She is beautiful in a way Katniss will never be. Never could be. She's pristine with her cascading blonde hair that manages to reflect brightly even in the darkened coal filled District 12. Her lips are plump and though she's naturally skinny, she has curves only a girl from the town could manage. Her long, lean legs. Her delicate hands that clearly haven't been forced to do anything… ever. Those blue eyes so different from the grey ones we all have in the Seam, encased in thick, dark lashes. Yeah, she's gorgeous and like Katniss, she's completely unaware of her affect on the males of the district. That is until we remember she's the Mayor's daughter.

"Well, if I go to the Capital, I want to look nice, don't I?" she asks and I'm already frustrated at her presence because I can't figure out if she's being sarcastic or not.

Annoyed, I begin to reply, laying on thick guilt that she'll never have to go into the Games. Not like me who has my name in the glass bowl more than any other male in the district. I eventually tune her out though, as Katniss finishes the transaction—strawberries for cash. The dirt under my nails, frankly, is far more appealing to me at this moment than Madge Undersee.

Eventually, I bid Katniss goodbye so we both can prepare for the Reaping. Like every year since I turned 12, I manage to detach my thoughts of the Games for the next few hours. But some time later, I am abruptly pulled out of my self-induced trance.

"Primrose Everdeen," the overly enthusiastic Effie calls with a sickening amount of glee.

From where I stand, grouped with the older boys from the district, I can see a terrified Prim being led forward by two white-clad Peacekeepers. I'm searching for Katniss in the group of girls but a swish of blonde hair is what I see first. Before Katniss even has managed to react, the Mayor's daughter is trying to push her way toward Prim. But for what Katniss lacks in reaction time, she makes up in brutality, easily knocking people out of her way much quicker than Madge can. And it's her who reaches the Peacekeepers first. It's her who volunteers to take the place of her little sister. It's her on the stage, stoic. It's her whisked into the Justice Building. And it's me, keeping a clawing, fidgeting, nearly hysterical Prim in my arms, trying desperately to contain her as her older sister is taken away.

And then it's Madge I see pushing through the remaining crowd to make it to the steps of the old building. Her white dress flows in the slight wind as she ascends toward the erected platform, and her long hair whips behind her. I loosen my grip on Prim as I watch the blonde screaming at Mayor Undersee and Mrs. Everdeen grabs my hand, saying something about needing to go inside to see Katniss. It takes me a moment to tear away my gaze from the scene Madge has managed to create and to realize that we are being escorted toward the back of the building to say our goodbyes. Our goodbyes.

Somehow Madge manages to get in front of me in line to see Katniss and I want to ask her what she said to the mayor. I want to ask her why she was trying to get to Prim. But thinking of anyone but Katniss in this moment seems like treason.

When Madge walks out of the room and I'm the last one left in the damp, dreary hallway, I realize I've been clenching my fists so hard, all ten knuckles are white. When allowed inside, Katniss and I hold each other. We've never held each other like this. I can't even fucking remember if we've ever even hugged. I try to encourage her and I do my best to alleviate all her worries about her family. Of course I will take care of them because they have become an extension of my own. And I want to tell her more, about how I care and how I need her to be here with me but I know it's selfish and I think that maybe I'm only thinking these things because of the circumstances. But nonetheless, Peacekeeprs have to drag me out of the room and away from her. And as the slam the door shut, the last glimpse I see of Katniss is the place on her dress where a gold pin is. The one I saw before on Madge that made me sick. The one that if sold could feed my family and the Everdeens for weeks. I want to ask Madge about it when I see her as I walk into the atrium like area of the Justice Building but I'm distracted by a bawling Prim and I punch a wall instead. Oops.

/

It's a wonder I can even manage to sleep. But I can't credit the slumber to myself, but instead the white liquor I indulged on my couch as I watched the recap of the Reapings. When they get to District 12, my eyes were trained on Katniss but the blonde head of hair makes an appearance at the end, where they hadn't manage to cut her yelling at her father from the footage. Since I had already sat through 11 other Reapings, I'm drunk and I laugh before promptly passing out.

It's Posy who wakes me the next morning. I'm still on the couch and I realize no one had the strength to move me to my own bed. I'm usually never harsh with my baby sister, but my head is throbbing and by the sunlight through the sooty window, I can tell I'm going to be late for school.

"Hey!" Posy says in protest as I push her off of myself quickly so that I can go into the room I share with Rory and Vick to change into my school clothes.

It doesn't take long and within minutes, I'm walking out the door, ignoring my mother's requests that I eat something. The door slams behind me and I'm trying to adjust the tie around my neck as I walk briskly toward town. I momentarily consider hanging myself with it but instead leave it harmlessly hanging over my white button-up. The only set of clothing my mother insists I keep clean.

The day is a blur and everyone, even my friends know better than to try to talk to me. The teacher doesn't even comment when I come into class twenty minutes late and slink into my usual seat in the back. I eat alone and as I leave the large building at the end of the day, I'm alone then too.

But then I see her in the distance.

It's her fault for being so goddamn noticeable. And it's her fault that her shoes are spotless, her shirt is ironed, and her skirt has clearly been tailored so that it fits her frame perfectly. It's her fault for everything I decide, so I quicken my pace to catch up with her.

"Undersee," I say as I am finally in stride with her.

The blonde startles slightly at this, glancing up at me momentarily before her gaze trains its elf elsewhere. Like she's too good for me. Especially since I have nothing to sell her.

"I'm fucking talking to you." I try again to command her attention but this time she doesn't even look at me. "I saw you try to get to Prim yesterday. What were you going to do? Volunteer yourself before Katniss could?"

No answer. No look. Nothing. All I get in response is a slight sigh that she releases. So I press on.

"Trying to be noble? The guilt of you living on these ruins in your perfect palace finally get to you? You're pathetic," I continue, practically spitting out the words.

I know I'm using her as a punching bag. I know I shouldn't. But she's here and Katniss isn't.

"So you gave her your pin? What a waste. Katniss only ever pitied you. She thought you were useless, just like everyone else does," and before I can even continue, the petite blonde has smacked me across the face.

"Thinks. She thinks I'm useless," are the words Madge begins with. "She's still alive, asshole."

My hand is on my cheek, rubbing it as Undersee walks away from me. If she wasn't a girl, if she wasn't the mayor's daughter, and if what I had said Katniss thought about her hadn't been a lie, I'd kill her. But instead I walk toward the Seam, somewhat grateful some of my aggression, even if only by words, has been released.

A/N: HI. This is my first attempt at fanfic in a really long time. I'm also pretty new to the whole Hunger Games thing but after reading the books I am convinced Madge/Gale should have (and maybe did ;D) happen. I haaaatee proof-reading but I try to glance over before I publish so sorry if there's a lot of errors.