I walked into the dining room of the prison we tributes call the Training Centre. It really was like a prison; we ate, slept, trained and did everything else under observation of the Capitol.
The first thing that caught my eye was the familiar dark brown eyes staring back at me. "What took you so long?" Clove asked as she put down the fork she was using to shovel spaghetti into her mouth. "I got some buttons in the bathroom messed up; who knew one small button could send a whole lot of soap shooting at you?' I groaned, recalling the previous incident that happened in the bathroom.
Clove stiffed back a laugh. "Too bad we couldn't bring that into the Arena; perhaps we could drown the others in soap!" She joked. Then we both burst out laughing, only to be cut off by our mentors.
"About the Arena, we were thinking about our strategy," Brutus said, and then he turned to Enobaria. As if on cue she continued for him. "You see, our strategy won't be able to win many sponsors, at least, not more than District 12's,"
She's right; District 12 was great at everything. Their training scores beat us, their tribute parade's costumes were better. What was most surprising was how the Capitol reacted to their love for each other. As confessed by their male tribute during his interview. What was his name? Peeta I think.
"So?" Clove said, focusing on the plate of chocolate ice cream in front of her. "So? You guys don't stand a chance without sponsors. Say you had no more supplies, what would you do then?" Brutus asked, slamming his fist against the table. That didn't startle Clove; she simply put down her spoon and sighed.
"We're stronger, faster and way more skilful. We could easily kill all of the tributes including District 1's. Plus, Cato and I can hunt for food," She said, looking at me for support. "It's true, we can hunt. We used to sneak off to the woods together when the food supplies were running low," I confessed to our mentors. Both Clove and I knew hunting was illegal, but when you had a family depending on you taking desperate measures was pretty necessary.
Brutus's temper was about to flare up again but this time Enobaria cut in, "It doesn't matter; we still have a little change in strategy. Cato, you know the District 1 tribute don't you?" I nodded, but Clove seemed to have fixed in all the pieces of the puzzle for our mentors.
"You want to create a romance between them don't you?" She asked quietly. Enobaria nodded. Then it was my turn to lose my head. "Why her? She can barely even shoot an arrow properly. Plus, it'll make me look weak." I screamed at our mentors. Clove just sat there quietly.
"It won't make you look weak. People at the Capitol buy all of that stuff. It'll give you two an upper hand, two lovers fighting to get home together," Enobaria told me, her voice rising a little bit. This time Clove couldn't hold everything in anymore, "What about me? It won't make sense anyway, they are not even from the same district! They should barely even know each other!' She screamed, louder than the time she volunteered.
"You will convince the Capitol that you have feelings for that girl!" Brutus said pointing his spoon at me. "And you," He said, pointing his spoon at Clove this time, "Will shut up and play along!" Ouch, that was harsh.
Clove wasn't one to go down without a fight. "No! I shall be patiently awaiting the day when you two," At this she pointed a butter knife she randomly grabbed from the dining table first at Brutus then at Enobaria. "Will finally see the obvious!" She continued, her pretty face turning red because of anger.
Then she stormed off, but not before she threw the butter knife in between both our mentor's heads. Then I stood up "I'm full." I told my stunned mentors, once I was sure I was out of their sight I began running to Clove's room. I pounded my fists on her door, "Clove!" I shouted. After a while the door opened, revealing Clove for the first time with blotchy red eyes that symbolized she was crying.
"What do you want?" She shouted at me. I walked into her room to find it turned upside down with smashed things all over. "Clove, calm down," I told her, putting my hands on her shoulders. "If only they knew." She said quietly, calmer than she was ten seconds ago.
I cupped her face with my hand and leaned in to kiss her, she kissed me back. I felt one tear roll down her cheek and my stomach do a somersault. After what seemed like a few sunlit days our lips finally moved away from each other's. "It won't happen, they wouldn't understand," I told her, running my fingers through her dark hair, our noses still touching.
"Then we'll show them, kill her," She said, a new murderous tone in her voice. "Clove, please understand that whatever I do it'll be for the both of us okay?" I asked of her, she simply nodded. "I'll pretend to be smitten with this Glimmer girl, once we have what we need, I will find a way to eliminate her." I reassured Clove.
X
We were thrown into the Arena sooner than I expected, sooner than I wanted. The days before the Arena were the last days Clove and I could be seen to like each other. Now we're broadcasted to the whole of Panem. We have to keep our relationship secret and I have to keep Glimmer and my relationship at the level of lovers.
It wasn't easy, not with Clove watching and knowing the fact that the whole of Panem sees this. Every kiss with Glimmer stabbed me in the heart like a thousand swords coated in lava. Clove's eyes seemed pained, Marvel didn't seem pleased with this arrangement either.
Then one day I thought I almost lost Clove in a fire that the Gamemakers suddenly created in the Arena. Later that day was no better, I had to be humiliated by the female from 12. I thought she would be gone by now but that girl's a survivor.
That night I had to let Glimmer sleep on my arm, Clove's dark brown eyes look as though they could pierce holes through me. All I could feel was guiltiness, guilty for lying to the Capitol. But mostly because I was hurting Clove, all this was probably tearing Clove up in the inside like it was to me.
The next morning I woke to a sharpening pain at my cheek. My eyes shot open immediately to see chaos. Above all the chaos I saw Clove, struggling to get away for what seemed like wasps. Then everything seemed to hit me at once.
These were Tracker Jackers, not ordinary wasps. I could hear both Glimmer and Clove's piercing screams as they received one sting after another. In a flash my head made the decision for me, I pushed Glimmer down and ran to Clove, grabbing her wrist and pulling her away from the scene.
I was right, the Tracker Jackers focused on Glimmer. Anyone could hear her piercing screams from a mile away. I couldn't feel anything for her, no guilt because I left her there to die, I could only taste happiness because I saved Clove from the Tracker Jackers.
When I reached the lake I realized what I had done. I had a choice, a choice between sponsors, saving my own life, chances of going back home and Clove. I gave up sponsors, saving my own life and my chances of going back home just for one girl.
But she matter more to me than everything else, she was life itself, I would be completely dead without her. I turned to look at her, she was badly stung but she would live. That was a relief.
I knew if I could live a thousand lifetimes I would still not deserve what she could bring to me. Happiness. She was everything that mattered.
As long as she lived, nothing else mattered more.
A/N: Third Clato one-shot. I'm planning on doing a Clato story but this time with Cato and Clove winning, what do you think? Plus, I'm terribly sorry for that kiss between Glimmer and Cato but I can assure you that it meant less than nothing to Cato so don't worry one bit! :) And how was the story? Good? Loved it? REVIEW!