~Cato~
I sat there in surprise. Katniss got a higher score than I did, than Clove as well. Clove and Enobaria nodded a the screen in approval while Brutus smiled.
"Well done Spitfire." he thought out loud.
"What was her score to get to the Academy?" I asked.
"She had an eight." he said glancing at me.
"And her score that made the Council want her to volunteer?" Clove asked.
"Exactly 9.43, round it off and its a 9. I would have given her a ten but it wasn't up to me." he explained.
"So how did she get an eleven?" I asked.
"That is something you should ask her." Enobaria said and I rolled my eyes.
"I can't talk to her remember? Haymitch ordered her to not have any contact with me or Clove at all." I said from the couch and rested my hand on my enclosed fist.
"Well all that's left is the interviews." Brutus said looking directly at me. I nodded my head and got a confused look from Clove.
"Why do I feel kept out of the loop?" she said with a confused glare.
"You'll find out eventually." I said before standing up and walking to my room. Brutus followed after me but I didn't stop him, I know he wants to talk to me about tomorrow. We walked into my room and he shut the door behind him quietly.
"Do you know what you're going to say tomorrow?" he asked and I shook my head.
"I have no idea." I replied and he shook his head in disappointment.
"You need to figure this out." he said almost angrily.
"Don't you think I know that? Do you know how hard it is to figure out the perfect thing to say to her so she'll understand how I feel about her and that she won't be afraid of me? It's nearly impossible." I told him and he tapped his finger against his chin. "What?"
"There is one person from the Capitol that she does trust completely." he thought out loud.
"Like who? She hates the Capitol, called me a Capitol lap dog enough times back at the Academy." I told him and he scoffed.
"Yes because they are all a bunch of color coated freaks. But there is one Capitol citizen that is almost completely normal." he said and there is only one person I can think of that seems normal. She is totally relaxed around him.
"What will Cinna be able to tell me?" I asked him annoyed.
"Surprised you actually know his name."
"I heard a designer say his name and the District he designed for at the Tribute Parade. Now what can he tell me?"
"Katniss trusts him, he will know why. Ask him a few questions on what he did that allowed her to trust him completely."
"Worth a shot." I agreed with a shrug of my shoulder.
"Good I'll send an Avox up with a message telling Cinna to come down as soon as he can." he said walking out of the room before I could say another word. A few minutes later there was a soft knock on my door and when I opened it, it revealed Cinna.
"Brutus said you needed me? And not for a wardrobe reason I assume." he says with a knowing look.
"You assume correctly." I said as I moved out of the way to let him in.
"So what do you need to know about Katniss?" he said clasping his hands behind his back.
"How is it that she trusts you so quickly?"
"When we met, I didn't treat her like she was going to die. I told her that I was impressed for what she did for her sister, but I was sorry for the fact that her love for Prim put her in this life and death situation." he explained as I stood there taking in his words. "She trusts me also because I don't dress in ridiculous clothes like the rest of the people in the Capitol do. I won't conform. Her and I share a hatred for the Capitol." he said with a grimace on his face.
"But I don't hate the Capitol. Sure I don't agree with some of the things they do but-"
"Like what?" he questioned.
"Like how the people in lower Districts are so poor. Why waste the money they have on something they don't need? Why not just give it to the more poor Districts?" I said to him and he tapped his finger to his chin.
"Are you saying that just because she is from the lowest District of them all?" he questioned.
"No! I thought that when I saw the District during the Victory Tour last year. Clove and I met a boy in the woods, he was hunting for food." I said and Cinna perked up at this.
"What was his name?"
"Gale I think. Why?"
"No reason. What have you done to try to prove to Katniss that she can trust you?"
"Well she and I made a deal that I won't kill her, Peeta, or Rue if she does not try to kill me or Clove. But other than that, nothing because Haymitch forbid her from talking to me. So there isn't anything I can do." I said sitting on the bed and running my hands through my hair.
"Is there anything you could give her that could make her trust you?" he asked and I thought for a second. I could write her a letter that he could give to her.
"If I write her a note, would you give it to her without Haymitch knowing?" I asked him and he nodded. I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from the bed side table and began to write. After a few minutes of putting everything I wanted to say and handed it to him. He looked it over and nodded in approval.
"Is there anything else?" he asked and I shook my head. "Good luck in the interviews tomorrow, and in the Games." he said before walking out of the room. After a few minutes I decided to change into my pajamas which is just pants because I like to sleep shirtless. I didn't bother taking a shower because I know they will make me take one tomorrow before my interview. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about it, I would be letting everybody in the nation know about how I feel for Katniss. And who knows if she feels the same way. I'll just have to wait and see.
~Katniss~
I was just laying on my bed, thinking about my score. A number just put a giant target on my back. I will be at the top of everybody's list to kill, except Clove, Cato, Peeta, and Rue, they won't kill me. But everybody else might. I wouldn't put it past them. I was also thinking about Cato. What is he doing? And what does he think about being beaten in the scores. He got a 10 and I got an 11. Any Career would be upset, but I don't think Cato and Clove would be surprised. I've trained just like they have and they know that. I just hope they don't hate me for beating them. There was a soft knock on my door and when I told whoever it was they could come in, Cinna was presented.
"Hey." he said with a soft smile and I returned it.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in your own suite making my dress?" I asked, lifting myself up to look at him.
"Your dress was finished yesterday." he said with a happy smile on his face. I noticed him holding a piece of paper in his hand.
"What's that?" I asked pointing to it. He looked down at it and held it out to me.
"For you." he said. I took it from him and he walked out the door. Confused, I opened the folded paper and read what it said to myself.
Katniss,
I never said how sorry I was for how I treated you in the Academy, it was unfair to you when I didn't know a thing about you. And I'm sorry that your love for your sister is costing you a chance at losing your life. That isn't fair either. There was so much I wanted to do. I wanted to win the games, and come find you. Even though you might have hated me or not liked me very well. There was so much I had planned, if everything went right. If it went wrong, I would try to make things right between us. There are things that I need to tell you and explain to you, and it will happen tomorrow during the interviews. It will be at the wrong time but it's the best I can do. I don't know what will happen during the Games, but I will honor the promise I made to you. If you would have me, I would ally with you and try my best to get you out so you could go back to your sister. Yes I have a family to go back to and Clove does too, but we both know and agree that you are the one who deserves to go home. Clove is still going to ally with the other Careers no matter what, but if you choose and want I could ally with you and make your chances at going home stronger. People seem to think that there is something between us. If we ally and give them what they want, it could give us, you, sponsors. But it's totally up to you.
I just wanted to say that I was sorry for all that has happened to you and there is so much I want to tell you. Please try to not act surprised when all is revealed tomorrow because I will explain after the interviews, if you would meet me on the roof after the interviews once everybody has gone to bed. Haymitch may have told you not to talk to me until the Games start, but maybe he could make an exception just this once.
Cato
I read that letter over and over, I could almost recite it. What could he want to tell me? What needs to be explained? People think that there is something between us? How if we haven't talked to each other in days. Could it be the way he stares at me? How he watches me in training even though people are watching him? I do my fair share of watching, but my face is always impassive, or at least I think it is. But I could be wrong. Is this why Haymitch didn't want us talking, so try and get people think that there is something. With all of these thoughts running through my head, I fell asleep, trying to figure out what all is happening. That night I had a dream, one where Haymitch had to wake me up from.
I was in a forest, at first I thought it was the woods back home, but I figured out quickly that it wasn't. I was in cargo pants and a thin jacket that seemed to keep me very warm. I had a bow in hand and a quiver of arrows on my back, all Capitol made. I was in the Arena and I wasn't alone. There was crunch to my left and I jumped out of the way before whatever or whoever it was lunged at me. I saw blonde hair, blue eyes, and a muscular figure. At first glance I thought it was Cato with a sword, but it wasn't. It was Peeta with a ax and a crazed look in his eyes.
"You chose him over me!" he said as he swung the ax in my direction. I reached for an arrow but it seemed to have disappeared. I was defenseless, everything I learned at the Academy vanished from my head. All I could do was try to get away.
"What?" I shouted back.
"You picked him! Over your best friend. He hardly knows you yet you picked him!" he said swinging his ax again. Then another blonde male appeared and tackled him to the ground. They fought, sword against ax. It was Cato.
"Don't you dare touch her!" he shouted at Peeta, throwing a punch to his jaw.
"No! Stop it! No!" I shouted at them.
"You don't know her like I do!"
"I understand her better than you ever could. I LOVE HER!" Cato shouted back as they continued to fight. A spear was thrown and landed in Peeta's back. It wasn't Cato, or Clove because she uses knives. I don't know who threw it. As Cato stood there confused about what just happened, how Peeta died and not by his hands, a third blonde tribute stepped into my few, but this one was female, Glimmer.
"He chose you, and not me." she said holding up her knife high in the air, ready to plunge into my heart. She thrust her hand down and the knife pierced my skin, into my heart. As my world was fading Cato screamed my name.
"Katniss! Katniss!"
"Katniss!" a voice shouted, but it wasn't Cato. I opened my eyes and saw Haymitch. I sat up in my bed and rubbed my hand across my forehead, sweat drenching my hand. "Are you okay? You were shouting." he said and I nodded.
"Just a nightmare." I told him and he sighed.
"About the Games?" he asked and I nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?" I shook my head in response. "Come on, it's almost time to get ready for the interviews anyway." he said standing up and I followed in pursuit.
"How much time do I have?" I asked him.
"About an hour or so." he said and I nodded. I sat down on the couch and waited for Peeta to wake up so we could eat breakfast. A few minutes later, he did. He tried to give me a hug but I backed away. When he gave me a confused look Haymitch stepped in for me.
"Nightmare." he said and Peeta nodded. I will not tell him that he was trying to kill me in it. He would think that I don't trust him, but I do trust him. After we all were finished eating, I went with Effie to allow her to teach me on how to sit properly and walk in four in heels. She was presently surprised when I could.
"How can you walk in them so well?" she asked astonished.
"I had to wear heels to some fancy dinners at the Academy." I told her and she nodded with a smile.
"Well then lets add a few inches. I don't think six inches will be necessary but you never know." I changed into the new shoes and I had a little bit of trouble but eventually go the hang of it. Sooner or later it was time to switch. I sat with Haymitch for hours trying to figure out how I should portray myself on stage.
"I give up, your personality hasn't changed at all in the past two years."
"Sorry if I became hostile." I said sarcastically. He shook his head and groaned.
"Where is Cinna with your dress?" Haymitch complained right as Cinna walked through the door carrying a garment bag.
"Somebody call for me?" he joked with a smile and Haymitch sighed in relief.
"Finally. Get her ready." he said walking out. Once he was out the door the rest of my prep team scurried through the door. As I sat in a chair in the bathroom they plucked, shaved, and washed me all over again just they did the first time, but it didn't hurt as much. Cinna then helped me into my dress. With how low the back of the dress is, you can see my scars from being whipped. I asked my prep team not to cover them. I want people to see that I can be tough.
"Great now twirl for me." he said excitedly. I twirled and was engulfed in flames once again.
"I don't know about this Cinna." I said nervously.
"You'll be fine, don't you know how beautiful you look?" he asked but I shook my head.
"I don't mean that. I don't know how to get people to like me. How do you make people like you?" I asked annoyed.
"Well you made me like you." he pointed out standing up.
"That's different I wasn't trying." I said smoothing out my dress as I stepped closer to him.
"Then when you're up there, find me in the crowd and pretend like you're talking to me. Okay?" he offered with a friendly smile that I returned and nodded.
"Okay."
"Good now let's get you out there." he said as we walked out into the living room and saw Haymitch, Peeta, and Effie standing there waiting.
"Wow you look great Katniss." Peeta said as he gave me a hug.
"Thanks you do too." I said back with a smile. It's times like this where I forget that Peeta and I are in the Hunger Games and we can just act like best friends again.
"Where is that personality all the time?" Haymitch complained as we got in the elevator.
"I can't be best friends with everybody Haymitch." I snapped at him. A few minutes of silence later we arrive on the main floor and walked backstage. Peeta and I separate from the three and stand among the rest of the Tributes waiting for the interviews to start. I spot Clove and Cato standing a few feet away. He is wearing a dark gray suit with a metallic shine to it, with a black shirt underneath and shoes to match it. Cato's back is to me and he is talking to Clove who was wearing a floor length orange gown with ribbons and ruffles, well beyond her usual style. She spotted me watching them beyond Cato and pointed to me. He turned around and his ice blue eyes go wide as he sees me in my dress and my hair up in a braided bun. When he picked his jaw up off the floor he gave me a soft smile and a nod. I nodded back and turned back to Peeta.
"Are you okay?" Peeta asked me concerned.
"I don't know if I can do this." I said to him.
"You'll be okay. We can get through this." he said taking my hand in his and giving it a squeeze.
"But there are so many people I care about in the Games."
"Hey I know. Prim should have never gotten Reaped, then you wouldn't be here. None of us should be here. Not you, me, Rue, Clove, or even Cato." he said as Caeser came out on stage to start the show.
I stood there in line, waiting my turn and Peeta's hand clasped in my own as I waited. Glimmer walked out on stage in the pale pink dress that was almost skin toned, and very revealing. It's easy to see that sexual appeal was her angle. As she talked she kept flicking her hair and winking at the crowd, earning wolf howls and whistles from the crowd. As she skipped off stage Marvel readjusted his jacket as he waited for his name to be called. Throughout his interview he portray himself a bit like an idiot but ready for the Games to start. Eventually Clove was called and she acted sweet yet sarcastic at the same time during her interview. She did well, letting a few hints drop about her talents yet still remaining a mystery. Then Cato is called up, he isn't acting cocky and tough like I though he would, instead he used his charm.
"So Cato, how are you liking the Capitol so far?"
"It's great, you know? A lot like home but still really different." he replied with a smile, showing off his perfect white teeth.
"So is there anybody back home you want to win these Games for?"
"Well besides my family, there is somebody I'd like to win the Games for." Cato hinted.
"Ah, a lucky lady perhaps?" Caeser teased and I let go of Peeta's hand, too curious to hold it without squeezing it too hard.
"You could say that." Cato replied seriously, but still had a small smile on his face.
"Can you tell us her name?" Caeser begged.
"Let's just say that she's kindled a flame in my heart." he said, placing a big hand over his heart. He looked into the camera but his eyes seemed to be staring into my soul. Like he's talking to me, but he is talking to me.
"A flame huh? How long have you known her?"
"It feels like its been a couple years, like maybe two years. But really I've only know her for a few days." he explained and he isn't lying. He's known who I am for two years, but he hasn't really known me until a few days ago. He likes me, maybe even loves me. I'm surprised, confused a little, but strangely happy. I don't know why I feel happy, we're competing to the death. Only one of us can survive. But this is Cato. The boy who kissed me, who I danced with at the Feasts, he woke me up from a horrific nightmare during the Victory Tour, he worried about me when I got back for the Tour with my injuries and when I was "sick". Deep down he cared about me, but I didn't see it.
"Well I wish you the best of luck with you and your flame. I know this won't be easy for either of you." Caeser said as the buzzer went, telling us that his time was up. He walked off stage and past everybody in line to make his way to the Tribute lounge where the Tributes watch the rest of the interviews and wait for them to finish. As Cato passed me his hand brushed against mine. One word was whispered as he passed me by.
"Sorry." he said before walking away completely. The rest of the interviews continued, but I wasn't really paying attention, I was too busy thinking about what had just happened. Cato had told everybody that he liked me. Well not me specifically but the "flame" comment implied that it was me. I almost didn't know that it was close to my turn until Peeta tapped my shoulder and lightly pushed me towards the stage as Caeser called me name. I had to calm down and focus. I walked out with a smile on my face as Caeser clasped my hand.
"My my Katniss, that was some entrance you made at the Tribute parade. Now those flames, were they real?" he asked and I smirked.
"Why yes they were," I started and searched for Cinna in the crowd, he twirled his finger in a circle telling me to spin for everybody. "in fact I am wearing them again tonight. Would you like to see?" I asked him and he gestured for me to show them. I stood up and spun in circles, letting the flames eat me up as the crowd cheered and clapped for me. Soon I became dizzy and had to sit down, luckily Caeser was there to steady me.
"Wow, that was something, that was something. Thank you for that. So Katniss, what do you think of that confession earlier from Cato?" he asked and I could feel the cameras zoom in on my face. If Cato was out here, they would get a close up on him too, but they are stuck with me.
"It was a bit surprising but there is more to a person than what meets the eye." I said simply.
"Do you return his feelings?" he said and I thought for a bit. Did I return what he felt? I could, he didn't quit and still tried when I never told him anything. He never quit on me. "Katniss?" he asked again, I must've been thinking for too long.
"I think I might have a place in my heart for a Hart." I said finally, Caeser smiled at me, and the crowd erupted with cheers.
"Now one last thing before we finish. I want to talk about your sister Prim." he said once the crowd had calmed down, holding my hand comfortingly. "Did she come say goodbye to you after you volunteered for her?"
"Yes, she did." I said, going from feeling comfortable to very small and my voice grew shaky, trying not to cry.
"She did, and what did she say, if you don't mind telling us."
"She told me to try to win. And I promised that I would try to win for her."
"And try you will." he said, kissing my hand as the buzzer went. I walked off the stage to Haymitch and Effie who stood waiting for me.
"Nice job Sweetheart." Haymitch said to me with a sympathetic smile.
"You did great." Effie said.
"Thanks." I said to them with not much enthusiasm.
"Are you okay?" Haymitch asked sounding concerned.
"I'm still trying to process it all." I replied.
"Trying to figure out if what Cato did was an act or real?" he asked and I looked at him.
"I think it was genuine. Too many things have happened between us for it to be fake all of the sudden." I told him. He nodded and sighed before all of us turned to the television that was on the wall in the hallway. They didn't have me go to the lounge, because once Peeta was done we could just go upstairs, we didn't have to wait very long.