"Did you change your mind? Well, I didn't change mine. Now here I am trying to make sense of it all. We were best friends now we don't even talk You broke my heart, ripped my world apart. Didn't you know how much I loved you? Didn't you know how much I loved you, baby?" -Kellie Pickler
I bury my face into my pillow, hoping to quiet my sobs. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life, which can be either years and years later or in the next couple days. Tomorrow is the first day of the games. Tomorrow is the arena. Tomorrow I lose Cato one way or another. Well, I never really had him to begin with.
I hear a quiet knock on my door.
"Clove, it's me," his deep voice calls.
I attempt to wipe all the tears away to hide my crying.
"Clove, please open up."
I open the door to reveal a concerned Cato.
"What do you want?" I ask, blocking his entry into my room.
"I came to check on you. I thought I heard you...nevermind. Are you okay?"
"Fine," I reply.
Cato shakes his head. "Clove," he sighs, "Please cut the bullshit."
More tears gather in my eyes, but I force them back. "I just..I-"
Cato pulls me against him, wrapping his arms around me protectively. And I cry. I cry like a baby.
Cato shuts the door and leads me to my bed. He sits down on it and lets me cry into his chest.
Once I finish my pathetic weeping I sit straight up and look him dead in the eye. "Why Cato?"
"Why what, Clove?"
"Why did you leave me like that?"
"I thought it'd make this easier," he says, pulling his fingers through my hair.
"Cato." Then a whole new round of tears start. Cato holds me and whispers false words of reassurance in my ear.
"Did you know?" I ask.
"Know what, Clo?"
"That I loved you. That I still love you."
Cato's eyelids shut tight as if he was trying to keep from crying. He slowly opens them and I see I was right as a single tear slides down his cheek.
"I know."
"Why did they have to pick us both this year? Why the same games? Why did they have to be so cruel? We never signed up for this, Cato. We were training partners. We were a team."
"Clove." He hangs his head as more tears flow.
"Who gives a crap about District Two? Who gives a damn?" I shout, sobbing noises escaping my throat.
"Clo."
"What?"
"I love you too, you know." He grabs my hand in his.
"This is it," I cry. "We're almost out of time.
Cato smashes his lips against mine with anger and passion and rage.
"It has to count," he says against my lips. His finger tips find the hem of my shirt.
"I loved you Cato," I whisper.
"I loved you too."
Hope this didn't torture your souls, my readers.