/Chapter 21/

I sat with her for a few minutes. It was the first time since I got back to school that things felt right. Felt normal. But... Just like they always do. My moment came to an end. The bell rang, shrill in my ears and students piled out of their classes, forming a large throng in the hallway, and the moment the bell rang, she was gone. Like smoke through my fingers she disappeared into the crowd. I picked myself up, rubbing a hand over my red face, moving to get a drink from a nearby fountain in an attempt to get rid of my tear stained, heated cheeks before I saw my friends in the cafeteria. I felt a hand slap be on the back and turned to see Marvel- offering me a smile, his arm around Clove's waist. She leant into his arm and smiled softly at me.

At least someone was happy.

I nodded to Marvel, slinging my bag over my shoulder as I made my way to the cafeteria with him and Clove, uncharacteristically quiet. I looked down at the apple in my hands, tuning out from the usual chatter that I would normally have engaged in, but today I didn't feel like it. My thoughts. My memories were assaulting me today, everything I saw was a painful reminder of what i'd lost, and how I had nobody but myself to blame. I couldn't get out of my head. As much as I wanted to. I felt a pinch on my arm that snapped me out of my depressive daydream. Glimmer was smirking, batting her long lashes at me. Not today, please. I snapped my head to look at her, I couldn't help but narrow my eyes slightly. She raised her arms defensivly.

'What's up with you?' She asked, making a face.

I want you out of my damn face...

'Nothing' I said with a shrug, grabbing my bag and slinging it onto my shoulder, standing up. Marvel looked up at me, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

'Where are you going?'

'I left something in class' I lied. I wanted to get out of that loud cafeteria. I wanted to find some small, quiet, dark place and sit there. I was suffocating in here. Surrounded by all the people, my head filled with snippets of different conversations.

'I'll come with you' Marvel said without hesitation, raising himself up from his chair.

'No' I replied sharply. His face dropped and I instantly felt awful for sounding so harsh. I offered him a weak smile.

'I'll see you in Science' I said, with a small nod. He returned the nod, and I watched Clove squeeze his hand, giving him a soft smile that he returned.

'Sure. See you in Science' Marvel replied. I nodded once more, pulling my arm from Glimmer as she attempted to pull me back down to sit and left the cafeteria, making my way through the halls to the Gym at the lowest level of the school.

Breathe. Hit. Breathe.

I wiped my eyes again, trying to fight the images by beating the grey punching bag in the Gym. When I went down there at Lunch there were a fair amount of kids, but soon after I started punching the hell out of the bag they all slowly exited the room. I was alone in the Gym, cursing loudly as every punch brought back a memory of my Father and his endless training.

'PUNCH HARDER!' he snapped. I looked over at him, panting- my body shaking from exhaustion. We'd been at this for hours.

'Dad. I need to rest'

'You can rest when you earn it!' he snarled, slamming his palm into the side of my head, causing me to wince and stagger sideways. 'For fuck sake! Guard up, Cato!' he snarled, punishing my laziness with a sharp kick to my calf, causing my leg to buckle.

I could hear his voice in my head, see his face. I could feel every punch. Every kick.

With a snarl I slammed my fist into the bag, over and over until I felt my knuckles bleed. And then I kept going. Punching and yelling, tears streaming down my face. The reality of my life hit me like a locomotive. When I was with Katniss I could forget everything. I could forget my Dad, the drunk abuse, the murder of my Mother and the failure of a son, friend and brother that I was. But she wasn't here to help me forget. I was left alone with a punching bag and my own regrets.

I punched the bag harder and harder, my blood leaving marks on the blue leather bag. If I had fought like I was now. Nobody would be dead. My siblings would have their Mom. I could have driven my Father away. But I was too much of a coward.

'Cato. Stop' her voice was soft, and I felt her warm hands close on my wrists, pulling them together. I blinked, looking over - my blue eyes clashing with her grey pools. I didn't know if she was really here. Or if I was just seeing what I wanted too.

'Katniss...' my voice was weak and broken. She didn't say anything, she just lifted herself up- planting a soft kiss on my lips. I looked at her as she backed out of the kiss and leant down, kissing her back. Her hand held my neck, keeping my face against hers as she deepened the kiss with a soft moan of wanting. I lifted her up, keeping my mouth on hers. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I moved to hold her against the wall as I kissed her deeply, my hands holding her hips, as she grinded against my body, moaning lightly between heavy kisses.

I kisses her wildly, my mouth moving from her lips to her jaw and neck, leaving kisses and small nips. She let out a low growl, pulling my lips back to hers, opening her mouth and mingling my tongue with hers whilst she furiously clawed at my shirt. Our lips parted for a second as I wrenched her shirt off and my own, throwing them down before returning to the furious kiss. I held her to me, carrying her to the abandoned office and kicking the door closed behind us, holding her up against the door as I kissed her, one hand twisting the lock closed.

'You seem happy...' Marvel said, confused as I sat down between him and Katniss in Science.

'I had a good lunch...' I said, smirking as I heard Katniss snigger. Marvel looked at me, then leant forward to look at Katniss, who quickly stared down at her work, suddenly very interested in the process of Photosynthesis. I felt her hand on my thigh and my eyes widened slightly, I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. I casted her a sideways glance, and she responded with a cocky, half-smirk. Her hand still rubbing my thigh, causing me to blush deeper. I quickly raised my hand, saying I needed to use the restroom. Leaving the class before anyone saw me turn bright red.

I sat outside the classroom, chuckling softly and shaking my head at the incident that had just occoured. I looked up at the sound of footsteps, freezing at what I saw. Gale. As in the kid who helped my Dad murder my Mom. He was wandering through the halls, looking lost and curious. With a snarl I ran at him, grabbing his shirt and slamming him into the nearest locker that concaved as his body hit it.

'What the fuck are you doing here!' I growled. He only smirked and I slammed him against the locker again, wiping the smirk from his face.

'Answer me!'

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned, freezing as I saw another person who thought I would never see again.

'Uncle Snow?'