Time Has Brought Your Heart To Me (Clato)

Chapter 9 "Betrayal"

Clove’s PoV

I wake up in my own bedroom and look at my hand that had a bandage wrapped around it. I look at the day and the time.  Crap! I had to get ready for school. I grab a singlet and loose long sleeve shirt that hung off my shoulders and a skirt that was just above my knees. I put a stretchy piece of fabric on my thigh and slip the knife in it. I tie my hair up in a messy side braid and pack my books up. I run downstairs and take some breakfast for my walk to school. Blade trails behind me quietly while I wait in front of Cato’s house.

“Hey Clove.” He says without making eye contact with me as he walks out the door.

“Is something wrong?” I ask, worried. He finally narrows his eyes into mine.

“No, nothing. How’s your hand?” He replies, trying to change the subject. I might as well go along with it.
“It’s fine.” I say briefly. Cato slows down a bit and walks beside me.

“Hey, kid. How’s it going?” He says in a husky voice to Blade.

“I don’t know.” I giggle from his stupid answer. “Are you Clove’s boyfriend?” Blade asks, innocently but also very immaturely.

“Shut up, Blade.” I scowl.

“Hey, be nice to your brother and as for your question, maybe.” Cato says and shoots me a flirty wink. If he weren’t a total outcast like me, he would be a player, definitely.

“It’s the last day before spring break, right?” I ask.

“Yup. “ We enter the school gates and Blade runs off to where his group of friends were.

I sit on the table I usually sit on and Cato sits across me.

“Look at that group of girls over there, they’re staring at you weirdly.” I say while glancing at them multiple times. “I think they like you or something.” They keep on doing annoying girly giggles and squeals whenever Cato looked.

“Not my type.” He says, uninterested. He looks at me and doesn’t even take his eyes off of me, even for a second. God, he’s adorable, why can’t I just kiss him?

“I guess you’re not a total loser anymore.” I say while looking back at the girls.

“Who cares anyway?” He waves his hand.

“Not me.” Cato reaches his hand towards my hair and I flinch when he tucks a stubborn clump of hair behind my ear.

“My little Clover.” He says while gazing deep into my eyes. My heart thumps and I start to lose air.

“Giant.” I blurt. He chuckles and leans towards my lips. No, not again. The bell rings just as I close my eyes. I clear my throat and look at him awkwardly.

“Well, um. Bye?”

“Yeah, bye.” I felt disappointment linger through the air around us as I run away to class.

***A few hours later***

Cato’s PoV

I would say that was a very stimulating maths lesson. One of my worst subjects, I walk out swiftly into the cafeteria and spot Clove sitting alone.

“Here, I got your lunch.” She says with neutrally while she hands me the tray.

“Thanks, I mumble.” I dig into the food like there was no tomorrow.

“Whoa, slow down giant.” She laughs.

“What? I’m hungry.” I say with a mouthful of food.

“I won’t disturb you then.” She says while lifting both her hands up. The same group of girls walk past us, giggling at the sight of me.

“Hey Cato.” The tall one with chestnut hair says flirtatiously.

“Well then.” Clove says while picking at her last piece of lettuce.

“I don’t even know any of their names…” I mutter. She stuffs the last piece of her food in her mouth.

“Let’s go outside now.” She literally demands. There were tons of people crowded outside. I take my eyes off Clove for one second, just one. Among the crowd were just other students talking, nothing important. I spend a few minutes searching for her and I see a crowd of guys hanging around Clove and I’s table. Clove was sitting on the seat, looking pretty frustrated. I could hear by the tone in their voices that they were taunting her.

“Look what’s under here.” One of them says.

“Leave me alone, you perverts.” Clove says while looking away. How dare they touch her in that manner? I could actually feel steam coming off my head and I knew I would soon do something I will regret.

“What a freak. She carries a knife to school under her skirt.” The same guy says and all of the others laugh.

“What did you say about her?” I grit my teeth.

“Aww look Clove, your boyfriend’s coming to save you.” He taunts. This guy was really looking for trouble. Well, if it’s a fight he wants, it’s a fight he’ll get. I throw my fist upwards in an upper hook form towards the bottom of his jaw. He stumbles unsteadily back and falls headfirst and winces from the pain. I felt bloodthirsty from all the anger so I decide to do more damage. I kick the guy continuously in the ribs until a teacher comes out and pulls me away. My mind felt dazed when I heard the siren of the ambulance approaching.

***

I sit alone in my room, the window bolted down and everything in my room taken away, except my bed. I guess this was my punishment for almost killing a guy. I couldn’t even see Clove; I was practically in a jail cell, in other words. Holidays without anything to do, well that’s going to be hell of a lot of fun. I pull the mattress up and take my sword out from underneath.

“Mum!” I yell out. I hear the rattling of my doorknob and It opens.

“Yes, Cato?”

“Can you get me two dummies? I need something to do in here.”

She hesitates. “Fine.” My mum returns with two dummies and chucks them carelessly in. I set them up and start training endlessly.

***2 weeks later***

 

Clove’s PoV

Worst. Holidays. Ever. I would seriously kill someone just to see Cato. I don’t know whether he was going to school today. I walk past his house and sigh as I look at his window. Blade walks ahead of me, not acknowledging that I stopped for a second. I roll my eyes and put my headphones on. When I arrive at school, I head straight for the library ignoring all the ‘popular’ people around me. I grab a random book from any shelf and sit on a couch. I flip through the pages and suddenly a girl appears out of nowhere.

“That’s a great read.” She says while pointing at the book. I nod and smile. I guess I should make friends, now that Cato’s not here.

“I think your right, I’m Clove by the way. You?”

“Orchid Fletcher.” She says while stacking a book on the bookshelf.

“We should hang out next break.” I say with a friendly smile.

“Sure.” The bell rings and I bolt out to my classroom.

***

I quickly walk out of the classroom and push through the crowd of people. I see it, Cato with popular people. How could I be so stupid? He completely ditches me after, what, like two weeks? Am I that easily forgotten? My eyes fill up with tears and they start running slowly down my face. My heart ached and I could feel it drop to the bottom of my stomach.