Sharp Objects

chapter twenty one

Marvel is the only one that accompanies me on search for firewood. We trudge through the forest for at least ten minutes,gathering twigs and fallen logs, while the conversation becomes less awkward.

"Why did you decide to come back?" He asks " was it too scary out there in the forest my yourself?" He teases. I elbow him in the ribs,and he laughs.

"I didn't exactly have a choice,did I?oh yeah,theses a fire,I'm just going to sit here and risk death." I reply sarcastically " it was a complete and utter coincidence that you guys were there. If I was planned then I wouldn't have tripped over cato and woken you up. You could all be dead right now.but I turned up." I give Marvel a beaming smile,and he shakes his head,rolling his eyes.

"The amazing clove kentwell saved all our lifes by being clumsy!" He shouts, throwing his arms around looking like a total idiot. I can't help but laugh,chuckles racking my body until I'm double over giggles.

"Marvel shut up!" I hiss through my laughter "we could be being stalked right now by another tribute! They might jump out of some tree on us and stab us!"

"Oh,yeah,and they'd have such a good chance at killing us," he begins " the girl who played with knives and the spear master . They'd be no match for us!" He smirks arrogantly, kind of reminding me and cato. But something he says runs through my brain again: the girl who played with knives.

I wonder if that's what they would call me after I win.that is,if I do win.

Clove kentwell: the girl who played with knives.

I like it.

"Clove, earth to clove kentwell!" I spin around quickly to find Marvel looking back at me, a puzzled expression on his face.

"What?" I reply, a little more forcefully then I'd intended.marvel looks taken aback.

"Woah I didn't mean to annoy you." He says, moving backwards quickly.

"No,no, don't worry," I begin " it was my fault, I wasn't paying attention." Marvel raises one eyebrow in disbelief,but doesn't question further,we lapse into the silence that I never thought would arrive.

I seem to become much better friends with Marvel then we arrived in the arena. During training, I guess I didn't really know him well, still thought of him as an enemy. He is an enemy, and deep down I realise that, but I don't want to think of that right now. He seems like such a nice person. I don't know how he ended up joining the strange funeral party in my dream the other night. He's such a calm character, and he seems to being fun to the hole concept of the games. Even though we are all probably going to die,he will at least make our lat days on earth good ones.

It's too back we are in the arena. Otherwise I'm sure we'd be pretty good friends.

After another hour of so of working,we gather up our firewood, and begin to walk back to camp. It isn't awkward anymore,in fact, it returned to the comfortable, humourous chanting of beforehand.

"So, now is the time to explain, before we get back to the camp and the others go mental." Says Marvel,grinning from ear to ear. I'm instantly confused beyond words: what the hell does he mean by  now is the time to explain? Explain what?

He notices my confusion,and smirks again " what going on between you and cato,of course?"

I throw my hand up in shock. What the hell is he thinking? Just because i might have saved his life once, doesn't mean that we've now got a 'thing' going on,does it?
"there's nothing going on" I state plainly " I don't have a clue what your talking about."