A/N: This is my first Hunger Games fanfic, so I apologize for anything in advance. I have shipped clato ever since they were written into the story, so I decided to write this… (I just realized I write "so" a lot in author's notes…) This story will be about 10-11 chapters and dive deeper into what the Careers were doing throughout the Games, mainly focusing on Cato and Clove's relationship. So, enjoy!
Summary: Were Katniss and Peeta the only star crossed lovers in the seventy-fourth Hunger Games? Read and find out…..
~Chapter One: The Reaping~
Cato's POV:
Ah, reaping day. The day where two people from each district, one male and one female, are chosen to fight in the Hunger Games… as being from District 2, it is a good thing to be in the Hunger Games. We have been training for this since we were five.
I'm seventeen now and this is my year. I, Cato Chambers, will be the victor of the seventy-fourth Hunger Games. Even if I have to volunteer as tribute. I quickly get dressed into my reaping clothes and head downstairs to eat breakfast.
Clove's POV:
Today is reaping day! I have a good feeling that I will become a tribute and that is great. I have been waiting for this forever!
As a sixteen year old girl, I should be scared of being reaped, but I'm not. Why? Because I am going to win the Hunger Games no matter how wounded I may get.
I scurry to put on my reaping dress, a blue satin gown, and go to eat breakfast.
Before I eat, my mom stops to talk to me.
"Good morning Clove," my mom says.
"Morning mother," I cheerfully reply.
"So today's the reaping. I can tell you're ready. You look fabulous!"
"Thanks mom."
"So will I see you on stage as a tribute?"
"If they call me, but this is my year."
"That's good to hear. You have been throwing knives since you were four."
I nod and start to eat my scrambled eggs.
~in the square (still Clove's POV) ~
You know it's reaping day when everyone is huddled in the square with smiles on their faces… well the kids are happy.
I make my way to the possible tribute section and wait for the mayor to speak.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the reaping ! Today, we will select one boy and one girl to compete in the seventy fourth Hunger Games. Now it is time to select our female tribute…." Mayor Stilinski starts.
Please be me… please be me… please be me…..
"Our female tribute is Miss Clove Flare!"
Yes! I smiled proudly and made my way to the podium. When I arrived, I shook both Mayor Stilinski and Amy, my new escort's hands.
"Now let's select our male tribute." Mayor Stilinski started.
Amy reached into the bowl and pulled out the slip with the boy's name.
"Our male tribute is Mr. Tyler Fitzgerald!" Amy announced.
A small twelve year old boy headed towards the podium when Cato Chambers shouted, "I VOLUNTEER!"
"Well congratulations sir, what is your name?" Amy asked.
"Cato. Cato Chambers."
Cato. The boy that I love. I remember when we first met a few years ago.
~flashback~
It was a sunny Tuesday in November. I was in school learning math somebody knocked on the door.
My teacher opened the door and the most attractive boy in Panem walked in.
"Ms. Edwards, Mr. Smith would like you to have this."
He handed my teacher what appeared to be a letter and as Ms. Edwards was analyzing it, he stared at me. HE. STARED. AT. ME!
He turned his attention back to Ms. Edwards when she said, "Tell Mr. Smith I'll meet him at two, okay Cato?"
"Okay."
So I now know his name is Cato. Hot name for a hot guy. He had the most gorgeous blue eyes and the shiniest blond hair. AND he wouldn't keep his eyes off of ME!
Although it was a 30 second stare, yes I counted, it meant the world to me. He may be a heartbreaker, but it was love at first sight.
end of flashback~
Now that both Cato and I are tributes, our time is limited. That means that only one person can win. I know it will be one of us for sure… unless the tributes from 1 or 4 are good.
I need a plan to win this year's Hunger Games. Or at least get to final 2 with Cato.
Should I tell him that I love him? Or should I wait until the interviews or the games? Or should I just not tell him at all?
Cato's POV:
Clove Flare. My fellow District 2 tribute in the seventy-fourth Hunger Games. The only thing I can remember about her are her eyes. Those deep brown eyes I stared into just a few years ago. She may not know this, but I am in love with her.
Now she will be in the Hunger Games with me. Where 24 children from across Panem will fight to the death for the Capitol's entertainment.
I have a strong feeling that either Clove or I will win the Hunger Games this year. She's really handy with knives, and I'm the best spear thrower in the District.
I shake hands with her and think of a way to pronounce my love for Clove.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your tributes for this year's Hunger Games, Cato Chambers and Clove Flare!" Mayor Stilinski announced.
The anthem played and Clove and I were rushed into the Justice Building to say our goodbyes.
There is no doubt that I will go home. But if I go home, that means that Clove has to die. That basically means that I will have to lose the girl I love to live.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
When I arrive at the Justice Building, I was ushered into a room where people that I know would come and say their goodbyes. The first people to come are my best friends, Chace and Hunter.
"Listen Cato, we all know that you are the best spear thrower in the District of our age, so there is no doubt that you will win," Chace begins.
"I agree, but didn't you once mention that you love Clove? Now you two are in the Hunger Games together. What are you going to do?" Hunter mentioned.
"I have no clue… should I sacrifice my life for her? Or should I not care and pray that someone else kills her?" I asked.
"Listen, if you truly love this girl, you would do whatever it takes to keep her alive." Chace stated.
"I love her; more than you can imagine… but I don't know if she loves me back. Does she even know I exist?"
"Based on what you tell us, she loves you as much as you love her." Hunter said.
"Are you sure?" I inquired.
"Yes," they both said in unison.
The Peacekeeper knocks on the door which can only mean one thing. I may never see Hunter or Chace again. Because I am going to make sure that Clove wins… even if it costs me my life.
"Bye guys."
"Bye Cato… good luck! We'll be waiting on the other side of the arena for you!" they said.
Chace and Hunter exited the room, and my parents enter.
"Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?" I questioned.
"We came to wish you good luck in the Games! Even though it's obvious that our baby boy will make it home alive," my mom answered.
"Now, now Lisa. I think that once young Cato here wins the games, you can stop calling him baby boy," my dad stated.
"I can't believe that you volunteered! Not only does it show strength and confidence, but Tyler would've died if you didn't. We've seen him. He's not that strong," my mom mentioned.
"True, but he's with Clove Flare. We've all seen her with a knife," my dad added.
"Mom, dad, isn't there anything else you want to say?"
"That we'll miss you when you're gone and that we love you!" my mom said.
My parents gave me a huge hug when the Peacekeeper knocked on the door.
"I guess it is time to leave. We'll see you soon son." my dad concluded.
"Bye guys."
My parents left the room, and my brother, Eli, walked through the door.
"Came back from Victor's Village I see…." I started.
Victor's Village is a section of District 2 where all of the hunger Games winners lives that are from the district. Since Eli won two years ago, he resides in Victor's Village.
"Ha ha. Very funny… what brother would I be if I didn't come before your games?" my brother said.
"True…"
"Listen, they won't let me mentor you because you're my brother, but all you need to do is get a spear at the Cornucopia. Then stick with your alliance and you'll win. Easy as that. Oh and good luck with Brutus and Enobaria as your mentors."
"Thanks and what if I like my fellow District 2 tribute?"
"There can only be one winner."
"Even if I win, I can't live without her."
"Make your choice quickly. Either you or her… and she has just as good of a chance of winning as you do… we've all seen her with knives."
The Peacekeeper knocked on the door.
"Listen dude, take this as your token."
He handed me a dog tag that had my name and District 2 champion on the front. I flipped it over, and I saw a heart with C.C + C.F forever on the back. It can only mean one thing. Clove and I will get together during the Games and for the rest of our lives.
"Wow… Nice touch of love to my possible future victory."
He smirked and said, "I knew you'd like it…"
He got up and hugged me. "See you soon champ."
Or not, I thought.
"Bye!"
He left the room and it was time for me to leave.
Clove's POV:
After I shook Cato's hand, we were ushered into the Justice Building to say our goodbyes.
When I went to my room, my parents were already waiting for me with a charm bracelet in their hands.
"Clove, I know that you are going to win, but you need a token from your district…" my mom started.
"So we got you this charm bracelet," my dad finished.
I take the bracelet and I look at the charms. There's a house, a knife, a book, and a heart. Four charms that show who I am.
"I love it!" I exclaim.
"So Clove, how are you going to win?" my mom asks.
"I'm just going to take knives at the Cornucopia and kill people until I win… all while keeping my alliance."
"That's a good strategy… but what about cato? We've seen him with spears." my dad asks.
"If it comes down to the two of us, we'll see what happens."
"Good girl! We'll see you after the games!" my mom exclaims.
"Yes you will!"
Or not…
My parents embrace me in a group hug and leave. I put on the charm bracelet and my best friend, Jamie, walks in holding a charm.
"Listen Clove, when your mom said she was getting you a charm bracelet, I got you a charm that you'll love," Jamie started.
She handed me a circle charm that was engraved with a heart. The heart had the initials C.C and C.F with the word forever engraved into it.
"I love it!" I squealed.
I jumped out of my chair and gave her a hugehug. She's the only one that knows my true love for Cato.
"So it's obvious that you are going to win… not only are you from District 2, which gives you an advantage, but you're the best knife thrower I know. So I'm not going to ask for your strategy because I know it already."
"Yup…"
"But I don't want you to end up like Naomi. I can't lose another best friend."
Naomi was the female tribute from District 2 last year, not to mention one of my best friends. She got to the final two, but was manipulated into killing herself.
~flashback~
"I'm going to pick us some berries for us… is that all right?" Naomi asked her fellow allies.
"Sure," the boy from district 1 answered.
Naomi went to pick berries from a bush near the camp and returned shortly. Little did she know that she picked poisonous berries…
"Eat up!" she commanded.
Her allies ate the berries as she went to go pick more for her friends. When she arrived at the bush, she heard five cannons and saw all of her allies in the sky.
She quickly ran back to the camp and saw that there was nobody there. The only thing she noticed was the basket of berries.
"I just killed my allies with berries…" Naomi observed.
She got rid of the berries and went to go kill the final tribute, the boy from district 10.
Instead of taking a weapon, she took the berries that killed her friends.
When she found the other tribute, she said, "here… I brought you some berries."
"Are they safe?" he asked.
"Of course they are!" she lied.
"Well then eat them."
"I brought them for you."
"I need you to try them first…" he said with a knife raised high.
"Fine!"
She popped the berry in her mouth and died on the spot.
~end of flashback~
"I know…" I replied.
"Listen, my main question is about Cato. You like him, and he likes you… What are you going to do?" Jamie asked.
"I honestly have no clue and he doesn't like me!"
"He told my brother himself."
"Really?"
"Yes… And knowing Cato, he'll do whatever it takes to try to keep you alive."
"I doubt it… but how do I tell him that I like him?"
"Exchange tokens! His brother got him a dog tag, so if he sees your charms, he'll ask what my charm is for."
"That's a really good idea!"
"What are friends for?"
I smiled and gave her a HUGE hug.
"I'll see you after the Games!"
"Yes you will!"
She left the room and I was alone again.
I left the room just in time to get onto the train for our Capitol arrival.
~end of chapter one~
A/N: Since this is my first Hunger Games fanfic, I want to know how I did! So leave a review down below! They make me happy!
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