Careers Have Feelings Too | CLATO | GLARVEL |

Chapter 4

GLIMMER POV

"You and Marvel dated?" Ember says, obviously surprised.

I've been on the District Four floor for hours now. It's a nice change of scenery, and it's partly to get away from Marvel. After the parade we'd all decided to spend some time as a group, and had gone to sit in Cato and Clove's living area. It had been just as nice as ours, but all we'd spoken about was how angry everyone was about District Twelve's stunt. So I left. Besides, having to act normally around Marvel was difficult to keep up. Ember offered to come with me, and we ended up here, in her room. Talking to another girl was comforting and homely. It wasn't all about violence and the Games, instead she felt like a normal friend I might make in school.  

I nod. "Just over five years. We broke up because he was going to volunteer for the Games. I don't really want to talk about it. And don't tell him or the others that you know, because I think he just wants to forget all about it."

"Surely not. If you dated that long, he must still feel some sort of way. He can't just want to block it all out," she says calmly. She has a confident, reassured nature about her, which is priceless to me right now. I feel bad that I'm making her listen to all this stuff from someone she's only just met, but she did ask me about boys. I might as well let someone know how I've been feeling. 

"Also, you never know what could happen in the Games," she pipes up. "Don't write yourself off. You're a Career, so you have more of a chance than most of the people out there." 

"I don't think so. Marvel's trained all his life for these Games, and he's not going to change that for me. He'll kill me if he has to, I'm sure of it. And Cato and Clove seem nice, but I find them a bit scary," I say. "I bet they think I'm weak." 

"You don't seem weak to me," Ember says. "Just because you don't have a face like thunder like Clove does, it doesn't make you less of a threat." 

I scoff. Little does she know. I like her, and because of that I want to tell her about myself, but in the back of my mind there remains the fear: one of these people I'm considering my new friend will end my life. So I don't want Ember to know I'm not on their level. I trained, sure, everyone does, but not like a Career. Getting to the Games was never my goal, unlike Marvel. I used to go to the Training Centre as soon as the school day ended, but not to better myself for this. I always went to see him. And he'd be there. Even if he was planning on having a night without training, he was there.

I walked into the Main Hall and straight to the weapons room, where I knew Marvel would be practicing. I watched him pick up a spear like it was an extension of his arm and throw it like it weighed nothing. It pierced the dummy in the forehead, and stuck fast. "Marvel," I called, and he turned around and smiled at the sound of my voice.

I jogged over to him, and planted a quick kiss on his lips. He stroked my hair, sending shivers down my spine. "I have a free evening today," he said, his eyes shining. "Let's do something fun."

We walked around our favourite parts of the District. One is stunning, filled with ornate buildings and shops bursting with beautiful things. As we walked, we talked about the coming Games. "You're volunteering, aren't you." I said, knowing it wasn't a question. It was me voicing the lead that had been in my stomach for months now, the manifestation of the knowledge there was nothing I could do to stop him. 

"I have to. I'm not throwing away my life's training. I'm eighteen, so it's now or never," he said.

I knew he has a good chance of making it out as Victor, but I didn't want him to risk it. "Don't leave me," I said. He turned around to face me, taking my hands and looking deep into my eyes. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden shadow over his furrowed expression.