Careers Don't Love

Chapter Four

Katniss POV

What on earth was I thinking?

Why did I smile at Cato?

I must've gone crazy. That's the only answer.

"Katniss?" It's Cinna. "Katniss, I'm going to light you on fire now. Its just synthetic fire, so it won't hurt you, alright?"

I nod as if I'm taking it all in when in reality I'm just zoning out everything he says. I'm more focused on what's coming, on how to draw the attention of the crowd. I need to do this, to make it back to Prim. That's the only thing keeping me going.

Peeta looks nervous. "Are you sure it won't hurt us?"

Cinna smiles reassuringly. "I developed it myself, Peeta - along with Portia. I promise you, you'll be completely safe."

Before Peeta can say anything else, Cinna lights our capes on fire. I let out a small gasp, involuntarily waiting for the pain to start but it doesn't. All I feel is a gentle tickling sensation and I relax as the fire spreads over my unitard.

Suddenly, with a jerk, the horses start moving and I have to clutch the sides of the carriages to keep my balance. Cinna yells something after us, but I can't quite catch his words.

"What did he say?" I ask Peeta, who frowns. "I think he told us to hold hands," he tells me, and looks hesitantly down at my hand. Before I can say anything, the carriage rolls out into the open and instinctively I grab his hand, which he raises up to show everyone.

At first I'm confused but then I understand. He is saying that even if we are from the poorest, the worst district we refuse to be overlooked. We refuse to be ignored.

And it works.

I don't know if it's our defiance or if it's our flaming costumes but all eyes seem to be on us. Everywhere I look, people are screaming and cheering for us, throwing flowers at our chariot and going wild over us.

For the first time it hits me - I can make it home to Prim. I really can. The thought makes me smile widely and I wave at the crowd, knowing they're going to be responsible for sending me home, catching flowers and blowing kisses, my hand still locked with Peeta's.

The chariots roll to a stop, facing President Snow. His eyes are guarded, giving nothing away as he looks straight into mine. This is the man who rules the Capitol. The man who allows the Hunger Games to continue. The man who has been responsible for my family's starvation, for Prim looking so thin and pale recently.

I could kill him right now, I think as the hatred courses through me. He deserves it.

But then the Capitol would be on me before I could scream, torturing me, killing me, hurting my family.

I avert my eyes and stare at the chariot in front of us.

I realize too late that it's District 2's.

Cato is staring at me, not jealous or angry like the other tributes, but in a curious way. His eyes flicker down my costume before returning to my eyes and a teasing half-smile on his face. I flush as I realize it wasn't my costume he was looking at and grip Peeta's hand tighter.

What is he playing at?

Cato POV

"If you're that obsessed, why don't you just go talk to her?" Clove rolls her eyes. "Seriously Cato, are you even trying to be discreet?"

I scowl at my best friend. "Shut it, Clove."

She smirks. "What? Too scared?"

She has me and she knows it. I'm not a weak, pathetic boy like District 12 over there. I'm a Career. Shooting Clove a glare, I brush my stylist aside, flinging my ridiculous gladiator helmet off my head and striding over to Katniss.

She's stroking the horses, her grey eyes thoughtful. Her partner doesn't seem to be around; he's probably gone off somewhere and left her alone. I smirk. That just makes my job easier.

"Where's your partner?"

She jerks at my words, looking up into my eyes. Surprise and disdain flash over her features before she organizes them into a coolly collected mask, just like Clove always does when she doesn't want anyone to see what she's really feeling.

"I don't know," she replies carefully. "Why do you care?"

"He's an idiot," I smirk. "I would never have left someone as beautiful as you alone." It's a line I deliver to every girl I hit on and most of them fall for it - but to my surprise, I find that I mean it this time. Katniss really is beautiful with her long dark hair and stormy grey eyes.

Katniss blinks and then laughs dryly. "Good one. Do you say that to all the girls?"

Her eyes are amused and for a minute, I'm confused. "I'm not joking."

"Me, beautiful," Katniss snorts. "Nice lie."

I lean against the chariot, noticing that I tower over her. She's short, probably only about five feet four, whereas I'm six feet tall. "You don't see yourself clearly, do you?"

She stares at me. "What are you talking about?"

I nod to her partner who's coming back with a lady dressed all in pink - probably their escort - and a man who seems to be drinking heavily. "I'm not the only one. Like your partner over there - he's in love with you."

She blinks, and her carefully arranged expression slips. "What? Peeta's not in love with me!"

I smirk, knowing I'm right. I've known them for less than a day but I can already see the expression on his face when he sees her, the look in his eyes every time he looks at her. Lover boy likes her and that makes me want to snap his neck. "Trust me, sweetheart. He is."

Katniss pulls herself up to her full height, her grey eyes blazing as she looks into mine, and crosses her arms. "I don't know who you think you are, coming here and flirting with me," she starts angrily, "but you can just save yourself the trouble. I know who you are. You're a Career. You kill for sport. You like it. You're despicable."

I'm sure she must see the shock on my face before she turns to go. "Just leave me alone."

I reach out and grasp her wrist, anger coursing through me. She tugs at her hand furiously, her body rigid. "Let me go!"

"You have no right to say that," I hiss. "You don't know anything about me. Don't you dare judge me."

And then I stalk away before I see the expression on Katniss's face.

Katniss POV

I don't know what to think.

I'm silent as I stare at Cato's retreating back, my mind still trying to make sense of what he told me. What did he mean?

In three days, we'll be in the arena.

And I have a feeling that this year, it'll be a spectacular show for the Capitol.