The Lost Chance

Chapter Sixteen

"I could keep guard too," I offer.

"No, I'm enough. It's all right," he says as I lay my head on his lap discreetly. "Shh. Just rest, close your eyes Clove."

"All right..." I said as I felt my eyes drooping. "I love you, Cato,"

"I love you too, Clove,"

"WAKE UP! WAKE UP! PACK YOUR STUFF QUICKLY!"

I wake up to the smell of smoke. At first I thought the bonfire we made got out of control but I realized there wasn't any fire here.

"Why?" I asked as I got my bearings quickly.

"There's fire somewhere to the east," Cato handed me a piece of bread, "I say we go a little farther from the fire. They could be targeting Katniss, and she'll lose all rational thoughts and get away from the fire,"

"Ooh, handsome, strong and smart," Glimmer flirted, "I like that,"

And I like you. In jar. Preserved in my cabinet.

So we ran towards the fire. As expected, it was controlled by the Gamemakers. It spread through a wide space, but it stopped at certain invisble boundaries.

"Keep an eye out for Katniss, Lover Boy," Marvel ordered Peeta who seemed pale and sweaty.

Suddenly, there was a large blast. 

"What was that?" Fish asked, a weapon ready in her hand.

"Fireballs!" Cato ran towards north, motioning for us to follow him, "They're targeting Katniss!"

"Wait, I think I saw her," Peeta says, his voice strained, "I think she went her. Please, trust me, she ran this way,"

He pointed towards the direction opposite to where Cato wanted to go. I came up to Peeta and got the small knife Enobaria gave me.

"No, Peeta. She ran this way, or maybe you're trying to trick us?" I held the knife closer to Peeta's throat as he tried to swallow, "Follow what Cato says, all right? Or next time, I wouldn't give you a chance,"

We took off for the north again, with Peeta following hesitantly. "You still trust him?" I ask Cato as soon as I caught up with him.

"What? I've never trusted him?" he replied, slowing a bit to match my pace.

"Then why keep him, Cato?" I asked again.

"As they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer," he smiled, then looked at me and winked, "And keep the love of your life the closest to you,"

"Whatever," I say, but I was grinning like mad. Probably blushing too.

"There!" Fish pointed at a clearing where the fire didn't reach anymore. It was already starting to die down anyways.

"There she is!" Marvel laughed as we neared the pond where Katniss was resting. She seemed to be injured. I looked at Peeta and I knew it: he was trying to lie to us. Distract us from finding her. He loves her, every message clear from the look on his face. "There's our girl on fire!"

She quickly got out of the pond and seemed to be checking the trees. "Follow her!" Cato says, and we do it at once.

Katniss then stopped in front of a sturdy looking tree and scaled it like a monkey.

Glimmer ran after her, trying to clim the tree, but instantly fell. "Dammit!" she cursed.

She took her glittering bow and arrow, even though she doesn't know how to use them, and tries to take down Katniss. Instead, it doesn't hit her, not even close. Katniss gets the arrow and waves it above her head, mocking a furious Glimmer.

"I'll do it!" Cato pushes Marvel and Glimmer out of the way and tries to climb the tree.

"Kill her, Cato! Kill her!" I encourage him, but he falls as he grabs a frail branch that broke off easily. I had to resist the urge to run to him.

"Just leave her be," Peeta suggested and I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously. "She can't stay up in a tree forever right? She has to go down sooner or later,"

I wanted to tell him off, that he only wants to save her, but then I realize he's right.

"OK, let's make camp here," Cato says throwing his bag down in frustration, "Glimmer, Fish, go gather some firewood. The two of you will be on guard too. Marvel, Peeta, keep an eye on Katniss,"

"Hey, calm down," I touch his arm and I wanted to hug him so badly. "Peeta's right. She'll come down eventually,"

"And we'll kill her the moment she gets in range," he says and I sense the anger coming out from him. But just one look at me, and it's gone. "Sorry,"

"Seriously? Cato, there's nothing to be sorry about," I say, laughing. "I'll probably do the same,"

It was nighttime already, and the Games was getting boring. No deaths so far, and I'm pretty sure the audience are hungry for blood.

It took a while before I could get any sleep. Heck, even Glimmer and Fish were already sleeping even though Cato assigned them to be on guard. Even Marvel was asleep. Only Peeta and I are awake now.

"You love her," I say. It wasn't a question, and I knew from the look on his eyes that what I said was true.

"Just like the way you love him," he nods towards Cato was asleep, his sword in his hand.

"You do realize that only one of us comes out, right?" I ask him.

"I'd rather want her to win than any of you Careers," he says bitterly, an edge of fear in his voice.

I laugh a humourless laugh. "Nah, that's all right. We Careers were born to die,"

"What?" he asks, the confusion plain on his face.

"No, nothing. Just get to sleep," I fake a yawn, followed by a real one, "I'm getting sleepy anyways,"

I plopped myself down beside Cato. I looked at his handsome features, Peeta's words replaying over and over again in my mind. 

You do realize that only one of us comes out, right?

I'd rather want her to win than any of you Careers.

Then my own voice saying, We Careers were born to die.

I realized I didn't know what I was saying, that I didn't mean it. Why are we Careers born to die? We were trained to fight, to die for our District. Why can't we be born to love? Because right now, here we are, Cato and I, star-crossed lovers just like Peeta and Katniss, loving each other.

Except we weren't given the chance.

I finally slept. I vaguely remember a grassy plain with tree everywhere. It looked just like Cato's clearing back home. We were there, holding hands seeming so happy.

Then someone screamed.

Glimmer screamed.

Author's note: I'm so sorry I didn't get to update last Monday. Something came up and blah blah blah. Senior life is sooo hard. :( Anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter :)