𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 - {𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨}

Chapter One

I wake up to the sound of a glass bottle breaking.

A mixture of screams and yelling come from downstairs. I flinch at this noise, although I'm used to it.

Today is Reaping Day. Every year my parents argue about sending me to the Hunger Games. My mother thinks they're sick. Sending twenty-four children into an arena to fight to the death isn't her favorite thing. My father disagrees. My family is very poor and he thinks that if I win I'll make us wealthy and famous. I don't even understand why my mother doesn't want me in the Games. I know damn well she doesn't give a single fuck about me. Neither does my father.

I wait for it to go completely silent. Once it is safe, I venture out to the bathroom.

I look through the cracked mirror and notice a bruise on my face from last night. When I had gotten home from the Training Center slightly later than usual, all hell broke loose in my house. My father thought I was getting fucked the night before the Reaping, and my mother thought I was at a party. He beat me without even waiting for an explanation.

I find my foundation lying on my counter and use the applicator to slather it onto my skin. I quickly comb out my hair and rinse my hands.

I slip back into my bedroom and put on black leggings with a grey sweater. I tie up my hair into a high ponytail. Quickly, I run down the steps and avoid the shattered glass on the ground. My drunk parents are no where to be seen.

I find some crackers in my cupboard and eat them. They are extremely stale but its all I got. I head out to the Training Center to practice before I volunteer for these Games.

When I arrive I go quickly into the Girl's locker room. I always have to make sure I packed everything. Thankfully I wasn't missing anything. I hear a girl named Villia and her friends snickering when I'm in earshot.

"I bet Clove was fucking Cato last night." She says loud enough for me to hear.

Ever since I beat Villia in a fighting competition, she's made it her personal mission to make my life miserable. I don't let her get to me, but once I did punch her nose.

I brush past the bitches and open the gym door, it's really noisy, actually. If I ever go deaf I'm blaming it on the kids here. I look to my left and see my friend, Cato, slashing the heads off the dummies with a sword. He looks so concentrated that I don't want to bother him.

As I pass by the archery station, I see my closest friend Everest hitting a bullseye.

"Nice job Ev!" I call out.

She turns around and grins. She puts the bow down and jogs over to me. "Thanks."

"Volunteering this year?" I ask.

"No I'm waiting till I'm eighteen. You?" She asks.

"I'm thinking of it." I reply.

"But you're two years to young. That will be a disadvantage in the arena. Will it kill you to wait a couple of years?" She asks.

She's right. I'm only sixteen. In Districts like One, Two and Four, we wait until we're eighteen to volunteer.

I lower my voice. "I'd feel safer in the arena than in my own house."

Everest nods in understandment. She knows the situation I'm in. "Right."

"I'm going to train now. I'll meet you at lunch." I walk away to my favorite station.

Knife throwing.

I can throw a knife from eighty feet away and not miss. I've tested it once. Of course, I wouldn't normally do that.

I get a grip on a large knife. I position myself to throw. I send the knife flying straight into the dummies artificial heart. Fake blood spews from its rubber body. I smile at my talent.

"Bullseye, as always." I hear a voice that belongs to Cato. It sends butterflies through my stomach but I force myself to snap out of it.

I turn around to see my favorite blonde haired blue eyed boy standing in front of me.

"Hey Blondie." I say.

"Clover." He responds.

"So, planning on volunteering this year?" I ask casually.

"It's possible. I've been waiting for this moment my whole life. So I guess the answers yes. What about you?" He asks.

"Uh no, I'm waiting until I'm eighteen." I lie. He looks slightly unconvinced at my quick response, but seems to brush it off.

"Okay. I'm going to get back on training, but I'll see you at lunch." He tells me. I wave as he walks away. I continue to throw my knives until I am tired out.

I find Everest waiting for me at an empty table. I grab a tray of food and sit across from her. We chat about this years Games and our arena predictions. Not too long after, Cato, and his crowd of popular friends join us.

I wouldn't consider myself 'popular'. I don't know most of these kids. The only reason why I am even valid enough to sit with them is because Cato would kill any one of them who bothers me. Everest on the other hand, fits right in with this crowd. Maybe it's a wealthy kid thing that I don't get.

They all chatter like little chipmunks. I stay quiet, only answering whatever Everest or Cato asks.

"I'm going to train." I say and stand up quickly. I put my tray on the counter and head back to my beloved knives.

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ok idk how to end this chapter but i hope u liked it <33