Panem High School

I'll Be Strong

Cato's POV
The moment the dancing is over I put the stupid crown on our table.
"We're leaving in a few minutes, so get ready." Glimmer announces and I immediately head toward the bathroom. I get in line and moments later Marvel is behind me.
"Perfect timing." I mutter.
"Glimmer told me to get ready to leave. I have to pee." He replies.
"So you are coming to after prom?"
"Of course. It's important to Glimmer, and I'm not done with our friend group. I'm just done with you."
"How come I'm always the bad guy with you? Clove and Sagara aren't the best either."
"Yeah, but they know that. You just... you have everything and you know that and you treat people like crap. We're not here for you to amuse yourself with. I'm done trying to get more from you than what's offered." I hold back a reply as a urinal opens. When I finish, Marvel is gone. Probably for the best. I wash my hands and head back to my table. Grabbing the crown, I follow the group to the limo. The four of us get in and it pulls away from prom. The windows and sunroof are open and Sagara sticks her hand out as music lowly plays. A half an hour in, Glimmer is asleep with her head on Marvel's shoulder. I stand up and put my top half through the open sunroof. The wind blows against my face and I finally feel like I can breathe again. The bright lights of the Capitol in the distance give my skin a purple tint as we reach its outskirts. I wonder where Clove is right now. Is she with that guy still? Is she home? Is she on her way here? I wish she was here...
"Ahem." Someone says. I make room, but avoid eye contact, keeping up the illusion that it's Clove.
"She says she's on her way." Sagara eventually says.
"Who?" I ask.
"Clove. You're thinking about her."
"How can you tell?"
"You have that look on your face."
"What look?"
"The Clove look."
"I was just wondering where she was. Now I know."
"What are you gonna do about this Marvel thing?" Sagara asks as she looks at the endless blur of trees.
"I don't know. I don't see any way of fixing it that doesn't involve dumping Glimmer." I answer.
"Do you want to dump Glimmer?"
"I honestly don't know anymore. I don't have strong feelings either way. It just seems easier to stay with her."
"Rather than drive an even bigger wedge between everyone?"
"Yeah..."
"I... I've been thinking."
"About?"
"The games. Only one of us can get out, Cato. To do that we're gonna have to abandon each other."
"And?"
"Isn't that the littlest bit hard for you to think about doing?"
"That was always the plan. Career pack until not necessary, then Clove and I would go off on our own."
"Yeah, but did you ever think past that? Let's say the final three are you, Clove, and Marvel. What are you gonna do?"
"Clove and I take out Marvel and then fight each other until only one is left standing. It's textbook."
"How can you so easily distance yourself?"
"It's how you win. Clove and I have been training our whole lives for this, if there was another way to win we'd know it."
"So in the games this year, if it comes down to you and Clove, you're just gonna fight each other and whoever is victorious wins the games?"
"That's generally how it works."
"I thought you wanted Clove to get out. For years you've talked about both of you getting out, but only one of you can, Cato." I look down at the sleek roof of the limo.
"I guess I never thought about the possibility of only one of us winning. It's the Quarter Quell, they might allow two winners. They did it this year."
"They were forced to this year. You against Clove, who do you want to win? Who do you see on next year's victory tour?" I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and...
"I'm in the crowd, standing next to Willow. Clove wins. She gets out. I stay in Two and become a trainer. I make sure Willow gets out too."
"Did the great Cato Hadley just admit defeat?" Sagara teases as I chuckle and open my eyes. I turn around to face her.
"In the fight over whose family life sucks the most, Clove wins. She needs to get out. I don't. It's that simple."
"Are you just gonna let her win?" I groan and rub my temples, thoughts of the future causing a migraine.
"She'd kill me if I did that... this just got really complicated."
"It was always complicated."
"Yeah... I'll talk to her about it. Maybe, for once, she'll let me help her."
"Doesn't seem likely."
"Thanks for the support."
"Just being honest."
"What about you? How are you ever going to cope with the idea of fighting Zale?" I taunt and Sagara glares at me.
"If you had asked him to jump in front of a train he would've done it. I felt like a third wheel with my own date."
"You should've gone on a date with him first. Amateur."
"Sorry, this is my first prom. Unlike you I haven't been going since freshman year."
"What can I say? The ladies, and Zale, love me." As Sagara rolls her eyes, the limo pulls into a gravelly driveway and a decent sized house comes into view. Sagara and I sit down and wait for the limo to park. The moment the motor stops running, Glimmer jolts up. We all get out of the limo, Sagara and Marvel going inside while Glimmer waves goodbye to the driver as he pulls away. Once it's out of sight, Glimmer turns around to look at me.
"You've gotta fix this Marvel thing." She states.
"How?" I ask.
"I don't know, but I'm not having my two favorite boys be enemies. It's not happening." She saunters into the house and I trudge in behind her.
"All of your luggage should be in the rooms you requested." Glimmer says and we all go up to our rooms. Once I find mine, I immediately strip and take a shower in the shared bathroom. By the time I'm dressed I hear someone coming up the staircase. I exit my room and see Clove on the top step, her hair wet and her eyes wide.
"Clove..." I begin.
"I'm going to bed." She says and climbs the last step.
"Wait, I need to talk to you about something."
"I'm really not in the talking mood, Cato."
"It's important. Please?" She sighs.
"Fine." She says and I walk back to my room.
"Not there. Not in a bedroom." Clove spits out and crosses her arms in front of her chest.
"Okay. Choose where you want to go and we'll go." I reply, and that's how I find myself lying on the roof as Clove hugs her knees next to me.
"Well? What is it you wanted to talk about?" She asks, looking at the moon instead of me.
"Well... I wanted to talk to you about next year's games, but I feel like I should focus on something else." I say and look at her back.
"It's nothing."
"That's clearly not true."
"I'll get over it."
"I won't if you won't tell me." She shivers some more and wraps her jacket around her, her hands covered in gloves. It's not that cold. I sit up and see a tear on her cheek.
"We don't need to talk. We can just lay here. Okay?" I ask and she nods. I lay down again and she soon follows suit. As we lay in silence I try to avoid looking at her, but she eventually takes the gloves off and her wrists are noticeably bruised. I'm about to say something when I hear her shallow breaths start to become deeper, and decide to leave it alone for tonight. My sense of time starts to fade as I stare at the endless array of stars in the sky. Clove suddenly speaks.
"I don't want to be apart of the Career pack next games." She states, staring up at the sky even when I glance at her.
"Why?" I ask.
"Too many people. Too many personalities. Too many weaknesses."
"So it'll just be the two of us?"
"I never said you had to join me."
"I never asked. I'm not letting you go through the games alone until I have to." I wait for her most likely negative response, but it doesn't come.
"Good. We're stronger together. What did you want to talk about? With the games?" She asks, inflection absent from her voice.
"I... I wanted to theorize with you about the Quarter Quell, but it's late now and I'm too tired."
"Is that all?" I'm quiet for awhile, trying to think of anything to say, when something bursts out of me.
"Do you think I use people for my own amusement?"
"Yes." She replies almost immediately.
"Really? Everyone?"
"Not everyone, just most people. You've never used Willow."
"Have I used you?"
"Many times."
"Many times?!"
"Do you really not know?"
"I mean, I know I'm an ass to most people, but I didn't think I was using them."
"Who told you?"
"Marvel. We were waiting on line for the bathroom and he said that one of the reasons he can't be friends with me anymore is because I use people for my own amusement. I thought he wasn't thinking straight, but I guess he was."
"You and Marvel really aren't friends anymore?"
"Apparently not."
"Jeez, Cato, I leave you alone for one night." Clove teases and I chuckle, glad to see some of the usual Clove returning.
"I know. Big mistake."
"Yeah... big mistake..." She mumbles and the slight smile on her face goes away.
"Hey, don't go back to that place." I say and she takes a shaky deep breath.
"What were Marvel's other reasons?"
"Well, I asked him why I'm always the bad guy with him-"
"Cato, you didn't-"
"I did. I wanted to know."
"You couldn't figure it out for yourself? Even I figured it out."
"Glimmer?"
"Yeah."
"I figured..."
"Yet you agreed to date Glimmer anyway?"
"Yup."
"I'm starting to understand why Marvel isn't friends with you anymore."
"Anyway, he said that, apparently, I'm not as honest as you and Sagara."
"You're not. It's not always a bad thing."
"Thanks. Marvel doesn't seem to think so."
"Yeah, but he's a One. He doesn't understand how the world works."
"He says that I have everything. Can you believe it? He has a perfect house, perfect family, perfect life, and he's angry at me for having everything?!"
"All the girls want to date you and all the guys want to be like you."
"All the girls want to date me?" I tease and she rolls her eyes.
"Not all of them, but a lot. Marvel doesn't have that luxury."
"Why does he care about any of that? He's got the one thing that really matters. I don't." I slowly become quieter and avoid Clove's gaze.
"I know. I don't understand it either. I guess he doesn't know what he has." Clove quietly says and doesn't look away.
"I don't want to treat people like crap. Not the ones who matter, at least." I eventually admit and meet her gaze.
"I know." She replies and we both go back to looking at the stars.
Glimmer's POV
"What are you doing?" Sagara asks as she passes me in the hallway.
"Waiting for Cato and Clove." I answer.
"Why?"
"I want to talk to Clove."
"They could be up there awhile."
"I know. I'll wait."
"Are you jealous?" Sagara asks and I shake my head.
"No. Clove looked really upset when she got here. I want to make sure she's okay."
"Have fun with that." Sagara says as she walks away. It's not much longer before Cato and Clove enter the hallway. Cato pats me on the shoulder before going into his room and I try not to blush.
"Your face is red." Clove states. I guess I didn't try hard enough. Clove starts to walk away.
"Wait, Clove, I want to talk to you. My room?" I ask and she glares at me.
"No." She says.
"Come on, you have to talk to somebody about it and I know you didn't tell Cato." Clove lets out a puff of air and begrudgingly follows me to my room. I lock the door behind us as Clove stares out the window, a shiny object in her hands.
"Is that a knife?" I ask as she turns it over in her hands.
"Yeah. I always have a few on me, except at work. They patted me down the first time and confiscated one of my favorite knives. I know better now." She answers and starts to press it onto her palm.
"Okay, how about we put the knife down for now?" I try to take the knife from her hand but she refuses to let go. My eyes fall to her wrists.
"Clove-" I start.
"I don't want to talk about it." She spits.
"Are you sure you don't want ice or something?"
"It's fine. What do you want to talk about?"
"What happened? Are you okay?"
"It was exactly what you'd expect."
"What did he do?"
"He had as much fun as he possibly could due to the age constraints. I got to try a bunch of new things that I never want to think about ever again. Are we done now?"
"Oh, Clove... I'm so sorry." I exclaim as I try to hug her. She points her knife at me and I put my hands up.
"Clove. Put the knife down. I'm not here to hurt you or make you do anything you don't wanna do." I explain.
"I don't want to hug you." She states.
"Then don't. Just talk to me, okay?"
"I don't want to do this anymore."
"I know." I say as I take a step closer.
"I just want it all to end."
"I understand. Just hand me the knife and we can talk more about this." I plead as she chuckles.
"I'm not going to kill myself. Or you. No need to worry." She taunts as she slams the knife into the bedside table. Well there goes the security deposit.
"Clove, everything is going to be okay."
"How can you say something like that?"
"I believe it's true."
"How?"
"I... I might have a way out. You're going to have to trust me though. You can't tell anyone, especially Cato." I say. Clove suddenly stands up straight and fixes me with a peculiar stare.
"Glimmer, I'd like to remind you that, although we're... friends, I'm still from Two and I'm still the person I was before the games, regardless of tonight." She explains through clenched teeth.
"I thought-"
"I know what you thought."
"Why are you still loyal to them? After all they've done to you and your family..."
"What about my family?" She challenges. I sigh.
"Nothing. I just thought after all that's happened you might've changed your mind."
"I'm a soldier. I follow orders and I don't question them. Snow will get bored of this eventually."
"Don't you want control over your life?"
"Look, life is different for you. You can do whatever you want and people won't care because you're Glimmer Cantrell and Ones can get away with anything. Where I'm from, things are different. I don't know how far along in this plan you've gotten, but I recommend keeping it to yourself."
"Are you gonna tell anyone?"
"No. I'm going to bed." Clove says and yanks the knife out of the bedside table.
"Clove... about tonight-"
"I do not want to talk about it."
"I know, but I'll understand if you don't want to participate in any of the events this weekend." I say as I unlock the door and open it.
"My reason for not wanting to participate in your events will have nothing to do with tonight. Trust me." She mutters and goes to her room. The next day the sun is shining through the windows in my room when I wake up. I look at the clock, 10 in the morning, and hop out of bed, wrapping my bathrobe around me. I walk downstairs and see Marvel at the kitchen table, reading a newspaper.
"I didn't even know they still published those." I state as I begin to take out the ingredients for chocolate chip pancakes.
"They don't for the areas, but we're technically in the Capitol, so..." Marvel says and flips the paper over to show a huge picture of me and Cato.
"Oh goodness, that's me." I say as I take the paper from his hands and sit down across from him.
"It seems that you and Cato are the headline for Capitol News. How messed up is that?"
"The winners of Junior Prom King and Queen were Glimmer Cantrell from Area One and Cato Hadley from Area Two. This couple first caught everyone's attention during the most recent Hunger Games where their beautiful image and perfect pedigrees left the Capitol audience in awe. Aw, that's... kind of sweet." I read and hand Marvel back the paper.
"It's creepy. All of these articles... every single one of them is about our lives. Sagara and Zale, Mr. Sevina's trial, Adrianna even has her own gossip column in here." Marvel exclaims as he flips through the paper.
"I'm somehow not shocked." I joke and begin making the pancakes. By the time they're done, Sagara has joined Marvel at the table. I turn the griddle off and put the pancakes on the table.
"Thaaaaank you, Gliiiiiimmer." Marvel says.
"You're welcome. I'm gonna go wake up the other two." I head upstairs and go into Cato's room where I find him, asleep, sitting against the bathroom door. I quietly walk over to him and crouch down at his side.
"Cato." I whisper and gently jostle him until his eyes flutter open.
"There are pancakes downstairs. Everyone else is already up, besides Clove." I say as his eyes, the color of winter, meet mine.
"My back hurts." He whines as he struggles to stand up.
"Well that's what happens when you sleep, on the floor, sitting up. How exactly did you end up in this position?"
"It's a long story..." Cato mumbles as he starts to walk towards the door.
"Clove?" I ask and he slowly turns around to face me.
"Yeah. How'd you know?"
"I'm the one who made the room assignments. You and Clove being next door to each other and sharing a bathroom wasn't based on the alphabet." I explain.
"Okay, I've got to ask you a question. Clove and I, we're just friends, but we spend a lot of time together. Usually girls I date do not support that, how are you so okay with it?" He asks and I shrug.
"I've known you guys for a long time. I guess I just have a better understanding of your friendship."
"Yeah but... giving us connecting rooms? How did that happen?"
"Clove has been having a rough time lately and I know how it feels to need your partner when you're sad or angry or confused."
"How you have so much faith in me I'll never understand." Cato says incredulously as he gives me a kiss on the cheek and leaves. Was he just... sweet?! Affectionate?!
"I'm falling for that boy so badly." I mutter to myself as I knock on Clove's door. A few seconds later she swings it open, already in workout clothes with an earbud in.
"Yes?" She asks.
"I made breakfast-" I begin.
"I'm not hungry." She replies and begins to shut the door, but I stop her.
"Wait!! You need to eat something before you work out."
"I already chugged a protein shake. I'm fine."
"So... what? You're just abandoning us?" I ask and she fixes me with a look of annoyance.
"Is it really that important that I sit with you guys at breakfast?"
"Yes. Junior year is almost over, we've only got a little over a year before everything changes. I want us to spend as much time together as possible."
"You mean before you go and join the other side?"
"Clove."
"What? It's true. You're choosing to leave, so why am I the one who has to suffer?"
"Regardless of what side I'm on, everything changes after high school. One of us is probably gonna win the games next year so that person will be in the Capitol and the rest of us probably won't leave our own areas unless we're on business. Doesn't that make you sad?"
"No."
"Of course it doesn't."
"I have to train." She starts towards the stairs.
"You can train all summer. You're on vacation right now. Enjoy yourself." I say as I follow her downstairs.
"There's no time." She insists as we enter the kitchen.
"Cato, can you please tell Clove that training can wait until Monday?"
"Well, actually, I was planning on hiking later and doing an environment based workout." Cato says with a mouth full of pancakes.
"What?"
"There's bound to be something you guys want to do that I don't, so I'll do that while you... shop or something. Clove can join me if she wants."
"Fine. Happy?" Clove asks as she takes a pancake off of Marvel's plate.
"Very."
Peeta's POV
The Peacekeeper roughly tosses me into my house and right into my mother.
"I'm so sorry, m'am." I quietly say, staring up at her in fear. She glares down at me and gives me a nice smack on the face. I stumble, but am determined not to fall. My mother walks away, not caring to see if I stay upright. I quietly walk to my room and change out of my suit from the night before. Prom with Katniss Everdeen. Huh. Never thought that would happen. I sleep the rest of the day away, my brothers taking over my shifts at the bakery, and wake up Sunday morning with a warm bruise on my cheek. My entire house is empty, so I find myself slowly trying to do my homework, the computer being so old it only lets me type a dozen words every few minutes. Suddenly an IM from three minutes ago pops up.
GirlWithTheKnives: I assume you've heard about my dad.
PeetaMellark: No?
GirlWithTheKnives: Really? You must be the only one.
PeetaMellark: We don't really get news down here. I guarantee you I'm not the only one. What's going on?
GirlWithTheKnives: Well, they finally set a date for his trial to see if he committed treason and joined the rebellion.
PeetaMellark: Wow, that's intense. When's the trial?
GirlWithTheKnives: Wednesday.
PeetaMellark: That's soon. How do you feel about that?
GirlWithTheKnives: I feel like I want it to be over already. I don't care what the outcome is.
PeetaMellark: You mean you won't care if he loses?
GirlWithTheKnives: Not particularly. I know my sister will.
PeetaMellark: How's it gonna work? The trial, I mean.
GirlWithTheKnives: My family goes to the trial on Wednesday. I get out of school. It lasts as many days as it needs to and I stay in the Capitol for that amount of time.
PeetaMellark: Are you a witness?
GirlWithTheKnives: Yes. I'm suppose to explain all the reasons why my dad could never be a traitor.
PeetaMellark: And? Is he? Is it possible?
GirlWithTheKnives: It's possible. I'm not sure. He's always been different than most Twos.
PeetaMellark: How would you feel if he was convicted?
GirlWithTheKnives: I'm not sure. Home would be hell with just my mom.
PeetaMellark: I could imagine. I'm sure they'll see he's innocent.
GirlWithTheKnives: I'm not so sure about that. Cato's dad is intense.
PeetaMellark: Wait, Cato's dad is trying to prove that your dad is guilty?
GirlWithTheKnives: Yes. I have to go. My mom is calling.
GirlWithTheKnives has left your conversation
I lean back in my chair and let out a chuckle.
"Suddenly I don't feel so alone when it comes to complicated relationships." I mutter as my door opens. I turn to see Katniss tentatively entering the office.
"I knocked but no one answered, so I just decided to come in. Girl with the knives? Are you IMing Clove Sevina?" Katniss asks incredulously. My eyes widen and I quickly close the tab.
"Uh yeah. She asked about Haymitch's homework." I reply.
"She asked you? Out of all of the people in that class, she asked you?"
"Yeah. I guess none of her friends knew either." Katniss furrows her eyebrows in disbelief as I quickly change the subject.
"So, why are you here?" I ask.
"I wanted to know if you could sit with me at lunch from now on?" Katniss asks. I swallow, remind myself that this is most likely coming from either Haymitch or Effie, and respond.
"Sure. Gale won't mind?" Katniss avoids my eyes as she answers.
"Well... Gale's opinion doesn't really matter much these days, according to him." Katniss remarks as she rolls her eyes and crosses her arms.
"Oh? What was he suppose to mean by that?" I inquire, motioning for her to sit down.
"Well, ever since we came back from the games he's been a little... annoyed about the whole lovers thing, but us going to prom together was apparently the last straw. He told me he needs time away from me in order to get some clarity and hopes that I soon realize how inconsiderate I'm being towards him." Katniss explains in a huff as she plops down on a seat.
"Does he know it's not... that we're not-"
"Yeah, but it makes no difference to him. He seems to think I have a choice in the matter even though I don't."
"So it'll just be me and you at lunch?"
"Yup, Snow will love it. I'll see you tomorrow." She says and leaves. I watch her leave and try not to get too excited about our lunch date. I fail.