Panem High School

The First Day

Katniss's POV
I hate school. I hate everything about it. The social hierarchy, Headmaster Snow who picks favorites, the impossible teachers like Professor Coin who always tries to take over the Headmaster position, and the students are horrible. It's me and Gale, all day every day. It's Prim's first day and I'm concerned about what people are going to do to her, especially those Careers. Glimmer is known for wanting people she can't have and when she finds out her enemy has a sister, who knows what she'll do. I return my focus to the task at hand, which is arriving to school on time. Since my family is one of the poorest in the country, I have to walk to school. Headmaster Snow believes that the richer you are, the more perks you deserve, which basically means if you don't live in certain areas (1, 2, and 4), you can find your own way to school.
"Prim, we gotta go!!" I yell. She runs down the stairs, grabs an overly ripe orange, and follows me out the door. My best friend, Gale, and his brother, Rory, join us halfway through the trip.
"You excited for your first day?" Gale asks Prim.
"I guess, it's school, how excited can you really get?" Prim replies.
"That's true." Gale is about to start a new conversation when Prim suddenly slows down.
"What's going on?" I ask.
"Shh, look." She whispers and points to the Mellark house. Peeta Mellark, I don't really know him well, but his family is... well known. Everyone in the 12th area of the country knows about his mom and her alternative methods of punishment. Right now, Peeta is leaving his house with a big mark on his face. Before I can stop her, Prim runs across the street to where he stands alone.
"You look like you can use this more than I can." She says and hands him her orange.
"Thanks." He replies and she runs back to me, Rory, and Gale.
"I know one of his brothers, he always says whenever their mom is mad at them, she won't feed them for at least a day as punishment. Carson, his brother, told me Peeta always gets the worst beatings. No one deserves to be hungry, especially not on their first day." Prim explains as Gale and I follow her down the road, Peeta following on the opposite side. We arrive at Panem High School and are standing in the courtyard when the obnoxiously loud roar of an engine comes from a, admittedly cool looking, car pulling into the school's lot. Of course, it's driven by none other than Cato Hadley and his posse, Clove Sevina in the front with him, Glimmer Cantrell in the back, and Marvel James beside her. As they got out of the car, they were joined by Sagara Garner, another one of the rich and privileged people of my grade.
"Since when did Cato get a car?" I ask as Cato and Marvel taunt a girl about Prim's age.
"Since Mr. Hadley became the school's lawyer." Gale replied as the taunting becomes worse. I stalk over to them.
"Hey!! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" I ask as I step in the middle of the girl and Marvel and Cato.
"Maybe we will, tell me Everdeen, how's that dad of yours?" Sagara taunts as Gale walks over to us.
"I'd recommend shutting up right about now." Gale states.
"Oh look, Everdeen's boyfriend has come to rescue her. How cute." Clove remarks.
"What part of shutting up do you not understand, Sevina? I thought you were one of the smarter ones, though that's not saying much."
"Say that again. I dare you." Cato warns.
"Is there an issue?" A very controlled and severe voice demands. Headmaster Snow. Right on schedule.
"Hawthorne's just making an ass of himself, per usual. Nothing we can't handle." Marvel comments.
"I have no doubt you can handle it, it's whether you should have to. I know you people from the 12th part of the country have it rough, but try not to take out your anger about your misfortune on others who have more than you do. It's not their fault they're more apt to get a good career and a better life than you, it's just... politics."
"Of course, politics, just what every student should be worried about when it comes to their education." I spit.
"I highly suggest you walk away Miss Everdeen, you too Mr. Hawthorne. Take your little friend with you." Gale and I storm away, the girl following us back to Prim and Rory.
"Thank you for helping me. My name is Rue. I'm new here." Rue explains.
"I'm Primrose Everdeen, just call me Prim. This is my sister Katniss and our friends Rory and Gale Hawthorne. Rory and I are in your grade, we can navigate the school together if you'd like." Prim offers.
"I'd love that. It's always better to have friends." The three of them go to where the freshmen are being herded by Professor Alma Coin and Snow's secretary, Ms. Effie Trinket. Gale and I walk to our first period class and find seats. Clove, Glimmer, and Cato come in, Cato and Clove sitting behind us and Glimmer in front of us, a boy from the 3rd area taking the seat next to her, causing her to scowl.
"The seats you have right now will be permanent unless you give me a reason to change them. My first piece of advice, don't make me change them." Professor Coin begins as she takes attendance.
"Thank goodness..." I hear Clove mutter from behind me.
"Glimmer is so pissed, look at her, she's practically sick." Cato remarks and Clove chuckles.
"Picture yourself as an adult. You worked hard and became one of the leaders of Panem. Now, imagine being bossed around by a high school principal, the very one you had back in school. Imagine all of your credentials and your degrees and your knowledge being thrown away because this person, who is barely qualified to run a school, has decided he wants to run the whole country for you. Are you really happy about that? Yes, Mr. Hadley?" Professor Coin says.
"It seems to me like you're saying you don't agree with Headmaster Snow and his position in running this country and this school. Well, I'm very content with the way things are being ran." Cato remarks.
"Me too." Clove says.
"Same here." Glimmer adds.
"Well of course you do, that's all you've ever known. Not to mention, you three are all very well off thanks to how things are being run. Free cars, discounts at stores, servants, you have the works. Come and join the rest of us down here, because outside of the 1st, 2nd, and 4th areas of the country where you and your friends reside, most people aren't very happy. There are innocent people dying for crying out loud." Professor Coin explains.
"They're not innocent, they're rebels. They're endangering the lives of people who are just better than them, only so they can supposedly serve justice for the cards they've been dealt." Cato retorts.
"Mr. Hadley, think about this scenario. There was a huge fire at a blacksmith's shop, the one ran by your father-"
"My dad is a lawyer."
"Oh, I'm well aware of that. I wasn't talking about your family. I was talking about your dear friend Miss Sevina and her family. Your dad is a blacksmith, right?"
"Yes." Clove answers.
"So, like I was saying, let's say there was a fire at the blacksmith's shop, Miss Sevina's father lost his life to it. You later find out the fire was caused by the government because Miss Sevina's father was found suspicious by the government of possibly being a rebel. They didn't care that he wasn't, they didn't care that now Miss Sevina only has her mother and her two siblings, no father. Tell me again how perfect the government is."
"That wasn't funny." Cato growls.
"It wasn't meant to be."
"You think it's okay to badmouth our Headmaster, to openly hate our leaders, and to use a student's possible family life as an example of your point and you expect me to believe you aren't joking?"
"It's my job to show you children different sides, Mr. Hadley, even if one of them is less popular than the other." Cato never replies after that.
"Well, that was intense." Gale whispers.
"I know." I reply, Professor Coin deciding to teach us some actual history.
Cato's POV
The moment the bell rings, Clove sprints out of the classroom before I can even say a word to her.
"She'll tell you later, Cato. Let's just say, it was a rough summer." Glimmer informs me and runs after her. When I take the seat next to Sagara in Science, I immediately start bombarding her with questions.
"What does Glimmer know about Clove that I don't?" I ask and Sagara freezes.
"Damn, I was hoping we could avoid this conversation." She answers.
"Sagara."
"Look, Cato, Clove didn't want to tell us, so don't feel left out."
"Us? Who else knows?"
"She told me and Glimmer, and knowing Glimmer, Marvel has found out by now."
"Unbelievable, why would she tell you two anything before telling me?"
"Like I said, she didn't want to. Glimmer had a back to school sleepover and made Clove come. We played truth or dare and Clove let it slip, Glimmer had spiked our drinks, naturally. Clove was so embarrassed she almost left, but we told her it was okay and didn't talk about it for the rest of the night."
"What happened?"
"I can't tell you. You and I both know Clove pretty well. If she didn't tell you then there's a reason"
"Why can't you just tell me?"
"Why can't you just tell me every secret Clove has ever told you in private?"
"Good point."
"Who set her off anyway? Was it Everdeen? What I would give to have a reason to annoy her. She has a sister, you know? Freshman."
"It wasn't Everdeen, but I'll keep that in mind in case there's another situation. It was Professor Coin."
"Let me get this straight, Professor Coin used Clove's situation against her?"
"It was used as an example of why the government is corrupt."
"I'm gonna kill that woman if it is the last thing I do." Professor Fuse calls for silence and the class begins. I think about Clove the entire class, I can tell Sagara is doing the same by the way she keeps breaking her pencils. Lunch finally comes and Sagara and I find Marvel, Glimmer, and Clove at our usual table. Glimmer and Marvel are sitting on one side talking about one of the new teachers while Clove sits on the other and just picks at her food. Sagara sits down next to Clove and I put my tray down next to Marvel.
"Come with me." I whisper in Clove's ear and she follows me without questioning it. We enter the empty hallway outside the cafeteria.
"What's going on, Clove? Glimmer knows, Sagara knows, why don't I?" I ask calmly.
"It's nothing important." She replies, staring at her feet.
"Clove, it's not nothing, whatever it is. Just tell me. It's me, Cato, remember? Your staggeringly handsome best friend who you've always trusted."
"I don't know about the staggeringly handsome part, but yeah, I know who you are. I just don't know how you'll react, you might be ashamed of me."
"I highly doubt that."
"Fine, the story that Professor Coin used as an example is kinda real. There was a fire at my dad's shop, but he was able to put it out before it got too big. That was a couple weeks ago, recently we got a letter from the leaders that said my dad needs to go in for a hearing because they think he might be a rebel. They never said the fire was their fault, but everyone is thinking it, Professor Coin is just the first person to say it out loud. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I just didn't know how you'd react."
"Well, is your dad a rebel?"
"I don't think so."
"Then it's just a rumor and some suspicion. It'll pass."
"So you're still my friend then, not like it would matter, you can stop if you want."
"Clove, don't be ridiculous. Of course I'm still your friend. Stop acting like you wouldn't care if I wasn't, I know you too well for that act." She rolls her eyes.
"Whatever." I stare at her as she avoids eye contact.
"Come here." She doesn't fight me as I hug her.
"You're my best friend out of everyone. You know that right?" She asks quietly.
"Yes, I do, and you're mine. I wouldn't hug anyone else." I reply.
"What about Marvel?"
"I would never hug that idiot, he's the only other guy in our group, that's why I hang out with him a lot. He's not my best friend."
"Good, those area 1 people are really conceited sometimes." I laugh as she pulls away from me.
"Now there's the Clove I remember."
"Thank you." She says quietly with a small smile.
"Of course. Let's go eat, I'm starving."
"When are you not?" We rejoin the table and the conversation about Finnick Odair.
"Finnick Odair is a legend where I live, he's the youngest person to ever win the Hunger Games. Most freshman don't even apply to compete and he won." Sagara comments.
"Yeah, but now he's a prostitute, I mean, how demeaning is that?" Marvel replies.
"He fell on hard times." Glimmer answers defensively.
"Something you're not telling us, Glimmer?" I ask.
"No, I just feel for the guy. Look, I'm not stupid. You guys are all great at something, knives, swords, spears, maces, and then there's me. My looks are all I have to go on. I'm not saying I'm gonna become a prostitute, I'm just saying that when times get hard and you're someone like me who has no real skills and is just a pretty face, prostitution isn't such a bad idea."
"Yes it is, no matter what the situation is. It's demeaning and gross and just plain sad. I lost all respect for the guy once he resorted to that to get money." Clove retorts. Glimmer stands up and leaves the cafeteria without another word.
"Should we go after her?" Sagara asks.
"No, she just needs some time." Marvel says.
Sagara's POV
"What took you guys so long? Glimmer wouldn't let me leave until you guys came because she was afraid she'd have to walk home." I complain as Marvel and Cato arrive.
"I'm not afraid, my parents just worry and the 1st area is miles away. It would take me like 2 hours to walk." Glimmer says as Clove and I snicker. Clove, Marvel, Cato, and Glimmer get into the car and I begin to walk to mine.
"Sagara, wait." Marvel yell.
"What?" I reply, walking back to Cato's car.
"We're planning on pranking Professor Coin later tonight, wanna come?" Cato offers.
"You guys know me so well, let me know when and what I need to bring. I hate that bitch."
"I know, I'll be there too." Marvel says.
"What about you, Sevina?" I ask.
"Can't, I'm watching Willow all day. Which reminds me, the elementary school ends in like 20 minutes, so let's get this show on the road." Clove says.
"Meet me and Marvel here, 8 o'clock. Bring paint, silly spray, anything that makes a mess." Cato says.
"Done and done, see you then." I reply. I walk to my car as they speed out of the lot.
Willow's POV
I'm always a little frightened when it's Clove's day to pick me up. I know she'd never forget me, but she and her friends are very... unpredictable. Today is normal, thankfully. They arrive on time and I sit in the backseat and whatever discussion Cato and Clove were having stops.
"What were you guys talking about?" I ask.
"Nothing you need to worry about." Clove quickly replies.
"Is this about what's going on with Daddy? I'm 9 years old, Clove, I can handle it."
"It's not a matter of whether you can handle it, it's just not something I'm allowed to discuss with you."
"Why not? You know and I bet Cato does too."
"What does that-"
"Cato, do you know what's going on with my dad and the government?"
"Willow-"
"Quiet Clove, I want to know."
"Yes, I do know." Cato answers and Clove scowls at him.
"How come he gets to know? He's not even in the family."
"Nice job, Cato." Clove mutters.
"Sorry, she asked." He replies.
"That doesn't mean you had to tell her."
"I bet Mom won't be happy if she finds out people outside the family know whatever it is that's going on. You know how she's very interested in keeping the Sevina reputation intact." I taunt.
"You wouldn't." Clove spits.
"I would. Slate won't be happy either."
"I don't care about Slate."
"Why not? He's our brother."
"He won the Hunger Games and left for the Capitol years ago, do you really think he's gonna care?"
"Yes." Clove grows silent and continues to glare the rest of the way. I can tell Cato is uncomfortable and I kinda feel bad. I really shouldn't have dragged him into this, especially since now Clove is mad at him and it takes forever for her to let go of a grudge, Exhibit A, our brother Slate. I can tell Clove misses him, they used to be partners in crime apparently until he turned into a jerk. Now he's been replaced by Cato. I just hope when Slate eventually comes home, and he will, that he comes for us, not for official Capitol business about whatever it is that's going on. We arrive at my house and I slowly grab my backpack and leave the car, wanting to hear what Clove is gonna say to Cato.
"You shouldn't have said anything. The situation is delicate as it is, the last thing I need is my mom breathing down my neck about telling people." Clove says quietly.
"I know and I'm sorry." Cato replies.
"Are you?"
"Yes, I am, I promise. I'll stop meddling, I just want to help."
"I know you do, but you may just be making it worse."
"I'm sorry."
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Be careful tonight, Cato. I doubt Snow can get you guys out of vandalism charges, so don't write your name or anything that could point suspicion towards you. Don't be stupid."
"I won't, I'll see you tomorrow." Cato drives away and Clove lets us into the house.
"Vandalism?" I ask.
"You heard nothing, got that?" She threatens.
"Got it." The rest of the night is okay. We spend the rest of the night in Clove's room.