Not Supposed To Be

~22

"Uhhhhh."Cato said as he woke and untangled himself from the sleeping bag.

I pulled my knees up and buried my face in them. I didn't want him to see me crying. He started to shake my shoulder as I wiped the tears off.

"Am I allowed to leave the cave to relieve myself? Or do you have to come with me?" I asked pushing his arm away.

"You can leave." He said giving me a confused look.

I grabbed my trident and glared at him. I pushed passed him and left the cave. Clove was sitting on a rock and jump up as I walked passed her. She stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"Cato said I could go and relieve myself."

Once in the woods I sat up against a tree and closed my eyes. I didn't really need to go. I just wanted out of the cave and away from Cato. The mockingjays began to chirp as I pondered if I could outlast everyone without the backpack and just leave. Cato would surely come after me, once he figured I left. He really only stuck to the lake and the woods. I could go to the open field, where Finnick told me to stay away. I haven't listened to any of his advice.

More tears streamed down my face as I thought of Finnick. I'm surprised I even have any tears left. I miss him. Is he proud of me for making it this far? Does he hate me for falling in love?

I wiped the tears away and walked back to the cave. It is almost afternoon and it's already too hot. I slipped my coat off as I spotted Cato. He stripped his shirt off and bent down to wash it in the lake.

I took my coat off because of the heat and dropped it in the lake. I sat on a rock and stripped my boots up and rolled my pant legs up. Cato sat next to me as I put my feet in the water.

"Not going to take your shirt off?" He asked bumping my shoulder.

"No." I said and he laughed and he kissed my cheek.

"You know I have seen you without a shirt on."

I smacked his shoulder and he laughed again. I moved onto my stomach and put my hands into the water. The water reminds me off home and a happier time. Reminds me of Finnick and my father. Cato laid down on his back next to me

"So, how did you get sick." He asked.

I jumped into the story and he listened intently.

It happened about a month after my father died. Finnick was fourteen and I was six. My family was well off but not richly. So, Finnick had to work and I went to work with him. Nobody was home to watch me because everyone worked.

Kids were allowed to work and do the rigging. We were smaller and lighter to climb the ropes and put the sails up and down. That was my job while Finnick fished.

The day that I got sick we had to go back to the docks early because a storm was coming. Once back at the docks as the crew was taking the fish off to be counted the kids would climb the huge net to see who could go the highest.

While I was climbing the rain and wind started to get bad and Finnick was yelling at me to get down. The wind rocked the ship and I lost my grip and fell into the water.

Workers pull me out then Finnick and I walked home. It got colder as we walked home and I was soaked to the bone. Once home I just changed and went to bed and woke with a fever.

"That was how I got sick. We didn't have the money to buy the right medicine at first. After Finnick won his games the medicine didn't work because I was sick for too long. There were times I thought I wasn't going to get better, but Finnick never gave up."

I took my hands on of the water and rolled on to my back. Cato move onto his side and kissed me. His hand went to my thigh as he moved on top of me.

"Are you sure you're not going to take your shirt off?" He asked and moved to my neck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ladies and Gentlemen! A fest will commence tomorrow at sunrise. You all need something, so don't decline my offer to quick." The said as it boomed around the arena.

"What is the plan, Cato?" CLove said coming out of the cave.