Harmless

The Parade

The cheers of the people from the capital became so loud, it turned into disorientation. I knew I had to put on the face expected of me, a cold cruel person trained for this, made for this destiny. I look to Cato and he has the same expression painted onto his face. we walk slowly out of the train and follow Lavender into the training center.

"Alright, little girl you will come with me." A lady dressed in all pink and who reminds me of a poodle states. I glare at her comment, which she seems to find extremely funny, give Cato a look before following the poodle lady away.

She leads me back to an area full of make up and hair supplies, before sitting me down and telling about ten different people what to do to my face and hair. The people put an insane amount of gel into my hair and covered my face in more make-up than I would use in two years. By the time she is done with me I barley recognize myself.

"Alright time for you to meet your stylist." The poodle lady tells me.

"Okay." I say, afraid if I move even a little bit my face will fall off.

She leaves me in the room to wait for the stylist and contemplate what I just got myself into.

A short lady comes into the room and looks me up and down before sitting down across the table from me.

"This year, you and your district partners will be gladiators, try to look strong, I know it will be hard as you are so small." The lady sneers and I can't help but to roll my eyes at her.

She finally has me dressed and not even recognizable. I think slowly to myself, 'is this what I have become?' I realize in that moment, I don't want to be here, this was a mistake, this is going to be how I die.

I am brought out of my daze by the poodle lady telling me to, "Come along, it is time for the parade."

I try to walk but it is awkward in the outfit that I have been put in for the night. I am led to the carriages alone, with no one to hold onto even if it showed weakness.

I see Cato already there and I can't help but to smirk at him, at least one of us looks good in these ridiculous outfits.

"Hey." He smiles at me.

"Let's just get this over with." I say emotionless.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"Not here." I snap.

"Let's get this done with then." He says as we climb on the carriages.

We stand there waiting for the others to arrive and I look up the other tributes. I see the girl from first checking out Cato and I can't help but to glare at her. I think she see's me because she quickly turns away and looking forward.

Cato grabs my hand briefly before we both put on our coldest faces before the parade starts. district 1 starts waving to the crowd. The crowd cheers at their over the top outfits, that are all pink and fluffy.

Cato and I keep straight faces the whole time, not cracking a smile or anything. They cheer loudly for us, we always were a crowd favorite. The other districts starts coming through. Suddenly, the loudest cheers erupt from the stadium and Cato and I can't help but to look at the screen to see the district 12 tributes costumes on fire. At first I think it is a malfunction. Then I just get angry, they were showing us up.

By the time we are finished with the parade I am furious, I storm upstairs to level 2 of the building were we will be living for the days leading up to the games. I storm into my room and strip off all of the over bearing clothing that weighed down my body before I run into the shower to wash the overload of make-up off of my face. The shower is almost to complicated to operate, but I figure it out and start to scrub the make-up off of my face. It takes about 15 minutes to get everything off. I get out and dressed into a pair of pj pants and a long sleeve shirt and fits loosely, before crawling into my bed.

Just as I am about to fall asleep there is a knock on the door.

"Clove, can I come in?" Cato's voice echo's through the door.

"Sure." I whisper.

The door creaks open and the tall figure steps in and lays down next to me on my bed.

"You okay?" He asks.

"Honestly?" I ask.

"Yes." He replies.

"I don't want to be here, I don't want this for my life and I don't, I don't know, I don't want to be here." I sigh.

"I know." He sighs into my hair.

"Can we just go to bed?" I ask.

"Mhmm..." He sighs as we drift off to sleep.

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The morning comes all too soon. Lavender knocks on the door before Cato jumps out of the bed quickly. I shove Cato into the shower before opening the door.

"Good morning." I say to Lavender.

"Breakfast in 10, please tell Cato, I know he is in here with you." Lavender says before turning on her heel and leaving the to the main area.

"Shall we go get breakfast." Cato laughs.

"Yeah, yeah we should." I laugh before we head down the hallway.

We both sit down at the table and eat breakfast, Lavender looks at both of us then says, "Training starts in an hour please be early, you are careers and need to keep up that reputation."

We both nod before she stands up to leave the table and both Cato and I smirk at each other, finish breakfast and then go to get dressed for training.