A/N: Finally into the double figure chapters now;) I would like to thank my best friend blueskyblues for helping to write part of this chapter:) I have finished all of my exams now so updates should be more frequent, so enjoy chapter 10!

Clove POV

Yawning drowsily, I sit up and stretch my arms. It's finally Wednesday...Valentine's Day. Tonight is my big date with Cato! Well a date as friends... The past two days have seemed to drag so much, probably because I'm so excited! I still don't know where we're going, he won't tell me, but at least I don't have to worry about what to wear since he bought me the beautiful dress. I climb out of the covers and walk over to the wardrobe where the soft yellow dress is hung on the handle.

"Good morning Clove." Cato is stood at the door with a cup of tea in his hand, "Are you excited for tonight?" he beams placing the tea down on the dressing table.

"I'm so excited!" I squeal jumping up and down and throwing my arms around him, unable to contain my excitement.

"Good, I have to make some last minute plans so you have most of the day to yourself, but make sure you're back here and ready for 6pm because that's when we're leaving."

"Okay I'll be ready." I grin.

"See you later then!" He quickly leaves, closing the door behind him.

I stare blankly at the clock. 11:30am. I'll probably need about an hour and a half to get ready, but that still leaves five hours to fill. What the hell am I supposed to do for FIVE hours? I sigh and open the wardrobe draw sulkily. There is no way that I'm sitting in this apartment, I'd probably die of boredom. The weather in the Capitol has been lush! District two only gets this kind of hot weather in the summer never mind February.

Once I look decent enough to go out in public I leave a note for Cato, telling him that I am going for a walk and don't know when I'll be back. Although I don't know when he'll be back either.

I take the pathway, circling the park, listening to the birds chirping and the water flowing in the lake up ahead. Eventually the path leads me out to the main shopping street in this area, and I'm faced with the busy reality of the Capitol. I'm barged into by at least four people carrying ridiculous amounts of bags within the first thirty seconds of stepping out onto the street.

The necklaces in a jewellery shop window catch my eye whilst I'm passing and I stop to do a bit of window shopping, clearly because the prices are absolutely extortionate and there's no way I'd ever be able to afford any of it even if I saved for the rest of my life, but never the less I can always hope.

Inside the woman is serving a young couple. The woman is obviously from the Capitol with her bright pink, cotton-candy wig and ridiculously tall high heels. I don't know how she doesn't break her ankles. However that man is different. His hair is a natural dirty blonde, reaching just below his jaw line, his face is stubbly, unlike the clean shaven men in the Capitol, and his clothes are simple, but smart very...sophisticated.

The women are giggling away about wedding plans when the man reaches into his blazer pocket, pulling out a liquor flask, unscrewing the lid, and taking and extremely large swig of what's inside. His rolls his eyes as if to say he'd rather be anywhere else but here, which amuses me slightly. He must have heard me because instantly his head flashes round to my direction and he frowns. The colour drains from my face as I am stood face to face with my health and hygiene teacher Mr Abernathy... who is engaged to Miss Trinket. I make a swift exit and can feel his eyes boring into my skull, but I avoid eye contact praying that he hasn't recognised me although I highly doubt that. He starts to follow me out of the door, trying to get a final glance for his recognition when he is stopped.

"Oh Haymitch darling, wherever are you going? I think I've found the perfect ring...look!" She squeals and he disappears back inside, the door slamming behind him.

I try to process what the hell I've just witnessed. I can't. Mr Abernathy and Miss Trinket are probably the most unlikely couple on the planet; they're nothing like each other!

I walk without thinking and end up in the hospital, sat on the end of dad's bed whilst we laugh at our favourite television program and eat toffee popcorn, just like we did when I was little. It's nice to spend some proper time with him, we used to do so much years ago, before he got his new job, he used to take me fishing, which to be honest I was terrible at since I had no upper arm strength and the rod was too heavy, but it was still always my first choice... probably because it was his too and it made me happy when he smiled.

"Dad?" I ask, he looks in my direction, "where did you and mum go on your first date?"

His forehead creases as he thinks, "we went ice skating I think, it was November and there used to be a little ice rink in the middle of the district- is this about Cato?"

"he's taking me somewhere tonight, just as friends, but I'm still a bit nervous, what if it goes awkward and we both have nothing to say?!" I admit.

He chuckles, "you and Cato have been best friends for many years and in all that time I'm sure you have always had something to say to each other. You're not a shy person Clove, you'll think of something to say don't worry!" He reassures me, putting his arm around my shoulder and pulling me in for a hug.

"Thanks dad" I smile climbing off the bed and falling into the nearest seat to put my shoes on.

Mum peers around the corner of the door checking to make sure dad isn't asleep when she notices me, "Hello sweetheart, we haven't seen you in a few days, are you okay?"

I'm fine, I've just been visiting some of the most popular places in the Capitol and doing some shopping, this place is actually really beautiful-"

"Isn't it just! Your dad and I came here for our honeymoon you know and it's still as amazing now as it was then." She breathes. "Cloves going on a date with Cato tonight..." dad blurts out.

I glare at him and he smirks in return "my baby girl is going on her first date!" Mum squeals whilst spinning me around.

I moan and roll my eyes, "we're just friends..."

"hmmm..." she raises an eyebrow, "where's he taking you?"

"I don't know yet, it's a surprise." I say.

"Well there's the first sign that it's a date..." she says holding up her finger.

I sigh, "Anyway I've got to go and get ready, see you both tomorrow".

"okay, have fun but not too much fun!" I hear them both giggling.

"Mature" I say but still I feel my cheeks flash crimson, luckily I'm facing towards the door now so they don't notice.

After what feels like an unusually long walk back to the apartment, Cato is still not back so I go upstairs and turn the complimentary curling tongs on. I spray my hair a few times with a heat spray and then twirl a small section around, surprisingly the result is quite successful. Since my hair is only a bit longer than shoulder length it doesn't take long for me to finish curling my hair, and it being my first time doing it, I must say I'm pretty pleased with it. Unfortunately when it comes to makeup I'm not so good. I've already taken it off once when I settle for a bit of mascara and lipstick. I take the dress from its hanger and tug my way into it, it fits perfectly. I stand in front of the full length mirror for a few minutes, staring at my reflection before i hear the door close from downstairs, "Clove are you ready?" he shouts.

"Yeah I'll be down in a minute." I take a deep breath and head towards the stairs wobbling slightly in my heels.

"wow!" he breathes, "you look amazing"

I blush, "Thank you" I say as he links my arm and leads me outside where a limousine is waiting, "oh my god Cato!"

He grins, "we have to arrive in style don't we? After all we are in the Capitol." He says opening the door.

I climb in and sit at the far end. There is nothing like this in district two. "Lovely isn't it?" Cato says, "Limousines are apparently very common here in the Capitol."

I laugh slightly, "everything is common in the Capitol, speaking of which you'll never guess who I saw today!"

"Who?" he asks intrigued.

"Miss Trinket and Mr Abernathy! They were in a jewellery shop looking at rings."

He looks at me confused, "you mean they're engaged?" I bite my lip and nod slowly. Cato bursts into laughter, "ARE YOU JOKING? Wait until we get back to school!" he clutches his stomach trying to calm down.

"Maybe if we ask nicely, they'll invite us to the wedding." I smirk, the limousine stops outside a theatre and the driver gets out and opens our door.

"We're going to watch a performance from the best Capitol dancers and singers, its new, tonight is the very first show!"

The theatre is huge and inside there are beautiful glass chandeliers everywhere. Hundreds of people are gathered around the ticket booths and I link Cato's arm as he tries to make his way to the entrance of the grand hall.

We are seated in VIP section with probably one of the best views possible. "This must have cost so much!" I breath.

"Well we probably won't be coming here again for a while so we might as well make the most of it." He smiles. There are curtains either side of us and two velvet red chairs in the middle, placed at a slight angle to face the stage properly. We sit down as the lights dim and the stage curtains open. A tall thin woman wanders into the middle of the stage and begins singing before four ballerinas appear at each corner and start spinning gracefully.

At 11:30 the show finishes and we get a taxi back to the apartment. "That was amazing!" I grin.

"I know," Cato grins, "the shows in district 2 are nothing compared to that, it was spectacular!"

Back at the apartment I root around the kitchen to find some drinks, " there's beer, is that okay?" I shout to Cato.

"Beers great," I hear Cato say as I begin to cut the plastic packaging away from the cans. I take two out and carry through to the living room, chucking one in his direction which he manages to catch, and plonking myself down on the sofa.

The first can doesn't last long for either of us and before I know it, all six have disappeared and it's two-thirty in the morning. We've been talking for hours bit it only seemed like minutes. It always does. I'm halfway through a really crap joke when he interrupts me.

"Clove," He says seriously enough to stop me talking and I search his eyes for an answer, but the glaze of alcohol is all I see.

"What?"

"I'm- I'm really sorry for being a dick about the whole Marvel thing-"

"Don't apologise-"

"No, wait. I really meant what I said the other day." I try to flick back through the days in my mind but the beer has made me foggy and I struggle to remember. He must notice because he explains. "About us going back to how we were... these past couple of days have made me realise how much I really miss you, and I'm sorry that Glimmer came between us."

Just the mention of her name makes me mad and I feel betrayal well up inside me once again.

"But I don't want that to affect us. It's you I want. I always have." His hand finds mine and I feel a flutter in the pit of my stomach. "I love you Clove. I want to be with you."

I stay silent, a little lost for words at his confession. A few moments pass and I consider opening my mouth and saying something, but I don't get the chance before he presses his lips against my own. I freeze automatically not knowing whether to push him away and punch him in the face for not explaining himself or to let him do his worst.

It's unintentional when I choose the latter, my body reacting before my mind can catch up, and wrap my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. I wrap my legs around him as he picks me up and carries me upstairs, my lips never leaving his.

A/N: I'm sorry for how late this chapter is, I kept meaning to finish it but kept forgetting. Xx

~ForeverAndAlways861~