Bloody and Broken (Clato)

Chapter Nineteen

    Hey everyone! Okay, so this is probably the last chapter before the actual last chapter. YAY NEW PROJECT! Don't get me wrong, I've loved writing this story, but,

    "He made me look weak!" Cato exclaims, flailing his arms.

    "He just got lucky, " I sigh, getting tired with the conversation.

    At first, I wanted to comfort him, but of course he insisted on being a stubborn jerkweed, and continued to rant, and rant...and rant. He's convinced himself that he's going to march right back into the training center and "kill" that boy.

    In all honesty, I now think the whole thing is rather stupid. Cato's won the Hunger Games! He doesn't need to be concerned with a small little sparring match. Then again, I don't think like a guy, so the situation is probably completely different in his...interesting mind.

    "It doesn't matter! Everyone's gonna think I'm some sort of idiot because I got beat by that scrawny no-good twerp!" Cato angrily whines.

    "Can we not focus on little twerps? Please? We have bigger problems to think about." 

    "I know, I know, but it just makes me s-"

    Cato abruptly stops talking and a scowl appears on his face. I follow his gaze to the window he's scowling at, and I recognize two guys from the training center. The guy who beat him, and another guy who I'm guessing is his friend.

    The two are holding up a sign with extremely crude insults, and I don't even bother trying to restrain Cato as he jumps up from his seat on the couch and bolts out the front door. I watch as he stalks towards the window where the two are now pale-faced and wide-eyed. 

    In a matter of seconds, both boys are crumpled on the ground covered in their own blood, and their eyes are almost swollen shut. 

    Cato comes strolling back into the house, whistling casually. "I can't believe you just did that, " I declare. shaking my head.

    His upper lip curls. "They deserved it."

    "I know...but I don't want their gross bodies on our front lawn."

    "They're not dead. They'll get off of the lawn eventually."

    ~&^&~

    The days passed quickly and now it was a day before our...wedding. A hard lump formed in my throat at the thought. We have exactly one day to prove ourselves, or...one of us dies. The good thing, though, is that Raja...or Aden, has backed off. We haven't heard from her at all. I suppose that's a good sign, right? Maybe they forgot to be watching us.

    Letting out a shaky breath, I slip out of my bed and head down the hall into the bathroom. Our rehersals had been last night. Cato and I were both awkward and stiff. It was an extremely uncomfortable experience, but at least we'd know how to act tomorrow.

    After I brush my teeth and generally get ready for the day, I head downstairs to find Cato sitting on the couch staring blankly at the wall. It would be kind of comical, but I have a sneaking suspicion of what his weird action is for. "How long have you been up?" I ask, sitting down next to him.

    He looks at me and shrugs. I can tell he's been up for a long time; dark circles lay under his eyes, and his hair is sticking out in different directions. I feel a pang of I don't even know what, in my heart and offer him a smile. "You should go upstairs and get some sleep...you look tired." I try, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

    "Yeah, " He slowly nods. "That's probably a good idea."

    He gives me a small smile before headings upstairs. After he leaves, I put my head between my hands and rest my elbows on my legs. 

    I can honestly say I wish the Games had never happened. Because of the Games, Cato and I are broken. I should have seen this before. I want to rewind time - or something, anything! 

    Eventually, I get up from the couch and get myself some breakfast, feeling anxious for Cato to wake up and come back downstairs. I'd like to see that boyish grin one more time. And I hate to say this, but I actually miss his cocky, superior attitude.

    A few hours later, Cato finally decides to come downstairs. He looks a lot better than he did when I first saw him down here. "Hey." He greets, sitting down on the couch.

    I grin at him. "Hey, Blondie."

    He nods. "I was up - all night."

    Laughing slightly, I sit down next to him. "That much is obvious."

    "One more day, " He sighs. "Think we'll make it?"

    "What kind of a question is that? Of course we will!" I exclaim, raising my eyebrows.

    He raises his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Okay, okay. Just making sure we're both on the same page."

    "Yeah, whatever. Go eat something you must be starving."

    Cato tilts his head. "Can you pleeease make me something?" He pleads, batting his eyelashes.

    Generally speaking, he looks extremely weird doing this, and I stifle a laugh. "Sure, sure, okay."

    I jump up from the couch and head into the kitchen, where I begin to make breakfast for my blonde companion. It's nice to see that he seems a little better. But I just wonder why he's acting all depressed and not put-together.

    I mean, I'm going through the same thing. Unless there's more he's not telling me. He told me he was going to be honest from now on, though...so I guess he wouldn't lie to me. Would he?

    ~&^&~

    As I lie in my bed, thoughts whirl around in my head as if my head was a TV and all the channels were on at once. It's confusing, frustrating, and bothersome. But I just can't help thinking about all the things that could go wrong tomorrow. Cato could die. Or I could die. But maybe, just maybe, we did alright.

    We've been doing our best; it's not like we've actually had time to be all lovey-dovey and stuff...okay, so we've actually had tons of times, but it's just so weird sometimes. Try picturing yourself alone in a house with the guy or girl you've always hated. Then picture yourself having to marry them or die. Now picture yourself slowly falling for that person.

    A sigh escapes my lips and I turn over on my side as if that will help me get a clearer picture. Of course, it doesn't, but I eventually fall asleep.

     

    A/N: Hey. Okay so this is like, the legit last chapter before the last chapter. Heh heh. Yay I can work on my next story after this. *Happy Face* So, yeah. It should be good. I dunno what it's gonna be about though...I sort of just wing it when I write...I know, I'm lazy. 

    So yeah, thanks for reading and I hope y'all will like the next chapter.