the girl who played with knives || clato ✔️

18

Clove

The kiss is soft and sweet initially; Cato kisses me back with a bit more intensity. We have both forgotten everything we were talking about. Everything ever. I lose all concept of time, and it feels like we kiss forever.

The sound of the door being unlocked and opened grabs hold of me and pulls me back to reality. Not soon enough though, because our lips are still locked together when Marina appears in the doorway. I blush when I pull away and see her standing there with a kind of amused smile.

"Marina!" I say, stepping around Cato, who, since his back was turned to the door, still doesn't really know she's there. Cato gasps and whips around.

"Hey there," Marina says saucily.

"Marina... Hi," Cato says. He ducks his head and runs a hand through his hair.

"So my theory was correct," she says.

"What?" I ask. Cato is kind of shell shocked.

"That you knew each other... Possibly that you loved each other," she says with a smile. "I was right." Suddenly our conversation from earlier comes to mind. He must really care about you for it to hurt that much when you're mad at him. So she was implying that we were in love.

"Wow," Cato mutters.

"Anyway... I heard yelling coming from in here and came to investigate," Marina says.

"Oh... Sorry. We... Had a conflict. It's resolved now," I say.

"Is it?" Cato raises an eyebrow in the dim light coming from the open door.

"Yes," I assure him, then turn to Marina. "Cato's coming with us." She does that thing where she simply nods and yet I know exactly what she's saying.

"So where does this staircase lead?" Marina asks after a while. I glance at Cato to find him glancing at me.

"Shall we?" He asks. I nod, and we show Marina to the roof. On the way up, she asks, "Do all these doors lead to the other tribute's floors? Isn't that unsafe? Or unfair?"

I shrug. "All the doors are locked, but you could still meet up here, which is an advantage."

"Maybe."

"There are probably cameras hidden all in here, to make sure no one tries to kill someone prematurely." Cato says. I feel my skin crawl with the thought of random Capitol residents having been present for my first kiss.

"You're probably right. So, what's up here?"

In answer, we climb the few steps left to the top and open the door to the roof. Marina steps outside behind us in awe. The wind whips at her hair and light blue silk nightgown.

"It's just like the ocean," she says, letting her eyes fall shut. "The wind. The waves." Waves? Then I hear it. The sound like the crash of waves caused by the crescendo of city noises below. Only someone from District 4 would've noticed it. After a long silence, Marina's eyes flutter open and she whispers, "Thank you." She has been gifted a piece of home amidst all this chaos.

Cato

After the night in the stairwell, I know I can fully trust Marina. I was a bit hesitant at first, considering we're supposed to kill each other in three days, but now I know I could entrust her with my life.

We begin to further plan our strategy for the Games. No one mentions the kiss, though it keeps me awake all night. Clove kissed me. I can't ever get very far past those words.

The second and third days of training go by quickly. I master the spears and swords. Somehow Clove has gotten even better at knife throwing, and has been helping Marina perfect her own skill. During lunch on the third day, they start pulling people out to do their private sessions with the Gamemakers.

They call Marvel's name first. He looks a little nervous as he stands.

"Throw some spears," I suggest. "They'll be impressed." He nods and is on his way. About fifteen minutes later, Glimmer is called. Me mutter our good lucks, and fifteen minutes after that they call my name.

"Good luck," Marina and Jonah say, though this time it's sincere, unlike with Glimmer. "You'll do great," Clove adds.

"Thanks," I say, before following the Capitol attendant into the gymnasium.

It takes me a little while to figure out exactly what I'll do, and I regret not thinking more about this earlier. The private sessions are, like the Tribute Parade, a huge opportunity to gain sponsors. Depending on how impressive you are, the Gamemakers will give you a score from 1-12, 1 being irredeemably bad and 12 being unattainably high. This score shows people how good you are, and whether or not they should sponsor you. Whether you're worth anything at all.

I decide to do a little presentation involving first spear throwing, and second sword combat. It goes well. I hit my target nearly every time. The Gamemakers give me approving nods and some even applaud. When my time's up, I put the sword I was using back in its stand and head for the door that will lead to the elevators. I'm nearly there when I run smack into Glimmer.

Clove

"Good luck, Clove!" Marina says with a smile.

"Thanks. You too," I reply.

"Good luck," Jonah says shyly. Glimmer and Marvel have allowed him to hang around, saying if we build his trust it'll be easier to take him out.

When I get into the gymnasium I head straight for the knife-throwing station. I pick an array of deadly knives and fling them at targets all around the room with precision speed and accuracy. I even throw some with my left hand. When I've hit every target in the training room, I start to aim for random objects. The lights, a rope, which I sever, in the snare station, the seams in the walls. You name it, I throw at it. When I'm done, the Gamemakers applaud lightly, and dismiss me from the room. Satisfied, I hold my head high and my shoulders back as I make my way back to the elevators.

Cato

"Glimmer? I figured you'd be up on your floor by now," I say. This is odd. I'm pretty sure you're actually forbidden from staying down here after your session's over or something.

"I know your plan," Glimmer says venomously, getting straight to the point. My breath catches in my throat. "You and your little lover girl were planning on ditching us after the bloodbath. Isn't Four in on this too?" I stay silent. I have no idea how to react to this. "Mhm..." Glimmer crosses her arms, satisfied that she's got me trapped. "Now let me get this straight with you. I'm not letting any of you out of my sight, and if you do manage to evade my watchful eye, you'll earn your place right at the top of my kill list." I seem to have lost the ability to speak. "One wrong move and you're dead, Two. One wrong move." Glimmer finishes, waving a finger in my face, then slinks off to the elevators.

I sink to the floor and lay my head in my hands. A small groan escapes my lips. Great. Just one more thing to worry about. So much for my perfect plan! Even if Glimmer isn't very strong, she is determined to finish us all off. Clove, Marina, Jonah. Even Marvel. She's probably got half the field on her personal kill list, come to think of it. And determination can drive even the weakest of children to move mountains.