Chapter 11: Vulnerable

"You look great," Cato whispered passionately, his eyes traveling up and down my figure, inspecting every inch of my body.

"Well, I don't feel great," I replied stubbornly. "Besides, I don't want to push you. You've only been out of the hospital for a week now," I added. Cato had been allowed to return home after all the follow-up inspections were done, but his doctors had suggested that he take things slowly while he recovered. His parents made sure that he did not go to school this week nor was he allowed to attend practice, above all else. From what I knew of Cato, he wasn't one to sit around during his spare time. I knew this dramatic change would be hard on him, but I also wanted to get him out of the house for the night. The date was his idea, after all, I mumbled to myself.

"The doctors said to take things easy, not to be bedbound," Cato scoffed lightly. I noticed that signature gleam in his eyes, which held no pain or suffering as he smiled at me with pearly white teeth and outstretched his hand to me. "It's just a fancy dinner, and then I promise you can take me home," he pleaded, his expression still gleaming sarcastically.

"You're so stubborn," I said with laughter, outstretching my hand to meet with his. His hands were cold to the touch, which felt great under the blistering heat that Panem City had been subject to over the past week. However, the coldness was alarming to my senses. Not that it crossed my mind medically speaking, but it signaled to me that he was nervous, which only made my stomach flutter.

"That's my middle name," Cato joked sarcastically, before guiding me down the stairs. I held onto the black railing with my right hand to steady myself. The railing was made up of steel, which held intertwining vines that erupted into tiny blossoming rose buds. The railing was warm against my skin, sending a tingling sensation down my spine as the cool touch of Cato's skin met with the simmering steel.

Cato was dressed in a plain black t-shirt and blue dark-wash jeans. Simplicity was Cato's greatest style sense, which allowed him to throw on any piece of clothing he owned to create a seamlessly breathtaking flair. I had spent two hours preparing for tonight's supper, which was horrible considering that Cato had probably spent two minutes. In contrast to Cato's attire, I wore black slim jeans, a thin funnel-neck t-shirt and matching grey flip-flops. It was fairly hot, but I knew we would be sitting in an air-conditioned building, so I prepared for the drastic change of climate.

When we reached Cato's car, I realized that he had borrowed his dad's red SRT viper. It surprised me that Royal would allow Cato to drive his most precious item, but more so that Cato had gone to such lengths in the first place.

"New ride?" I asked inquisitively, a smile gleaming all over my expression.

"Surprised you noticed," Cato said, winking back at me. He removed his hand from mine as he started toward the driver's side. I flicker of pain shot through me as I yearned for his touch.

I gave him a smirk and shook my head as I opened the door and sat down onto the warm leather seats. I took the seat belt and with a click it secured itself around my chest. I felt a cool hand work its way through my fingers in my left hand, and I looked over to see that Cato had one hand on the wheel and one clasping my hand. I smiled at him, before the car roared to life and we started on the busy streets.

I was originally worried about Cato driving tonight, fearful that if his injuries began acting up again that he might lose control of the car. He also tended to drive very quickly, which made me nervous in the first place, but I had recently become accustomed to the speed. In fact, I enjoyed the rush of adrenaline as the street lights raced by and the wind worked its way through my hair. He drove slower tonight, settling on driving under the speed limit. He passed a glance here and there in my direction with a smile, but I could see a flicker of edginess when he turned back to the road.

Cato hadn't mentioned much about the night of the accident while he was at the hospital. He only mentioned that the thick fog that had rolled its way onto the pavement made the winding roads impossible to navigate – which resulted in losing control of the car. The car was irreparable, but that didn't matter to Cato or his family. Royal had purchased a new car for Cato within a matter of days after the accident – a deep blue color, of course.

I tightened my grip on Cato's hand reassuringly and he passed me another glance. This time I could see no anxiety or tension, only the sweetness of his ocean blue eyes rocking in time with the wind blowing its way through his hair. I could see a few beads of sweat forming on his forehead, but I was sure that it was only result of the simmering heat wave. I had to wipe away at my own brow a few times to clear the forming water from rushing down.

It wasn't long until Cato pulled into the parking lot of one of the most expensive restaurants in town. It was a fairly large restaurant, with a dock for boaters to pull up for a meal, as well as a patio on the top floor. The patio had a large bar that had an influx of lights protruding from its base under the night's darkness. It casted a glare on the water, which made the waters surface resemble a mirror of sorts.

Cato made sure to place a reservation, and thus when we arrived at the front counter, it was only a matter of time before we were easily escorted to our table. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Cato had booked table on the balcony upstairs. It was large booth with a view of the ocean beside us on one-side and the service bar on the other.

"I see you didn't hold back for tonight," I stated in question, but with a smile unwillingly forming itself on my lips.

"I just wanted it to be special," Cato replied, which immediately sealed the deal for me. I knew that Cato was going to unlike any of the other boys I had gone on dates with. He genuinely cared about what I wanted and went above those expectations with an air of sweetness. "If I'm being honest, I don't really do this kind of thing. This is actually my first time…" Cato said trailing off.

"With a boy?" I finished for him, and he gave me an embarrassed smile while his rosy cheeks flushed red. "You're doing great so far. Nothing I could have imagined would have surpassed this, Cato…thank you," I added. He seemed to relax almost instantaneously at the calming words, before the waiter came to take our orders only seconds later.

When the waiter had taken both our orders and went back to the kitchen, I was taken aback when another waiter came to our table to place a glass of champagne in a bucket of ice on the table. "On the house for you two fine gentlemen," he had stated before nodding at us and walking away.

"Not like you couldn't have afforded it with your father's MasterCard," I joked. Both of us began laughing, before Cato composed himself and replied:

"It's actually all out of my pocket tonight."

"No, I can't do that to you. I'd prefer if we both split the bill. It would make me-" I started, before Cato's hand came down on top of mine, silencing me immediately.

"Peeta. I want to do this. I want you to have everything you've ever dreamed of," Cato replied. He smiled at me, both pleading and reassuring. His index finger trailed circles round and round over the back of my palm as he spoke. I blushed a rosy red color, and had to avoid his eyes before the waterworks began again. Cato had a way of bringing out every potential emotion in my body.

I went to lean across the table to plant a small kiss on his lips when the waiter returned with our meals. It was the fastest service I had ever had at any restaurant before, which evidently meant that it was far more expensive than I could afford. We exchanged a small look of delight, before we dove into our plates and began devouring the food before us. We swapped words here and there, mostly about family and post-education, including a few conversations about Marvel and the others.

And everything was perfect. It brought my mind back to the hospital when it was just Cato and I and nothing else had mattered. But this was special; it was the first time that Cato and I had gone out publicly. Even in our private little corner, it was enough to exceed each and every expectation I had thought of beforehand. This was a big step for Cato, and right now, in this moment, he was hitting it out of the park.

Cato finally returned to school this week, only two days after our dinner together. The school was pretty hectic this time of year when the first term tests were taking place, though luckily I only had one today and would be free for the rest of the week. Cato was even luckier, as he was excused from writing his tests due to his doctor's note.

We were in mathematics this morning with Mr. Beetee, and all I could concentrate on was the memory of our date together. It was exceptional. Even now sitting beside him I could smell the scent of his cologne, which wafted through the air like a summer breeze, bringing with it the memory of our passionate kiss as he dropped me off at home. I recalled his nervousness as we both exchanged our goodbyes. It was unusual considering we had kissed a few times beforehand, but I understand that this particular kiss had more meaning attached to it. He began to walk away as I started to fumble with my keys. It was only when I managed to start turning the doorknob that he called back over to me. I remembered turning to meet with the crash of his lips against mine, which sent my stomach fluttering with butterflies and my mind racing. His lips were strong and yet vulnerable. He pulled away shortly after, but I swung my arm around the back of his neck to bring him back down to my lips once more. This time I allowed for him to take advantage of my own vulnerability; allowing him to feel around under my shirt as his tongue passed through my lips, deepening our embrace.

"Mr. Mellark?" Mr. Beetee called out. I snapped out of my recollection to see the entire class looking at me intently.

"Sorry what was the question?" I responded, cheeks flushing a bright red. I passed a small glance at Cato who was chuckling into the neck of his shirt.

"How would you finish the equation on the board? Would it be a positive or a negative interval?" Mr. Beetee reiterated for the second or third time.

"Positive," I responded, hopeful that I would be right to save myself any further embarrassment.

"That's absolutely correct! Try and pay closer attention next time though, Peeta," Mr. Beetee responded.

I smiled at him and sunk lower in my chair out of sheer embarrassment. I didn't even want to pass another glance back at Cato, who I could still hear chuckling beside me. He's really enjoying this, I mumbled to myself.

When class finally ended, I quickly scooped my book bag from the floor and started for my locker. I would quickly drop off my things before meeting up with Cato again sooner or later. I passed by Katniss and Gale, and decided that I'd better say hello to them.

"Hey, how's it going?" I asked, taking a few paces toward them.

"These term papers are going to drive me insane!" Katniss stated first, her eyes frantic as she pulled at her hair imaginatively.

"Clearly things have been better, but I can't complain myself," Gale responded. I took notice that his hair was different today, and made a small motion to his spiked up locks. "Trying something new," he added embarrassed.

"It looks good. As for you, Katniss, I'm sure you'll pull through it," I reassured them. They both gave me courteous smiles, and I took the chance to bring up another topic. "Have any of you seen Finnick lately?" I asked.

"Not since last week," Katniss responded first.

"Actually I did see him this morning in woodshop," Gale responded next.

"He's here?" I inquired again, not quite understanding Gale's first statement.

"Yeah, and he looks like he's been through the washer a couple of times. That or he's been really suffering from a lack of sleep," Gale replied. His tone was worried but also spiteful. I had told them about what had happened that night with Finnick after Cato's party, and ever since Katniss and Gale had been awkward around both Finnick and myself. At least they were socializing with me today, I thought.

"Thanks for the information, I'll take note next time I see him. Anyways, I have to meet Cato and the others for lunch," I started as I looked at my watch for the time. "Actually, I'm already late. Catch you both later?" I added.

Both Katniss and Gale responded with an "absolutely" simultaneously, before I smiled and walked off.

I quickly made my way to my locker before discarding my book bag and my math textbook. I quickly spun the look and slammed the door shut. I started down the hall eagerly, making a left and fleeing down the stairs. When I rounded the corner, I noticed the excessive amount of people filing into the cafeteria below. I managed to scoot by a few people before being swarmed by the crowd. I made note that it was exceptionally busy today until I could hear screaming in the distance. My heart sank when I heard Cato's ravage grunting before bursting my way through the onslaught of students.

In the centre of the cafeteria lay Cato and Marvel, and across from them Finnick and another unknown student. I thought I recognized the other student from one of my classes, but disregarded the thought when I realized the situation at hand.

Marvel swung a fist at the unknown student, sending him flailing to the ground. He picked himself up, wiping at the blood that dribbled down from a gash in his lip, before swinging a fist back in Marvel's direction. Marvel managed to evade the blow, and then I watched as Cato tackled the student to the ground. He began tussling back and forth with him, each sending a few blows in each other's general direction.

Finnick was the next to act, as he managed to take hold of Cato and tear him from the other student. Marvel was on his feet again, this time his sights set on Finnick. Finnick was surprisingly quick on his feet and managed to block the blow before landing a fist into Marvel's cheek, sending the younger boy crashing to the hard floor.

The fight would have gone on until either party was left unable to continue, until a few teachers managed to calm the situation. Each party was sent off and would need to report to the principles office after lunch, and I believed I heard the words "detention for the rest of the week" muttered at some point during the debacle.

The situation quickly dwindled until the crowd of spectators took their seats and lunch resumed as it normally would. I was surprised to see Cato and Marvel take their seats quickly after the horrid charade. Walking over to them, I planted myself directly beside Cato.

"What were you thinking? No, don't answer that. You weren't thinking. What if you would have tore out your stitches, or better yet injured yourself more than you already have?" I exclaimed immediately. Cato's head spun to meet mine in a flash, his eyes huge with worry and an undertone of anger.

"I'm sorry, I know that it was stupid of me. But I just can't stand that kid. Besides, he started it," Cato responded swiftly. I stared at him for a minute, watching his dazzling blue eyes search mine for any signs. I had to shake myself mentally to bring myself back on track.

"Why is that hard to believe?" I asked simply.

"He's not lying," Cashmere interjected. I turned my attention to her, and watched as she took apart the lid from her Tupperware. "Finnick called him a few disgusting names," she finished.

"Like what?" I asked inquisitively.

"It's better left unsaid. Besides, Cato was just defending himself against the crude remarks. I actually agree with Cato for once. But don't ever say that I did, okay?" Cashmere replied.

I looked over at Cato who looked worried, but also hurt by my earlier judgment. I whispered an apology to him, before Clove's voice rang out across the table.

"Did I just hear that Cato here just got into a fight?" she exclaimed with a gleam in her expression.

"That'd be correct," Glimmer responded.

"Hey! I was involved too!" Marvel shouted out.

"We expect that from you, Marvel. But our Cato over here has been getting soft lately," Clove snickered.

"I'm not 'soft'," Cato corrected, his voice rising to a rage.

"Perfect! So you don't have a problem joining us tonight for some much needed renovations to this boring place," Clove stated. She had an expression that was full of deviousness and smarts.

"Again?" I interjected, confused.

"Renovations 2.0," Glimmer said excitedly.

"Sure, what time do you want us to meet here?" Cato replied. I looked over at him in shock, and he shrugged his shoulders at me before turning back to face the others. I couldn't understand why Cato would go along with this now, after everything that has happened lately. He was already most likely going to be in detention after class, so I couldn't imagine why he would want to risk getting caught all over again.

"I'll text you the time," Cashmere replied. She turned her attention to her brother's plate, where she plucked at a grape with a fork, before bringing it to her lips. She bit into it with a splash of juice and then devoured it within a matter of seconds. Gloss gave her a sarcastically angry expression, before everyone at the table erupted into laughter. Everyone but me that is. Because I am not laughing. I could not believe that I was being dragged into this again; but for Cato's sake I knew I had to prove to the others that I was just as much a part of this group as anyone else here. With a sigh, I bit into my chicken wrap and shook my head, mumbling words of disbelief under my breath.

The click of the door behind me was the only sound that echoed down the hallway as I made my way into the school from the southern entrance. The lights were dimmed as they always were, and most classrooms were completely dark. Typically the hallways were always filled with students lounging around or eagerly making their way to class, but after the school closed, there was a newfound appreciation for the silence. As I passed by several sets of trophy cases, my eye would catch things that I would otherwise not bother to cast a glance upon.

In the midst of my slow movement toward the cafeteria, where I knew the others would be waiting, I heard a door creak and the next thing I knew I was pulled into a dark classroom and thrust against the wall.

Lips slammed down onto mine, and I knew that it was Cato immediately. He pushed his hips into mine, and his legs surrounded my own. His fingers laced themselves through mine and then he threw them overtop of my head against the wall. I was completely vulnerable in this position, but I allowed myself to give in to Cato's desires. He broke the kiss for a split second, passing his tongue down over my neck as he trailed kisses downward. His warm hand made its way to my side as he pushed himself further against me. I was gasping for air as my hormones raged through my body with a yearning for Cato's touch. I couldn't handle the wait, so I grabbed Cato's head and brought it up to my lips once again, before a burst of sensation rippled across my lips as they met with his. I ran my fingers through his hair as he pushed his face further into mine, sending his hips soaring into my own. He broke the kiss a second time, now making his way back to my neck where he began to suck on the sensitive skin. I could feel his excitement pushing against my pants, and I let out a powerful moan. In an instant, Cato was gone out the door, leaving me sweating and panting. My mind raced as I turned to kick the desk in fury.

"Such a tease!" I shouted aloud.

I waited in the room for a little while as I attempted to calm myself down from the recent events. It was a few minutes before I pulled myself from one of the desks and made my way to the door. I smiled to myself, before opening the door to limited lighting. I started walking intently for the cafeteria, where I could hear the voices of the others echoing. When I finally rounded the corner, my eyes caught onto Cato, who was shaking a bottle of spray-paint, acting as if nothing had happened. The others had already started their work when I finally picked up a bottle of blue spray-paint and began working alongside them.

We painted for what seemed like hours, before Clove and the others mentioned that they were headed to the gym.

"We're not just doing the cafeteria?" I asked, confused. I tossed a glance toward Cato, who shrugged his shoulders again.

"We're just getting started," Cashmere said, winking as she called out for the others to join her. "Clove, Glimmer and myself will cover the gym, Marvel and Gloss can go up to the library, while Cato and Peeta finish up in here," she added. The plan sounded good to me, considering it left me alone with Cato. When I looked over at him, I could see that he had the same thought as me considering he gave me a flirtatious wink.

It was only a matter of minutes before everyone broke off into his or her distinctive groups and Cato and I were left alone. I cocked my head to the side as he bent over to grab another can of spray-paint. He noticed that I was inspecting his body, when he looked up at me.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer," Cato stated flirtatiously.

"Playing hard to get, I see," I responded back with a small laugh. I could see the twinkle in his eyes as he walked over to me and planted a small kiss on my lips and threw his arms around my waist.

"Is this 'playing hard to get'?" he asked, using his dashing looks to emit a breathless grin.

"Pull a stunt like you did back there again, and I'll be the one playing hard to get," I retorted, bending down to search for a black canister. "Are we all out of black? I need to do some shading," I added, confused.

"Cash put them over by the vending machines, I think. While you're there do you mind grabbing me a bag of chips?" Cato asked. It was impossible to say no to that face, so I nodded and began walking slowly toward the vending machines.

They weren't far off from where Cato and I had been. It was just a short trip down the hall, but I could still see Cato's strong figure hard at work from where I stood. I searched my wallet until I came upon a toonie and then placed it in the machine. I searched for 'Doritos', which were his favorite kind, if I remembered correctly from our date. When I finally located them, I input the code on the keypad. They landed on the ground with a thud, as I placed my hand into the machine to grab them. Once in hand, I eagerly took hold of a black can of spray-paint that felt fairly full, and started back toward Cato.

I didn't make it far, because when I looked up from the hall I stood, I could see three policemen who were making there way across the foyer with flashlights in hand. The next thing that sent a chill down my spine were the two large German Shepherds. The spray-paint in my hand landed on the floor with a crash as it started to fizz out with a spewing black haze.

I went to scream out his name to warn him, when a hard hand came crashing down over my mouth, pulling me into darkness.

Author's Note: Voila! I hope you all enjoy this one! It was one of my favourites for Cato/Peeta interactions! You all ought to expect that things don't stay relatively "happy" for too long around Panem High. Let me know what you all think in the Review section :) Until next time! ~ B