The gym stank slightly of sweat, and my leg throbbed from kicking the wooden pole. Somewhere in the gym, someone grunted as they fell to a fight mat. I was aware of a pair of eyes watching me. their intense gaze came from the balcony above. Of course, that's where all the VIPs watch us. I swiped the sweat from my brow with the corner of my t-shirt.

As I began punching the wood, I saw an instructor come by. `Clove. I need to see you later, after practice.`

Then he wheeled away and let me continue my jabs. But I wasn't concentrating anymore. Anyone who was called like that was soon to be stripped from the league. We were the elite fighters of Alexander Mackenzie Secondary School, and prided ourselves as some of the greatest competitors in all of the US. My usually perfected knife skills weren't as sharp either. I put on my jacket, and flipped up the collar, then entered the balcony.

A man from `Scientists and Statisticians of the School Board (SSSB)`, a terribly corrupted group that ran education in NYC, stood dressed in a black suit, his slick crew cut and tall, muscular frame adding to the fear factor. Tom Ross, my trainer, stood beside the man. He had a grim face plastered on his face, his hands clinched together, like whenever he was worried, anxious, or stressed. This wasn't good.

`Clove, this is Mr. McLin. McLin, my best female fighter.`

McLin looked me over. `What grade is she in?`

`8` I butt in.

`So young?` He pressed. Yes. I was the youngest in the Elites. The youngest at 14 years old, the shortest at 5'4.

Ross nodded. `Yep. She's the greatest though, she can hold her own for over 20 minutes in a fight with the greatest male fighter here in Mackenzie.`

McLin cocked his head to the side. `Who's that?`

`Cato Claybourn, my boyfriend, sir.` I said, just as Cato entered the balcony.

`Hey, who started the party without me?` Then he noticed the tight faces. `Oh. Sorry.`

I grimaced. `Mr. McLin, what are you even doing here?` I asked warily.

McLin smiled somewhat twistedly. `The SSSB is conducting research on high school student's survival skills. We're taking the top fighters in each high school, put them in an arena with weapons, and of all the students, either a boy and a girl from the same school, or only one student, comes out alive.`

I gave him a look of bitter hatred. `You took this from the Hunger Games didn't you?` I growled.

`Yes.` He smirked, `Except we call it `The High School Games`.` I was shaking in fury now.

Cato's hand found its way to my shoulder. `Easy girl, easy. We can do this. We'll make it out alive. We're Elites.`

I nodded, straightened up, and pulled back my ponytail. `Alright sir. I believe this is mandatory, correct?`

McLin smiled an evil smile. `Correct. Mandatory.`

I grimaced at the thought, fingering one of the knives in my jacket. Mandatory. Damn.


Training went on as usual, except that ours was more vigorous, more intense. I would come back into the gym and train at night. And on the third night, Cato came. I had been kicking, throwing punches, and body checking a plank of wood when Cato slid up from the shadows. In an instant, I had a knife in my hand, looking straight at the silhouette.

`You trying to kill me, butcherbird?`

Only one person ever called me that. Cato. I threw the knife into the wall behind him. He didn't flinch. `You've got to stop doing that to me, Cato.` I studied my calloused hands. `The fricking lights are off, I'm not sure if I'm even allowed to be in here, then you just slide up to me like that…` I shook my head, `Just…` I paused, `play it safe in the Games 'kay Cato?` I whispered the last phrase.

He took his finger and put it under my chin, lifting it. `It's a harsh world, Clove. If you want to survive, you need to take risks, and break rules.`

Deep down, I knew it was true. `But promise me we'll win together alright? Not one of us, not neither, both of us. Promise?`

Cato nodded slowly. `Promise.`

I let my lips for a smile. And before I knew it, his were on mine. We held each other tight, doing drunk from each other's scent, oblivious to everything but each other. I finally pulled away. My breathing was ragged, my heart pounding. Something stirred inside of me.

I buried my head deep into his chest. `I love you, Cato.` I purred. Slipping on my jacket, I headed to the door. `See you in the morning?`

`Yeah.`

I smirked, winked, then went home. The next day, Cato acted like nothing had happened, but every night after that, we trained together. Time flew too quickly, and soon, were taken off to the arena.

In the car, I turned and whispered to Cato: `I'm too young to die.`

He covered my hand with his. `It's alright. We'll be alright.`

`No. Cato. I'm scared. Seriously, for the first time in my life, I'm scared.` I look at him in the eye, `I'm a human, Cato, not a killing machine. I may be able to purge the arena of the other students, but I won't be able to purge my conscious for murdering all those teenagers.`

Cato tutted. `We're not murdering, we're surviving. Be strong, butcherbird. Be strong for me.`

I felt myself crying. Outwardly, there was no sign of tears streaking down my face, but on the inside, I was heaving with sobs. `Alright.` Sixteen schools, 32 students, and either 30, or 31 dead. So many lives lost. I dispelled away the thoughts as we entered the arena.


A/N: New story! Yay! Will try to update when I have time, which may be a soon as the 22nd. So take your time with this chapter, 'cause it's going to be a while before I publish a new chapter.

If any of you readers want to request a story, PM or review me, and I'll try to write your requests

-Katara Macken