Scars Of Our Love | Cato Hadley X Male Reader | Vol. 1

5 ~ Pretty as a Picture

A loud bang on my door woke me up, I rubbed my eyes and looked at the clock on the nightstand next to me. "Get dressed quickly if you want breakfast," Madelyn yells from the other side. I groan before lifting myself onto my feet and walking toward the bathroom to wash up.

Afterward, I changed into another outfit, both the pants and shirt were a baby blue color. I stand in front of the mirror, hand tracing the bracelet as it slipped onto my wrist. I thought of Ana, and the woods where Sky was probably working. I thought of my dad, and all of them waking up, having to get on with the rest of the day like things were normal.

My hair is slightly messy and my skin is dry, it wasn't the worst I've ever looked. At least I wasn't covered in dirt like most days after work. We can't be far from the Capitol now. And once we reach the city none of what I'm wearing or what I look like will matter

since I'll have a stylist. The person who will make me look pretty in the Capitol's eyes for the next week or two. Especially tonight, which is when the tribute parade and opening ceremonies will happen.

As I enter the same dining car, I'm once again greeted by towers of food. Madelyn sat on one end, sipping tea from a gold-lined tea cup. "Sit," Johanna said from the other end. I smile at Jenna before taking a seat across from her.

The windows were wide open allowing sunlight to shine through, hitting my face at just the right angle, giving me the slightest feeling of warmth.

"So, you wanted to talk. Talk," Johanna demanded while pouring a cup of black coffee and lightly sipping it. I bit back on my lip, "I don't know. How about surviving the bloodbath?" She looks down at the table, taking a deep breath in. The bloodbath was something of every kid's nightmares, it was what we called the start of the games. When every tribute is first shown the arena, and when they first see the weapons they have to work with.

We called it a bloodbath because that's what the first few minutes of the games were, death and brutal fighting. Sometimes almost half of the tributes are killed. I've watched at least a dozen in my lifetime, they were all the same.

They made me sick just watching, I couldn't even imagine having to live through it. Johanna swirls the liquid in her cup before finally speaking. "That's the least of your worries for now," she said in a much nicer manner than she's been speaking since last night.

"So what are our worries?" Jenna added, her mouth full of crumbled muffins and orange juice. Johanna huffed out a laugh, "Pleasing the Capitol. It's always about pleasing them. That's how you survive." I felt my eyebrows draw close together, confused about what she meant. Jenna didn't look like she got what she said any better than I did either. "Sorry, What?" I ask.

She licked a spot on her upper lip and stared at us. "For the next few days before the training, you'll have things like the tribute parade and your interviews," she paused, sitting up in her seat, "During those, you have to make the Capitol's bitches appreciate you. Do that, and your time will be much easier in the games than mine was."

As she spoke I began to take things from the center of the table, a muffin, a piece of bread, some jam, and pastries. There was so much food. This much would probably be enough for both me and Sky's families, for at least a week. As I chew on a fruit tart Johanna continues. "Sponsors make life a whole lot easier. Just imagine if you're starving,  freezing, or dehydrated. A piece of bread, a box of matches, or a bottle of water could mean the difference between life and death. And the only way you get that is from sponsors, which you get by making those Capitol freaks happy," She explains.

I think for a second, wondering how I am supposed to make people like me. A wave of silence fell over the table as the windows turned black. "Must be the tunnel. We're here!" Madelyn exclaimed while standing from her chair and shimming over toward the windows.