Life slowly moved on in District Twelve. It still purred with the promise of Peeta's return and the promise of free food. Other than that, things were settling down.

Madge hummed in tune with her piano, letting her fingers dance across the keys in a soft and quite song. Her mother's headaches flared up today and it wouldn't do to play something loud and obnoxious. She smiled quietly, letting the music flow through her. The house was quiet, the Capitol people had gone for now. She smiled softly at the thought of Peeta's return. He was a good guy and it was terrible that he had been taken in the first place.

After an hour or so of playing she figured it was time to wrap up. She laid the board down and tucked her chair in. Her fingers walked across the smooth surface of the piano lightly before she smiled and slowly made her way to her own room.

Her bedroom was nice by Twelve's standards. The same wood floors as the living room, a soft bed that hardly creaked.

She sat on said bed, contemplating going to sleep now rather than later. The sun still lit the sky though, and she resolved to stay up just a bit longer.

She knew that Delly Cartwright was more than willing to hang out, or Vesta whose parents liked having Madge over more than Vesta cared for. Being the Mayor's daughter did that, people wanted you to owe them favors.

That's why she had been a good friend. She wanted very little from anybody else.

Madge shook her head, deciding staying home would be more agreeable.

Her homework was done, not that it mattered. She didn't need to know how to mine for coal.

Instead she pulled out one of her books. When they became to damaged or old at the school library they would usually give them away, she'd managed to get her hands on some once or twice.

Most of them were romance, harmless Capitol love between two well respected and high class citizens. Books like these were rare in Twelve but sought after by most girls. Mostly because the men in the stories were cheesy and romantic, sweet and caring. So unlike the rough and grisly men who ran the mines or the stern and straight-faced merchants.

She was a quarter of the way through the book, not at all impressed with it, when her father called her down to the kitchen.

She double checked her appearance. He usually called her down if they had guests and needed help entertaining. She tried to remember if he'd mentioned anybody coming over but none came to mind.

Still, with perfect posture and a small smile on her lips, she descended the stairs.

She was surprised however, to find only her father there. She immediately dropped her shoulders and allowed herself to relax.

"You wanted to see me?"

He eyes her from over his cup, most likely tea, and nods to the seat in front of him.

For a moment she wonders if she is in trouble, a ridiculous notion considering she's never rebelled against him a day in her life. Unless you count running near the Seam after Katniss's death, but perhaps that was expected.

He hands her a cup of milk and she slowly takes a sip, unsure what he's building up to. It takes him a few minutes to get there but she waits patiently for him to begin.

"As you know, your seventeenth birthday is fast approaching. Perhaps now is the time to begin finding your future husband."

Madge stiffens up considerably at his words.

It's the unspoken tradition of Twelve that you get married just after your last Reaping. That means a year of courting somebody and hoping they don't get picked for the Games.

After that it's marriage and then running the business of the spouse. That's how it works for the Town people, Madge wasn't sure how they did it in the Seam.

She realized most of the girls her age were with a boy their family might approve of, while she herself had never even been on a date.

She pressed her lips together and made no indication that she understood what her father had said.

Madge was reluctant to marry, even date a boy at this time. There were none who made her feel anything, just boys who goofed off and thought life was just one big funny joke.

It wasn't though, it was hardship and loss. And while she had never experienced much of it, she was still adapt to seeing it. It was hard to imagine herself married, running a business in Town and being forced to smile everyday.

Her father stares at her but says nothing. Clearly he is just as uncomfortable with this subject as she is.

Madge continues to drink her milk until she can see the bottom of the cup, then she holds it in both hands and stares at the empty glass with disinterest

Finally, after thinking she can take no more of the silence, "I don't know what you want me to say."

He watches her sympathetically before nodding. "I've arranged a date for you. Artie Caster? His family runs the grocery store. They tell me he's shy. You two will be going out tomorrow night, if you don't like him that's fine. But please, at least give him a chance?"

Madge thinks of Artie, he seemed nice but he was usually surrounded by a group of friends so she didn't know him very well.

Still, her father looks at her expectantly and she knows she couldn't disappoint him if she could help it. He was practically all she had.

"I'll do it."

The relief on his face is obvious as he nods and leaves the room.

Madge sits there for a moment, wondering what life will bring her. Certainly not Artie.

The date with Artie was everything she expected, they had dinner at his family's house and then sat on the couch and watched the TV.

He was fidgeting almost the entire night, glancing at her out the corner of his eyes and smiling shyly. Eventually, Artie's mother came into the room and laughed when she saw the TV on. She switched it off and shook her head, "you kids these days, you watch that TV and never get to know each other. How do you expect to fall in love?" Despite both Madge and Artie blushing right down to the bone, she continued to chuckle as she left the room.

They hardly spoke a word to each other, only speaking of school and teachers they had in common. Their conversations were polite and to the point, small talk at the best.

It's around seven thirty, with the sun still on the horizon that he walks her home. He lives in the very heart of the merchants housing, with Madge clear across town at the tip of the District.

She sees him eyeing her hand and knows he wants to hold it. When she thinks he might make a move, she crosses her arms and keeps them close to her body for warmth.

Just as they're about to leave the merchants housing, a group of four boys go running past them. They pause when they spot Artie and call out to him.

"You better come with us man!"

"Yeah did you hear? The first shipment of food arrived early. You can only take what you can carry."

They don't wait, spinning on their heels and running towards the square. Madge watches Artie and sees the desire to follow them.

"You should go." She says softly, knowing he would blame her if his family didn't get a fair share of food.

"Are you sure?" He's already made his decision though, she can tell by the heal that barely touches the ground. As soon as she nods, before she can even say yes, he's already halfway down the road and catching up to the other boys.

She walks home, alone, and completely indifferent to Artie Caster.