Chapter 16

~Katniss~

After Brutus wanted to meet with Cato and I, I have been following his orders to stay away from him. I won't get stuck here with Cato. So if either of us get left here it will be his fault because I haven't done anything to jeopardize what I am keeping from everybody here. I am not ashamed of where I'm from or myself, but I still don't want people to know.

But Cato isn't making it easy at all. At any time that I'm not training with Brutus, he is in the same room, trying things to make me talk to him, trying to show me up, lifting more, running faster, swimming more laps than me. He's even resorted to flirting with girls to try and make me jealous or something. Well unfortunately for him the only thing anything he's doing is making me annoyed as hell and I'm taking it out on training, which pisses him off more. It's almost fun to see him mad or upset, but I don't know why he gets that way. Before he was so keen on trying to figure me out and then he kissed me, ever since then he's been a jerk. And now is one of those times that he tries to one up me.

I was in the pool swimming laps with Luna and Clove while Cato stood over on the other side of the room with girl fawning over his body. I won't lie, it's cut and muscular, but I won't tell him that. It'll only feed his ego.

"Oh Cato, your arms are so big. Is that all from training?" one blonde girl asked him, running her hands over his upper arms.

"Absolutely." he replied with a charming smile that made her swoon.

"I can't believe you have such a great six pack." another girl said, her hair a dark brown, not quite as dark as mine, he paid more attention to her than the rest of them. She spread her fingers over each and every muscle. "They're amazing." she complimented.

"Thank you." he said to her with another smile before sending a glance my way. I scoffed and rolled my eyes before turning back to Clove and Luna as we took a short break.

"Can you believe him?" Luna asked sounding disgusted.

"I think we are the only three girls in this place that doesn't react to his charm." Clove pointed out.

"What do girls see in him?" I asked them since they train with everybody else.

"They just see his good looks and smile. That's all they see." Clove said causing Luna and I to look at her. "I've known him for years, I know what goes through his mind sometimes, more than I want." Clove said shifting her in spot as her legs were dipped in the water of the pool.

"Well all I see is an arrogant jack ass who thinks he's the best thing since food. Good looking or not there should be more to a person than what's on the outside." I said before jumping back in the pool.

"Oh yeah?" Clove challenged and I nodded. "Of course does that mean the same for you?" Clove asked with a smirk and I splashed water at her, making Luna laugh.

"Forget it Clove, she won't tell anyone. And she won't tell anyone even more so now that Cato is on a "Make Spitfire mad" rampage." she said before slipping into the water herself. We now had Cato attention who had a curious expression on his face, and the attention of the girls around him who sent glares my way. I rolled my eyes.

"She's right, I won't tell anyone and there is no way that anybody," I said directed at Cato who shifted his weight from side to side. "is going to find out about me. And his rampage is pissing me off, but it's not gonna make me talk to him, it's just gonna make me take it out on training." I said glancing at him then turning back to them. "Now come on, before we get yelled at for slacking off." I said before taking off to do laps in the pool, not even checking to see if they were following and copying my intentions.

~Cato~

I have spent the past week trying to get at Spitfire. Trying to be better than her at everything or flirting to make her jealous, and it was working to a point. She wouldn't confront me about any of it. Instead she just focused her anger or annoyance on her training. Although I was having a little fun with the jealousy part, until I realized that it wasn't working. I was hoping that she actually would get jealous because like I told my mother, Spitfire fascinates me. I won't deny it. Every time she isn't training with our Trainer, I am in the same room as her just trying to make her mad. Just like today in the giant room with the pool. I was standing there in my swim suit, letting the girls rave over my toned chest. The only girls in the room that weren't near me was Clove, Luna, and of course Spitfire. They were taking a break from swimming laps in the pool and I could hear their conversation, about me.

"Can you believe him?" I heard Luna say in a disgusted tone.

"I think we are the only three girls in this place that doesn't react to his charm." Clove said, oh how right she is.

"What do girls see in him?" Spitfire asked finally speaking up.

"They just see his good looks and smile. That's all they see." Clove said to her. "I've known him for years, I know what goes through his mind sometimes, more than I want." And she was right. Clove and I have known each other since we were little.

"Well all I see is an arrogant jack ass who thinks he's the best thing since food. Good looking or not there should be more to a person than what's on the outside." Ouch I am not a jack ass, arrogant maybe but a jack ass who thinks I'm the best thing since food, no. But the second thing she said was deep, there's more to people than their looks.

"Oh yeah?" Clove challenged and I saw Spitfire nod. "Of course does that mean the same for you?" Clove asked with a smirk and I tried not to chuckle when Spitfire splashed Clove in the face.

"Forget it Clove, she won't tell anyone. And she won't tell anyone even more so now that Cato is on a "Make Spitfire mad" rampage." Luna said as she got back into the water. Who said I was on a rampage? I thought to myself. Now that I think about it I kind of am. As I watched and listened to the three girls I was ignoring the ones around me, who were now sending death glares at them. I could feel their jealousy of the ones who have my attention radiating off of their bodies.

"She's right, I won't tell anyone and there is no way that anybody," she started and I know that it was directed towards me. "is going to find out about me. And his rampage is pissing me off, but it's not gonna make me talk to him, it's just gonna make me take it out on training." she turned to glance in my direction after she said this. I couldn't help but glare. Every plan I've tried has failed to get her to talk to me, I know that if we get caught talking to each other Brutus will kick both of us off the tour. And I wasn't about to be kicked off the tour, no way in hell. So, much to their dislike, I brushed past he girls around me and went into another pool that was built for one person with a current that you had to swim against, I forget what it's called. Time must have gotten away from me because when I got out of the pool, Spitfire was gone and Clove and Luna were getting out of the pool themselves. After I got out I grabbed my stuff and walked back into the boys locker room, only to be stopped by Clove on the way.

"What are you playing at Cato? Can't you just do as Brutus says ad leave her alone?" Clove questions making me roll my eyes.

"Why should I tell you?" I asked her. "You haven't really been a friend to me since Spitfire came into the picture." I stated.

"What are you jealous?" Clove asked confused and surprised. I stared at her with an expression of utter shock written clearly across my face.

"Why would I be jealous of that scum?"

"Because you've been acting like a jerk since she came here." she countered.

"Tell you what? I'll tell you everything you want to hear if you sit at the TTT today at lunch." I said and she thought about it for a second before nodding. "Good, see you at lunch." I said before stalking off to the locker room. As soon as I got to the cafeteria that day I saw Clove sitting at our table, I smirked to myself as I walked over to the lunch line to get my food and noticing Spitfire sitting with all f her friends besides Clove. She didn't seem the least bit confused as to why Clove was sitting with me instead, she must have told Luna who told Spitfire. I sat down across from Clove and next to Kairo when Clove looked at me annoyed.

"Okay talk." she ordered.

"What was the question again?" I asked playing dumb, just to annoy her.

"What game are you playing with Spitfire? Why won't you just listen to Brutus?" she repeated her questions and I nodded.

"As for Brutus, what he doesn't know won't kill him. And as for the game I'm playing, I just want her to confront me, to try and stand up for herself and tell me to stop." I said to her not wanting to tell her the real reason, that I hope Spitfire might let something slip about her.

"You're doing all of this just to make her talk to you? Are you fucking kidding me? Why can't you just walk up to her and say the first word?" she bombarded me with questions.

"A) I tried that already and she's become teacher's pet and B) Brutus will kill me if he finds out that I'm trying to talk to her." I explained to her.

"What happened to what he doesn't know won't kill him?" Kairo said and I glared at him.

"You're not helping." I snapped and he turned his attention back to his food.

"She's not teacher's pet, she just knows when to stop at the right time, something you need to learn because you clearly aren't listening to him. She could very well tell him that you're doing all of this to get at her but she hasn't." Clove said and I stared at her hard.

"And why hasn't she?" I asked.

"Because she's smart! She knows that if Brutus finds out that you'll get kicked off and if there's anything I know about Spitfire, it's that she's a caring person, that's why she's here! For her family. She'd do anything for them even if it means coming here. So quit trying to get a rise out of her because you are the furthest thing from her mind." Clove said standing up, taking her food with her, and going to sit with the girl in question. After sitting there for a few minutes, Clove's spirit was lifted and she was soon smiling and laughing at some jokes that were told.

"Dude seriously just talk to her." Kairo said to me and I sighed a heavy sigh.

"I can't until after the Hunger Games." I said before getting up from the table and walking away. I didn't want to train for the rest of the day. I know that it'll be my ass for it but I didn't care, I just wanted to be at home. When I walked through the door my entire family was there in the living room, including my dad.

"What are you doing home?" Citch asked looking at me perplexed.

"I was having a bad day and wanted to come home." I said before walking in and sitting on the floor next to a laughing Sessa. I held my hand out and let her start playing with it.

"Cayo!" she cheered, not yet able to say my name properly. I smiled down at her and tickled her stomach, making her squeal with laughter.

"What's going on?" mom asked me and I sighed.

"Just things with Spitfire. Brutus said we can't talk to each other and she seems to be okay with it but I keep trying stuff to make her talk to me, but she won't." I explained as easily as I could.

"Why can't you talk to each other?" Selima asked.

"Because we argue a lot and I keep trying to get to know her secrets. Brutus thinks that it's the best for us. We aren't allowed to talk to each other until after the Games."

"The Games start in about two weeks, give or take a day, can you wait until then?" my mom asked.

"I don't know. I've never felt like this about a girl before. I want to get to know more about her than where she's from or what her real name is. I get mad when ever Crone is around her." I was about to continue until dad interrupted me.

"Crone? As in Crone Simons?" he asked and I nodded. "His father works for me. There is no way that she'll ever be with him Cato. His father always complains about how there's a new girl every week." he explained and I shook my head no.

"I doubt it now, he's only been talking to her as far as I can tell. He sits with her at lunch and everything."

"Why don't you sit with them then?" Citch asked and I shrugged.

"I'm not exactly welcome around them. Luna says to stay away, Clove practically threatened me, and besides with the three girls and Crone and his friends, there's no room for me." I said sheepishly.

"Now come on, no son of mine should take that. Make the first move on her boy." My dad said encouragingly and I shook my head with a slight smile.

"I can't talk to her until after the Hunger Games." I said crossing my legs pretzel style. My father shook his head in annoyance.

"I ought to have a talk with Brutus, telling my son that he can't talk to a girl that he likes-" he ranted but I interrupted.

"I never said I liked her. And leave it alone dad. The Games start in two weeks and then I'll be able to talk to her, I think I can survive fourteen days, and maybe things will be different at the Feast before she leaves to go back home." I said.

"How will things be different?" Citch asked curiously.

"She's always worn something that makes her look beautiful or hot or both. Maybe some other guy will take her away from Crone or she'll see the kind of guy that Crone really is." I replied back to him and he nodded. My father gave me a look before standing up and walking towards the door.

"Come on Cato, let's take a walk." he said and I knew that I didn't have a choice in this. Glancing at the clock on the wall I noticed that the Trainees are still practicing at the Academy. I walked out the door with my dad and strolled down the streets.

"Cato, what do you feel about this girl? About Spitfire? The other dads at work do a lot of talking and they say that their sons or daughters are afraid to talk to her."

"Why are they scared? Shouldn't future Careers not be afraid of anything?" I asked looking up at him.

"This is a different kind of fear. This is a fear of rejection or embarrassment rather than a fear of death." he explained and I nodded my head telling him to continue. He got my silent message and finished his little speech. "They say that their daughters are afraid because they see an attitude in her and they don't know anything about her so they aren't sure how to befriend her. And as for the boys, they see a fire and passion in her that are afraid that it'll die if they talk to her, or they aren't good enough for her because she doesn't talk to many people." he explained and I eyed him.

"You got all that from the guys are work?" I asked with a chuckle and he just nudged my side, laughing at me playfully.

"Yes I did." he said with a sly smile.

"Well apparently not all guys are afraid because Crone, Havo, and Damon talk to her and her friends." I said rebutting his observation.

"Because her friends are there and she isn't alone. As far as I hear, you are the only one brave enough to talk to her by herself." he pointed out and after thinking about it, he's right. We spent the next hour of our walk in silence and before I knew it, I heard the clock tower strike signaling the end of training hours. I wonder if Spitfire will be out for a walk today. My wonders soon came to a close when fifteen minutes later my dad and I saw Luna and Spitfire say goodbye to Clove and walk away, in our direction. Luna noticed me first and pointed me out to Spitfire. She stopped abruptly and started to walk away but my dad stopped her.

"Spitfire wait!" he called and she stopped again turning to face us, her arm hooked through Luna's.

"I would ask how you knew my name but I don't think I need to." she said taking a jab at me and glancing in my direction.

"No you are very much talked about at work, I'm Casco Hart." he said offering her a hand to shake which she reluctantly took. "Are you enjoying your time here?" he asked her as soon as they stopped shaking hands.

"Sort of. I've made friends here that I'll miss when I go home but I really miss my family. Especially now that the Hunger Games are getting closer and I know that I'll see them again." she said putting her hands in her pockets and setting her weight on her left leg.

"You care a lot about your family?" my dad asked and Spitfire nodded.

"More than anything." she confirmed.

"What is your home like?" my dad asked. She looked at me and I just turned my attention to the ground, suddenly finding it much more interesting than the conversation happening around me.

"Spitfire doesn't really talk about her home." Luna said. "I'm Luna by the way, her roommate." she introduced herself and shook my dad's hand as well.

"It's okay Luna, I can answer this one." Spitfire said making me snap my head back up. She was really going to give something away about her home? I thought to myself.

"Oh?" my father said with a raised eyebrow.

"My home is a lot like here. Now if you'll excuse us we need to get back to the Academy." Spitfire said dragging her friend away.

"Nice meeting you!" my dad called after her politely. Both girls turned to look back at us and nodded an agreement before whispering furiously between them.

"Well that was both vague and informative." my dad said next to me as he turned to walk towards home. I had to take a couple steps to catch up to him.

"What do you mean?" I asked him confused.

"Well District 2 being like her home could mean that she is from a District that trains for the Games as well. But if that's the case, then why is she training here and not in her District." my dad explained and I nodded, staying silent through the rest of the walk to home.

~Katniss~

"Why did you tell him that?" Luna asked furiously quiet.

"It's not like I gave anything away. They'll probably think I'm from District One or Four." I said to her and a look of understanding graced her facial features.

"So how is Two like your home?" she asked me confused and curiously.

"Its gray and bleak, like the Town Square at home." I said glumly and she put a hand on my shoulder.

"I know you miss them, I miss my family too." she said sadly and I smiled sympathetically at her.

"Come on lets get back to the dorms. We need to get some sleep." I said and she gave me a devious smile at me.

"Race you." she challenged and I raised my eyebrows with a smile.

"You're on." I said back and we took off towards the Training Academy laughing when I beat her by two seconds.