𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲.Cato Hadley

3.

~•~•~
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝟏𝟐
~•~•~

My leg bounces nervously as I sit on my bed. They allowed me to sleep that night in Layla's room, which is also mine, but I never went inside. Today will be the first time I spend the night in a place other than the hospital bed, but I don't think that will stop the panic attacks I get.

The door to the room opens and I don't pay much attention at first because I expect it to be Layla. But the moment I hear heavy footsteps, I turn around to find out that it's not actually my best friend.

"Miss Clark," Boggs says. "I'm sorry to bother you at this late hour."

"No, no problem. Are Coin and Plutarch sending you here?" I ask, remembering my conversation with them. They're probably not happy with my reaction.

"Yes, I was talking to them until a while ago. We want to send you to District 12, of course, if you're ready-" Hearing the name of my District, something inside of me immediately stirs.

"Send me there," I interrupt Boggs. "Tomorrow, if it's possible." He stares at me for a few seconds but then nods.

"Tomorrow morning. Be ready for take-off at 9 o'clock," He says and then leaves my room.

I go to bed thinking about home. I certainly feel a certain amount of happiness that I will be returning to District 12, but at the same time, I am also afraid that nothing will be as it was before. I know nothing is left there and every memory is destroyed, but I need to see it.

~•~

As soon as I wake up, my first thoughts are about home. I feel an unpleasant feeling of fear and nostalgia because I know that what I will see will not be the same as what it was. Nevertheless, I swallow this sick feeling and start to get dressed.

I'm ready at exactly 9 a.m., just like Boggs told me I should be. He picks me up from my room to take me to where we're flying out from. I am silent, all kinds of thoughts are running through my head and all of them are terrifying. I wonder how Cato is doing now if he's even alive. Is the Capitol torturing him or did they just kill him? At this stage, I no longer know which I would prefer.

We get to the hovercraft and there I see Gale waiting for us. I didn't know he was coming too. I hug him because I feel relieved that someone I know will be with me.

"I can't believe you're going through with this. You can say no." Gale tells me.

"I need to see it for myself," I reply.

Then we pull away from the hug and Boggs directs us where to get on the hovercraft. The moment we step in, the entrance closes and we fly away. I shudder in terror for a moment, but then Gale puts his hand on my shoulder.