Awfully Long Author's Note: Thank you for the brilliant reception this story has been getting! I think this only just sunk in when I read the reviews for last chapter, but I really just want to thank everyone who's reading this. Especially to those Clato/Glarvel shippers, thank you so much for giving this story chance. Really. You guys are all amazing.

youburnwithus12: Thank you so much! You have no idea what that meant to me. I'm over the moon that you're giving this a chance. Thank you for the support and encouragement. :)

clatoforeverx: Honestly, thank you for giving this a chance. That's all I ask for to Clato readers, and thank you so much reviewing!

thgtributes: Really? I know my story isn't the best out there, but I try my best. Thank you for reviewing! :)

belenydbzfan: Thank you! You liked last chapter the best? This is kind of spoilery, but I have to say my favourite so far will be the next chapter. By like, a milestone. And once again, I'm sorry about the lack of Glato, but there definitely will be more of that soon! Thanks for reading and reviewing. :)

Guest (1): Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.

Guest (2): Ah, Finnick. He's awesome. :)

Guest (3): Ahaha! I've done that countless of times. Thank you so much for the positive words! I'm really glad you're enjoying it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Except for maybe Lakyn and Taffeta, but they both suck.

I Never Knew

By kelster07

Chapter 10: Close Attacks and Phone Calls

Marvel isn't at school the whole week.

On Monday, I walk around with Glimmer. She says that she thinks it's because it's been a long weekend for him with the wedding and everything. When she brings up the fight, I resist the temptation to scream out loud.

The next day, he still doesn't come. Katniss tells me that he probably had a couple of injuries from the punches he got that day. The guilt settles further inside me.

On Wednesday, we have a double block of English. I'm seriously worrying now. How do a couple of punches keep you away from school for half a week? Or is it something worse? I don't get any work done.

On Thursday, I start losing it. Where is he? I've planned an apology, but he doesn't turn up. It only makes me feel worse.

Today, I give up. I open my locker and dump my books in heartlessly.

"Hey babe."

Who the hell calls me that?

I slam the door shut and the sound echoes across the whole corridor. Out of the corner of my eye, I see who's behind me. Lakyn. Of course, how convenient. It doesn't help that his locker is next to mine.

"Don't call me that," I snarl, fed up.

"What's gotten you in that bitchy mood today, huh? I don't like my girls like that."

Fury boils up inside of my and I feel my grip on my temper loosen. He doesn't know what's wrong? Fine.

"We," I say, "need to talk."

I don't wait for him to reply. I practically stomp out of the building, and he follows. I walk faster and faster away from the public eye. He's barely keeping up. I know, it's childish, but right now, I don't even care.

I run over to the old sports shed, away from nosy Panem High students.

"What the hell did you say about me that day?" I ask, waiting for his reply. I get the wrong one.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

I bring my fist down on the tin shed and it rattles over the blowing wind.

"Marvel does."

He groans and looks at me. "You're seriously going to listen to that jealous bastard?"

Wait, what? Jealous? Marvel's not jealous, that's something I know for sure. I cock my head to the side tauntingly. "Well, I'm not going to listen to something who sleeps with a different girl every month."

His expression remains impassive but I detect I slight change in demeanour. He gives a laugh, "Don't believe everything you see in the bathroom stalls, babe."

"Don't call me that," I repeat, narrowing my eyes. That complete jerk. Obviously, he's not getting the point, so I decide to speed up the process. "We are done."

I start to walk away when he grabs my arm, pushing me against the shed. He gives me a cruel smile. "We are not done, babe."

"Let me go!" I snatch my arm away, but it doesn't budge. His grip is too strong. I spit in his face but even that doesn't do anything.

"Bitch," he mutter, and he starts to run a finger down my face, trailer lower and lower down me. Panic and nausea rises in me. I can't scream, his hand is over my mouth now.

He starts to talk again. "What? No one coming to save you? Your boyfriend is too busy mixing it up with that slu-"

He makes his first mistake. He loosens his hold for a millisecond and I snatch my arm away. He's still caught in surprise so I grab his and pin his against the shed. He struggles, but I manage to keep him there, even though I'm outweighed by a lot.

"He, is my friend. And don't you ever call my best friend that name again." I hiss.

"What? Or you'll tell on me?" he mocks, wicked grin and all.

And then I lose it. My fist strikes against his face, just inches from his eye. He curses and rubs his face, growling. I hit him again and again until a trickle of blood oozes out.

"We are done with," I rage. I run out from the back of the school closer to the oval, where he can't hurt me. I'm still shaking slightly, but I can't stop.

Cato runs up to me from behind. Immediately he grabs my arm and curses. I groan when I realise what he's on about. Faint red marks are still visible from where Lakyn grabbed me and I yank my arm away. It doesn't do anything.

"Cato, let me go," I say calmly.

A fury passes over him. "I can't believe he did this to you!"

"Let it go, Cato. He didn't hurt me and- " I break off when I see the wild expression on his face. The aftershock of the encounter causes me to shake a little bit, and I pray that he doesn't notice. The last thing I need is for him to think it actually effected me in anyway. "Cato, you're not going after him."

"Too bad. I am, and you're not stopping me."

He marches off and I run after him, desperately trying to get a hold of something.

"You're not."

"I am! What, do you think I'm just going to sit back and let him do this to you? No way." He spits the words out. I know there's no stopping Cato when he's like this, but I'm going to try my darn best.

"I already took care of it." My words stop his tracks.

He spins around and looks at me carefully before saying, "As in you've strangled his guts twice over?"

"Something along those lines."

The bottom of his lips curl upwards and the amused feeling doesn't stay for long. "Promise me you'll be more careful next time."

I sigh. "He didn't do anything to me. And, there isn't going to be a next time."

"What do you mean there isn't going to be a next time?"

"It's not happening."

"What, so you're saying you'll never date again?" His face expression is incredulous.

"Maybe." My sour mood isn't dissipating anytime soon.

Cato throws his arms up in exasperation. "Not everyone is like Lakyn, Clo. There are heaps of good guys out there. Like me." When he sees my face he quickly adds, "But if you ever date me you would be classified mentally unstable."

I laugh for the first time in a while. "Yeah, we all know you're desperately in love with Glim."

His eyes narrow and he pretends to pout. "That was not an invitation to make as much fun of me as you want!"

I simply smirk.

He continues the conversation, almost jumping up and down now. "Where do you think Cashmere is today?"

I snort. "Since when did you care where Cashmere is?"

"I mean, she hasn't harassed me today yet, so…"

My face lights up and I start spurting out answers. "Maybe she poked herself in the eye with her eyeliner. Or maybe she drowned in the lavender scented bubble bath! Ooh, I know! She fell off her balcony!"

Cato gives me a look. "I asked where do you think she is, not where do you hope she is, Clo."

I give him a sheepish grin. "A girl can dream."

"She's probably with Marvel, I don't know." He rakes his fingers through his blonde hair. "Gloss isn't here either."

I can't help asking the question that's been bugging me this whole week. "Where's Marvel? He hasn't been at school this whole week."

A strange look passes over his face. He says, "Why do you care?"

"I don't." I say these words a little too quickly. When I see his face, I reconsider. "I need to apologise. For, well, you know."

He pauses before saying, "Maybe you care too much."

"Trust me, I don't care what he thinks," I say.

At the same time, I know I'm trying to convince myself just as much as Cato that I don't. I shouldn't care.

The phone keeps ringing and I can't help but bite my nails. It's a habit I've become re-united with this year. I guess that's what drama does. I let out I breath I didn't know I was holding. For some unknown reason, phone calls make me nervous.

A deep voice suddenly speaks into the handpiece.

"Hello?"

"Hi. Um, this is Clove, a school friend of Marvel's. I was wondering if I could speak to him?" I curse myself for sounding so hopeful at the end.

"I'm sorry." He doesn't sound sorry at all. "He's been grounded for two weeks because of the incident at our wedding."

"Oh." That's all I can say.

"Is there anything else I can do for you today?"

I resist the urge to ask him how come Marvel hasn't been coming to school for the whole week. I mean, being grounded doesn't mean missing school, does it? But then Cato's voice comes back to haunt me.

"Maybe you care too much."

I shake my head of the thought. "No, that's all. Thank you. Bye."

I click the phone down back on the receiver and let out a groan. This is impossible. Afterschool, guilt was eating me alive. Glimmer had suggested that I call him so that's what I did. Still no success, though.

Suddenly, an idea hits me out of nowhere. Surprisingly, I find myself actually entertaining the idea. No, Clove, I think. Don't be ridiculous. Another voice in my head says, why not? You've got nothing to lose. And I listen to the latter. I almost laugh when I realise how far I've come from last year. I was sullen, quiet and antisocial, and now? I can't believe I'm actually doing this.

I pick up the phone again and punch in his number. It rings twice before he picks up.

"Cato."

"Clo? I'll be with you in a second."

I hear a tap being turned off and footsteps leading to another room.

"Okay. I'm back. What do you want?"

I roll my eyes. Always getting straight to the point.

"Can I have Marvel's address."

The voice is quiet for a while. I can almost imagine his gleeful expression on the other side.

"Are you doing what I think you are?" he asks, tapping his finger on a table.

"Yep. You want in?" I could use some help, after all.

"Sure. I'll be over in five." The phone cuts off and I put it back in the holder.

This is going to be fun.

A/N: Okay, I'll try to keep this one short. I may or may not be putting his story on hiatus soon, because life has been gotten busy and I'm slowly losing inspiration for this story. If do put it on hiatus, it will be only for a short while, and the break will start after the next chapter is posted. However, reviews keep me writing. No, seriously. Give me your thoughts! Please review, it would make me very, very happy. :)