Stay With Me - A Clato Hunger Games FanFic

Chapter 12~ The Capitol

~A/N~ Here's a reallllyyyy long one for you guys! 7 pages on Word!

Chapter 12

         We stayed there and talked for a while more. We talked about what we were going to do about this. Should we tell everyone? No, we decide. We have to keep this a secret, from everyone. If word were to reach the Gamemakers or the sponsors, we wouldn’t get as much help when we enter the arena. Careers are not supposed to love, we are not supposed to be ‘soft’, as they put it. We are trained to be strong, murderous, killing machines. We aren’t allowed to let emotions interfere with our training.

        Later, Cato retired to his room, and I resumed my position near the window. We will arrive in the Capitol in the morning. Being from 2, we don’t have nearly as long of a commute as the other districts, but it’s still a pretty good ways. I stayed up for a while, running through things in my mind. After what seemed like just minutes, I realize it is nearly midnight. I decide it will be best if I try to get some sleep. Who knows what will be waiting when we get there.

        I go over to the bed and flip back the covers. I crawl in and snuggle down. I must be more tired than I thought, since I’m out almost instantly. I don’t sleep well though. My dreams are haunted with memories of Zane’s games, and what might happen in these. In my nightmares, I come up with many different ways in which I have to watch Cato die. I wake several times throughout the night, breathing hard. That’s it. I have to get him back. I couldn’t bear it if something happens to him. I wouldn’t even be able to return home, knowing that he had died. If something happens to him in there, I’ll never get out. I’ll spend my whole life in there, trying to think my way out.

-A/N- like my reference there? Katniss & Peeta basically copied Cato & Clove’s relationship. But theirs was public, whereas Clato’s wasn’t, so no one knew. –A/N-

The following morning brings sunlight way too early, and a loud banging on my door. “Clove! Rise & shine! We’ll be arriving shortly!” Lolatrix squeals. I roll over and put my pillow over my head, trying to drift off again. I almost managed it, too, until I feel my blanket being snatched away from me, and my pillow going quickly after it. I jerk up, “Hey!” Then I realize it’s just Cato. I yank my blanket back, and throw it over my head, flopping back onto the bed. “Oh no you don’t,” he says, pulling it back. “Come on, we’re nearly there, get up and let’s eat,” he says, throwing the blanket to the ground and swinging me over his shoulder. I playfully throw a tantrum, beating him on the back and demanding to be put down. He does put me down after a minute, and I think I’ve won, until I realize he put me in a chair at the dining table. I cross my arms and slouch back in a huff. He plants himself next to me. Lolatrix is across from us again. A couple of Avoxes place empty plates in front of us, since the food is in bowls down the center of the table. They then melt back into another car. We serve ourselves and begin eating. Lolatrix starts to tell us what the plan is. “You’ll have to be on your best behavior. Be polite, but not nice. You have to radiate arrogance and superiority. Let these people know that they are looking at the two biggest contenders.”

When we arrive in the Capitol, there are throngs of people on either side of the train. Lolatrix tells us to stand near the windows and wave confidently at the crowds. We do, and the people seem to go even crazier, if possible. The crowd is a massive blur of rainbow colors. There are people on stilts, right up on the windows. The entire place looks like one big street party, which I guess it is. We pull into a station, and Lolatrix escorts us off the train. A couple of large bodyguards surround us to keep the people from engulfing us. There are so many people, no one notices Cato & I clenching each other’s hands. We are led into another large building and we give the other a last glance before we are separated. Lolatrix takes me into what I imagine must be a spa-type place. I assume the guards must have taken Cato somewhere similar.