it like the rest of us."

"Thank you so much. I promise this is the only time." She held her hands behind her back. It made her seem so innocent.

"I'm headed in the direction of your house, let me walk you back." He motioned for Madge to step away from Gale.

Gale was left with lingering thoughts as he watched Madge's figure fading in the distance.

Any lingering thoughts?