My eyes flicker open and the sun coming through the window burns them. I roll over, expecting Cato to be there. Instead, I'm met with a cold bed, and a note.

"Katniss,

You slept in and I didn't want to wake you. I have to face my district. I think I'm going to tell them about us. Meet me on the roof at 8.

Cato xxx"

I look at the clock on the wall, revealing that I slept four more hours than usual. I'm not ready to face Haymitch and Effie yet, so I decide to take a shower and collect my thoughts. I can only imagine what they're going to say. Haymitch expected me to throw him out on site. Instead, I asked him to stay over. He'll probably just laugh at me. Effie will most likely tell me it's distasteful to spend the night with a boy I don't know well. Little does she know, I've spent most of my time with him. Maybe it's time for me to tell them about us, about how I feel for him. Cato said he thinks he's going to. Plus, there's not really much they can do about it. On second thought, I think I'll keep that to myself I decide as I walk out.

Like every morning around this time, Haymitch and Effie are sitting at the table eating. I cautiously sit down and wait for them to start in on me. When they don't I relax a little. Maybe they don't even know he stayed. Maybe he left early enough for them to not notice. Of course, that would be too good to be true and right then Effie speaks.

"Oh I simply cannot keep this in any longer! Katniss you should be ashamed of yourself sleeping with a boy like that!"

Haymitch slams his fists on the table and looks Effie in the eyes.

"Damn it, woman! I told you to leave it alone! She's a grown girl and can make her own choices!"

Wait, is Haymitch actually standing up for me?

"Yeah, it was a stupid ass thing to do, but if she wants to do it, she can."

Nope, he isn't. Effie bows her head in defeat. Suddenly, I'm not hungry anymore. Even though I know Cato wont be there, I decide to head down to the training center. You can cut the tension with a knife in here and it's making me very uncomfortable. When I get up, they don't even ask for an explanation. In fact, they don't even look at me. I can't help but feel like I've let them down.

It's weird being here without Cato. I keep turning around thinking he's going to walk through the door. I've gotten so used to hearing his voice echo throughout the room. I try and block out the thought of what I'm going to do when I have to go back home and be without him. I end up only shooting for a couple hours and switch to knives. Even though he isn't here to help me, I want to practice. I throw them so much better when he is here. After I get sick of missing the target, I give up. There's not much left to do down here, so I guess I should go back up to the apartment. Haymitch and Effie probably aren't missing me, but I feel like I should talk to them again. I don't want them feeling disappointed in me. I still have awhile before I meet Cato; I'm sure I'll find something to do in the apartment though, but what I find is not what I expect. Effie is sitting at the table waiting for me.

"You may not know how to be a lady behind closed doors, but you need to know how to be one outside in the world".

Confused, I turn to Haymitch, who is on the couch with a bottle of whiskey.

"She was watching videos of you on the TV".

"And you look positively horrible walking in heels" Effie finishes.

Before I can object, Effie has me taking off my boots and slipping into six-inch high heels. I remain seated, because I know if I try to stand up I will fall flat on my face. Effie shows me how she walks in them, like I'm just supposed to know how by watching her. After a few tips she helps me up. It's like learning to walk all over again. While I'm trying to focus on keeping my balance, I hear Haymitch laughing at me from the couch. I shoot him a look and he immediately stops.

"If you can win the Hunger Games, you should be able to walk in heels no problem," Effie squeaks.

I roll my eyes because arguing with Effie about how winning the Games is nothing like this would be pointless. Eventually, she let's me stop walking and moves to table manners. Relieved, I slouch into a chair.

"Ah, ah, ah," she warns "You must sit up straight, like a lady."

She tells me what all the forks and spoons are for on the sides of the plate, that I should put my napkin in my lap before eating, and that putting your elbows on the table is rude. After our three-hour manners lesson I am exhausted and Haymitch is drunk.

"Ya know sweetheart, none of this is going to matter when we get back to Twelve."

I nod quietly, because of course I know; but it means a lot to Effie and I'm not going to bring that up around her. My feet are so sore and throbbing that I decide to soak them in hot water. An Avox brings me a tub of steaming water and I sit on the couch next to Haymitch. I silently thank her, and she goes away. I don't think the Capitol will ever change that about me. I will always appreciate what people do for me. In my mind, I will always owe these Avoxes something. Since I know I will never be able to do anything for them, because that would result in them getting in trouble, I will continue to thank them noiselessly.

I guess I nod off to sleep on the couch, because the next thing I know Haymitch is shaking me awake telling me it's time for dinner. I expect to stand up with my feet still in the tub, but instead my feet are in warm slippers; another thing I owe to the Avoxes. I make my way to the table, and then suddenly realize I only have an hour and a half before I have to meet Cato. I quickly stuff food into my mouth ignoring all of Effie's rules. I spring up from the table and hurriedly shower and put clothes on.

I make it to the roof just in time for the clock to strike 8. Surprisingly though, he isn't here yet. I sit down and wait for him, thinking he's just running a little late. Hours go by and still no Cato. At about eleven I decide to call it quits and head back inside.

I wonder what kept him; I hope it's nothing I did. Maybe he just forgot, although, Cato isn't one to forget things like this. Maybe the people from his district wouldn't allow him to go out. Whatever it is, I hope he's ok.

I climb into bed and endure an awful nights sleep filled with horrifying night terrors. I wake up at exactly 4AM. I don't want to try and sleep some more. I want to go to the training center and see Cato. I quickly braid my hair and take off for the center. It's early, so I don't expect Cato to be here yet.

I start the obstacle course, then run a few miles. I've already been here an hour and Cato is usually here by now. I'm definitely starting to worry, but what can I do? It's not like I can just go to his floor and ask him where he's been. Can I? I don't care if the people from his district yell at me. I'm going. I deserve to know why he didn't show up last night and why he isn't here today. I march to the elevator and punch the button marked Two. Within seconds I'm at his floor. I'm starting to think this wasn't such a good idea.

The doors slide open. There's no going back now. A tall, muscular woman standing with her arms crossed meets me at the doorway. I remember her from her Games; it's hard to forget a face like that. Lyme, I think her name is.

"Oh, we'll if isn't Miss. Girl-on-Fire"

"I want to talk to Cato"

"Sorry. Cato is a bit tied up at the moment"

Right then I see him appear behind her. His whole body is red, like he's been running for hours. His eyes are bloodshot and his hands hang by his sides in fists. This isn't the Cato I know. This isn't my Cato. His eyes pierce mine but when I speak they become soft. They turn into the eyes I know.

"Cato. We had plans," I say with no emphasis at all.

The second the woman turns to him his eyes harden again.

"Get out of here fire girl. You're not even worthy enough to breathe the same air as us."

His tone is harsh and his words fire through the air like bullets. I feel a pain in my chest and I clench my jaw to try and make it stop. As the woman laughs Cato's eyes plead to me. It's as if he is saying sorry to me, but it's not enough. He is treating me like I am nothing. He's acting like I am nobody; like we haven't spent every morning together; like he didn't make me dinner on the roof; like he didn't spend the night with me. Tears well up in my eyes. I cannot let these monsters see me cry. I will not let them have that victory. Without another word, I walk back into the elevator. I hear Lyme cackling behind me. The second the doors shut my tears fall. I can hardly breathe when I reach my floor. Luckily, Effie and Haymitch aren't here to see me like this. I spend the rest of the night in bed crying. I only rest when my tears run dry and exhaustion overcomes my mind and body.

Ok guys, I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in awhile! I've had writers block, then I've been working, then Roddick lost the US Open and I cried. I just got back my mojo last night at midnight and I wrote this on my iPhone. I had a few requestes to bring back Cato's dark side, and I definitely agreed. So here it is! Things are definitely taking a turn, but fear not they will get better! I love you all so much. Review!