Clove's POV
Lunch-time. I help myself with some pasta and coke although I'm not really hungry, then I sit beside Cato, as always. My lunch table is full by Cato's friends, and mine too, of course. There's Peeta, Cato's best best best best buddy, well that's the only word I can explain him with. He's not a total jerk like Marvel, who changes girls like he changes clothes. All the time, he has this motto where a girlfriend only last for a week and no more. Peeta is more..like a gentleman, not that I have any feelings for him, but he's ok. And the last of the guys gang is Finnick. He has that charm which makes girls would fight to death in order to just talk to him, and this is why Annie, his girlfriend, was having a struggle with their relationship at the first point, but then Annie just got used to other girls' death stare.
Beside them, there's Johanna. I knew her the day after I knew Cato, so she pretty much knows all about me, just like Cato. Beside Johanna, sitting there is a girl named Katniss. She's nice when you get to know her better, it's just it seems like she's shutting herself down from everyone, including herself. Peeta, in the other side, finds her interesting. I'm betting you, they'll somehow, end up together. I don't know why I'm saying this, it's just that I know it. I was just looking at Katniss when I hear Cato's voice.
"Clove?" He says.
"Uhm? What?"
"You're not paying attention to me again. This is like the third time in 10 minutes." Cato shrugs, he frown, and he looks ugly when he does. But I have to admit that Cato doesn't like being ignored, because only a few people have the (uhm) strength to ignore that face of his.
"Of course I am! Don't say that."
"If you are, then what did I just say?"
"...hm" I mutter.
All of the sudden I'm out of my mind again, I am not even paying attention to any of Cato's word anymore, the only thing I'm thinking about right now is that I'm going with someone to prom, and this time, it's not.. It's not Cato. There's not one party, that I've go to without Cato. Especially not prom. Why are you so stupid Clove? How could you say yes to that boy? You don't even know him that well. He's in History class. You're in History class. That's pretty much the thing you have in common. But then Peeta's voice hit me..
"I bet she's daydreaming about a guy, Cato. And I bet, that guy is not you. Well it's about time to stop this best friend forever thing between you guys anyway. Why else would she be ignoring you and smiling to herself like a total idiot?" Peeta says, Marvel chokes on his diet-soda, not believing that Peeta has the courage to say that infront of Cato. But we all know Peeta's the brave one. However, I want to punch Peeta so bad because I know he's saying the right thing.
"She's not, Peeta. Look at her. Look at Cato. You know they're meant to be." Finnick says, Annie nods as an agreement. Katniss is still playing with her lasagna.
"What do you think, Kat?" Peeta looks over at Katniss, if there's anyone who can make her speak up her opinion, it's gotta be Peeta.
"I think it's none of our business, Peet. Leave the poor girl alone." she gives me a quick smile and I return it with a I-owe-you-a-big-time- look.
"Ah, you're not fun! Oke Fin, if they even are meant to be, why it's taking them so long just to be together? Really?" He looks to Finnick, who chooses to just keep quiet, since Cato looks like he's about to punch Peeta in the face. But before Cato has the chance to do anything, I yell at Peeta. Yes, I yell.
"Shut up, Peet!" I yell quite loud enough to draw everyone's attention at the cafetaria. I stomp my feet and leave, immediately. I just couldn't take it anymore.
Cato's POV
What the hell? First she's not paying attention to my words, and now she's walking out on Peeta just because he's teasing her. Eventhough I want to punch Peeta myself, it would've been just a playful punch. Oh, something is definitely wrong with her. I was just about to stand up and go after her, but Johanna catches my wrist.
"I got this." she says, and then she run a little, right where Clove went before.
Clove's POV
"Clove! Clove! Come on! Please stop, I can't walk as fast as you can and you know I can't run!" It's Johanna's voice. I slow down and finally turn around, as she puts her hand on my shoulder.
"Why are you so mad? Peeta was just teasing you, that's all. He's been doing it like forever, so why go mad now?" she asks. Looking through her dark eyes, I know I can't lie to her. Just not to her. So I spill it all out.
I was just cleaning up my History books, while looking at the door, waiting for Cato's figure to show up. We were not placed in the same History class which almost made him looked like he's about to rip someone's throat out, but he ended up accepting it, since I promise to be in the same class for every other subject I have. I giggled as I remembered how pissed off he was, by such a simple thing.
"Clove?" I looked toward to the owner of that voice. Oh, I know this guy. I think he's name is Tony or something. He has never speak to me before, so I think it was important.
"Yes?"
"I was wondering if.. if.. I don't know how to put this through." He blushed. No one ever blushed for me before. Not even Cato, yeah, I'm not that pretty kind of girl that makes you blush all the time.
"Hm? Just you know, say it."
"I was wondering if you would like to go to prom.. you know, with me?" As soon as he finished his sentence, he looked to the ground. Suddenly, the ground looked very interesting to me too, that I started staring at it. His voice sounds.. sincere. I was about to answer his question with a simple "no" because it was obvious who I'm going to prom with. But then Cato called me from the door, he almost yelled, which is annoying, but then it hit me, he hasn't ask me to go with him and I realized that I couldn't be with Cato forever, he should be able to have a girlfriend if it wasn't for me, I realized that I was being too strict about him, and that I should get out of his way, so he can live his own life with his own decisions. So, thinking I wouldn't do any harm, I looked at Tony and said,
"Sure! But I gotta go now, see ya." I added a simple smile before I left.
"Oh dear." The look Johanna gives me is not a good sign. It means she doesn't agree. It means what I did was wrong. But I have to stand up for my decisions.
"What? It's not like I did something wrong. But really, I walked out on Peeta simply because I know he was right. This best friend forever thing should stop.. right, Jo? Come on, Cato has so many girls waiting in line for him, but all I'm doing is blocking that line. I mean I don't want him, but I'm not letting anyone else have him, isn't that wrong? It's unfair." she sighs. But why? I think it's the right thing.
"So, what are you going to tell him? You can't hide it, you can't hide anything from him."
"I'm not hiding anything. I'm telling him, so that he can go with Sarah or someone else."
"What if all he wants is to go with you?"
"Then he should've ask me first. Before Tony." I raise my tone, and Johanna looks tired, she looks like she's tired of me.
"What is this about, really? You turned down every other guy beside this guy, Tony something. Do you even know his last name? Is this about who's being the first to ask? So just because Cato haven't ask you, it means that he's not going to? Maybe he thinks you both know that you're going together, again. I think of that. I didn't see any of this coming, Clo. Just to be honest." Johanna finishes her sentence, but when I realize I don't even know this Tony guy's last name, I know she has a point.
"Look, all I want is Cato to be happy. It's for his own good, we both know it, right?" I say to defend myself.
"I know you want Cato to be happy, but he's happy with you, in fact. Why can't you just let that be?" she asks. Dammit. This girl has a very sharp tongue and brain.
"Because all I'm ever gonna be is his best-friend. Nothing more, nothing less. And when Peeta started to say things he has no idea about, it gets into my nerves, and I had to leave before Cato sees me falling apart. Knowing he's right, if we're meant to be, it shouldn't take 9 years. Not that I have any feeling for him, but it's time to move on, seeing I don't stand any chance, not anymore, not after this time. " I say, with a heart-breaking smile. Johanna leans towards and give me a warm hug, as if she knows what I'm feeling right now. The school bell rings and I go straight to my class. Avoiding everyone I know.
And for the first time in many years, I walk home alone. No more a pair of icy blue eyes to watch over me.
Cato's POV
I couldn't sleep. These thoughts about Clove are really bugging me. First, she left me alone in the cafetaria. Well, I'm not exactly alone, but without Clove, I'd like to call myself alone. After that, I didn't see her anywhere, not even in her class. She didn't even bother to wait for me at the front door, after school like she usually does. We didn't even walk home together today. I remember that I slap myself earlier today, which hurts, so it's not a dream. But why today feels so strange?
And most of all, she's not replying any of my message, neither answering any of my calls. When I called her home, her mother said that she was sleeping, but she didn't know I could hear her voice saying, "Just tell him I'm sleeping! I'll explain later." I hang up, but that phone wasn't the only thing's hanging up now.
My feelings are hanging all over the place. I decide to give her another call before trying to sleep, again. This time, she picks up.
"What is it, Cato?" she says with her sleepy voice. Her voice calms me down, hearing her voice is the best medicine for my feeling.
"Where were you for the rest of the day? I was worried, you know. Not that you care." I say, demanding an answer.
"I'll explain it first thing in the morning, okay? But don't pick me up.. we'll see each other at school."
"No."
"What?" she is clearly confused by my answer.
"You can avoid me and go home alone without me, but you can't stop me from picking you up. What did I do, Clo? Did I mess up? What's the problem? What's my mistake? I've done so many things but you never, not ever, Clove, stop me from picking you up, eventhough we ended up walking in dead silence. I want to know what is going on, and I'm picking you up. Period." I press the disconnect button, and throw my cellphone across the room, knowing now, I won't be able to sleep during the night.
A/N What about 5 reviews for 5,000 words in the next chapter? :D
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