Ripped - Hunger Games Fan Fiction

Before the Reaping - Chapter 6

"So let me get this straight, you're not volunteering today?" My dad asks with a concerned look on his face. "No I'm not," I say, snapping slightly present in my tone. 

"But this is what you're trained to do," He says. 

"I don't want to go! I've never wanted to go," I say raising my voice.

"What do you mean? If you don't want to go, why have I never heard this before?" He asks, leaning against the door frame and folding his arms across his chest.

"Doesn't even matter, I know, if I don't go this year, you'll make me go next year," I say sniffling.

"Well, that's what we discussed," He says and i start crying.

"THAT'S WHAT YOU AND MOM DISCUSSED. NOT ME! AND NOW SHE'S GONE, YOU MAKE ME TRAIN HARDER THAN I EVER HAVE BEFORE! WHY WOULD YOU WANT ME TO GO ANYWAY? IT'S A FIGHT TO THE DEATH. DO YOU HATE ME OR SOMETHING?" I say, running out of the room to Cato's house.

I don't know why I took that so emotionally, but it's something I have wanted to say for a long time. 

I burst through the door and run straight up to his room where I know he'll be. 

"Woah, Emerald. What's the matter?" He asks as I fling myself onto him.

"M-m-my dad w-wants me to volunteer, and I just said a bunch of stuff which m-made me upset and I couldn't j-just sit there and listen to him yell back, so I came over here," I say and he presses his cheek against the top of my head.

"Calm down, it's okay," He says smoothing my hair with one hand but holding me against him with the other.

"It's not," I sniff and he just shh's in a comforting way. 

"We just need to get over today, alright?" He says holding both of my shoulders and looking me in the eye. I nod and kiss him.

"Thanks," I say when we pull away. 

"Thanks for what?" He asks and I chuckle. 

"Comforting me, being the only person that understands me," I say, wiping my eyes with the back of my hands. 

"I'm sure I'm not the only person. Julia, your dad, there would be heaps more," He says sitting down on the bed. 

"What's-?" Cato's dad comes in when I'm sitting next to him hugging him. He notices my red eyes and continues talking, "What happened dear?" He says stepping into the room. 

"Just my dad, it's hard being a girl, without a mom," I say, sniffling again.

"I know it is, but, believe me, you're dad's trying to do all he can for you," He says. "I just came in to say we have to go in about 20 minutes," He says backing out the door and closing the door. 

"I wish my dad was like that, I wish he'd show he was trying," I say pressing my face into his shoulder. 

"It's hard for him," He says, "But, you came over here to get away from him, we don't need to talk about it," He says kissing the top of my head.

"Thanks," I say again. 

"Stop thanking me," He says. 

"Why?" I say and he shakes his head. This is weird. 

"You going like this?" I say and he nods. "I should probably get changed," I sigh and stand up. 

"You going hom?" He asks leaning back onto his hands. 

"Nah, I'll go to Julia's, she'll have something," I say and he nods.

"Do you want me to come with you?" He asks and I shake my head,

"Don't worry," I say, "I know you told me not to, but thank you," I say again and chuckle. I walk over to him and give him a tight hug. "I love you," I say and he sighs. "I love you too," He says. I look him in the eye and he kisses me. 

"Cato, I gotta go," I say, chuckling and he laughs as well. "I'll see you later," He says and I nod. "Yep," I say opening the door and walking through it. 

The walk to Julia's isn't that long, we all live pretty close to each other here. I knock on the door and she opens it and strangles me with a hug. 

"HEY!" She says, deafening me,

"Hey, can I, um, can i borrow something to wear today? I don't want to go home, long story, but I just came over from Cato's and-"

"Shut-up, yes you can borrow something," She says, pulling on my wrist, dragging me inside. 

"Put this on," She says chucking me a dress with flowers all over it.

"Thanks," I say walking into the bathroom.

"No problem." She yells from her room.

After I've put the dress on, I look in the mirror and tug on the hem of the dress. "Does it fit?" She yells from her room.

"Yep," I say walking out. 

"Have you got shoes?" She asks and I shake my head. "I didn't bring any that match the dress," I say and she moans in frustration. 

"Gee, I'm sorry," I say and we both burst out laughing. It wasn't even that funny, but e seem to laugh about everything. 

"That's cool," She says. 

"Don't throw shoes," I say and a pair of sandals fly out of the cupboard. 

"OI!" I say going to pick them up. 

"Sorry," She says, obviously not meaning it. 

"Put them on, we need to go," She says. I do up the buckle and follow her out the door.

"Oh, Emerald, you're here!" Her mom says giving me a hug. 

"I am," I say and she chuckles. 

"Long story, I needed to borrow some of Julia's clothes," I say and she nods. 

"That's okay, let's go kids," She says ushering us out the door.