Sorry it has been so long since I've updated. There has been a lot of…drama lately. I have actually had this chapter written for awhile but just got around to typing it. I really am dreading getting into the games, hence this filler chapter. I think I'm going to keep the games to 1 or maybe 2 long chapters. Anyways I hope you enjoy and keep reviewing :)
Chapter 14
I'm back in District 2 with Cato. We sit on a rock at the edge of the water facing the waterfall. We are in the exact spot where he proposed to me. I lay my head on Cato's lap; our entwined fingers resting lightly on my hipbone. Cato's free hand brushes across my cheek, before making it's my way to my exposed collarbone. His fingers trail lightly across my collarbone and his touch leaves goose bumps on my exposed flesh. I sit up and untwine our fingers and lean in to kiss his turns to face me and pulls me closer before putting his lips to mine. As our kissing becomes more passionate, we fall back on the rock and I'm now laying on top of Cato's toned body. I laugh at what has happened but go back to kissing him. Our lips separate when Cato pulls back and gives me a sly smile.
"Let's go for a swim." He says with a wink and rolls us over so he can get up and then help me up. He throws off his clothes and jumps in the water. When he has finally reached water that goes up to his abdomen he holds his arms out towards me. I quickly strip off my clothes and join him in the water. Once I'm in his arms again he plants kisses down my neck and collarbone before making his way down my body. His lips move slowly and meaningfully and leave my body tingling. He slowly kisses his way back up then pulls my body closer to his.
"You're beautiful; you know that right?" He whispers in my ear and the worlds starts to spin.
"Clove! Wake up! C'mon today is the day we leave for the arena, you need to wake up and eat breakfast." I hear Cato say anxiously. I groan and let my eyes flicker open. Sadly, we are not in District 2, were in the Capitol, and today is the day that we are taken to the Arena. I roll out of bed and throw on the clothes that someone has laid out for me. I find myself wearing a pair of black jean shorts that cut off slightly below the top of my thighs and a lacy light green tank top. Now I know who picked out my outfit, gotta love Cato.
"Nice outfit", he says with a sly smile and I smirk at him, as his skim over my body. I look over his unclothed body and he laughs lightly, "Like what you see?" In reply I step forward and run my hands over his body and then lean up on my tiptoes to kiss him. I kiss him quickly then pull away and tell him to put some clothes on. He throws on a pair of shorts and a striped black and tan tank top that shows off his well-toned chest and arms. Hmmm, this is all mine… I really am lucky.
Our fingers entwine and he types in a code to open the door. We make our way to the breakfast table to find we are the last ones to sit. Everyone is here: Arisa, Brutus, Enobria, the stylists, and even the prep teams.
"Nice of you two to join us, what took you so long; couldn't figure out how to untangle yourselves?" Brutus says teasingly and winks at Cato. I try and deny his accusations but he isn't hearing it, "Please girl I heard you two, ain't exactly quiet are you?" I turn 20 different shades of red and try and hide my face, I don't do very well talking about my formerly non-existent sex life.
As I continue to try and hide my right red face Cato discusses plans for what to do in the arena. I listen carefully and only express my opinion when asked for it. I don't really want to discuss fighting techniques; I want to spend the last hour I have hear with Cato and only Cato. Enobria senses this and so she quickly finishes up the conversation and suggests that Cato and I discuss some of our own plans. I accept happily and we walk back to my room hand in hand. When we get to the room I push the button to close the door and type in the code to lock it, before coming over to sit next to Cato on my overly stuffed Capitol bed.
"I can't do it you know, kill you. Killing you would be like killing myself. If you die, I die. I am not living without you.' I say as he stares at me with his piercing blue eyes.
"Clove, you need to go home to your family, to my family. If you make it home you will find someone to love you, someone that can make you happy. You will move on and have a family and it will be a new start for you, it will be real happiness. You don't need me to be happy. I bet Xander would take you back in a heartbeat, he still loves you. Clove you need to win, because without you…I have nothing." Cato says and I see the tears that are threatening to leave his eyes.
"Cato, I could say all the same things about you. If you die; I will not be able to go on. For so long, it's been just you and me and I don't know anything else any more. I have not been with Xander for four years, and I was thirteen when we dated! He might love me, but I don't love him. Plus, if you go back you have Liliana. You dated her for two years, she loves you and I know at one point you loved her too." I say sadly.
"I never loved Liliana. I saw her as a girlfriend and nothing more. With you , I see a future. I see you as my wife, I see you as a mother, I see you and me together for the rest of our lives. When I dream, I dream of you; not her. With us it's true love, never forgotten. No matter what happens remember this. I loved you, I love you, and I will always love you, and only you." He says quietly. I realize tears are falling from my eyes. Everything he said, its true for me too. I can't imagine living life with anyone else, he is the one. I can't seem to get my mouth to form words so I just lean my head against Cato's chest until Arisa knocks lightly on the door to inform us that we have 5 minutes left. I get up off the bed and Cato does the same. I seem to have calmed down enough to speak so I hand him my engagement ring and tell him to wear it as his token. He takes it and slips it onto his pinky finger. I reach up to wrap my arms around his neck and lean up slightly to give him one last goodbye kiss. We separate and whisper one last I love you before we are separated and taken to separate hovercrafts.
The hovercraft ride seems never ending and I feel uncomfortable being surrounded by people that are probably betting on my chances of survival. When we arrive at the Arena, I am strangely relieved. I am led to a small room that is covered in all tile. My stylist, whose name I learned is Jade hands me the out I will be wearing in the arena. I throw on the outfit carelessly and let Jade put my hair into a ponytail that sits high up on my head. Once she is finished with my hair she walks over to a table then back to me and fastens something around my neck. I look down and see my district token, a locket from Cato hanging from a light, gold chain and next to the locket is my engagement ringing, shining more brightly than before.
"How did you get this? I gave it to Cato. I can only have one token." I say harshly. The stress of the games is finally starting to take a toll on my temper. That plus the fact President Snow wants me and Cato dead. But besides those two things my life is just dandy.
"Your fiancé gave it to me to give to you. He cleared it with the game makers. He told them it means more to you and they agreed that as long as he does not have another token you can wear both. Another thing, he told me to tell you that he made an alliance with the boy from District12 and the two from District 3. Your job is to get the girl from District 12 to join you all as well. You need both of the 'star crossed lovers' in your alliance. They might be your only chance of winning out there because they have one thing you don't… good luck Clove and may the odds be ever in your favor." She says in a rushed voice.
"I will and Jade, thank you… for everything." I say quickly and hug her tightly. She may be weird but she is not stupid and she definitely knows something big I don't know.
"Ten seconds" a voice says over a loud speaker. Jade leads me to a glass cylinder and as soon as I step inside the cylinder closes off and begins to rise. As I am lifted up into the arena I am temporarily blinded by the bright light of the sun. When I regain my sight I search for Cato and Katniss, the girl from District 12. I locate them both then turn my attention back to the countdown clock. The voice that booms from the loudspeaker seems to echo around the arena. I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
"10…9…8…7…6…" The voice continues to boom and I open my eyes and prepare to run. "5…4…3…" I take another deep breath.
"2…1…" The gong sounds and were off.
Let the games begin.