Cato
It's simulation day. For this Games, I've been put in District 7 with Clove. She straps me roughly into my virtual reality vest, and slaps my hand away when I try to help her. "Let's get this over with," she says, whipping her elaborate ponytail and putting on her goggles. We land on the metal plates in the 52nd Games, surrounded by hundreds of identical white houses under a black sky. "Ugh, Game 52. I hate this one," Clove complains from two plates away. She tugs at the hem of her ridiculous blue-and-white gingham dress. "It has its perks," I say, flexing and popping the top button of my flannel shirt.
"Quit, Blondie, we all have muscles," Clove says. "Yo, Cato! Allies?" Aydrianna says from just around the cornucopia. Clove pulls a ring off of her finger-the girl from that year's token-and chucks it at Aydrianna's plate. "No-" Aydrianna starts to yell. She's cut off by explosions. "Damn, Clove! She's gone!" Osprey says appreciatively. "Jeez, is everyone from the top twenty here?" I wonder aloud, looking around and seeing mostly familiar faces. "Yes, we are," I hear a familiar voice say angrily. Lisbet throws her token at me. I catch it right before it hits the ground around my plate. "Oh, almost! Y'know, you guys are going to get major points deducted," I say, sticking the silver medallion in my pocket.
"Five seconds," Clove says flatly. "Right." I turn to the cornucopia and plant my feet for running. The numbers flashing above the cornucopia reach zero, and we're off. I sprint to the horn, but am beaten by Clove, who grabs a handful of knives and throws me a spear. "On your left!" I yell at her. She turns and plants a throwing knife in Mayhem's throat, who disappears. "Got him! Psychotic blonde, three o'clock!"
"Y'know, these nicknames are bordering on ridiculous." I say with a grin as I spear Darstin.
"Bye, Darstin!" I say as she disappears. "Do you ever even talk to her?" Clove asks. "No, but maybe I'd like to!" I say, throwing a spear at Soren. Clove's knife hits first.
"Whoa, cheap shot!" I complain. Clove tries to hide a grin. "Surprise, I'm a psychotic brunette."
"Well, I knew that," I reply.
"Yeah, and you love it." Clove smirks at me.
"Hey, you know what just happened?" I ask her as we start to take stock of the food and weapons. "I just killed like five people and you got one?" she says, cracking open a bottle of cranberry juice. I shake my head and roll my eyes. "We were allies. Also, dude. Just drink water, it's not like the juice has any flavor in the simulation." Clove rolls her eyes. "More calories equals more points, Blondie. Grab your spears, we have to go hunting. Also, why the hell didn't you throw the token back at Lisbet? Now we have a vengeful enemy, and by the way, I'm still mad at you for killing DeShane. He didn't deserve it."
"Ha, you said we. And by the way, you should be impressed that I caught the token at all." I strap two swords to my back. Clove lifts the outer layer of her dress and shoves her knives in her petticoats. "Shut up and let's go, pretty boy," she says, striding off.
Clove
I set off into the streets, not bothering to be quiet. "All right. So there are exactly six identical secret rooms in each house," I say. "Yeah, you got the basement under the rug, attic trap door in a closet, bookshelves that open when you pull the book '52,' bathroom laundry chute is actually a slide to another basement, one of the gutters is a lever to open a wall, and…what's the last one?" Cato says. "That sink in the bathroom that when you turn the knob, the sink pulls away and reveals a crawl space." I say. "Right, and don't go in the flowers. Trees-the red ones are okay, but the green ones have tracker jackers." Cato says.
"You'd think they'd be the other way around," I say. Cato nods. "Oh! And there's that one car that changes houses every time," I say. Cato suddenly stops.
"You know, we never got the chance to talk about what happened during the countdown," he says, turning to me with a predatory smile. I shrug. "You pissed off Lisbet? No surprise there." I keep walking and try to stop my cheeks from heating up. Cato grabs my shoulder and turns me around. "Last I checked, Clover, you don't hate Aydrianna, yet as soon as she wanted to be allies with me you vaporized her."
I hit him on the shoulder. "I hate everyone. You know that. She's irritating, and I wanted her voice to stop." I turn and keep walking down the street. Cato follows. "You're jealous…" he says in a singsong voice.
"Do you even remember what happened at the party? Because as I recall, we beat the living shit out of each other. We can do that again, if you like. We can end this alliance right now. Let's go, let's duke it out right here." I pull a dagger out of my skirt and toss it up and down. Cato gets in front of me. "The reason we fought is because you were being a little bitch for no reason. You walked out of the party early, so as the host, it's my obligation to ask why. You didn't even let me say hello before you tore into me, and my brother." Cato's edging forward as he speaks. He bends over to put his face right up to mine. "If you ever, and I mean ever, insult my brother again, you're dead. I mean it. I will end your life." His eyes, icier than normal, bore into mine. I raise an eyebrow.
"Good luck with that, pretty boy." I push him out of the way and keep walking. "Hey, Amora and Talon just went to the other side of that roof over there," I point out.
I hear Cato twirl his spear. "Let's go."
Cato
Clove and I circle around to one of the houses next to the house that the tributes are hiding on. She puts a finger to her lips. I roll my eyes and mouth 'no, really.' She flicks my shoulder. I put my spear in my mouth, step up onto a window box filled with flowers, and pull myself up onto the roof. I stick a hand down to Clove and pull her up. She looks at them from behind the chimney. "They don't see us," Clove tells me in a low voice. I wet my finger and hold it up.
"We're downwind," I whisper. "Good. They're looking at the street-I'll get 'em," Clove murmurs, readying two knives. I grab her arm. "I've only killed one person so far. I'm getting them."
"No way! I saw them first!" she whispers. "You already got five people! I get to kill them!" I whisper back. "No! I'm going to do it!" she insists. "No, they're mine!" I throw my spear at the same time Clove throws her knives. Talon and Amora both scream and disappear. Our weapons fall and get stuck in the gutter.
"Damn," I whisper. "We don't have to be quiet anymore, Blondie. They're gone." Clove stands and runs to get our weapons back. I jump off the roof and roll when I hit the ground. "Spear," she says, tossing it to me. I catch it, and we go inside the house. "Remember, don't eat," I tell her, looking at a bowl full of appetizing fruit. She rolls her eyes. "Was I born yesterday? I know that." I grin and toss her a shiny red apple. "Here you go, Snow White." Clove cracks a smile. "A poisoned apple...doesn't that make you the evil queen?"
I bite my lip. "I was thinking more along the lines of...you're the fairest in the land." My fingers brush her neck and tug her ponytail. Clove's neck turns red. She slaps my hand away. "Shut up, Blondie. We've got a lot of ground to cover." She shoves me to the side and heads into the closet with the laundry chute. I follow, chuckling.
Clove
My heart is racing as I walk away and jump into the laundry chute. "Son of a bitch," I whisper through gritted teeth. My neck is tingling. I scratch it, trying to make the feeling go away. "I hear someone upstairs," he says behind me. "Yeah, what an idiot, walking around when they probably just heard the screams on the roof," I say. Somehow, it's hard to keep my voice steady.
"Wait. Could be a trap," Cato says. "What, does that change anything?" I say, pulling a knife out of my petticoats. "Let's spring it."
"I'll go up the ladder first," Cato says. I catch his arm. "Your weapons are all big. Also, you're not built for stealth." Cato looks at me. "Clover, you're literally wearing a checkered dress with petticoats. You look like Dorothy Gale."
"And you look like a farmer from ye olde ages with your bright red flannel shirt. We've established that this Games' costumes were horrible, now what?" I say, crossing my arms across the bow on my chest.
"Now, you let me go up first-and don't worry, my shirt won't be a problem." Cato winks at me and unbuttons it, tossing it at me. Do not, for the love of God, look at his chest. I crumple the shirt. "Whatever, Blondie." I catch a glimpse of him climbing up the ladder and immediately hear a yell, then silence. "Did you get the kid, Blondie?" I shout. There's no response, other than a pair of feet walking towards the ladder. "Hello? Don't tell me Lisbet already killed you." Still no response.
"Blondie?" I ask. "Did you really just die?"
"Surprise!" his blond head peeks through the trapdoor, smiling. "Were you actually worried that I just died? Is it getting too real, Clover?" Cato reaches over to the ladder to swing down, but the rung snaps. He crumples as he hits the ground and swears.
I burst out laughing and run toward him. "Ooh, is it getting too real for you? Are the pain simulators too much for your little head, golden boy?"
Cato grumbles and turns to face me. "Go fuck yourself."
I grin. "Don't threaten me with a good time."
Cato
Clove chucks my shirt over to me and saunters towards the ladder. "Nice," I say, watching her go up. She whips her head around and gives me the finger. I laugh. "Shut up, Blondie," she says, pulling herself up through the trap door. I toss my shirt aside. "Coming up!" I say. "Okay, so I'm thinking we hit the next few houses on this block, kill whatever kids we find. How many d'you think have been killed so far?" Clove's pacing through the living room, nonchalantly sharpening a dagger with the kitchen steel. "I mean, I've killed, let's see. Aydrianna, Soren, Tauriel, and a couple of people not in the top 20. Oh, and Mayhem. And just now, we got Talon and Amora. And you got someone. That leaves us with...about eleven of the top 20, including us. So thirteen left unless other people've died."
"The guy I just now killed was Raiden. Oh, I and think Osprey killed the other two who weren't in the top 20, so eleven," I put in. Clove nods, still sharpening her dagger. "Wait, didn't Raiden take out Saffron before I got him?" I think back. "I definitely remember his shirt being ripped. Why does he always rip his shirt?"
Clove looks at the clock on the wall of the kitchen. "Well, we've probably been in here for about an hour, maybe two? We've got to get out there and finish it up, we don't want a repeat of three years ago." I shudder. "Hey, we don't speak of that simulation. Shit, I almost starved to death for real."
Clove
It's not long before we run into familiar faces. Sage, Quigley, and Megara drop out of a tree as we're walking by and attack. "Well, if it isn't the three musketeers!" Cato taunts them. "And without their leader, how sad," I say, grabbing Quigley's hair and stabbing her in the jugular. Cato lands a shot in Megara's chest, and she disappears. "You're the only one left, Sage, and don't bother running. You know how far these knives fly," I say with a smirk. "Oh, but you forgot one thing, babe," Sage says, putting her hands up. "What? Oh, you've got an accomplice behind me, don't you? Is it Camellia?" I say. Sage disappears. "Stop talking to the tributes!" Cato chides me. "I mean, she was District Eleven, for Pete's sakes!"
I shove his shoulder. "Shut up, pretty boy."
Suddenly, my virtual reality goggles go dark. "What? What the hell?" I say, startled. I take off my goggles and see my stats scrolling down the big screen.
ALLIES-1
KILLS-9
CALORIES CONSUMED-200
POISON INGESTED-NONE
INJURIES SUSTAINED-3
PLACED-3RD
I look over at Cato, who looks just as confused as I do. I tap the screen to play my death scene. Cato puts his sword in Sage's back, reprimands me, I shove him, and… "Lisbet and Osprey! Those bitches! Who'd've thought?" Lisbet and Osprey throw an axe and sword at our backs at the same time onscreen. It plays over and over again, at different speeds, from different angles.
Cato
"I can't believe I got fourth place! I mean, what am I, Taeran?" I say angrily. Clove unstraps herself from her simulation suit. "Let's go see Osprey and Lisbet's fight to the death, eh?" she says. "If we hurry, we might catch the end!" Clove's out the door and in the hallway going towards the private room, where they play the simulation on the big screen for the trainers and the kids who die early. "Wait up!" I call after her, hurriedly getting out of the suit. "Keep up!" she calls over her shoulder. We reach the room full of kids from our Games just in time to see Lisbet and Osprey dueling.
"Nice. Think they'll bring out mutts, make it interesting?" Clove wonders. Osprey manages to chop off one of Lisbet's arms, but Lisbet does a one-handed cartwheel over to her severed arm, picks up her sword, and keeps fighting. "Hardcore," Clove says, nodding approvingly. I give her a sideways look. "What, I'm not allowed to appreciate? She gets her damn arm sliced off and just picks up her weapon and keeps going? I'd like to see you do that, pretty boy," she says, elbowing me.
"Kinky," I say with a smirk. She gives me a look. "Says the guy who, according to Quigley, Megara, and Camellia, is into whips and bondage."
"I don't even know what to say to that, other than I'm really running out of time to check off every girl in the top 20. I still haven't gotten Sage, and that crazy knife girl."
Clove bites her lip, smirking. "Do you ever wonder why Sage has never had a boyfriend? Think about that."
"Wait, what's that supposed to mean? Gimme a hint!" I say as she walks off to the bathroom.
"Just think about it!" Clove calls back to me. I look over at Sage, laughing with her muscular arms around Quigley and Camellia. "What is she talking about?" I mutter.
Clove
That evening, as I'm rolling out a cramp, I hear a knock on my door. "Blondie?" I ask as I walk over. I look through the peephole and it's Sage, nervously fiddling with a bouquet of flowers. I step back for a moment. "I...thought we were still fighting, but okay," I whisper. I swing the door open. "What's up?" I ask her.
"Hey. Er, these are for you." Sage thrusts the flowers at me.
"You remembered about the zinnias." I sniff the bouquet. "Here, come in. I'll go put these in water."
I come out of the kitchen to see Sage sitting on the edge of the couch with her hands in her lap. "Dude, why're you so nervous? You practically live at my house," I say, resuming rolling out my cramp.
"Look, Clove-would you mind sitting? I need to tell you something. It's-it's nothing bad, I promise." Sage twists her ring around her finger. I sit on the couch facing her. "What's up?"
She sighs. "Okay, here it is. Ever since you became training partners with Cato, I knew you two would get together. Y'all have this dynamic that nobody can ignore-hell, even Aydrianna's backed off him since you got on the scene. He's drawn to you, and you just love to roast him but everyone knows insults are flirting for you." She takes a deep breath. "Point is, I hate it. I've hated it from the very beginning, and I didn't realize why until that party while we were dancing. I-I think I have feelings for you, and not the kind I can ignore. I know this is a lot to just like, dump on you? So, I'm going to leave. But...call me. Please." Sage stands and walks out the door, and I deflate onto the couch. "Shit."
Well, it's not like she's not pretty. And you're best friends already. I lie back on my muscle roller.
Sage always did make your heart beat a little faster. You know it'd be great.
But is it the best idea to start a relationship with someone when the Games are only a few weeks away? If I won the Games, she'd be obligated to basically never break up with me, but if I lost, it'd break her heart. Also...I don't want to believe she's right about Cato. But what if she is? I can't help but go back through the past few days, when Cato and I have been mostly civil to each other. Well, except for when you tried to kill each other. But why was I even mad that night? My mind alights on the image of him with his tongue shoved down some girl's throat. Well.
I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts I don't even notice I'm cramp-free. I decide to go for a run.
Cato
Barely a few days pass after the local news gets wind that Clove and I are the appointed volunteers before we're called into the Academy office. "Clove. Cato. We've called you both in here so we can begin your intensive training to be on camera, interviewed, under pressure, and the like. It only gets worse from here on out. You will both be excused from training for today," says the Academy's publicity agent, Calliope. "But we already have those classes once a week, since like, forever," Clove says. I nod in agreement.
"Trust me when I tell you, the occasional filming that the Capitol does in here for documentaries is nothing compared to being in the Capitol. We're going to simulate that experience, by the end you should be more prepared to answer whatever questions they fire at you. The Reaping is in only twenty days. You two need, more than ever, to be on your A game. From here on out, all eyes are on you, unless you step down or die. Do you understand?" Calliope says sternly.
Clove and I exchange glances and nod. "So are we going to be using the simulators?" she asks.
"No, we're doing this all in real life. We've found that it works better that way."
Calliope grills us for hours on why we want to be a part of the Games, our specifications, our favorite weapons and terrain, and how suited we are to survive. "Now, remember. These questions will all be shouted at you from a million different reporters. You're going to have to prioritize which questions are most worth answering-the ones that will get you sponsors-and which ones aren't as important. You'll probably do a lot of joint interviews, and during those, you need to take turns speaking. I cannot stress this enough-it looks bad on camera if you talk over each other. Likely, most of your interviews will be separate, but you need to remember that for when you're together.
"You both also need to start working on your personas. You know the boring tributes don't get sponsors, so make sure that you work out what your relationship is, what your specific camera personality is, and whether you're going to play the power or sympathy card. Obviously, as District Two volunteers, you'll both be playing the power card, but Clove, you're small and cute enough that you might be able able to get away with perky, with a psycho edge. Only do that if you know you can keep it up until you either die or become a Victor, though. Something to think about. Just remember, though. Whether it's true or not, have. A. Good. Story. Make your story one the audience will pay to hear more of."
The rest of the week passes quietly, in the relative sense of the word. I'm still dealing with the occasional hateful stare for killing deShane, and the private lessons on being interviewed are taking their toll. But everything is going weirdly well, especially considering that the Games are now only two weeks away.
"Hey. Here." Clove walks up to me and hands me a paper bag. "What, you get me lunch?" I ask, unrolling the top. She snorts. "Majiga told me it was your birthday. Figured I'd get you something you can work on. Can't believe I'm older than you."
I pull out a silver dagger with a curved blade. "Small knives aren't exactly my style," I say, examining the sharp edge. "Yeah, 'cause you're bad at fighting with them. It's something you can work on. What if there aren't any swords or spears in this Games?" she asks me.
"I'll make a spear. Sharpen a tree branch."
Clove rolls her eyes. "Hey, if you don't want it, I do. It's a nice knife." She makes a grab for it, but I put it above my head. "No, I want it! Can't believe you got me a gift, it's almost like you care about me. I fully expect you to give me private lessons so I can work on my knife skills." Clove rolls her eyes. "You wish, pretty boy." I see her suppress a smile as she walks over to the ballet barre, ponytail swinging from side to side.
Clove
I catch Sage's eye from across the room and sign over to her, how are you? She looks away. I sigh and unwrap my pointe shoe ribbons from around my ankles. How long must this this go on?
"You know what? Come with me. We are going to go somewhere and talk," I say, grabbing Sage's arm and pulling her with me. "Wh-all right? I guess? I can't be gone for long, though, I have trainer auditions to prepare for," she says. I walk into a racquetball room and sit cross legged. "Please, you're number five, you'll get a trainer position. Now, sit." I point to the glossy hardwood floor. Sage reluctantly sits across from me.
"Okay, so I get that this is super awkward for you, it's been days and I haven't given you an answer. The thing is, I just feel like any answer I give you right now wouldn't be fair to you, because I leave for the Games in a couple weeks," I say. Sage rolls her eyes. "I literally could not care less about how "fair" it is to me," she says, sketching quotation marks in the air with her fingers. "What I care about is whether you have feelings for me. Just tell me. Do you?"
Her green eyes bore into mine. I look away. "You know I do, Sage, I always have," I say quietly. "But you're always so joking about everything. When you flirt with me, I don't know if you do it for fun or not. You flirt with everyone."
"Clove, I jokingly flirt with you because you're Clove. You're the best trainee the Academy has, like, ever seen, you don't care what other people think at all, you'd kill someone like that-" she snaps her fingers- "if it meant you'd get to be a tribute-I'm just...well, you could do a whole lot better than me. But, hey, now I know you like me. So just...well, I don't know. Make a decision. And make it soon." She stands and straightens her shorts.
I watch her walk out of the racquetball room with a mounting sense of anxiety.
Cato
I get to the District's official news office only a few minutes after Clove does. She's already dressed in a red dress and black flats. "Ready for this interview?" I ask, going behind a silkscreen and letting the attendants dress me in a tuxedo. "Please, I'm going to slay this interview. Are you ready, golden boy?" she asks me.
"You know, I read a psychology article the other day, about how people sometimes hide their sadness with dark humor, sarcasm, and general prickliness. Sounds a lot like you, Clover," I say, poking my head above the screen and raising my eyebrows at her. She catches my eye in her mirror. "Wait, you know how to read? I'm shocked," Clove says. I roll my eyes and duck back down. "Calliope's going to hate it if you're like that during the interview. Why don't you try being cute and preppy like she suggested?"
"Why don't you try being quiet like she suggested? And youknow I'm cute," Clove says. "I'm a bitch because it's fun."
"I think you've got a good personality somewhere under all that bluster. You put up a good front, but somewhere inside..." I shrug on the suit jacket and come out from behind the screen. "There's a terrified girl who's just trying to make her way in the world," I say mockingly.
Clove laughs. "You can't just say things and expect them to be true, Blondie." She stands at the prompting of her hairdresser, who waves me over. "Have fun getting your hair done."
Clove
Just outside the dressing room is Calliope and the host of the show Cato and I are about to go on. "Andromeda Pierce! What an honor!" I say, offering my hand. She takes it with both of her hands. My heart skips a beat when she smiles, white teeth flashing against dark skin. "It is an honor to meet you, Clove Kentwell. You are as beautiful as your pictures." I blush. "Uh, I-thank you," I say breathily.
"Ah, here's the other one!" Calliope says when Cato comes through the door.
"Cato! It is so nice to meet another one of the Hadley clan. You are every bit as handsome and positively huge as your father and brother." Andromeda shakes his hand. "I just wanted to meet the both of you before we go on-screen, and you two look amazing. The matching outfits are just darling." She walks away, skirts swishing.
I'm pulled out of my reverie with a sudden realization. "Wait, matching outfits?" I exclaim.
Cato
Clove turns to me, scowling. She grabs my lapel and holds it up to her dress. "No way. We match. Great." She rolls her eyes and releases me sharply, throwing her hands up in disgust.
"I think you look great in red, it's my favorite color," I murmur close to her ear. She shoves her elbow into my ribs. "Shut up, Blondie!"
"Ack! That hurt!" I say, laughing.
We're ushered to the wings. An attendant clips a tiny microphone to my shirt. Clove covers her own and leans over. "Nervous?" she asks.
"Nah, I had to do these interviews during the seventy-first Games, it's no big," I say.
"Oh, I forgot about that. Wait, weren't you like, super skinny then?" she says, hitting me with her shoulder. I scoff. "I have never been skinny in my life."
"Oh my god. You were a string bean, weren't you? You weren't even in the top twenty! Didn't you look like an old-era boy band reject?" Clove laughs, elbowing me again. "Time to go," says the attendant, nudging us toward the stage. "Ooh, gotta go, too bad we can't continue this riveting discussion," I say, adjusting my cuffs and walking toward the stage.
"Oh my god, after this? I am finding that footage. Mark my words, Blondie. Wait, I get to go first, if the audience sees you they'll leave!" Clove insists, shoving me aside and walking onstage. "Bossy," I mutter. I walk after her, unable to stop smiling.
Clove
"So, I understand the both of you are descendants of victors?" Andromeda says. "Yeah, my great-granddad won Games number two. And he died when I was only five, so it's not a huge deal to me," I say. "Oh, yes. You haven't lived in the Victors' Village since you were a toddler, is that right?" Andromeda asks me.
"That's true. The only memory I have from it is when, during the holidays, the Capitol shipped in a giant tree, and it smelled so nice. I broke a lot of the ornaments," I laugh.
"I bet you still break a lot of ornaments," Cato says. I whip my head around. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Cato smirks. "You missed."
"Missed...what?" Andromeda asks. I roll my eyes and smile. "So, I always wear a ponytail. Like, every day. And I have this move that I do...like, this." I whip my head around. "And usually, my hair hits whoever I'm closest to."
"And Cato seems to be used to it-is he the person you're closest to most often?" Andromeda asks, smiling slightly. I flush. "I-I'm not-we're not-"
"We're training partners," Cato says. I look down at the navy fabric of the sofa we're sitting on. Please don't joke, please don't, don't, don't, don't... "We're in close quarters a lot, when we fight her signature moves are spin kicks and ponytail whipping." I release the breath I didn't know I was holding.
"Oh, sure, and your signature moves are being a dundering idiot and that dumb smirk you do." I kick him in the shin, grinning. He raises his eyebrows. "Of course, that's not the only time we're in close quarters."
Cato
Clove's eyes widen. She quickly laughs. "He's talking about the ballet classes we all take. Since we're training partners, we do pas de deux together sometimes."
"Nice save," I whisper. "Shut up," she mutters.
"Well, I have to say, you two are positively adorable together. You two are the closest pair of tributes I think I've ever interviewed. I know you'll be performing in the pre-Games performances together. Will you be dancing, singing, performing? Something else?" Andromeda says.
"Well, I know he's going to be singing!" Clove says. "He just loves singing old-era songs."
"Actually, we're singing and dancing a duet." I put my arm on the back of the sofa. Clove flushes. "I mean, nothing's set in stone yet. Didn't you want to do a solo dance in the nude?" she says, turning to me.
"Only because you asked me to," I say, winking.
Clove turns to Andromeda. "He lost a bet."
I slide my arm down so it wraps around her shoulders. "Oh yeah, she bet me I couldn't get her to go on a date with me."
Clove
"Oh my god, why would you say that?" I say as Cato and I head back to the dressing room.
"Because it is just so fun to see you sweat," Cato says, smirking.
"Uh, a dancing and singing duet? Watch, someone's going to make us sing a duet for the pre-Games performances and now all of District Two probably thinks we're a couple." I bury my face in my hands.
"No, they don't. Everyone knows we're complete opposites, we couldn't ever date. You're so..." Cato trails off. I frown. "So...what? Is there an end to that sentence?"
"Oh, here we go," Cato mutters. "Get lost, Hadley," I snap. I speedwalk to the dressing room and shimmy back into my workout leggings. Cato arrives just as I'm leaving.
"Look, Clove, I didn't mean-"
"No, don't worry about it. I wouldn't want to bother you by being so..." I check the time on my phone and slip it into my pocket.
"Clover-"
"Don't talk to me," I say, slipping back through the door.
Cato
I stand there, slightly stunned. "Women, am I right? Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em," says the attendant helping me out of my suit jacket. "I can handle getting dressed, thanks," I say, stepping behind the screen and seeing Clove's discarded dress and shoes on the floor. "Hey, when will the interview air?" I ask.
"Should air at eight tonight. They're clipping it up in the editing room as we speak. Hey, I thought you two filmed some really good stuff out there-definitely put out a new and different angle. We've never seen two tributes with so much pent-up tension between them before. Should get a lot of sponsors once it reaches the Capitol!" says the attendant.
"Right, sure, whatever. Any way I could get them to take some of the drama out?" I ask.
"Ha, no way. The more drama, the better. You could try, but it won't happen."
"Great. Thanks."
After an oddly unsatisfying jog home, I see Aydrianna sitting on my couch watching TV. "Do you need something?" I say, walking past her. "So cold, warm up a little," she says. Aydrianna catches up to me and puts her arms around me. "You know, your show'll be on in thirty minutes. Let's watch it! You look great on-camera," she cajoles.
I roll my eyes. "Fine. But you're not going to like it."
Clove
"Sage! Sage, open up!" I hammer on the front door of one of the biggest houses not in the Victors' Village. The door swings open. "Miss Kentwell, Sage is not here." Sage's maid stands there, looking at me disapprovingly.
"Wh-then tell me! Where the hell is she?"
"She asked me specifically not to tell anyone. Good-bye now." She closes the door.
"Oh, Sage," I murmur. "You've had the same hiding place since you were fourteen."
"Sage!" I yell. "Sage! I ran all the way to the park to see you, don't let me down now!"
I clamber up the undersized ladder to the playground's clubhouse. "Look, Clove, I'm really not in the mood," Sage says softly. I look over, and see her sitting in the plastic tube reading a book. "Girl, how do you even fit in there? You're like six feet tall."
I get in next to her. "What book?"
"It's about a woman whose mom is a prostitute, and she's trying really hard not to follow in her footsteps. Then she falls in love with her best friend-anyway, it's old-era,and really good." Sage closes the book and puts it in her lap. "So, why're you here?"
I sit facing her, trying to look as dignified as possible despite sitting in a red plastic tube. "I came to tell you I made my decision."
Cato
"Soooooo...are we going to talk about it?" Aydrianna says. It's been a few minutes since we watched the interview-neither of us has spoken.
I get up and pour myself a drink. "Bout what?"
"Ugh, my god. Would you quit with the monosyllabic bullshit? I'm talking about-whatever that was. God, you two were all over each other! You'd think you two were like, sleeping together, or dating, or whatever. Point is, I'm not going to take this anymore. Am I just a game to you? I could be with so many other people right now. I am number nine in the whole district, I could have almost anyone, yet I'm still here. Well? Answer me! Am I just a game?" She stands, arms crossed.
I drop a few ice cubes in the glass and swirl it around, then take a sip. "I was under the impression that you didn't care. You came onto me, remember? We're not dating, we just fuck."
Aydrianna seems to deflate. "Sure, we just fuck." Her voice breaks. "Look, I'm not going to pretend that I don't have feelings for you. I think I always have. But if you don't feel the same...I guess it's just time for me to move on." She picks up her jacket and leaves.
Clove
"So...that was unexpected," Sage says, planting a kiss on my hair. "Not for me," I say, pulling her arm tighter around me. "I've liked you for a long time."
"Well, I knew that. You're not exactly subtle. I mean, you only ever did seven minutes with me during truth or dare." Sage snorts.
"Hey, I could've not accepted the dares. Would that've been better?" I ask.
"Well, if you like, since we're not fighting anymore, we can do a truth or dare session this Friday-so tomorrow," Sage suggests. I turn in bed to face her. "Hey. Just-promise me something. Don't watch the interview. I said some dumb stuff, I don't want you to see it."
She kisses me gently. "Sure, I promise. I trust you."
To say the morning after is strange is an understatement. Sage and I walk in together, and it's not like everyone gasps on cue, but there's a notable shift in energy. Megara, Quigley, and Camellia arrive a few minutes after we do, and pull us into a racquetball room. "So, you need to fill me in. What happened with you two? Last I checked, we were fighting, and y'all two walk in here together like everything's fine?" Megara says. I laugh. "Well, I'm leaving in thirteen days. It's about time we stopped fighting and got together, otherwise I'll be too famous for you guys."
Sage laughs and gives me a side hug. "Well...I think it's great!" Camellia says. She envelopes both of us in a hug. "Oh, I guess we're group hugging now," I say as Quigley and Megara crowd in. They all laugh.
The door opens abruptly. "Clove? I need to talk to you."
"Aydrianna? What d'you want?" I ask.
"Oh, the whole posse's here? Well, I guess that works too. Look, Clove, I'm pissed at Cato. I've been up all night thinking of ways to get back at him, and I wasn't totally sure whether you were going to be with me or against me, but now that I see you guys are done with being mad at Clove, I know I don't have to blackmail you." Aydrianna runs a hand through her blonde braids. "That came out wrong. I wasn't planning on blackmailing you-but it's just easier that you're not on his side."
I close my eyes and sigh through my nose. "Okay, I guess the group hug's over. So. You're pissed at the golden boy. As luck would have it, I'm also pissed at him. Guess that does make us allies, for now. Enemy of my enemy."
Aydrianna grins. "Great."
Cato
"So...dude. What could've happened between that interview and now?" Taeran asks me. I look over at Clove's group, talking and laughing while lifting weights. For some reason, Aydrianna's now a part of it, giving Quigley a fishtail braid. "Yeah, I honestly have no idea," I say. "I thought that group was history-I mean, she doesn't need friends anymore, now that she's got fans. It's not like their cute little clique'll last much longer."
"I dunno, they have Aydrianna...that means they're plotting something." Taeran says uneasily.
"Why're you worried? They don't have a vendetta against you. This'll be for me and me only. And it's not like they're hard to rattle. I just need to get Clove to talk to me." I catch Megara's eye, who gives me the stink eye and puts her free hand on Clove's knee.
"Like, I didn't do anything. I know it's weird, but believe me, I didn't say anything remotely cruel to Clove. And I just told Aydrianna that we weren't a couple and were just fucking." I throw a spear into the heart of a dummy from twenty yards.
"Wow, you're oblivious," Taeran tells me. "You really said that to Aydrianna and expect her to not want your head on a pike? I mean, the odds are pretty in her favor, but I have a feeling she wants to speed up the process. She's with Clove's clique to mess with your head, and it is definitely working." Taeran throws his spear, hitting a moving dummy in the head.
"None of this matters. What does matter is that the Games are in less than a month. She'll have to talk to me before then." I pick up two spears and throw them both at once.
"And that won't matter if she's still mad at you. Whatever it is, you're going to have to fix it if you care about your relationship at all," Taeran says.
"I don't. I just want to win, and she'll be a powerful ally." I walk to grab my spears from the targets.
Clove
"So. Aydrianna. You made it into our Truth or Dare game, that means you participate," Quigley says mischievously, pushing her red fishtail braid over her shoulder and leaning in close to her.
"All right. I've heard about this. How many of the rumors are true?" Aydrianna asks.
"Well, we do all get drunk," Megara says. She walks out from behind the bar, two martini glasses in hand. She gives one to me.
"And yes, we all like girls. Most of us like boys too, though," Camellia says.
"So, newbie. Truth or dare?" Sage asks her.
"I'm going with truth." Aydrianna gets up and pours herself a drink.
"Oh, just so you know. New person makes drinks. Top me off," Meg orders. Aydrianna frowns.
"Or, you could leave. That's fine too," I say, taking a sip. "Nice cosmo, Meg, you're improving."
"Thanks, babe. Up to you, newbie. Play waitress or leave," Megara says.
Aydrianna pointedly picks up a cocktail shaker. "So what's my question? I picked truth."
"Ooh, I've got one!" Quigley says. "Which one of us are you most attracted to?"
Aydrianna shrugs. "I mean, I'm not really into girls? I mean, I guess you, Quigley. I've got a thing for redheads, I guess." She takes a sip of her drink. "Megara? Glass."
She tops off Meg and sits back in the circle. "Who's next?"
"That'd be me! I pick dare, hit me," Quigley says.
"Spicy. I dare you to make out with Aydrianna," Camellia says.
Cato
I manage to corner Saffron in the bathroom after lunch. "All right, you're Sage's twin. What's going on with Clove? What are they all planning?" I ask him. "Dude. They're not planning anything. Relax, this isn't Game of Thrones, they're teenage girls."
"Game of...oh, that old-era show. Dude, just watch Hunger Games reruns like a normal person. Now, what are they planning? Tell me, or I tell your boyfriend all about that party last summer-I still have photos of you and Raiden looking way too close for Orion's comfort. Now. What exactly is Clove's clique planning? And don't leave anything out, or your precious Orion's history."
"Jeez, dude. You didn't need to bust out the big guns for this one, they're not planning anything big. They're just going to put one of your prepubescent selfies on a projection screen at your next party. Are we done?" Saffron looks in the mirror and musses his hair. "When, tomorrow? The Saturday before the Games? And which one?" I ask. "The party a week before the Games, and I don't know. Would you like me to ask?" Saffron says condescendingly.
"Don't patronize me. You're sure that's all?" I say.
"Yes, Blondie. Loosen up."
"Don't call me that." I turn to Taeran, studiously pretending to not be listening at the last sink. "God, the gay twin is always annoying."
"I'm not the only gay twin!" Saffron shoots back as he walks out the door, hitting the top of the door frame.
Clove
"Oh, please. The rules specifically say that we don't have to perform together. We're not going to perform together, and that's that," I say to Calliope.
"Ah, but you are. You see, you two are well-known, and that's great. Well-liked, though? That's another story. You two can use all the good will you can get, especially since you've both allegedly murdered fellow Academy trainees before. Not to mention, that interview cemented you two as a potential couple. Cato specifically said you were singing and dancing a duet. And the slot for both of you is five minutes long this year-that's not nearly enough for two performances. You're performing together, and that's that," Calliope says.
There's a knock at her office door. "Come in!" she says. In walks Cato. "Really? You had to get him in here. I'm not happy with him right now," I say to Calliope.
"Are you ever happy with me?" Cato says, sitting in the chair next to mine. Calliope stands. "Well, it's time for me to go. I'm going to lock you in, and you're going to work out your differences. Understand? I'll be back in an hour, and if you're still mad at each other, I'll keep you in here longer. You two had better appreciate me, because no tribute publicity manager ever pays attention to their tributes' mental health."
"Wait-you can't leave us in here together!" I protest. "But I can! See you two in an hour!" Calliope says, smiling as she closes the door. I hear her wedge a chair under the handle.
"Whatever, I can handle an hour, it'll be longer during the Games," I say, crossing my legs and sitting back in my chair.
"So why exactly are you mad at me?" Cato asks me.
Cato
"Well, you insulted me, I got mad, and here we are, et voila," Clove says sarcastically.
"When did I insult you? The last time we talked was at the interview, and then after the interview you just got cold and ran off without even yelling at me-rare." I run a hand through my hair and sit back in my chair.
"I don't need to yell to get my point across," Clove says, examining her fingernails.
"That's what I'm trying to understand here! What is your point?" I ask. "Let's walk back through the conversation, where exactly did I set your psychotic tendencies off?"
"I said that everyone in the district might've thought we were a couple. You countered that by saying that we were too different-I believe you then said 'you're so...' what? What were you going to say? I'm so what?" Clove asks, facing me.
"Is that what you're mad about? Oh, wow. Yeah, it's all coming back to me now, that's when you ran away-" I come to a realization. "Are you mad because I said we were too different to be a couple?" I smirk at her.
"Shut up, Blondie. What was the end of that sentence?" Clove asks. She keeps the glowering scowl on her face, but her cheeks turn pink.
"Huh. I never knew that was how you felt. Would've made training easier."
"What? The only thing I'm feeling for you right about now is annoyance. What was the end of that sentence?" she asks. I rock back in my chair, smirking.
"I don't have to answer any of your questions right now, you have a crush on me! I don't believe it, after all those years of being Cold Knife Girl you finally thaw, and for me. I am truly flattered, Clover. Honestly, I feel all warm and fuzzy inside." I laugh as Clove kicks me in the leg.
"You know what, Blondie? You have zero proof that that's true. Besides, you're the one who kissed me at that party!" She cocks an eyebrow at me with a smug smile. I look at her, mildly surprised. "And here I was, thinking you blacked out that night and didn't remember."
"More like hoped. I remember everything." Clove says, kicking her feet up on Calliope's desk. "By the way, we still have forty-five minutes till she comes back, so let's talk songs."
"Wait, everything? So you remember when you said you got scared of me sometimes?" I say smugly.
Clove flips her ponytail over her shoulder. "Oh, that I don't recall."
Clove
It's so abrupt, the rehearsing of not only interviews, but our performance. And it's not easy. Cato and I have fallen into a sort of rhythm, fight, rehearse, eat. Fight, rehearse, eat. We're fitted for costumes-red, skimpy, and sparkly. We become so familiar with each other, it's almost weird when I get a few hours to myself. I hardly spend any nights at home-Sage takes me in, since my mom is gone constantly. I feel so guilty that I'm spending most of my time with my begrudged ally instead of my girlfriend, but Sage assures me that I more than make up for it at night.
"It's weird, isn't it? In just eight days, I'll be in the Capitol and I'll have to video call you instead of seeing your pretty face in real life," I say one morning as we're walking to the Academy.
"It'll all be worth it. I mean, the Games'll only last, like what, a month? Maybe two at the most? If you miss me too much, just like, send me a signal and I'll send you a sponsor gift. Maybe get you a protein bar or something." Sage squeezes my hand.
"That is so sweet. What should the sign be? Like, it has to be unique, since literally everyone here speaks sign language." I lean into her, a feeling of contentment washing over me as we pass under a weeping willow tree. "Maybe something like...something completely unlike you. Like, find a flower and pick all the petals off or something," Sage says, laughing. "Oh, my god. Can you even imagine? 'She loves me, she loves me not?' A tribute from District 2 suddenly goes soft during the Games," I laugh.
"Hey, Clove! Sage! What's up with you? Nice day, huh?" Aydrianna says, falling into step beside us. "Hey! We all set for the prank on Hadley tonight?" Sage asks her. "Totally. Got a nice prepubescent selfie of him-" she takes out her phone and shows us a shirtless picture of Cato when he was skinny- "and got Taeran to hack into his projector so we can put whatever we want up there."
My stomach churns uncomfortably. I've been on such good terms with Cato lately-I almost don't want to jeopardize our relationship. Well, it's not like it could get any worse than literally trying to kill him, says a voice in my head. "Can't wait! I have to do tribute stuff, see you girls later!" I say, pecking Sage on the cheek and running off to the offices.
Cato
"Nice of you to finally show up," I say when Clove comes through the door. She frowns. "I'm literally only-" she takes out her phone and checks the time- "I'm on time, pretty boy. How long have you been here waiting for me? Have you no life?"
"Don't start, you two," Calliope says, looking up from the papers on her desk. "As you both know, the pre-Games show is six days away. Time for honing. Time for perfecting. Time to stop with your childish arguing and get down to business!" she claps her hands on the papers. "Lady and Gentleman, it is time. For dress rehearsal!" she exclaims.
"Now. There will be two dress rehearsals, one on Tuesday, one on Wednesday. Thursday you'll get the night off, but Cato, you are not throwing a party. In fact, to ensure you are both...in the right frame of mind, you'll be having a prep night in the Justice Building, where you'll be performing the following day. There will be plenty of healthy food and vocal chord-preserving drinks, some from the Capitol. You'll each be assigned a personal assistant, who will attend to your each and every need, from tomorrow all the way up to when you both get on the train. They will serve as trainer, dietician, public relations manager, and general life coach. Do you both understand?" Calliope clicks her annoyingly long blue nails on her desk.
"You want us to obey the commands of some nobody for a whole week?" I say, disgruntled.
"If they tell me how I should be working out? I'm going to strangle them." Clove crosses her arms. I have to suppress a laugh.
"Something funny, Blondie?" she says.
"Just you trying to look intimidating. It's funny, you're just too cute," I say, smirking.
"You wanna be the first face in the sky?" she retorts.
I lower my voice till it drags on the ground before saying, "Do you?"
She rolls her eyes, smirking. We turn back to Calliope. "Are you quite finished?" she says drily. "Look, just be glad you're getting the PA after Mr. Hadley's big farewell party tonight. I knew they'd be able to do little to none of their duties while you get out your last hurrah before you officially become tributes. You'd better enjoy it, because it'll be your last party till the Games. Nobody ever benefited from going into the Games with alcohol and drugs in their system."
Clove
As I get ready for the party that night, meticulously dusting blush and shimmer on my cheeks, slipping into the red dress from my mother's closet, I'm gripped with a sense of finality. It's almost like I miss District 2 even before I leave. I know it's a ridiculous feeling, but it doesn't leave until the group comes to pick me up in Sage's limo. "Last time we all go to one of the golden boy's parties together!" I say as I hold up my phone for a selfie of the group. Camellia, Megara, Quigley, Sage, and Aydrianna all lean in, and I realize what I've said is completely true. By the next party in District 2, Cato or I-or even both of us!-will be dead. Cato and I will never again have a shot contest, or a clandestine, drunken kiss behind a sofa. I remember the latter moment with a guilty flip of my stomach. I settle back against the cool leather seat, but my mind is full of chaos. Could I possibly have been pushing Cato away this whole time because subconsciously, I knew I wouldn't be able to hold back if I let myself have feelings for him? Could our whole dynamic be based on the mutual understanding that we could never work, because if only one of us died, the other wouldn't be able to live with the pain?
"Earth to Clove. We're here, hon," Camellia says. Sage is holding the door open for me, and I feel a twinge of guilt. Sage is so sweet, but was the foray into romance with her a mistake? Did I elevate our relationship just so I had somewhere to divert the feelings I now know I have for Cato?
I smile and take Sage's hand. What if Cato doesn't have feelings for me? He did kiss me once, but how do I know whether that was just because of the alcohol or something more?
We walk up to the house that's already full of people and shaking from the loud music. "I'm going to go find the host," I say.
"Good idea! Make sure he's in the ballroom so he sees the projection screen!" Aydrianna calls after me.
Cato
This is the last party I'll throw before the Games, which meant I had to top every single party I've ever thrown. Looking around the ballroom, I can see that I have. There are more people here than I ever thought possible-people on the balconies, in the pool, even a few on the roof. Everyone's dancing, drinking, laughing, and singing along to the song that's almost completely unintelligible, given how loud it is. It doesn't matter. Tonight is a night that will undoubtedly go down in history.
Someone grabs my arm. I turn, about to get mad, but it's Clove. "Whoa, you came!" I shout. She shakes her head-she can't hear me. Clove points to one of the doors to the outside. I nod and start to follow her, but her group encircles us. The music suddenly shuts off, which is followed by angry shouting.
"Hi! Hello! I have an announcement to make! Everybody shut up!" Aydrianna's voice booms out of the speakers. I look over at the sound booth and see the DJ, passed out on the ground while Aydrianna holds the mic. Clove and I exchange glances and start towards her. "Before the host throws me out, I think there's something he'd like to see!" Aydrianna says. She locks eyes with me and points to the screen.
I look up, and there's Clove, sitting across from Sage in a racquetball room. "What I care about is whether you have feelings for me. Just tell me. Do you?" asks Sage. The image of Clove hesitates. I look over at the real Clove. Her face is stuck in an open-mouthed expression of horror.
"You know I do, Sage, I always have," Clove's voice echoes over the loudspeakers. The image changes to one of Clove in Sage's arms. The two of them are whispering to each other and laughing quietly. They kiss. The image changes again to one of-"Oh, my god. Aydrianna!" Clove shouts. It's Clove and I sitting behind a sofa in my living room, a blanket tented over our heads. "Oh, shit," I mutter. I look at Clove, and at the same moment, we book it to Aydrianna.
"Shut that off!" Clove orders as we approach her.
"Gotta go now! Enjoy!" Aydrianna says into the mic. She jets out of the sound booth and is lost in the crowd in an instant.
"What? But you're so pretty! You're prettier than all the girls at this party!" my voice, slightly slurred and muffled by the blanket, comes blaring out of the speakers.
"You're lying."
Clove and I reach the sound booth and are presented with a vast array of buttons.
"I don't lie."
"Where's the off button? There has to be an off button!" Clove says frantically.
Clove
"I don't know where the off button is! I'm from District 2, remember?" Cato replies, going to the fallen DJ and shaking him.
"You told like, every single trainer that Franklin killed himself."
"That was one time! I would never lie to you."
"This has to be it!" I slam my hand down on an inviting red button. Mercifully, the screen goes dark.
"Oh my god," I say, relief washing over me.
"Hey man-sorry you got knocked out-I'll double your pay if you can get the party going again," Cato says to the stirring DJ. "Triple it, and you've got a deal," the guy says.
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Cato says. I move out of the way of the DJ, who starts a song. The screen goes back to playing highlights of the Hunger Games over the years. Cato shuts the door of the booth, effectively blocking out most of the sound. "That was a close one," I say. I run a hand over my hair.
"Not quite. How long have you and Sage been together?" Cato asks me. An invisible vise wraps around my throat. "Well-" I choke out.
"So the rumors are true. They're true! I don't believe this. This whole time! You've been leading me on, and you were with number five the whole time!"
"I haven't been leading you on, are you fucking delusional?" Clove says. "Wait, you thought I was leading you on...do you like me? Are you kidding? Is this whole thing just because-"
"Oh, shit," I hear the DJ say. The screen changes to an image of Aydrianna talking into a camera. I open the door to hear what she's saying.
-"told you I got someone to hack into the projector! Anyway, here's the video I was showing you earlier before I was so rudely cut off!" Aydrianna says, smiling gleefully.
"I don't believe you."
"Why not?" I see drunk me attempt-and fail-to sit up straight.
"Shut it down!" Clove orders the DJ.
Cato
"I'm trying! She's controlling it remotely from her phone! There's nothing I can do at this point," he responds.
"You're a liar. You can't prove that you're telling the truth, so I-don't-believe you." Clove is glaring at me, both in the video and in real life.
"Cato here! Shut off projector!" I shout, desperately attempting to activate the security system. "It's happening, Blondie," Clove says. She crosses her arms and looks stoically at the video playing for the whole District to see.
"You want me to prove that I think you're beautiful? Fine." And, blown up huge, I see myself lean in and kiss Clove.
"Initial shock's going to wear off soon. I'm leaving, have fun trying to get these people out of your house, Blondie," says Clove. She's out of the sound booth and gone in a second.
"That's all for now! Cato, you can have the controls back," Aydrianna says. She blows a kiss into the camera, and the Games highlights resume.
Sure enough, I look out of the sound booth and see people looking all over-they're looking for me. A few nearby saw me come in here-they're already looking at me, some with their phones videoing everything.
"Son of a bitch." I take a breath. "The show must go on."
I walk out of the sound booth only to be accosted by Sage, with Camellia, Megara, and Quigley in tow. The music's already too loud to be heard, so Sage signs at me 'This is for kissing my girlfriend, you motherfucker!' and punches me in the face, slamming me back against the sound booth door.
Clove
"Well, if it's any consolation, last night was the best party you've ever thrown," I say to Cato as we take our lunch break the next day. "The pizzazz. The drama. The sheer amount of people who showed up. And now, it's not just us who's famous, Sage is too!"
"Wait, you're still with her?" he asks.
"Course! You see, in that video of us kissing, it was mostly from you, and as I pointed out to her, it was before we were together. So you know. You and Aydrianna's cheap attempt to break us up didn't work. You two deserve each other." I look up from my phone to give Cato a smug smile. "Your move, golden boy."
"I...you think I teamed up with Aydrianna to break you up? I didn't even know you and Sage were dating until last night, and Aydrianna hasn't so much as talked to me since she joined your little clique."
"I don't believe that for a second, try again," I say. I examine my nails.
"You know I'm not a liar," Cato says.
I raise my eyebrows without looking up. "Thought we agreed never to speak of that night again. And yes, you literally are."
"I'm hurt," Cato says sarcastically.
"If you think we're going to repeat that scene, we're not. I can't believe I kissed someone for the first time behind a couch." I take a bite of my sandwich.
"As opposed to what? Kissing someone for the first time on a balcony, while fireworks go off?" Cato says. I give him a look.
"You're going to have to stop being mad at me at some point. By the way, you have no concept of what a first kiss should even be like. I mean, I've kissed less than ten people in all my eighteen years of living. And you've got half the female population of District 2 under your belt. I bet you can't even do the notch in your belt system!" I start to laugh. "I bet you have to use your bedposts! And once you ran out of space you had to start going over the old ones! What's your bed look like, is it completely torn apart?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Cato replies.
I put up my hands. "All right, all right. I'll back off. But seriously. Kissing someone is romantic. It's a moment of vulnerability between two people, and it's beautiful."
"I think I'll only understand if you teach me," Cato says. My cheeks flush. "Oh, fuck off," I say, flipping him off.
Cato
I call Aydrianna right after we're finished training for the day-it's the middle of the night, but I'm sure she's awake. "What's up, Cato?" she says.
"Why'd you do it?" I ask her.
"Oh, ruin you emotionally? Because it was fun," she says. I hear her laugh. My hand tightens around my phone. Do not crush another phone, don't do it, says the voice in my head. I take a breath. "First of all, you didn't. Why'd you try to break up Clove and Sage with that video? What'd Clove ever do to you, thought you were tight."
"Oh, sweetie. I'm not done. Anyone can leak some silly videos. And I've hated Clove ever since she showed up. You ever heard the saying, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned? Hell hath no fury like me. I know Sage and Clove are still together, and you're mad at her. Really, though, she didn't do anything wrong. You'll forgive her eventually. But will she forgive you, after she finds out what happened to Sage?"
The line goes dead. "Wait-!" I exclaim, to no avail. "That bitch," I mutter, speeding up and breaking into a run. I hear the sirens before I even get into the Victors' Village. I get onto my street and see an ambulance in front of Sage's house. Her maid is outside talking to a peace keeper and crying. "Oh my god," I whisper.
Clove
In the middle of breakfast at the training center is when I find out. And through a news cast, of all things. The horrible, horrible words scroll across the bottom of the screen under a photo of Sage. Local Academy Trainee Kills Self. Suddenly I'm finding it hard to breathe. Sage would never do this. I stand, almost calmly. "I'm going to the bathroom," I tell my assistant. She nods.
Once I'm outside the room, I'm running. "Where are you. Cato, where the hell are you." I'm grinding my teeth, fingering the knife in my pocket. I spot him walking to Calliope's office. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" I scream at him, pinning him to the wall with my knife at his throat. "I can't kill you now because I'd be forced to step down as tribute, but mark my words, when the countdown ends? Yours is going to be the FIRST cannon to go off, UNDERSTAND?"
"Clove, I didn't kill Sage. I know it looks like I did, but I didn't," Cato says.
"Why the hell would I believe anything you say?" I hiss at him.
"It was Aydrianna! Don't you see? She's been plotting against you from the start, she showed those videos to break you and Sage up!" Cato insists.
"Please, those videos did nothing to Sage and I. What did break us up was YOU KILLING HER!" I scream. I spit in his face and pocket my knife. "Just wait till the countdown, Hadley. There's not a god in this world who can save you."
Cato
The rest of the week, the constant rehearsing, eating high-sugar but non-dairy foods to pack on fat but spare our singing voices, goes by in a blur. Our assistants can sense the tense energy between us. At this point there's no point in separating us for our comfort, though-our time in District 2 is almost up. I weather the hateful glares and cold silence with exasperation.
"Okay, how long are you going to believe Aydrianna over me? You could avenge Sage's death in-"
"Don't say her name," Clove cuts me off. "Just think of it like this. Sage was beautiful. She was amazing. She was the only thing keeping me from losing my mind for the past few weeks. I don't know what was between you and I. I'll be honest with you, she gave me an ultimatum. Made me choose, her or you. I chose her. Do you know why? I realized that in the end, after this is done, at the end of the Games, I have to put my feelings aside. I'll have to kill you. I won't take pleasure in it. But that's the way it is. I'm furious with you, and not because you killed her-because you don't seem to have come to the same realization as me. You killed Sage because your emotions got the better of you. In a better world..." she pauses. "I mean...if we were normal. If we were just...two people. I might've chosen you. But we're not normal. We're tributes. Neither of us is going to back down so the other can win, so at the end of the day, we want each other dead."
Clove
The night of the pre-Games performances arrives all too soon. In just a few hours, I'm outfitted in my dancing dress, shoes, and wearing so much glitter I'll probably be washing it out of my hair till I die.
"You look beautiful," Cato says. "So do you," I reply. "Nice ruffles." I brush my hand over the ruffles on his shirt.
"You know this is coming off approximately thirty seconds into the song, Clover," Cato says.
"Really, though. Why don't you keep it on? Mix things up, I mean you never wear your shirt," I say as we make our way to the wings offstage.
"I agree. Let's mix things up, this time you strip." Cato smirks at me. I roll my eyes. "You would be so lucky."
"What, you don't want to get lucky?" he asks while the attendants fit us with mics.
"Not with you, golden boy," I say cheekily. He grins.
"On in ten, Clove!" my attendant tells me. I nod. The music starts.
Cato
Clove strides onstage into the blinding lights, and begins to sing in the strong voice she's honed over the past few weeks.
"I promise that you'll never find another like me! I know that I'm a handful, baby, oh, I know I never think before I jump," she sings, smiling while the audience cheers. As she continues to sing, I'm somehow already missing the long hours we spent working for this night. This whole performance is a distraction from being a tribute, but it was a nice distraction-nice to exchange my spears
I join her for my line.
"I know I tend to make it about me, I know you never get just what you see, but I will never bore you baby,"
We dance to the song we've heard so many times, it's permanently burned into my brain. But this time, performing in front of the entire district
We sing together, "I promise that you'll never find another like me! I'm the only one of me, baby that's the fun of me! You're the only one of you, that's the only fun of you."
"Strike the band, one-two-three," I sing, followed by Clove's "You can't spell us without me!"
"You're the only one of you! Baby, that's the fun in you!" I sing. The last line we sing together, and it feels final somehow when we look into each other's eyes and finish with, "And I promise that nobody's gonna love you like me!"
Clove
The lights go off abruptly, and the audience cheers. They come back on, and we take a bow. "Nobody's gonna love us like you!" Cato yells to the audience. They scream in response-I bet it's overwhelming, hearing that from a tall boy with his shirt off.
"You're so embarrassing," I say as we walk off stage. "Ah, you say that now, but when we're starving I might just get us a sponsor! But in all seriousness. You did great." Cato holds out his fist. I roll my eyes and bump it. "You did great too. I'm impressed your voice never cracked!"
"I'm impressed you didn't eat it in those heels."
"Oh, shut up."
Cato
When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. I didn't sleep with anyone last night-and with very good reason. Today is the day of the Reaping.