Panem High School

Tension

Clove's POV
Three days after Everdeen and Mellark won the Hunger Games, all 3 of the finalists were still in the hospital. Everdeen was in the best shape out of all of them. I heard a rumor that Mellark lost his leg from Cato's cut and blood poisoning. As if him and Everdeen didn't already hate us. I feel so stupid for ever trusting Mellark with my issues. I knew he was only apart of the Career pack so he could last longer. It was foolish and embarrassing. Anyway, Cato has been in a coma for those three days after the games. Headmaster Snow and the leaders told Caesar Flickerman that there was no possible way they could have expected the Muttations to be so violent. He said, "The Muttations that were sent for the finale of the 74th Hunger Games were not meant to do as much physical harm as they did. It was a glitch in the system and they were accidentally too aggressive." I normally support Snow and whatever he says, but it's hard to believe the guy when I'm sitting in a hospital room next to Cato at the weakest I have ever seen him.
"Cato? Can you hear me?" I said from my seat in a chair beside his bed. Nothing.
"Cato? Come on, wake up." I ordered. Still nothing.
"I'm getting nervous. Just wake up already." I said. A few moments later he stirred. I jumped out of my seat and stood over his bed as he clenched his eyes shut and then opened them.
"Cato?!" I said as he looked towards my voice.
"W-What happened?" He asked as I handed him a cup of water.
"You were attacked by the mutts, do you remember that?"
"Yeah, but then... things got weird."
"Well, the games are over. Everdeen and Mellark are both Victors, but not in the way they were suppose to be."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean the big finale wasn't the mutts, it was the two Victors rule being revoked. They refused to win without the other though, so they threatened the Capitol with no Victors by each putting Nightlock in their mouths. Before they were both out, Seneca Crane let them both win."
"Of course they won that way."
"You've been in a coma for three days."
"I was wondering about that. Those mutts were very violent. They kept attacking areas of me not covered by a vest and they weren't gentle about it."
"Headmaster Snow and the leaders released a statement about that. They said that it was a glitch, that the mutts' viciousness wasn't in their control or something."
"Three days, huh?"
"Yeah, everyone was really worried. According to your mom, Willow has been crying ever since I got out."
"My mom is here?"
"Yeah, it's some weird rule where if the person is in a coma for more than a day that they call the parents." He nodded his head and I awkwardly stood over his bed.
"Where is she now?"
"The cafeteria, she wanted lunch. I wasn't really hungry."
"Too worried about me?" I laughed at that.
"Not really. Your girlfriend and the others were here earlier, but they were called back to the Training Center for Interview Prep."
"What about you? The only way they would be able to rip you from my bedside is by sedating you?"
"Funny, no, apparently we're doing our interview together because the Capitol is gossiping about who you really have feelings for, me or Glimmer."
"Seriously? Why don't they send me out with Glimmer then?"
"It's only the Top Ten remember, the rest of the Top 24 sits in the audience. Glimmer didn't make the Top 10 and neither did Sagara."
"What are Brutus and Enobaria saying about it?"
"Enobaria says she knew you weren't a one woman man and Brutus doesn't like it. Enobaria thinks it gives you a playboy look that you can use, but Brutus thinks it makes you look like you're a lovesick boy who can't choose between the beautiful girl from 1 and the best friend from 2." He started to laugh. I glared at him.
"What?"
"This is serious. Headmaster Snow is already mad because there were two Victors, I don't know about you, but I don't want to be in Mellark and Everdeen's position right now. So please, don't make me be in it. Just choose Glimmer, no funny business."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that you should choose your girlfriend and not make my life difficult by choosing to annoy me by choosing me instead."
"Did you seriously think I was going to choose you over the girl I'm dating on national television?" That made me angry.
"I don't know!! You go through so many with me as the reason for the breakup so I guess I just wanted to clarify."
"Whatever." We silently glared at each other for a few minutes. I eventually sighed and rolled my eyes.
"You know, I didn't come here to fight with you."
"Really? I'm so shocked. It seems that's all we do nowadays."
"I actually wanted to tell you that I am so tired of all the fighting. I just want to be friends again. I don't need the added stress of hating you and I don't want it either. So date Glimmer or whatever, just try not to be so overprotective and don't make me apart of all of your girl drama. I just honestly don't have the energy anymore. Do you think you can handle that?" Cato was no longer angry. He chuckled and beckoned me towards him. I walked over to him, arms crossed.
"I think I can manage that, Sevina. I mean, I've been doing a fairly good job at it for almost 10 years now." I chuckled and shook my head as I squeezed his outstretched hand.
"You are such an idiot."
"Yet you love me anyway."
"Somehow."
"Cato? You're awake?" The two of us turned towards the door where Cato's mom was standing, looking furious. Here we go.
"Yeah." Cato replied.
"She was the person you woke up to?"
"She has a name, and it's Clove." I spat. I am so done with this woman.
"Watch your tongue. I have half a mind to throw you out right now. In fact, get out. I don't want you near my son."
"That's not your decision, Mother." Cato stated.
"That's fine, I'll go. I just hope you realize, Mrs. Hadley, that throwing me out of here doesn't mean Cato and I are no longer friends. In fact, the more times that you do this, the more you're pushing him away." I said, my voice level as I left the room, my head held high.
Enobaria's POV
"I just got word that the boy is getting discharged tomorrow morning, and that the Interviews will be tomorrow night. That means we have 24 hours to come up with a good response to all of this madness." Brutus explained as he walked into my room in the Training Center.
"Why are we discussing without the two of them, now that everyone is conscious?" I asked.
"The truth doesn't matter, whatever Snow and the leaders want to hear does. They don't want another set of lovers."
"Then don't we have the answer? We play off the Cornucopia situation as Cato fearing Clove, who let's say is like his little sister, wasn't going to be okay. The Capitol will adore the brotherly love and the leaders will be happy with no lovers from 2."
"What about the 1?"
"I don't know or care. She's your issue. My charge is Clove, and I just cleaned up her part in the mess. Cato and his girlfriend from 1 are your problem."
"No, they are both of our problems. Until we show that the girlfriend doesn't think your charge is trying to steal her boyfriend away, the Capitol won't let it go."
"She doesn't speak. The girl didn't even make the Top Ten. How are we suppose to convey that she's okay with Cato's reaction if she doesn't speak? Not to mention, if we were to get her to speak, we'd need to collaborate with Cashmere and that is the last thing I want to do."
"Got me." There is no getting around the Glimmer Cantrell speed bump without her speaking.
"What about the boy? Marvel James, he's in the Top 10 and they're all friends, not to mention he's her area partner. He can speak for her."
"Collaborating with Gloss?"
"Believe me, if there was a way around it, I would have suggested it. The boy can just say that after talking to Glimmer, he can honestly say that she isn't bothered by it. That everyone in their group knows Cato is protective over Clove like he was his sister. We just need to get the phrases sister, everyone knows, and Glimmer and Cato are still going strong in there somewhere."
"We have to go downstairs then."
"Damn it." Brutus and I went into the elevator and arrived on the floor for Area 1. We entered and saw Marvel James and Glimmer Cantrell watching TV. Veridie shuffled in and smiled at us.
"Oh what a surprise!! What can I do for you two?" She asked as Glimmer and Marvel turned to look at us.
"We're here for Gloss, it's for the Interviews." Brutus said.
"I'll go fetch him for you, he's in his room."
"No need, just point us in the right direction." I said. Veridie pointed us towards Gloss's room and Brutus and I entered it.
"Why hello Area 2. I assume you're here about the Interviews and our love triangle mess?" Gloss stated from his bed.
"You assume right. We need Marvel James to help us and his friends." I stated.
"Of course you do. Now, what's the gist of what he should be saying if asked?"
"Just that Cato and Clove have always had a sibling-like relationship and that, after talking to his close friend Glimmer, he can vouch for her by saying that she knows Cato isn't into Clove that way and that her and Cato are still going strong." Brutus explained.
"Okay, I think I can work that in. Tell me though, why not just use the ass angle?"
"If we used that angle it would make Cato look more lovesick than an ass."
"Oh right, the Area 2 Warriors can't have real hearts. Just ones that are true enough to fool the Capitol audience."
"Can you make that happen or not?" I asked.
"Consider it done." Brutus and I walked back into the elevator.
"I don't trust that guy or his sister." Brutus stated as we entered our level.
"Me neither."
Clove's POV
The moment Cato stepped back into the sitting room to the time to get changed for the Interviews was chocked full of Enobaria, Brutus, and Ajax telling us what we can do to clean up our mess. Ajax told us how to sit on the love seat.
"Both of you need to be relaxed, act as though you didn't do anything wrong as far as you're concerned, so the Capitol audience doesn't start to get suspicious. Don't sit near each other, sit as far away from each other as you can without making it obvious you're trying to stay away from each other." Ajax explained. Brutus told us how to answer questions regarding how we feel about losing to two people from 12.
"You have to keep the image of a brutal 2, but you can't badmouth the Victors. Say that you're upset you didn't win, but that the Victors who did win showed the best capabilities in the end. Stuff like that will be eaten up by the audience." Brutus said. Enobaria told us how to handle the "Love Triangle".
"We've pulled a few strings with Gloss, so your friend Marvel James is going to vouch for Glimmer when it comes to questions about her feelings. You two just have to worry about yourselves. Clove, don't take any responsibility when it comes to this mess. Tell the audience how you could never think of Cato as more than a friend and that you want no part in gossip. Cato, make it clear that you agree with Clove when it comes to your feelings for each other. You have a girlfriend and that's that. Do not get mushy. Clear cut answers, no emotion except your usual arrogance." Enobaria explained. After they finished, my stylist took me away and began to prepare my appearance. I was horrified with the finished project. My stylist has me in a black, tight, and thin cotton turtleneck, a tight mid thigh length black leather skirt, black patent leather heels, my hair is in a long straight ponytail (hair extensions), and a whole bunch of makeup made to make me look sexy, apparently.
"What the hell is this? You start me in a pink girly dress and now I'm in this?! No way, I'm not wearing this." I spat.
"Mon cheri, you have to wear this. I started you in that pink frock to show you as a butterfly. Now, you have blossomed into a Black Widow. It makes you look alluring." The idiot said.
"Oh, that makes it soooo much better." Enobaria appeared and my stylist scampered away.
"I am not wearing this." I spat again.
"Yes, you are. Your stylist was given the idea by Headmaster Snow. I know it's completely out of your comfort zone, but you have to wear it." Enobaria said quietly.
"Why would Headmaster Snow want me to wear this?" Enobaria gave me a sullen look and I fell silent.
"I'm sorry." I quietly followed her out of my room and into the sitting room where Brutus, Cato, Ajax, and the others were waiting. Cato quickly walked over to me.
"They are not-" He began, I can sense a rage.
"Cato, please, just let it go. I have to wear it, that's it. Trust me." I whispered. He tried to read my face, but I kept it a mask. I don't want him to know how freaked out I am right now. He seemed to get that I didn't want to talk about it and dropped the topic. As we all got into the elevator, I could feel Ajax's eyes lingering on me and it was making me uncomfortable. Cato noticed it too, of course. He shifted in front of me as we went to find Marvel. We found him talking to Fox- Finch.
"I can't believe this is still happening." Finch stated as we approached them.
"Finch, keep your voice down. You have to calm down." Marvel whispered and then turned to us. His eyes rested on me, but not in the uncomfortable way Ajax's did.
"Clove." He said.
"I have to." I said calmly.
"Still think we all need to be calm?" Finch asked as Marvel registered the fear deeply hidden in my eyes. Finch turned to me and gave me a somewhat kind smile.
"Just remember what Glimmer did." She stated as we were told to wait in order. The show started with the boy from 10, whose name is Buck. After him was the Moment of Silence for Rue. I looked around me at the faces of the other Top 10 people. The fire in Finch and Everdeen's eyes, the mostly hidden pain of Mellark and Thresh, and many others who looked sad. I, myself, am as angry about this as Finch looks, but I'm too scared to do anything about it considering what Snow already seems to have in the works for me. Plasmic was next. Marvel followed. He easily handled the crowd and did what Enobaria said he would do. Thresh was after Marvel. Caesar asked him several questions, but yet again he answered very simply. When asked about Rue he simply stared at the cameras and said nothing. In silent protest. Next is Finch. She stalked onstage and was very curt with Caesar, up until he brought up Rue.
"Now Finch, how did you feel when you found out about little Rue's passing?" Caesar asked. Finch took a deep breath and glared at the audience, directing her answer at each and every one of them.
"How did I feel when a 14 year old girl, who only participated in these games in order to provide for her family, died? Well Caesar, Capitol, people of all areas of Panem, let me tell you what I think and what I feel. Anger. Pain. The need for revenge. I want to avenge Rue's death by bringing down the people who killed her. I had been spying on the Careers when those landmines were being set up. Plasmic reactivated the ones used in the beginning of the games, placed into the arena by the Gamemakers. It was the blast from those landmines that resulted in Rue's death. That means, indirectly, Headmaster Snow, the leaders of Panem, and the Gamemakers killed Rue. They killed her and all of you Capitol freaks sat by and watched, munching on popcorn. A girl lost her life for your entertainment, and she wasn't even the first one. You guys don't care though. You don't care that Coriolanus Snow is a corrupt tyrant who controls every single leader of Panem. IT'S SNOW'S FAULT SHE'S DEAD AND I WILL NO LONGER STAND BY AS HE GETS AWAY WITH IT!! HE HAS COST SO MANY PEOPLE THEIR LIVES!! CHILDREN MOTHERLESS AND MOTHERS WITH NO CHILDREN!! THIS IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE REBELLION, IT'S BECAUSE OF SNOW!! DOWN WITH THE CAPITOL!! THE REBELLION LIVES ON!!" Finch exclaimed and was dragged off by Peacekeepers. The Capitol audience stirred along with the tributes.
"She shouldn't have done that. I tried to warn her." Marvel whispered in my ear from beside me.
"That was gutsy, I can't believe she did that." I replied. After a minute of shock, Caesar continued with the Interviews. Cato and I walked onstage and sat down, Cato closer to Caesar than myself.
"Welcome Cato and Clove of Area 2!! I have to say, I am really shocked neither of you two won." Caesar said.
"You and me both, Caesar." Cato replied, the Capitol distracted by his charm already.
"So, I'm just going to get straight down to business with you two, if you don't mind. You see, you two have caused quite a stir in the Capitol. That moment at the Cornucopia you two shared was both heartwarming and confusing. I know what Glimmer, Cato's girlfriend, feels on the subject, but what about you two? Clove?" I remembered Enobaria's advice as I answered.
"Well, Caesar, I have known Cato for the majority of my life and we are very close, but I could never think of him as more than a platonic best friend. All of this romance nonsense is just gossip. I'm good friends with Glimmer as well, and those two are still very much a couple." I answered. I think that was right. Can they tell I'm nervous? Are they all staring at my body now because of the outfit? I hate this.
"What about you, Cato?"
"I completely agree with Clove. She's like my little sister, I could never think of her that way. Glimmer is my girlfriend, Clove is my best friend." Cato replied.
"Well, now that we have that out of the way, let's talk about your alliance a little bit. You two, Glimmer Cantrell, Marvel James, and Sagara Garner were the main allies, but you also allied with Plasmic Omega who we had out earlier in the show, and Peeta Mellark, one of our Victors this year. Tell us about the selection process for those two."
"Well, for Peeta Mellark, it was easy. We though he was somewhat friends with Katniss Everdeen, but it turns out we were way off." I joked, the audience laughing.
"I think he fooled all of us."
"Yes, but either way we knew he could lead us to our biggest threat, so we took him into the alliance."
"Now, we couldn't really hear what you guys were talking about, but it seems you and Peeta Mellark had some late night chats with each other. Would you say you were upset when he betrayed you and your friends, Clove?"
"Well, I think we became somewhat friends, but our conversations weren't anything substantial, just passing the time. It was kind of upsetting when he betrayed us, but now it's obvious why." That was such a lie. Am I blushing? No, that's just sweat from my body overheating from the lights and the attention. Not much better.
"Cato, tell us about Plasmic Omega, the other boy you let into your alliance."
"Oh, is that his name? I was wondering." Cato really hates Plasmic. He better not blow this by having a rage because of the stupid supplies again.
"Maybe that's why he wasn't in our alliance for that long, considering Cato didn't even bother to learn his name." I stated. I had to, there was a silence coming on and that's always a bad sign. Caesar laughed much harder at my comment than what was warranted, I think he was trying to do the same thing I tried to do.
"Plasmic was let into the alliance because he's from Area 3, meaning he's smart. We wanted our supplies to be safe, so he reactivated the landmines from the beginning of the games. That, as Marvel James would say since it's a lame pun, blew up in our faces and he was no longer apart of the alliance." Our time was up and Caesar sent us back offstage as he prepared for Everdeen and Mellark. While those two began to talk, Cato and I met up with Enobaria and Brutus in an empty hallway.
"That was enough. It wasn't perfect, but it doesn't have to be for the audience. The main thing is that the leaders and Headmaster Snow are no longer bothered by you two. That could just be because of that girl from 5, but either way, you're good." Enobaria explained.
"Really?!" I exclaimed, the nervousness I had been feeling all day subsiding.
"Yes. There are still a lot of Capitol citizens who just like to stir up trouble by putting Cato and you up against Cato and Glimmer and weighing the facts about who's the better couple, but the real danger is gone. You'll still be flocked by people saying how cute you would be as a couple or how Cato and Glimmer are the better couple since they look the part or whatever, but just ignore them." Brutus mentioned.
"Thank goodness that is over."
"Can we go back now? They've started showing the recap of the games." Cato requested.
"Of course." The four of us slipped backstage and watched the clips, mainly showing us whenever we were allies with Mellark or chasing Everdeen. After that, we were brought out for one final bow as the curtain closed and then it was over. We're allowed to roam the Training Center and the grounds surrounding it now that everything is over. It's what Snow calls our "prize" for making it to the Top 24. Marvel went to go see if he could find out what happened to Finch and Cato went to go find Sagara and Glimmer. I decided to take a walk around the Training Center by myself so I could think. Tonight could have ended really badly, I'm not even sure if Mellark and Everdeen are out of the woods yet. Not to mention Finch's outburst and Thresh's silent interview. I was really lucky. I don't ever want to feel that vulnerable again. As I continued my walk around the Training Center, I began to feel as though I was being followed. I finally turned around and saw a figure behind me.
"Who is that?" I barked, wishing I had been allowed to put one of my knives on my body for the Interviews.
"It's Ajax, Clove." The figure said and I recognized his voice. He stepped closer to me.
"Hi, why were you following me?"
"No reason. I just wanted to be alone with you."
"Okay... is there a reason why?"
"I haven't had a chance to be alone with you since before the games."
"Yeah..." Ajax took another step closer to me and I took a step back. I'm not sure how it happened, but all of the sudden he was pressing me up against a wall.
"What do you think you're doing?" I asked. I watched as Ajax looked me up and down.
"What we never had a chance to do before the games. Did you wear this just to... entice me?"
"No, my stylist chose this. Get off of me." I began to try and push him off me, but he's a lot heavier than he looks.
"Now why would I do that?" His hands moved from my upperarms and onto my shoulders.
"So that you don't lose a hand." I ripped one of his hands off of me, but the moment I did he used his other one to grip my neck so I had to let go. He kept his hand on my neck and used his other hand to grope my ass. I kicked him in the shins and he let go of me long enough for me to escape from in between him and the wall. He wrapped his arms around me as I tried to run away. I tried to overpower him, but this is the one time my training fails me. I'm too tiny to throw him off of me and I can't exactly kick backwards. Suddenly I felt his lips on my neck and I tried to ram my head around so he'd stop, but no use.
"GET OFF OF ME!!" I screamed. I struggled against him. I was just about to scream again when he was ripped off of me.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!!" Cato shouted as he threw Ajax on the ground. I turned to where Ajax was on the ground and kicked him in the gut. Cato punched him unconscious and I had to rip him off of Ajax's limp body so he would stop.
"Cato, stop." I said as he tried to lunge at Ajax again.
"Did he... did he touch you?" Cato asked. My breathing, which had quickened, was now calming down as I inspected myself.
"No, not really." He nodded his head and began to walk towards me, causing me to jump.
"What? What was that?" Cato took another step towards me and I took a step back.
"I-I just... I want space from... people touching me." He frowned at me.
"But I didn't..." I turned away from his hurt face and walked away, wrapping my arms around myself.