She doesn't like this. She really, really, really doesn't like this.
Her right leg bounces up and down at lightning speed as she sits at her desk in AP literature, tightly grasping her pen in one hand while the other clenches into a fist. Ms. Trinket is droning on and on about Hamlet, but all Clove can focus on is Cato, who sits directly in front of her. She stares at the back of his head, at the way his blond hair swirls counter-clockwise from the center. He looks ridiculously large sitting at his desk, leaning back in his chair and drumming his own pencil on the desk's surface.
She spent the rest of Saturday night and almost all of Sunday thinking about Cato and what happened in his car, when he placed his hand on her knee. How she reacted. It was strange, the way she felt as though she had been struck by lightning. Her heart rate didn't return to normal until after he dropped her off and she was safely inside of her house, leaning against the door and letting an exasperated sigh escape her.
"Ms. Kentwell, what about you?" She's distracted from her thoughts by Ms. Trinket, who's got her attention right on her. "Which theme do you believe applies to the appearance of King Hamlet's Ghost?"
"Uh, death and decay," says Clove quickly. Ms. Trinket nods grudgingly, seeming annoyed that she wasn't able to catch Clove off-guard. She turns to victimize some other student, and Clove lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
Of course, Cato just has to turn around in his desk to face her. He shoots her that charming, lopsided grin and tilts his head slightly. "She almost got you there, Clover," he says lowly.
She kicks the back of his chair. "You know how I feel about Clover," she hisses.
"I know. I just love getting a rise out of you," he says, and the kid honest-to-god winks at her before turning back around to face the front.
It's all Clove can do not to snap the pen that's still gripped tightly in her hand. Her nails are digging into her palms as she glares at the back of his head once again. Briefly, she wonders if he knows what he's doing. If he's somehow figured out that she's all conflicted by the fact that she's suddenly attracted to her best friend's boyfriend, her neighbor-slash-best-friend since birth.
She folds her arms on her desk and lets her head drop onto them, stifling a groan. God, why does life suddenly have to be so complicated?
"Ms. Kentwell, chin up, please!"
She's pretty quiet all day. She thinks her frustration must be written on her face or something too, because a lot of students seem to be avoiding her. Smart kids, she thinks. Everybody knows not to cross her on a bad day.
Well, almost everyone.
"Jeez, ease up on that salad, tiger," says Finnick at lunch, his eyebrows raised. "It's just lettuce, you don't have to stab it like it murdered your family."
"I'll stab you like you murdered my family," says Clove, pointing her fork at him. He puts his hands up in surrender.
She turns back to her meal, pushing the lettuce around with the fork. She doesn't have much of an appetite, but knows that she needs to eat. Her dad hasn't gone grocery shopping in weeks, and she refuses to go to gymnastics later with no energy.
"Hey, Clove's having a rough time today," says Cato. "Trinket called her out like three times in lit earlier."
Johanna snorts. "Honestly, I can't blame you for zoning out like that. Gloss Devereux is in your class, isn't he? I'd get in trouble for staring at him too. Kid's hot."
Clove shakes her head and smiles slightly at Johanna, and Cato scoffs. "Gloss is an asshole," he says. "Only cares about looking good. He's got no substance."
"Yeah, well it works for him," says Johanna dreamily, and Clove laughs. She doesn't bother denying anything. It's true that Gloss is in her class, and that he's very attractive, but he was the last thing on her mind today. Not that anybody needs to know that.
Cato mumbles something under his breath, but Clove doesn't have much time to dwell on it because Glimmer is suddenly slipping into the seat beside her. "What'd I miss?" she asks breezily, pushing blonde curls away from her face.
"Nothing much, just Clove's massive crush on Gloss Devereux," says Thresh.
Clove scowls at the other boy. "I do not have a crush on Gloss. Like Cato said, the guy's totally full of it."
Glimmer hums. "Shame. You guys would probably be cute together. Your smarts could totally balance out his, um... lack, thereof? Hey, what's he doing taking an AP class, anyway?"
"Trying to get closer to Clove," says Marvel with a shit-eating grin. Clove throws a grape at him, nailing him square in the eye.
"What is it, guys, pick-on-Clove day?" she groans, placing a hand on her forehead. The table laughs.
Eventually the conversation disperses into different, smaller ones, and Clove turns to face Glimmer when she feels her friend's hand on her shoulder. "Seriously, what's the matter?" she says. "I know we're all joking around and shit, but something's bothering you. You know you can talk to me about anything."
Clove purses her lips at Glimmer's words, eerily similar to the ones Cato spoke to her only two days ago. "I'm fine," she lies. "Just went to bed kind of late last night. Got a wicked headache right now."
Glimmer frowns. "Okay," she says, and Clove knows that she doesn't believe her, but she's grateful that Glimmer doesn't press it.
The unfortunate thing about Monday, other than the fact that it's Monday, is student council. Clove isn't a part of it, but Glimmer is, meaning that Clove is stranded at the school until Glimmer can drive her home.
She's currently camped out in the school library, poring over her AP psychology textbook and trying her best to focus on the notes she's supposed to be taking for homework. Unfortunately, some obnoxious pack of freshmen has decided to take up residence at the tables beside hers, and are screaming about something she definitely doesn't care about.
She's only barely restraining herself from strangling every single one of them when she senses somebody approaching her table. She braces herself for it to be one of the freshmen, but is pleasantly surprised to see that it's not. It's a boy, probably her age or a little bit younger, with a firm, stocky build and pale blond hair that falls slightly into blue eyes. He kind of looks like—
"Hi. I'm, uh, I'm Peeta," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. Right. Exactly how Delly described him.
Clove raises her eyebrows at him, confused. "Okay?"
He clears his throat. "Well, it's a little bit chaotic over here," he says, glancing over at the freshmen. "I have a quieter table on the other side of the library, if you want to come work there instead. You don't have to! Obviously. But... just in case. Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you."
God, this kid's awkward. But it's somewhat endearing, and Clove finds herself smiling at him. "Yeah, sure. Thanks."
He nods and waits for her to gather her belongings before leading her away from the pack of mini-demons. Sure enough, he has found another table toward the other side, much quieter than the zoo where Clove was moments ago. She files into the seat across from where he has his own study materials laid out, opening her textbook as he slides into his chair.
"So, you know Delly?" says Clove after a few moments, not looking up from her work.
"Y-yeah. You do, too?" says Peeta, seeming surprised that she spoke to him.
She nods, tapping her pen against her lips before looking up at him. "Yeah, we're part of the same gymnastics club. She told me about you the other day. You guys dating or something?"
"Oh! No!" protests Peeta, his face growing pink as he shakes his head vehemently. "Definitely not. No, Delly's awesome, but we definitely aren't anything more than friends. I, uh... I like someone else. Anyway. Here. At... at Panem."
Clove considers mentioning Katniss, but decides against it. Peeta's been kind to her today, and while she'd love to see him squirm a bit, she feels as though it would be a bit rude. And so she keeps her mouth shut and decides not to ask.
Eventually Glimmer finds Clove in the library, introducing herself to Peeta in her typical sunny fashion. Clove says goodbye and thanks him for the table before she and Glimmer make their way out of the library.
"Oh, he's just the cutest!" Glimmer gushes as they cross the parking lot to her car. "If Katniss doesn't end up dating him, I'll die."
"Melodramatic, Glim."
"I'm serious!"
Clove shakes her head as she climbs into Glimmer's car. She still doesn't see Katniss choosing Peeta. They're just too different. Besides, she's learning lately that unrequited feelings are just about the least awesome thing in the world.
Yay, even more Clato! Now, do we really think Clove's feelings are all that unrequited? Could there be a bit of a scandal within the Glato relationship? Time will tell, I suppose...
Anyway. I've been on a total kick. I already have like, four or five more chapters ready to publish, and I'm so excited.
As usual, leave a review and let me know what you thought! See you all next time :)