Dangerous Affection- The Hunger Games- A Cato Love Story

Chapter 10: Arrows, Knives, and an Unforgettable Sight

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As I head toward the elevator, I hang my quiver of arrows and bow on a nearby sword rack, thinking that they were too good just to throw down and possibly break. No, the weapon doesn't deserve the punishment. I push past the gaping Avoxes guarding the elevator, and punch the number eleven button and shoot up towards my floor.

I think about how the scores would be shown in front of all of Panem, and wonder what my family would think of the three I would probably get, if that. Then I think of what Harry and Garrett will think, and I sigh at the thought. I am giving my mentors even less to work with to help try and keep me alive. I feel the tears start to stream from my eyes as I exit the elevator onto my floor, and I run straight to my room, ignoring the calls of everyone else. I drop onto my bed, and really start to sob.

All I can think about is what they will do to me. I know I can handle it if they make my life hell in the Games, if they cut out my tongue and make me an Avox, any physical pain. But what really scared me is if they would take it out on my family. If anything I did today caused their lives to be worse, I wouldn't be able to stand it. What was I thinking?! I wasn't. Obviously I wasn't. But I had. I'd thought it through. I'd known it was stupid, I'd known nothing good would come out of it.

But I'd done it anyway.

Garrett and Harry are knocking at my door. I scream at them to go away, and after a while, they give up and do. It takes over an hour before my eyes are dry, and then I just lie there, lost in my thoughts.

I think about home. I think about Mother, and Father before she died. I think about Marco and Trevor. I think about Xavier, before our other brothers were even born, after Trevor had been born, after Marco had been born, after Mother had died. Xavier and I were two pieces of one puzzle. Most people say that about the love of their life, but I thought otherwise. Functioning without him feels weird, and I always find myself pausing mid-sentence, expecting him to finish it for me, like he always does. I keep waiting for his sarcastic remarks, I miss seeing his wild hair threatening to cover up his eyes, and his never fading smile permanently fixed on his face. I miss the only person in my life that truly understands me.

If I could find someone out there I could love more than like a brother, he had to be something alright.

I calm myself thinking of all this- keeping my mind from wandering to what they might do to my family- and before I know it, I am calm and breathing normally again. I look at the clock, and see that it is nearly supper time. My stomach growls; all this crying has left me feeling kind of hungry. I stand up, brush my hair out, and rinse my face with cold water. I exit my room and make my way to the dining room, where I hear voices coming from. When I enter, every eye is trained on me, but only for a moment, before they all turn back to continue what they were discussing. I smile, grateful.

They continue to talk, and soon run out of things to say. Of course, Ryder has to be the one to ask.

"Just how bad were you?"

I glare at him for a moment, before looking back down at my plate, and I lay my fork down, not hungry anymore.

"Come on, love, things couldn't have gone that bad." Ryder presses.

The comment that suggested we could throw around names like that, that we were more than acquaintances- for I wouldn't even call it a friendship- sets me off.

"I threw knives at and shot an arrow at the Gamemakers." I snap.

All eyes are trained on me, not even trying to hide their shock. "You what?" Felicia shrieks.

"You heard me. I threw knives at a few of their plates of food, and shot an arrow right above the head Gamemaker. If he'd stood right when I let go, he'd be dead right now." I answer, without any emotion.

"Why in Panem would you do such a thing?" Felicia continues to scorn me, her voice really high.

"They weren't paying any attention to me."

"That doesn't make it right!"

"Good for you." Garrett says suddenly.

Now all eyes are on him. "Do what now?" Felicia asks him.

"Good for her. The Gamemakers never give the last tributes a thought. They are always low scored because of it, and sponsors never support them. Even if she is low scored, at least they might think twice about not paying attention to the last few tributes next year." Garrett explains.

"Well... I suppose... What did they say?" Darien asks.

"I don't know. Left before they got the chance."

"You left without being dismissed?!" Felicia shrieks, yet again.

"I dismissed myself." I say, rather dryly. I look over at Harry. "What do you think they'll do with me?"

He shrugs. "Nothing now. Probably make your life hell in the arena, but they won't replace you now or anything. Be too much of a pain."

"What about my family? Will they hurt them?"

"No. Then they would have to explain what happened in the Training Center to do that, and that's against the rules. So there's no point."

"Well, they're already going to do that anyway," Ryder says.

"True that." Garrett agrees, and I realize that they've actually cheered me up. Felicia still looks aghast, but the rest of them look as if nothing important had happened.

Suddenly, Garrett chuckles. "What were their faces like?"

I smile, remembering. "They were all really freaked, and most of them ducked under the table, as if I was actually planning on hurting them."

They all laugh, and after dinner is through, we all head into the living room to watch the scoring. They show a picture of the tribute, and then say their name and score. The Career Tributes naturally get into the eight-to-ten range. Most of the others average a five. I try not to care that Cato gets a ten, and I see little Lucas gets a seven, which surprises me. Whatever he had done must have really impressed the judges.

District 11 comes up, and Ryder manages an eight, so some of the Gamemakers must have been paying attention to him. As my picture comes up, and my name is read, I hold my breath as my score is read.

"Alexandra Cade... An eleven! Wow, I would like to have seen what went on in that session!" Caesar Flickerman cries out, and continues with the final two tributes, who's scores I don't pay attention to.

I'm being pat on the back and congratulated, but I barely notice. I'd managed to gain the Gamemakers attention alright, and was rewarded with an eleven.

The question is, whether it is a good thing or bad.