I Swear I Won't Forget You - 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙤

chapter three

THE CAPITOL WOMAN is taken aback, startled. She looks at her wig pinned against the Justice Building door. I take a deep breath, what I just did was really stupid, but it was the only way I could get her attention. The crowd suddenly gets wild, cheering me on and pushing me towards the stage. I see dozens of peacekeepers marching my way, their batons out and ready for a fight.

"Clove! Clove! Clove!" The entire District chants. As I'm being pushed forward, I glance between the approaching Peacekeepers and the Capitol woman on stage, looking frazzled. I'm starting to doubt my decision, my outcome isn't looking good. Just as I'm thinking the worst, she speaks out.

"Wait, wait," The woman huffs into the microphone, fixing her wig cap. "You, uh, Clove, come on up." She waves me forward and the Peacekeepers stop their approach. A grin finds it's way onto my face as I climb the steps to the stage.

"In my years of being a Capitol escort, I have never seen anything as . . . idiotic as this," She starts, my grin slowly falls as I feel a sinking feeling in my stomach. "As . . . brave as this." She finishes, I release a sigh of relief I didn't realize I was holding.

"What's your name?"

"Clove Kentwell." I say into the microphone, my eyes meeting Cato's. His face is void of life, the expression on his face is unreadable. I never mentioned wanting to volunteer to him, but he had to have known it was going to happen sooner than later.

"Lovely to meet you, Clove. And now, for the boys!" The woman walks over the boys reaping bowl, plucking out a name slip like a feather from a chicken. Again, before she has the opportunity to read it, bursts of volunteers from the boys interrupt her. Suddenly, the only person I didn't want to see breaks through the crowd and climbs the stage, taking his place on the other side of the woman.

"Oh, my! I love your eagerness District 2! What is your name, hun?" The woman pushes the microphone to the boy.

"Cato Hadley." My heart breaks in my chest.

"Hadley? Did you say Hadley?" The woman whispers to him out of reach of the microphone, she looks shocked. Cato clears his throat, ignoring the question, bringing her attention back to the Reaping.

"Well there you have it! Our District 2 tributes for the 74th annual Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor."

     Cato and I said our goodbyes to our families briefly before boarding the train, we both haven't acknowledged our current situation. It's just too much to think about right now. Only one tribute comes home from the Games, why would he throw himself in here with me? I push the thoughts away before I get wrapped up in them. We stand awkwardly in the train car, accompanied by our escort.

"Well then, that was interesting." The woman says, placing her wig back on her head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?" Cato shakes her hand.

"Oh, I'm Selina, I will be your guide to win the Capitols hearts." She says sweetly. I didn't buy it. She seemed to be interested in Cato. How did she recognize his last name? His father died in The Games and his mother is a widow at home. At least that's what he told me.

"Mentors?" I ask, breaking the tension.

"Oh! Right! I'll be right back!" Selina runs out of the train car, her heals clicking on the tile floor. As soon as the door closes, I sit down in a 'C' shaped chair. Cato just stands beside the door looking mournfully out of the window. His hands are tucked into his front pockets. When his eyes meet mine, he locks them into a stare. It kinda makes me feel uncomfortable. His eyes have always been the most intimidating thing about him, even though he's 6'2" and has utterly massive muscles. I pat the chair next to me, suggesting for him to sit down. He doesn't budge. I smile humorously while I squint my eyes and bare all of my teeth, a funny face that always makes him laugh. He breaks the awkward stare with a laugh and sits next to me.
His expression is unreadable.