Hey guys! New chapter! Probably won't be able to update Saturday or Sunday, but we'll see...This story is dedicated to Holly my cherished sister, and Courtney a great support and inspirer for me...
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins nor the world and characters she created. Enjoy!
A few days after the Romulus Incident, Clove found Cato alone and took the opportunity to tell him, "I'm telling Gale today."
Cato looked up from his phone, where he was texting Katniss, Clove presumed. "Telling him what?"
Clove rolled her eyes, "That I love him, duh! Wish me luck!"
"All right," Cato said looking down at his phone again.
Clove waited. "What?" Cato asked, near to whining.
"Aren't you going to wish me luck?"
"That's so girly. But, I'll do it, just for you. Luck." he said. But he gave her a genuine smile.
"Thanks," Clove smiled back.
An hour after school, Clove came back to Cato, who was with Katniss and the rest of the gang, except for Gale, crying.
"Clove?" Cato asked.
"H-h-he said no," she cried. "He said t-that it w-wasn't m-me, it-t was him…He said he thought he might be gay," she wailed.
Katniss looked really angry. "Oh, wait till I'm done with him," she growled, stomping away. "He won't even live to see the light of day."
"What?" Cato asked bewildered.
Darius, Peeta, Finnick, and Thresh were grinning. "Oh, you're gonna want to see this! When Katniss gets angry with Gale, there's only three words for it. It is epic. They both have such tempers. Peeta, you should film this!" Darius said.
They ran off to see the confrontation, along with Clove.
When they reached Gale's house, they saw Katniss madly knocking the door. Gale opened it, "What Katniss, I'm not in the mood right now." he said tiredly.
"To the hell with your mood!" Katniss shouted. "YOU IDIOT! You utter IDIOT!
You liked this girl before and after she became a Career, then when she finally gets the guts to ask you out, you say you might be gay?"
"What about you?" Gale said, getting defensive. He raised his voice pitch to mimmick Katniss, "Oh I love him, but I can't be with him?"
"Are you dying? You better go and apologize to her, right this minute Gale Forrester Hawthorne!"
"Ooh, she's bustin the middle names!" Finnick whispered to Thresh. Meanwhile, Clove's eyes were shining at Katniss's latest piece of news.
"Since when did this conversation turn to me and Cato? This is about you and Clove? What the hell were you thinking? Did you know she came to us crying, and telling us that you might be gay?"
"I wasn't thinking ok?" Gale ran a hand through his hair. "I was confused, and surprised. I did the first thing I thought of."
"Which was saying you might be gay!"
"Yes, unfortunately."
Katniss sighed, "Ok, well what's done is done." she glared at him, "You are going to apologize to Clove," she ordered.
"I guess so."
More glaring from Katniss.
A sigh from Gale, "I will."
"Good." Then Katniss's eyes softened, "For the record, I probably would've done something worse," she extended the olive branch of peace to him, through these words.
They hugged on his doorstep. Meanwhile, Gale's neighbor leaned out of his door, "Have you guys made peace yet? Good. I can finally take drink my liquor in peace." his head went back into his house again.
Cato gave away the group's hiding, "HAYMITCH IS GALE'S NEIGHBOR?"
"And mine," Katniss said smoothly. "I live on the other side of him."
"And what are you guys doing here?" Gale glared at everyone, but his eyes softened at Clove.
"I'm sorry Clover. I really do care about you. Can you forgive me?" Gale asked.
"Yes."
"In that case, will you be my girlfriend?"
Clove launched herself into Gale's arms, "Yes!"
Gale eyed Katniss, "Don't get too jealous Katniss."
"Me jealous, no way!" Katniss smiled innocently. "Clove, get off of Gale, he's MINE! MY PRECIOUS!"
Seeing Clove getting ready to cry again, Katniss hurriedly said, "It's a joke, Clove, a joke!"
The next time Cato and Katniss were alone together, it was in Greasy Sae's coffee shop, he said, "So, you're in love with me?"
Katniss looked down at her hands, and swallowed, "I'm not sure yet," she said. "I'm rolling down the hill pretty fast though."
"Almost only 8 more months."
"Please don't remind me," Katniss said.
"All right. What item on your bucket list are you going to do next?"
"I think I'll try to act in a movie," Katniss shrugged. "Shouldn't be hard with Cray as my dad."
"Poor guy," Cato smirked.
"Shuddup," Katniss whined. "You're so mean to me!"
"Hey Thom?" Katniss asked.
"Yeah, Catnip?"
"Can you get Cray to get me cast in a movie?"
Thom looked confused at first, then her remembered, "Oh, the bucketlist. I'll see if I can convince Dad." While Katniss always referred to her step-father as 'Cray', Thom had always called him 'Dad'. Katniss didn't blame him, he really was Thom's father. But he wasn't hers.
"Thanks Thom," Katniss smiled in gratitude.
"Anything for you Catnip," Thom replied.
A few days later Thom got back to Katniss, "Hey Catnip, Dad was able to get you an audition," he handed her a slip of paper with an address and description on it. "I'm sure you'll get it. You're a pretty good actor."
Katniss smiled and said, "Well, I'm off to audition. You'll see me in the theaters, k?"
"Okay."
As she left the house she called Gale, "Yo, Gale, watch me audition?"
"Sure, Catnip. Anyone else coming?"
Katniss thought for a bit, "Bring another friend of ours, I don't care, just someone to keep you company. Please no PDA between Clove and you though."
"No promises, bye Catnip!" Katniss could practically hear him smirk through the phone.
"Goodbye Gale," she sighed. "Oh, wait, here's the address," she told him the address as she got into the car.
When she got there, Gale was already there, but not with Clove. With Cato.
"Oh, hey Cato," she greeted, smiling.
"Hey," he smiled back. "Finnick's coming too, he wanted to see if there was a part he could play."
Katniss nodded, "It would be nice to have someone else act beside me…I wonder what part I'm gonna play," she wondered.
"You didn't even look at the part?" Finnick popped in.
"No, Cray got it for me," Katniss replied absent mindedly, looking down at her part. She read aloud,
"Calypso (Cal) Brooks: Sixteen years old, coming of age, she falls in love with a high school friend, but he's dating another girl. Don't need to be comfortable with real kissing, it'll be at an angle, if you're not. Looks: Brown Hair, American
Jacob (Jake) McGalllenger: Sixteen years old, dating the Queen of the School, friends with Cal, and isn't sure how he feels about her. Don't need to be comfortable with real kissing, it'll be at an angle, if you're not. Looks: Brown hair, American, tall
Julia (Jules) Gringer: Sixteen years old, dating Jacob McGallenger, Queen of the School. Wants to put to Calypso as much as possible. Don't need to be comfortable with real kissing, it'll be at an angle, if you're not. Looks: Blonde hair, preferably blue eyes, American
Marcus (Mark) Haven: Sixteen years old, best friends with Calypso, loves Julia. Don't need to be comfortable with real kissing, it'll be at an angle, if you're not. Looks: Bronze hair, American.
ALL THE REST OF THE ROLES HAVE BEEN CASTED."
"So I guess I'll be taking Calypso," Katniss re read the description.
"And I guess I'll go for Marcus," Finnick decided.
"Ooh, you're my bestie," Katniss smiled.
"Forever and always, Katniss," Finnick put an arm around her.
The two friends just had to cold read a few lines, and they immediately got the parts they were aiming for. They watched the rest of the auditions with their other friends…
Then as the rest of her friends joked around, and Katniss was in mid-laugh, a figure caught her eye, walking through the door. She immediately shrunk back, and whispered, "No."
"What?" Gale asked leaning in towards her.
"Romulus."
Gale looked to wear she was looking and trembling, and saw the figure of Romulus, who was applying for Katniss's love interest. He groaned, "I forgot, he majored in drama, he must be an actor now."
They watched annoyed, as Romulus got the wanted part. "Maybe you should step out," Cato suggested. He didn't want Romulus anywhere near him.
"No." Katniss looked determined. "I'm not going to let him dictate my life anymore. I think this is a turning point in my life." she paused for a second, "Then again, considering my life is going to be so short, maybe every point is a turning point." she shrugged.
"All right," Gale sighed. "If you're sure…But if he even thinks of doing anything to you," Gale looked murderous.
And then they saw a girl step up onto the stage. She was beautiful. Finnick held his breath when she went up. She had red hair, and they found her name was Annie. She got Finnick's love interest. Katniss nudged him and said, "Ooh, lucky you!"
To which Finnick merely replied, "Are you lesbian or something?" he was absentminded, too busy staring at the new girl, Annie.
"Eeewww! No!" Katniss looked disgusted. "Just no! You're so disturbing, I'm sitting next to Cato. Ewww…"
"Ooh, lucky you!" Finnick mimicked Katniss.
"Are you gay?" Katniss cackled.
"Oh, shut up!" Finnick complained.
Just then, the director, Seneca Crane called, "All people casted for roles, please come onto stage! We will run over the scenes quickly, and sort through any problems you may have with the script, or with erm…PDA."
Katniss sighed, "Into the fire."
Cato nudged Katniss, "But you're already on fire,"
"When will you ever forget about it, and let me live it down?" Katniss grumbled standing up.
"I just can't believe you caught fire in Home Ec, Catnip!" Gale laughed.
"You know cooking is not my forté," Katniss argued.
"C'mon, Kat," Finnick said. "The director called us, remember?"
"No," Katniss said sarcastically. Seeing Romulus, and having to act with him had put her defensiveness on. Her shield of sarcasm. That was how she protected herself, Cato realized. She didn't hide behind anyone, she didn't show that she was scared. No, she protected herself by pretending she wasn't. By pushing people away, hoping they'd get offended because of the sarcasm. It was also how she knew who were her true friends. "No," Katniss continued. "I have amnesia, and don't even remember what you just said. Of course I know he called us!"
"C'mon Kat," Finnick said softly. "Let's go."
Cato watched as they walked up the stage and joined the rest of the group.
Katniss saw Romulus do a double take as she walked up the stage. "Who's she playing?" she heard him whisper to Annie.
"Oh, she's playing your love interest," Annie answered, looking at Finnick. "And he's-" she giggled. "my love interest."
Finnick winked at Annie. "Oh stop it! Leave the poor girl alone!" Katniss pushed Finnick's shoulder.
"Not my fault she's stunning," Finnick smiled saucily.
"You're such a playboy," Katniss rolled her eyes.
Romulus said, "We're not going to really kiss right?"
The director, Crane, said, "I'd think it'd be better if you actually kiss, but we can always use the angles so it looks like you guys are kissing. You'd have to be close proximity though,"
Katniss still looked a bit pale, but she felt a bit more relieved. Then, Romulus said, "That's good, I wouldn't want my fiancé to feel as if I was cheating on her." he smiled at Katniss.
"Your…Fiancé…" Katniss repeated at loss for words.
"Yes, I told you Katniss," he reassured her. "I don't think of you as a romantic possibility, you're like my sister. I did truly find someone else, I changed my ways."
Katniss bit her lip. She didn't know whether to accept this new information or to not trust him.
Romulus continued softly, "Her name is Atala. Sometimes she reminds me so much of you. I tell her about you all the time, you're the only family I have left really." he looked down at his hands. "Father died in a car accident while I was in jail. Atala is a police officer, that's how I met her. I actually got out of jail early, because of the accident. I didn't come to see you though, until now, because I was still figuring out who I really was, and I figured you would need space." he looked at Katniss. "Can you ever forgive me?"
Katniss launched herself into his arms. "I forgive you. I'm so sorry," she cried into his shoulder. "I jailed you for so long…So long that you weren't there when your father died. I could've prevented this. I could've prevented all of this."
"No," Romulus's grip tightened on her. "It's not your fault. You did the right thing. I'm so glad of it. Because of it, I met Atala. Thank you."
Katniss giggled wetly, "TEAB?"
"TEAB."
In the stands, Cato whispered, "What's TEAB?"
"It's their little saying," Gale whispered back. "It means 'To Eternity And Beyond".
"Oh…" Cato watched them, feeling jealous…
"Look, I'm glad you had your…little reunion or whatever, but we've got work to do. The camera crew filmed the part where he asked you if you forgave him, and you launched yourself into his arms…We can use that for the movie," Crane said. "But people, can we get moving? Does anyone have any problems with the script, or any of the things you may have to do."
After a quick discussion, the meeting ended, and they left the place. Katniss hugged Romulus before they left and said, "I'm so sorry, can you forgive me?"
"There's no need," Romulus said. "It's just in me. I could never not forgive you."
"Thank you."
"To Eternity And Beyond," was all Romulus said.
Katniss laughed, "To Eternity And Beyond…"
Usually, Katniss would come and hang out with him, Cato, after school, maybe with another friend, but lately, she had been spending much more time with Romulus. Ok, maybe not so much. He still hung out with her at school, and they texted a lot. And she only spent an hour or two with Romulus, and they had a lot to catch up on, but Cato was used to having her full attention. Cato hated to admit it, but he didn't like not spending as much time with her, and not having her full attention. Nowadays though, she looked so happy, Cato couldn't bear to bring it up.
Then, one day, there was a knock on his door, after school. Cato, expecting Katniss, smiled and walked towards the door and opened it, "Hi Cato, I needed to talk to you." It wasn't Katniss it was Romulus.
"Erm…Would you like to come in?" Cato asked, struggling to remember the horrifying lessons of etiquette his mother had put him through.
"Sure," Romulus gave a tentative smile. "Thanks. It's about Katniss."
Cato's back stiffened unintentionally, "What about her?" he asked cautiously.
"She loves you," Romulus never beat around the bush, always going to the point. "And you love her. But she's scared." he ran a hand through his hair.
"And it's partly my fault. You know," he chuckled. "You said the same line I said, 'I'm falling in love with you'…That kind of scared her."
Cato had never thought about that before, "I never knew that."
"Back to the point, she's scared. Look, there's not much time left," Romulus looked determined. "she deserves to be happy. Ask her out already."
"You don't think I tried?" Cato asked incredulous.
"Oh, I know you tried," Romulus assured him. "You just didn't try enough. You know, it took me a year to finally get together with her? Well, you don't have a year."
"So what do you think I should do?" Cato folded his arms.
"I'm not blaming you," Romulus backtracked. "Look, I'll try to talk some sense into her. But, you better really care for her and love her, or you're dead."
"She already has, like, six of you to do that, you know," Cato said.
"I know, but that doesn't mean that you could use one more warning. Anyway, that's all I came for." he was almost out the door, when he paused and said, "And Cato?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry for stealing all her attention," he smirked. Seeing Cato's shocked face, Romulus said, "Everyone except Katniss could see you were jealous. Ironic, isn't it? Well, if you want to spend some more time with her, ask her out already!" Romulus smirked again, and left the house.
Katniss was at the bottom of the hill she had been rolling down. There was no denying it. She was in love with Cato. She hated it. She now, wasn't ready to leave. She wished she could stay. But she couldn't.
They had finished the movie, and they were heading out of the theaters, after watching the movie. It was well done. It was way to cliche though, Katniss decided. But another item was off the bucketlist. She had observed Annie and Finnick for some time now. She knew what was happening between them, they were falling in love. They would get their 'happily ever after', she only wished she could be here to see their wedding.
The next day, Sunday, she called up everyone, "I want to do the free hugs thing," she told them, "in two days. We should paint signs, and stuff like that."
Every one of them gave various signs of agreement.
Finnick said, "Could I bring Annie?" Katniss had told him that he could.
Cato had said, "Sure, sweetheart." Katniss had blushed…much to her discomfort.
Cato was planning. He and Finnick were going to ask Katniss and Annie to be their girlfriends…This was the moment. He was nervous, yet he knew this was what he wanted. What better way to ask a girl to be you girlfriend than when she's giving out free hugs? Plus, Peeta was going to be filming the free hugs, and they would have the memories forever on tape. For Cato to cherish after…
When they got to the park on Tuesday, Katniss and Thom had just brought the signs, Darius, Peeta, Gale and Annie were already there, now that Finnick and Cato had come, they were only waiting for Thresh and Clove who were riding together.
"I wonder where he is," Katniss wondered.
Cato looked at her. Her hair was in a waterfall braid, like during the recital, it was actually down. It looked good on her. She was wearing a red hoodie, he didn't know what she was wearing under it, but she wore black leggings and Uggs. "I didn't know you were an Uggs person," he commented.
"Oh, she absolutely loves Uggs," Gale put in. "She has about three different pairs…She's crazy about them."
"I am," Katniss sighed happily. She counted off on her fingers, "1. They're so fluffy! 're warm. 3. the comfort level is like 10 out of 10."
"So you basically like them because they're fluffy, warm and comfortable." Cato summed up.
"Hey, I'm easy to please," Katniss smiled innocently and shrugged.
Meanwhile behind her back, Thom shook his head violently back and forth. Just then Clove and Thresh ran from a red van towards them.
After hugging Gale and kissing his check, Clove said, "I hope we're not late?"
"Nope," Katniss smiled. "Let's do this."
"Why are you doing this?" Cato asked Katniss as they hugged various kids and elderly grandfathers and grandmothers. Of course all of the teenage girls tried to hug him, and all the teenage boys tried to hug Katniss…But they were able to avoid them…somehow…
Katniss paused for a minute, hugging a little girl, and smiling softly when the little girl's whole face lit up. "I think it's because soon I'm going to…not be here anymore…I want to give all these kids who may not have someone to hug them and elderly couples who maybe never had any grandchildren to hug and spread their love to, some of my love…before it's gone."
Cato watched Katniss as she imparted some of her love to an elderly lady, who's eyes crinkled as she smiled, "Thank you dear." she gave Katniss one last smile as she hobbled away back to her grown up daughter who was waiting impatiently saying, "Mum, we're going to be late for the dentist's. What on Earth made you detour all the way here just to a bunch of adolescents just to get a hug?"
"Oh, honey, it was worth it," the elderly lady said. "Go and hug one of them. You'll see."
The daughter huffed, but did as she was told, she walked over to Thom and he gave her a hug. As the daughter walked back, she looked more relaxed and said, "That was nice," she admitted.
As the crowd died down after a bit, Cato and Finnick got their act together.
"Katniss," Cato started off. "I've only known you for three months, but I know I love you. And I always will. You rejected me once, but I'm asking again. Will you be my girlfriend, sweetheart?"
Katniss's eyes were shining. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes." She launched herself into Cato's arms, and he wrapped his arms around her as tight as he could.
Finnick was not so fortunate. When Finnick stepped forward, "Annie, I've known you less than they have known each other…But love works in mysterious ways, will you be my girlfriend?"
Annie was hugging a small girl when he asked…It just so happened that the small girl's name was Ann too, and she thought that Finnick was asking her… She squealed, "Prince Charming!" and hugged his leg. Annie was in shock for a moment, then she started laughing. Finnick was trying to get the girl off, without making her cry…It was a rather laughable moment.
Finally the girl's mother came, and whispered something in her ear that made her rush away from 'Prince Charming' and go back into the crowd…
"Ermm…So?" Finnick asked.
"Hmm…Let me think about it," Annie teased.
Finnick pouted. "Be my girlfriend?"
"Yes," Annie smiled. The crowd cheered as the two pairs of adolescents became 'officially' couples.
Cato decided that may have been the best day of his life. Peeta cackled gleefully, "Wait until I post this on YouTube!"
Katniss and Cato had been dating for a week. Cato felt like he couldn't be happier. He didn't want to think what would happen in seven months. He was just going to enjoy the time he had now.
Cato was hanging out at Katniss's house at the kitchen counter. Katniss was using the restroom. He decided to wash some of the dishes in the sink. As he did, suddenly he felt arms wrap around his torso. "I love you," he heard Katniss say.
"Umm, love you too? What brought that on?"
"It just seemed like a good time," Katniss said into his back.
Cato turned around to hug her back, "For the record, I love you too." They stayed there just hugging each other, enjoying being in the other's presence. Then Cato said, "How would you like to meet my family?"
"Why?" Katniss queried.
"I don't know. You're my girlfriend, they'd probably want to meet you after all you did for Rosie." Cato listed.
"I always did want to meet Rosie," Katniss admitted, she turned around, leaning against Cato. "I wonder what your dad thinks of me though," she thought. "You know, when he asked me if I was sure I wanted to give up my heart, I said, 'Yes! I want to get home, and not die here! Or do you want me to start jumping up and down and smiling my face off, screaming, 'I'M GONNA DIE!' too?' long story short…"
Cato outright laughed, "By long story short, do you mean that you omitted some curse words?"
Katniss shook her head, "No, I just don't remember all that I said. I might've said more."
"Mmm." Cato kissed the top of her head. "So, you wanna meet my family?"
Katniss tilted her head… "I don't know. Do you think we should?" she looked up at him.
"I think my mom would like to meet you, you are my girlfriend after all," Cato said.
"But haven't you brought girls home before this? I thought you were a playboy," Katniss leaned more into his torso.
Cato wrapped his arms more securely around Katniss, "Yes, but I was never serious about any of them, and I didn't love any of them either. But you, sweetheart," he spun her around to face him. "I am desperately and irrevocably in love with you."
Katniss smiled. "All right, I'll go. When?" she asked for the time.
"Tomorrow. I'll tell mum, and I promise you, she'll cook up a storm for you."
Katniss kissed his cheek, "Tomorrow it is, then."
Cato called up his mother the next day, in front of the school gates, "Mom,"
"Yes, honey," his mother said absentmindedly. Cato could her Rosie's playful shrieks in the backround.
"Umm…Ok, two things."
"Go on. -Hey, Rosie, Rosie,-"
"Umm, I have a girlfriend."
"Oh Cato darling! Are you serious about this girl? I don't want you breaking whoever this is's heart." his mother said sternly.
"Yes mum!" Cato said exasperatedly. "I'm serious about this girl."
"Well then, who is she?" His mother asked. Cato vaguely remembered that his mother was a gossip queen. Maybe he should've called his dad.
"Katniss Everdeen." Was his brusque answer.
"Katniss? Katniss Everdeen, oh good Lord, you're dating her?"
"Is there something wrong with that?" was Cato's absent minded answer, as Katniss came up to him.
"Well, dear," his mother said tentatively. "Isn't she dying?"
Her words hit Cato like a truck hammer. "Yeah," he said, his voice a bit chocked. "But I want her to meet you guys. She wants to meet Rosie especially."
His mother thankfully looked over the question she had asked before and said, "Well, we can't really say no to that, can we? I'll cook something…" his mother began mumbling and listing groceries she would need to get.
"So she can come, right?" Cato asked.
"Of course she can!" his mother said warmly. "What time is she coming?"
"Oh, umm," he put down the phone and said to Katniss, "What time do you want to come over?"
Katniss shrugged, "I'm fine with anything," she said.
"Ok," he put the phone up to his ear again, "Umm, mum, how about 6:00?"
"Got it, honey. Oh, I can't wait to see her!" his mother squealed.
"Mum," Cato groaned.
"Oh, sorry dear, I'll see you later. Love you!"
"Love you too mum," Cato said affectionately. The phone line went dead. Cato turned to Katniss, "How was your night?" he asked hugging her.
"Good," she mumbled. "I barely got any sleep though. I played video games with Thom for a while."
"You play?"
"Heck yeah, I am the queen of zombie shooting," she mumbled tiredly.
Cato chuckled, "All right queen, let's get to school."
Katniss moaned.
At lunch, Glimmer and Cashmere again came to confront the 'Goodwill's …
"I just, like, can't believe that you're, like, dating that, like, trash, Finnick. I didn't think you'd stoop so low to, like, Cresta!" Glimmer simpered, disgusted.
Annie looked near to tears. Just then Katniss stepped in and said, "Oh, Annie?"
"Yeah, Kat?"
"Do you hear something? I think Glimmer's trying to say something, but darling," Katniss turned to Glimmer. "Darling, I just don't speak retard. When you fix our little, ah, communication problems come back, then we can talk." Katniss smiled sweetly while Glimmer looked a bit lost, trying to understand what Katniss said.
"Don't act like, you're, like any better," Cashmere sneered. "Cause we like, totally know you're not…Honestly, Cato, what were you, like, thinking when you picked up this, like, pile of trash?"
Cato looked like he was ready to punch Cashmere, but Katniss held him back, "Don't," she murmured to him. Then she said to Cashmere, "Cashmere, where have all your English lessons gone? You should really expand your vocabulary dear, to something other than trash…Not very descriptive," Katniss clucked her tongue.
Cashmere and Glimmer left the table, comforting themselves by saying,
"Ugh, they're like, so not, like, worth it!"
"Like, totally!"
After they left, Peeta turned to Katniss, " .Awesome!"
"Aww.." Katniss pretended to blush. "Well, I'd like to thank my mom, and my step father, oh wait no scratch that…"
"Shuddup!" Gale moaned.
"You're just jealous that I'm so…oh what do they call it these days?" Katniss smiled sweetly. "I believe it's- superb, awesome, unrivaled, in fact they just call it plain, Katniss, they named it after me!"
"Shuddup!" Thresh moaned.
"Remind me to get you a book of comebacks," Katniss retorted.
"I think that's getting a little old," Gale commented.
"No shit, Sherlock," Katniss said dryly.
"Shuddup!"
"Remind me to get you a book of-"
The bell rang.
After school, Katniss and Cato hung out with the group at Greasy Sae's then they separated, each to his own house.
Cato told Katniss, "I'll come pick you up at 5:30 to drive to my house, that way we save more gas, and I have a way to avoid my mom's gossipy questions."
Katniss laughed, "You're using me as an excuse to avoid your mom?"
"Yup." he pulled her into a hug.
"I'm not sure if I shouldn't talk to you, since you said that," Katniss pondered. "That is what an average girlfriend and boyfriend would do, yeah?"
"Mm..But we're not an average couple."
"Damn right we're not."
At 5:35 Cato was at Katniss's door. He knocked and Thom answered. "Hey Cato, here to pick Katniss up?"
Cato groaned, "Don't tell me she's still in her room fussing with her clothes last minute."
"Then you obviously don't know her," Thom laughed, and ushered Cato in. There on the couch with a bag of potato chips, and watching the TV was Katniss.
Thom grinned, "And there she is."
Cato laughed, "I'm glad you're not like the other dates I had. Did you even get ready?"
Katniss scoffed, "Of course I got ready. It took me like what, 10 minutes, right Thom?"
"Five."
"Yeah, well, I think I did a good job. I actually wore a dress," she scowled. She stood up and stretched. Cato was speechless.
She was wearing a deep blue, high empire waist dress. Don't ask how Cato knew that, he just knew. She was wearing gold flats, and her hair was fully down for the first time Cato saw it. It was naturally wavy and Katniss kept on brushing it out of her face. She finally got tired of this, and pulled a cloth headband out of who knows where, and got her hair out of her face.
"Well, are we going or what?" Katniss asked.
"We're going," Cato said, bidding goodbye to Thom.
"Don't forget to use protection!" Thom called as they left the house.
Katniss smacked his arm.
As they left the house, Cato wrapped an arm around her and said, "Sweetheart, did I ever tell you that I loved you before?"