Career Love: A Clato Fanfic

Chapter 4

During supper, our other mentor, Brutus, decided to show up fashionably late. The Capitol escort as well, the woman with the red nails. Poppies are red, her claws are red, that makes sense. Brutus was distant. His strong and bulky build and glaring eyes helped with the act. Apparently Enobaria disturbed something quite important. He didn't nibble a single bite, but that was fine for everyone, we had more to eat for ourselves.

Our tummies now full and round—for the first time in forever and our cheeks flushed with the rich Capitol food. Enobaria demands of us to watch the reaping clips. She says our enemies have certain weaknesses that we must dig out. 

"No," Brutus snips simply.

"Excuse me?" Enobaria questions, baring her cosmetically altered teeth. Poppy Klapon gasps for no apparent reason- she probably chipped her nail polish.

Brutus growls back like a wild dog and leaves the room with a loud BANG.

Enobaria hisses but doesn't go after him. She motions for me to turn on the television ad the remote is right next to me. I'm embarrassed, I don't know how to turn it on. My family has an old battered TV at home but we never give it a use. The useless thing always melts down or shuts down the little amount of electricity in the house. So it just lies there, forgotten in dust.

"I, um, uh," I say lamely, staring down at the remote control with what seems like a thousand buttons.

To my surprise, Cato takes the remote and presses the red button at the top. The TV screen turns on automatically. I raise an eyebrow at him but he seems to be purposely ignoring me. Well, not that I care.

First comes District 1. A blond-haired girl—Glimmer, volunteers in the place of a shrimpy looking girl. Her face and figure is absolutely astonishing, she'll receive tons of sponsors certainly. The boy tribute for 1, who's named Marvel, takes a sixteen year-old's spot. He doesn't look like he was built for a Career life though.

Then, it's our district. I plaster a blank expression on my face and study my bitten-down fingernails for the whole time. I look up at the end and I'm proud to see that I show no signs of weakness.

All the other districts are very hollow, nothing special about them. There are no volunteers up to 4. I can't believe I have to sit through all twelve districts. I suddenly feel glad that the Capitol banished 13. As 11's reaping finishes, I lie my whole body on the couch. Out of all the districts, 12 is the most pathetic. The people there are even poorer than me. And they seem to have no sense of hygiene. It'll be silent, boring. But instead, I hear screaming.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!!" a girl around my age screams hysterically. My head snaps up instantaneously. "I volunteer!" she says, a bit calmer this time. The little girl—I'm guessing her little sister, is screaming too.

"No! Katniss, you can't!"

A tall muscular boy lifts and takes the little girl away, her screams still echoing in the dusty air.

The girl- Katniss. Her face is struggling to keep from breaking down. I want to comfort her, to tell her it's alright when it's not. My emotions are swirling inside. I wish I didn't eat all that rich stuff.

Then it's for the boys' reaping.

"Peeta Mellark," the Capitol woman squeals excitedly. No one volunteers as I suspected. I want to study Katniss more, to figure out her strengths and weaknesses. She isn't tall or buff, but she looks slender and quick. But Enobaria shuts off the TV.

"You two get some sleep, you'll need it," she snaps angrily. I figure she's still annoyed with Brutus. I can't blame her, it's both their jobs to train Cato and I, but she's been doing all the work.

Cato and I step out of the compartment and for a second, our eyes meet.

The remarkable blue eyes mesmerized me. But I would not fall for him.

Because when the time comes, he will be begging for his life.