Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews! Strawberryluv: thank-you for your advice! It's much appreciated! Love you girlfriend!;) So heres the next chapter!
Chapter Six: I'm Doing It For You
When I return to my floor Peeta, Haymitch and Effie are sat on the couch watching the TV. Peeta's head turns towards the door when I enter, I give him a quick smile and turn to enter my room.
"Katniss, come sit with us for once" Effie's bubbly voice says.
"Actually Effie, would you mind if I spoke to you for a bit" I say, she begins to ask me what's wrong when I continue, "In private?"
"Oh yes, sure. Lets go into my room" she says, standing up and walking towards the door on the opposite side to my own. I follow her, and I am immediately struck dumb by the girlishness of her room. Effie has had the walls painted pink and an array of multi-coloured wigs line a dresser. She sits down on her bed and offers me a seat next to her. "So boy trouble is it?" she asks with a friendly smile.
"How did you know?" I ask her.
"Because it was either that or fashion, why would you come to me for anything else" she laughs, "So what's wrong?"
"I'm apart of the careers" I say, looking down at my feet, "And I kissed him"
Effie sucks in a sharp breath and places her hand on my thigh giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Darling, this is exactly what we need to sell sponsors" she says enthusiastically.
"But Peeta, I can't help but feel that I've betrayed him" I whisper.
"Katniss, you're a girl. You'll do what makes your heart happy. Peeta will understand" she says.
"Should I tell him?" I ask quietly.
"I think it would be better if he found out from you" she honestly replies.
"I don't know how to tell him Effie, I don't want to hurt him"
"You'll do the right thing Katniss, you're a good person. Remember that" she says softly. I stand up and leave her room.
"Peeta, can I talk to you?" I ask him.
"Yeah sure, I want to show you somewhere" he says, standing up signalling me to follow him with his hand. He walks in front in silence, taking me up a set of stairs I never knew about. Eventually he stops and I see we're standing on top of the Training Centre roof. The Capitol looks beautiful from up here.
"Peeta" I call, I can feel the tears building up in my eyes, I know he can see them watering up. He looks at me strangely, like he thinks its his fault I'm crying. He really couldn't be more wrong, "I'm a career" I whisper, I know he heard me because his face drops the slight smile he's had since we got up here. "And I kissed him" I let a single tear fall down my cheek, I turn away from Peeta. I don't want to see his reaction.
"Katniss" he reaches out and takes my hand, I don't flinch away. I just stand there not looking at him. "Did you want to" he asks.
"I don't know" I whisper truthfully. In the moment I didn't have much choice, I didn't exactly stop him though did I?
He lets my hand go and wipes away the second tear to fall down my cheek. "Are you upset with me for becoming a career?" I ask sheepishly.
Peeta walks away, stopping for a moment by the door, "No, I'm more upset about the kiss"
Cato POV
"Did it work?" says Enobaria.
"I don't know, I've confused her though" I say, picking a bread roll off the table and taking a bite out of it.
"You'll have to do better than that if you want sponsors Cato, you need her to fall in love with you" she says.
"Yeah, she will. Eventually." I say, a smirk crossing my face. Katniss would fall in love with me, she'd trust me and I would save her until last.
"You'd better hope so" Enobaria says before walking into her room and shutting the door.
"Clove" I yell and then taking a seat on the couch to watch some TV.
"What" she yells back. Typical, she was the only one that would never do as I say. She never comes scurrying along like the rest of them do when I call her. Suppose that's what I get for having her as a best friend.
"Come here then" I laugh. Two minutes later she walks out of her room in her silk dressing gown.
"What do you want Cato?" she asks, stealing the remote off me and changing the channel.
"To talk about our alliance"
"What about it?" she asks looking at me funny.
"What are we going to do in the bloodbath?" I ask, Clove would be the only person I'd turn to for advice. She knows me better than anyone else.
"Kill as many as we can and claim it as our base" she smiles cunningly at me.
"Is there anyone you actually want in the alliance with us?"
"Only Glimmer and Marvel, and you want Katniss"
"Yeah, I do. I think we should have District 4 as well, but only if they survive the bloodbath. I'm not going out of my way to save them" Clove and I laugh at this.
"Why are you so intent on spending time with 12?" Clove asks me in a whisper.
"Because Enobaria told me to" I tell her the truth, about how it will help to gain more sponsors and mess about with her head.
"It better be the only reason Cato" she says, before standing up and walking off back into her room.
"Oi fire girl!" I shout over the noise of training tributes.
"What do you want?" she shouts back. I wave the spear I hold in my hand teasingly. She begins to walk over when Peeta stops her. I watch her converse with him before giving him a reassuring smile and continuing her walk to me.
"Would you like throwing lessons or not?" I smirk when she is stood before me.
She picks up a dainty looking spear, "Sure" she says.
I tell her how to hold it and how it's easier to throw. I begin by telling her to aim just above the dummy's head, saying that its quite common for beginners to not be able to throw straight. She pulls back and throws her spear, hitting the wall just above the dummy's head. I hear Clove laugh thinking that she was obviously aiming for the head and missed. "Maybe you can throw straight then" I laugh.
She smirks, "You've forgotten my aim is accurate"
"Throw it again then" I laugh at her as she walks toward the dummy. The temptation to do a repeat performance of the first time we met is almost to high. I don't though since the Gamemakers and sponsors are beginning to arrive in the balcony, meaning that it's almost time for lunch. When she returns I stand by her side and we silently throw spears together. Now and again she doesn't hit her mark, but most of the time she is accurate. The Gamemakers are looking at us, clearly impressed with us both. Me more. Obviously.
"Sit with us all at lunch, we need to go over the tactics." I say as Atala blows three times on a whistle. Katniss walks off without accepting, and goes to get a tray of fresh chicken soup. I do the same and take a seat along side Clove, Glimmer and Marvel.
Katniss POV
"What's wrong?" I ask as I sit down opposite Peeta, ignoring Cato's invitation and glares.
"Nothing" Peeta says with no emotion, not even looking at me.
"Peeta, I'm going into the careers to help you. By going with them I can lead them away from you and help you win" I explain, it's what myself and Haymitch had discussed. I would keep the careers away from Peeta, and kill some of them off whenever I could without becoming suspicious.
"Have you ever thought that maybe it's not me I want to win?" he says, still not looking at me.
"What do you mean? How can you not want to win?" I ask.
"Why don't you ask yourself the same question Katniss. Why are you trying to get me to win when you need to go home for Prim? I have no-one." he snaps back quietly so no-one can hear.
"I know I can't win Peeta, I've come to terms with that. But you, you still have a good chance. You can go home to your family. If I can't win, you should. It'll make it easier for Prim" I say fighting back tears.
"You have no idea Katniss" he replies angrily, he gets up quick and walks over to another table. I get up as well and walk over to wear the careers are sat.
"Cato" I say, standing behind him.
"Sit down 12" he replies, I slip into the seat next to him and stare straight ahead. "Why did you not sit with us?" he asks.
"I am now, aren't I?" I quickly reply.
"You sat with Peeta" he states.
"So what if I did?" I snap back, "Someone had to tell him that I was going to be a career" I lie.
"Why does he need to know?" Cato angrily asks.
"Because he saved my life once, this is my way of repaying him. I'm giving him a warning that I will be apart of the group trying to hunt him down" I lie again.
"Whatever" he relies and goes back to eating his soup.
"I'm Clove" the girl who throws the knives says.
"Katniss" I reply.
"We was just discussing our tactics" she says, "We were thinking of all running in and killing as many as possible"
"Just like normal then?" I laugh, trying to sound as though the thought of killing innocent people didn't repulse me.
"I suppose so yeah" she laughs with me, "Is there a certain weapon you're good with, so we know what to give to you"
"She doesn't have to tell you Clove" Cato snaps.
"Then how are we supposed to know what to do with her" she snaps back at him.
"Use your instincts on the day" he retorts.
"My instincts tell me to kill her" she glares at him.
"Well you're not going to" he snaps.
"We'll see" she smiles cunningly. Its weird being in the middle of an argument about me. Especially when its about my death.
"Tributes, we are about to start the Private sessions can I please have Marvel, District 1" the voice of Atala rings out in the lunch hall. Marvel rises from his seat and with encouraging pats from Glimmer and Cato goes to impress the Gamemakers and sponsors.
One by one they all head off, eventually its only me and Peeta left in the room. "Throw the weights good" I say as he gets called for his session.
"I will" he says and stops just before walking through the door, "You shoot straight" after about fifteen minutes, they call my name. I smooth my hair back, take a deep breath and walk into the gymnasium. Instantly I know I'm in trouble. The Gamemakers have been here far too long. Most of them have had too much wine. Some of them sit up and look impressed before I've even done anything. Atala must have mentioned something about my shooting. I walk over to the archery station and choose a silver metal bow, string it, and sling the matching quiver of arrows over my shoulder. There's a shooting range, but as I found out the other day, it's much too basic. I walk to the centre of the gymnasium and pick my first target. The dummy used by Clove for her knife throwing. I feel at home when I pull back the bowstring; the arrow goes flying, skewering the dummy right through the heart. Then I sever the rope that holds the sandbag for boxing, the bag splits open as it hits the ground. Without pausing, I shoulder-roll forward, come up on one knee, and send an arrow into one of the hanging lights high above the gymnasium floor. A shower of sparks rains down on me. With a satisfied grin I turn to the Gamemakers. The few who looked impressed before look gob smacked now. But the majority are fixated on a roast pig that has just arrived on the table.
Suddenly I am furious. With my life on the line, they don't even have the decency to pay attention to me. I am being upstaged by a dead pig. My heart begins to pound, and I can feel my cheeks burning. Without thinking, I pull an arrow from my quiver and send it straight at the Gamemakers table. The arrow skewers the apple in the pig's mouth and pins it to the wall behind it. Everyone stares at me with disbelief.
"Thank-you for your consideration" I say. Then I give a slight bow and walk straight towards to exit without being dismissed. As I stride towards the elevator I walk straight into a waiting Cato. His eyes look at the bow in my hand and quiver on my shoulder.
"Why do you still have those" he asks, looking confused.
"Because I walked out." I reply, the obvious frustration with the Gamemakers comes out in my voice.
"Without being dismissed? You're nuts" he says, "What did you do?"
"I shot an arrow at them" I reply, he bursts into a fit of laughter obviously not believing me until he sees how serious my face is.
"Are you serious? You're going to get a low score now" he says.
"I really couldn't give a damn. They can give me a zero for all I care. If they don't have the decency to watch me in my private session, I don't have the decency to play in the Games" I shoot back.
"Hey calm down 12, it wont matter when you get a zero anyway. I know you can shoot, I'll tell the rest that you didn't want the other tributes knowing that you was a serious competitor" he says.
"I don't want your help Cato. I'm not even sure I want to be in your alliance" I say.
"Don't be stupid Katniss" he says. I'm struck dumb for a moment. He has never called me Katniss before. Ever. It's always been fire girl or 12. "Why are you looking at me funny?" he asks with a concerned face.
I don't answer him. Instead I crash my lips onto his. He's confused at first, but soon begins to kiss me back, fighting for dominance. I don't give in though, not like last time. The kiss becomes intense and I tangle my fingers in his hair. His arms wrap around my waist securing me into his chest. I pull away and look into his eyes. "What was that for 12?" he smirks.
"You called me Katniss" I say.
"Well Katniss, I might start calling you that more often if that's the reaction I get" he smirks and captures my lips with his again. His tongue traces along my bottom lip but I don't open up. He smiles against my lips but doesn't press me further.
"Whatever Cato" I say as I pull away and walk to the elevator.
"Nice ass 12" he calls after me.
I growl and turn to glare at him, "Go to hell 2"
"Only if you come with me" he calls back as the elevator doors close, blocking him out of my sight and taking me back to my floor.
Haymitch, Effie and Peeta are already sitting down for dinner when I walk in. Cinna and Portia are sitting on the couch discussing something quietly. I sit down beside Peeta and begin to eat the fish soup that's been placed in front of me. Haymitch and Effie start some chit-chat about the weather forecast and I let my eyes meet Peeta's. He raises his eyebrows. A question. What happened? I just give my head a small shake. Then as the Avoxes serve the main course Haymitch speaks up, "So enough small talk. Just how bad were you today?"
Peeta jumps in. "I don't know that it mattered. By the time I showed up, no-one even bothered to watch. I threw some heavy objects until they dismissed me."
For some reason that makes me feel better. It's not like Peeta attacked the Gamemakers, but at least he was provoked too.
"And what about you sweetheart?" says Haymitch.
Somehow Haymitch calling me sweetheart ticks me off enough that I'm able to speak, "I shot an arrow at the Gamemakers"
Everyone stops eating. "You what?" the horror in Effie's voice confirms my suspicions. I was dead.
"I shot an arrow at them. Not exactly at them. In their direction. It's like what Peeta said, they we're too busy with a roast pig to notice me. So I shot an arrow at the apple in the pigs mouth" I say defiantly.
"And what did they say?" Haymitch asks.
"Nothing. Or I don't know. I walked out after that" I say.
"Without being dismissed?" gasps Effie.
"I dismissed myself" I said.
"I can't believe you Katniss!" she gasps again.
I turn to Haymitch "Do you think I'll get a low score?" I ask.
"Scores only mater if they're high. No-one pays much attention the bad or mediocre ones. For all they know, you could be hiding your talents to score low on purpose. People use that strategy," he says.
"I hope that's how people interpret the four I'll probably get" says Peeta "If that. Really, is anything less impressive than watching a person pick a heavy ball and throw it a couple of metres? One almost landed on my foot"
I grin at him and realise I'm starving. I cut off a piece of pork, dunk it in mashed potatoes, and start eating. After dinner, we go to the couches to watch the scores announced on television. First they show a photo of the tribute, then flash their score bellow it. The career tributes naturally get in the eight-to-ten range. Cato comes away with a ten. The highest score so far. Most of the other tributes average a five. Surprisingly little Rue comes up with a seven. She's so tiny, whatever she showed the judges must have been pretty impressive.
District 12 comes up last, as usual. Peeta pulls an eight, so at least a couple of the Gamemakers must have been watching him. I dug my fingernails into my palms as my face comes up, expecting the worst. Then they're flashing the number eleven on the screen.
Eleven! Cato is going to throw a fit!
Effie lets out a squeal, and everybody is slapping me on the back. It doesn't seam real.
"There must be some mistake. How can that happen?" I ask Haymitch.
"Guess they liked your temper" he says. "they've got a show to put on. They need some players with heat to spice things up"
"Katniss, the girl who was on fire!" Cinna says, "Just wait until you see your dress for tomorrow!"
"More flames?" I laugh.
"Sort of" he laughs back with me.
Peeta and I congratulate each other; another awkward moment. We've both done well, but what does that mean for the other? I escape to my own room as soon as possible and burrow down under the covers. I drift off, reprieved, relieved, with the number eleven still flashing up; and with the kiss I shared with Cato still repeating in my mind.
Thank-you for getting to the bottom! I don't know whether to have a Peeta/Katniss moment in the next chapter, as they get ready for the interviews? Tell me in a review if you want it or not! Love you al