'Say something, I'm giving up on you.' ~ Say Something (A Great Big World)
Cato POV:
Life went on as it usually did. For the next few months it was just a blur of school, wrestling, parties, and Prim. I smiled at the thought of her, now that it was spring here in Virginia, there was more to do.
The other day, all of us went fishing on Finnicks boat. We barely fit, but it was the best time ever. I remember the conversation we had yesterday as I was dropping her off.
"That was so much fun!" Prim exclaimed as we hopped into the escalade after waving goodbye to everyone. "I know, I still can't believe Rue got the huge fish." I said with a look of disbelief. "I know!" Prim laughed. "I love it here in Virginia…" Prim said casually. "Me too. You wanna live here someday?" I asked her, trying to look focused on the road. Prim and I had gotten really serious over the past few winter months, and I wanted to make sure she wanted the same things as me for the future. "Yeah. Live on the beach near our friends, get another dog for Bandit to play with, and maybe throw a few kids in the picture." she said as she stared out the window. "How many kids?" I asked. I wanted quite a few kids like my parents, maybe three or four. "Maybe like two or three." Prim said nonchalantly. Inside I was bursting with joy, her plan was exactly the same as my plan. "We'd have to get a Great Dane puppy or something just to scare Bandit." I joked, until I realized my thoughts had slipped out. She whipped her head around to look at me "You said we." she said in disbelief. I cleared my throat "Uh, yeah." I said, as the alarm went off in my head, oh hell. "Good." Prim said with a huge smile, and turned to look out the window again. 'Good'? does she want a life with me too? Really? I smiled, and we drove in silence for the rest of the drive home.
I smiled to myself again. Hopefully my plans would all fall into place. I checked the time and groaned, and realized I was really late for our guys' tuxedo hunting.
With Prim, I was always on time, but without her constantly telling me I was a bit bad with timing, I tended to be well, bad with timing. I picked up the speed a bit and finally made it to the mall, to find the guys waiting outside. They didn't look annoyed so my guess was that we had all been a bit late.
"Hey." I said as I walked up to my friends.
"Hey man." Thresh said as Gloss slapped me on the back. Finnick walked up at the same time as me, and we headed in.
"So lets head over to Cinna's, I mean that dress for Primmy was amazing so he's gotta have something for dudes too." Marvel reasoned. We all agreed and walked over, and we were shocked when it was empty.
"Hello?" Thresh called out. Cinna emerged from the back room and smiled at us.
"Hello. Can I help you?" Cinna asked us politely.
"Uh, yeah. We all need tuxedos for Prom." Finnick said. Cinna nodded.
"If I may ask, who are your dates?" he asked us. We all answered and he smiled brightly at us,
"So you are the fellows of Misses Prim, Rue, Johanna, Cashmere and Annie." Cinna said.
"Yes." I answered, we were shocked that he knew us.
"This is wonderful, I have made all your ladies dresses, and now I can make you all tuxedos that will complement them quite nicely." he said excitedly. We weren't surprised that the girls had gone here for their dresses, and none of them had told us what they were wearing, so this was working out great.
"Now, first, you Mister Finnick." Cinna said, and we all followed him into the back room. It was a tornado of fabric, needles, sequins, and ties. I noticed that several mannequins were covered with a tarp, that must be where the girls dresses were. "Up here please." Cinna said gesturing to a platform, the rest of us squished on a couch and watched.
Cinna took measurements and notes, then called up Thresh, then Marvel, then Gloss and lastly myself.
"Ah, you must be Miss Primrose's Mister?" Cinna asked me with an eyebrow raised.
"Uh, yes, sir." I replied as he took my measurements.
"She is quite the character, and her dress selection was quite unique." he told me, as he wrote down some more notes.
"Okay, as you all have guessed by now, the dresses are under those tarps because they require quite a bit of work. But tuxes are another subject. If Mister Finnick will come back up here please." Cinna said, gesturing us to swap.
Cinna grabbed a navy blue tux and told Finnick to put it on. Finnick put it on, and Cinna studied him for a bit.
"Hmm.. wear a dark green vest, and that will complement Miss Annie quite nicely." Cinna said, gesturing for Thresh to come up next. Cinna grabbed a grey suit, and told him to wear a yellow vest.
Marvel was handed a white suit, and was told to wear a black vest.
Gloss was handed a Black tux, and was told to wear red vest.
Lastly Cinna pulled me up. He studied me for a bit longer, before reaching in the very back of the rack of tuxes.
"Wear this one." he said handing me a Midnight Black tux, "And wear this vest." Cinna said, throwing me a Blue vest, that faded into Green towards the bottom. It was strange but it worked. We paid Cinna, thanked him, then went on our merry way.
We walked out, and decided to grab a bite at a local sports restaurant and bar. We piled in, and got our usual corner booth. We all ordered and talked about everything and anything.
"Guys." Finnick said quietly. He was the only one who wasn't talking much since we got here.
"Yeah buddy?" I asked him as I nudged him in the shoulder.
"Annie's… she's pregnant." he whispered, turning pale. We all dropped our jaws.
"She's. You sure?" Marvel asked stunned.
"Positive." Finnick said, smiling slightly at the little joke he made.
"Hey man, this isn't a bad thing." Thresh told him.
"Yeah dude, now you two have even more reason to stick together through college." Gloss said reassuringly.
"You guys are gonna be great parents dude. Congrats." I said thumping him on the back. All the other guys followed suit, and eventually old Finnick returned. I wondered if Annie told the girls.
Prim would be so happy. She loves babies. Maybe in another year or two, we could start making a couple I thought. I laughed to myself at the idea of Prim pregnant.
I was a legal adult, maybe once she got out of high school, or maybe even as she finished up her senior year I thought to myself, one thing was for certain though. No way in hell would I get Prim pregnant during her sophomore year. Even her junior year, Katniss would kill me. My mother would be over the moon to have her first grandchild, but my father would not be so pleased. I wondered to myself how Mrs. Everdeen would react to Prim pregnant.
I shrugged to myself and lost myself in the smell of bar food, the loud football game on the flatscreen, and my friends.
I could worry about the heavy stuff another time.
Prim POV:
"Tell me the story again!" Katniss demanded. I sighed, but smiled. I never got tired of the way Cato asked me to prom, and even Katniss loved to hear me gush about it. Peeta just asked her, and Katniss was absolutely in love with the way Cato asked me, even though she would never tell him that.
"Okay. One more time." I say giving in. She crossed her legs on the loveseat we were on, and I stretched out my legs across her lap. We were still in our pajamas and we were drinking some coffee having sister bonding time, something we didn't get much of nowadays.
I took one more long sip of coffee and then began my story.
"Damn my boy looks good in a singlet." Johanna said waggling her eyebrows at us. We all laughed.
"God Jo, can you not think about sex for one night?" Rue asked her.
"Uh let me think…" Johanna scrunched up her nose and stuck her tongue out in fake thought "Nope!" and we all laughed again.
The boys were warming up and I held up the poster we made said 'My MAN wrestles during BOYS basketball season' with a bunch of hearts around it. Rue and I were holding it, and we were all wearing our boys sweatshirts. The only difference among the sweatshirts, was that Cato's said 'Captain Hadley' on the back, not just 'Hadley' We all were wearing skinny jeans and boots, and had our hair down.
Finnick blew Annie a kiss, and it was so obvious that they would be together forever. Lately something had been up with Annie, I just hope that the phase would pass and she would return to us.
"Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the first home wrestling match at our wonderful Capitol High!" the announcer Ceasar Flickerman announced. We all cheered really loud and then Ceasar spoke again "Tonight, we have the Capitol High Mockingjays, against the Seam High Mutts!" he exclaimed. "Captains, please come forward and shake hands.
Cato came forward and everyone cheered, but I cheered the loudest. The Seam High captain came forward as well, he looked strong, but not as strong as Cato. No one looked better than him in a singlet, because of his huge bulging muscles and abs. I could practically trace the 'V' on his lower body from here, the huge bulge that followed it just made the sight even more appealing.
"There he is ladies and gentlemen, the one and only Cato Hadley!" Ceasar exclaimed. "Now, Mr. Cato Hadley has an important message for a Miss Primrose Everdeen, so would Miss Everdeen please come down onto the mat?" Ceasar said.
I was frozen, what was happening? I panicked, and started doing the shaky thing I do.
"Go on Love." Annie said giving me a push. I stood up, and everyone clapped and I just walked down the stairs, looking for Cato. I walked down to the center of the mat, when I saw Finnick, Thresh, Gloss and Marvel walk up behind me, facing the audience. I turned around to face them and gave them a 'What the hell is going on?' look, they all just smiled and then I heard Cato up at the announcer box.
"P." he said, and Finnick ripped off his warm up top, to reveal a white shirt with a big 'P' on it, and I knew where this was going.
Cato had been holding out on me for Prom, and all the other guys had already asked the other girls and I was growing anxious. Now he was asking me here, in front of everyone, while I was wearing his Captains sweatshirt on the wrestling mat.
"The 'P' is for Primrose, the most beautiful girl I know." and then the tears started, I brought my hands up to cover my mouth and nose.
"R." and then Thresh ripped off his top to show his white shirt with a big 'R' on it. "For your radiant smile that I, and many not so lucky others, fell in love with." I started crying and I smiled to myself, under my hands. I couldn't believe he was doing this. Gloss then ripped of his top, which Johanna whooped at and I couldn't help but laugh at my friend. After he revealed his 'O' Cato continued
"'O', for the only girl for me. The only one forever." and I had the decency to prevent myself from breaking down right there on that mat, he made me smile so big, and I showed it. I had tears streaming down my face, and I smiled so big that I thought my face would freeze like that.
"And lastly, 'M'." and then Marvel revealed his letter. "For the melodic sound of your voice that I hope will say yes." Then Cato came down from the announcer box with a dozen Primroses, and a poster board with a question mark on it. Then in drill sergeant style, the boys yelled out their letters.
"P!" "R!" "O!" "M!" the four guys called out on their letters turn.
"Prom?" Cato asked finally, I couldn't say anything so I just nodded my head like a mad woman. I jumped up and wrapped my arms around him, and he wrapped his around my waist, dropping the poster board. I kissed him and the whole gym burst out in applause.
You could probably hear the cheering and the clapping from two blocks away. I smiled and Cato used his crooked grin that he only used for me. He wiped the tears from my face, and I inhaled and exhaled deeply.
"You, are the best boyfriend ever." I said in a shaky voice.
"The best for the best." he countered, I let out a shaky laugh.
"Okay, go kick some Seam butt!" I said, hoping down. I took the Primroses, and went to sit down with my friends.
I finished telling Katniss the story again, and we both let out a sigh of contentment.
"Okay, as long as he behaves tonight, everything will be perfect Primmy." Katniss said smiling at me.
"Katniss…" I said warning her, she wasn't allowed to ruin this day. Tonight, I would lose my virginity to the man I love.
"Just don't let him do anything you don't want him to." Katniss said.
"Are we forgetting that this is the same Cato who protected me from Blight?" I asked her.
"No, I just know how Peeta was when we went to prom, he changed." she said getting irritated.
"Well that won't happen with Cato." I said.
"Okay, it's your day." Katniss said patting my thigh. "Now, you have a nail appointment in an hour, better get ready to get ready princess." Katniss joked. I gave her a 'aren't you so funny' look that she ignored.
I went upstairs to admire my dress one more time before I got ready. My dress was an aqua, high low, tiered mermaid dress. It had pretty designs on the front, and I felt like a queen in it. It sparkled slightly, and I never wanted to wear anything else. I sighed, I would have to wait until tonight. I pulled myself away from the beautiful fabric and went to go get ready.
Once I had some black leggings, a t-shirt, and my uggs on, I walked downstairs. I threw my phone in my purse and screamed for Katniss to drive me to the nail salon where I was meeting the girls. We hopped into her Jeep and drove to downtown.
"Look who it is." Johanna exclaimed from her pedicure chair as I walked into the salon.
"Hello ladies." I said, noticing I was the last one to arrive, which wasn't the normal. I checked in with the front desk attendant. I sat down at the manicure table and began talking to Cashmere who was sitting next to me getting hers done.
Once the lady added the fake nails on she went to go grab my blue polish and silver glitter. Cashmere was sporting pale pink nails that had gold glitter on them, and white bows on her thumbs. We all talked about tonight, and what everyone decided to do with their hair. I had personally chose to wear my hair in a half updo with curls and would have pearls and flowers in it.
While my nails were drying I moved to a pedicure chair to get my toes done. I relaxed, the smell of starbucks, nail polish and the massage chair were giving me serious relaxation time. I eventually tuned everything out and fell asleep.
"Prim!" Annie said annoyed, snapping her fingers. I woke up with a start, and they all laughed.
"Come one sleeping beauty." Johanna said, helping me up. We then moved to the hair salon, which was right next door. I chose to go last, and see what the other girls were doing first. Rue was leaving her hair down, Cashmere and Johanna were putting their hair all the way up, and Annie was doing a half updo like me.
Once they all had finished getting their hair up, it was my turn, once I described what I wanted done, the cosmetologist knew exactly what to do. I let her careful fingers handle it, and I focused on joking with my friends. Everyone was laughing except Annie, and I was becoming very concerned as to what was wrong. I shrugged it off and decided I would ask her about it when the time was right. As the time flew by, we realized it was now three and we had exactly one hour until pictures. This made us practically run across the mall to the make up artists' place, we still had to do makeup and go home to get dressed.
I texted Katniss while the lady was working to get my stuff ready then to come pick me up. We didn't say a word as the makeup artist's worked extremely fast for the quality they were providing. Once we all looked like we wanted, we all complimented each other on how well we looked. In Johanna's words "We look fuckable!".
I saw Katniss' jeep waiting outside and I knew we had a half an hour, to get me home, get dressed, then get back down to the school. If nothing went wrong, I could make it.
I hopped in and yelled "GO!" before I even shut the door. She started the car and drove as quickly as we could back home. If only I hadn't fallen asleep! I cursed myself mentally.
We ran up the stairs and she grabbed my dress off the hanger, and my shoes off the rack. I stripped down, and put on my lucky bra and matching thong. She threw me my dress and I slipped it on as she went to the bathroom to grab my necklace and earrings.
I was slipping on my shoes as she hooked my necklace on for me. I grabbed my earrings and put them off as Katniss sprayed me with some perfume. Once I was ready, I turned and looked at her, she had tears shining in her eyes.
"You look so beautiful little duck." I smiled back at her and hugged her. We stood there just in an embrace, before Katniss pulled away and wiped her eyes dry. "Lets go." she said smiling.
We quickly drove over to the school, and I ran as fast as I could in my black pumps to the gym, where prom pictures would be taken. I found everyone here except Annie, who I was told was in the bathroom, and no one could get her out.
"Let's go talk to her." Cashmere said, she knew something was up too. We walked into the bathroom to find Annie with a trembling lip and taking shaky frequent shallow breaths.
"Annie?" Rue asked.
"What's wrong, Love?" I asked jokingly. She laughed a sad laugh.
"You can't tell." she whispered.
"Never." we all said at the same time.
"I'm pregnant." she said. You could hear a pin drop.
"Well shit." Johanna started laughing her head off. We all eventually joined in this crazy hysteria of laughter.
"Annie! That's wonderful!" I said smiling at her. I loved kids, especially babies.
"That's amazing Annie!" Cashmere said hugging her. We all joined in the hug fest and made our way out.
"There you are!" Marvel exclaimed.
"Sorry, Annie just had some pre-prom jitters." Cashmere said, the lie slipping out of her mouth like honey. Finnick looked concerned, and I knew he was gonna make a great dad. Cato grabbed my waist with one hand and pulled me to him
"You look…" he began, and I finally took in his image. He looked dashing, and his blue green vest complimented my dress very well. I smiled.
"You look amazing." I said to him.
"You make me look like a pile of shit." he said nervously. I laughed and curled up to him.
"Cato, remember? We make a pretty good view." I said, quoting him from homecoming several months ago. He beamed.
"You remember." he mumbled.
"Of course I do." I said smiling up at him. We moved in line to take pictures, and everything was going along great. Until we saw the first couple exit. It was Clove, which didn't shock me, but it was who was with her that did shock me.
Gale Hawthorne.
Cato POV:
I gripped onto Rose a bit tighter, as I saw him waltz out of the gym like he owned the place. Clove was fawning all over him, which was disgusting. Gale found Rose, and locked eyes with her. I felt a rumble in my chest that I knew was weird, but it always happened when someone interfered with Rosie.
"Hello Primrose." Gale said, sauntering up to us. He was wearing a sickly pink vest that matched Cloves horrible pepto bismol pink dress.
"Hello Gale." Primmy replied sharply. I smiled to myself, good girl I thought.
"Hadley." Gale sneered at me.
"Hawthorne, nice vest." I said smirking and winking at him. That didn't suit too well with him.
"You look stunning Prim." he said with a look in his eyes that clearly showed his thoughts. I wanted to attack him right there in the hallway, but I knew that's what he wanted.
"Yes, she does doesn't she?" I said smiling down at her.
"I'll see you later." Gale said, clearly bored and moved onto the next victim.
"I hate him." Prim muttered. I smiled like an idiot.
"Me too." I said.
"Let's go get our picture taken." Prim said with a determined tone in her voice that made me question her sanity at that moment. We walked up to the backdrop, and we greeted the photographer.
"Well aren't you two just the sweetest things! This'll be a piece of cheesecake!" the photographer said. He directed us where to stand, and how to stand, and directed my arms around her and even made a funny joke on waiting for the actually touching part for later tonight with a wink that made me burst out laughing. I decided I liked him, he was cool. After he snapped a few pictured he waved us goodbye, and I smiled the whole walk out.
Once everyone else followed us, it was about five.
"Well, where should we go now?" Finnick asked.
"I'm hungry." Rue and Marvel said at the same time and we all laughed.
"Well that makes sense, you two are always hungry!" Gloss groaned.
"I could use a bite to eat." Annie chimed in. That did it for Finnick, before we knew it, we were all cramped into Finnick's Hummer, which only had enough seating for eight.
Finnick and Annie sat in front, Thresh and Rue sat in the middle seat, as well as Prim on my lap. In the very back Marvel and Cashmere sat with Johanna in Gloss' lap. It was a tight squeeze but we all fit.
"Well where am I driving too?" Finnick asked us.
"I want fries!" Cashmere said from the back, over the thumping radio.
"WE want fries!" Marvel corrected her.
"I want ice cream!" Prim claimed.
"I need a dog." I said, Gloss agreeing with me.
"I need a burger!" Thresh said. Johanna and Rue both wanted chicken sandwiches and then when Finnick asked Annie what she wanted, she looked so overwhelmed so she just spit out "A burger, fries, milkshake and a cookie!" before she practically popped her eyes out of her head.
It must be the baby that was making her hungry. No one made a joke, or comment. I figured Annie had told the girls, so I decided to test the waters and say a casual statement that could mean anything.
"By the way, congratulations Annie." I said. Everyone fell silent.
"Thank you Cato, I am very nervous." she replied, and then the truth broke out.
"Wait you dipshits got to know before me?" Johanna exclaimed.
"Wait, now YOU know too?" Marvel asked.
"Of course we know dumbass!" Rue exclaimed.
"Okay, great. We all know Annie and Finnick are pregnant-" Gloss began.
"Excuse me bro, but I'm not pregnant." Finnick began.
"It's an expression, hun." Annie said.
"Can we just go to Dairy Queen?" Prim piped up. Everyone fell silent, then burst out laughing. She always knew how to ease the tension, even without really trying to.
"Drive thru?" Finn hollered back.
"Drive thru!" we all yelled at him. No way were we going to go through Dairy Queen looking like this. Finnick placed everyone's order, and Gloss said he would pay as a celebration of Annie and Finnick's coming out. We all cheered and Finnick started handing out the bags of food. Everyone was on the hunt for their food, and we were all throwing the bags around shouting at eachother.
"Cato! You wanted a Hot Dog?" Cashmere yelled.
Yeah!" I yelled back.
"Here! It was in with our fries!" she said tossing me the bag, and I pulled out my hot dog. Prim had found her small Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Pie Blizzard right away and was groaning in pleasure with every bite she took.
"Woah Prim, I know it's Prom, but not in front of us please?" Gloss joked.
"Sorry, I get a mouth orgasm every time I eat Reese's. They are like my most favorite thing in the world." she explained. The car smelled of salt and fast food.
"Wanna bite?" Prim said, offering me her spoon. I accepted her offer and ate the ice cream, and smiled in pleasure.
"It's good." I said. She giggled.
"You got a little…" she said gesturing to my mouth, I was about to wipe it away but she beat me too it and licked it clean off my face. I froze, if she kept licking me like that my boner was going to go through the roof.
"Mmm you taste good." she said teasingly. I groaned lightly in her ear.
"Prim… you need to wait." I said, on the verge of giving in.
"Okay." she said licking her little red spoon seductively. I felt my breathing grow rapid, and I needed to contain myself.
This night was going to take way too long.