chapter 6 new job
Clove's POV
Two weeks have gone by since I stumbled upon Cato in the training center and ever since then we practice together almost every day after training. I don't know what it is about him but he makes me feel...happy. He can make me smile and laugh and I've grown to realize how much I miss the feeling.
I frown. We're friends, right? I pace back and forth, trying to sort out my nerves.
"Clove!"
I look up to find Cato walking towards me with a grin.
"You ready?" He asks once he reaches me.
"Yeah are you? It must be disapointing knowing you're gonig to lose." I say with a smirk.
He smiles mischievously at me and before I am aware of what's happening the grownd leaves my feet.
"Cato!" "Put me down!" I yell as he throws me in the air and then catches me before I hit the ground.
"Say it." He growls.
"Say what?" I shriek. He throws me higher and I start to get dizzy.
"Who's going to win? He asks.
"You!" I groan as he tosses me again like I'm a rag doll.
"I want you to say it." He says with a laugh.
"You win." I tell him.
He throws me once more and catches me, but doesn't put me back down.
"What do you weigh, like two pounds?" He asks me, still not realeasing me.
I just shake my head. I can feel his muscles through his training uniform and I lightly chew my lower lip and mentaly kick myself for letting my thoughts get out of control.
He carries me over to the sword station and lightly places me back on my feet.
A light blush stains my cheeks and I pray to god he doesn't notice.
We each select a sword and walk back over to the dummies. I turn to face Cato.
"Now what?" I ask him.
"Do what I do." He says. He raises the sword and slices a dummy in half.
"You try." He tells me. I lift the sword just like Cato did and bring it down on my own dummy. I'm doing pretty good, except my sword is stuck in the middle of the dummy's stomach and I can't seem to get it out. Cato laughs lightly before gently pushing me aside. In one firm motion he grips the handle and cuts off the rest of the dummy effortlessly.
"Thanks." I mutter.
We practice for another thirty minutes until Cato asks me a question almost shyly.
"Hey, do you wanna start, uhh, working for me today?" He ask.
"Sure, wanna leave now?" I ask him.
"Um, ok, sure." He says. We put the swords back an head out the front door.
Earlier that day . . .
"Here you go Amari." I say as I hand her my resign papers."
May I ask why you quit, Clove?" She asks me.
"I found a higher paying job." I tell her.
"Very well, you are dismissed." She says. I give her a curt nod and leave her office.
"How far is your house?" I ask him as I lock the training center. Luckily Amari forgot to ask for my key back.
"About five miles." He says.
"Five miles?" I say uneasily.
"Yeah." He says. We begin walking and after about two miles or so my feet start hurting.I don't know what I stepped on but it hurts like hell. Though I'll never give him the satisfaction of knowing that I'm in pain. So I tough it out. I've had worse.
"Come on slow poke, catch up!" Cato calls. I didn't even realize I was trudging behind. I make myself walk faster so I'm right next to Cato. I try to to wince with each step. I feel like I'm walking on a million needles and they're all digging into my flesh. Unfortunately, Cato catches my next wince.
"What's wrong?" He ask me. I look at him and pretend to be confused.
"Nothing." I say.
"Then why are you walking funny?" He asks me, well aware I'm lying.
"I'm not." I say a little too innocently.
"Clove, I know you're lying." He says. Well, there goes not giving him the satisfaction of knowing I'm in pain.
I sigh. "My feet hurt, it's not a big deal Cato." I say. He stops walking. I stop as well and cross my arms.
"Why are you stopping?" I ask. Before I can react, he grabs my waist and throws me over his shoulder and continues walking.
"Cato, what are you doing?" I squeak.
"Your feet hurt." He says.
"Cato, put me down." I say sternly.
"Nope." He says. My waist rest on his shoulder so basically my whole upper body is hanging over his back. I sigh and try to find a place to settle my arms comfortably. I end up putting both hands on my cheeks and resting my elbows on his back.
"Two more miles Clover." He say in a sing-song voice. I'm glad he can't see my face because I'm blushing furiously at his new nick name for me. Not because he called me Clover, but because I like it.
I'm suddenly hyper aware of the reason why I'm not sliding off Cato's shoulder.
It's because Cato is supporting me by his hands that are unmistakably placed on my upper thighs. And when I say upper thighs I mean upper thighs. I feel my face heat all the way to my hair line.
"Almost there Clover." He says softly. I quietly let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding. We turn down a street where every single house is huge. Cato walk down the drive way of one of the houses. I try to see it by using peripheral vision but it's no use.
He slowly moves his hands to my hips and lowers me to the floor. Oh yeah, he defiantly like me. Either that or he's just messing with my head.
I turn to face his house and my jaw drops. I'm vaguely aware of the pain in my foot as I take in the size of his house.
It's the biggest house on the street. He takes a key out from under the mat and unlocks the door. I slowly walk in the house, a look of awe on my face. It's gorgeous. Wait, no, that's an understatement. It's breath taking. The ceiling is at lest thirty feet high. The living room has a velvet red couch with a cozy fire place and a huge chandelier made of crystals. The carpet is golden and is probably softer than my bed. His dinning room table can seat about twenty and appears to be hand carved.
I look up and see a kitchen made for a chef. It has oak wooden floor boards and instead of wood or granite, it has a clear crystal-like counter top.
"Whoa." I say.
"You like it?" Cato says, a look of amusement on his face.
"Your kitchen is bigger than my house." I say.
Cato frowns. "Really?" He says. I nod.
"So, what would you like me to do?" I ask.
"Can you cook?" He ask with a small grin playing at the edge of his lips.
"Yeah, my mom taught me." I say while clearing my throat slightly.
"Will you make me dinner?" He ask while trying not to laugh.
"For the money you're planning to pay me, I'll do what ever you want." I say. "Now, what would you like for dinner?" I ask in my best interpretation of a capitol accent.
"I'm not sure." Cato replies with the same voice, just better.
I walk over to his fridge and open it.
My jaw drops. I have never seen so much food at once in my life. There must be enough for a week.
"Clover, you ok?" Cato asks. I will my self not to blush.
"You have a lot of food." I say, not really answering his question.
"That's not that much, Clover." He says softly. My eyes go wide for only a second.
I end up making chicken breast seasoned with a bit of lemon. I put it on a dish and set it in front of Cato along with a glass of water.
"Thank you." He says politely.
"You're welcome." I say. I sand there for a moment, waiting to see what he thinks. He cut a piece off and takes a bite.
"Mhhhhh, that's really good." He says with a mouthful.
I laugh. "I'm glad you like it." I say.
"Is there any extra?" He asks.
"You just took two bites, but yes I also cooked two small drum sticks." I say.
"Go get a plate and join me." He say simply.
"Oh, thanks, but I'm not that hungry." I say with a shrug of my shoulders as I lie casually. The truth is I never had breakfast, just the small amount of cheese and bread they give us at the academy. Most kids bring lunch, because they give us so little, but sine I could never afford it, that would be my only meal some days, as it was today.
Cato raises his eyebrows. "Clover, just listen to me." He says. I feel the blush creeping up my face, so I turn and walk back to the Kitchen before he could see. I take out a plate and place both drum sticks on it and squeeze just a little lemon on top. I walk back to Cato and sit across from him. My mouth is literately watering as I take a bite of chicken. Cato was right it is good.
I eat the first one in two minutes and move to the next one. When I finish I'm still a little hungry, but I'm fuller than I've been in a while.
I look up at Cato and find he is intently watching me.
"Were you hungry?" He say while smiling at me.
"Yeah." I say with a light laugh.
"Who do you think is going to volunteer for the Games this year?" I ask Cato.
"Hmmm, I don't know, it's in two months right?" He asks. I nod my head. "I hope they pick me." He says.
"You'd win." I tell him. He smiles a little.
My eyes drift to the clock. Time to leave. I take my and Cato's Plate to the sink, and throw them in the dish washer along with his empty glass. I walk back to Cato and he hands me a small pouch with money inside.
"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow." I say.
And before he can respond I'm walking out the door.
As soon as I get home I sit on the porch and take off my shoe. Great I steped on a thorn. How did I step on a thorn? My shoes have been on all day.
I carefully extract the thorn. Once it's out I flelx my foot a little. The pain is mostly gone, it's just a bit tender. I take off my other shoe and throw it next to my other one and head inside.
It's gonna be a long night.