Yay, another chapter! I am terrible at updating, I know. (I know the chapters are short, but remember, shorter chapters means they're easier to write which means they come sooner)

"Forever is composed of nows," -Emily Dickinson


"Cato! What were you thinking?!" Clove shrieked, slapping her fellow tribute as the Justice Building doors closed behind them. "I told you I had a plan! Now you've screwed it up!" Clove sighed through gritted teeth, attempting to regain her composure. "Only one of us comes home, don't you get that? That means you lose me or I lose you!" Cato's smile disappeared, quickly turning into a frown. After moments of agonizing silence, he spoke.

"We've always done everything together, Clove. Not because we've wanted to, but because we've had to." Cato looked at his best friend, seeing the despair in her eyes. "I figured we might as well end it that way." Cato gave Clove a wistful look before following a Peacekeeper out of the foyer. Clove bit down on her lip.

As soon as Cato was out of sight, Clove demanded a Peacekeeper take her to the train. Her family would be waiting, prepared to shower her in compliments and congratulations. But Clove didn't want to face them, not now. All Clove wanted was for Cato to be safe. The two may not always see eye to eye and they certainly didn't like to consider themselves close, but she did care about him. And now she was guaranteed to lose him. Either she dies and Cato makes it home safe, or she lives, but never sees him again. Neither scenario sat well with Clove. There had to be a loophole. She was determined to find it.


Goodbyes were as expected, and Cato was whisked onto the train after a few short minutes with his family, not enough. Cato was escorted into the dining car of their train, where Clove was already waiting. She stared at the wall in front of her, avoiding him and Chiffon, who was seated to her left. Cato took his seat across from Chiffon, watching the Peacekeepers leave the car in silence. Chiffon then proceeded to spend the first hour after they departed giving them a rundown on the next few days. When she started explaining what their menu would be, Cato and Clove dismissed her. When Cato was sure their escort was gone, he spoke up.

"I thought you would be happy," Cato mumbled, the gray shade of everything in the car reflecting his mood.

"How would this make me happy?" Clove asked, gaping at her friend.

"It was supposed to be one of our adventures. I didn't think past that. I am beyond sorry, Clove."

"Sorry doesn't fix this. Sorry doesn't take you off this train and put you back home. Sorry doesn't-" Clove's voice broke, "I can't lose you. I was supposed to come home and we would have been happy… together."

"Together? You hate me."

"I don't hate you, Cato. You can be annoying as hell sometimes, but I don't hate you." This won a small smile from Cato.

"I remember the first time I met you," He said, "My parents thought it would be a good idea for me to make some friends before school started, but you were the only kid in the neighborhood."

"You came over to my house with this little wooden sword and asked if I wanted to play soldier-"

"And you said yes. I was so upset when I saw you though. I thought a girl would never want to spar-"

"I grew up in a house with three brothers. Fighting was an everyday ordeal-"

"Which is what you told me everyday after that, just to make me feel better about dragging you around with me-"

"And after that our parents made us do everything together." Clove smiled. "I remember."

"I used to hate it but then I realized you didn't mind hanging out with me."

"I liked you from the start."

"Really?"

"Of course. You were just... different from all the other kids I'd met. I've always loved that about you." Clove turned to her best friend, then hesitated.

"Clove?" Clove grabbed Cato's face in her hands and kissed him. For a few moments, he sat there, stunned. Then, he leaned in, and returned the kiss. If Clove Kentwell was going to die, she was going to do it arm-in-arm with the boy she loved, because what the hell, these were the Hunger Games after all.