Well I final posted another chapter. I'm so sorry it took so long. Between dance performances and exams I haven't had much time for writing. Thankfully summer is here and I can now write like crazy! Well here is a new chapter! I hope everyone likes it! Please review and tell me how it was! Constructive criticism is welcome.
After the interview I go back to my room. I'm supposed to pack for the return train ride, but I find nothing to take but the mockingjay pin. Besides there will surely be more than enough clothes for me on the train. Then Effie and Haymitch assure me to a car with black tinted windows waiting on the street. I don't even get time to say goodbye to Cinna. I suppose I'll see him in a few months, but I still wish there was more time.
The drive through the city is uneventful. Lots of dressed up capitol freaks line the road, waving and cheering. It sickens me, they should cheering for Peeta too. Finally we get to the train station. As expected it's buzzing with reporters. A train, just like the one that brought us here, it might even be the same one, is waiting to depart.
Just as we are boarding the train I see something that makes my heart sink. Cato. He is boarding our train.
"Why is he here?" I hiss to Haymitch.
"Didn't you know? He's coming with us to 12. Snow's orders."
"What!" Cato can't come to 12!
"Now behave yourself, I'll be in the bar car if you need me." With that Haymitch disappears into the trains depths. I shoot an evil look at Cato before I myself step onto the train.
I wind my way through the train until I reach my room. Just being there brings up painful memories of the only other train ride I've ever taken. Only then I was going in the opposite direction, and instead of being a triumphant victor, I was a tribute facing certain death.
I slump down on the bed, and lay there feeling, the soft comforter against my cheek. The engine purrs and the train shudders to life. I am going home. The only problem is I'm not going alone.
Dinner is unpleasant. Neither Effie nor Haymitch is there so it's only Cato, myself, and an avox girl who is serving us. I don't remember seeing avoxs on the train before but I suppose it makes sense that they would be. No one really expects us to be able to care for ourselves.
Neither of us talk, we just eat our food in silence. From the way his brows are furrowed and how stiffly he sits I can tell he's angry. He stabs the food on his plate, maybe he thinks killing the chicken will relieve the desire to punch someone.
Finally while the avox girl is serving us a thick orange soup he speaks. "You realize this is your fault." He says it calmly enough but I can hear the anger rippling below the surface. "If it wasn't for you I would be going back to district 2 a hero. Now, I'm part of the district 12 sob story. I would rather be dead! I would rather an avox!"The avox girl gives Cato a scornful look. A victor, one of those lucky few who gets a life of privilege and luxury saying they'd rather be an avox can't really rub her the right way.
He rounds on her. "What you got an issue with that?" I can tell Cato is very close to losing control now. She shakes her head but you can see that she doesn't really mean it. "Do you know who the hell I am!" Cato shouts and the avox girl backs against the wall dropping the soup. Her hands are shaking, the tureen of soup she had been holding is now spilled across the expensive carpet. She looks at me pleadingly. That's all it takes. Rage fills me. Cato! How can he think he can just go on and treat people like this? This is the first glimpse of the old Cato I've seen since the games ended.
"Stop!"
Cato rounds on me, "What? Got something to add fire girl?"
"Just stop!" I don't want him hurting anyone else. "Lay off her!"
"Why firegirl? So you can cry over her dead body like you did for Peeta?"
It's this that sends me over the edge. Cato has hurt me in every conceivable way! "I don't care who you are! You can't just waltz in after everything you did, and expect me to deal with it! Do you know what this has put me through?" I shouting now, unable to contain my rage, "A good show! That's all you care about isn't it! Whatever the capitol wants! You're their puppet!"
Cato towers over me. "Puppet? And you think your any different from me fire girl? Huh! Where was your resistance when the capitol expected us to act like a couple? Then you parade around like your- your more pure than me! If anything you're the puppet!"
"Shut up!" I scream, but Cato plows on.
"If you really loved Peeta, you wouldn't just act like you'd forgotten him the moment you were out of the games! You would've killed me in the arena! This is all your fault!"
With a flick of my wrist I send a plate flying at him. Smash! "I said shut up!" I lift another plate in my hand. "How dare you-" Smash! "-say that-" Smash! "love Peeta! I hate you!" I lift a fragment of broken plate and hurl it at Cato. It grazes his face, cutting his cheek.
Cato spews profanities. "Oh yeah fire girl," he hisses, "look around! You made this mess! You and stupid lover boy! Street rats from 12! And now that he's gone what are you gonna do?"
"You're sick Cato!" I aim a punch at him but he skillfully avoids the blow and catches my wrist. He grabs my other wrist. Now I'm trapped.
"Let me go!" I try to pull away but his grip is like iron.
"Forget it fire girl, I want you were I can see you."
"Cato! Let me go. Or I swear I'll-I'lll-"
"Do what fire girl? You never stood a chance. You always had someone there to protect you." He steps closer so we're almost touching, and I'm forced to look up at him. "Just remember fire girl," He smirks, "you're depending on me now. You're mine." A strange sort of fire burns in his icy blue eyes, it might be hatred or it could be desire I wasn't sure. The later certainly scared me more. One finger strokes my cheek causing me to flinch away. Then he turns and leaves me there standing in a circle of broken porcelain and over turned chairs tear running hot and fast down my cheeks. What scares me is that he's right: how am I any different from him? How am I any better?