promises • cato the hunger games

Eight

"Penelope, get up. Now!"

If they were open, I would have rolled my eyes.

"Get up! ONE HOUR TILL TRAINING!" she shrieks.

I groan.

"Make that FIFTY-NINE minutes!"

I open my eyes groggily.

"Okay, okay, I'm getting up," I say, and thankfully hear her walk away.

I do actually try to motivate myself to get out of bed, but fail miserably. Not even hot chocolate is going to get me out of bed this morning. Or marshmallows.

I close my eyes and try to fall back asleep, but there's another knock on the door.

What now?!

"Penny?" It's Cato. "I know you won't want to get up yet, but Violetta said she's going to get Brutus to break down the door and drag you out if you don't get up soon."

As much as I'd like to stay in bed for the rest of my life, I don't fancy having the door being kicked in and being dragged out of bed by a psycho.

"And I don't really want to be late either," he adds quickly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," I tell him.

I push myself up and rub my eyes. Training today. Great.

I roll out of bed and have a shower, and change into the clothes they left out for me. I fishtail braid my hair and go to breakfast.

"Eat as quickly as you can," orders Violetta when I sit down at the table. She sprints off, muttering to herself about how I'll muck up her 'schedule'. I ignore her and pour myself some hot chocolate. There aren't any marshmallows. I can already tell this is going to be a bad day.

Cato walks through. "Can you please please hurry up, I don't want to be late."

I nod and stand up.

"Yes, hurry up, Penelope," says Violetta, and steers us both towards towards the door. She ushers us in to the elevator and we go down to the ground floor. "Down there," she says when the doors open. "Make a good impression." She gives us a push and I follow Cato down the very long corridor.

"I really don't want to do this," I say quietly.

"Hey, you'll be fine, I promise," he says, and takes my hand. I snatch it away.

"What?"

"I can't let myself get attached," I mumble.

"You what?"

"Well, you'll be trying to kill me in a week or so ...." I trail off.

"No I won't. I would never hurt you, ever."

"You say that now, but when you're actually in the arena-

He stops walking. "No. I won't. Do you really think that little of me?" he asks slowly.

"I don't know, Cato. I hardly know you really."