BEFORE YOU START THIS FANFIC PLEASE READ THIS
I changed many things so please take this into consideration while leaving a review and reading this. I know some of this did not happen, but I wanted to include what I wished happened. So I hope you enjoy it! :)
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, the gong sounded. Clove looked around. She couldn't see anyone, anywhere. Then she heard trumpets - "Congratulations Clove Kentwell! You are the winner of the 74th hunger games!" Suddenly the faces of all those that had died appeared in the sky, her mom, her dad, her little brother, and her older brother. The other 20 faces she recognized but all she could think about was her family. No, she thought This isn't real, Clyde is 10, he can't be reaped and mom and dad are peacekeepers. Besides, only one boy and one girl can be reaped for each district. Clove woke up and groaned - she heard a loud bang and sighed with relief. Her little brother was fine and so were her parents and older brother.
Before Clove could even fully sit up Clyde was bounding down the hall to Cloves room. Clyde didn't need to knock for Clove to know he was there; he just stood outside and waited for her. Clove, knowing what Clyde wanted her to say, she said, "Clyde I know you're here, so just come in". Clyde ran in and flew onto Clove's bed. Clove already knew what he was going to say, but it made Clyde happy to surprise her.
"I made you breakfast!" Clyde exclaimed, clearly pleased with himself.
"Ok. Why don't you go back downstairs, I will be right there." Clove answered. Without another word, Clyde slipped out the door and sprinted down the hall. Clove was still mad at the girl named Lenora for taking her knife, trying to hide the fact that she took it, and then she hit Clove and blamed her. Somehow, since Lenora's father was the mayor, none of the truth mattered. Lenora was innocent as far as Mayor Clearwood was concerned, and so Clove was going to be sent to a different training center.
Clove didn't care about any of that though. All she wanted was to be left alone to practice throwing knives. Not that Clove needed practice with throwing Knives, she has been nicknamed "the girl who never misses". When Clove started training at training center 2B it took her months to get everyone to realize that if they didn't leave her alone they would get hurt. Clove had convinced herself that she didn't need friends, that she didn't need anybody. Now Clove had to start over at training center 7C.
Clove put on a pair of black sneakers, a teal athletics shirt, and black shorts that clung tightly to her thighs. Clove put her hair in a ponytail and hid one of her knives in it. Before Clove went for breakfast she grabbed the rest of her knives, tucked them on her knife vest, and shrugged on the vest. she didn't like the inexpensive knives at the training centers so she just had her own. She looked in the mirror and fixed her ponytail, then she walked down the hall and down the stairs.
Clyde made eggs, toast, and bacon-his favorite- "oh wow Clyde this looks delicious." Clove said. Clyde smiled "I'm glad you like it sis!" Clove sat down and ate her eggs and bacon leaving the toast for Clyde-even though he had his own- Clove said goodbye to Clyde then went out the door. Only her little brother knew what she was really like. Since Clove was only 5 feet tall she wasn't taken seriously, people just saw her and thought she was 11 even though she was 15. So now every time she's out in public she gives everything and every one the death stare.
Clove arrived at the training center, she was greeted by the trainer. "Hello Clove," he said. "Claudius!" she yelled. Clove threw her arms around the trainer "Clove" Claudius sighed "you have changed so much since I saw you last."
"Well, you only see me at the reaping."
"I know,"
"Can you put me down now?" Clove asks. Claudius realized he had lifted Clove about 6 inches off the ground. He set her down and lightly kissed her on the forehead. "Clove show me what you've got."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean show me why you should be a career."
"Will you let me volunteer?." Clove asked. "No," Claudius said as he guided Clove to the training room. "You're my little sister, I'm not going to let you give up your life to kill other children." Claudius explained, "go on Clove I will follow you to see what I'm working with." Clove went to the spear station. She took out one of her small knives and threw it. It landed right on the head-a fatal shot-clove took out a big knife and threw it and it landed on the chest. Another fatal shot. "Nice Clove," said Claudius before he turned away and started to watch other kids.
Clove walked down the long spear station and grabbed her knives. When she turned around, she saw a boy with blond hair and deep blue eyes holding a spear. "You better move princess. You're not the only one who can aim," he said. Clove moved to the side, "go on then." she said. The boy threw the spear and it landed on one of the outer rings near the heart. "It seems that I can aim better than you." Clove said to the boy. "I'm Cato." said the boy who was walking toward Clove. "I'm Clove." Clove said quietly. "Princess you have to speak up if anyone's going to hear you."
"My name is Clove, not princess."
"Princess suits you better." Clove laughed and walked past Cato. "where are you going, princess?" Cato asked, "start calling me Clove and I might tell you."
"Fine. Clove where are you going?"
"Outside."
"why?"
"Why do you care, Cato?"
"I don't care. It's just a question."
"I do my physical training outside. I don't see the point in lifting weights inside when you could climb trees, things that you would actually need in an arena."
"Ok prin...Clove"
"I heard that Cato." Clove said as she walked outside. Cato followed her outside "why did you transfer here?" Cato asks
"Because I got into a fight with a girl at my old training center." Clove explained
"Well, that won't help you in the arena." Cato said, Clove stopped. "I'm not going in the arena, Claudius won't ever let me."
"Why not?" Cato asked. Why wouldn't Claudius let her she's strong, brave, and pretty. Ugg cato she's just a girl you can't fall for her. Clove broke his thoughts "he is my older brother." oh that makes sense. Cato thought. "Anyways I'm not 'old enough' to be in the career pack. I'm 15, they only want 18 year olds." she explained. I think i'm falling for Cato. Clove thought. The way he looks at me, the way he smiles and... CLOVE what is going on with you! You can't be falling for a boy. Cato starred at Clove, the look of confusion on her face mesmerized him. Cato couldn't stand the silence, " want to take a walk?" he asked politely. "Ok." Clove answered. This is your chance Clove, you have to impress him!
Cato started to woods. Looking over his shoulder to make sure Clove was following him. She wasn't there. "Clove?" Cato looked around, nobody was there. "Clove?" he said again slightly louder. Then clove jumped from the tree she was hiding in. " haha, i got you." Clove laughed. "You should have seen your face, it was pathetic. You really looked worried." Cato smiled, "come on princess." he walked forward again. Not needing to look to see if Clove was following because she was right at his side. Clove take his hand! He looked worried about you. He must like you back. Clove reached for Cato's hand and slightly tugged at it so he would know to give it to her. Cato, she wants to hold your hand! She must like you back! Cato took Cloves' hand and they entered the woods.
Clove marveled at the woods; it was beautiful. Cato saw this and said, "wait until you see where I'm taking you." The two were quiet for a while, then Clove tripped. "Are you alright Clove?" Cato asked
"Yes, I'm fine." Clove answered. Clove stumbled when she got up. "Woah princess you might want to watch your step, your knee looks pretty banged up." Clove kept stumbling along for a few moments. "Cato, I can't walk it hurts."
"Do you need me to carry you?" please say yes clove, please say yes! Cato thought. Clove simply nodded. Cato lifted Clove into his arms and settled her comfortably, and continued walking. Clove nestled herself into Catos shoulder. Cato looked down at Clove and smiled. Cloves dark brown hair, shimmering green eyes, and her small body was all Cato wanted to look at.
They went deeper and deeper into the woods until they reached a small meadow. Cato sat down and rested Clove beside him. "Clove." he said "we are here". Clove, eager to see where they were, opened her eyes. She looked around at the beautiful meadow. "Wow," she said, "this is beautiful." Clove wiggled closer to Cato so that they were completely molded together. "Cato?" Clove asked.
"Yes?"
"Oh, nevermind its a stupid question."
"You can ask me anything, Clove."
"Well you just gave me my answer." Clove looked up and Cato who was looking down at her, she smiled. "So you are into me." Clove whispered.
"Maybe I am." Cato whispered back.
"Good, that's the answer i wanted."
"What happened to the girl with the knives?"
"She never left." Clove smirked. Her eyes caressing Catos blond hair, blue eyes, and his perfectly chiseled muscles.
"When I get back from the games we can be together however long you want forever to last."
"Wait, you're going to volunteer?" Clove said.
"Yes, in 2 days im going to be on the train to the capitol and in the arena."
"No. please don't leave." Clove whispered on the verge of tears. Her voice cracked. Stop crying you just met this boy, what's gotten into you!
"Don't worry about me princess, i will come back for you."
"Do you promise me you will come back home?"
"Yes, clove I will come back to you."
Cato looked at his watch. "Oh god we have to go back, Claudius will be so mad." He helped Clove up, "Come on Clove." he said. "Wow i fooled you again. I can walk perfectly fine. I pretended I couldn't so you would carry me." Clove explained.
"Race you?" Cato asks.
"Hell ya! I will so beat you." Clove got on her death stare-it made her feel more competitive- and counted down 3, 2, 1! "Go!" they yelled together. The pair took off. Clove had at least a 3 second lead on Cato, but Catos long legs made up for that quickly. Though Clove still won just by a little. Clove and Cato walked out of the woods and into the waiting trap of Claudius. "Hello Clove and Cato. where have you two been?" Claudius was mad at Clove for being so irresponsible, but he was furious with Cato for leaving 2 days before the reaping. "Cato, if you are going to volunteer you're going to need to be ready."
"I am ready. I swear I am, and I will win the games."
"You better be ready, that was your last chance to train. Tomorrow I'm giving the day off." Claudius looked at Clove, "come here Clove, i need to talk to you." Clove walked toward the training center. Claudius gave the if you touch her I will kill you look to Cato before he walked after Clove. He started to walk home thinking of Clove, She really cares about me.
"Clove what the hell." Claudius yelled "what is wrong with you! You get here and 5 minutes later you are in the woods with some boy?" Clove stared at him emotionless. "Clove Kentwell, answer me what were you doing in the woods." Clove continues to stare at Claudius. "Clove please." Clove gives in, "what do you think i was doing?" she asked. "I really don't know Clove my best guess is something really stupid and i think you know so I don't have to say."
"Gosh no. That's not what was happening. That's not even close."
"Where did he take you?"
"A small meadow in the woods."
"Is that so? Well you know what clove. My students go to that meadow during training all the time and they come back with their hair down and shirts ruffled, I just don't want that to happen to you." Claudius explained. Clove rolled her eyes, "you really think i would do that?" she asked. "I don't know. Like I said, I only see you on the reaping day."
"Can i go home?"
"Yes, training is over anyways." Clove looked at Claudius, "goodbye Claudius." she said before she walked out the door. "Clove, I'm sorry." Claudius tried to get out, but she was already gone. Clove went through the town, "hey princess." said a voice.
"Cato?" she asked, surprised.
"Right here princess." Clove looked around. Until finally spotting him under a tree. "Oh hi." She said with a smile. "Are you happy to see me?" Cato asked without really needing a verbal answer. "No." clove answered quickly
"You don't need to lie to me." she smiled at him, "why did you wait?"
"Why wouldn't i?"
"Just a question," she replied. "I have to get home, my little brother will be home from school soon." Cato stepped forward, "why don't we walk together? We could live pretty close."
Clove nodded. They walked and talked for a while until Cato got interested in her family, "what about your mom and dad? You have never brought them up." Clove was taken by surprise with this question, "Well they are peacekeepers, only come home on the reaping that's all the capital will allow." cato felt bad "im sorry"
"Don't be. They keep in contact as best they can, and i understand that they love me and Claudius and Clyde "
Clove smiled at him, a smile that was only meant for him to see. "oh, we are here."
"You have to go?" he asked.
"I do."
"What about tomorrow?" he asked again. Please say we can be together.
"Yes, met me here tomorrow morning at training time." clove said. Cato turned and walked away. Yes! I get to spend the whole day with him! She thought. Cato turned the corner, his house was there. He walked inside knowing that he would see clove in the morning. "Cato. your cousin Saline is here." his mother said. "Where is he?" so i can avoid him.
"Your room." his father said, "he is looking into the academy, well to switch to yours."
"It would be nice for you to have a friend there." she assumed.
"I do have a friend there." cato said think of clove. More than a friend actually. "Really? Who?" his mother asked. Should I tell them? Or do I lie? "Her name is Clove." he says before completely thinking it though. "Her?" his mother asked. "Yes. Clove is a girl. Is there something wrong with that?" he replied, annoyed that his mother didn't like Clove being a girl. "I just didn't expect a girl."
"dad, do you have something to say about her being a girl?"
"No, I just think I knew her." his father said, "What's her last name." Cato thought about this for a while; they never told each other their last names. Her older brother's last name is Kentwell, so hers probably is too. "Kentwell, Clove Kentwell." yes. That sounds right. Cato thought. "I do know that name, the Kentwells live right around the corner.'' I wonder how he knows her. "How do you know her family?" cato asks
"Her father, he was my friend at the academy." he explained, "after the reaping to celebrate our familys threw a party we still had them when you and clove were very young. You probably don't remember that at all. You were 3 and she was almost 1." Cato was puzzled by this. "Why don't i remember that at all? Shouldn't i remember her?" Catos father looked up at him, "No. You are 17 now cato that was years ago,i bet you forgot all about her by the time you were 10."
"i'm going up to see Saline." Cato jogged up the stairs to his room. I can't believe I already knew clove. "Cato!" Saline jumped as he was excited to see his cousin, "hi Saline" cato replied. "Thinking of joining the academy?"
"Yeah i was thinking i would join yours since i would know someone, at my current academy no one talks to me." I don't care, saline. Cato thought to himself. "You should totally join my academy, you know take my place when i'm gone in the games." you shoulnt join my academy. At least not while I'm not there. "I hope I can, and good luck in the games cato. I know you will win!" saline exclaimed. "I will win." cato said.
"I better get home." saline said, "bye cato i will see you at the reaping."
"Bye saline." Cato was happy to have saline gone. Cato laid on his bed. Thinking of Clove as he drifted asleep.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, the gong sounded. Cato looked around, he saw 23 other tributes standing on their metal plates. Everyone ran for the cornucopia, cato garbed a sword. He turned around, there he saw her. Clove was standing picking something up from the cornucopia. A boy appeared behind her, he was huge. Cato screamed for her to run but she didn't look up. "Clove run!" he yelled. She looked up, but not at him she looked up at the huge boy. The boy had a knife and slashed Clove's throat. Her cannon sounded. Cato ran to her dead body. "Clove," He whimpered, "Clove why, why you. You're gone, you left me." Cato cried.
"Cato it's time for training." his alarm said in its robotic toan. "Shoot, Clove." Cato had forgotten that he was supposed to be there by training time. At least look presentable. He thought to himself. Cato shrugged on a blue athletics shirt, black pants and sneakers. He quickly went to the bathroom and brushed his hair and teeth. "Cato?" his father said, "yes dad." cato replied. "Where are you going, training is cancelled." What do I say?!
"I'm going out to meet with some friends." That's a terrible lie cato.
"You're going to see Clove, aren't you?" How did he know? "You're a terrible liar Cato, and I can tell you want to be more than just friends by the way you talk about her."
"You're really just going to let that go?" Cato asked, surprised by his father being so accepting, "Cato, you're my only child. I want you to be happy, and she seems to do that." catos father smiled acceptingly at him. "You have never even seen me with her." cato replied.
"You never looked as happy or pleased as you did last night." Why does he have to be so observant? "Dont keep her waiting." his father said. "Bye dad," Cato said as he dashed down the stairs. Cato walked to the front door. He sighed and opened the door. Cato quickly walked to Cloves house.
I hope catos not late. Clove thought. Clove ran down the stairs. She peeked through a window to see if he was there and she was not disappointed. Clove threw open the door. She stumbled and fell into Cato. "good morning princess.'' Cato looked over Clove; she had similar clothes on, a red athletics shirt, red and black sneakers, black shorts that hugged her thighs and her hair in a tight ponytail. "You're very jumpy this morning." Cato told her.
"Where are we going today?" Clove asked. Cato had to think for a second. "Um," The abandoned house! He thought. "Follow me." he said. They turned onto a street. Clove recognised it immediately, "the abandoned house?"
"Yes" Cato says, "race you?" He hardly needed an answer. Clove took. He had no trouble keeping up with her. Everyone on the streets stared at the 2 racing. Clove won again. "I win again." Clove exclaimed. "Oh come on princess. You should see what people have done to this place." Cato told her. Cato pushed aside the loose panel on the house. Clove walked in. "Wow, people really went to town in here." she said. There were ribbons on the walls and little glowing stars on the ceiling. There was a small tattered couch in one corner and a huge poster filled with names in another. There were bottles all over the floor and wrappers of candys. "Yeah people really did." Cato sighed, "Come on, let's go to the basement. The only part of the house that's untouched."
"Ok, lead the way." Cato walked toward a wall and Clove followed. He pushed aside another panel, "We have to jump down." Clove was taken aback by this, "no way." she said, "there is no way you're getting me to jump down there."
"Come on princess. I do it all the time." Cato explained to her.
"I will fall farther than you Cato," Clove countered.
"I will go first and catch you." Cato said, "Will you go then?"
"Fine but promise you will catch me."
"I promise" Cato pushed the panel a little farther and jumped down. Clove looked down into the dark basement. "Ok, come on Clove!" cato shouted from the darkness. Clove took another look down into the basement. "Actually i think i'm fine up here." she shouted down to Cato. "Clove you promised." Cato said to her.
"I did, but i don't think i want to jump down into a basement." she said.
"Clove i'm right here." he said, "i'm not going to ever let you get hurt."
"Um." she said, "Ok, i will. But I swear if you don't catch me I will hurt you."
"Ok princess jump down." Clove took a final look down and jumped. The feeling in your stomach, the nausea pulsed through her. She didn't even have time to scream before she was in Catos arms. "Was that really so bad, princess?" Cato asked her.
"I guess not." she giggled, "Are there lights?"
"No," Cato siad, "but there is a lighter and candles." Cato set Clove down and grabbed the closet candle. He lit the candle with the lighter from his pocket.
"Why did you bring me here?" Clove asked.
"It's private and nobody will know we were here." Cato explained, "and there was something I wanted to try." Clove had a questioning look in her eyes, "what's that?"
"Come here" Cato tempted her. She walked over. Cato scooped Clove up, "so what did you want to try?" Clove asked again. Cato did not respond, instead he closed the gap in between their faces. His lips on hers. Clove caught right on and kissed him back. Cato explored her mouth, and she explored his. Finally breaking the kiss when they needed to breathe. Slightly out of breath Cato said, "so you are into me." Clove giggled because it was true, she was really into him. "You have to come home after the games." she whispered.
"Stop worrying about me. I will come back for you, Clove."
"Swear to it Cato Hadley."
"I swear I will come home to you, Clove kentwell."
"Good" she sighed. Cato sat down on a blanket clove still in the protective cage of his arms. Clove sat for what seemed like minutes in catos arms. "Shoot, I have to go, my little brother will be home from school soon." Cato was upset by her having to leave, "ok lets go." he sighed this could be the last time he sees Clove. She got up from his arms. He stood up and pressed her against a wall. The small gap in between their faces was closed. Clove wrapped her legs around his waist. Cato wrapped his big arms around her small body. She broke free from his lips, "Cato, i really do have to go."
"Let's go then." he set her down and led her to the exit. Clove starred at the only way out. Hanging from the place they had jumped was a thin rope with knots every 2 feet, "you have got to be kidding me." she said, "Cato is that really the only way out?"
"You think I would make you climb it if it wasn't." Clove pondered this for a moment, "yes that is something you would do." she concluded. "You go first princess, you're probably less than half my weight."
"Ok fine." Clove gripped the rope and started up. She was a very fast climer. Cato however was slower than her. He steadily climbed the rope. "I see i'm better at that than you, let's add that to the list." she smiled at him and he smiled back.
"Lets go you will be late if you stay with me any longer." They slid the basement panel closed and went to the exit of the house. They quickly slipped out.
"Goodbye princess." Cato turned and walked away. That was amazing! Clove thought. She ran back to her house. Clyde was already home, "Why did you come out of that abandoned building with the boy you weren't supposed to be with?" Clyde asked. Clove was confused, oh shit! She whipped around to see Claudius standing behind her. "You don't answer his question, Clove. Why were you in that abandoned building with cato-the one person you're not supposed to be with." Claudius said, "Clove, why is this so hard for you to understand?"
"It's not your business Claudius." clove snapped, "Clyde go to your room." Clyde slipped up the stairs to give the 2 siblings privacy.
"Clove please tell me what you were doing in there." he said, "i'm not going to judge you clove."
"You're right you're not going to judge what you don't know." she yelled as she ran up the stairs. Claudius stood, not at all shocked by Clove's reaction. Clove took out her knives, the sharpest and the longest. She threw the knives at random things around her room. This is none of Claudius's business! Why does he think he owns me? She mentally screamed.
Then Clove heard a door bang open. Mom and dad? Clove scurried down the stairs, there right in front of her was her mother and father. Her father hugged her, "Mom, Dad!" Clyde yelled as he ran down the stairs. Clyde knocked into Clove, "watch it." she said to Clyde who was already clinging to their parents. Clove got a glimpse of Claudius in the picture of her family. "Clove come here." said her mother. Clove walked forward to meet her family's open arms. "I have missed you 3 so much." said her father. By this point Clove's mother was crying. The family went to sit in the living room, "Clove how is training?" her father asked.
"It's fine." Clove answer.
"Clyde dear, how is school?" their mother asked.
"It's great! We are learning about masonry and last month we learned all about the games and about how each victor won!" Clyde exclaimed.
"Claudius?" cloves parents said.
"Everything is good, better than good actually. Clove was transferred to my training center just yesterday." Claudius explained.
"Oh that's wonderful!" their mother exclaimed. Then they heard knocking on the door, " I will get it." Clove said. She quickly stood up and went to the door. She opened the door to be greeted by the Hadleys. "Hello Clove" Mrs Hadley exclaimed. Clove's mother paced over to the door to greet her old friends. "Oh hello." Clove mumbled. Clove stepped back to make room for her mother, "Oh Chylynne, jay, and oh Cato! You have grown so much since I saw you last. What a young man you have become!" Clove's mother said with enthusiasm, "I'm being rude, why don't you come on in? Take a seat and make yourselves at home!" by now all the Hadleys and the Kentwells were crowded into one room, "how have you been Sierra, Jamison?" Mr Hadley asked politely. "We have been doing very well, thank you" Mr Kentwell replied.
Clove grew worried that Claudius would say something about Cato and her. "I don't think we have properly met your newest child." Mrs Hadley said, "Oh yes this is Clyde." Mrs Kentwell replied. "Hello, I'm Clyde." Clyde smiled.
"How nice it is to meet you, Clyde." Mrs Hadley said while she shook his hand. "Oh and Claudius you have become such a lovely and accomplished young man." mr hadley added. Then everyone semi turned to Clove, the only one they had not addressed. "Oh Clove, you're such a beautiful young lady." Mrs Hadley exclaimed. "You have grown so much, how's your training going?"
"It's fine." Clove said.
"Well anyway we thought we would stop by because Cato is volunteering tomorrow!" Mrs Hadley explained. "Oh that's lovely! Although isn't cato 17?" Mrs Kentwell asked.
"Yes he is but we decided we would rather have him go in a year early than going in on the 75th because who knows what they will throw at us for that year." Mr Hadley said.
"That makes so much sense," Claudius said politely.
"Clove, why don't you show us down stairs to see the training area." Clove's mother said giving clove the look that means, you better do it now or else. "Oh that would be wonderful. I would love to see what Clove can do." Mr Hadley said. Clove walked past everyone and went to the door lead to the stairs. She opened the door and was down the steps before anyone was to the door. Cato, Clyde and Claudius were the next to come down. All of the adults were down stairs next. Clove went to the corner where there was a dresser and she pulled out 7 knives. "Hand to hand combat?" Mrs Hadley asked, "I did not see that coming." mr hadley added
"Just wait a minute, she's amazing!" Clyde said. Clove set 4 of the knives down and held on to 3. She threw the first it landed light on the bullseye of the target. Before anyone blinked she had thrown 2 more knives that landed on the bullseye and she had the other 4 knives in her hands. She threw 2 at a time they all landed on their targets. Clove turned around to see everyone marvling at her skills. "Wow." Mr Hadley said, "That was terrific!" Mrs Hadley exclaimed. "You have a very talented daughter." Mr Hadley said. "Cato would you like to show us how your training has paid off? After all, you will be on the train tomorrow." Claudius chimed in. "ok fine." Cato said stepping forward. Clove was at the targets taking down her knives. Once she had all 7 knives away in the drawer, she reached into a bin and pulled out a spear. Clove tossed the spear to Cato, "thank you princess." he said. She shot him a look, Cato quickly understood that it meant not here, not now. Cato took a couple steps back and threw the spear. To his luck it landed right on target. "Wow cato that was so cool!" Clyde exclaimed. Cato smiled at Clyde.
"Ok how about us 4 adults go upstairs to celebrate with some champaign!" Mrs Kentwell exclaimed, "and you 4 stay down here and play a game." she finished. The adults went up to the kitchen to have some drinks. Clyde went to the other side of the basement and took out 3 old chess boards, "i call going against Cato!" he yelled as he put down the 3 chess boards in a line. Clove met catos gaze for a moment, "Clove, come on. I guess we are against each other." Claudius said with a grin. It was a quiet game. Neither Clove nor Claudius wanted to talk. Clove wasn't paying attention to the game either, all her thoughts were on cato. "I win," Claudius said. Clove looked up to see Cato sitting next to her and Clyde across from Cato, next to Claudius. "Who won your game?" she asked Cato, "Clyde did." he answered.
"How about you 2 play and we will go upstairs." Clove said.
"Ok." Claudius said, slightly annoyed. Cato stood helping clove up and they walked up the stairs. She opened the door and slid down the hall to a closet dragging cato with her. She opened the door and closed it behind them, "he saw, claudius saw us come out of the house together." she explained, "clove stop worrying what's he going to do he can't stop you." Cato reassured her. She thought for a minute, "you're right he can't." she said.
"And my parents know, well my dad does." Clove was alarmed by this.
"What?" she asked.
"Calm down it's ok he is fine he doesn't care at all." Cato reassured her again.
"Please don't forget me in the arena!" she cried out as she hugged cato. Cato quickly hugged her back then pulled away, "i will never forget you clove, and please don't forget me." he said. Then Cato pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it, inside was a small silver chain with a silver ring attached to it. He fasent it around cloves neck, "when you have this I will be with you no matter what happens in the arena." he said, "always remember me."
Clove looked down at the chain on her neck, "I will never forget you clove kentwell." Cato whispered in her ear. "I love you." clove said as she grabbed him tightly, "i love you too." he said quietly. Clove broke free from his grasp, "we better go Claudius and Clyde will be done soon." caato nodded in agreement and together they slipped from the closet. Thankfully Claudius and Clyde were still in the basement playing. "Oh look Clove and Cato are back." Mrs Hadley said. Clove quickly slipped the necklace down her shirt so it was almost invisible. "We lost." cato said. They went and took a seat near the small fireplace in the living room. "So cato are you at all nervous for the games?" mr. Kentwell asked politely, "no, i'm no, but i am nervous about the people in the career pack this year." he answered, "last year's district 4 careers shouldn't be called careers at all." Claudius and Clyde joined a few moments later, "who won?" Clove asked. "Clauidus did." Clyde pouted.
"Does anyone want hot cocoa?" Mrs Kentwell asked. Clyde, Cato, Claudius and Clove all nodded. She passed the mugs around. Everyone talked for hours, "Oh my, it's very late we better get going." Mrs Hadley said. "Well thank you so very much for stopping by to see us." Mr Kentwell added. "Goodbye Chylynne, Jay and Cato." the kentwells all said. "goodbye to you as well." the Hadleys said as they went out the door and into the street. "Clyde go to bed." Mr Kentwell said. "Clove please tuck me in." Clyde begged.
"I will be there in a minute, go get ready." she called to him. Clyde rushed up the stairs. "Clove can you wait a minute and talk to us?" Mrs Kentwell said patiently. Clove glared at Claudius, "I didn't say anything to them about that." he told her quietly. "Claudius, you too can go to your home now or if you would prefer to stay." Mr Kentwell chimed in. "no i think i can stay tonight it's very late to be walking home now." Claudius said. "So clove," Mrs Kentwell prompted, " Mr Hadley told me that Cato had taken some interest in you. Did you know?"
"Yes, I did." Clove said, "Can I go to my room now?"
"Just wait a minute please darling." Mr Hadley said, "Well, do you have any interest in him?"
"Could we not talk about this now?" Clove Groaned.
"Could you answer the question?" Mrs Hadley asked.
"Ok fine, I do." Clove snapped.
"What's this around your neck?" Claudius asked. He reached up to grab onto it but Clove backed up, "something called none of your business!" she yelled. Clove darted up the stairs. Clove went to Clyde's room to find him sitting on his bed. She slid into his room and closed the door behind her. "Why were you yelling?" Clyde asked quizzingly.
"I was just upset, that's all." she answered, "come on lay down i have to go to bed too." Clove smiled. Clyde layed down and slid under his blankets, "what's on your neck?" Clyde asked.
"It's a necklace." Clove pulled it out of her shirt and showed him, "cato gave it to me before he left." Clyde smiled, "are you like a thing?" she laughed, "sure let's call it that, now go to sleep." Clove leaned down to kiss Clyde's forehead. "Goodnight." she whispered to him.
"good night," Clyde yawned. Clove stood up and turned off his light and went to her room. She brushed her teeth and took a shower. Then she got into her pajamas, a black shirt and gray sweatpants. Clove quickly turned out the light and went to sleep. She had a dreamless night.