Cato
I spot my new training partner, Clove, across the room, stone-faced and throwing knives into a training dummy. I let out an exasperated sigh. Honestly, I really don't understand the trainers' thought process. Take the two most vicious trainees and put them together? Who in hell thought that would work out? Hardly anyone else has a permanent training partner. Majiga, a trainer, gives me a pointed look from across the room and jerks her head at Clove.
"Do you want to practice, little girl?" my lips pass close to her ear and in an instant, she's thrown her next knife at me. It slices through a layer of skin on the side of my head. "Kentwell! No injuries!" I hear the overseer yell. I smirk at her. "The last thing I could possibly want is to be near you," she growls at me. "Let's get down to business, then," I take the hilt of a sword and lob it over to her. She catches it effortlessly and stabs at me. I parry and shoot her a smug grin.
Clove
The bell rings, and I dart to the door, grabbing my bag off the hook. I sprint out the doors and skip down the stairs, slowing for a few moments to admire the sun, which comes to rest on the horizon and hits the glass fixtures on top of all the buildings, sending yellow refractions of light everywhere. I breathe in the scent of summer beginning as I run home. "I don't like walking 'round this old and empty house," I sing.
"So hold my hand, I'll walk with you, my dear. You know, you have a really nice singing voice." My head whips around at the dreadingly familiar voice. I let out a sound between a groan and a sigh. "Why the hell are you following me home, Blondie?"
"I have to make sure you get home safe! What would I do without my training partner?" He pinches the end of my braid and gives it a tug. I roll my eyes. "Leave me alone." I run faster, bordering on a sprint, but Cato's been training for the Games since birth, just like me. He keeps pace easily and catches my eye. "That would be bad partner etiquette! What would you do with an impolite partner?" He asks me. "Win," I respond determinedly. "Big talk for such a little giii-" He chokes on his words as I shove my forearm against his throat, pinning him to a tree.
"Listen to me, golden boy. I have been the top of the class for three years. No girl has come close to taking my spot since year 9. You taunting me will not do anything except get your only shot at the Games taken away. Do you realize how much influence I have? I could get you wiped off the slate like that." I snap my fingers for emphasis. He pulls my hand just far enough away from his neck to sputter, "You know I like it rough, baby." I slap him across the face with so much impact, it leaves a red mark. My imprisoning arm lets him go. He falls on his elbows, laughing and coughing at the same time.
Cato
She takes off like a bullet. I stay on the ground for a moment, then heave myself up and brush the grass off my arms. Whatever, I'll catch up with her tomorrow. I jog in the other direction to head home. The journey home is peaceful and filled with falling leaves and soft sunlight filtering through the trees. I walk up the stairs to my house. "Cato here," I tell the voice-activated security system. The doors unlock and I step into my parents' mansion. Being the son of a victor does have its perks. I pass by the little shrine of Arek and make a tight fist. Not all of it's a party, though.
I throw my bag. I don't know what it hits, but whatever it is shatters. I fall onto my bed and pick up my phone. "Hey, Taeran. Party tonight at seven. Bring alcohol." I toss my phone away and settle in for a nap without bothering to shower.
Taeran, Aydrianna, and a few other people arrive at half past seven, lugging a keg and a few clear glass bottles. "Hey, Cato," Aydrianna sets her bottle down on a table and gives me a hug. "We invited everyone. Hey, when do you think you'll get the invitation?" Taeran asks me. "Who knows? I think Arek got it like, a month before," Aydrianna comments. "Hey, I might not be the volunteer. Who knows? Maybe there is someone better than me at the Academy." I say sarcastically. Aydrianna smirks. "Maybe we'll get in together. That'd be so much fun, fighting together every day just like in the Training Center." I roll my eyes-she's way below my level and she knows it.
Clove
"A party? Oh my gosh, Clove, we have to go!" Sage says after seeing a text from Megara in the group chat.
"Let's get the whole group to go, then." I grin. "I'm feeling reckless tonight." Sage laughs and jumps off the kitchen counter. "All right, ditch those sweats and take a shower! We are going to absolutely slay tonight!" I laugh and step over to the bathroom. It takes three hours of mostly dancing and singing rather than actually putting on makeup and getting dressed, but Megara, Sage, Quigley, Camellia, and I get all made up for the night.
"Let's go, girls," I put on my theatrical voice. "We've got a night to slay." Sage, the rich one of our group, calls her personal driver to pick us up. "Hey, no drinking yet! This guy is sooo rich. He's got better booze than this car," Megara orders when Quigley and I pick up a bottle from the mini fridge. "Wait, whose party is it?" I turn to Sage for the answer. She looks at me and winks, then goes back to texting on her phone. "Who is she even talking to? All her friends are in this car," I stage whisper to Camellia. "The host. He says he can't wait to see you," Megara tells me with a smirk. "I'm not table dancing again, I'm telling you right now," I say firmly. Sage laughs. "We'll see, babe."
Cato
"Whoa! Don't look now, but three o'clock, your training partner is here." Aydrianna nods her head in the direction of a group of girls who are dressed a tad too well for a teenage party. I don't see her at first through the mob of bodies, but then I see the shiny, black hair whip around as she turns to look at me and glare. Her group of friends giggles and waves. "This'll be fun," I tell Aydrianna and push through the crowd to meet them.
"Why did you bring me here?" I hear Clove hiss to her friends. "Can't hear you, darling! The music's too loud!" They giggle and flit away like hummingbirds. "Hey, training partner. Pretty dress, red's my favorite color," I hand her a drink. She swirls it suspiciously and sniffs it. "It's not poisoned," she says with a cocked eyebrow. "What kind of a training partner would I be if I poisoned you?" I take a sip of my own drink and smile. She glowers at me. "You poisoned the last one. I wouldn't exactly be surprised."
"Franklin was annoying! Everyone thought so! Even you, Clove." She raises an eyebrow at me. "And being annoying is a reason to die?" I shrug. "When people think he's your equal, that's reason to die. Besides, it's not like you're innocent, miss top of the class for three years. You don't get there by being pure." Clove laughs. "And what are you? Number three? Didn't your brother hold the number one position for the longest time on record before he lost the Games?" It's a low blow, and her words cut deep. My fist clenches involuntarily, crushing my plastic cup. Luckily, it's empty. "Looks like it's just you and me. Wanna dance?" I hold out my hand and wink at Clove. "I've got a drink in my hand, no way," she counters. "Drinking contest then?" Clove's eyes narrow and she smirks. "I'm going to drink you under the table, pretty boy."
Clove
A crowd has gathered to watch Cato and I as we down shot, after shot, after shot. I sense that my group wants me to stop, but I'm having too much fun, caught up in the intense stare of those blue eyes. "You said I was pretty, didn't you?" Cato goads me. I chug another shot. "I'm not drunk enough to respond to that jab! You're going to lose this game, babe!" He's half a shot behind me. I down another and fight a wave of nausea. Only three shots more. I almost fall off-balance when there's one to go. Cato's caught up as we both take down the last shot and simultaneously slam our hands on the table.
He tied with me. I was so sure he was going to lose. The room turns on its side and I grab Quigley's shoulder. I laugh, and try to make it seem like I'm celebrating. "All right, honey, no more drinking for today," she asserts. Megara appears and puts her arm around my waist. I make a grab for the bottle in the middle of the table. "Whoa, Clove, you've had enough," Cato tells me. He tries to take it but ends up knocking it over. "Dude! That's vodka from the Capitol!" his blonde friend Aydrianna shrieks. Megara and Quigley turn me around. "Okay, you got drunk way too soon. I'm still going to go dance." Megara tells me with an eye roll. They push me down onto a couch. "Yeah. Clove, don't you dare move. And do not drink anything else, you hear me?" Quigley leaves and comes back with a waterbottle. "Drink this and nothing else."
I slide off the side of the couch, pulling a blanket with me, and make a tent behind the sofa with the blanket and the pillars built into the wall. It's nice and dark in here, and the sounds of the party are muffled. I lean on the couch's soft fabric. I wish I had brought a pillow. "No no no, I don't wanna kiss," I hear an all too familiar voice say. I have a mounting sense of horror that only builds when Cato crawls into my tent. "What are you doing here?" I ask him. He shushes me. "She might find me!" I sigh. "Blondie, I'm pretty sure everyone heard you come into my tent." He looks at me and just then seems to realize it's me. "Hey, my training partner!" he says with a hiccup.
Cato
I'm trying to make sense of everything, but my head feels like it's full of cotton. Clove is here. Did Aydrianna just try to kiss me? Did Clove just try to kiss me? I'm not sure. "What's going on?" I ask Clove. She snorts. "We're at…a party, and we're both-" she's interrupted by a burp- "very drunk." "Why do you hate me?" I ask her. I slowly lean over until I'm lying on the carpet. "It's not like I haate you, you're just too pretty to be my partner in the Games," Clove yawns. "So you like me?" I ask. I have no idea if I'll remember this tomorrow-my head is so muddled. "Yeah, you're pretty. You scare me sometimes, though. Like that time you threatened to cut off my fingers. That was scary. Too scary." I frown. "I didn't think you got scared at all."
She rubs her eyes. "Of course I get scared! That's a-biological human response to…" she trails off while looking at her hands. "Scary things." She leans back and closes her eyes. I look at her, really look at her right then, and it hits me, she's beautiful. Even more beautiful than Aydrianna. "You're beautiful," I say. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I know I'd regret that if I wasn't so drunk. "I don't think I'm pretty. It's not like it matters. In-in the Games." She pulls on her hair. "What? But you're so pretty! You're prettier than all of the girls at this party!"
She fixes me with a piercing, slightly wobbly look. "You're lying." I frown. "I don't lie." Clove rolls her eyes. "You told like, every single trainer that Franklin killed himself." "That was one time!" I say indignantly. "I would never lie to you." She claps a hand to her forehead. "You just did again!" "I'm not lying!" I protest. I sit up, the blanket above our heads pushing my hair down. Clove drags her hand down her face and checks her palm, which has makeup on it. "I don't believe you." "Why not?" I try to cross my arms and sit up straight-but I have to brace myself when I start to tip over. "You're a liar. You can't prove that you're telling the truth, so I-don't-believe you." Clove glares at me. I raise my eyebrows. "You want me to prove that I think you're beautiful? Fine." Before I know what I'm doing, I grab her head and kiss her.
Clove
I wake up with a pounding headache. It's a good thing today is open gym day at the Academy, or I'd be yelled at for coming in late. I make myself a pot of strong coffee and manage to down half of it before my mom walks in, her hair a mess. "Can I get some o' that?" she asks in her low, scratchy morning voice. "Sure, mom," I sigh, pulling a mug out of the cabinet and pouring her a cup. "Sugar?" she asks. "Got it." I pull a packet out of a drawer and hand it to her. She winces. "Can you stir it in?" I exhale through my nose. "Of course, mom."
The gym is predictably empty this morning, with lots of people probably still recovering from hangovers. I glance in the mirror when I start lifting weights and see that the bags under my eyes are noticeably bigger today. Megara stands next to me and starts stretching. We have an unofficial rule: no speaking this early. She does a back walkover and hits her splits, then pulls a hundred-pound weight from the rack and starts doing squats. We exercise in comfortable silence until about noon…and that's when Cato walks in. "Oh my god." My eyes widen. I let go of the handlebars on the rowing machine. The machine makes a loud clank as patchy, fragmented memories of last night come rushing in. "Oh, my god."
Megara pulls me to my feet and pulls me in the direction of the bathroom. I don't resist. "Okay, what's up?" she asks me when we're in. "Last night…" I mutter. "Oh, Clove, did you black out? I didn't think you were that drunk, are you okay? Do you need any pain pills? Camellia probably has some, I can call her..." "No, I just…" the memories are too jumbled. "I need to eat something." "Let's go. I know leGrand's place is open right now." I nod and she takes my arm. "I'm not still drunk." I tell her. She just gives me a look and holds my arm tighter.
Cato
Getting out of bed is a chore. I step into the shower and see the time-it's already eleven. I curse under my breath and shower quickly. I get out of the house fast, grabbing a protein bar for breakfast. Today might be Saturday, and an open gym Saturday at that, but I like to get to the gym early to be first on the machines. The gym is vibrating with the heavy-metal sound that I've grown to love. I put my bag on a hook and that's when I see Clove. A string of curse words runs through my mind when she catches my eye. Her face goes from her usual cool glower to one of shock, and she drops the handlebars of the machine she's on with a resonating clunk.
I keep walking and pretend I don't see her as Megara drags her away. Did she tell anyone? Not like it matters. Does it? No. That wouldn't change anything. I've fucked most of the girls at the training center, even an instructor once-but Clove was just a kiss. Kisses...can be dangerous, especially if you mean them. District Two doesn't have a very strict policy on dating, but it's generally frowned upon for potential tributes. I hope she's not making more out of it than it really is. I decide to find and annoy her some more, see if I can get her whole face to turn red with anger, but she's not anywhere in the building. That's strange. Usually she's here for the whole day on Saturdays.
Clove saunters back in at an hour till close, and that's when I pounce. "Hey, training partner! You ready to spar?" I ask her. She looks at me like I'm something stuck to a toilet seat. "Am I ever. I'll pound you right into the ground." She pulls a blunt spear from the rack and tosses me one. I slash and she ducks, hooking her ankle around my knee. I crumple but meet each of her strikes that are now raining down on me. "Come on, are you even trying?" I taunt her. "Shut your damn mouth," she says through gritted teeth. Clove hits me with the head of the spear and stands back. "Come on, are you even trying?" she mocks me. I sneer and jump back up. "Rule one of sparring-" I spin my spear and stab at her- "Never let your guard down," she finishes, parrying with a clang. "Well played," I reply. "Real spears this time," she asserts. I raise an eyebrow. "Are you sure?" Clove looks at me-a challenge. "Scared, Hadley?" Clove tosses me a sharp spear. I catch it with ease. "You wish."
Clove
"Quigley…did you happen to see me…during the party?" I ask delicately. "Oh, honey, everyone saw your shots contest with Cato. Why?" I shake my head. Quigley looks concerned as she takes her bag from the rack and sips her protein shake. "No, after that. Did I…do anything stupid? Anything I might regret?" Quigley shakes her head and looks at me suspiciously. "No…what did you do?" I have a horrible feeling as to what it might be, but I shrug. "I'm just checking. Pretty sure I blacked out. Tell me if you hear anything, all right?"
"Sure."
We walk out of the training center and I take off towards home. Mom's still at work. Maybe I can make a special dinner tonight.
Cato
"You did what?" Aydrianna exclaims, spewing her drink halfway across the room. I take another sip of scotch and exhale through my nose. "You'll have to get the maid to clean that up." She pours herself another drink. "You're sure? You were, like, hammered." I raise my eyebrows. "I didn't forget anything about that night." Aydrianna takes a drink like she doesn't care, but her neck turns a shade darker. "This is bad."
"Maybe it could work. She is, as she reminds me every five minutes, top of the girls' class. And my training partner. We might be going into the Games together, you know this."
"So...you're going to fuck her?" Aydrianna asks. "No, Aydrianna. You know Kentwell isn't that kind of girl. I'm going to have to find a way in."
"How the hell are you planning to do that? It's not like she gets drunk and makes out with people every night."
"Well..." I say, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, you're right, her group's truth or dare sessions do border on being orgies. But she's serious, I dunno. She hasn't ever had, like, feelings for anyone. Unless..." Aydrianna trails off and she looks at me pointedly.
"There's no way she's gay. Sure, she might have no interest in human contact outside her little group of minions, but she kissed me with feeling. You can't fake the kiss we had. And...she kinda told me she didn't hate me right before."
"Cato, she doesn't like you. I hate to say it, but you can't just get close to her with like, flowers and being nice to her. It's not going to work." I look at Aydrianna. "Did you just tell me I couldn't do something?" Aydrianna gives me a look. "It's not a challenge, Cato. You really won't get to her." I smirk and down my drink. "Watch out, Davis. If you'll excuse me. I've got a woman to woo. And you...have got a carpet to clean." She rolls her eyes. "MAZY! CLEANUP IN THE LIVING ROOM!" she yells. I walk out of my living room to the sound of Aydrianna knocking back another drink.
Clove
I'm seasoning the meat for the lasagna when I hear the doorbell ring. "Who could that be?" I mutter. Dusting off my hands on a kitchen towel, I approach the door and look through the peephole. "God," I whisper. It's Cato. "What did I do to deserve this?" I ask myself before swinging open the door. "What?"
"So impolite. I thought we were a lot friendlier than that." Cato's wearing a button-down flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and jeans. "Why are you here, golden boy? I don't imagine it's for any benevolent purpose." He leans against the doorframe and tilts his head at me. "Now, why would you think that? I came here to see you." I shake my head. "And?" Cato sniffs the air. "What's cooking?" I scowl. "If you just came here to eat my food, then get out." He laughs. "Kentwell, I have a whole staff of master chefs on call, twenty-four hours a day. If you think I need your food, you're fooling yourself."
"Right, victor's kid privilege. I forget sometimes. Bye." I shut the door, but it doesn't close. There's a brown loafer holding it open. "I think you misunderstood. You see, I want to get to know you. I'm not leaving, Kentwell." I punch him as hard as I can and watch him crumple with satisfaction.
Cato
I hear the door lock behind me and smirk. I pull out my phone and call Aydrianna. "What were you saying about this being impossible? I just got under her skin."
The next day, Sunday, brings a refreshing day of scheduling. The Academy is jam-packed with all the kids who think they have a shot at being a tribute. DeShane, the top performer on the guys' side, comes up and claps me on the shoulder. "Cato! It's great to see you!" DeShane is a strange one. He's smart and great at fighting, but also always smiling, always nice to everyone. The number of people I know like that I could count on one hand. Arek was one... says a quiet voice in my head. I clench my jaw. "Nice to see you too, man," I say.
"You know, I told him he was going to get wrinkles and look really old someday from smiling so much, but he just said 'umber don't crumble, Aydrianna.'" Aydrianna's suddenly walking with me, protein shake in hand. "Yeah, he's weird. But still a threat," I remind her. She rolls her eyes. "Please, he oozes compassion. He has a pet." I chuckle. "Let's get to work."
It's already ten, and there's been no sign of that shiny black ponytail. "You need to stop looking for your warrior princess, if she doesn't want to see you she won't." Aydrianna tells me at the weights station. "Warrior princess, that's a good one. I'd use that as a condescending nickname, but she'd take it as a compliment," I reply. The red light flashes, and we rotate to gymnastics. Aydrianna skillfully climbs a rope and swings through the obstacle course like a primate before I've even gotten chalk on my hands. Though she's not the best at much else in the Academy, she excels at the backflips, leaps, and bending that are required by this station. She glances back at me and flashes a huge smile while hanging upside down from the rafters. "Hey, Cato!" she yells. "Party tonight?" I chuckle. "Party tonight."
Clove
I get into the gym at 5 am, right at the moment the doors open. The stations haven't begun yet, so I occupy myself with choosing a playlist for the day. "Hey, Kentwell!" It's Majiga, one of the top trainers here. She was supposed to be in the Games five years ago, but ended up actually forfeiting her volunteer spot-the second ever to do so-because she was pregnant. At the time, it was considered a terrible decision not to just abort the baby, but today, she's the youngest and most skilled trainer here, and is happy as far as anyone knows.
"Hey, Majiga, what's up?" I ask her. Majiga walks up to me, looking excited. "Morning, Clove! Listen, I wasn't supposed to give you this yet, but the Reaping is in a month, and it was going to go out tomorrow anyways, but you still can't tell anyone…"
"Majiga! What is it?" I ask her. She grins and pulls a gold envelope out of her bag. It's embossed with the blue seal of the Academy. "Oh, my god. Is this…" I hold it gingerly, then tear into it. "Miss Clove Rosalyn Kentwell, greetings from the Academy Board of Directors...blah blah blah...we are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to perform as volunteer in this year's Reaping!" My face splits in a huge smile and I practically shriek with excitement. "I'm the tribute! I'm going to the Games!" I grab Majiga's arms and dance her around. "I did it! Oh, my god, I really did it!" A trainee walks into the training center and I stuff the envelope in the waistband of my shorts. "So, you're already in. Of course, we expect you to keep up your performance, but today...well, today is a Friday, and I won't tell anyone if you're gone,"she says with a wink. "Wow, really? Actually, I'm leaving before you change your mind!" I laugh.
I'm out of the Academy in a flash, grabbing my bag and running into the misty morning air. The sky is beginning to brighten, and I know that I'll be able to see the sunrise if I climb the mountain outside town fast enough. This mountain was almost left outside of the district, but due to the demographic of athletic people who live here, the city ended up building the fence around it. The climb up the mountain is challenging with no gear, but I manage to make it to the summit just as the sun is peeking over the horizon. I pull out my yoga mat and energy bars for a makeshift picnic.
Cato
It's seven pm, two hours into a party, and three people are already passed out drunk. "To a new Games! To Marcus DeShane! To Cato Hadley! To Talon Velezia! May we go into the Games...and win!" Aydrianna's standing on a table yelling out this toast. She's got a wine glass full of whiskey in one hand and the bottle in another. She whips her long, dyed-blonde braids over her shoulder to dance with a guy behind her.
I do a once-over of the room and don't see the shiny black hair. Saffron walks by me. I catch his arm. "Seen Clove anywhere?" I ask him. "No, the clique is over there, though." He points at a group of girls dancing in a circle. "Thanks." I make my way over to them. "Hello, ladies. Where's my training partner?" I ask them. "Oh, I told you he had a crush on Clove!" Camellia says to Megara. They all titter. Denying it is very tempting, but this could work in my favor. "Let's just say I'm interested in her." Quigley-the shortest one-takes a sip of her drink and shrugs. "Solid attempt, but she's on the mountain right now. We didn't want to climb it."
"Why? I was so looking forward to seeing her at training today."
They all giggle. "Ten bucks he goes and finds her," Quigley says to Megara. "Twenty," she challenges. "I think I will go and find her," I say with a wink in Quigley's direction. "Ha! Bring me my money, Meg!" she crows as I walk off. I stop for a moment, wondering where on the mountain she could possibly be, when it hits me-the top. Of course, you idiot. It's Clove.
Clove
"Jesus, what a view." I don't even have to turn to see who the voice belongs to. "Leave. Also, Jesus doesn't exist, and you know it." Cato sits next to me and takes in the sunset. "My dad used to say Jesus was real."
"Uh-huh. And so are unicorns, and lions." I take a sip from my water bottle. "Lions were real, and there were unicorns in a couple of Games," Cato tells me.
"Sure, but unicorns that gored people with their horns? Those don't count." I lie back as the sky darkens and see a star pop out. "That's Venus," Cato tells me. "Really?" I ask. "Yeah...Arek really liked the stars, even though you can barely see any of them anymore." My stomach twists. I'd forgotten about Cato's older brother. He was beautiful, the son of a victor, and ripe for the Capitol's picking. He was huge. Arek wasn't a fighter like Cato, though. He died within a few moments of the countdown, the worst time on record for one of the best tributes from District 2. We stay silent for a long time, just lying there watching stars. "What happened to him...it's not going to happen to me." I'm startled out of my reverie. Cato's face is stony. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to win."
"Blondie, you might not-" "Of course I will," Cato cuts me off. "It wouldn't matter if I was the tenth, or even twentieth in the ranking. I'd be the volunteer. Now listen. I know you're the other volunteer, everyone knows it. We're going to have to be friends-" I snort and look away. "Okay, we don't have to be friends." Cato props himself up on an elbow. "We need to be at least allies, we owe that to the district."
I glare at him. I hate when he's right. "Whatever, Blondie." I pull a knife out of my bag and clean my fingernails with it.
"Then you're going to train with me. We need to know each other's fighting style like we know ourselves. We can't go in not knowing exactly what the other's going to do at any moment." Cato looks at me, waiting for my answer. He's prepared for an argument, I can tell.
Cato
Clove stares at the stars. Her small form is shivering slightly, though I know she'd never admit to being cold. She glares at me. "I'll do the training."
"What?" I fall back to the ground.
"I said I'll do the damn training. I hate you, you might hate me, but I love the Games. District Two is going to win this year, don't worry about me impeding your dream. But just so you know? You can say you'll win all you like, but the moment we're alone in the arena? You'll find yourself with a blade in your back, pretty boy." She catches my eye with a shark-like grin and brandishes the knife in her hand.
I smirk. "From you, I wouldn't expect anything less. So, what's your favorite constellation?"
She crosses her arms. "I don't have one. I do have a least favorite one, though."
"Oh, here we go," I say, putting my forearm over my eyes. "Listen. Perseus was a bitch. Like yeah, he might've rescued Andromeda, but then he decided to hunt down and kill Medusa when it wasn't even her fault that she turned people into stone! Poseidon raped her in Athena's temple, and Athena had to punish her so she gave her a blessing in disguise to ensure that could never happen again. Turning people into stone was her protection, and she-are you listening?" Clove asks.
I lift my arm and look at her. "Medusa's the victim, I get it."
"Also, in ancient Greece, stone reproductions of her head were put above women's shelters," Clove says, gesturing with her blade.
"Huh. That's...something. My favorite constellation's Orion."
"Artemis liked him," Clove says. We don't say anything for a long time. I've almost dropped off to sleep when I hear her voice again. "When either of us dies in the Games...I hope we turn into stars."
Clove
I wake up shivering and stiff. Did I fall asleep outside again? I hear-or, rather feel-rhythmic breathing next to me. I turn my head, bones cracking, and see Cato's blond head facing away from me. I get up silently. Don't wake up, don't wake up, don't wake up. Don't. Wake. Up. I grab my bag and grimace at the crinkling of protein bar wrappers. Cato shifts. Damn that training to be a light sleeper nonsense. I hold the bag loosely by the handle, and decide to leave the yoga mat-Cato's partially on top of it, no way I could take it without waking him. I creep away, taking care to tread only on the soft, dew-covered grass.
"How rude, leaving without even a good-bye?" I hear Cato say. I turn to see him smirking. "Bedhead, Blondie," I tell him. "Aw, are you sad you're not the cause of it?" he teases. Cato stands and rolls up my yoga mat. "You know, you'd be terrible at one night stands. Sneaking away is a crucial part of them." He reaches around me to open my bag and stick the mat in. "I'm amazing at sneaking. You're just bad at sleeping." I retaliate. He knocks shoulders with me-well, my shoulder hits the middle of his bicep-and we begin the trek down the mountain. "Sleeping is, I think, the only thing you have to be bad at to win," he says. "Yeah, but it doesn't matter, we'll be sleeping in shifts," I reply. He snorts. "Do you realize that you just acknowledged the fact that we're allies?"
I roll my eyes and elbow him in the gut. He folds, wheezing and laughing at the same time. A smile takes over my face before I can stop it. I turn back to him and catch his eye, then take off at a run. He stays just behind me, and I laugh, a long, wild sound that sieves through the trees and seems to float around me as the incline steepens. We don't slow down, and soon we're going so fast tears come to my eyes. Cato's beside me. He's not chasing me any longer, he's racing me. With every look we give each other, we go faster. I feel like a streak of light next to him, passing wildlife and ponds.
Cato
We shoot through the woods, Clove's tiny form effortlessly going around and under the vegetation. We're almost at the bottom of the mountain. She glows in the early-morning light, with a wide smile and sweat appearing almost as fast as the wind slaps it dry. She looks at me with a laugh, and goes faster than I thought humanly possible.
"Mile to the bottom!" I say. "Last one buys drinks!" she says giddily. "Hope you brought your wallet!" I tell her, and push forward. She laughs. "Not a chance in hell, Blondie!"
We're just playing for the next few minutes, pretending to lag and letting the other pass us, then jumping ahead, when we finally see the road. We glance at each other, and know the game is over. We both go, full steam ahead, and leap clear over the road at the same time. Clove and I roll and tumble and collapse onto the grass, gasping for air. She holds up a hand. "Put 'er there, Blondie." I slap it. "Good game, Kentwell." She rolls toward me, her bag hitting the ground alongside her.
"You're buying drinks, by the way."
"Hey, I'll always buy my girl a drink." I grin at her. She grimaces. "Never mind, I'll go home. See you, pretty boy."
Clove
I arrive at the training center early, and since I'm already more than warmed up, get started on weights. Cato arrives half an hour later, and I nod at him. Instead of sticking to his side of the gym, he sits next to me. "When d'you think they'll tell us?" he asks. "No idea. I don't care, though. Have you even seen my score compared to Osprey's? No way is she getting it." Little do you know, a smug voice says in my head.
"Yeah, I know, you're deadly and perfect and beautiful. I'm concerned about me, Clover." I smirk. "Aren't you always."
He grins. "I know I'll always be the center of attention-but that could be good or bad, obviously. What do you think?"
I ponder for a moment, then shove a weight into his hands. "I think you'll never be the volunteer if you keep talking, Blondie."
Cato
That day at the Academy is a mild one. Clove barely snaps at me, which is a huge improvement from a week ago. She actually listens. I tell her, during sparring, that her grip is a bit off on the spear, and she manages to take my advice without comment.
I wave good-bye to her at the doors. Taeran and Aydrianna fall into step beside me. "So, did you get it yet?" Aydrianna asks me. "Get what? Oh, the invitation. No, I think it'll come later today," I say. "...You sure?" Taeran asks me, nodding toward the inside of the Academy. I frown. "No way." DeShane's ripping open a gold envelope. He's smiling, and...he grabs his girlfriend, Lisbet's hands and twirls her in a circle. "Are you kidding me?" I growl. "No, Cato! Don't!" Aydrianna's voice is a faint echo. All I hear is the blood rushing through my ears. I'm halfway back up the stairs when Taeran and Aydrianna catch me, each on one arm.
"Cato. Don't do anything you'll regret! You can't fight him. It won't change anything. I promise. Don't do it. You'll regret it soon. It won't do anything for you, and will just make your life worse, trust me it won't solve anything." She looks at me, still rambling, nails digging into my arm. "Yeah, uhh, what she's saying. Dude, you have to be gracious. Go to his party, congratulate him. It's what he'd do for you." Taeran says. I'm not him. "Or, better yet, throw him a party! You'll still be seizing the power, but you'll be gracious about it. And hey, he only has like, a thirty percent chance of winning anyway," Aydrianna reasons. "I think it's thirty-three, actually...sorry, not helping. Yes, you should throw him and Clove a party. Go on, tell him now! It'll be good for you, you'll be able to drink your sorrows away, and you'll be able to condescendingly say good-bye to them," Taeran says. I sigh and roll my shoulders, taking their hands off. "Fine."
Clove
"What in fresh hell?" Sage shrieks when she hears the news. "But why? Their scores were so close," Quigley says. "I think...no, actually, I have no idea," Sage says with a shrug. Camellia just laughs. "Were they so determined to show that they didn't always throw in the victor's kid that they just threw away the only one who actually had a shot? Because that's totally something they'd do, to be honest."
I put my hands palms-up and sigh. "Dunno. I really thought I was going to be in there with him-I actually started to get used to training with him." Camellia smirks. "Shut up," I tell her immediately. "Oh, my god! She's actually blushing! Quigley, film this!" Megara shouts, slapping Quigley's arm urgently. Quigley whips out her camera. I get up and run, desperately trying to hide the smile on my face.
"We are live, looking in on the face of Clove Kentwell, who we're chasing around the living room currently," Megara says in her announcer voice. "She's attempting to hide the blush that definitely happened about ten seconds ago. Camellia, you tackle her!" she orders. Camellia and Sage launch themselves onto me and pin me down, giggling. "I'm not blushing!" I insist. "Has someone finally captured the heart of District Two's unconfirmed official tribute? Well, you'll just have to stay tuned to find out!" Meg finishes, and Quigley shuts off the camera. "You have a crush on Cato!" Megara singsongs.
"What is this, the first crush ever? Well, present company excluded," Sage says, winking at me. I laugh.
"And hey, since he's not going into the Games, you might...well, you might get to, well...do something other than fuck," Camellia says.
Sage flicks my forehead. "You'd better not get any ideas about dating him. Hoes before bros, right?" Sage raises an eyebrow. I laugh and push them off.
"Seriously, Clove. Just consider it! He's hardly the worst guy here, liking him wouldn't be so bad." Quigley says.
I frown and look down, thinking. But I don't...well, do I? "I...don't know." Just then, my phone rings. Camellia snatches it. "Speak of the devil and he appears!" she grins and presses it to her ear. "Hey, babe! Yes, it's Camellia! How are you? Oh, yes. Of course, she'd love to come! See you in a few hours, sweetie!" she says, and hangs up the phone. I groan. "Oh, no."
She flips her hair. "Oh, yes! Volunteer party tonight, at Cato's. And you are the guest of honor!" she says. "Now, girls, it's time to turn this sweaty mess into an honorable guest. Let's go!" She and everyone else picks me up-sometimes I hate being so small-and carries me to the bathroom.
Cato
The walk home is agonizing. What am I going to do? I can't just let DeShane go with Clove into the Games. There's no way I'll let that happen. I've trained too hard, waited too long to throw it all away. I even got Clove to tolerate me-Clove, who hates everyone but a select few girls. What if they go in and she dies? Wait, why do I care?
I shake my head. Got to get home before I take it out on a tree or something. My pace quickens, and before I know it, I'm in my living room with broken glass around me. Anger is coursing through me, exploding with every figurine I smash. Why did they pick him? Crash. Who the hell does he think he is, pretending to be nice so everyone will like him? Crash. Why didn't I get picked? Crash. Why'd they send in Arek and not me? My thoughts and eyes become blurry. Anything within reach is getting thrown, ripped apart, or stomped on. The rage coursing through me seems to take on a life of its own. I hate DeShane. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him.
I don't know how long it's been, but the sun is just touching the horizon when I retreat to the heated pool outside to force myself to relax. Aydrianna sends me a message asking about the party. 'Sure, invite everyone except the two guests of honor. I want to call them personally.' I shoot back. I lean back, take a deep breath, and call DeShane. "Cato! My man! How are you?" he says. I take the phone away from my ear for a moment to stop myself from smashing it. "I'm great, dude! So, I heard you got the spot! I'm throwing you a party tonight, you and Clove are the guests of honor. Bring a swimsuit, all right?" I hear him start to protest, so I just hang up. "And now to call Clove."
"Hey, babe!" a perky voice answers the phone. "Who is this?" I ask resignedly. "Yes, it's Camellia! How are you?" she asks. I can hear laughing in the background-Clove's whole little group must be there. "I'm fantastic. Listen, I'm having a party tonight to honor the volunteers, all right? Make sure Clove's there."
"Oh, yes. Of course, she'd love to come! See you in a few hours, sweetie!" she says. I hang up and roll my eyes.
Clove
The whole room is bathed in a red light that changes with the mood of the DJ. Sage and I are dancing. She pulls me into twirls, dips, and lifts effortlessly, none of the crowd caring that we're waltzing and laughing while they grind and try to forget who they are. It's not good. I know that on some level, but in her strong arms, I somehow feel like I'm floating. She grins and yells 'salsa' in my ear. Despite the abrasive bass of the rap song playing, we manage to find a salsa beat in it. She always was the graceful one out of us. My feet are clumsy and can't manage to stick to a beat, but she skips around in her five-inch heels and manages to laugh at me while doing it.
Megara cuts in with Quigley and Camellia, bearing drinks. She's shouting. I can't hear her. I probably won't be able to hear after tonight for a while, if I'm being honest. We make a toast with words no one understands, and laughter that everyone does. I throw back the drink, and that's when I see him. Cato's across the room, the life of the party, as usual, making out with some girl. My stomach twists. Well, hell. Didn't see that coming. I turn back to Megara, who sees my expression and drags me to a bathroom.
"Listen, I don't care if you're feeling angsty about him. He's not worth your pain, or, most importantly, your time. You know you have options, Sage has been in love with you since forever," Megara says loudly. I sit on the sink and massage my feet. "The only pain I'm in right now is from my heels." She rolls her eyes. "Lie if you like! But he's not worth your time-because you don't have much of it. The Games is in a few weeks, so if you want him, you need to make your move. It's time to cut the bull, and just do something for yourself! But you can't keep using your dad as an excuse to never love someone, understand?" Megara finishes, crossing her arms.
I glare at her and hop down. Pain ricochets from my heels up to my shoulders-I should've taken off my heels-but I don't wince. "And you can't keep using your bitchiness as an excuse to say whatever you like." I slam my cup down on the sink and open the bathroom door so hard it hits someone. I don't apologize. Sage catches my arm halfway across the courtyard everyone's dancing in. I know she's asking what's wrong, but I pull away without a word. I walk out, down the sidewalk, away from the accusing words that on some level, I know are right. I pull my hair off my neck and breathe in the cool night breeze.
Cato
"Leaving so soon?" I call after the retreating figure. She startles and whips around. Her glossy black hair falls from her hand. "God, Hadley, I am SO not in the mood! Coming to this party was a mistake! Leave it to you to find out exactly how to make my friends hurt me! Why are you even out here? You did only bring me here to prove your graciousness as the Victor's kid, right? Right? Why don't you go back to that pretty brunette you were giving a tonsil exam to earlier? You're nothing but a pretty facade, Hadley. You have everything-you've never had to worry about anything but your standing in the academy! But, hey, that's a bad example! Because you can't even do that right! No, you're an almost-tribute. That's what you are! You'll be a trainer, or a Capitol escort, or a Peacekeeper! For the rest of your miserable life! You'll be telling stories when you're thirty, about how you almost made it into the Games! And your poor dead brother'll always be a standard you just can't live up to! You'll always be below him, even though he was the most pathetic tribute ev-" I punch her in the eye, sending her flying backward. Blood rushes in my ears. This time she's crossed a line.
Clove's back up in a second with a kick to the chest that leaves me reeling. "And another thing! You always underestimate me-big-" I pick her up and she twists- "Mistake!" She slams her head into mine, but I duck, which gives her a bloody nose. "You have no idea what my life is like," I roar, and the fight is on. We're not just sparring anymore, this time we have alcohol and raw anger emboldening us. I'm seeing red while we tear into each other. Every insult we hurl is almost worse than the blows we're throwing. We know each other's fighting style, but not like this. She's glaring with fire in her eyes. A few hours ago I would've teased her for it, but this time, I know what it's like to be someone that Clove Kentwell wants to kill.
It's almost like the simulations, fighting her. But actually drawing blood, feeling pain, is so real and damn, does it feel good. We twist and turn around each other, but this time, not abiding by the rules. This time, hitting as hard as we can-which, for us, is hard enough to bruise knuckles and draw blood.
I register, on some level, that there are people watching, but right now, all I want is to hurt her. To end her. When someone grabs my arm, I automatically twist and punch, then recoil. "Marcus!" at least four voices shout in a panic. None of them are mine.
He clutches his throat and falls, his breath coming out in wet gasps. His girlfriend runs to him and pulls him to her. She gently pries his hands away and goes pale. "Call an ambulance-no, someone drive us!" she commands. "I'll drive," I offer, but she gives me a black look. "You're not taking him anywhere, Hadley," Lisbet spits. Sage steps in and pulls open her personal driver's car. Clove tries to follow, but she looks at her and shakes her head. "Cato, you look like hell," Aydrianna says. I look at Clove, and the fire in her eyes is gone, leaving her black eyes full of a broken loneliness I know all too well. Clove lets out a defeated sigh, then says, "Aren't we already there?"
Clove
My nihilistic statement strikes everyone silent. I take off my heels and run away through the grass. No one calls after me. I wouldn't expect them to. Tears threaten to fall down my cheeks, and I clench my fists. I keep going faster and faster, till I'm zigzagging around mailboxes. I swallow hard. My insides feel like they're turning in on themselves, and I fall on my hands and knees. Before I can stop it, I vomit. It burns, but I know I have to keep moving. I heave myself up. The night breeze, which had been comforting earlier, now threatens to choke me. I have to get home. I lament the loss of Sage's purse, which contained all of my hair ties. Why aren't there any on my wrist?
Entering my room immediately relaxes me, but a glance in the mirror takes me back. Cato just fought me with no remorse in his eyes. The look he gave me was itchingly familiar, but I don't realize until I raise my eyes from my bruised arm to my face. He had the same expression that I do-he's a cornered animal. So long we've been trained to be predators, but in the end, we're just prey, fighting for our lives. I scrub away the blood on my cheek, grimacing. If we're both the prey, who's the predator? I shake my head. Too many philosophical questions for one night. My ears are ringing, and I can't move without pain from some part of my body. I step into the shower and finally, know that it's okay to cry. But other than the stinging pain I feel from the hot water, the tears are gone.
I massage my bloody knuckles. It's a good thing Sage got me that salve as a joke a while ago-I never thought I'd actually need it. Sage. She wouldn't let me come to the hospital with them-but I didn't punch DeShane. But, says a vile voice in my head, you wouldn't have hesitated if he had grabbed your arm instead of Cato's, would you? My chest tightens. I make a fist. "No," I whisper. Deep down, though, I know the voice is right.
Cato
Considering that I beat up both the guests of honor, the party winds down fast. Soon, the only one left is Aydrianna. She's sitting on my lounge, and looks up with a smile when I come into my room. "Hey, do you want to-mfh!" I cut her off with a kiss. She doesn't respond at first, but then pulls me toward the bed.
That night, I can't sleep. I'm constantly checking my phone for messages, even though I know it's not on silent. Aydrianna gets a little too comfortable, so I put on my bathrobe and walk through the endless empty halls of my house. I find a little closet I'd forgotten about-I used to hide on the top shelf when my parents left for too long. I wouldn't fit there now. I grab one of the blankets and climb to the roof. No one ever comes up here. I lie on the blanket, phone on my chest. For some reason, it's a perfect, clear night, and I can see every star. Arek would've loved a night like this.
I'm startled awake by my phone ringing. It's an unsaved number. "Cato Hadley? This is the Academy. We need you down here now." says an unreadable voice. "Okay," I say before hanging up. "Wait, this early?" I ponder. Then I look at the time-it's 7. "Well." I get up and go change into my regular workout clothes. "Morning," Aydrianna says sleepily, still lying in my bed. "Gotta get to the Academy," I say, tossing her a protein bar. "See you," she says, catching it without sitting up.
I get down to the Academy as fast as I can run, and Majiga points me to a door off to the side. She doesn't look too happy. "Ah, Mr. Hadley. Have a seat, please," says the woman across the desk. I sit in the chair across from her. "Now, I'm sure you know what this is about. Last night, you seriously injured a potential tribute." Now I know she's one of the higher-ups in the Academy-they're not allowed to acknowledge the system training kids to be victors.
"Yes." Don't lie, don't incriminate yourself. "In fact, we weren't sure if that was an accident or not, but you should know that DeShane is dead. You hit him so hard you crushed his windpipe, he took his last breaths mere moments after he got in that car. I've been told this isn't your first time allegedly committing a homicide, but due to your recent relationship with the other potential tribute, Clove Kentwell, and your brother's...history, the Academy wasn't sure if you would be our best option as tribute. But I'm pleased to tell you that our concerns have been eased. This is yours." She hands me a gold envelope.
My mouth hangs open and I take it gingerly. "Wait, this was a test? Did you...set this up?" I ask. "Mr. Hadley, the Academy does not meddle in the potential tributes' affairs. Now, I suggest you get out there and continue training-the boy ahead of you-Mayhem, I believe?-would be more than happy to take your spot, I'm sure." I clutch the envelope. "Thank you for your time," I say, walking out.
Clove
I wake up with a pit in my stomach. Today, I have to face him. Cato, who's not my training partner anymore-at least, I don't think so. But then, he was tolerable before last night, my mind says. It wouldn't hurt to at least see how mad he still is. I can't apologize-he threw the first punch. But maybe I could talk him into...I don't know. I don't know why I care. But I know I have to fix it. My fingers absentmindedly weave my hair into a braid as I pace around my room. "What do I do?" I whisper.
I get ready just like I normally do, but I'm so distracted by what on earth I'll say to him that I put my protein shake in my water bottle by mistake, and wear mismatched socks. "Blondie-no, Hadley-I was drunk-no, that won't work-I can't do it! Yes I can. Hadley, I was under a lot of stress-no-Hadley, I was drunk and under a lot of stress and I know it's not your fault for my issues and I shouldn't have taken it out on you-ugh. I can't apologize for shit." I take a swig from my water bottle and choke on the taste. "Dammit, protein shake!" I walk into the Academy and put my bag on a hook. There he is. Cato's walking to the bathroom. I walk up to him. "Blondie, I-" he smirks at me. "Nice black eye, Clover." He raises his eyebrows at me and walks away. Well, it's not like I was going to put makeup over it, I'd just sweat it all off. I spot Megara at the weights. I start toward her instinctively, but know better. I start my regular routine, skipping any stations that Camellia, Megara, and Quigley are using. Sage, however, catches me at the ballet barre. "Clove! You can't just avoid all of us and not talk about last night!" she says, pulling me to the side. "Ow!" I yank my hand back. She sees the bruises. "Oh, my god, Clove, I'm so sorry," she says. "See, this is why you could never be a volunteer," I say. "You have empathy." She jerks back like I've stung her. "Fine then, Kentwell. Have fun being alone." She whips her blonde ponytail over her shoulder and stalks off.
I bite my lip. I'm filled with so much regret, but hey, the Games are in less than a month-I'll either never see them again or they'll have to be friends with me after then. I rotate through the stations absentmindedly, barely noticing the stares, always noticing the constant, dull pain from the black-and-blue spots all over my body. "Damn, I really do look bad," I murmur when I look in the mirrors. I accidentally catch Cato's eye in the mirrors. We freeze. Neither of us wants to apologize-or can, really. We haven't been raised to be sorry, we've been raised to kill. Not like that's a bad thing, but once in a blue moon, I do really feel sorry for something. Maybe he does, too. It's not like that matters, we're not going to apologize. I break away from his hot stare before I do something I regret. Knives. I need knives.
Medusa, my favorite knife, is in my hand in a few minutes. Throw. Thunk. Throw. Why do I feel so bad? I was drunk. Thunk. Throw. It's not like it's my fault-Blondie should be apologizing to me. Thunk. Throw. And he's never going to, so why should I feel bad that I can't? Thunk. Throw. We're not allies anymore, I guess. Thunk. Throw. I guess I'll be put with Mayhem now, then Thunk. He seems okay enough, vicious. Throw. He's a damn sight less pretty than Cato, though. Clang. The knife bounces off the edge of the target. I don't care about how pretty he is. It's strange, but a day free of men is one to rejoice for. I glance over at the spear station, where Cato is studiously throwing spears. He twitches and turns his head. I look away quickly.
Cato
Clove's been playing cat-and-mouse with me all day. She'll catch my eye, then pretend like she wasn't looking. She looks almost guilty. But that shiner on her right eye does make it a bit hard to tell whether she's frowning or not. Although, I think, touching a bruise on my cheek, she did a number on me too. I think at least two of my ribs are cracked.
I check in with the training center's doctor at lunchtime. She frowns. "Hadley, if you'd come to me sooner we wouldn't have to put you in a brace!" I roll my eyes. "You should see the other guy." She raises an eyebrow. "Clove came to me first thing this morning. She's sustained hardly any internal damage, except a few hairline fractures. It's very irresponsible what you did, fighting with no parameters. One of you could've been killed!" She puts a hand to her mouth, instantly regretting what she said. "Right, then, on your way," she says quickly. I raise my eyebrows. "Yes, ma'am."
"You're so dumb! Fighting the top of the class? It doesn't matter what good memories you have together-no, I don't care about when you stalked her to the top of a mountain and she fell asleep because she knew you'd follow her if she tried to leave, that doesn't count. What does count, or would count, is her voluntarily spending time with you. So far, she's been to your party because her friends tricked her into it, she's hung out with you because you were a stalker, and the last time you two saw each other outside the academy, you beat each other to a pulp, yes, the brace is visible through your shirt-you literally never wear a shirt, why would you think you could just casually wear one today and we wouldn't think anything of it? Honestly, Cato, your forethought leaves a lot to be desired for the next tribute." Aydrianna takes a breath and looks at Taeran. "Did I leave anything out?"
Taeran shrugs. "Oh, you wanted to say that you were mad because Lisbet's crying over deShane right now."
"Oh yeah! Cato, deShane's girlfriend is absolutely broken over him dying. Really, you had to punch him that hard? He's dead because of you. Don't you feel any remorse? Honestly, Cato, after Arek-" My hand jerks out and chokes her. "Don't say his name," I mutter through gritted teeth. "Whoa, Cato! What the hell? Let her go!" Taeran forces my hand open and pulls Aydrianna back. She coughs and massages her throat. "Let's go."
I sigh and roll my eyes. The clock reads that there are still three hours till everyone goes home. Spears. I need spears.
Clove
The walk home is mercifully serene, free from the stares and whispers I've gotten all day. I twist my charm bracelet around and around my wrist, wondering if I'll ever get out of this hole I seem to have dug myself into-with help from Blondie, of course. Dinner. What should I make for dinner? It's Monday-Mom should be home, so nothing too complicated. I wonder if she knows I've gotten the position as tribute. Let's be real, everyone probably knows by now.
The door is unlocked when I get home-yep, Mom's home. "Hey, mom," I say. She looks up from her book and smiles faintly. "So, what'd you do today?" I ask. "Oh, you know. Regular stuff, arrested a few kids for light-ups, nothing too major. What about you? Where are you on the totem pole these days?"
I walk over to her and pick up the gold envelope from the coffee table, trying hard not to show my irritation. "See for yourself. I was thinking enchiladas for dinner tonight?" Mom opens the envelope and reads while I take out some jalapenos and start to slice them. "Oh, Clove, baby! I knew we could do it! Look at us! You're going to win the Games! Oh, honey. You'll get right in there and show them you're the best. We should have a feast tonight! I'll order some food for us, all right? Put those things away." I reluctantly throw the jalapenos back in the fridge and plaster a smile on my face. "Sure thing, mom!"
I flop onto my bed and listen to Mom in the other room, excitedly calling everyone she knows to gloat about me. She really shouldn't have been a mother. But hey, it's not like anyone has a choice. She was a trophy wife, married at nineteen to the grandson of a victor whose whole family died soon after in a freak accident. Since no one left alive in his family was a victor, my mom and dad were left with no money, a loveless marriage, and me. What do people from District Two do when they're strapped for cash? They become peacekeepers. My father was never very good at it-Mom said he'd never worked a day in his life before then. One day, when I was eleven, a representative from the peacekeepers arrived with his medals in a box. Killed in the line of duty, they said. The second most honorable way to die. The first being the Hunger Games, of course. In all his years of working, he'd earned three medals. I kept the small bronze one for myself, and wore it on a necklace. I brush the worn metal with my thumb. It's not like he was a good man-far from it-but he was family. And his victor-descended blood let me into the most prestigious academy in the district. "That's the only thing he ever did for us," Mom liked to say, sipping her coffee. "He gave you a head start. But I got you all the way here."
Sometimes I want to scream at her that she's done nothing, that all she does is live off the government salary and buy a ton of clothes that she never intends to wear. Mom likes to live in the good old days, which for her, were back when she was young and didn't have me. She was so popular, and so beautiful, she could've had any boy in the district. As poor people tend to do, she never intended to marry for love. Of course, that went just as well as one would expect. She's still so young, but the amount of men who want to date a peacekeeper with a daughter like me is low. Although, I think bitterly, Now I bet they'll flock right to her. And she'll reel them all in. A tribute's mother? She'll be beating them off with a stick. Almost like clockwork, I hear her shout to me, "Going out, hon! Don't wait up, the food'll be here in a few!" I don't answer. Not like she'd care. Okay, time to stop with the doom and gloom thoughts. I roll over and look up at my ceiling. Well, it's not like I can invite Sage or anyone over. What a difference one night can make.