Chapter Four: The Last Night

Cato and Clove played the part of strangers well. After the tribute parade, they tried not to be seen together much at all. Throughout the training sessions over the next week, they distanced themselves from one another. They made sure that they were always at different stations in the training arena and that they were hardly seen together unless they had to be. They tried to ignore one another as much as possible.

Clove was at her usual station, aiming her knives at the mannequins, when she heard Cato yelling at one of the other tributes. She tried to ignore it, but as Cato's yelling grew louder, that became more difficult. Eventually Peacekeepers, pulled them apart, and by then Clove couldn't pull her eyes away from him. As he was shaking others off, he caught her eye. Clove widened her eyes and shook her head at him, trying to get him to calm down. But, he turned away and stormed out of the arena.

"What's with him?" someone asked from behind Clove, making her jump. When she turned around, she saw the District One girl, Glimmer, standing behind her.

"What?" Clove asked even though she wasn't really interested. Before Glimmer responded, she turned back to the mannequins and aimed another knife.

"You're counter tribute," she said again as she pulled out a bow and a sheath of arrows and started aiming at the mannequins as well.

"What about him?" Clove asked, getting more annoyed with her as she aimed another knife.

"Don't get me wrong," she said as she shot an arrow, "He's hot and definitely strong and tough. But he seems a little crazy." Clove fought hard to bite back her tongue and threw two more knives, hard, before answering.

"If you say so," she said and threw another, "I don't really know him all that well." Before Glimmer could answer, she threw her last three knives one after another and then walked away from that station.

XXX

Enobaria was surprisingly impressed with the two of them. "I didn't think you could do it," she said on their last night at dinner. "But the other mentors have told me that you two are coming off as the most intimidating, and the only ones at the top of the game."

Coral squealed and clapped her hands together. Clove forced a smile while Cato continued staring at his plate.

"Oh come on you two," Enobaria said, "You guys are at the top!"

"I don't think we are," Cato said suddenly, "Katniss Everdeen from District 12 got an 11. That's a higher score than both of us got."

"That was a fluke," Enobaria said, "It has to be. She's from District 12."

"She's doing something right obviously," he muttered and Clove nudged him.

"I'm not really that hungry anymore," Cato said and pushed his chair back, "I'm going to try to get some sleep."

"Yes good," Coral said, "Both of you need to get lots of sleep. Big day tomorrow!" Cato nodded and left the room. Clove followed shortly after and got into her bed and tried to sleep.

A few hours later, she threw the blankets off in frustration. She pulled on a jacket and a pair of shoes before leaving her room and wondering down to the main room of the suite. When she got there, she could hear yelling and cheering from the streets of the capitol through the glass doors leading to the balcony. When she looked out towards the sound, she saw Cato leaning over the balcony railing and staring down at the streets.

Against her better judgment, she decided to join him. "Hey," she said. Cato turned to look at her and smiled weakly at her. "Couldn't sleep either?"

"Of course not," he said as he turned back over the rail. Clove joined him at the rail and stared out over the capitol. "This was my dream," Cato said suddenly, "To be here in this city. To be doing the games. But now that I'm here, I'm dreading tomorrow more than anything."

"I know what you mean," Clove said, "Everything seemed much more glamorous from the outside. But being a tribute for real feels a lot different." Both were quiet for a moment and could hear the citizens below chanting for the games louder than ever.

"I don't know what's going to happen Clove," Cato said suddenly and turned to face her, "and I know that we are supposed to be distancing ourselves for the games, but I have to tell you, you're my best friend. I almost hope that I don't win because I don't know what I would do without you." Clove smiled and looked down at her feet as she took Cato's hands in hers.

"When did you suddenly become such a softy?" she whispered and Cato smiled. For the first time that week, his smiled looked genuine, making Clove smile as well. Before Clove could process what was happening, Cato had leaned down and kissed her. It was quick and he drew back only slightly and looked down into her eyes. After 17 years, Clove finally let her guard down and pulled him back in. She kissed him harder than before, and at first he seemed surprised, but after a few moments he gave in and pulled her closer.

After a few long moments, they broke apart. "We should get some sleep," Cato said as he rested his forehead on hers, "Big day tomorrow." Clove laughed quietly and nodded. Cato started to pull away, but Clove held him tighter.

"I don't want to be alone," she whispered. Cato looked down into her eyes for a moment before kissing her forehead and leading her back into the tower.

XXX

Clove woke with a start the next morning. It was still early and they had a few hours before they needed to leave. She panted heavily as laid back down slowly, trying to forget her nightmare.

"You okay?" Cato asked from next to her.

"Yeah," she said, "I'm sorry I woke you."

"It's fine," he said as he sat up a little, "I was barely sleeping anyway." A few moments of silence went by as Clove tried to catch her breath. "I should go," Cato said as he climbed out of bed and pulled his shoes on, "We should have some time alone."

"Cato," Clove said before he left and he stopped at the door. "We have to go back to being distant again," she said, "If we want any chance of winning for either of us, we need to be just two other 'career' tributes."

"I know," Cato said and looked at the ground, "I think we needed one more night. We've been best friends since we were little. I didn't want it to end like it was going." Clove smiled and said nothing as Cato kissed her forehead and left the room. She laid back down on her bed, knowing sleep would never come.