𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.Cato Hadley

13.

"I'll tell you what Peeta. You go out there and you win this thing, and when you get home, she has to go out with you. Right folks?"

"Thanks, but I don't think winning is gonna help me." What is he talking about?

"And why not?" We are all glued to the TV to find out the answer. This got very interesting.

"Because um... because she came here with me." For a moment I stand still not realizing what he said, but after a few seconds, I understand what he means. He's talking about me! Oh, shit.

"Well, that's bad luck," Ceaser tells him.

Bad luck? No, it's not bad luck, it's Peeta's dumb strategy. Who gave him the right to use me to win sponsors? I'm angry that he didn't tell me, I'm angry that he ignored me all day and now he says he has a crush on me. What the hell?

"Well, I don't think any of us can blame you. It would be hard not to fall for this young lady." Peeta just nods in answer. "Well, I wish you the best of luck, Peeta Mellark, and I think I speak for all of Panem when I say our hearts go out to you." They send Peeta away and the show ends.

He comes back to us and everyone congratulates him on the interview, but I don't say anything. I wait until we get out of the room where everyone else is, so I don't make unnecessary scenes. Before we leave I catch the eye of Cato who looks like he's ready to kill someone. I try not to hold his gaze too much because I don't I want to think about him.

Once when we're in the elevator with Peeta and Haymitch, I stop pretending nothing happened.

"Why did you do that? You had no right to say that about me!" I directly ask, without caring if I shout.

"Hey, hey! Calm down!" Haymitch tells me.

"That was your idea, wasn't it? Make a fool of me in front of the whole country?" That's what they did all day, thinking about how to screw me up.

"The idea was mine. Haymitch just helped me."

"Melanie, stop acting like that! He didn't harm you in any way, he even helped you."

"How? By making me look weak?" I ask.

"No! He made you look desirable! Now everyone wants you. They only talk about you!" The elevator opens and we enter the apartment where Effie, Cinna, and Portia are.

"But I don't want them to think we're in love!"

"What happens?" Effie asks worried, but everyone ignores her.

"Who cares? It's all one big performance. It's just about how he perceives you. The most I could say about you after your interview was that you seemed pretty nice and now everyone thinks boys adore you." I never wanted my fame to be with that. I want to be known for myself and not because someone is in love with me.

"He is right, Mel" Cinna tells me. The nickname Mel brings me back to Layla. She used to call me that. That calms me down and Cinna hugs me. I don't know what to think anymore.

"Are you calm now?" Haymitch asks me.

"Yes."

"Good. Now go and get ready for dinner. I can't look at you like this anymore." He's angry about my reaction, but he can't blame me. If they had told me, this wouldn't have happened.