Panem High School {COMPLETED}

Chapter 50 - Cato

(Oh my gosh, I'm already on Chapter 50...wow...this might be a long book. I feel so accomplished....And to think, this book was just going to be something I did in my free time, that I wouldn't put much thought into! Luckily for you all, it's grown into so much more. Thank you all for reading it, I couldn't ask for better readers!)

(Cato's POV)

Johanna and Clove are arguing about something when I find them in the library on Saturday. I probably should just walk up to them, but I slip behind a bookshelf to eavesdrop for a few minutes first. Really good idea, right? Eavesdrop on your girlfriend's private argument with her best friend?

"Johanna, I'm going to tell him..." Clove's voice is a strange mix of irritated and concerned, and I wonder if this has anything to do with the Mason-Everdeen feud.

"No, don't! Clove, I don't want the whole school to know!" Johanna sounding worried is incredibly uncommon.

"Cato won't tell the whole school!"

"He'll tell Gale, and Gale will tell Madge, and Madge will tell everyone!"

Clove sighs. "He won't. Johanna, please-"

"Fine!"

I decide that now is a good time to make my presence known. I walk out into the open, pretending I haven't heard a thing they just said. "Hey!"

"Speak of the devil," Johanna muttered, not sparing a smile on me. Clove jumps up to pull me over to the table.

"Well isn't that a good way to greet your friend," I say, feigning hurt. Johanna rolls her eyes, but I can see a ghost of a smile. "What's up?"

Clove glances at Johanna expectantly, who just waves her on with a kind of "your idea, you tell him" gesture, apparently not in the mood to tell me.

"Well, um...lots of things...Johanna's parents are getting a divorce, for one."

Johanna doesn't even react, which means she either doesn't care, or is trying really hard to make it look like she doesn't care. I say, "I'm sorry, that stinks."

Johanna shrugs. "Had to happen at some point."

"You said 'for one'," I say, turning back to Clove.

"Right...well...Johanna is also in danger of being expelled."

"WHAT?!" One of the librarians glares at us, and I quiet down. "Why?"

"She got into a fight with Katniss during drama," Clove says, glaring at Johanna, "and got sent to the office, and Mr. Snow said she'd already been in trouble too much."

"Wait, was that the fight that Gale told me about? Where you two were almost punching each other?"

"You were punching each other?!" Clove looks scandalized, and Johanna and I both start laughing at her expression, which doesn't help.

"No," Johanna says once she can talk again. "We weren't punching each other! I'm not stupid enough to start a fistfight in the middle of class."

Clove doesn't look convinced.

"Anyway, back to the being expelled thing," Johanna continues, "If I can keep myself from getting sent to the office, I'll be fine."

"Wait..." I say, as I realize something terrible. "If you have another fight with Katniss, you'll be expelled..."

Johanna's eyes widen in shock, for a moment she looks truly worried. Quickly, though, that expression changes into her normal look of impassiveness. Clove's grave face is a sharp contrast. "I never thought of that..."

"I'll just avoid her, then. You wanted to me stop fighting with her, and here you go!" Johanna forces a small laugh, but we all know it's fake.

"It would be better if you and Katniss just stopped fighting," I said honestly.

Johanna immediately shook her head. "No way. You didn't hear how she talked to Clove. I can't just forget that."

"Johanna!" I think this is a conversation they've had a lot recently. "Please just get over it! I have, and I'm the one she was talking to!"

Johanna just shakes her head stubbornly. After a few more half-hearted attempts, Clove gives up. "Whatever. Just don't get in trouble."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Johanna says, smiling.

~~~~

As the school play draws nearer, Finnick, Johanna, Gale, and Katniss have no free nights, what with rehearsals, and football practice for Finnick and Gale. During lunch, they keep trying to make the rest of us run lines with them. Thank goodness Johanna and Katniss only have about one scene together.

Johanna miraculously manages to stay out of trouble, though I can't say how. In unrelated news, things that Johanna would normally have taken credit for (dying Glimmer's hair pink, putting glue in all the locks in the girls' bathroom so the stall doors won't open, anonymous typed notes to teachers sarcastically telling them about all the problems with their teaching, etc.) happen, though no one knows who does them. I think I might have an idea who the criminal is.

Around the middle of November, Glimmer starts flirting with me nonstop. I knew this would happen at some point, but I thought she'd give it at least until January. I ignore her completely, but she doesn't stop. Clove noticed it too, and I think it really annoys her.

While I'm ignoring her, Gale and Finnick find it incredibly funny to imitate her. If we're walking past the cheerleaders at half-time, and Glimmer is there, they immediately start prancing around and fluttering their eyelashes at me, which only makes Glimmer furious. It's actually really funny.

Madge is the only person who doesn't appreciate the imitations. When she's not there, Gale and Finnick can keep the table laughing for hours doing their imitation, and it's rapidly growing popular. People are stopping them in the hall to make them do "The Glimmer Thing." They love the attention.

You'd think that would make Glimmer stop, but no. She keeps making a fool of herself, and I wonder if she possibly thought our relationship had been more than popularity.