Clove POV:
I look up when the doorbell rings. Frowning I stand up, no one uses the doorbell, people usually just knock. I open the door my eyes widening when I see who stands there. President Snow smiles at me and all I can do is stand there staring at him.
The door behind me opens and Mrs Everdeen steps into the hallway and gasps. "President Snow!" She says forcing a smile onto her face. He smiles and nods to the woman.
"You must be Mrs Everdeen." He says amiably although his eyes remain cold and hard. He turns to me. "May I come in." Dumbstruck I move aside to let him inside, my mind racing, why is he here? Where's Katniss?
My face pales when I remember Katniss. She went hunting with Gale. Entering those woods is illegal. My eyes wander over to the two peacekeepers that follow President Snow inside, holding guns close to their chests as they survey the room.
"Miss Sevina," I look up when he says my name. "Where is Miss Everdeen I wish to speak with you both." I stare at him, my heart hammering in my chest as I try to find an excuse. Katniss' mother steps forward.
"Katniss went out for a walk." She says quickly her eyes flicking over to me, I nod quickly. Snow raises an eyebrow a small smile appearing on his lips.
"I see…A walk…Alone? Without her…Girlfriend?" He stares at me coldly and I nod.
"Yes…I didn't feel like going for a walk." I tell him, this is partially true, I didn't want to go hunting with Gale around. I know he doesn't like me and I don't like him very much, but if he's Katniss' friend I will accept him, but that doesn't mean I have to be his friend.
"Very well. Perhaps I can speak with you Miss Sevina first?" It's not a request, I can tell by the way his eyes bore into mine this is an order, I nod in agreement.
"Yes of course."
"Is there perhaps a more private place we may converse?" He asks and I share a look with Mrs Everdeen who looks at me worriedly.
"You can speak in the study." She says and I lead the President over to the study room at the back of the house. President Snow looks around the study and nods as if finding the room satisfactory. He strolls over to the desk and sits behind it watching me closely.
I approach the desk and sit opposite him. "Miss Sevina, congratulations on winning the games." He says and I suppress a shudder, he's not here just to 'congratulate me' anyone can tell that.
"Thanks." I say trying to keep my face blank. Snow smiles and leans back not taking his eyes of me.
"How is Miss Everdeen?" He asks.
"She's fine." I tell him a little too quickly, causing his smile to widen his eyes remaining cold. I gulp what if he's done something to her? What if he caught her in the forest?
"I'm glad… Of course you may have already guessed that I didn't come here just to congratulate you." He says leaning forwards and placing his hands on the desk, I scrunch my nose up at the smell of blood and roses that emanates from him. The combination of the two scents somehow causing fear to flow through my veins.
"Yes." I force out and he nods.
"Your…Relationship with Miss Everdeen caused quite a stir throughout Panem." He says.
"It did?"
"Yes it did." He sighs looking at me speculatively. "Tell me has she told you yet?" He asks and I frown.
"Told me what?" I ask in confusion.
"Ah…I see she hasn't told you, well I suppose someone should tell you." He pulls out a portable television and switches it on.
Unsurely I turn to it my eyes widening when I see Katniss and Gale. Gale pulls Katniss into an alleyway and she follows him, a look of confusion on her face. They talk for a few moments before Gale leans in a kisses her.
I stand up abruptly, not taking my eyes off the screen as my hand reaches into my pocket and grips the knife. I wait for Katniss to push him away, to hit him or react negatively but she just stands there. I shake my head, something in my chest shattering into a million pieces.
The recording stops and I turn to President Snow he smiles sadly at me. "She doesn't love you, she never did, she was only using you to get out of the arena." He says sadly I shake my head, no, it's not true, it can't be, she loves me.
"I know her act was convincing, very convincing, in fact there are a lot of people that believe it." He stands approaching me, the smell of blood and roses shakes me out of my stupor and I back away from him. My eyes hardening into a glare.
"You're wrong. She loves me."
"Then how do you explain that?" He points to the portable television. He sighs and shakes his head. "I know it's hard to take in but there is another matter we must attend to." He indicates over to the chair and I sit down shakily.
President Snow doesn't sit he circles the chair and desk, I bite my lip trying my best not to show how intimidated this makes me feel. "Although many people believe Miss Everdeen's charade there are still many that don't. Those people that don't are mainly situated in the Districts and they saw her stunt with the berries for what it was." He stops circling and turns to me leaning over the desk and staring at me. "Do you know what it was Miss Sevina?"
I gulp shaking my head. "She didn't want to live without me, she loves me." I say quietly Snow shakes his head giving me what would have been a sympathetic smile if it hadn't been for is cold eyes.
"Poor Clove Sevina, clinging to the possibility that the one she love cares for her." He sighs turning away from me. "It's tragic really, you must be so heartbroken." He places a hand on my shoulder and I instantly tense hating his hand on me but unable to do anything about it.
"No, her act was not out of love but out of defiance. Defiance to the Capitol and defiance to Panem." He sits down. "Do you understand the implications of this Miss Sevina? If enough people believe that Miss Everdeen is rebelling against the Capitol they might also believe that they can rebel and we can't have that now can we?"
I stare at my hands, refusing to look at him. My mind racing, he thinks Katniss is rebelling against him? I bite my lip fearfully, he could have her killed! My head shoots up and I meet his eyes, he has to know that Katniss is not a threat.
"Katniss is not a rebel… She doesn't want to fight you." I say fiercely.
"That may be Miss Sevina and I don't want to fight her either but she doesn't have to fight me. She's already caused a spark and that spark must be contained."
"We'll try to contain it." I tell him determinedly. He shakes his head.
"No Miss Sevina there is only one way I believe the spark will be extinguished." He fiddles with a letter opener giving me a cold smile. I feel the colour drain from my face as I catch on to what he's suggesting.
"You mean to…To kill her?" I choke out.
"No Miss Sevina, I mean for you to extinguish the spark." He smirks as my eyes widen. He wants me to kill her? No I can't. I will not kill Katniss. I love her.
"I can't do that." I say quietly, I won't do it. I will not be the cause of Katniss' death, she is my only reason for living.
"But she has no feelings for you, you'd be better off alone, find yourself a nice girl in District 2 where you belong."
I shake my head. I can't believe he's even suggesting this. I glance at him seeing his cold eyes and self-satisfied smirk suddenly deciding that I can believe he's asking this of me. He's trying to manipulate me. He turns the television on again showing me Gale kissing Katniss, I glance at it and look away, I can't bear to see that.
"Is this not proof enough that Miss Everdeen has no feelings for you?" He asks disbelievingly. "She's not pushing him away or fighting it. She's kissing that boy, she loves him not you."
I sigh in defeat and he turns the television off freeing me from those horrible images. "I'm sorry you have to go through this, I'd suggest waiting until after the tour to extinguish the spark." He gives me a cold smile before standing and striding out of the room.
I sit there for a moment, not sure what I'm feeling. My chest aches and my eyes are stinging as I try to hold back tears, I shake my head. Even if Katniss doesn't love me I cannot kill her. Even if she doesn't love me I love her.
I stand and exit the room, keeping my gaze down as I walk past the peace keepers, Prim and Mrs Everdeen. I walk straight to the door and leave the house. I need to clear my head I need to try to get rid of this coldness that seems to have settled in my chest.
"Clove? Are you ok?" I look up, I've only made it halfway down the street and I see Katniss staring at me, concern in her eyes. I force a smile onto my face as she approaches me. She tries to hug me but I back away. I don't want her to touch me right now, not until I've got my thoughts in order. She frowns and I gulp when I see the hurt on her face. "What's wrong?" She asks worriedly.
"I'm fine…President Snow is here." I tell her indicating to our house. Her eyes widen as she looks towards the house fearfully.
"Why is he here?" She asks before her eyes find mine as panic fills her eyes. "What did he do?" She places her hands on my shoulders. "Clove, what did he do?" She whispers frantically, staring into my eyes. Her eyes seem to ease some of the coldness in my chest. I find myself leaning into her as she warps her arms around me.
How does Snow expect me to kill her? I cannot kill her. I close my eyes and the image of her kissing Gale flashes though my mind. I pull away feeling as if I'd been stabbed in the chest. I shake my head, backing away from her before taking off down the street as fast as I can.
She runs after me but I'm faster and I soon lose her in the town. I need to be alone right now. I reach the fence and throw myself against it, clinging to the mesh to stop myself from falling. I'm suddenly glad that District 12 never has their fence electrified.
I reach the fence and sink to the ground. What am I going to do? President Snow expects me to kill her but I can't I won't. What will happen if I go against the President I wonder. I know he can have me killed in an instant but that doesn't worry me, I don't care if I live or die. But what will happen to Katniss.
Snow wants her dead. Snow wants the love of my life, the only person to ever mean anything to me dead. I glare at the grass. I will not kill Katniss. I will do everything I can to protect her. President Snow just made an enemy of me today.
I shudder at the thought. In District 2 we are taught to never go against our president. Never to even think of rebelling let alone actually rebel. I scowl pulling my knife out of my pocket and smirking. I don't care if Katniss loves me or not. I will protect her. No matter what I will keep her alive. Because if she's dies so will I.
I throw my knife and it imbeds itself in the earth. I sit scowling at it for a while before deciding to retrieve it. Pocketing it I glance around the meadow and spot one person I don't want to see. I grip my knife in my pocket wishing I could throw a knife into his head as Gale catches my eyes and cautiously approaches.