Real or Not Real?

Chapter 2

I look down at my feet and cover my face with my hair as Gale practically drags me through the Bakery. We stop once we reach the counter, my eyes carefully find Peeta. I watch as he effortlessly picks up 2 large bags of flour and carries them to a different room. When he returns, he comes to the counter to help us. He looked at Gale first, giving him a frown, this confused me because I don't think they've ever formally met. His eyes moved from my brother to me. He paired his sparking blue eyes with a smile that could light up a room, the complete opposite of how he looked at Gale. My knees felt week and I felt my cheeks heat up as I returned his smile.

"Hey, (Y/N)! Nice to see you, it's been a while. I mean, I've seen you around school. You hang out with Katniss a lot." He says.

Katniss? Did he know her? Wait, he remembers me? I looked at Gale, who after hearing Katniss' name, glared at Peeta. It's no secret to me that Gale started developing feelings for Katniss a long time ago, I'm surprised she hasn't caught on. Finally, I responded to the blond boy. "Um, yeah... Why? Do you know her?"

He looked flustered and his cheeks turned slightly red as he answered, "Uh- well no. I mean, I've seen her around but I- uh- haven't met her formally... Anyways, what can I get you?"

Gale scrunched his eyebrows and rolled his eyes. "Just one loaf." He pulled out what he had to trade.  "What do you want for it?"

Before Peeta could answer, his dad appeared. He owned the shop and was usually very nice. If his wife wasn't home at least. "Just a squirrel will be fine." He said. Glade looked surprised, but he handed him the squirrel and the baker turned to leave the room. "Oh, and good luck." He disappeared before we could respond.

Peeta went back to package the bread and came back after a few minutes. "Baked this morning." He sighed. "And, um, best of luck today guys." He let out a weak grin and I did the same. Gale just continued to stare at him suspiciously.

"Yeah thanks. You too." I said.

Gale turned around to leave and muttered just loud enough for me to hear. "Yeah, whatever bread boy."

I waved to Peeta and caught up to Gale. He was quickly walking towards the meadow with the same gruff look on his face. I rolled my eyes. "What's your problem? He was being perfectly nice and you acted like he was some criminal."

He didn't slow down, in fact, he was practically running. "Nothing. I just don't like him, okay? I don't feel like talking about it."

Great. My brother doesn't like the guy I've dreamed of spending the rest of my life with. I thought. 

We jogged for a few more minutes until we reached the gate separating us from the meadow. Technically, this was illegal hunting grounds. But as long as no one actually saw us out here, I don't think they cared. We paused by the large fence and made sure it wasn't it wasn't electrified, it's supposed to be on all day, but usually isn't. We don't get much electricity here in district 12. Sure enough, it's completely safe. We slide though the loose chains and continue to though the large field. 

Once we've almost reached our usual spot, we find our hidden bows and arrows. Both our weapons had been wrapped in a large tarp and was concealed by 3 nighlock bushes. Anyone who's brave enough to come out here will know not to mess with these. It makes the perfect hiding spot. Before we continue walking, Gale takes the bread out of the cloth it had been wrapped in and sticks an arrow in it. I look at him confused.

"Shh," he puts a finger to his lips. "you'll see."

We finally reach a small valley surrounded by berry bushes. We both sit on a big log waiting for Katniss to arrive. It doesn't take long, soon we see her grey eyes peek over the rock ledge. She climbs down with a smile on her face. She doesn't smile very often, but when she does, it's almost always in the meadow.

"Hey, Catnip," Gale says. That had been his nickname for her ever since they met. "look what I shot." He holds up the fresh loaf of bread with the arrow stuck through the middle. I roll my eyes as Katniss and I laugh. She takes the bread and hands back the arrow, taking in the delicious fragrance. We don't get the luxuries of bread that isn't stale very often, so I understand her excitement. 

"Mm, still warm," She said. "What did it cost you?"

Gale shrugged. "Just a squirrel. Think the old man was feeling generous this morning. Even wished us good luck." 

Katniss signs. "Well, we all feel a little closer today, don't we?" 

"It is Ironic, isn't it? We all feel the closest when we're about to get torn apart." I say. I feel bad because after my thought, it seems what little happiness we had today had disappeared. 

"Prim left us a cheese." Katniss says, interrupting my train of thought. She pulls it out and both mine and Gale's expressions brighten. 

"Fresh bread and cheese? What are we royalty?" I say in a joking tone. 

"Thank you, Prim. We'll have a real feast." He paused and stood up before mimicking Effie Trinket and her funny Capital accent, "I almost forgot! Happy Hunger Games!" He walks to a blackberry bush, pick a few and finishes his thought. "And may the odds —" he tosses a blackberry to me and Katniss, which we both catch in our mouth. We all join in to finish the sentence "— be ever in your favor!" We all laugh loudly. 

There is only 2 options, really. Joke about it, or be scared out of our minds. We obviously chose the first option.

Gale slices the bread and spreads the goat cheese on each slice. I place a basil leaf on each piece while Katniss continues picking berries. We settle down and enjoy our meal. We don't say anything, but I know we're all thinking the same thing. This could be the last meal we have all together. 

Finally, Gale speaks, though it's practically a whisper. "We could do it, you know?" Katniss and I look at Gale questioningly. 

"What?" Katniss finally asks.

"Leave the district. Run off. Live in the woods. The three of us together, we could make it." I look at Katniss and she raises here eyebrows, partly in surprise and partly in confusion. I shrug and slightly shake my head. As crazy as the idea is, it sounds tempting.

Before we have more time to consider his thought, he quickly adds, "If we didn't have so many kids." 

It's true. Even though they weren't technically our kids, they might as well be. Katniss' dad died in the same mining accident as ours. Ever since then, our mothers have been pretty much helpless. They did nothing but sulk in their sorrows. Since Gale and Katniss were the oldest and I was second, we pretty much take care of our families. Gale and I have 2 little brothers and a sister. Rory, Vick, and Posy. Katniss had a little sister, Prim. She's the sweetest thing ever to live and I view her as my family too. The 3 of us swore we would take care of each other, and our families.

Breaking the silence, Katniss finally speaks. "I never want to have kids." 

"I agree," I say with a nod. "it almost seems selfish."

"I might. If I didn't live here." Gale sighs. This is new information to me. I didn't think he's ever even thought about it.

That sentence seemed to irritate Katniss. "But you do." She remarked.

"Yeah, you'd really want to bring innocent kids into this world just so they can go through this crap?" I didn't realize that my voice had risen toward the end of my sentence. That probably a little too harsh. It shocked me as much as it shocked Katniss and Gale. We all looked around to make sure no one was listening, even though we were alone.

"Just forget it," Gale snaped. We all got quiet again. I looked over at Katniss, who seemed to be deep in thought. Everyone is very tense today; we were bound to crack eventually. I'm sure there would be no hard feelings after this.

"After 15 minutes of thinking and silence, I say something. "We should probably get to work. What do you guys want to do?"

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That was the end of chapter 2! I know it was kind of boring, but it will get better! Let me know what you thought! :)