Panem High School {COMPLETED}

Chapter 40 - Johanna

(Since, in the book at least, it's about the end of October, how about I take the next few chapters and do a Halloween party? Ok, asking is a formality, because I'm going to do it anyway. It'll probably be Cato's next chapter through Peeta's next one, so almost a full cycle. Sound good? I have lots of ideas (so it won't be boring)...including truth or dare...no smut though. I promise to keep my books smut-free and PG. Kissing isn't smut, though...)

(Johanna's POV)

Cato, Clove, and I get into a routine of eating lunch with Madge and her friends. Other than Katniss, it's great. I'm not sure if Cato and Clove are oblivious to or just ignoring Katniss's coldness. I, for one, go out of my way to make life slightly harder for her. "Accidentally" bump into her. "Mistakenly" knock her script on the floor. Invisibly trip her as she walks up the steps. No one notices, except maybe Katniss herself.

Gale isn't so bad. He seemed a bit awkward at first, but now he's just as comfortable as he is in drama. Which is great, because he's hilarious in drama. Finnick, Gale, and I can keep the class laughing for hours, and get Ms. Cressida laughing too hard to tell us to stop.

A few days before Halloween, Cato, Clove, Gale, Madge, and I are hanging out in the school library. The sophomores among us, aka the girls, are supposed to be working on an essay, but we end up lounging around one of the tables.

It's funny, you'd think I'd feel like a third wheel around Cato and Clove, or like a fifth wheel around these four. But no, I don't. Cato and Clove aren't the annoying kind of couple that's completely and totally engrossed in one another, and can't focus on anyone else. As far as I can see, Madge and Gale aren't like that either. So I never feel left out. Though, of course, I am pretty hard to leave out. In loud and annoying and lovable and endearing and- ok, we're getting off track.

We end up sitting at a table. Madge is intently reading her book, To Kill A Mockingbird. The rest of us, except Clove, are messing around on our phones, because we tried talking and got whisper-yelled at by the librarian.

After about five minutes, Cato puts down his phone. "What are you guys doing Friday night?"

I go through my mental calendar. Friday is Halloween, and I had planned to grab Clove and toilet paper Glimmer's house, then, after Clove went home, go toilet paper Katniss's house. I guess that can wait, though. I shrug. "Nothing."

Gale and Clove answer likewise, and Madge, after I literally pull her book out of her hands so she'll pay attention to the conversation, says she isn't doing anything either.

"All right," Cato says. "I was thinking about having a small party that night. A Halloween party. Just us, probably."

Madge immediately asks, "Peeta and Katniss, too?"

Cato smiles. "Sure, them too. Maybe, if we have a whole night, we can convince Peeta to join the football team next year."

Gale laughs. "Doubtful. It'd be an all-nighter?" Cato nods. "All right. I might have to come later, though. I have to take Vick and Posy trick-or-treating."

"Not Rory?" Madge asks.

Gale rolls his eyes. "Rory is 'too old.' Anyway, there's the sixth grade Halloween party that he wouldn't miss for the world. Anyway, it'll give him a chance to see his crush."

Madge raises her eyebrows. "A crush? Rory? Wow. He's growing up."

Gale nods. "Anyway, I'll be there. Your house?" Cato nods.

Madge smiles. "I'll be there too, and I'll let Katniss and Peeta know."

Cato glances at me. "You coming?"

"You have to ask?" I act offended.

Cato smiles and rolls his eyes, then turns to Clove. Before he even says anything, she smiles and says, "Of course I'll come."

After a few minutes, Madge and Gale leave to go find Gale's siblings. They're in after-school care three days a week, but if Gale doesn't pick them up on time, they lose the privilege of after-school care. At least, that's what I gather from what he's said.

After they're gone, I slide into the seat Madge was in, across the table from Clove and Cato. "You invited Katniss?" I say, sighing.

Cato shakes his head. "I can't very well say no. She's Madge's best friend. I might as well not invite you." I act offended again. "Exactly," he says.

Maybe she won't be so bad. In such a small group, maybe she'll either act nicer, or her behavior will be noticed by her friends. Maybe. The odds are 1 out of 100,000,000.

"Clove, do you want to come a bit earlier...?" Cato's tone is worried, and Clove frowns at him.

"Why?"

"Remember how I told you about my parents...? And how they don't exactly approve of you...? I think it might be easier if they met you separately from everyone else. Saw just how amazing you are." Cato smiles a little, though he looks a bit nervous.

Clove appears to think a minute. "All right..." she says slowly.

"Great," Cato says, obviously relieved.

The next four days pass incredibly slowly. It takes quite a bit of convincing to get my parents to let me go to the party ("An all-nighter? At a boy's house?"), but I succeed, of course. I think it helped that I "forgot" to mention that there were any couples in the mix.

By Friday, I've thought of a way to get Glimmer's house toilet-papered, figure out why Katniss hates Clove, and completely humiliate my friends in the most hilarious ways possible, all with one game.