✓ | First Love ↠ Clato

Chapter 7

(Cato's POV)

Ever since her brother was killed in the arena, Clove hasn't come to school. I heard she hasn't even gone outside.

I walk past her house today, and her mom calls for me. I walk up to her. What does she need?

"You're Cato, right?" she asks. "I think she could do with someone her age to talk to."

"Of course." I reply. Clove is in a treehouse, looking into the distance.

"Hi." I say.

Clove looks down and sees me. "Hello," she says. "Wanna come up?"

It is a very good view from the treehouse. You can see all the way to the snow-capped mountains. She leans her head on my shoulder, and I wince in pain. I cut myself earlier on today in training. The minute I wince, her head shoots off it in concern.

"Is your shoulder okay?" she asks.

"Oh, I just cut it in training today." I reply.

She doesn't look convinced. "I'll get you a wet cloth for it." she says, climbing down the ladder. When she comes back up, she pulls down the sleeve of my shirt and softly dabs it on the cut.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" she asks. I shake my head. It actually feels really good. She has very soft hands as well. I realise there's something I want to tell her.

"Clove, after you brother died, I had a thought." I say. She stops dabbing and looks into my eyes.

"If you and I are ever reaped and we have to go into the arena, both of us, I want us to either win together or not at all. Because I can't afford to be left at the situation where one of us will have to kill the other."

Her eyes are wide open in awe. There is a silence for a few moments. Then she wraps her arms around me. "Thank you." she whispers. I hug her back. Then she does something totally unplanned. When she breaks from the hug, she leans forward and softly kisses my cheek.

Wow, I can't believe that's part 1 done already! And by that I mean their childhood; now the story skips to when they are reaped into the 74th Hunger Games...expect some drama...and more tiny chapters!