A/N:
Hey guys! Thank you sooo much for reviewing and encouraging me to write! For those of you who asked, no this is NOT a one shot. I had a super busy weekend and such I had to visit my great grandma in the middle of nowhere and she has no internet or cable with my mom. I am sorry for that. If I get enough reviews I will continue writing, if not, I will stop because no one will care. OMG! I love you guys all sooo much! Thank you! Btw I do not own The Hunger Games.
~Kat
8 Years Later (Reaping Day Clove is 14, Cato is 17):
When my alarm clock goes off, I throw a pillow at it. I look at the time and it reads 6:30 AM. Really with the ridiculous time. Wait, it finally dawned on me, it was reaping day! Cato would most likely be going into the Hunger Games today, so I needed to go see him. I hop out of bed, take a shower, and put on my clothes. I start to walk out of my room when I realize I felt vulnerable. I slowly backed up into my room, and grabbed all of my knives. One in each boot, one strapped to each arm, five in my belt, and finally I made my hair stay up in a ponytail with two knives. Then I walked out towards Cato's room. When I get there I knock on his door, or in my case, throw a knife right into it from my belt. Slowly I see Cato open the door and pull out my knife. He hands it to me as I walk in.
"Hey" I say.
"Hi. Why are you here so early?" He gives me a questioning glance as he rubs sleep out of his eyes.
"Wow smart one its Reaping day!" I watch him as it finally dawns on him.
"Lets go grab breakfast." He says as he puts on a shirt and we head down to breakfast.
When we get there, we grab our food and headed towards our normal table; the one near the window. As I sit down I realize that I'm going to lose my bestest friend for maybe ever. Nah, he would win. He had to, for me. For once, we eat our breakfast in silence. But that was ok, just having him there was enough for me. When were done we wave goodbye and say we'll meet up at the reaping. I get back to my room and pick out my reaping clothes: a black polka dotted skirt with a white blouse. I looked at my selection of shoes and decided on boots. I kept all of my knives strapped on in their correct places, so I wouldn't feel unprotected. I hear the bell signaling that it was time to go to the town square. I head down there and get in line to get my finger pricked.
"Next." The peacekeeper says and I give her my hand. She pricks it and I feel a tingling in my finger. I move on and scan the crowd for Cato. I didn't see him yet. I walk to the 14 year old girl section and wondered if Mary would actually volunteer this year. She never seemed like she wanted to go in the games. After a while I see the escort, I never bothered to learn her name, walk onto the stage. I look over and finally spot Cato. He was wearing a open tux. After about half an hour of watching a video and hearing the escort talk, she announces the tributes.
"As usual, Ladies first." Of course. It could never be Men first.
"Clove Fuhrman." She says. Wait, was that my name? I slowly started walking up and put on my brave face. Of course Mary wouldn't volunteer for me. She never liked me. In fact, she was probably glad I was being sent to my death. I couldn't go into the games, I was only 14! I was supposed to go in when I was 17! I completely tune out whatever the escort asked me, knowing no one would care I was gone. She walks over to the boy bowl.
"Marcus Carmwell!" She announces. All of a sudden I hear a way too familiar voice saying "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"
Cato:
I didn't volunteer because I was supposed to. I volunteered because Mary was freakin dumb and couldn't volunteer for Clove! My Clover was going into the Hunger Games at 14 and I was going in to protect her. I had to, she was my Clover. Only one of us was coming out and it was going to be Clove. I quickly jumped up the steps to the stage and told the weird lady with the obnoxious hat my name. I put on one of my signature death glares for the camera as I told her and she looked kind of startled. She motioned for us to shake hands and for once in a long time I looked, really looked into Clove's eyes. They were clouded up with sadness and grief as she weakly shook my hand. All of a sudden, that changed to a dancing live fire in her eyes and they turned a deep green. We were finally ushered into the Justice Building where I know my family will come visit me and reassure me on how i'm going to win. But I'm not. Clove is.
Clove:
Betrayal. It was the first word I thought of when he volunteered. Darnit Cato! Why did he volunteer? He could have waited until next year! He would be 18 the average age for a career. I can protect myself! I didn't need him to volunteer! But nooo he has to go and volunteer which means I'm not going to be the one to lose a best friend. He is. He is going to go home to his sisters, I will make sure of that and nothing will get in my way. I walk into a room furnished much nicer than any house I have ever lived in. Carpets, chandeliers, lamps, tables, even an array of food and water were sitting in there. I forgot to mention it was huge! I sat on the bed and waited for visitors knowing I wouldn't have any. So when the door opened, I was surprised. In walked Mary.
"OMG Clove, I'm soo sorry I didn't volunteer. I should have it's just, I just had a freeze moment and I couldn't do anything! I feel so bad! Now you have to go into the games with your best friend. I'm so sorry for everything I did to you." She sputters out.
"Why are you so sorry? I have nothing to live for. I never did. What are they going to do to you now?" I ask nervously.
"Their going to kill me. Failing to volunteer in your spot results in death." She says.
"Ok times up." The peacekeeper barges into the room and tears her from it. I hug my token; a four leaf clover pressed into a pin. As I thought, I had no more visitors. Not even my own mother. She was probably somewhere getting drunk to the ceiling and betting on who's going to win the games. About an hour later, the peacekeeper tells me to get onto the train and they escort me down there. I step out of the Justice Building and wave to my fellow District 2 people. I spot Cato looking at me, but I refuse to look at him. I was still a little mad at him for what he did. Then I remembered I had all of my knives with me and knew I could find something to throw them at. Wether it would be a person or lamp or door, only fate would decide. I board the train with my death glare still plastered onto my face. At that point I knew there was no going back and in less than 2 weeks, I would be dead.
A/N:
Hey again! Sorry for the cliff hanger it was too tempting! So my update days will always be the weekends cuz I have a crazy school schedule during the week. I might be able to get a new chapter up tomorrow, but I don't know. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE WITH ALL OF MY MIGHT REVIEW! Also with any ideas you have for the upcoming story please share. For I am beginning to get writers block. Yes I plan for her to go in the arena soon. PLEASE REVIEW! Depending on how many reviews I get will help me decide if I should keep writing or abandon the story. Every review counts!
Keep on soarin
~Kat