Clato: Cuts Beneath the Surface

Chapter 17

"I broke it off with Ralae. For good this time."

My heart skips a beat.

Now why would it do that? It must be because I hate Ralae so much. This is great news.
"Oh, I'm sorry?" I try to say.
"Don't even pretend Clover I know you hate her." Cato says.
"That's not true...I just strongly dislike everything about her."
"Clover!" he reprimands me,
"Sorry, sorry. I was trying really hard though. I didn't actually knife her once."
"I know. We didn't break up because of you."
"Why did you then?" I find myself whispering.

"Because I finally realized what an idiot I was being. She made me miserable. And I know here in Two we're not supposed to talk about our emotions but I deserve someone who makes me happy. Don't I?"

"Yes." I say, "You do." Then I start to wonder if everyone deserves someone who makes them happy. But if that's true, what if the other person isn't happy making you happy? I see greasy black hair and hard eyes. I make Favian happy, but what about me?

"Anyway I figured I should tell you." He finishes awkwardly.
"Did she do anything when you told her?"
"Well she kind of attacked me and told me I was making a 'huge mistake' and all that garbage." He pulls up his sleeve to reveal a claw mark.
"I'll kill her." I say ferociously.
"Slow down Clover, if I wanted her dead I'd do it myself."
"Think of me as your avenging angel."
I plead. I REALLY want to knife Ralae.
"Not today Clover." Cato says. And he sounds so very tired that I listen.

---------------------------------------

We manage to train together in secret for a few weeks. I tell Favian I am going to work on knife throwing and he watches me go to the side gym. From there, all I have to do is run upstairs and meet Cato as soon as Favian heads home. Cato's always cracking jokes about us sneaking around but I try not to laugh and inflate his ego.

Favian makes no effort to treat Cato nicely in training. By this point Argus is pretty much out of the picture. Cato doesn't make a huge fuss though. He still gets the training he needs. There's a lot more shouting going on now. Cato yells at Favian when he ignores him, Favian yells at Cato for being disrespectful. I yell at both of them and throw knives, telling them to shut up and get back to work. New Year's has come and past, the Games are approaching.

"When can you come over again?" Elise whines. "Winter is dying to play with you." I laugh as Cato steals one of my apple slices. We sit in our usual spot in the dining hall.
"I don't know, maybe next week?" I'm lying but I don't think Elise knows that yet.
"Why? I never see you outside of training." She pouts.
"That's because training is my life."
"And Clover has an overprotective helicopter parent." Cato chimes in. I shrug and continue eating.
"So Cato...." Elise says, "Do you know Roni Bracken?"
"Yeah, why?" he says with a mouth full of food. He eats with me everyday now that he and Ralae are over. But I still see him flirting with other girls and hanging with the guys. I walked in on him kissing some brunette sixteen year old one day and teased him about it for weeks. Cato's still Cato and that's probably a good thing.

"Could you maybe find out.....if he erm...likes me?" Elise turns bright red and ducks down as Roni chooses to pass by at the moment. He obviously couldn't have heard her but whatever.
Cato snorts into his milk.
"I am not your chick-flick messenger boy. Go ask him yourself." I smile and watch it play out.
"Please please please Cato, I've never really talked to him and I'm scared..."
"You live in district two. Suck it up princess."
"But you're my friend and you know him...c'mon pretty please with a cherry on top?" Cato laughs and shakes his head.

"Clove, help me." Elise pleads but I stay firmly on the sidelines. "I just wanna know." she whispers and Cato finally stops laughing.
"If I do it-"
"Yes!" Elise cheers.
"I didn't say I would! I said if." Elise continues to celebrate.
"You've lost blondie, reap the consequences." I tell him.
"Girls." I hear Cato mutter under his breath.

I stand up to dump my tray. "I have a private knife throwing lesson, I'll see you in the upper east gym tonight?" I ask Cato. He nods and I head to my favorite part of training.

I spend several hours in the bliss of the target practice room. My knives whirl and whip around me. I close my eyes and concentrate. Here there is no Cato, Ralae, or Favian. There is only me and whatever I want dead.

I hit every single bulls eye. Then I regroup and do it again. Perfectly. I'm alone and getting hot so I strip off my
t -shirt and wear just my yellow sports bra and leggings. Most girls train like this all the time but I'm not comfortable like this in large crowds.
I finish up, lock the room down, and head upstairs to find Cato.

He's already there waiting for me. He slashes at a few dummies, practicing his technique. I skirt around him (don't surprise Cato with a sword) and pull Hercules out of my bag. Cato finishes his drill and looks over at me.
His eyes go wide when he sees what I'm wearing. Oh crap, I forgot to change back when I left the target room. Cato says nothing about it though and we start to practice.

Every once in a while I get a good hit in. I'm not sure if its because I'm improving or because Cato seems especially distracted tonight. I wonder why. Did something happen with he and Ralae? His eyes flicker to me again and I get a good block.
"Nice job Clover." Cato grunts.
"Very nice indeed." A cold voice says from the doorway.

Favian stalks across the room, grey eyes glittering dangerously. Oh God. What is he going to do? Favian ignores Cato entirely and comes straight for me. "I thought I told you never to train with this boy again!" he yells. Favian hits me hard across the cheek.

"Hey!" Cato yells and starts to come towards me. I hold up a hand and he stops.

"You will never do this again. Do you understand?"
"Yes." I whisper. Favian's voice is cold and malicious, like ice cutting through the air.
"Put on some clothes and come straight home." He turns and walks away. I stay frozen in place. "Now Clove!" He disappears and I run to grab my things.

Oh God. What is he going to do to me?
"Clove. That's not okay. He can't treat you like that." Cato says. I ignore him and continue walking. He follows me all the way out of the training center.
"You don't have to go back there Clover." Cato says gently. He's standing close to me. Too close. I shove myself away and start walking.
"You don't understand!" I yell at him. "Just stay out of it ok?" I don't hear an answer but when I turn back, Cato is gone.

I walk shivering and resolute towards my tumbled castle where the dragon waits for me.

A/N Please comment, vote, and share! Any thoughts on the story?