Bad Boy Better Run (Clato)

Chapter Nineteen: Swallowing Words

Author's note: Yes, hello I am alive I'm just very busy and very lazy (if that makes sense). So currently, it is about midnight and I have a spark of inspiration so I decided to not let you all suffer with that cliffhanger any longer. Okay? Okay.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Swallowing Words

[Continued in Cato's point of view]

My face felt hot and my nervousness skyrocketed as Clove's lips neared mine. Should I kiss her? Would it even be appropriate in our current environment? Not that it mattered. If I had to, I could play it off as if I were just using her for a bit of fun before my final kill. Easy.

Taking a risk, I closed the gap between us and roughly placed my lips against hers. She didn't strike me as the kind of girl who wanted some sappy, fantasy-style kiss.

The second we kissed, I immediately regretted it. It almost made me angry. Not only was this probably very damaging to my reputation with the sponsors, but what if Clove started getting clingy? I couldn't have that.

Pulling away, I waited for her reaction. She looked almost peaceful, just for a moment. Then her face became the mask of brute and cunning I'd grown to know. Obviously she'd reciprocated my feelings about the kiss.

It hadn't been good for either of us. We weren't the stupid "star-crossed lovers of District Twelve". We weren't some sappy, ditzy couple. We were in this arena for one reason, and one reason only. And let me tell you something, it wasn't to kiss.

Clove was the first to get up and moving. She was focused, and so was I. Don't think it didn't escape my notice that she was avoiding looking at me, though.

We lingered around for a while, completely unsure of what to do with ourselves. There would be plenty of time for killing during the feast, so there would be no need to go out and kill anyone now. Neither of us were hungry, so why waste the little food we had? And, of course, we weren't talking.

In my mind I debated whether or not to talk to her. You know, smooth out all of the details for the feast. Where we'd be, who'd run out first, what would be done with the other tributes' belongings...that sort of thing.

Man up, idiot, I thought. You can kill but not talk to someone?

Clearing my throat so she would look at me, I began, "So, for the feast, I think it would be best to wait along the tree line, like you said...we'd have the best coverage and if we choose a nice spot, we'll get a good view of everyone."

She nodded in agreement, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "You're right...for once."

I felt my face contort with anger before I realized she was teasing me. "Whatever, princess. Just remember, if you're the damsel in distress, I'm not going to be there to save you, " I replied, smirking.

Rolling her eyes at me, she said, "Oh please. If anyone's going to need saving, it's you, blondie."

With that, she gave me a wink and walked off to a shady spot where she began cleaning her knives.

Gotta say, she impressed me quite a bit.

The day dragged on, and the kiss left my mind as if it had never even happened. However as the day went on, my need for something interesting to happen grew.

The sun was blazing down on us, and the lake adjacent to the clearing where we were was beginning to look exceptionally good in the scorching heat.

I had been sitting under a tree for the past two hours, cramping up and getting bored. Enough of that, right?

Standing up, I stretched and wiped the sweat from my brow. "Well. As enjoyable as being turned into a fried tribute is, I'm going to go cool off."