promises • cato the hunger games

Seven

"Just stop. You don't want this, not really," he says quietly, starting to walk slowly towards me.

"This is what I want. Just go away."

"No it's not. You would have done it already, instead of wasting time talking to me."

"Why d'you care anyway?"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," he says quietly.

I can hardly believe someone can actually be so interfering. I mentally block him out and put one foot out. It's almost over. I close my eyes, but I don't get a chance to jump.

Cato suddenly lunges forwards and grabs me. I start screaming. 

"What the hell are you playing at, Cato? Put me down. Now," I demand.

"Sorry, no," he says calmly. I start screaming again. How could anyone be so mean? Cato sighs. "Penny, you wouldn't be able to do it anyway. They put a force field down there or something, so you'd just be thrown back up again."

I try to wriggle free. "I don't believe you," I mutter.

Without thinking, I suddenly aim a punch right at his face. He gasps and drops me instantly. I feel a bit bad - there's blood gushing out of his nose and it already looks swollen. But I can't give up now. I just have to end it.

I start to run back to the edge. I won't bother with a countdown this time. I'll just jump straight off, before Cato has a chance to stop me again. I'm almost there, when my feet are suddenly swept off the ground. I manage to stick my hands out and land with a thud. I've split both my hands open, and the wind's knocked out of me for a second, and I go a bit dizzy. I just kneel there for a moment, watching the blood slowly drip onto the concrete.

"Oh god, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that," says Cato, walking over to me. "Are you okay?"

I shove him away and stand back up, swaying slightly. I turn back round, but Cato picks me up and starts to take me back to the elevator.

"Put me down. Please. Just leave me alone," I cry, resorting to begging now.

"No, I can't," he says. "I can't let you die."

"Yes, you can. Please, just pretend this never happened and walk away. You can go and win the games and go home and be with your family, and I can be with mine," I whisper, tears starting to trickle down my cheeks again.

"No. Think of your sister. You can't give up, she needs you."

"Get real, Cato. I don't have a hope in hell of winning. There's no point in trying. I don't want Rose to have to watch me die. It's not fair on her."

"But she'll grow up and she'll learn that you gave up. She won't want that. Neither would your parents."

I know he's right, but I'd never admit it. "They'd know I've got no chance," I say, trying to break free of his killer grip again.

"You do have a chance," he says. "I'll help you."

"What?" I say, genuinely shocked.

"I'll help you in training tomorrow."

What? Why would he want to bother helping me?

"Why?" I ask slowly.

"Because you deserve it. It's not fair that you were reaped and no one volunteered for you. We're supposed to be a Career district. You're too innocent to be dragged into the games. Too pure."

"But what about all the other districts, Cato? It's not fair on them either. You're not making any sense."

"There's nothing either of us can do about that. But I can help you."