Needing the Impossible (A Clato Fanfic)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10:
Cato's POV

Clove hasn't spoken to me since the day her mother died. Of course, there isn't much need for her to. We don't have any classes together, she sits by herself at lunch, and she hasn't come back to training yet because of her leg – much to the displeasure of Fabrizio. Still, I can sense a strong wave of hostility rolling off her whenever I walk by her. Merely making eye contact with her earns me a fierce glare, and my smirk just seems to piss her off. This doesn't really bother me, except that it's messing up my plan. She reacted way worse than I expected when I tried to kiss her, and now I may be losing what progress I've made over the past year.

I frown down at my lunch as I contemplate my problem. There's really nothing I can do at this point. I'll have to wait until she returns to training. But even then, what can I do about it? She's not going to talk to me, and physical contact is clearly out of the question. As I take a bite out of the sandwich I've been given, I try and remember exactly what upset her that day at the river. It wasn't our closeness. I'd carried her half way across District 2 and it didn't bother her. The physical contact didn't seem to really bother her either, since she didn't freak out when I touched her hair. It had been the kiss itself. But why? What about it? Did she not feel the same way? She hadn't expressly said that. She'd said-

And it hits me. Go take advantage of one of those sluts that sit at your table every day. Those had been her exact words. She thought I was trying to take advantage of her. No wonder she'd freaked out. She had thought I was using her weakness from her mother's death to get what I wanted. I'm disgusted by the idea, even though she's technically right. I wasn't using her like that, I just needed to secure her loyalty for the Games. Now she probably thinks I'm just a horny pervert or something like that. Fantastic.

As all this is occurring to me, I suddenly realize that Veronica is practically sitting in my lap. She couldn't sit much closer at any rate. I move away immediately, trying to distance myself from the “slut at my table” as Clove would call her. The last thing I need right now is Clove seeing something like this. It would just prove everything she said to me true. Veronica notices the movement immediately and scoots closer, this time boldly reaching for a grape sitting on my tray. I give her as annoyed a look as possible, but she ignores it. She pops the grape into her mouth and chews it, drawing as much attention to her lips as possible. I pull my tray away from her. “Eat your own food, bitch,” I say harshly.

Instead of tossing her hair over her shoulder and flouncing away like I want her to, Veronica puts on the most pathetic, stupid looking pout I've ever seen. “Cato, baby,” she whines as she scoots closer to me. “What's wrong? You've been acting strange all week,” she whispers. Just the fact that I can hear her quiet voice emphasizes how close she is to me. I shoot her a look of disgust, but she ignores it. Again.

I turn away from her and return to eating my sandwich, hoping that if I completely ignore her, she'll go fawn over Lysander, who would love the attention. I see her move in my peripheral vision, and I close my eyes in a quick prayer that she's getting up to leave. I really don't need Clove thinking I'm enjoying her attention. When I open my eyes, her right leg in my lap, so that she's now half-sitting on me. I look at her, unfortunately giving into her desire for my attention, and see a slight smirk etched across her face. She really is attractive, but I don't give a crap about her. Why can't she go harass Lysander? “Cato,” she whispers into my ear seductively, and I feel her hand start to massage my inner thigh.

I'm instantly aroused, which makes her smile. Shit. “Veronica,” I say quietly, trying to control my anger.

“Hmm?” she asks, looking into my eyes, clearly thinking she's won. Forget being nice, this girl's a monster.