Chapter Three.
Okay so my move after that may not have been the smartest. But it's their fault really, for suggesting such an absurd thing. Maybe Cato and I really arent the romantic type, maybe we aren't tender. But that doesn't mean I dont care about him, that doesn't mean it wouldn't break me to lose him. He is my only friend, I would be lost without him. Not that I would ever admit that to Cato.
So I lunged at Edward and barreled him to the floor. I mean, why would I feel bad about cracking his head open? There are medics at the ready, plus, he deserved it. I feel so much better now that I got to do that.
So I got sent home again, except this time it was by Dan. And I wasn't aloud to come back until tomorrow morning at 5:30 a.m. sharp, where the tributes would be put into mock game scenarios before the reaping. They expect me to just let this rest and skip my way into the games along side my boyfriend. No thank you.
But I know I need to be more cunning, cracking someones head open, won't really help me right now. I need to be more cunning, I need to use my brain. So I set my brain in motion as I walk home, alone this time. Cato had to stay and train. I'm kind of glad he isn't walking home with me, we don't need to have that talk just yet. I don't think I can keep it together if we do. I may be a ruthless killer, but I still have a heart and it still hurts. We can deal with what's coming together, tonight. He's coming over for our last night together. Luckily my mother is staying over at her friends house.
It was supposed to be our last night together before he went into the games, not before we both go into the games. I can't let that happen. There is the inevitability that one of us has to die. And it will be me, because I can't live without him. I only realize this now, now that our life together is walking a thin line. If I go into the Hunger Games this year, I won't come out.
However, we still have hope. I think I know what I have to do. I think I need to pay a visit to our dear mayor.
There's a quick comotion is the kitchen, before I put on a sweater and head over to his house. I'm not about to show up at the mayors front door wearing a sports bra, especially if his wife answers. She cares a lot about etiquette, trust me. She taught me in school (I got yelled at repeatedly for being "un lady like".)
However, instead of her wrinkled face coming to the door. Dan answers it after the first ring.
"Hello Dan," he tries to shut the door but I plant my foot in the way. His blue eyes are wide.
"I'm not going to hurt you if that's what you think," I reason, "I just want to talk. Can I come in?" he gives me a calculating expression. Eventually he steps back from the door and gives me room to slip inside his large house.
His house is gorgeous. Huge ceilings, large windows and a crystal chandelier that hangs down in the front hall. I think I would get lost in such a big house. His windows have a view of the mountains. It's a pretty spectacular view, and a pretty expensive one. The only other houses with views like this are the right side of the victors village. Lucky for us, we live on the left. Our view is nothing pretty, let's just leave it at that.
"Can we go to your office?" I ask, once I have slipped off my shoes.
He nods, "follow me," then he heads up the long winding staircase. At the top he leads me down a gleaming wood hallway and to a closed door at the end. He opens the door and gestures for me to go inside.
Inside there is a glass table, a computer, a monitor and some chairs. I take a seat in one, in front of his desk, while he stiffly sits in the one behind.
"What can I do for you Clove?"
"I think you know why I am here," I say, "we both know there is no way I am going into the Hunger Games this year. I'm sure you can understand my reasons."
He calculates me for a moment, "I think we both know it's not up to you who goes into the games, you were chosen."
"I can't be forced."
"Oh I think you can."
Fury envelopes in me, how dare he suggest anyone can force me to do something I don't want to do. "Here's the thing Mr. Mayor, I was hoping things wouldn't turn to this, but you have given me no choice. We both know, no one was supposed to find you and my mother, and we both know that wasn't the only time you two have been together. I am not an idiot. So, how about we make a deal. I go into the Hunger Games next year, and you secret is safe with me. I go into the Hunger Games this year, and the whole District knows of your affair. I promise to make sure of that!"
I give myself credit, I really have surprised him.
"Interesting…" he says finally, "very interesting."
"What's interesting?"
"It's interesting you think you can blackmail me."
"I know I can", even I can hear the confidence in my voice. It's etched into every word. I was born to be confident, I was made confident. I am always so sure of everything. Until today.
"I will consider what you have said, I suppose. But I believe it is time you we're going. You have your goodbyes and parties to attend before the reaping tomorrow."
He walks me back down the stairs and to the glass front door. I step outside and wait for him to close the door, but he doesn't. I walk down the path but he calls after me. "What better way to make sure no one finds out, then to put you into the Hunger Games?" then he slams the door.
Only then do I begin to doubt myself, and doubt whether that really could have worked.
Cato is supposed to arrive at my house in 5 minutes and I'm not ready. Not ready to face him just yet. We will sit down with the dinner I ordered and put on fancy plates (okay so I'm not the best cook, that's what Cato is for), and then we have to broach the subject. The fact that we both could be going into games tomorrow. How we are going to deal with it.
I have no idea how we would deal with it. No idea.
But he he knocks hard on the door, he's here. He will always be here for me and that's what really scares me, in the end.
I open the front door and his eyes travel down my body. So, I don't usually dress up. But tonight I decided to put on something, special. Because this could be our last real night together, something I really don't want to have to think about. I'm dressed in a daisy covered skirt that reaches half my thigh and a black crop top. Leaving my flat, tanned belly to be seen. It really doesn't matter to me whether people see my stomach or not, I've worked hard to create these toned abs. Why not show them off? Cato seems to agree.
He has on black slacks, dress shoes, and a grey dress shirt open at the top to reveal the top of his chest. No jacket or tie, we're not that formal, it's just not who we are.
"You look good," he says, his eyes straying on my chest.
I smile and tilt my head, "my head's up here Cato."
"I'm aware," his blue eyes finally meet mine of green.
He seems to be waiting for me to say something as I gesture for him to come inside and he enters my front hall. I sigh, "not too bad yourself."
"What's not too bad?" he wonders, grinning.
"You know what I mean, don't flatter yourself," then I take his hand roughly and pull him through the kitchen and to the living room. So, we have no kitchen table at the moment because I punched it when I got home from training, and well…it was already unstable so its not my fault it caved in, not really. My mother was really mad, so she left early for her friends house. I can't complain as long as she's gone.
"I'm sorry but we have to eat in the living room," I tell him while pushing him onto our couch. The image of Dan and my mother plays before my eyes and I swallow back bile. I won't let them ruin what may be my last night with Cato. Especially when Dan may just ruin everything else.
"What happened to you table?" he asks when he sees the pieces of the table piled in a heap against the wall.
I recount the story to him and I find myself laughing. He joins in and his laugh is so funny I can't get myself to stop. Cato doesn't laugh a lot, but when he does, everyone around him can't help but laugh too. It's a shame he's always so mean. Not that I can say I laugh all that much…
I serve us dinner, I know he knows I didn't cook it. He's probably grateful. Last time I tried to cook for him was a disaster. It tasted so bad, we both had to spit out our first mouthfuls. Then we just ended up making pizza together. Which was actually quite fun until we got into a mock fight and I threw a knife into our sack of flour. Flour was everywhere. However, our shower together wasn't that bad after.
We finish the food while watching my monitor. It displays a screen, practically hovering in the air against the blank wall. On the screen the head game maker is having an interview. He talks about how great this year will be and how hard he has worked on the arena. We work on catching anything he may let slip, but he is smart enough to think through what he says. He doesn't want to get on President Snow's bad side. Who does? It would be your funeral.
Then we snuggle together on the couch, talking about the games. What his angle for the interviews might be, his costume, who his mentor may be and anything else to do with the games.
"I know you can win!" I exclaim.
He begins to give a cocky smile but he can't seem to conjure it and it falls from his face. "You know there is nothing that could stand between a man and his will to survive."
I nod, good. Even if I do go into the games, even I won't stand in his way. If we go into the games together, I know I will not be coming back out. I will not come back to this awful place without him, because he is my only friend. My only escapee. The only person's room I sneak into at night when I don't want to listen to my mother and her new boyfriend in the room next to mine. The only person who can tolerate me, who understands me. Who sees me as a person, and not just someone deadly, someone to fear.
If I go into the games, I will do everything in my power to get Cato back out. It's good to know Cato will have so much self preservation. But Cato isn't done talking and I should have known.
"Except for someone he loves. I really hope you don't go into the games because you would be the only thing standing between me and winning."
His words bring tears to my eyes, and I have to fight to keep them from falling. Only I understand what he just said. That is Cato's strange way of telling me he loves me and I know he does. I know he does. I never realized it before until now. We were never as deep, we could have just been a fling until now. Now I know I can't live without him. Because I love him.
I really do love him.
"Are you okay?" he asks, looking at me closely, I can see the ring of darker blue around his eyes. I look away quickly, so he doesn't see mine glistening with unshed tears.
"Fine."
We sit in silence for a moment, then we turn to each other and his lips are on mine. Soft then strong and demanding. He smells like soap and honey. He tastes like the mints he likes to chew. His tongue finds mine and all my problems are pushed to the back of mind. He is the only thing that matters right now. He pulls me up, my legs around his waist and his strong hands on my ass. He somehow finds the way to my bedroom, our lips only pulling apart for quick breaths before he is kissing me again. He drops me on the bed, then starts taking of his shirt. Impatiently I pull it off and run my hand down his bare chest. He shivers. He pulls my shirt over my head and I start unbuckling his pants. The rest of our clothes are off in record time. He pushes me down against the bed and starts kissing me, propped up on his elbows.
Later we lie in my bed together, pressed close and holding in each others body warmth. His strong arms are wrapped around me, keeping me close and making me feel safe.
"I love you," he whispers. And it is the first time he has said it to me. Those words are not taken lightly, not in District 2, not anywhere. They are not simple words, but a promise. A promise to keep the other person close, to keep the other person safe. A promise to love them to the ends of time.
Tears stream silently down my face and I have no idea where they come from. I am not a sappy person, I do not cry. I don't remember the last time I have cried. He must notice because he tenses and pulls me even closer to him. He doesn't say anything, he doesn't have to. There is nothing he can do but hold me, and he does.
"I love you too."
A/N: Thank you so much to those who have reviewed. It really makes me happy to know you like the story and you appreciate my hard work.
So I know I promised a reaping but if you had a boyfriend, who could be going to his death, wouldn't you have a last night with him?
I think we needed to understand that they love each other.
Love is important as flowers. (Flowers are pretty damn important).
The reaping will either be next chapter or the chapter after.
I still have to do the fake scenarios thing I mentioned earlier in the chapter.
Lol (lots of love)