Clove POV-
A girl appears beside me.
"That was amazing, were did you learn?" she asks, attempting to throw a knife.
Though I'm not eager to make friends this girl seems all right and she isn't too bad a throw, so I answer.
"My brother taught me", I reply.
"What about your parents", she asks
"There peacekeepers so there not around", I say
"Ohhhh", she murmurs. "Sorry I didn't mean to", she adds
"It's cool, what's your name by the way?" I question her.
"Hannah and that girl who is pissed at you is Maddie, she is the popular bitch of the academy" she says.
"I guessed that", I say.
By the end of the training session I know all about her family and how she has an aunt and two cousins called Glimmer and Gloss in District 1 and how her mum and dad work here at the academy. I also find out that her main weapon is a bow and arrow, but she's ok at hand to hand combat. She doesn't seem bad and I begin to feel comfortable talking to her. When the bell rings for the lunch break and for the end of training Hannah offers to show me to lunch and level seven. Level seven is one of the top floors and in the back block of the academy; closer to my home then the front of the training. While on our way she tells me there is boarding school here where she lives, I might apply and come and live with Hannah. Finally we reach my level.
'Clove", I say to the lady at the front desk.
She just points to a door.
"Go", Hannah says. "I'll see you tomorrow".
I walk in to the centre, it's even more magnificent then the one I was in earlier.
"Clove Holloway", a voice calls.
"Yep", I reply turning to find a muscular man heading towards me.
"I'm your trainer Ascham, shall we begin"
Lets the games begin!
Cato POV-
"20 down, 10 to go Holloway and I'm done with you for the day", she the head trainer Ascham as he jogs away into the other centre. Holloway, I heard that name before my friends had been talking about her, wiped some serious butt earlier today and against Maddie my girlfriend. I enter the training room leaning up against the wall to get a good look at this girl Holloway. She's very tiny with long straight brown hair, I would say she was eight but I can't see her face to tell. She picks up five of the remaining knives; they must be her primary weapon, before quickly releasing them toward the targets. A continues line of thumps means they've met there mark and to my great surprises they all dead centre right in the middle of the dummies hearts and heads. Wow this girl is good
Another closer thump interrupts my thoughts and before I can have time to turn my head to see if it hit its mark, she has pinned me against the wall. I can feel her nails digging into my skin it doesn't hurt but it's not exactly what I'd call comfortable. I just cross my arms against my chest and smirk down at her and for the first time I see her face. Wow, this girl is beautiful but different. She got that look about her that tells you she is more than a pretty face, unlike most girls around here who are pretty and stupid. I just stand there staring down at her with my mouth open, I must look like a staring idiot to her, but she is so amazing unlike any other and I have met a lot of girls.
"What do you want?"she asks.
"Same thing as you, to train I say", closing my open mouth to a smirk. Ascham chooses this moment to walk back into the room.
"Uhumm, what's going on here", he groans.
"Nothing", she grumbles releasing me from her grasp and walking back to her station. I turn to look at Ascham.
"Hi Cato, how was training", he asks
"Good, I just came to get more practice before I start here again tomorrow", I reply
'Great", he says putting his hands in his pockets.
I'd had being receiving special training for a week with only the top tributes from the District by Brutus a previous victor of the games. I'd enjoyed ripping up the dummies with my sword; I learnt fifty new ways of killing and was placed second out of all the 10-16 year olds. That probably won't make my parents happy though.
"Well I see you have met your new and only training partner. Cato, this Clove. Clove, this is Cato stone, the only other level 7 trainees", Ascham says awkwardly.
"Hi", she snarls. I just give her a nod in reply. Grabbing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder I walk away over to the sword station, leaving her to continue with her knives. Thumping my bag on the station floor I go and select the most deadly looking sword and begin chop, swing and slashing away at the dummies utterly destroying them. That always makes a good first impression; I need that after being pinned to a wall by her. I notice her looking up at her knives smirking but then she goes back to throwing her knives. I'm curious about this girl Clove, I've never seen her round and she is one of the only people I have ever know who doesn't drool all over me like the other girls. She's hard to read not showing any emotions (though I know she's hiding something behind that mask) and extremely talented with those knives. For the first time in my life I'm fascinated by a girl, I just want to find out more. I feel like I have a connection, were both the same, hiding our feeling behind our masks. But I must get on with my training, girls drooling over me, not me them. Though I admit she's a worthy opponent.
After an hour I decide to stop and head over to my bag to get a drink. I get curious so I look over to the knife station to see if this clove is still here. I can't see her at first but then she suddenly appears through the same door Ascham disappeared out. She walks like me to her bag to grab a drink, sitting down on the bench which happens to be only a couple of metre away from me.
"So Holloway, are you knew here, I haven't seen you round before", I ask turning to face her.
Yes I knew, but I've been training with my brother since I was 7", she answers.
I've been training since her since I was 7 but they put me up a couple of years ago to level seven. I was the only trainee but now you're her I'm not lonered anymore.
Well, I suppose if we're going to be training partners I may as well know something more about you. So come on Holloway, tell me something about yourself? I ask. She's really smirking now, enjoying being able to tease me.
What do you want to know Cato stone? she questions looking up to me.
"Uhmm" I say crossing my arms across my chest.
"What are you good at? Because, I'm good at swords, spears and hand to hand combat", I state.
"Knives mainly, but I'm pretty good at spears, bows and hand to hand combat", she replies. I begin to chuckle.
"What's so funny?"She snaps at me, turning her head around, her face reddening.
"It's just that... you're so tiny, how are you going to beat someone in hand to hand combat. You couldn't even beat me", I say amongst my chuckles.
"Is that I challenge", she snarls standing up with her hands on her hips now.
"Yes, it is Holloway", I snarl, standing up. I leave my arms crossed as I look down at Clove.
"Don't call me Holloway", she snaps.
"Your name's Clove, well I'm sorry", I reply in the sweetest voices I can.
"Clove", she yells at me her face a bright red now. I know I'm getting under her skin.
"I know it's Clover', I say sarcastically.
"That is it your on Cato Stone', she shouts angrily as she storms off to the combat mat.
"Fine", I humph, before racing over to join her at the mat.
The timer begins!
1...
2...
3...
Go...
She runs at me aiming for my waist but I'm ready for her. I flip her over on to the mat, pinning her down but not for long s she manages to pull free and before I can move she pushed me onto my side and pinned me down. She tries to hold me down she is pretty strong but I'm stronger. I flip her and pin her again. She really annoyed now, causing me to smirk at her frustration.
"You're a real arrogant brat you know that stone" she snaps almost playfully. I go to reply but her statement has distracted me enough for her to slip way again, causing me to go crashing face first into the mat.
"I may be small but I'm fast and slippery", I her from behind me.
"I worked that out", I say sarcastically.
"So you admit I'm not that bad and you can't beat me", she says, overjoyed by her victory.
Knowing I'm defeated, I turn to face her still on my back and reply.
"You're not that bad Holloway"
She seems satisfied and in a surprisingly nice gesture she places her hand out to me.
I grab it but lightly flip her against the wall. "But I'm just a bit better", I say smirking down at her before releasing her.
"You're a brat Cato, but you're not that bad, training partners", she says not even trying to attack me.
"I'll think about it Clover", I say grabbing my stuff and jogging out of the place. I turn to see her face screwed up in confusion. God, I hope she doesn't hate me; I'm only trying the think out more before I make her a friend or even a training partner. But I will, I'm after you Clove Holloway.