Clato: Cuts Beneath the Surface

Chapter 2

Note this is my first ever story on watt-pad. I do not own these characters they are all property of Susanne collins. Enjoy! And please comment!

Chapter 2

When I arrive at the academy, it is almost full. Favian sees me enter and corners me like a lost puppy looking for its owner.

"Why are you so late?" He demands, sticking his overly slicked back head of hair in my face. I'm not very tall, so I can't even see over the waves of brown curls.

"It won't happen again." I promise. And I mean it. Before Favian can say anything else I excuse myself to the other half of the room. Leaving a wide path across the room I receive many glares. Returning each one with a deadly look, I am given a wide birth. Everyone knows not to mess with me. I am the best female tribute in the entire academy. Even at only 16.

I will enter the 75th hunger games. Today's newly assigned training partner will most likely be the boy I end up in the arena with. The boy I will kill without a second thought. My guards are always up, but I prepare myself for the possibility of a nice (by district 2 standards) partner. I will not allow myself to feel. Nothing good has ever come from that.

In my mind I see myself pressed against the wall unable to escape, unable to hurt the one holding me there because I allowed myself to care about him.

NO. I will not let myself be sidetracked by thoughts I should have buried long ago. I will focus, I will win.

The assembly hall quiets down as Razor Forman takes his place at the podium.

"Welcome to another year, another chance at bravery, and hopefully another victory." Every person in the room strains to hear his words. "As head of this academy I am honored to have you all here loyal tributes." My cheeks burn with pride, but I shove the emotion down and remember all the lessons. The teachers are right; any emotion is a bad emotion. "My Vice President will now read off the new training paid for the year. As always, we will start with the seniors." I nod my head. they are the most important. The best team will be chosen to volunteer at next years reaping. Even though I won't be a senior until next year I listen to every pairing, wondering which will get the chance at eternal glory.

"Rance and Jessamine. Parker and Willow. Zeek and Ralae. Cato and..." My ears pirk up, he is the best candidate for next years male tribute, even if he is an arrogant jerk. I catch him smirking like the idiot he is as every girl waits with baited breath for the name to be called.

"Clove Fuhman." The room is silent. He couldn't mean me, could he? I'm not a senior. I won't be in Cato's games. Cato, clueless as ever, shrugs it off, but I catch the looks of warning both Razor and Favian send me.

My games have just been moved up a year. And I am going into the arena with the only person in the academy who has a shot at killing me. Not that i'll ever let him know that.

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Knife after knife wizzes by, glints of steel in the moonlight. The training academy locked down two hours ago, but people tend to give me what I want. much as I hate to admit it, I'm not here for target practice. I'm here to escape. living with Favian is not all its cracked up to be. He is my trainer first and my caretaker second. I KNOW he loves me. Very much.

Maybe too much.

There's nothing I can do about it anyway. Best to burry the unpleasant thoughts with everything else. Not knowing whether to hate or love him, embrace or hide from, I just can't deal with it. not with the reaping in less than a year and the games just weeks following. I shove the emotions away even as ugly fear burns in my stomach.

The knives whistle past without a care in the world. If I only I could be so mechanical...

Two hours later I'm dripping with sweat. I'd switched out my nicer clothes from earlier with red training gear, now drenched. I am disgusting and utterly exhausted. Favian will be wondering where I am. No, that's not right-he'll be furious. I'll pay for this excursion later but right now I don't want to think about it. So I don't.

Stripping down, I sigh in the warm shower water. Like everything else it is carefully controlled so I only get 5 minutes. It's better than the communal wash days I could have suffered had Favian left me at the peacekeepers mercy-therefore condemning me to the districts only orphanage.

Changing quickly into green skinny jeans, a black tank top and matching boots, I sneak out of the academy. I'll be back in mere hours but every day of training requires fully functioning mind and body. Deaths aren't common but by no means nonexistent.

I decide to walk and avoid home just a little longer. This turns out to be a huge mistake. All the rich Capitol supporters live right by the academy. So who should I run into at 3:00am? None other than arrogant rich brat (and soon to be dead) Cato Hadley.

"What's little Clover doing out this late? Isn't it past your bedtime?" He croons with a mocking smile. I ignore him and keep walking. "Is little Clover belle gonna throw a tantrum? Other girls would kill to be with me."

This is the final straw. I spin angrily on my heels to face him, leering dangerously.

"Listen up. I did not ask to train with you. I do not want to deal with you. But let me get one thing straight." I look him dead in the eye. "I WILL kill you."

With that pronunciation I turn and march away. He breaks out of his shell-shocked state fast enough to chase after me. He puts a hand on my arm, turning me to face him. The touch burns and I shake away violently eyeing him warily. He seems genuinely shocked at my reaction, expression changing to that of someone trying to stop an exploding bomb.

"Look Clover, we all know the rules. The games don't change the fact that we still have to work together."

"Fine." I pause and stare up at him, "but don't call me Clover." He tries his trademark melting grin on me but I ignore it. It's kind of fun messing with his ego. With that, I walk away, refusing to give in and glance back.

"Night, Cloverly." He calls out.

I just keep walking.

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