Selected Future (Hunger games-Cato love story-AU)

Day 1 - Building the trust of one

Chapter 3

//Ash's POV\\

I was actually crying while telling an eight year old about Elis and how she was the best friend anyone could have. As I cried I felt Talia hug me and that made me feel a little bit better. Maybe I actually made a friend again, even though Talia is only eight I still feel happy. I looked up and to my right to find Cato staring at me with mixed emotion and that's when I became scared again. I hurriedly dried my tears while muttering a sorry and helped Talia off the counter. I smiled at her trying to hide my disappointment but also my fear that Cato will make fun of me like the other kids do whenever they see me in town by myself.

Talia looks at me then at Cato, "Cato can I stay here and help her?" It was quiet for a few minutes and all that time I avoided Cato's eyes. "Yeah, sure... We can stay for a while." I was happy but also dissappointed. I just nodded and went into the storage area taking two aprons and walking back to Talia and Cato. I nervously hand one to Cato before going to the knives and cut a pieces of the apron off so it could fit Talia right. Once I was finished I went over to Talia and helped her put it on and by also carefully braiding her hair so it wouldn't get in the frosting or the cake batter.

Once Talia and Cato were ready I told them to wash their hands and they did. They walked back over to me and asked what they could do for the rest of their time their. I gave Cato a simple job of just mixing the cake batter for me while Talia got to put sprinkles on the ones I was frosting. Twenty minutes into our work the door bell rang and I went to help the costumer. I got busy packing six cupcakes for the costumer when two more came in and waited in line. Once I was finished with the first one I got to the second one and was almost finished when a group of five rich kids came in. What made it worse was that they where the kids that passed the academy the same year as Cato. They all stared at me while smirking or chuckling under their breath. I sigh and continue with the costumers until the first kid came up to place his order.

Once all of them place their orders I went into the baking area to see Cato still mixing the cake mix and Talia was putting the decorated cupcakes on a tray beside her. I smile and walked to the already made cakes I made this morning and began cutting a few slices for the kids that placed an order. I also got a glass of water that one of the girl ordered before I headed out to serve them as they waited at a table in the sitting room. I got to their table and put the cake on the table then I was heading towards the other side of the table to hand one of the girls water to her when one of the boys moved their foot out tripping me.

As I fell the glass shattered wetting my clothes while also cutting one of my hands and both of my arms. What made it worse was that as I went down I grabbed the table cloth by accident having the cake slices fly at me and end up on my shirt, face, and hair. By now all of the five kids were laughing super hard and were standing up leaving me a mess on the floor. One boy took a coin and flicked it at my head making me wince. "Thanks for the entertainment... see you around whenever we get bored again." Once they left I began to cry again but I let sob out a little too much and I knew someone would probably find me and laugh at me like the others did.

I just got on my knees and looked at my hand and arms that was bleeding kind of badly and was slightly shaking. I didn't feel the pain surprisingly as I began to pick up the glass and cake pieces. I was halfway through cleaning my mess when I heard someone rushing over to me. I felt a pair of hands take the tray from my hands and set it on the floor. I didn't want to look up afraid i'd see a smiling face that was ready to laugh at my pain. Everyone was right, I'm weak and would never survive the world much less the Hunger Games if I ever went in. The hands I felt earlier were now on my shoulders and they made me turn to look at the person. I looked up and saw Cato staring at me in concern, so I looked away feeling the tears coming back.