Hi all! So, I updated again! Thanks for all the reviews and followers! This chapter and the next are going to be kind of short, so I apologize. And, something big (but bad) is going to happen in the next chapter. I'm excited to post it! But first, I need to have a chapter leading up to it. So, please review! I beg you!
Sorry this is really rushed!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games
"Hey." Cato said to Katniss awkwardly when she was walking with Clove into the school.
Clove said a quick goodbye and left Katniss and Cato alone.
"Can you meet me at the park after school?" Cato continued.
"Why?" Katniss mumbled.
"Just go meet me there."
"Should I trust you or not." Katniss mumbled again, mostly for herself it hear, but Cato heard anyway.
"Katniss, just go. After school. You know where, the park is actually kinda small."
Katniss nodded and parted with Cato. She clutched the straps of her backpack, wondering what Cato was up to and why he was so demanding. Cato, on the other hand, was staring at her retreating figure, wondering why Katniss was so upset.
After school, Katniss debated with herself whether to go to the park or not. Finally her curiosity came over her. She walked to the city park, which pretty close, a five minute walk away. She texted Clove saying she would get home a little later.
Katniss shoved her hands in her pockets, and arrived at the gates of the park. She hesitated a moment, looking into the deserted area. Nobody bothered to come on such a cold day. Katniss finally marched through the gates, and came across an old tree covered in snow and icicles. Cato was standing in front of it, his ears red and the tip of his nose frozen. He obviously held something behind his back.
Katniss greeted him dully, still feeling down about the whole dance conversation exchange. Cato shifted around uncomfortably, and after a minute or two of stuttering, finally looked Katniss in the eye and held out a blue box.
Katniss took it carefully. A white swan decorated the top, the word Swarovski printed neatly below the swan. Katniss used her frozen fingers to pop open the cover, and there lies the blue jeweled necklace she had seen in the store.
Katniss gasped, and looked up at Cato who was gazing at her to see her reaction. "Will you go to the dance with me?" He asked boldly, with determination. Katniss happily jumped into Cato's arms, and cried, "Of course I'll go with you!"
Cato spins Katniss around and sets her carefully back on the snow. Cato had planned a little speech, but he didn't go with it at all. Something completely different came out of his mouth. Cato never planned for this to come, nor did Katniss. "Will you be my girlfriend?" Katniss stared into Cato's electric blue orbs and asked, "What?"
"Sorry, I mean, uh, sorry-" Cato looked down when Katniss interrupted.
"Yes. My answer is yes."
Cato, who was surprised at his own question, was also surprised at Katniss's answer. He hugged Katniss tightly and tears flowed down Katniss's cheeks. Cato saw and wiped them away with his thumb. "You know, I was never good with emotional girls." Katniss only replied by crying happily and sniffing. Katniss was never a huge crier, but she was so happy and confused at the same time.
After the new couple composed themselves, Katniss smiled up at Cato and put on her new necklace. It shone brightly in the afternoon sunlight and let out brilliant multi colored rays. "It's beautiful." Katniss said in a hushed tone. "Just like you." Cato replied.
They didn't rush it for now, Cato just simply kissed Katniss on the forehead. But to Katniss, it wasn't just any kiss. It left her again with the strange tingly feeling, this time a new feeling deep inside her heart.
"Want me to drive you home?" Cato offered. This time, without hesitating, Katniss answered, "Okay."
Their hands interlocked with each other's and they slowly walked towards Cato's convertible which was parked next to where they were.
"Why did you tell me you were asking Cashmere?" Katniss questions as she walks.
"I thought you knew I was kidding!" Cato answers, surprised.
"Well, I thought you actually meant it."
"I was kidding."
"Okay, then."
"Besides," Cato adds, "Cashmere already has a boyfriend."
"Let me guess. Finnick?"
"Nah. Finnick has had this super big crush on Annie Cresta. You know her, right?"
"Annie? Oh my god! Annie has this super big major crush on Finnick!"
"I think they'll be perfect together. I mean, they both have similar hobbies."
"Yeah." Katniss says.
Cato drops Katniss off at her house. They exchange their goodbyes and Katniss smiles at her new boyfriend. Unfortunately, Clove sees from the window.
"Are you serious?" She shouts when Katniss stalks into the house. She breaks away from her dreamy state and asks, "What?"
"What the heck were you doing with Cato?!"
"Nothing." Was Katniss's simple reply.
"What?" Katniss waves her off, being the good friend she is. Clove gets angry at this gesture and tackles Katniss, who falls to the ground with a faint 'thud'. Saved by the backpack, she thinks.
Lynn rushes into the room and sees the girls rolling around on the ground. She screams, terrified, and runs away squealing and squeaking uncontrollably.
Katniss and Clove eventually stop after awhile. They both stand up, looking at each other. "Sorry." They both say at the exact same time. Katniss leans in for a hug and Clove accepts it. "Sorry. I think I lost my mind."
"Me too."
"Let's go visit Prim." Katniss suggests.
"Sure." Clove agrees, already slipping on her boots.
When Katniss and Clove arrived at the hospital, Prim was awake and eating some sort of disgusting looking hospital food. She looked up, and her blue eyes lit up once she saw Katniss. "Hey, you're back!" Prim cried. Katniss laughed delightedly at her sister's reaction. "How are you doing, little duck?"
Prim smiled, and replied, "Doing better. I'm doing something called 'watchful waiting'. No idea what that is. There's something called 'chemotherapy' that I might take." Katniss smiled back, but her heart was aching. She feels like that she should be there instead of Prim. "If I could switch places with you, Prim, I would do it in a heartbeat." Katniss said. "I would too." Prim declared, not yet sure of the hidden meaning behind the simple phrase.
Katniss and Prim's mother was sitting quietly in a corner, listening to her daughters' conversation. She thought, that from now on, she would be a better mother. She would not be that woman who was locked up away again.
