Time Has Brought Your Heart To Me (Clato)

Chapter 15 "Becoming A Tribute"

Cato’s PoV

I couldn’t care less about anything or anyone today, maybe except Clove. The school gates were too crowded for me to get out of here fast enough.

“Everyone move!” I hear Clove scream in frustration. “Thank you.” She says politely while everyone makes a pathway for her. I squeeze my way to the clearing of people and run after Clove.

“Clover,” I finally catch up to her. “I’m getting a higher mark than you.”

“Since when?” She says, agitated.

“Since always.”

“We’ll see.” The doors open and all the students were crowded around the trainers standing at the front.

“Please take a seat.” The head trainer says after clearing his throat. The chattering quickly dies down and the head trainer gives a sly smile.

“The tributes who will be volunteering for the seventy-fourth annual Hunger Games are…” I exchange smirks with Clove, knowing we would be chosen.

“Cato Hadley, with the score of ninety-nine and Clove Sevina with the score of ninety-eight. Better luck next year.” He dismisses all the students and they all assume their conversations and training.

“Cato and Clove!” Enobaria calls out. We make our way to her.

“In the next few days, you two will have endless training during your daylight hours to make sure one you end up as a victor. I will be your mentor since I have experience.”

“Yeah…we know.” I say.

“And, no distractions. Especially from each other but you two might think of mending your friendship, you are going to be partners after all.”

“Yeah okay, whatever.” Clove says.

“Come with me. You two should duel, since you both have completely opposite techniques.”

“Yes!” I say in excitement. During the duel, Clove ended up being too quick for my sword and won.

“Who’s better now?” She smirks.

“Let me think, me.” I joke.

“Shut up.” She snaps.

“Good job, go home and get an early night. I’ll see you tomorrow at seven.” Clove and I groan hearing that we had to get up so early.

The next day, we train until we were too exhausted to even tease each other.

“Cato, I can’t even…” She slops on the concrete footpath next to someone’s driveway. She takes out her knife and starts fiddling around with it.

“You still have that?” I ask while sitting next to her.

“Yeah, its not like I could throw it away. I mean it has too much memories.” She says meaningfully.

“Huh. Well, thanks.” I sigh. A car starts honking at us, with an impatient man around his mid-forties driving it.

“Get out of the way!” He rolls his window down and scolds us.

“Crap!” Clove says and quickly gets up. I grab her arm and we start running for a few metres. She starts panting heavily and I decide to offer some help. Hopefully, she won’t refuse, she really needs it.

Clove’s PoV

My throat felt dry and I couldn’t breathe at any slower pace than this, which wasn’t helping with my exhaustion. I try to make out how far away my house is but my eyesight was too blurry. Cato casts his eyes onto mine, with a caring look but then lifts me up over his shoulder so that my head dangles facing his back.

“No matter how much you kick and scream, I’m going to keep carrying you.” He says. I was convinced enough, I wasn’t going to argue.

“Thanks Cato.” I whisper thankfully.

“No, problem Clove.” He says nicely.

“Hey, you called me Clove.” I yawn and start to get hazy from the blood rushing to my head. I doze off without hearing his reply.