NINE -
My mind is racing the entire journey up to the second floor.
Glimmer must have misheard him, it's the only explanation I'll accept. After all, she said she wasn't sure, and he could feasibly have been saying anything. If I know Cato, he was probably making fun of me. But when I try to think of insults that so much as vaguely match 'that's my girl' in likeness, my brain comes up with nothing.
There has to be a reason, something other than the words my ally thought she heard.
I bid Glimmer goodbye at her floor, and she follows Cashmere out of the elevator, leaving Sidonia and I to make the remainder of the journey alone. My mentor is trying to talk to me, but my brain is still trying to wrap my head around the situation, confused and even a little bit scared. Because however much I want to ignore it, there is a niggling feeling of hope in my chest that perhaps Glimmer wasn't imagining things.
I know I should just forget it, after all, on the train I was practically convinced that Cato had something going on with Aviva Grigson. And it would make sense – Aviva is beautiful, and her bright red hair is something of an anomaly in 2 which makes her instantly noticeable. People turn their heads to stare at Aviva whenever she crosses the floor of the Academy, and the idea of the son of the most infamous Victor in Panem dating the Mayor's daughter just seems to fit.
I am small and plain and the only time people compliment me is after they've seen me throw. The majority of exchanges between Cato and I, before this week, were deprecating comments hurled across the weapons studio at each other, sometimes followed by literal blades. I have never been 'his girl' nor have I ever been anyone else's.
Loren has had a few boyfriends over the years, mostly just idiots from the Academy who disappear on the wind as soon as something blonder, curvier, and more interesting graces their horizons, leaving my sister crying beneath her covers for a couple of days after. But I've never seen the point in it all. I don't have the time to pretend to be in love with somebody who will probably leave within the month, and frankly I've always been too dedicated to my training for that sort of thing.
Of course, it doesn't mean that I haven't thought people attractive in the past, or the present for that matter. But I would never act on it. He might be the most infuriatingly good looking boy in 2, but I'd sooner take the place of one of Cato's training dummies than tell him that to his face.
When Sidonia and I emerge into the apartment, I try my best to avoid Cato's eyes as I make my way towards my bedroom. I don't want to have to make conversation with him when he is at the forefront of my thoughts.
It takes Tallulah calling us to dinner for me to leave my room again, and even then I make sure to sit at the opposite end of the table to Cato, so I don't have to look at him as much throughout the meal.
Sidonia and Brutus congratulating us on our new alliance is a great distraction, and soon enough my head has been drained of thoughts of the golden boy and filled with flashbacks of the day's training session. I relay my assessment of Glimmer's all-round skills to Sidonia, who nods affirmatively as she picks at a pasta dish brought out by our Avoxes. Cato fills Brutus in on Marvel's talent with spears, and 1's apparent pleasure to be allied with us in the arena. Nobody mentions Cato's outburst at the boy from 6, nor my involvement to disperse it, much to my relief.
It takes a couple of chocolate tarts and a platter of fluffy white meringues like whipped clouds for me to realise that I am exhausted. After a day of practicing with weapons my body isn't used to, everything aches, and I'm ready for bed. Nobody protests as I leave the table and make my way down the corridor to my room. I change into the first pair of pyjamas I can find in the drawers full of strange clothes and I fall asleep quicker than a flash.
On the second day in the gym, we induct the girl from 4, Zafira, into our alliance. She's quieter, much more reserved than Glimmer, and I doubt she would've accepted our offer if she hadn't been instructed to do so by her mentor. But she is just as skilled as Marvel with a spear and scales the hanging nets on the obstacle course into the eaves of the training room with effortless ease, even whilst carrying a blade. It's clear Zafira, like most of the kids from 4, has grown up on boats, and the disciplines acquired whilst fishing translate fairly well to the arena.
The now five of us continue to circle the stations in the gym, showing off our skills whilst scouting out other potential members. Despite Cato's multiple invitations, the boy from 11 shows no interest in joining us, which infuriates my District partner to new levels. He appears calm on the surface, another display of his brilliant acting, but I've been around him for enough years in the Academy to notice the signs of a rage brewing. When I realise he's close to breaking point, I drag him over to the swords and send the rest of our alliance on their way, earning a quirked eyebrow from Glimmer, which I ignore.
With a blade in hand and a collection of dummies to take out the anger on, he seems to calm down.
"I just don't understand why he wouldn't want to join us." He says, bringing the sword up into the plasticky blue flesh of an arm, slicing it clean off in one stroke. "I mean, it's obvious he's strong enough. I wouldn't have asked him otherwise."
"Maybe he prefers to be on his own. He kind of looks like the lone wolf type anyway if you ask me." I reply.
I'm perched cross legged on a nearby structure, chin resting on my hands as I watch him train. There's something captivating about the way he works, graceful and polished despite what his appearance would have one believe. Cato doesn't just swing his blade and hope it hits something – each attack must have been planned and practiced over the years until he could carry out every single one in his sleep.
I'm finding it increasingly hard to tear my eyes away from him, yet still conscious that I might be staring too much, when Glimmer pounces on me from behind.
"Hey, the other two are getting ready for a club duel, you guys want to come and watch?" She asks, but I can tell I've been caught from the grin on her face. Cato nods and starts towards the station, but Glimmer pulls me back before I can dart off after him. She links my arm with hers and slows us to a stroll.
"So, I'm guessing my great listening skills helped you out then?"
"What do you mean?" I ask, confused.
"I mean you looked like a rabbit in the headlights when I showed up just now. Trying to keep it all on the down low, I guess, so nobody knows once we're in the arena." I must look confused because Glimmer just bursts into giggles. "Come on, I know there's something between you two, even if you don't know it yourselves. He's cute, I say go for it. I mean, one or both of you might not have long so you better make the most of the time you've got." She winks at me, and suddenly I know what she's insinuating.
She thinks I should tell him.
"Absolutely not." I blurt out. There is no way in hell I am letting any of this information pass on to my District partner. As much as it's difficult to think about at the moment, the two of us will be entering a fight to the death before the week is out. Together. Only one of us can leave the arena alive. And it will be me. I will be the one to bring home the crown.
But I cannot deny that every day, the thought of returning to 2 without Cato has become harder to accept, even more so since I spent last night tossing and turning in bed unable to think of nothing but the potential reality of those three words Glimmer thought she heard at the knife station. And however much I try to avoid him, something about his stupid perfect face reels me back in every time.
But no. I must not let my feelings get in the way of something I have been training half of my life for.
This is my year.
Glimmer doesn't pry much more, clearly noticing my internal struggle. If anything, that fact that she can read my emotions from my face makes me angry, and I even challenge her to a club duel after Marvel and Zafira have finished in the hope that it might expel it and take my mind off of the boy I came to the Capitol with.
It doesn't and to top things off I lose to Glimmer, who manages to swipe at my knees when I catch Cato watching me.
Back on the second floor that night, Cato asks me if I've seen the roof yet. Apparently the top of the training centre is a giant garden, with a greenhouse of beautiful flowers and an incredible view of the Capitol. When I ask him how he's aware of this, he tells me his father let him in on this information as a kid, as a little bit of extra insight into the Capitol for when he eventually volunteered for the Games. It seems an unlikely thing for Darius Hadley to do – pretty blooms and scenery don't really fit his persona – but I guess it's something to pass by the time.
Unfortunately, Sidonia and Brutus send us off to bed before we have the chance to jump into the elevator and escape, but Cato promises me we'll take a look before we have to go into the arena. Something about the offer plasters a smile onto my face which will not budge until I fall into a blissfully dreamless sleep.
When we enter the training gym on the third day, filled with guidance on our personal displays from Brutus and Sidonia, Cato and I are ready to show the Gamemakers exactly what makes District 2 the best of the best.
We spend the morning session with Marvel, Glimmer and Zafira, honing our skills for the last time before our individual performances. The group of us travel from station to station, deciding between us which disciplines will be best to show the Gamemakers when the time comes. I watch Marvel take out another half dozen targets with his spears, whilst Zafira uses hers at a closer range, lashing out at the sword-dummies with lightning fast jabs calculated to disarm and hinder a getaway. Her method is unorthodox but clever and frighteningly effective, and I'm beginning to wonder whether she could become a problem once we're in the Games.
Glimmer pummels the targets with a full sheath of arrows and only manages to hit the bullseye twice, but any of the shots would still cause significant damage, and she backs up her display with a couple of decent spear throws to follow. When I return to the all but empty knife station, the trainer hands me a bunch of blades and sets the targets rolling. I hurl all twelve knives into the range without thought, the thrill of success singing in my veins.
In a couple of days my targets will be the other teenagers dotted around the gym, and every knife that hits home will bring me closer to my crown. The thought brings a grin to my lips as throw another couple of knives and even a pair of axes into the mix. I'm not as comfortable with them as I am with knives, the weight of them strange and alien in my hands, but they still sink into the chest of the target, and I leave the station feeling confident in my abilities. If there are for some reason no knives in the arena, I will still be able to do significant damage if I can bag myself an axe or two.
They call us for our private displays after lunch, one by one with the girl proceeding the boy of each District. This means I will be the third tribute to perform to the Gamemakers, giving me more than enough chance of grabbing their attention. Those from the outer Districts will struggle, as the Gamemakers will have seen more than enough weak boys and girls fail to make an impact to even bother watching most of them.
The idea that 12, who had the audacity to show up Cato and I at the opening ceremony, will probably end up with the lowest scores in the line-up brings a smile to my face. Once they are revealed to be the useless bastards they truly are, 2 will once again be the favourites to win. I've barely seen the girl on fire and her blonde counterpart since Brutus had to stop Cato from glaring at them in the stables beneath the training centre, so I doubt they'll have anything to show for these three days. I've never seen either of them even attempt to pick up a weapon.
Glimmer is the first to disappear from the group, and I presume she is corralled into the elevator and sent up to the first floor after she's finished, as only the two Peacekeepers return to the tributes to call Marvel in. My hands are clammy with sweat and I keep readjusting my hair in its ponytail as I wait for them to signal my turn. Every time Cato tries to talk to me I reply with one word answers, too nervous and excited all at once to even form a proper reply.
When they finally come for me, I wipe my palms on my leggings and take a deep breath before I approach them. And just before I disappear into the gym to face the Gamemakers, I hear his voice.
"Good luck, Clover."
AUTHOR'S NOTE -
Hey guys! I'm so sorry about my lack of update yesterday but I'm going to try and get another chapter up tonight after this one to make up for it :') This is pretty filler-ish and I'm not in love with it but we're starting to get some emotional turmoil from Clove about her possible feelings for Cato which I'm having fun with! Also we just hit 1K guys!!! Thank you so much, this book has been up for just over a week and to already have so many reads is amazing!!! Hopefully you still enjoy this even though it's kinda filler and I might be able to get another one up so watch out for that too! Warning, the next chapter will be cute but also sad af, more 'Cato's fucked up because his family is a piece of shit' moments incoming :') Much love - Vee xx