Cato's POV

An empty room was where I was put once Clove and I were separated in the Justice Building. Aside from a red old fashioned looking couch and chair the room was empty. The wooden walls were bare, and in the left corner of the room there was a window, over looking the town square. I sat down and wondered if anyone would bother coming to say good bye. I knew my family would come. Or would they? Surely they must be proud of the fact I was chosen to volunteer. I hadn't told them earlier in the year. I had wanted it to be a surprise. But even with the honor that is placed upon every District 2 tribute, victor or fallen, I was still worried about what my parent's reaction to the situation would be. But they were the ones who had but the time and money into sending me off to train, so they couldn't be that upset, if they were upset at all.

I was reassured of this when the large wooden doors opened and I saw my family's gleaming faces. My mother was the first to hug me.

"I'm so proud of you!" She said.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" I heard my father ask from the background.

"I guess I wanted it to be a surprise." He chuckled and hugged me too.

"Well I know that you'll be coming home a Victor. Can you believe it?" He said turning to my mother. "Our son! A Victor!" they both smiled at the thought, which made me smile too. How could I not? My parents had always been proud of me, but this, this was more than I could ever ask for.

The peacekeepers came in the room again, telling us our three minutes was now over. He all hugged quickly one last time before they were taken away.

"See you soon!" My mother said just before the doors shut on me again. I wasn't sure how much longer I would be kept in this room, so I decided to look out the window in the corner. The square had been nearly cleared out, and the some of the shops were opening. Even though it's custom to have it closed on reaping day, after the initial reaping is finished, in our district some of them open in celebration. I wondered about what my parents would do now. Not just tonight, but after the games. Without me. I hadn't told them, but I was working out some sort of plan to make sure Clove would win. I'd let it come down to just us two, and then sacrifice myself, or make it look like an accident. If I was to come home without Clove, my life would be missing something. I thought about what it would be like. I would probably sit around in the Victors Village without a thing to do, just mopping around without my Clover.

My thoughts were interrupted by the doors being opened once more. This time the person standing at the door was no other but Lucas.

"Hey." He said stepping in. He looked cautious, almost afraid even. Why wouldn't he be? I was not only dangerous, but we weren't really friends either.

"Hi," I finally replied after about a minute. We only had three anyway, and if Lucas was who I'd have to spend them with, wasting them didn't seem like such a bad idea.

"You're going to win this right?" He asked. I hesitated upon reply. I didn't know. I wasn't exactly planning on it. Not if it came down to Clove and I.

"It depends." I finally settled on those two words. Lucas looked at the floor. Usually he had more confidence than this. What had changed all of the sudden? Was it the fact that I was now a tribute, and he was just a 15 year old who was good with axes? Because there wasn't really too much of a difference between us two. There never had been. Of course or choice of weapons and our tactics, the fact that we envied each other for different reasons didn't help either. But when it comes to the end of the day, aren't we the same? Two boys just trying to make it in the District? Trying to bring it pride? If so, then what had just changed to make Lucas loose all his confidence.

"Try. Do it for me." He said, just in time too. The peackeepers entered the room and took Lucas away.

I finally thought I was alone. Finally thinking I had time to contemplate what had just happened. Kretel walked in the door. I wanted to be the first to speak this time.

"Why did you come?" I asked coolly. What would posses Kretel to think I wanted her here. No one wanted her near them.

"I came to tell you tat I admire your courage." She told me. She was looking at me, but not square in the eye, to the side of my face. Again, like Lucas, as if she was scared. I was confused as well.

"Excuse me?" I asked. She wasn't making sense.

"Look, I know about the thing you have with Clove. And you're going into the arena with her. That must be hard. So I wanted to come and tell you that I admire your courage and wish you the best of luck dealing with those problems out there in the real world." She explained. She turned to leave, not waiting for the peacekeepers to come retrieve her, and without letting me get the chance to reply to her.

Once Kretel left, the peacekeepers came for me. We walked down the same hallway we had to come to these rooms, and out the back entrance of the building. The whole time I was trying to keep myself from looking at Clove, but it was useless. I looked down at her, taking in what Kretel had said. She never once looked up at me. Clove was already becoming a different person. Maybe it was a sign that I had to become a new person too.

We stepped onto the train platform and flashing camera's surrounded us.

This is where it starts Cato.

It's short again compared to the last chapter! Actually, all of these chapters are short! This one's not even two pages! But I'll try to improve on that in the next few. I try to make sure there is at least 1000 words in each, and not including these little notes I put in. I wrote this really quickly because I'm tired and want to go to sleep..

Please Review!

-alexmarika