Katniss and Clove: Chapter Twelve
I am not normally one to be shy, I have been watching her for hours and having the most indecent thoughts about her, now that I have the chance of making contact I feel unsure. I am not the kind of girl who has lived the sort of life that I can just waltz up and buy her a drink. I take the only action I can think of. I follow her. Yep, I called it - I'm creepy. Oh I'm not really of course, it's just easier to adopt other people's short sighted assumptions than it is to explain myself fully.
So, Im following her around the training facility, she stops at the special skills station but she doesn't touch anything - reconnaissance only. I try to watch her eyes and identify what she is looking at and what she isn't, she moves away from me, and attends the training stations, she watches some pairs sparring but declines an offer made to provide her with some practice.
When she sees that I have followed her she gives me a pointed look and rejoins Peeta who is working on his camouflage skills, they are dressed like twins. I think it is to give the impression that they are a tight pair but she doesn't mind him at all until moments like these - when she wants something. She tries to listen to him as he explains things to her but I now have her attention, she is watching me watching her.
Its a long erotic dance, at least it is for me. At lunch time I completely avoid my alliance and sit at her table, not by her but the move is so unusual, so out of character that every eye in the place is on us. Cato and his crew are watching, my team is watching with bated breath, her team is watching, the Gamemakers are watching and the Tributes are watching. Good thing I am not shy.
Finally she loses her short temper and says "Can I help you with something?" It's too easy really. I feign a little surprise, a hint of hurt at her coarse, abrupt treatment of me, I shrink up to emphasise my small stature and widen my eyes minimally, nothing too obvious. "I was hoping we could talk" I say in a quiet, unsteady voice. It is manipulative, I admit, but it's lazy to think that I am as base and callous as that. While some people might smooth down their hair and check their breath - tipping the scales in their favour - how is what I am doing any different?
"Talk about what?" She hopes her loud voice will draw more attention and drive me away, but little does she know that there is no more attention to be had and I am right where I want to be. I reply softly, hoping to obscure my intention and my words but really I am hoping she will conclude that I am either being used by my alliance to make contact with her to ferret out her secrets or that I am just a bit dumb. "Congratulations on your score of 11." I say.
The bait is out there, let the games begin. She snorts in disgust, clears her dinner tray and leaves. Point Clove, I can barely hide my enjoyment, I keep my eyes down and finish my meal.