Katniss:
I feel someone's eyes on mine as we enter the training area and form a circle around the head trainer. I don't want to make it obvious that I can tell, so I keep my eyes down but finally the urge to look takes me over. I look up and glance around the room. I see Cato quickly snap his head the other way and cover his mouth with his hand.
The first day of training doesn't go too well. I'm too focused on the events of this morning with Cato staring at me. Surely, he wants to kill me. Isn't that everyone's goal? I can't help but feel butterflies in my stomach when I see him though. Throughout the day, I glance at Cato and the butterflies start flying again.
I watch him chop the heads off of dummies with his sword all day because he doesn't change stations like I do. I was told it was to intimidate us, just like Glimmer has all control over the archery, Marvel over the spears, and Clove over the knives, except I don't pay any attention to them.
His head is constantly lifted into the air. He obviously believes that he is better than anyone else. After years of living in a place where you can die of starvation or in a mine crash any day, I like confidence. It is something no one in my district has. He has a glint in his eye that is almost like a dare, begging for me to want him.
When training is over for the day, we all line up to get to the elevator. One of the trainers is holding Cato behind to talk about something, which is normally not allowed, but the head trainer said that it would pass this time as long as they didn't touch anything. Cato takes his place in line behind me. I was the last in line because I'm the girl tribute from 12. They fill up the second elevator and Peeta is the last one to get in.
"I'm sorry, but we can't fill this elevator anymore. You two will have to wait for the next one," one of the trainers said. I just shrugged and I don't think that Cato did anything, considering I didn't hear a response. The empty elevator comes back a few minutes later and we get inside. I press 12 and he follows with 2, but his hand slides down to the stop button and stops the elevator at the District 1 floor.
"You do realize that killing me before the games is illegal, right?" I tell him.
"Katniss, you are going to cause me a lot of problems," he says, pushing a piece of hair that fell out of my braid behind my ear. I shudder at his touch.
"Then why did you stop the elevator?" I ask him again.
"I think you know why. Don't act like you are so innocent and that you haven't been staring at me. I'm not an idiot," he explains. I start processing everything for a minute because for the first time in my life, I've been asked what I want, not what I need or what others want. It feels good. I leaned into him and pressed my lips against his. He pulled me closer by my waist and his hands made their way to cup my face. My hands rested on his chest. As we pulled away, I smiled like a little girl. Then, I realized what I had just done.
"This is bad! Don't you think people want to know where we are?" I ask him and he just walks over and turns the elevator on again.
"Don't worry. Just tell them you were in the bathroom or something. I know you can lie," he says, smirking. My stomach loops when he does that. The elevator beeps and he gets off, not without fixing my hair again.
"Don't mention this to anyone," he whispers to me. I can feel his breath against my ear and it tingles. He leaves and the elevator makes its way upstairs, taking what feels like forever. My legs suddenly feel tired and I take a seat on the ground. A tear leaks out of my eye and I brush it away with the back of my hand.
I don't know why I'm crying, or maybe I do. I just don't want to look at the facts. In a few days, I have to go into the arena and kill him. I just have to hope someone kills him first.
I look back up to see the elevator is only at level 7. I let myself shed a couple more tears until I pull myself together and remember where I came from and the people back home. They don't help at all. I want Cato. I need Cato.
All because I am desperately in love with Cato.
