Encounter
Clove Prior had just finished putting her 2 year old daughter Cailyn to bed on Christmas Eve when she heard a knock on her front door. She wasn't excepting any company because nobody talked to her after she became pregnant her sophomore year in high-school. Everyone in District 2 talked about who the father could be, since nobody knew who it was except for Clove, and she chose to not tell anyone. She walked down the stairs somewhat excited to see who was at the door. As she turned the handle and opened the door her excitement dropped, it was Cato Hadley. Cato was her ex-boyfriend and also the father of her daughter Cailyn, except he didn't know that he was the father. "Hi Cato" she said quietly. He stared at Clove for a minute before opening his mouth to speak,
"Who's is she" he said clearly. She knew it, she knew he would eventually come around to asking who's child it was.
"Who?" she replied trying to act confused, but failed terribly. He gestured his hand at the door,
"That baby. Sorry, never learned the name"
"Oh, her name is Cailyn. Do you want to come inside?" she steps back and opens the door a little wider. He shook his head and stared at Clove repeating his question in a more demanding tone,
"Who's is she."
"She's my daughter, and are you sure you don't want to come in? Its awfully cold out here due to all the snow" she gestures to the piles of snow around her small front garden facing the street. He walked over and firmly put his hands on her small wrists, bruising them a little.
"Who's is she!" he silently yelled at her, making it loud enough to startle her, but not the neighbors. She winces at the strength of his grip and looks at him hands on her wrists and mumbles,
"She's mine"
"No shit Clove. Was it the kid from down the street? A Capitol resident? Clove, don't torture me with his" he frenetically searches her eyes for answer but can't seem to find one. She looks down not saying anything as she feels her wresting beginning to throb from his strength. He sighs and lets go of her, taking a few steps back
"Why can't you tell me?" He gives a small laugh and runs his hand through his hair.
"You know, I suspected something was up with you when we broke up. But cheating?" His ice blue eyes brimmed with tears, he still wasn't over their break-up,
"Didn't know you'd do that Clove" he back away leaning against the railing of her porch. Clove looked at him confused, not comprehending what he was telling her.
"I wasn't the one who cheated Cato, you cheated on me when I was pregnant with our baby!" she steps back inside and slams the door shut sinking down the back of it feeling angry tears surface in her eyes as she buried her face in her hands.
Cato shot up off the ground and knocked on the door frantically. "Clove! Clover please open the door" he begged his voice softer than it usually it. Clove wipes away her tears and opens the door.
"What do you want now?!" her voice pained and angered. He walks in and hugs her, resting his forehead against the top of her head. He swallows and sputters,
"I…I didn't know it was…mine-ours…" She pushed him away disgusted,
"That still doesn't make it okay that you slept with my best friend!" His eyes began to fill with anger and hurt,
"I thought you slept with my best friend, what was I supposed to do Clove!? You were acting weird, not talking to me, you wouldn't even look at me. You never told me about the baby and you should have!" He straightened out and began running his hands through his hair again in anger and kicked the floor.
"Don't act like I'm the bad guy here!"
"I never slept with your best friend!" she spat disgusted "And the only reason I didn't tell you about the baby was because I was scared you were going to leave me but I guess you did that anyways!"
Right then, a small 2 year old little girl with bleach blonde hair and big brown dark chocolate eyes climbed down the stairs holding a stuffed rabbit, "What's wrong Mommy? And who is that man?" Cato stumbled back in hurt and surprise,
"I would never want to hurt you Clove, but I see its different for you" He began to hastily wipe a stray tear that found itself rolling down his cheek. He turned and looked at the little girl letting his voice soften
"Nothing. Nothing is wrong I was just talking to your mother" He gave the worst fake smile he'd given in months.
"I'll be going now" he swung open the door and started walking out back into the winter air.