Chapter 18
~Katniss~
I stood with Luna and Clove in the cafeteria that was decorated more extravagantly than usual because it the that last one before the Hunger Games this year. People kept looking at us and I didn't exactly like it because I felt like I was in a glass bowl, like an animal on display. Yeah sure I was wearing a short dress covered in gold sequins with make-up to match but really, what's the big deal? There was a pair of eyes that I could distinctly pick out of all of them. Cato.
"I thought he wasn't going to try anything?" I said randomly to Clove and Luna. They seemed to know who I was talking about when they looked over my shoulder at the boy with icy blue eyes behind me.
"He said he wasn't. And I know Cato, when he promises something he doesn't break it." Clove pointed out.
"But he didn't promise." Luna clarified.
"Well promise or not his staring it putting me on edge." I said rubbing one of my arms with my other free hand.
"So are you sitting with Crone and the rest of us tonight?" Luna asked trying to change the subject. I admired her attempt but it wasn't going to work.
"No Brutus wants me to sit with him to see how well Cato and I can get along while sitting next to each other." I said with an annoyed tone.
"Ouch, good luck with that one." she said and I smiled sarcastically at her.
"Well maybe Crone and Damon could sit with us so you've have more people to talk to, that way you wouldn't have to talk to Cato." Clove suggested.
"Well according to Brutus Cato and I aren't even allowed to speak at all so them sitting with us would be helpful." I said and she smiled before turning off to find the boys in question I assume.
"Where is she going?" Luna asked.
"Probably to find Crone and Damon." I said looking in the direction that Clove went, soon to see her with the two boys trailing behind him.
"Clove said you could use some company?" Crone asked with a happy smile. I gave him a small one back before nodding.
"I don't want to be stuck with Cato and not talk at all. Would you grace me with your presence?" I sarcastically begged and he laughed.
"Sure come on let's go get our seats." he suggested, leading Clove, Damon, and I off to the table the Brutus's and Enobaria's Trainees sit. I made sure to take a place next to Brutus's seat which was to my left, Enobaria sat across from him. Cato sat to my right as Crone sat in front of me, and Clove in front of Cato. Damon sat on the other side of Clove. We all took our seats and sat as our food was served to us, and it's fish from District Four.
"Well isn't this a fine evening?" Enobaria asked with mock enthusiasm. Crone, Clove, Damon, and I chuckled at her as did Brutus.
"Well everybody get enough to eat, especially you Spitfire, you have a long day ahead of you tomorrow." Brutus said pointing a fork at me in seriousness.
"Yeah Spitfire. Eat up." Crone teased and I smirked at him taking a bite of the fish. He smiled and took a bite of his own. Through out the dinner Cato hadn't really spoken a word, only when he was spoken too. I on the other hand talked a lot with Clove, Damon, Crone, and sometimes with Brutus and Enobaria. I had a feeling that Cato didn't say anything just to let me have a happy night, but I had another feeling that he just wanted to listen in on the conversations we were having amongst ourselves. The rest of the night was uneventful at best. Nothing happened with Cato, the only big thing that happened was when I saw Crone kissing some girl from the Academy in the hallway after the Feast. I knew he was a flirt, but I didn't think he'd make out like that with some random girl. And here I thought that was Cato. I ignored the kissing couple leaning against the wall and stalked to my dorm room. I got their before Luna did so I took that time and took off my make up and change into my pajamas that I left out for me for tomorrow. I must have fallen asleep before Luna got to the room because when I wake up the next morning, I didn't remember her coming into the room last night.
The next day when I woke up, I had a smile on my face. I was going home today. I would get to see my friends and family again finally. I got up out of bed, took a shower, then woke up Luna so she could do the same. As she was showering I changed into black pants, my black boots, and a red t-shirt. I didn't not want t be all dressed up for my return home like I know Effie would want me to be. Effie I haven't thought about her in a while. I wonder what color her hair would be? As soon as Luna came out of the bathroom we packed up the rest of our clothes and headed out to the front doors of the Academy. All of the scholarship students were there with their suitcases. We all followed Peacekeeper Tag out to the train station where we would board the train to go home. It was eleven o'clock and we saw Clove standing there waiting for Luna and I. We smiled when we saw her and gave her a big hug before we got on the train.
"I'll see you two after the Games and Spitfire, I hope to see you on the Victory Tour." she said pointing to us and we laughed. We stood there talking for a few more minutes before Peacekeeper Tag called us to board.
"All students please board the Train!" he called through his microphone. Luna and I said one final goodbye for now to Clove and we got on he train and I was the last one in line to get on the train. As I made my way up the steps I heard somebody call my name, but by the time I could turn to see who it was, the door was being closed behind me.
~Cato~
I woke up to the light blinding my eyes from the other sides of my eyelids. When I sat up I rubbed away the sleep and ran a hand through my bed head hair. I sighed looking at the clock and saw that it was eleven in the morning. Spitfire, she's leaving today.
"Shit!" I shouted before sprinting out of bed ad to the bathroom to take a quick shower to get ready. I had to say goodbye to her, I had to talk to her before she left, no matter what Brutus said. I had to see her one last time before she went home. When I was done in the shower it was eleven thirty and I had to run to make it to the train station to get there in time before she left. When I got there, there was tons of people, standing and watching the scholarship students get sent home. I looked through the never ending sea of people and finally saw Luna and Spitfire saying goodbye to Clove.
"All students please board the train!" Peacekeeper Tag called. No, I thought, she can't leave yet, I still have ten minutes. I watched s she made her way to the train with her bags and I pushed through the throngs of people to get to her.
"Spitfire! Spitfire!" I called repeatedly. But she didn't seem to hear me. So for the last time I yelled the loudest that I could. "Spitfire!" I yelled on last time as I got close enough to the train to see her clearly, and as I saw her turn on the steps onto the train, the doors were closed before she had the chance to see me, before I had the chance to talk to her, before she had the chance to see that I was the one calling her name. I cursed out loud at the failure and people around me gave me hard glares, but I just glared back at them. I stormed back home and slammed the front door of the house, making Sessa start crying because I scared her.
"What did you do that for?" Selima exclaimed and I rolled my eyes and sneered at her.
"What's wrong?" my brother asked and I sat roughly on the couch, feeling it bounce under me and creek at the sudden amount of weight.
"She left, that's what's wrong." I said seething. I don't know why I was so upset, I would see her after the games on the Victory Tour. But what if she gets reaped? That is why I'm mad, because if she goes into the Games and gets killed, I won't be able to talk to her ever again.
"You mean Spitfire?" Citch said as Selima took the crying baby upstairs to play with her toys to cheer her up.
"Yeah. I tried calling to her but I was too late. By the time I got there she was already walking up the steps to the train and when she finally heard me the doors shut in her face." I explained to him and he nodded.
"And what did you want to talk to her about so badly?" he questioned with a curious raised eyebrow.
"I just wanted to say something so she wouldn't see me as a bad guy anymore. I wanted to do that before the Games but I didn't get the chance to. She wanted to go home happy and I obliged her wishes by not saying anything to her yesterday at the Feast." I said running my hands through my hair and tugging at it slightly. "Now she could be a completely different person when she comes back, she could hate me for no reason and I wouldn't be able to do anything about it." I said theorizing.
"Okay one, calm down this isn't the end of the world, two she wouldn't just hate you for no reason, three even if she did hate you or some such reason you could talk to her then and say what you want to say that will make her see that you aren't the bad guy." he said listing all of the options I could think of.
"Yeah I guess you're right." I said siding with him. He smiled and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Now do you know exactly what you were going to say to her?"
"No I was just going to wing it, say whatever comes to my mind." I said looking at him confused and he shook his head in disappointment.
"No that won't do." he said flatly.
"Then what will?" I question him and he thought for a minute.
"We need some help. Can you get Clove to come over?" he asked hopefully.
"Why Clove?"
"Because she is friends with Spitfire and can tell you how to talk to her without it ending up in an argument, she may not know her as well as Luna does, because they are roommates, but she still knows her. She can help us or you." I rolled my eye at him, not wanting to admit that he is right, but I sigh standing up and walking into the kitchen where our telephone sits on the counter. I called and left a message asking her to come over and hung up, walking back into the living room.
"Who else can help us until Clove gets here?" I asked him and he looked in the direction of the stairs.
"Dad is home." he said simply.
"Dad? Why would he help?"
"Because if you go into the games or not at least he'll know that you have an interest in someone, he can find out who and maybe set up an arranged marriage for the two of you." he supplied but I shook my head.
"Spitfire doesn't want to get married and how did we get to this? Who said I wanted to marry her?" he ignored me and walked passed me to the stairs to go get dad. A few dozen seconds later I heard to pairs of footsteps coming down the stairs, both of them sitting on he couch across from me.
"So what is the problem here?" my dad asked sounding very fatherly.
"I wanted to talk to Spitfire today before she left but I missed her and I'm pissed about it." I explained trying to pass it off as nothing.
"That's it?" my father asked in disbelief.
"Wait there is stuff he hasn't mentioned." Citch said catching our dad's attention. "He wants to talk to her to make her see that he isn't a bad guy but he doesn't know what to say, he was just going to wing it." Citch explained for me and I groaned.
"Well now I see the problem. Cato you can't just wing something like this when it comes to women." he said and I sighed, running a hand through my hair once again.
"So what do I say?" I asked.
"Well first we gotta answer some questions. What does she make you feel when you're around her?" he asked and I stared at him confused.
"What do you mean?"
"What does she make you feel? Do you get nervous, excited, butterflies in your stomach, do you just want to reach out and touch her? When you to are together do other girls glare at the two of you, or more specifically her?" he asked and I nodded.
"Nervous no, but excited yes. She's a mystery and anything she does can surprise you and I like that about her. I've seen her with her hair down and not in it's usual braid and ever since then I just want to rip that elastic out of her hair and let it flow around her shoulders. And girls have glared at her. Whenever they notice my attention is on Spitfire and not them they get jealous and give her death glares." I explained, feeling a weight get lifted off of my chest when letting this all out.
"And what does she do?" Citch asked.
"Nothing, she just ignores them." I said, remembering that day in the pool.
"Well she has self-control, that's a good quality." Dad complimented, rubbing his chin as he thought. "Do you get mad when you see other guys around her?" Citch asked.
"Yeah I do, sometimes. Mostly when they show her affection that she would return. Like when guys smile at her and she smiles back happily, I just sit there thinking I should be making her smile, not him." I said suddenly getting angry.
"Sounds like you like this girl." Dad suggested and I gaped at him.
"What makes you say that?"
"You get jealous when other guys are around her, when she isn't even yours. You're happy to see her and want to feel her touch even in the simplest way. You my boy like this girl, and liking someone is the first step to loving someone." Dad confirmed with a proud nod, I still gaped at him like he was crazy.
"He's right brother, he's been there, gotten married, and had us! And I've been there too, now I have Selima and a beautiful daughter. You could have the same someday." Citch said trying to get me to understand.
"I told you, Spitfire doesn't want to get married, or have kids, let alone want anything to do with me." I said hanging my head, looking at the carpet floor.
"Really?" dad asked and I nodded.
"Yeah I heard her say it."
"Why doesn't she want any of that?" he asked curiously, I forgot I haven't told him this yet.
"She doesn't want the chance of her children ever going into the Hunger Games and having to kill somebody." I explained and he sighed a heavy sigh.
"Hm, what about an arranged marriage?" my dad offered and I glowered at him.
"No," I said firmly. "I won't force her to do something she doesn't want to do." and after I said that, Clove walked through the front door.
"Okay so why am I hear?" she asked lazily as she sat on the floor in the middle of all of us. "I was in the middle of trying to get over two my of good friends going home and leaving me here with you." she said directed at me.
"Ouch Clove," Said Citch. "but that is the reason you are here. What do you know about Spitfire?" he asked sounding more curious than he actually was.
"Not much more than you. She's the same ago as Cato but I don't know when her birthday is. She only came here to protect her family, sort of like how I train for my family, but I do it to prove something. She doesn't have many friends, only a couple but I don't know their names. She's good at hiding her emotions, the deep ones, not the angry faces you see so often. She doesn't smile much, most of the time when she does it's mostly fake. Th only time I've seen her smile for real is when she's around me or Luna. Crone once asked her why she doesn't smile much and she said "I guess I just never had much to smile about." and I could tell that she was telling the truth and that explanation wasn't fake." she explained to us as she ran out of breath.
"So you could say that she's guarded?" dad asked and Clove nodded.
"Oh yeah. But not in a self conscious way though. She just doesn't want people getting too close to her here because she knows that eventually she's never see us again. Even Luna doesn't know much about her and they're roommates. She knows more than me, like Spitfire's real name and home District but beyond that she doesn't know anything."
"Well damn." I say finally speaking up since she got here. She gave me a confused look and when she saw that I wasn't going to say anything more she turned to the other two men in the room.
"What is the real reason I'm here besides the fact that you wanted information on my friend?" she questioned the two of them and Citch sighed.
"Cato wanted to talk to Spitfire before she left to show or convince her that he isn't the bad guy she's seen since she got here. But he didn't know what to say, he was just going to say what ever came to his mind when he got there." Citch explained for me and Clove just glared at me in disbelief.
"You were going to wing it? Are you nuts? After all the crap you pulled with her this year, whatever you would've said she wouldn't have believed." Clove says moving from a cross legged position to sitting on her knees.
"So then what should I do?" I asked begging for an answer.
"Think about what you want to say before you talk to her when she comes back. Hopefully for the Victory Tour." Clove said sitting there giving me a disapproving look.
"So do either of you have any ideas as to where she's from?" dad asked looking between us.
"Well she's got a strong body and in shape." I said thinking of all the times I've seen her in training when she isn't with Brutus. "Maybe she's from an upper District?" I offered but Citch shook his head.
"But how often do you see someone from an upper District have dark hair and gray eyes like her? Maybe she's from a lower District like Nine, Ten, Eleven, or I hate to say it but even Twelve."
"People from those Districts are worthless and have no chance in the Hunger Games, and they know it so why would they come train at the Academy. And Twelve? Are you kidding me? District Twelve is full of rats and scum." I said and Clove just sighed making me look at her. "What?"
"Well what if he's right and she is from a lower District. I personally have no idea but if she is you are going to feel really guilty for saying stuff like that." she said and I just gave her one of my signature glares.
"Yeah right. They are all weaklings and can't do anything to keep themselves alive in the Games. Brutus told me himself that if Spitfire goes into the Games that she could win. Does that sound like someone from a lower District?" I questioned.
"No but-" she started but I interrupted.
"Exactly! So she has to be from Districts Five and up, they have the bigger chances of winning. Not like those from the Middle Districts like Six, Seven, and Eight, or the Lower Districts like Nine and down. We know she's not from Two because we've never met her before. So it's either One, Three, Four, or Five, it has to be." I said and Clove just glared at me harder than I've ever seen her glare at anyone, whoa she's pissed. She shook her head and stood up, brushing off any dirt she collected on the floor.
"Look I'm just saying be careful of what you say because if it turns out she's from an Outlying District or even a Middle District that you just degraded so badly and she finds out, you can bet your spot in the Games that she will never see you as the good guy that you want her to see." Clove said before she stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
"Wow. I've never seen her so upset." dad observed and Citch agreed with him.
"Yeah she was pissed. She must be as close as she can get to Spitfire for her to be that mad."
"Yeah, but she's also right." I said glumly, hating the vile taste of the words as they rolled off of my tongue. I hated saying that Clove was right, because one she'll never let me live it down, and two it makes me feel guilty whenever she's right about, actually happens.