Clato: Cuts Beneath the Surface

Chapter 57

Happiness for me was always a struggle. It came in small surprises like a dinner at the Meadow's or a Christmas present from Lisette. I always felt like you lived without happiness and it came along every once and a while but was never a true part of your life. There was never much of a reason to be happy. Not with Favian.

For the first time in my life I feel like I'm looking over the edge of a mountain. As if the storm will finally break and I can slide down the other side. With Cato, maybe I have a chance.

When we come down from the roof, leaving the constellations behind, neither of us speaks. We don't talk about what this is or where we are going. We don't talk about the hard road ahead of us or the nightmares plaguing us in sleep. Cato simply leads me down the steps, back to the music, back to the party as grand as life itself. I float as if in a dream.

Cato doesn't let go of my hand as he guides me through the crowd. I suddenly find myself on the edges of the dance floor. "You can't possibly know how to dance," I hiss at Cato.

"Oh really?" He pulls me into him, putting his hand on my hip and placing mine around his neck. We move gently to the beat of the music.

"This isn't actually dancing, it's just swaying." I tease.

"If you're so high and mighty we can stop." I shake my head and laugh at the face he makes. A slow song taps out its crystal chords. I lean my head onto Cato's shoulder. We seem to fit together like books on a shelf. "Thought not," Cato jokes. We dance until I lose track of time and today becomes yesterday and tomorrow today.

At one point I see Cordelia watching us and smiling while Brutus and Enobaria argue on either side of her. I wonder what they're arguing about briefly but it's hard to care when Cato has his arms around me. The air turns to pine needles and chocolate, a scent I could smell forever.

Eventually Cordelia comes to collect us. Cato tucks his hand back into mine as I yawn sleepily. It's been a long night. Cordelia chatters about Capitol gossip but I ignore it and nod at the appropriate times. Enobaria and Brutus join us by the car. We are taking a single limo together this time. Again, I am curious but couldn't be bothered to care. Enobaria is red faced while Brutus is silent the entire ride. I stare out the window at the Capitol, pointing things out to Cato as we go. He leans heavily on my shoulder to get a good view.

After a while I glance back at him to find he has fallen asleep on me. Easing Cato's head into my lap, I stroke his hair and stare out at the lights of the Capitol. It is beautiful, in a way.

I begin to realize something is wrong when the car pulls into a long driveway leading to a massive manor. Cordelia climbs out and has a long talk with the driver before coming back and telling me we need to go inside. I wake Cato, who is confused and still half asleep. We walk into the manor, accompanied by two guards.

I have no idea what we're doing or why Enorbaria and Brutus didn't come in with us. My brain feels fuzzy and won't work properly. I find myself in a large office. A white haired man turns to face me. It takes me a moment to register my shock. President Snow. We are in President Snow's mansion. I should be terrified but the only emotion I can muster at this hour is hatred. This is the man who put me in the arena. This is the man who turns children into beasts, in more ways than one.

President Snow has black eyes like charcoal with hair and a beard to math his name. My comforting pine and chocolate aroma is overcome by the sickly sweet of roses and blood. He smiles like a snake as we sit down at his desk.

"Mr. Hadley, Miss Fuhman," he says menacingly. "contrary to most, I do not wish to congratulate you." My veins turn to ice.

"Why are we here then?" Cato says, now fully alert. He seems more angry than wary, which could get us both killed. Cato doesn't understand how to deal with men who want to feel like they have power, but I do.

"You see, the problem is that the TWO of you are here. When there should only have been one victor." I feel Cato slip his hand into mine but avoid looking at him, at anything except the poisonous snake ready to bite at any moment. President Snow stands up and begins to pace before us. "I know all about your little stunt with the knife Clove. We know it wasn't Cato you were trying to kill." Bile rises in my throat.

President Snow continues, "When the two of you passed out, we fired a canon. Cato was on top of you so we couldn't tell whose heart monitor was who. I instructed Seneca Crane to crown a single Victor. He told the medics who attended to you to kill one and save the other." He looks directly at me. "You can see where this is going.

"You, my dear Clove, were never supposed to live. But there was a mistake. You both survived. You both were crowned. I do not tolerate mistakes." The room shakes with his fury. "My problem now, is that it is too late to kill one of you. It's too suspicious, you were both just crowned. But now, everyone thinks they can change the rules. They can beat me. But you cannot beat me Miss Fuhman, nor you Mr. Hadley." Cato's hand squeezes mine hard enough that my knuckles turn white.

President Snow stops pacing abruptly and faces us. "I cannot kill you but I can kill everyone you hold dear." Cato holds my hand so hard it hurts. "And if you do not wish that to happen you will listen very carefully and do exactly as I say." I nod slowly.

"You will act like careers. You will tell everyone how grateful you are to the Capitol. You will tell them it is a miracle granted by President Snow that you survived. You will be cold, cunning, and ruthless. You will make the people hate you so they cannot root for you. Because if they hate you, they cannot make you their symbol of rebellion." Rebellion? I think.

"You will tolerate one another. You will fight. You will make everyone believe that you would have killed one another in the arena without s second thought if only you had the chance. You will make me believe you are not just a pair of insolent, spoiled children who think love means anything. Do I make myself clear?" Snow's words fall like stones.

He will kill everyone I love. He will kill Elise and Roni, Lisette, Old Ella, Elise's entire family probably. Winter.

Much as Cato makes me happy, he is not worth more death. Death has already become a friend to me too often. A fire flashes before my eyes, my parents burning, burning, burning. I have to do this. I have to keep them safe because I never could before. I know Cato has come to the same decision. Not being with me is worth it for him to protect Scarlet. Separation will be the only way to make this work. Until the victory tour, we can't see each other. It's for the best. Maybe separation will change how I feel. Then we will put on this show, we will do as Snow asks and pretend to have loved killing every other kid in that arena. And that will be the end of it. It's the way it must be. Cato and I cannot even be friends. Not if we wish to protect the people we love. Cato lets go of my hand.

I leave the mansion, feeling as though as part of me has gone missing. Cordelia attempts to pat my shoulder as I climb into the car but I shove her away. Sitting as far away as I can get from Cato, I lean my head against the window. Tears fill my eyes but I don't let them fall, not yet. Our mentors knew. This is what they're been fighting about, why we couldn't know the other had lived until the last second. As they argue I sneak a glance at Cato to find him peeking at me. His blue eyes are hard as diamonds, cold as ice. I do not recognize them. And that is what finally shatters me. They have taken the boy I love and made him unrecognizable in his misery.

I look away. Tears fall and I let them. There is no greater pain than a breaking heart.

The End.

Of book 1. . . .

A/N ATTENTION!! The sequel is called "The Cost of a Broken Heart" and will be posted soon! I hope all of you continue on with the sorry and check it out. Thanks for being fantastic readers, please comment and vote! I would also love to hear your suggestions about the next book (though it has been planned from the start of this one and I have already laid the foundation for it). Thanks again!!!
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