Clato: Fire Meets Gasoline {A Hunger Games Story}

chapter fourteen

*CLOVE'S POV*

The four of us walk around the training room, sizing up the other tributes, smirks on each of our faces.

As I walk around the room, Cato calls me over. I make my way over to him, where Marvel and Glimmer are also standing. He points over at the boy from Twelve, Peeta, climbing a rope ladder. He drops from the rope onto the ground, hitting it hard.

I smirk and cross my arms, along with the other Careers, enjoying his failure. In a flash, the girl from Twelve, Katniss, is kneeling on the floor next to him, whispering something in his ear.

He stands up and walks over to the weights section. I watch the scene unfold, fascinated. We all laugh as he picks up the weight, he is getting ahead of himself. He lifts it over his head and throws it with force, and it hits a rack of spears.

I take a step back and my smirk fades. I wouldn't even be able to lift that, let alone throw it as far as he did. Cato turns to look at us, each of us with slight shock on our faces.
"Not bad". He says before walking away to the swords station.

***

Cato, Marvel, Glimmer and I gather loudly round one of the tables in the lunch hall. We smirk at the other tributes who are all sitting on their own, apart from the District Twelve tributes, who are sitting together.
How unusual.

"Are we gonna need District Four?" Marvel asks, glancing around the room.
"They are useless to us". I reply, twirling my fork in the plate of pasta we were each given.
"Yeah, look at them". Cato mocks, pointing to the opposite end of the room.

The boy sits with his head down, staring at his pasta, not making eye contact with anyone.
The girl, who was staring at our table longingly, looks away quickly. She must realise that, even though she is from a Career District, One and Two are superior and what we say goes.

"So Marvel, what is your weapon?" Cato asks.
"I'm good at throwing spears". He replies.
"You should see him, Cato. He's super good".
I add, glancing over at Cato. Something flashes in his eyes in the split second he looks at me for, before his eyes travel to Glimmer.

"And you?" He asks.
"I'm good with a dagger. And also with a bow and arrow". She chirps in reply.

"Well, i'm good with swords and Clove is an incredible knife thrower". He says, nodding in my direction. I nod in response to the statement and, as another conversation strikes up at the table, my mind can't help but wander to everyone I left back in Two.

"All Tributes return to the training centre". A voice says over the speaker.
"Guess we'd better head back". Cato says as we all stand up from the table. We stride past all the other tables confidently, glaring and smirking at every single tribute we pass.

*CATO'S POV*
*before lunch*

I slash the dummy with my sword multiple times. I know for a fact that if it were an actual human, it would be well dead by now.

I glance around the room looking for Clove. I haven't spoken to her since we got to training, as I figured she would want to focus. But I can only go so long without seeing her.

I spot her away on the other end of the room, at the knife throwing section. I watch as she aims her knife for the target and hits it bang on. Behind her, a boy stands with his arms crossed, watching her.

I watch as she whips around to face him and they begin talking. Jealousy courses through my body. He seems really happy to be talking to her and she doesn't exactly look like she's complaining either.

I know it shouldn't bother me this much. It's not as if Clove came to the Capitol single.

I watch as she follows him to the spear section and stands a few steps behind him. His throw is perfect, hitting the target right on centre.
Then suddenly, her eyes are on me and she calls me over.

I make my way over to them, still holding my sword. Clove smiles at me and then the boy.
"Cato, this is Marvel. He's from One". Clove tells me.
"I'm Marvel". He says with a grin, extending his hand for me to shake.
"Cato". I reply, shaking it, my grip a lot tighter than usual. Clove is mine, I hope he knows that.

"Where's the girl from One?" Clove asks, pulling me out of my thoughts about her. Marvel points over to the bow and arrow section.

"Glimmer!" He yells across the room. I watch as a pretty blonde girl puts down the bow and makes her way towards us.
"Glimmer, this is Clove and Cato, from Two".
"Hi, i'm Glimmer!" She replies with a smile.
I nod in response to her.

This should be an interesting week.