AN: Okay, I promised it was going to get longer and here we are with a shorter chapter... :L
I wake up in a hospital. I'm alive. I look around. The walls are a light yellow color. There's a window and a few chairs. It's nice. I hear voices from outside the room. My parents are probably talking to a doctor. Probably asking why I did this. Just as I expected, they walk in a few minutes later.
"Clove!" My mother shouts in despair. She runs to my bed and hugs me tightly. "What happened? Why did you try and kill yourself?" Tears rush from eyes and fall down her cheeks like a mini waterfall.
"I'm sorry." But I'm not. I look away. "I was just having a hard time at training. I felt like all of the others were doing better than me. I didn't think I would actually stand a chance if I went into the Games." It's a terrible lie but I act it convincingly.
My father steps in. "Honey, that's not a reason to kill yourself!"
"I know, but I was just gonna die anyways, right? In a few years I'll be in the Games and I'll just die in a worse way!" I actually start crying. It's because I'm thinking of going into the Games with Cato. What if I do? What if he kills me?
"Clove! Don't say that!" My mother shouts. "You are not going into the Games unless you want to!"
"But you want me to volunteer! You both do!" I yell. It's true; their dream for me is for me to win the Hunger Games.
"We care about your life and happiness more than we care about you killing other children." She tells me softly.
"But what if I get chosen and nobody volunteers?"
"Sweetie, there are always volunteers." She assures me and holds me in her arms.
The nurse brings me my lunch. My parents left a while ago. They were reluctant but they need to be at work; we barely get by as it is. Just as I finish eating the doorknob turns. I expect one of my friends from Training, or maybe a relative I haven't seen in a while. But the person who walks through that door is most definitely neither of those things.
"What are you doing here, Cato?!" I ask in terror. His eyes lock with mine for a moment and we both freeze.
"I- I just-"
I cut him off quickly. "You just what?! You just wanted to come over here and punch me in the nose? Or maybe you want to break my arm? Just leave right now or I swear I will scream as loud I can and get you taken away." I glare at him.
He looks down. "Okay. I just wanted to come because I heard you tried to kill yourself. I wanted to make sure you were okay…" I can't believe what I hear.
"You wanted to make sure I was okay?! Newsflash, you're the reason I wanted to die!" I stare at him with cold, unforgiving eyes. He seems hurt by what I just said. Actually hurt. On the inside I smile. It's nice to have him feel a little bit of that.
He turns around to walk out. "Goodbye, Clove." He says without turning around.
After the door closes and I'm alone once more, I drop my head in my hands and sob. I can't process what just happened. The reason I wanted to die tried to make sure I was okay. I cry silently, fearing that if I am too loud someone may hear me.
Somewhere in the middle of all of my tears, I fall asleep. And my last waking thought before I drift off is, "That bastard better never come back."
AN: I'm sorry, guys. The chapters WILL get longer, I'm just having a hard time with the beginning. I'll update soon, I promise. And eventually, when I can do more with this (I'm just starting out, okay?), the chapters will be pretty long.