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

9 ~ Words Cut Deep

Bam! The sound of metal cutting through wood echoed each time an axe left my hands. Over and over, I didn't stop. Each target lights up, one after the other. It reminded me of home, back when Sky and I would practice our aim in the forests on the outskirts of District 7. Only the axes we used were much more beat up than the ones in the training center.

We had already finished our two compulsory exercises around 12, one was a weird climbing thing, and the other was an obstacle course. I now stood in front of a line of other tributes watching in fear as I hit each target with deadly accuracy.

Even the girl from two and the boy from one, both of which were in the stations next to me, seemed intimidated.

I let out an audible sigh as the last axe flew through the air, hitting the final target in the head. The trainer that had stood there handing me axes quickly ran to collect the ones I had thrown. My face was blank, Johanna told me to give them a show, and I sure as hell just did. The balls of my feet skid against the floor as I turn to face the other tributes behind me. I knew they were staring but as soon as I moved forward they went back to what they were doing. I couldn't tell if it was a good thing or a bad thing that I was attracting attention to myself, but I didn't care.

As I look around to find something else to do I catch Cato's eye, He stares at me. His baby blue eyes filled with lust as he looked me up and down. For a moment I stared back, but pulled myself away after he began to move toward me. I try to move away but as I do I feel a gentle pull on my arm.

My head turned around fast, his face was inches away from mine. "What do you want," I snarl, trying to sound as confident as I can. "I-," The both of us turned our heads as a loud ring let out through the whole building, "Tributes, we invite you to the dining hall for your lunch break. I repeat we invite you to the dining room for your lunch break."

I tried to pull my arm back to follow Jenna and the others but he held me in place. "Move!" I yell while attempting to push past. His arms only tightened. I looked up into his eyes, and a few guards started to approach us cautiously, hands over their batons. "I need to talk to you," he lets out, taking a breath before continuing, "Sit with me in the cafeteria." He finally lets go of me and I stumble back, the guards turned back around and walked back to their stations.

"What if I don't?" I say, testing his patience. "Then you'll be the first one I kill in the arena," He whispers back to me. I shake my head and quickly walk away, his footsteps following close behind me.

The room was on the other end of the center, its large metal doors just as grand as everything we've seen here so far. As I step through my eyes wander around the room. It was no bigger than the school cafeteria back home, but it looked much different. Its walls were completely made of metal, and the ceiling was so high I could barely see the top.

It looked and felt like a prison, except for the food. Yet again, it was another buffet. Servers all dressed in the same red outfits, handing plates and utensils out to our fellow tributes. Cato stepped by my side, his breath heavy from all the exercise. I leave him behind as I step into a line, grabbing only what I had eaten from the previous nights since I didn't feel as adventurous with my palate today.

The tables were small, all shaped like squares with benches attached to the base. At most, you could fit four, but it didn't seem tributes even needed that. Most just sat with their district partner, if even that. Many were just alone, not wanting to talk. It was the quietest I had heard a group of kids be. As I stood, searching for a table to sit at. Cato pushed past, knocking into my arm. "Hey!" I silently yell, somehow getting a few heads turned toward me. He didn't respond, only walking to the back and sitting at a table himself.