Ibroke my laptop (again) so I have to type this on my phone. Sorry for any spelling errors and stuff I'll change those when I get it back. I don't own The Hunger Games.
"That's a horrible movie."
Cato froze in his place on the couch, the DVD box almost slipping from his hand.
"What did you just say?"
"I said that's a horrible movie." Clove sighed and flicked the case out of his hand so that 'Avatar' clattered to the floor. "
"Someone clearly doesn't appreciate good movies." Cato snorted and pulled a different movie from the rack. The two were hanging out before Cato's game that afternoon. They'd already hit up the hotel's arcade and the candy store across the road.
"No, I just don't like movies where half of the action is created by a computer screen instead of actual people." Clove rolled her eyes at him.
"Okay, fair point. What about 'The Mummy Returns'? That's a good one." Cato asked, pulling the case from the DVD rack.
"Rain check." She stood up and pulled her blue sweatshirt over her head. "I have to go see Johanna. I told her that we'd discuss plays over lunch and it's already gone three. I'll see you at the game though."
"Oh." Cato said, masking his disappointment with a smile. "See you later."
After hugging her, Cato waited until Clove had left the room before pulling his phone from his back pocket and pressing his speed dial for Johanna.
"Hey Jo?" Cato said after she answered with her usual 'sup bitch'. "You think you can talk to Clove? About that thing we discussed?"
"My friend, I thought you would never ask."
...
"Enough talking about plays already." Johanna groaned, leaning back in her chair and stretching. "Let's talk about something that doesn't make me want to rake my eyes out with a blunt pencil."
"Like what?" Clove asked, content with the six new plays they had thought up ahead of their game in two days time.
"Like...Cato." Johanna said, putting their plan into action.
"What about him?" Clove frowned slightly as she packed up her pens.
"Well, what are your feelings towards him?" Johanna asked, leaning forward again.
"Why do you want to know?" Clove asked suspiciously, well aware of the fact that Johanna probably didn't give a shit.
"Relax Clove, I'm not going to tell him." Johanna said, convincing herself that she was lying for the greater good.
"Okay...I like him."
"In what way?"
"Jesus Jo, what way do you think?" Clove snapped. "I never cared enough to know him and then he came across as a complete ass, but he's grown on me. He's shown me who he actually is."
"Interesting." Johanna tapped a finger against her chin. "Very interesting."
"What are you losers doing here?"
Clove and Johanna glanced up at the sound of the annoyingly familiar voice.
"This is the lobby, Lorelai. We're enjoying the hotel facilities." Clove said, raising an eyebrow at the older girl. Bryce's twin sister had become the bane of her existence ever since she broke up with him. She was on her school's swim team, and Clove guessed that she was Annie's main rival this year.
"Whatever. I just wanted to let you know that we're going to smash your school at the football game today." Lorelai smirked, flipping her blonde hair out of her face.
"That's funny. Have you seenour team this year?" Johanna laughed, mocking her hair flip.
"Get real Johanna. You and I both now that all your best players graduated last year." Lorelai sighed sympathetically.
"Not true. Our defence are going to smash your offense so hard that they'll never want to play football again. Cato and the offense are going to lightening your sorry asses."
"You know-"
"I guess time will tell." Clove cut her off. "Now get out of here before I do something I really won't regret."
...
"Cato! Come swim with me!"
Lyme's shouts from the water reached Cato, who was sat with Finnick and Annie in the sand, and he grinned.
"Coming Lemon!" He called back. She laughed, splashing when h came close enough.
"You'll pay for that." Cato chuckled, wading through the seawater to reach her. Lyme screamed when he threw her over his shoulder.
"I'm going to dunk you now." Cato promised.
"No!" Lyme screamed. "Please Cato, no!"
He dropped her so that her pony tail was inches from the surface.
"No! My hair!" She squealed.
"Tell me you love me." Cato ordered with a grin on his face.
"I love you! I swear I love you!" Lyme promised, and Cato set her on her feet.
"Jerk." She laughed, punching him on the shoulder. Unusually hot days in March were always spent at the beach.
"It's only because I love you, lemon." Cato said, pulling her into his chest.
"We're going to be together forever, right?" Lyme asked, looking up at him with hopeful blue eyes.
"Forever and always, baby." Cato promised, unaware that in a few weeks his promise would have to be broken.
When the cat calls sounded followed by grunts of pain and punching noises, Cato knew that Johanna had walked into the changing room.
"Got something for me?" Cato asked when she found him. He was stood wearing just his football pants and light strapping, but Johanna remained unfazed.
"Before I tell you what she said I need you to promise me something." Johanna said, her hard eyes serious.
"I hate promises." Cato shrugged.
"Cato."
"Alright, fine. What is it?"
"You have to promise me that you're over Lyme. If she comes back begging for your help, you have to turn her away. If she calls, you don't pick up. You don't talk to Gloss, you don't look at old pictures. You're not to love her again, because fucking over Clove isn't something you're allowed to do." Johanna said. "Can you do that?
Cato thought back to his relationship with Lyme, the one that he'd probably still be in if she hadn't cheated on him. He thought of the long winter nights, the Indian summer, their days together in the sun.
"Jo, I haven't loved Lyme in a long time. I would turn her away in a heartbeat if Clove asked me to, and even if she didn't." Cato said, and it was the honest truth.
"Good, because she's becoming one of my best friends and she fucking likes you a lot Cato. Don't be a dick."
...
Clove was getting pretty sick of spending half her life sat in bleachers. Whether she was supporting Katniss, sitting in awkward silence whilst Finnick and Annie made out at Marvel's basketball games or supporting Cato, it was becoming all the same for her.
"This is boring." She groaned.
"I thought you like football." Melissa nudged her gently in the side.
"I do, this is just painful." West Palm were five minutes in to the third quarter with a lead of more than twenty five points.
"I see what you- Oh my God!" Katniss yelled. Cato had received the ball and Bryce had steamrollered in to him, knocking him flat on his back.
"Oh shit." Clove muttered, standing on her seat to get a better look.
"He'll be fine." Johana waved it off with a roll of her eyes.
"Um, Jo?" Katniss bit her lip anxiously. "He's not getting up."
"Well, crap."
"Shit." Clove muttered again, running into the isle and down towards the field as Cato was carried off on a stretcher.
"Finnick!" Clove screamed to him, and he jogged over to her.
"Down the hall, take the first left." He said, helping her onto the field so that she could go after him.
"What are you doing back here?" The coach asked from outside the infirmary room's door.
"I have to see him. Please." Clove panted.
"He's fine, girl. He'll be back on by the next quarter if we let him rest now.
"Please." She said again, and he reluctantly opened the door for him.
"Cato!" He was sprawled on his back on the only bed in the room.
"False alarm, Clo." Cato said after sitting up and spitting his gum shield out. "I'm not even concussed. Though do you think that maybe next time your ex could be a band geek, not one of the biggest linebackers in the state?"
"I'm so sorry." Clove shook her head, walking closer to him "I should have known he would pull something like this."
"Hey, I still would have played and I'd still be sat here. No harm done. I'm still gorgeous."
Yes you are.Clove thought, but instead of saying it she stepped forward and kissed him on the mouth. His lips were soft against hers and only tasted of blood a little, but she pulled away as soon as she realized what she was doing.
"I'm so sorry. Again." Blushing, she turned to leave, but Cato caught her wrist and forced her to turn around. He studied her eyes for a few seconds.
"Don't be." He shrugged, and pulled her in for a second kiss. He felt his splitting headache melt away as they kissed. He held her head with one hand and continued to hold her wrist with the other as she wrapped her arms around his torso and stepped into the gap between his legs.
"Hey, lovebirds!" The coach stuck his head around the door. "Knock it off, I need my captain back on the field!"