DYSTOPIA

0.06

"What the actual fuck, are you doing here?" Clove sighed, as Cato stood towering over her as usual.

"What a warm welcome." He said with a sneer, inviting himself inside her room. Cato observed the room and very quickly gathered, that all the rooms were exactly the same.

"I didn't say you could—"

"What's your problem?" Cato snapped.

"What's my problem, what's your problem—"

"I'm not doing this shit with you Clove." Cato interjected, for the second time, causing Clove to frown. Not only had Cato's sudden outburst confused her, but so did the use of her given name, instead of the dumb nickname he often called her by. "If you'd stop being a high-strung, stubborn, bitch for just one second, you'd realise I'm trying to help you and your family."

"Who the hell do you—"

"Shut the hell up Clove." He interrupted yet again, leaving Clove genuinely speechless, never in her life had she been as stunned as she was then. "This whole brooding, troubled girl act needs to come to an end. You're worrying your sister, and you're worrying me." Clove's felt her stomach sink to her feet, at Cato's revelation. "Cressida is worried to death, she knows you're hiding shit from her." He repeated.

What kind of a sister am I?

"I have my reasons—"

"I know you do." Cato interjected, "You forget how well I know you." He said, in a slightly softer tone. "Me, more than anyone knows how you worked your ass off, trained everyday so you could win the games— For her." He continued, "But you've got to accept the fact we're no longer in the games, we're here, in 13. And your main priority, is her safety."

Well, when he put it like that ...

Clove knew there was no point in fighting, Cato Hadley has come to her with good intentions.
Clove wanted to believe the best in people, she really did, but every-time she did, she was ultimately left disappointed. That's why after all was said and done, it still felt weird that both Gale and Cato had performed acts of kindness... for her. Clove had concluded that she wouldn't fight, but that also didn't mean that she would admit he was right, even though deep down she knew he was.

"Okay." She settled for.

"Okay?" Cato asked, his tone laced with surprise and caution.

"Okay." She confirmed.

"Right." He sighed. "Good." He states again, "That was much easier than I was anticipating—"

"What do you mean by that?" Clove snapped, feeling slightly offended at his comment.

"Well Clover, you're not exactly the easiest person to talk to—"

"Meaning what?" She retorted, feeling her anger rise again.

"How do I put this nicely?" Cato pondered.

"Screw nice." Clove said with a huff, "Give it to me straight."

"You've been a raging bitch ever since we were sprung out of the arena." Cato said quickly, with a slight shrug. "More than usual too."

Clove swallowed down the lump in her throat, it wound her up that even after she'd asked for the straight truth, Cato's comment caused her to feel a nasty pang in her chest.

Damn.

"Is it because you regret it?" He asked in a low tone, telling by the mixed look of frustration and guilt on his face, Clove could see that was a question Cato had been wanting to ask for a while.
Although Clove at first wasn't exactly sure what he was referring to.