Time Has Brought Your Heart To Me (Clato)

Chapter 11 "Rivals"

Cato’s PoV

I walk through the doors of the Training Academy and feel the cold breeze of the air conditioner wash over my face. I wipe the sweat off my forehead after hanging my bag up. The elevator opens and I take a ride up to level thirteen. It wasn’t as crowded as usual, actually there was about four people here, including me. I look around and at the corner of my eye, I see Clove throwing her knives towards the moving targets. A bunch of chattering comes towards me as the other two people, who seemed to be friends, were walking out of the room.

“You’re late.” Clove scowls.

“I know.” I smirk.

“We really need the training time if one of us is going to win the games next year.”

“I know.” I repeat. Her face flushes red in anger. She slams me straight into the wall behind me.

“You don’t want to annoy me.” She grits her teeth with her knife pressing sharply against my neck.

“I guess I don’t.”

“Good.” She lets go of me and walks back to the knife station.

“Looks like someone doesn’t have a date for Jasmina’s party.” I mumble, loud enough for Clove to hear.

“Better than your skimpy girlfriend.” She spits as she prepares to throw a knife at a small target a few metres away.

I shrug and grab a sword. I hit the red button and several robotic machines come charging at me. These things were lethal and have actually killed a student here before, only people with marks over ninety-five were allowed to use these. Clove and I got an easy ninety-eight; we were definitely the most skilled students here. I swing the my sword at the first one and slice it right through it’s stomach. This was mere child’s play. Another two come charging at lightning speed. I glance at the timer, seven minutes left until this ends. I was getting tired, very tired. I grunt as I jab a robot in its arm and another in its chest. I fall over as I dodge a spear being thrown at me. I roll over while a robot keeps attempting to hit me. I get close enough to its legs and hit it with my best shot. It topples over right in front of my eyes. The buzzer goes off and all the robots freeze in their footsteps.

Clove’s PoV

I sneak in a glance at Cato who had just finished training with those robots. I turn my attention back to my targets at the other side of the room. I effortlessly throw all three of the knives that were clutched in my hand. All three of them land in the middle of the targets.

“This is too easy.” I mumble to myself.

“Throw a knife at me.” Cato says. I give him a “What the hell?” look.

“Um…why?”

“You say you never miss a target, right?” He asks while slowly striding down to where the targets were. I nod.

“Then try me.” He smirks.

“Are you insane! Yeah, I never miss but I don’t want to kill you!” I yell out, frustrated with his stupid ways.

“Kill me, eh? I thought you hated me.” He taunts.

“I do hate you…but…” I say a lot more quietly. “You’re an idiot. I’m not throwing a knife at you until we’re in the games.”

“Then do something else for me.” He walks over to me and stands so close to me that our bodies nearly touch.

“Train with me.” He says softly.

“You mean with those robot things.” He nods and smiles. “Okay then.”

I grab several of my knifes and Cato walks over to where the controls are.

“What level?” He yells out to me.

“Um… the hardest one!” I yell back. He turns the knob and all the machines start to whirr. I mean, literally every robot was coming for us. He runs towards the middle of the platform where I’m standing. We hold a stance back-to-back, ready to fight. They all start attacking at once but I throw my knives into them easily. One robot swings at my stomach but I move back, it was only millimetres away from my stomach. I hold my knife tightly and stab in it the neck once with a lot of force. Suddenly, a spear comes flying towards me and cuts me right across my upper arm. Caught by surprise, another two robots attack me. One swings at my ankles, leaving a fresh scar on it. I jump and put all my weight on the robot’s chest. I actually flip over and use the wall to bounce back. I land on the shoulders of a robot so I seize my chance and jab it in its forehead. I look at Cato to see how he was going, not very well by the looks of it. I debate on whether I should help him. I swallow my pride and fling my knives at the robots he was fighting. They instantly turn off at the shot and the buzzer makes a sound. The robots repair themselves and resume their old positions.

One of them falls on top of me; I guess it was just that broken. I land face-first and groan.

“Whoa, are you okay Clover?” He says, caringly while lifting the robot off of me and throwing it recklessly across the room.

“You’re still calling me that, giant?” I answer while placing my hand on my bleeding ankle.

“And you’re still calling me giant?” He crosses his arms.

“It’s a habit.”

“Exactly my point.” He lifts me up, bridal style. I do miss the feeling of being in his arms. Snap out of it Clove, he betrayed you.

“Put me down.” I scowl bitterly. I fight my feelings and strain myself to not turning as red as a tomato.

“Okay.” He drops me on the ground and laughs cruelly. He gets a roll of bandage out of his bag and chucks them at my face. It bounces off my cheeks and lands in the palms of my hands.

“Thanks.” I say sarcastically.

“Take care of yourself, lucky Clover. I’ll see you at that party.” He waves. I swallow my words hard, those words being something stupid like “Please don’t go!” I roll my eyes and pick my backpack up and walk home.