"Say something." Cato hissed from behind me, an intense glare coming from him. I looked away and back out at the large audience, who were also glaring quite intensely.
I wonder why.
Cato's hand pushed me forward to the microphone, quite roughly, I might add. Since this morning he's been back to his usual brute self. The fact that he was a vision of kindness yesterday was really making me start to question what little sanity I had left.
Focus Aria.
Just say the speech and get out of here.
I looked at the crowd again, District One's inhabitants staring at my face, probably picturing my death.
I did kill both of their tributes, after all.
"Aria. Speak." I heard Cato say again, making me glance back at him. His strong arms were folded across his chest, which was covered in a simple black v neck, black dress pants on his legs, his messy blonde hair in a more tamed state than usual.
I, on the other hand, was in a purple cloth dress, with elbow length sleeves, ending just below my knees with a pair of black flats. My hair was down in waves, much to Belladonna's dismay. She wanted my hair to be back in a sleek bun like hers.
Nyall told her some choice words and she shut up.
I need to ask him how to do that.
I looked back out at the crowd again; clearing my throat and beginning to recite the speech I had practiced over and over yesterday. I didn't get to write it myself. Belladonna and the team decided I was too ' unstable ' to write one on my own.
"I would like to give thanks to District One, for providing two exceptional tributes for these games." I began, my voice echoing around the lavish square. It made District Three look like a war zone in comparison.
"Both Glimmer and Marvel were fighters, up until the very end. I firmly believe they have brought pride to your District." I continued, ignoring the clenching in my stomach and the drying of my mouth from the looks I was getting.
They hate you Aria.
Just like everyone else.
They hate you.
I opened my mouth to finish up, wanting nothing more than to get out of there, only to have my eyes land on the two families standing side by side, their expressions laced with sadness unlike the other residents.
Their families.
The family of blondes was obviously Glimmer's. An older woman with blonde curls was clinging the shoulders of two younger blonde girls, all of them staring at me with such a ferocity I felt as though I may catch on fire.
Marvel's mother was sending daggers at me, a tall man who closely resembled the tribute pulling her closer to his side. A small boy was standing in front of them, no older than seven, crying harder than anyone I had ever seen.
I could feel my stomach drop.
You made him cry, Aria.
You took his brother away from him.
You ruined their family just like snow took away yours.
You're terrible.
You're worthless.
You should be dead.
"Thank you." I croaked out quickly, before turning and pushing my way into the justice building, ignoring the wide-eyed looks everyone else on stage was giving me. The ceremony wasn't nearly over, but I was done.
I looked around, panicked, my breathing erratic as I spotted an open door. I threw myself inside, slamming the door shut and locking it, before leaning my back against it, sliding down onto the floor.
You're so weak Aria.
No wonder Cato hates you.
I choked back my tears, not letting them fall, instead clenching my shirt fabric in my fists hard as possible, squeezing my eyes shut.
Don't do this Aria.
You can't fall apart.
You can't let anyone see you break.
I wanted to scream, my mind shouting things at me left and right, only making my frustration grow more. I leaned my head back against the door, my hands now tightly wringing themselves together.
"Aria?"
I snapped my head around to the closed door, Cato's voice perfectly clear even through the thick wood. "Aria, I can hear you breathing. Open the door." He said again, his tone laced with annoyance.
I ignored him, moving away from the door and standing, pacing back and forth. "Open the damn door Aria." He snapped, banging his fist harder against the door.
"Go away." I said, leaning against the square desk and gripping the edge. My head was still shouting multiple things at me. Part of me was shouting to let Cato inside the room.
To run into his arms like the mess I was and cry until I couldn't see.
The other part was telling me to punch him in the face for being one of the reasons my mind was shouting at me in the first place.
"Not until you open the door!" He shouted, his voice sounding more agitated by the second. "No!" I shouted back, squeezing my eyes shut and clenching the desk edge harder, feeling the cuts on my palms be reopened.
A small bit of fresh blood seeped out, the pain pulsating up my arms, but I didn't stop squeezing.
You're a mess.
A complete and total mess.
"Aria? Aria! Damn it, Aria. Say something!" Cato shouted again, twisting the knob on the door so hard it sounded like he might break it. His voice sounded a bit concerned, but I didn't care anymore.
He doesn't care about you, Aria.
Why in the world would he care about you in the first place, anyway?
You don't deserve someone like Cato.
Someone strong.
Someone loved.
Someone sane.
I lifted my hands up off the desk, my head throbbing in pain as I looked down at them. They stung, bad, blood coating them and dripping down onto the floor, the red staining the perfect white carpet.
I sunk down onto it, leaning my head back against the desk, wiping some hair from my face, not caring if the blood got on it. I squeezed my eyes shut, the pain in my head only growing as I tried to ignore my shouting thoughts.
I couldn't take it anymore, my mouth opening and a frustrated scream slipping from my lips, before I pulled my knees up to my chest and cried.
[-]
"Aria? Aria! Damn it, Aria. Say something!" I shouted, my hands pulling hard on the door handle, trying to get it to open.
I turned around, a few peacekeepers pretending to not be watching this whole ordeal. "Someone get me a key. Now!" I barked at them, my glare intense as I looked in their direction.
That's it Cato.
Scare more people.
It's what you do best.
I turned back to the door, ignoring my thoughts as I leaned my ear against it. I couldn't hear any movement, something that made my heart pound faster, a lump forming in my throat.
Don't be silly, Cato.
She wouldn't hurt herself.
She wouldn't kill herself, either.
No. Not Aria.
Aria wouldn't.
She couldn't.
I resisted the urge to groan, that nagging feeling of guilt forming in the pit of my stomach. I hated that feeling almost as much as I hated feeling pity, something I was sure Aria was going to get after today's ordeal.
That only made me angrier.
The looks people gave Cato were of respect and sometimes fear, but never anything like the looks Aria got. People had glared at her, mocked her, laughed at her face for no reason today in District One, something she didn't notice.
But I did.
And it made me want to kill someone.
Slowly and painfully.
I was snapped from my thoughts as a loud scream erupted from behind the door, everyone stopping in their tracks. "Aria!" I shouted loudly, slamming my body into the door. I needed to get in there.
I needed to help her.
Because this is your fault to begin with.
And you know it.
Finally, I slammed the door open, it practically swinging off of it's hinges as I stormed into the room. I felt my heart stop for a second as I saw the blood on the carpet, only to relax slightly when I say Aria crying.
"Aria." I said, crouching down to her level. She didn't look up at me, continuing her crying, her bloody hands staining her pristine dress. The sound of her crying made my stomach twist, something I chose to ignore.
"Look at me, Aria." I said, using the gentlest tone I could muster, reaching a hand out and lightly resting it on the top of her knee. She tensed at my touch, flinching slightly, something that also made my stomach clench.
She's not scared of me, is she?
No.
No, she can't be scared of me.
She knows I'm not a blood thirsty killer.
…
Right?
Slowly, she lifted her head up, blood streaked across her cheek, her eyes tired and bloodshot from her crying. I wanted to punch myself for making her like this, my blue eyes searching her teal ones for any sign that the Aria I didn't break was still in there.
I saw a small flicker as she studied my face, her small hand reaching out for it. I didn't care that her blood was getting on my face. I only cared that she was touching me, her face not contorted in fear as I was expecting.
"I'm a mess." She whispered softly, slipping her hand down off my face. I caught it quickly before she could retract it, her sad eyes locking onto mine.
That unfamiliar and rare feeling sparked in my stomach, something I had only ever felt before when I was with her.
And it was one of the only things that scared me.
I couldn't let myself like Aria. The people of District Two hated her in almost every way for making me look weak in front of all of Panem. I was supposed to hate her for making me look weak, everyone in my District thought I did already anyway.
I knew I couldn't ever really be with Aria, to begin with. From the moment I first saw her, I knew I'd break her apart, but I didn't stop myself. I kissed her, slept with her, protected her and got her to trust me. For a moment, I thought maybe, just maybe I wouldn't hurt her. Maybe I wouldn't screw her up to be as broken as me, and yet, now here she was, bleeding and crying on the carpet with tired eyes.
You were right Cato.
You broke her.
And now you need to do something about it.
"I can fix you." I replied softly, her eyes blinking a few times as she took in what I said. She then wordlessly slipped into my open arms, allowing me to pull her onto my lap. She buried her head into my chest, no longer crying, her bloody palms clenching the fabric of my shirt.
"Why are you helping me? You hate me, remember." She croaked out, looking up at me with a confused and somewhat pained expression. I once again wanted to injure myself for making her think I hated her.
You should hate her, Cato.
She made you look weak.
But you don't.
You should tell her, Cato.
Tell her you don't hate her.
Tell her you're only doing this because you have too.
Because in the end she'd only end up even more messed up than she is now.
"Because, I can't have people thinking I'm dating the new Annie Cresta." I stated, not able to bring myself to look at her, that familiar guilt hitting me as the words left my mouth. She didn't say anything, staring at the side of my face fore a moment, before nuzzling back into me, her hands moving to wrap around my lower torso.
I pulled her closer to me with my arms, wrapping them tight around her waist before slipping them down to her hips, drawing tiny swirls on them with my fingertips. A soft sigh seemed to slip from both our lips at the same time, only I was sure mine was for an entirely different reason from her.
She was sighing because she was falling apart, and I was her only resort to fix her. She would rather be at home with her ' friend ' Zander. She would rather be anywhere in all of Panem over being stuck here in this room with me.
I was the opposite.
I was sighing because I loved being in the same room with her. I loved holding her in my arms and smelling her scent of vanilla and lavender. I loved looking into her eyes and loved feeling her touch me.
I loved her.
And I could never do anything about it.
[-]
Some Cato POV for my lovely readers :D
I'm quite unsure about this chapter, but you guys seem to love the ones I hate, soooo here ya go XD
Sorry for the bit of a wait, first week of college was good though
I'll try to update next Saturday(:
A few people mentioned Cato's sudden shift from cold to warm, but I think thats explained a bit here. He's in love with Aria, as much as he trys not to be. When he sees her broken, he can't help but slip up and show a softer side.
I hope you that clears things up a bit (:
So, what do you guys think of Cato & Aria right now? What would you like to see both the characters do in the upcoming chapters? ( For example, do you want Aria to get stronger and push herself away from Cato, or fall for him all over again and let him fix her? Do you want Cato to bury his feelings for Aria away, or perhaps have a few slip ups?)
Let me know your thoughts in the reviews :D
LONG REVIEWS WILL GET PERSONAL PMS FROM ME :D
Were almost to 100 reviews again guys, so please keep them coming(:
Thanks everyone! Love ya :D
-Becca(: