I DID MIND

Enobaria and Brutus just finished mentoring for the Sixty-Fifth Hunger Games and were packing up to go home. District Two had lost this year. You couldn't blame the mentors for their failure; they got a couple of cocky buffoons who didn't take the games seriously. Tomorrow morning, they will be heading off to District Two. They both settled down on the couch and talked about weapons when the doors opened up and in came Gloss, a victor from District One.

"Hi Gloss," Enobaria greeted.

He walked in and sat next to her on the couch. "Can I talk to you, alone?" They both stood up and went outside to talk alone in private.

What could Gloss possibly want? Brutus thought. He didn't admit it, but he was actually jealous of Enobaria talking to another guy.

A few minutes later, Enobaria walked back into the apartment and sat down on her previous spot as if nothing had happened, a guffaw on her face.

"Well, what did he want?" Brutus asked.

"He said he needed to discuss something with me tonight at dinner," Enobaria replied

Brutus shrugged. "Dinner? When?"

"Tonight," she replied. "I have to go, bye." She walked out of the living room and into her bedroom where she finished packing her stuff.

Dinner? Why would he want to take Enobaria out to dinner? Does Gloss like Enobaria? Brutus thought. He has seen that they have grown closer than before, but he didn't think he liked Enobaria as something more than just a friend.

XXX

Enobaria and Gloss were escorted to their table and they both sat down. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Gloss repositioned his tie as if it were suffocating him and sat up a little stranger. "Oh, right. You see, there's this girl I like. She's been on my mind for a while now and I want to ask her out. I just don't know how."

"That's why you made me come out to dinner with you tonight?" she asked him. Gloss nodded and slouched on his chair, a little embarrassed that he had to ask someone else for advice on dating. Enobaria, trying to contain her giggle, burst out laughing – something she didn't do much. "Gloss, don't be so ashamed of asking someone else for advice. I'll be glad to help you out. So, who's the lucky girl?"

"It's –" began Gloss, before he was interrupted by Brutus walking up behind him and patting him a little too harsh for Gloss's liking.

"Hey," Brutus said. "How's it going tonight?"

"Fine until you came here," mumbled Enobaria, which caused Gloss to grin at her comment. "What are you doing here, Brutus?"

Brutus gave her a look of confusion. "What do you mean 'What are you doing here?'? I can't go out and have a lovely dinner before going home tomorrow?"

"Of course you can, but just not with us," said Enobaria. Brutus shrugged, walked away from them, and sat down on a table just a few feet from Gloss and Enobaria's. "So, who's the lucky girl?"

Gloss scratched the back of his head. "It's Johanna."

"Really? That's such a shock that even I'm surprised," commented Enobaria. Gloss sighed, which caused Enobaria to feel bad. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just never thought of you and Johanna as a thing." She paused when she felt someone looking at her. Gloss and Enobaria turned their heads at the table next to them to see that Brutus was staring at them and then quickly hid his face behind the oversized menu. "Anyways, what is your usual approach?"

Gloss leaned on his seat, deep in thought. "I would probably flirt with them, whistle when they come by, complement how hot –"

"Stop right there," Enobaria cut him off. "That's what you would usually do with other girls. You have to understand that Johanna is nothing like those other girl's you've dated. She's a challenge and hard to get, but she's not impossible."

Gloss threw his hands up in frustration. "Then how do I make her like me?"

"That's the thing, you can't just make a person fall for you immediately," explained Enobaria. "Don't expect her to be falling to your feet. It's a long process. You need to start with getting to know her better. If you just start with asking her out, she'll think you won't take their relationship seriously."

Gloss took out a pen and notebook and began to take notes of the advice that Enobaria was giving him. "Step number one, get to know her better."

"Good, step number two is when you ask her out," she said. "How would you normally ask a girl out?"

"Hey babe, you and me, dinner at eight," replied Gloss before giving a wink

Enobaria picked up her napkin from her lap and slapped Gloss with it. "Wrong! What did I tell you before? Johanna isn't like the other girls. You need to make more of an effort if you want to actually have a shot with her."

"Okay, let me see. Will you go out on a date with me?" tried Gloss. He was rewarded with a smile of approval from Enobaria. "Now, what's the next step?"

"Marriage, kids, family, you know the rest," replied Enobaria before taking a sip of her water. She noticed that Brutus was trying to get attention from both of them. 'Accidentally' dropping his napkin near their table, spilling his water, shouting random stuff, laughing for no reason – even though he was the only one sitting at his table.

"Can we practice the proposal part?" asked Gloss shyly.

Enobaria set down her glass and stared at him with confusion. "Sure, but I don't think you should worry about this stuff now."

"I just want to practice," Gloss said. He coughed and prepared to speak. "Will you marry me?"

"What!" shouted Brutus as he kicked the table and marched over to Gloss. "Did you just ask her to marry you!?"

"Brutus, calm down, he-" began Enobaria, but was cut off by Brutus.

"I will not just calm down! You can't marry him!" shouted Brutus, causing more people to look at them than before.

"Brutus, he was practicing on me for someone else, you idiot!" explained Enobaria before rubbing her temples.

"Ohhhh. Well, in that case. She's a lucky lady." Brutus patted his back a little softer than before.

Gloss sat on his seat looking up at Brutus who was towering over him with a scared face. "Thank you."

"I am so sorry, but I think we're going to have to cancel our dinner tonight," said Enobaria while standing up and grabbing her purse. She kissed Gloss on the cheek and dragged a humiliated and embarrassed Brutus out of the restaurant.

XXX

The doors of the mentor's apartment opened up to let a furious Enobaria enter followed by a confused and embarrassed Brutus. They both sat on the large couch and waited for one of them to speak.

Enobaria, not willing to wait for a century, decided to start. "What happened back there?"

"I just got a little…" said Brutus, rubbing his hands together. "I got… Worried about your safety."

"Safety? Did it look like Gloss was going to hurt me?!" she yelled. "Brutus, tell me what really bothered you."

Brutus sighed and prepared to confess. "Remember when you asked if I minded if you went to dinner with Gloss?" Enobaria nodded and motioned for him to keep going. "Well, I kind of did mind."

"Brutus, this is what it's about? We can have dinner together countless amounts of time back in District Two" said Enobaria.

"It's not that!" snapped Brutus. "It's just that, I minded when Gloss took you out to dinner."

Enobaria sat up straighter from her slouching position. "Why would you mind if I went out to dinner with a friend?"

"Because, I… I like… You," Brutus managed to say, coughing a few times during his sentences.

"What did you just say?" Enobaria asked in disbelief. She heard him; she just wanted to make sure he meant it.

"I said I love you, okay!" Brutus shouted out for the whole world to hear. Brutus sat down on the couch and buried his face in his strong hands, ashamed of the fact that he just admitted that he loved Enobaria.

Careers weren't supposed to love; love was a weakness.

Enobaria stood up, walked to where Brutus was sitting, and sat next to him. "Brutus, look at me." He turned his head and opened up his fingers, making cracks to see her. "You could have just said you minded. I'm yours, Brutus. All you have to do is ask for my forgiveness."

"Will you forgive me for minding?" he asked her as he removed his hands from his face.

Enobaria smiled, cupped his cheek, and brought him in for a long passionate kiss. They pulled away and looked at each other. "Yes, I will forgive you."

"I love you," Brutus said.

"I love you, too," Enobaria said back.

THE END