La la la la la. New chapter! Wow I'm updating, even though I feel like I'm about to pass out 0-o I am so tired right now *yawn* My room is completely black with my only light source being the screen of my lap top. I swear if someone walks in my room right now I probably look like a rabid squirrel. You're probably thinking 'but I thought squirrels were cute '. Well guess what?
They're really cute till they rip your face off. Sorry if I put disturbing images in your mind, I'm sure they'll go away soon. How about a chapter with 2,567 words to distract you? Sound good?

chapter 21 Cato's POV

"How am I confusing you? You're the one that's not making any sense." She points out.

"Yeah...but you're the one that makes me feel-." I cut myself off before I say anything I'm going to regret.

"Makes you feel what?" She questions.

"Confused." I answer her slowly.

"How do I confuse you?" She asks me.

I take a deep breathe. "I don't know if you want me to tell you."

She looks up at me like I'm crazy. "What?"

"I don't know if you want me to tell you." I repeat.

"Cato, just say it already." She says tiredly. I can tell by her tone she's getting annoyed with me and I briefly wonder what she'll say when I tell her. Obviously I shouldn't have thought of that because my mind has become consumed with the fear her saying anything along the lines of 'I don't' and 'no'.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. "I think I...I...I have to go." I finish quickly as I grab her arms and throw her off me.

I don't give her any time to respond as I practically jump off the bed. I don't look back as I bolt out of my room and slam the door shut behind me before heading down the hall. I can picture her right now, sitting in the middle of my bed wearing a confused expression, wondering if I've finally gone crazy.

I hear her calling my name but I don't bother to turn around as I head for the stairs. I walk as fast as I can down the steps just in time to hear my bedroom door creak open.

"Cato get back here!" She yells as she as she begins to follow me.

Nope. I think.

I briefly turn my head and pick up my pace when I see her beginning to descend the stairs. I start to take the steps two at a time when I realize she's not that far behind me. Once I reach the bottom I make a beeline for the kitchen. I quickly pass the living room and pause momentarily to figure out where I should go next.

"Where am I gonna hide?" I mutter to myself. I roll my eyes a few seconds later.

I can't believe I'm acting like this.

Then again, I can.

I hear her soft foot steps against the marble flooring and I have suddenly to chose to make. Do I stand my ground and face her, or do I hide like a coward?

I pick option B. I think.

"Cato." She calls again. Her voice is surprisingly close, and I find that time is no longer on my side. I quickly dive under the kitchen table and scoot backwards into its shadows.

This is pathetic. I think as I hug my knees to my chest. I'm going into the fucking Hunger Games I'm under a table, hiding from the girl that cares about me the most.

"Cato?" She sings. I automatically tense. I knew she was close, but I didn't know she was that close. I hope she didn't see me crawl under the table, that would be hard to live down.

"I know you're in here Cato, you better come out." She says in the same sing-song voice as she walks closer to me.

She stops at the front of the table and I find myself holding my breath. The room is completely silent except for the quiet patter of her feet as she walks around the side of the table. My body is firmly planted in its place and I muster up all my will power not to turn around and watch her.

I listen carefully for any movement on her part but I only find silence. I'm somewhat tempted to call out to her, almost to confirm she's still there. I know she is, but I can't help but loathe her ability to be mute. It's one of the reasons she's going to win the Games. She could be directly behind someone and they would have no idea.

I think back to the second time I saw her, two years ago at the training center. I remember how I blew off the idea of her being any real competition because of her small size. The fact that she was two feet behind me and I had no idea she was there should have been my first clue that she was not like the others. That she was special.

I feel something poke the back of my arm. I shrug it off carelessly, not even bother to give it a second thought. But after a minute or two I begin to feel paranoid, I slowly turn around, just to make sure nothing's there.

My eyes find Clove, looking aggravated and on her hands and knees.

"Gah." I breathe as I she crawls over to me. I scoot backwards and continue doing so until my back hits the leg of the table.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" She demands.

"I-I..." She raises her eyebrows.

"Why the hell are you under the table?" She questions.

I open my mouth to answer her but nothing comes out.

"Are you hiding from me?" She asks.

Instead of answering her I begin to quickly crawl away.

"Hey!" She protest.

I'm halfway out from under the table when I feel her grip my leg.

"Oh no you don't." She says firmly as she latches on to me as I try to escape.

"Let go of me!" I whine as I drag her out from under the table.

"Not this time." She tells me. I try shrugging her off but she won't budge. I feel her let go of me momentarily and I seize the golden opportunity to stand up, only to feel her jump on my back.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I ask her as I abruptly stand. She automatically wraps her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck.

"Get off my back!" I complain. She tightens her grip on my neck in response.

"Let go." I tell her firmly.

Her grip loosens slightly but not by much. "I'm not letting go of you till you tell me what's going on!" She yells.

"Nothing is going on! Now get off me!" I yell back at her.

"Only if you tell me." She compromises.

"Deal." I say with gritted teeth. I would think she would be able to tell when I'm lying, obviously she can't.

She slowly releases her grip on me and places her feet on the ground.

I turn around to face her and suddenly feel...weird. Not uncomfortable, but nervous.

I eye the path to kitchen and debate weather or not I should run.

She takes a slow step towards me with the look of insanity blazing in her eyes. Each time she takes a step forward I take one back, till eventually, my back hits the counter.

"I will say this one more time." She says darkly. "Tell. Me. What. Is. Wrong. With. You." She says slowly.

"I love you." I murmur.

"Uhhh, I can't understand you when you mumble like that!" She yells.

Oh well, I tried.

"I said I-I-" "Speak the fuck up!" She says while dramatically throwing her arms in the air.

I swallow the lump in my throat.

She crosses her arms over her chest and taps her foot impatiently as she waits for my answer.

"Never mind." I tell her while looking around for a way to escape.

"Oh no. I am done with this 'never mind' shit. Give a strait fucking answer!" She growls.

"Well I'm defiantly not going to tell you right now." I mutter.

"Uhhh,You know what? You have five seconds." She tells me.

"Five seconds?" I ask uncertainly.

"Yes, you have five seconds before I...do something." She finishes.

"What are you going to do?" I ask her hesitantly.

"Kill you." She responds.

"You wouldn't be able to kill me." I tell her.

"Yes I would." She says with gritted teeth as she takes a final step closer to me so our faces are inches apart.

I lean forward and lightly press my lips against hers before pulling away. Without warning, she raises her arm and smacks my shoulder.

"Oww." I complain as I rub my hand back and forth over the sore spot on my arm.

"Stop trying to kiss your way out of everything!" She yells at me.

"Hey, it was worth a shot." I mutter.

She closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Cato, I'm about to loose it." She whispers in a way that sends chills down my spine. She opens her eyes and stares at me. My eyes find the floor as I rock back and forth innocently on my heels.

"Cato." She repeats.

I look up at her. "Yeah?" I say smoothly.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't walk out that door right now." She says.

"W-what? You can't leave!" I protest.

"Oh yeah?" She says while turning around walking in the direction of the front door. I quickly follow her.

"Stop." I tell her firmly. She of course, doesn't listen.

"I said stop." I repeat harshly.

"Why should I?" She questions while turning to face me.

"Because you can't leave!" I say, sounding somewhat desperate.

"Oh really, why is that?" She asks me while placing her hand on her hips.

"Because all your stuff is here and, and,...you're still in your pajamas!" I finish.

"I can't leave because I'm still 'in my pajamas' ?" She questions slowly. She says it in a way that makes me feel absolutely stupid.

"Yeah, you can't just walk out the front door in your pajamas, people will think you're nuts!" I tell her.

"They already think I'm nuts." She points out.

"Well they'll think you're even crazier. If that's possible." I add.

She doesn't respond, instead she takes a few steps closer to the door.

"Stop this Clove. Me and you both know you're bluffing. There's no way in hell you're gonna walk out that door." I tell her smugly.

She takes a few final steps and places her hand on the door knob.

"Try me." She says while yanking it open.

I feel my stomach drop. I'm vaguely aware of the sound of the front door slamming shut as I piece together what just happened.

She left. She actually left... I think numbly. She's gonna come back. Any second now...

I stand there, waiting for her to walk through the door, but nothing happens.

I suddenly snap back into reality. There is no way I'm letting her leave this house. I don't care if I have to tie her to my bed and slap a roll of duck tape over her mouth, she is staying. She has to.

I don't think twice as run to the door. I roughly pull it open to see Clove's small figure walking briskly down my driveway.

I feel my heart pounding loudly in my chest to an irregular rhythm. My throat feels dry and my stomach tightens with anxiety. My mind can't keep up with my feet and before I know it I'm running. Running to catch her before she leaves me forever.

My breathing becomes low and shallow, which has nothing to do with the fact that I'm running.

"Clove!" I yell. She stops at the end of my driveway and turns around to look at me. My feet pound against the cement as I get closer and closer to her. I feel a odd sensation of pain constrict in my chest at the idea of never seeing her again.

When I reach I her I don't bother to slow down my pace. In one quick moment I wrap my arms around her and pick her up. I hold her small body securely in my arms as I let out a sigh of relief.

"Put me down!" She protest.

"No." I growl in response as I begin to walk back up my driveway.

She squirms in my arms and I tighten my grip on her waist to restrict her movement.

"Don't ever do that to me again." I mumble.

She looks up at with a soft expression. She no longer tries to escape my grasp and I feel her body relax somewhat against me.

The front door is cracked open slightly and I push it open with my foot. I walk inside and kick the door close behind me.

"You were bluffing...right?" I ask her nervously as I place her back on her feet.

"Maybe." She says innocently.

I stare at her, not knowing what to say or do. If I try to touch her she'll probably hit me again. Oh well, it's worth it I guess.

I close the distance between us and wrap my arms tightly around her small frame. She doesn't hug me back, instead her arms dangle loosely at her sides.

"Um, Cato?" She questions.

"What?" I say into her hair.

"Are you ok?" She asks me.

"No." I answer simply.

"Would you like to tell me? 'Cause I've been trying to figure it out all morning." She says with a hint of annoyance creeping back into her voice.

With I sigh I let go of her. I let my hands remain on the sides of her arms as I debate on what to say.

I could just show her... I think.

I lean forward and press my lips against hers. When she doesn't react I kiss her a little bit harder.

The only thing I get in return is disappointment when her lips refuse to move against mine.

"Why won't you kiss me?" I say with a pout.

"Because I'm made at you!" She yells. All of her anger towards me comes rushing out, practically bursting at the seams.

"Why do you keep trying to kiss me?" She demands.

"Because I love you!" I snap.

WHAT DO YOU WANT CLOVE'S REACTION TO BE? LET ME KNOW! PLEASEEEEEE! I'M TORN!

Like I said last week, have a wonderful day full of rainbows and smiles! /(^-^)\