Panem High School {COMPLETED}

Chapter 47 - Katniss

(It's very important that I skip Madge and Gale's chapters but I promise after this I'm done. For now. And next time, I promise even more feels *evil laugh*

Warning to Harry Potter fans: I've got a joke in this chapter that you'll hate me for.)

(Katniss's POV)

Madge is the one to break the shocked silence. "How could you say that?!" she yells.

"I didn't know!" I had no idea. I was upset that Clove would assume that I had a living father. I never took the time to notice I was doing the exact same thing. Oh gosh, I've done it now.

Johanna slowly shakes her head at me. "You little-"

"Go apologize," Madge cuts her off.

"What? Now?" I stare at her, pleading. "I can't! No!" Clove will just as soon murder me than talk to me.

"Katniss, you have to," Annie says, quietly. "Even if you didn't mean to hurt her, you did. And that's all the more reason to apologize."

"But right now?" I moan.

"Go," Madge says. I trudge off, very slowly and reluctantly.

After I leave the cafeteria. I realize I have no idea where Clove even went. I check the bathrooms and find no sign of her, and look into each classroom that I pass.

As I walk through the school, I start planning out what I need to say. I didn't mean for that to happen. I didn't know. But she'll never forgive me if I make excuses. And, surprisingly, I find that I actually want to make things right between us now.

I finally end up at the doors to the library, and slip in. The librarian hardly gives me a second glance. I scan the room and spy Clove sitting in a chair, her back to me. And she's crying.

I awkwardly stand behind her chair for a few minutes, then, when she's settled down a little, I sit down in the seat next to her.

Without looking up, she says, "Johanna, I don't need-"

"Clove," I say. She looks up, and her tearstained face automatically gets a bit more defensive.

"What?" she asks, coldly.

I sigh, and look down at my lap. "I'm really sorry, Clove. I had no idea...I'm so sorry," I say, then add, "for everything."

When Clove doesn't say anything, I look back up at her. Her face is hard to read, but I at least see surprise and suspiciousness in the mixture of emotions flickering across it.

"You're...you're being serious?" she finally asks.

I nod. "Dead serious." At Clove's horror-filled look, I realize my mistake and quickly add, "Sorry...I forget what a great meaning that has to Harry Potter fans..." I made the mistake of saying that around Prim once. Never again.

"Well...I'm sorry too, then," Clove says, quickly.

"Can we just agree to be friends now?" I ask.

Clove smiles a bit. "All right. And...I'm sorry, about your dad. I didn't know..."

"It's ok. He died in a car crash. Four years ago." I shrug. "I guess I've dealt with it. I don't know."

Clove nods. "I know what you mean... My dad left before he knew Mom was even pregnant. I'm used to it. I don't know if I'm ok with it, but I'm used to it."

I smile, a real smile. Until now, I've never had a friend who actually understands this feeling. Even Prim barely remembers Dad. Sure, Clove never met her dad, but it's the same feeling of missing a part of your life.