As the girls who didn't make the team they exited north of the gym. Some were in tears, others in disbelief with some who just didn't give a care.
"Oh my gosh I did it!" Screamed Katniss as she runs to Clove hugging her hard. Cloves arms went from Katniss's neck to slowly lowering down to her middle where her arms just too short. Katniss released herself with a smile facing her friend. "I got to go back cause now they want to talk about the season of what to expect. But I just had to come over and tell you thank you, THANK YOU so much for supporting me!"
Clove tries not blush but nods her head gratefully. "No problem anytime." Katniss grabs a squirt from her water bottle and jogs back to the new team members.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't see you there, your just so low to the ground." Glimmer some how squeezed through Clove as she was turning around to sit back down. But with the force of Glimmer coming through caused herself to collapse to the edge of the bleachers. She jumps up angrily for she had enough of Glimmers attitude and wasn't willing to put up with it any longer.
"If you have a problem with me just say it." Clove says firmly with no hesitation of fear. Glimmer turns around gracefully as if she was in some modeling show. But yet she didn't look it because she was sweating like a pig and her hair was going in all sorts of directions.
Glimmer approaches her with no hesitation. "Well I just did, so now what are YOU going to do about it?" She pauses and looks at her reflection in Cloves eyes. "Oh that's right nothing, cause you don't have your friend anymore to back you up." Glimmer smirks. "Cause he's mine now."
Clove stared at her deep into her eyes who was seriously ready to plow at her but if it wasn't for Madge she would have came right at her. "Hills...bring it forward, lets go." Madge who had blown her whistle to get her attention.
"See you later Clovers." Glimmer says as she sly's away skipping happily back to Madge and the group. Clove double blinks in trying to catch her composer shaking her head she tries to forget about it and sits back down to wait for Katniss.
During the days that followed Clove knew she couldn't keep herself from Cato. For one thing they were partners for 6th period and cause of that they knew they had to communicate to get through their project. They had done pretty well, for it was all in mutual respect and for any conversation they had was all towards the project. "So I read your interview with Macie German."
Clove had nodded at him with not much eye contact. "Yeah, it was a pretty tough story to listen to and write for." Cato places down the papers and whom both stare forward. Which Clove noticed Glimmer had taken a peek at them both.
"Glimmer, focus ok?" Marvel said tapping at her right shoulder as he had noticed she was getting distracted.
"So spring break is nearing so, since we have all our interviews in hand now why don't we just split half of them and we can type them up individually, sound good?" Cato says sliding Macie's interview back to the side of Cloves side.
Clove shrugs her shoulders in not caring how they were going to work that out but she figured it was better then one person doing it all. "Sure whatever."
When Katniss's first game arrived at the end of March, all her friends came to support her! And though Glimmer was on the B team Cato had still shown up for Katniss's big moment. It was an amazing performance too the girls pushing themselves onto the ground, passing, shooting with tremendous effort and still being able to hold themselves over to put the ball over the net continuously. For Katniss too did better then anyone could imagine. Everyone was just so proud of her that night which they won 20 to 13. "I'm so proud of you Katniss!" Said Clove as she and the others got together with her after the game.
"Yeah you were like a girl on fire!" Peeta said cheerfully as he hugged her immediately after the game. Everyone but Cato went to celebrate her victory, not that Cato didn't want to come but Glimmer insisted they go hang out alone to more appropriate things.
***
Spring break came and everyone had plans to be with family. And since Clove was gone for the winter break with her friends her mother had told her spring break had to be with her. So that first couple days her and her mom took off to the beach that wasn't far from home. It was beautiful weather when they arrived low 70's, sunny and slight winds for it was truly perfect beach conditions. With some hopping, fish and chips and lazy walks on the shore made Clove feel at ease. At least for some part of the time for out of no where her father kept texting her leaving messages like: We need to talk, dam it, why aren't you responding you told me we would be able to hang out, for I need to talk to you.
It wasn't that she was ignoring him on purpose but go figure it still seemed to her that he hadn't yet told her mom about them talking to the other. On one conversation while she was in a dressing room trying on a bathing suit she responded: I'm sorry I haven't been able to talk, mom and I have been shopping more then I thought and I haven't been able to text you back until now. Can I come over on Thursday? Her father replies in a manner she hadn't expected from him: Yeah whatever, for you always win. Clove looks up from her phone and wonders where that attitude of his was coming from. By Wednesday afternoon around three Clove was glad to be home and after putting her bags on her bed she made herself some ice tea and sat on the porch swing. One of the few places she loved on summer nights for it was spent with friends like Cato and Katniss playing chess and board games. Just little reminders of the innocence of what young lives REALLY meant. For now things were changing for many of her friends that she feared nothing would be the same after graduation and it scared her deeply.
The next afternoon Clove text her father that she would be over within five minutes. It wasn't easy letting herself out the door though. For her mom wanted her to go see a movie. "Mom please let me do this one outing, I really need to go see Katniss she's having some issues with Peeta." Which was such a white lie and a lie she would regret later on that day. Yet her mom agreed to it that she could go but had to be back in a couple of hours for dinner.
Driving up on Brentwood street was just like any other home their was. Houses that held green lawns, flowers blooming from side to side to children playing in the yard. But as she turned into the house that her father was staying looked to be a home that looked unkept. Windows were covered throughout the front, peeled white paint hanging down and a dreadful lawn that had no speck of green but dried up weeds. Clove slowly pulls up the drive way and starts to have second thoughts about coming. But like a good person she was she knew she had to come over for she had not only promised him, but also cause of the fact she had bought him a shirt that said: "I'm like the beach, cool and fearless." She told her mom it was going to be for Cato for they were just about the same size in shirts. Of course Cato seemed to be a bit fuller then her father was. Parking in the driveway Clove grabs the shirt from her passenger seat and locks up her car door.
Reaching for the porch she slightly knocks and people stared at her while she stood alone. Slowly the front door slightly opens where Clove turns to face the small opened creek. "Hey dad it's me." Just with the looks of what she saw she could smell the scent of beer. A familiar and yet terrifying past of memories flashing into her memory for Clove.
"Clove is that you?" He says as he opens the door up just a little more.
Faintly she smiles back as she tries to not show she was feeling uncomfortable. "Yeah it's me."
Roughly he opens the door just enough where he drags her in by her right arm once in he slams the door shut. "What took you so long?" Clove slips on a brown lunch bag and a few other things that she hesitated not to look at. For inside of the house was just as worse as the outside.
"Dad I told you I was on my way like five minutes ago." But he shakes his head harshly causing him to slightly loose his balance. Which makes Clove wonder. "Dad are you ok?" She says as she approaches him carefully.
Her father starts to circle around her skimming her down from head to toe. "Am I alright you ask, that's a good question because other then losing my job where I can't make any money to pay rent I'm doing great." Clove moves around her father to get close to the door. "I'm sorry I wish you had told me this." Her father chuckles and grabs a beer from what appeared to be the couch that had numerous holes with cotton oozing out of it.
"Yeah well what's it to you, I tried texting you about it but you never replied."
Clove swallows a bit touching the brown wall. "I bought you something, it's a shirt." Clove starts to pull it out from under her back and hands it out to her dad which he roughly takes and burps in her face. "Oh whats this some bribing now, who do you think you are?"
Clove breaths heavily and starts to shake with fear. "Dad it was just a nice gesture, I thought you would like it. I mean I can take it back if you like."
Her father now chugged the whole beer can and releases it with all his force and caving into Clove. "You know your just like you mom, trying to be the best at everything making me see your better. I wish for once things were different if HE was around." Her father started to demand his point as he gripped onto Cloves right arm which was trying to reach for the door knob that was just inches away.
"OW!! DAD!! YOUR HURTING ME."
But her father just started to laugh and within a minute of him gripping her arm that he held so tightly on he lets go. "Just a waste." As her father unexpectedly turns his back around Clove takes the opportunity to let go of the shirt she held in her and and rushes out the door and into her car. Leaving the house she sees her father standing on the lawn shouting. "Hey I'm not done with you yet!"
Driving back home she tries to put some music on to distract herself for what just had happened, had her father not really changed after all this time? Running into her room she finds marks on her arm where her father grabbed her. For she was sure they were going to be bruises soon. Clove tries to hold her composer as she grabs a sweater to hide her marks from her mom or anyone else. Thankfully she wasn't home at the moment where she could safely sneak in with no questions asked. Tearfully Clove grabs her phone and scrolls down her list of contacts. She knew she had to talk to someone but she knew she couldn't for it would only make matters worse. Plus no one knew her father was back in town....that is except for Cato. Clove stared at his name on her screen. Cato, Cato her best friend the one who always was there for her. But that was the past now for she knew in her heart he was still furious with her from the incident. So instead she falls to the ground against her bedroom door and lets loose of her tears sobbing in uncontrollable emotions as her phone stood highlighted on Cato Marshall.
***
(So hey guys I thought it would be nice to kinda give you a look on who Cato's mom is...some of her earlier parts were really brief and maybe even dull. So here is more of who she is and to see the relationship she has with her son during a rough moment). Hope you all enjoy this NEW addition to "Y.A.M.M." -10/13/15
On Sunday night Cato was home for dinner for the first time since the spring break began. For most of the week he spent it with Glimmer who insisted he go with her to her parents cabin. Cato hesitated for a few days until two days prior. After white water rafting, hiking, and duck hunting Cato realized how much fun it was to hang out in the woods. But by the time he arrived home early Sunday afternoon he was dead tired and spent most of the day in his room.
The hallway clock that struck five o'clock was what brought Cato off his bed. He didn't realize it but when he woke half of his legs was on one side while his head and arms was on the opposite direction. "Ugh man, great!" He says slowly as he places his palms facing down on the comforter to help him sit up. Shaking his head from the grogginess he fans through his short blonde hair and reaches for his phone. Pulling it off the night stand he flips it on and sees he has missed fifteen messages. "Geeze guys!" Saying in disbelief as he pulls himself against his back board trying to gather himself on who could possibly be sending him so many texts. "Oh that's typical...of course it's Glimmer." He briefly reads some of her texts. Some read that she loved him, a few others were asking if he would be willing to come to her house that night for dinner.
Cato just smirks off that idea right off the bat and texts her on that one right away: Sorry can't, got lots of things to catch up here at home! C u at school 2morrow.
Scrolling down some more a couple came from his friends that is except from Clove. Marvel left a couple saying not to forget to bring two of his latest comic books and his green sweat shirt. Peeta followed Marvels text just a hour after. Peeta: Hey how was your trip at the cabin did you actually do the white water rafting that you said you'd never do? lol And then there was Katniss, the one that brought Cato to really think to hard for a moment. Katniss: Hi Cato hope you are or had a great break, I'm just wondering if you've talked to Clove recently. I know she's probably hurting and feeling horrible about what happened last time. Maybe you should call her sometime and maybe fix things? IDK, it's just a thought. See you at school tomorrow!
Gazing slowly up from his phone's screen he swallows hard placing his phone softly on his lap. His mind began to wonder about his long time friend of what they had done together and what has now happened. Getting off his bed he manages to hop in the shower before returning back to his room. Just as he placed a white shirt over him with his grey towel still around his waist a knock comes from his door. "Cato, can I come in it's me mom!"
Whipping around quickly to find some sweats he shouts out in a slight panic. "Hang on just a second." Quickly he runs back into his bedroom bathroom placing his pants and walking back to his bedroom door letting his mom in. He whips his damp hair off to the side just before letting his mother in. "Hey, sorry about that" He says casually as his mom stood patiently waiting on the other side.
"Oh it's fine honey, can I come in for a minute I feel like I've hardly gotten to see or talk to you since you got home." She says slowly making her way into his room.
Maneuvering to the side to Cato lets his mom in as he slowly shuts the door behind. "Yeah sorry about that I literately crashed on the bed since I came back. Didn't realize how tired I was until I laid down."
He chuckles slightly as his mom sits on the edge of his wrinkled bed. "So tell me how was your trip, was it all you wanted it to be and more?"
Cato decided not to sit down next to his mom, instead he stood by his dresser picking up some of his dirty clothes and tossing them in his hamper beside his dresser drawer. "Yeah it was cool, I found a lot of cool things that I really liked. " Cato explained to his mom how twisted and nasty some of the rivers were that they went on and how they were really close one night where some bears almost took over their campsite.
"How was the food?" His mother says now gathering his dirty socks off of the side of the bed.
Cato just bent down and gathered a pair of jeans when she commented making him breath heavily. "In what regards do you mean by that?" With more of a serious tone.
She now gets up and places the socks in the hamper. "You know what I mean Cato, did you eat right, cause I know how you can get when your not at home and how you want to take full advantage sometimes."
Cato's face turns serious looking hard into his mothers eyes. "Oh mom will you please just stop, I'm tired of you, the doctors and my friends like Clove reminding me about those things." Tension started to build as he threw his clothes into the hamper. With the anger that was building up his aim was a bit off making part of his pant leg hang to the side of the brown basket.
His mother tries to ease the tension and tries to simplify her words. "Sweetie I know you know that and I'm sorry to get on you about it. I just worry about you and so do your friends." She nears him as she now faces the back of his back. "So have you gotten to anyone since you got back, like any of your friends?"
He slightly shakes his head facing his dresser top placing his leather wallet on top that was in his first drawer. "No not really, Marvel, Katniss, Peeta and Glimmer all texted me, but that's about it."
"Not Clove, that's kinda odd isn't it?" She says turning around moving towards his window seat.
Silently to himself Cato agrees but instead turns around and tells his mom of why he hasn't heard from her personally. "Yeah well we kinda got into a little fight so it is, what it is right now."
"What do you mean, what happened?" She says looking concerned and waiting for her son to look at him seriously.
He hesitates as he hopes his mother would change the subject. Moving closer to her he comes to the side of his bed and thinks for a moment before speaking up. "She embarrassed me to half the school about my medical condition."
"Well why would she do that, that's not like her to embarrass you." Joining him now on the bed.
Cato squeeze tightly sucking the side of his cheek sighing hard. "Yeah well I had a little episode and she told Glimmer that I was a diabetic and how I wasn't perfect. In front this huge group of people."
"CATO!" His mother says quite loudly. "Why didn't you tell me this, you fainted at school and you didn't tell me?" Looking at her son, Cato could tell she felt hurt. "You know how important this is, I will agree with Clove though you should have told the people you know and care for."
"Mom please your not helping the issue, do you know how hard it is for a guy like me who wants to feel normal?" Cocking his head to one side firmly.
"Honey, I know what you mean about wanting to feel normal, but there is no such thing as normal okay? We all have our differences and talents about each one of us, it's what makes us special. And I believe that Clove did the right thing, for you should have been the bigger one to set things straight." Cato glanced to the other side of his mother thinking hard almost making himself grasp a headache. Neither of them talked for a minute or two until Cato feels a soft touch on Cato's left leg. "Honey, you are who you are and if people can't respect that then they are not worthy for you. Don't limit yourself to what you don't have but embrace what you do. Your friends and I mean your real friends will always support you to the end. Don't lose the ones who see that especially to Clove okay?"
But Cato doesn't answer and instead gets up from his bed and retrieves his empty duffle bag and places it under his desk. Just then another voice is apparent and gets both Cato and his mom attention. "Guys, the burgers are ready if you want to come down!" Said their father from downstairs.
"Well I guess we should go down stairs, see you in a bit." She pats Cato's shoulders slightly as she walks out the door. Cato summons all the words his mother gives him and glances at one of his pictures with his group of friends on his mirror. With laughter from a distance his long pause is interrupted and he too joins his parents downstairs.