When I saw Cato wink at Glimmer in training I knew it. He was flirting with her. And she loved it too. How foolish could he be? He was eventually going to have to kill her! Did he not realise that falling in love was so dangerous for us as allies? Marvel was trying to hold a conversation with me but I wasn't interested. I was so enraged with Cato that I ran over to the knifes station and threw them at every single target perfectly. And in hopes of getting Cato's attention, the only one I noticed watching me was Marvel. He had been following me around like a lost puppy ever since the meeting about us coming together as allies. When I finally had enough of Glimmer and Cato's pathetic little love story, I walked over to interrupt them. "Come on Cato, we should be training. Remember, we're supposed to be intimidating everyone and I don't think playing teen romance will be helping with that."
"Oh relax Clove, everyone knows that we're the superior tributes out of all these losers" Glimmer laughed. I rolled my eyes. Arrogance is a very big problem. No bother, hopefully Glimmer dies in the first few minutes and then Cato won't be so distracted. Or maybe I'll get to kill her myself. I think Cato noticed how frustrated I was becoming because he picked up a spear and threw it at a target. "So strong" Glimmer said in awe of his strength.
"Happy?" Cato said smiling at me.
"Never" I laughed at him. I could never stay mad at Cato. Glimmer however, was another story.
"Guys, look at Peeta" Marvel said pointing to him. He was climbing a rope ladder and we could all see he was struggling. And we couldn't help but laugh as he dropped to the ground with a groan. "He should be easy" Marvel said smirking. We watched as Katniss walked over to him and whispered something. "Oh and the girl on fire" Glimmer sang mockingly.
"Why did they get all the attention? They're from District 12. No one has ever paid attention to them until now" Marvel huffed. We watched as Peeta got up and walked over to the rack of weight balls. They were huge, and incredibly heavy. We were waiting for him to fail yet again. But to our dismay, he threw the ball into a stack of spears at least twenty metres away almost effortlessly. "Think again Marvel. He's pretty good" Cato said. I turned to see him touching one of Glimmer's braids. I rolled my eyes once again and couldn't wait for training to be over.
I was annoyed to find out that as part of our alliance with district 1, we have to spend quality time with Glimmer and Marvel. I was the last to join them in their level. Cato was sitting on the floor with Glimmer and they were laughing about something. I took a seat next to Marvel on the edge of the couch and crossed my arms. Cato and Glimmer were so immersed in their own pathetic love story that they didn't notice how much I was glaring at them. But Marvel clearly did. "You're jealous" he whispered. I pushed him hard.
"Don't be ridiculous. I know she's from your district and all but she has the same amount of intelligence as a squirrel."
"You may not want to be her, but you certainly want Cato to see you the way he sees her. Not just as a friend." Marvel's words were so aggravating and tormenting that I wanted to throw a knife in both his and Glimmer's back just for annoying me. But that can wait for the games. I watched Glimmer giggle as Cato pinched at her sides. "So what am I supposed to do then?" I asked Marvel. My curiosity was getting the better of me and I could feel myself becoming more vulnerable than I should let on. But I couldn't help myself.
"Maybe make it clear to Cato that you don't like their relationship."
"But then that proves I'm jealous. That gives him the upper hand. He wins and can do whatever he wants with the power I give him."
"Well, if you love him, you won't care."
That night Marvel's words swarmed my head. If you love him, you won't care. Love!? How outrageous. How could I let myself fall in love when I am being sent to die? If I let myself love Cato, then he is my weakness. And if I let myself love him, I'd never be able to kill him. When my name was called at the reaping, I was able to see my Mother-my only living family member before I was sent away. I asked her how could I possibly win, when Cato was in the games with me. How could I let myself kill a boy that I had forever been friends with and loved for even longer? She told me I couldn't let it get in the way. That letting my emotions of love get the better of me would end in me dying. And all I wanted to do was come home to my Mother alive. And to be able to bring glory and money to our family. But tonight, the love side of me won over and pushed me to Cato's door. I felt bad when I saw him barely dressed and sleepy. Seeing him without a shirt bothered me. I didn't know why but it made me uncomfortable. I had woken him up. "Clove? What's up? Is everything okay?" He rubbed his eyes and yawned. His blonde hair was a mess.
"Can I come in?" I asked crossing my arms.
"Sure" Cato was an incredibly aggressive person, but when we were alone together, he was the nicest person I'd ever known. I sat on the edge of his bed with him, not sure how I was going to approach this. So, I dove right in. "Glimmer" I said, "do you love her?"
"I'm not really sure" he said lifting my spirits, "I haven't known her for long."
"You do realise you'll eventually have to kill her" I said trying to smack some sense into him first. "I'd rather enjoy what I have with her now before it comes to that."
"Well" I began fiddling with my bracelet Cato had given me when we were younger, "I don't think you should pursue her at all. The relationship- it's dangerous."
"Woah, Clove, slow down. What? Why? Where has this come from?" And I was so prepared to answer him honestly, but the thought of having to kill someone who knows I love them, who I have admitted to being in love with, is too much a burden to bare. "No, I just don't want you to hesitate" I said standing up. I went as quickly as I could to the door. "Clove, wait." I ignore him as I go back to my room. And Cato knows to leave me be when I shut my door on him. He's learnt that the hard way.
The next few days are weird. There's a sort of odd tension between Cato and I. We have barely spoken too, unless we have to. And we can both feel that something has changed, but neither of us want to admit it. I stick to practicing with knives and spears, making well sure I don't cross Cato and Glimmer's path. Our mentors asked us to stick in pairs and I wasn't surprised when Cato and Glimmer stuck together like glue. So that left me with Marvel. "Glimmer does not stop raving about Cato" Marvel said in my ear as I was trying to concentrate on the chest of my target. "So?" I said nonchalantly.
"So, didn't you talk to Cato?" He asks. I am beginning to become wary as to why he cares.
"More or less. Why do you care so much?" I turn my body to face Marvel. I have to crane my neck so I can look up at him and I am so small compared to him but I bet I'd be able to put up a good fight. "So you can finally realise that Cato is an idiot and maybe pay some more attention to me. And what do you mean by more or less?" I grab another two spears and throw all three of them at the targets perfectly without even taking my eyes off Marvel. "I told him to be careful with Glimmer, nothing about my own feelings" I said, "and I would only pay attention to you, when we are the last two people in the arena and you are the one I need to kill." He glances at the spears I have thrown and I smirk hoping that he's become intimidated by my deadly aim. He leant in close to my ear. I could feel his warm breath on my ear and it sent chills down my spine. "We'll see about that Clove." In this moment I catch a glimpse of Cato watching us while Glimmer shoots some arrows. I pull back and smirk at Marvel. Realising just how I am going to be able to get Cato's attention.