A/N: The tribute parade and interviews are all different to Suzanne Collins Hunger Games. Disclaimer: I do not own any recognisable characters. I don't own the Hunger Games or stuff like that. No copyright infringement intended.
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Julia kept me entertained until the parade. She came over and we talked about completely un related things to keep my mind off things. Nothing can keep my mind off the parade coming up tonight.
"You're watching it," She says sitting on my bed.
"No, I don't feel like watching it," I say.
"Well, think about it, it is going to be the last time before the interviews, and then the games, you are going to see Cato, in a not killing mood," She says and I have a mini heart attack when she says 'in a killing mood'.
"All the more reason, the Capitol might of changed him, at least my last memory of him, will be a good one,"
"Stop being so dramatic, you'll have more memories of him because he isn't going to die," She says shaking my shoulders, "Now, you are coming downstairs with me, and watching the tribute parade," She says, pulling my arm and dragging me down the stairs.
Her mom Charris, is sitting on their couch, with the T.V on, which happens to be showing the venue, getting ready for the parade.
"Hello Emerald, how are you? I'm so-" She starts and looks at Julia.
I turn my head to Julia and she is flailing her arms around and then when she notices me, she stops and smiles at me.
"I'm so glad you can join us," She corrects herself.
"Thank you for having me, but I really should be going," I say
"Ohhh no, you're not going anywhere," Julia says tugging on my arm.
"Why do you want me to watch it so badly?" I ask her and she shrugs
"You just should, don't you want to see Cato? At all?" She asks and I nod,
"But in real life," I say adn she sighs.
"Well, I'm sorry but this is as close as you will get," She says and tears spring to my eyes.
"I'm sorry," She says holding my hands. "I really am, I didn't mean it like that,"
"That's alright," I sniff and sit on the couch.
"Well, I know I'm certinaly excited to see this years tributes," Ceaser Flickerman says, staring down the barrel of the camera with his bright blue, well bright blue everything.
"You can say that again," Claudius Templesmith says, flashing one of his cheesy grins which I think everyone in Panem could gag at.
"Would you like a drink or anything? Anything to eat?" Charris asks.
"No thanks," I say and Julia groans
"You haven't eaten anything for ages, eat something, or I'll force it down your throat," She says in a scary tone. I turn to look at her and she smiles.
"You know, because I'm a good friend and everything," She says and I sigh,
"Looks like I don't have a choice," I say and Charris laughs.
"Come with me and you can choose," She says standing up and gesturing for me to follow her.
I choose an aooke and take my place next to Julia on the couch.
"Well let's get this going then," Ceasr Flickerman chuckles, turning his attention to the screen next to the camera, or something next to the camera.
Ceaser is saying something about the District 1 tributes, probably about how strong and tall they look. That they are going to be the ones to beat. But I don't want to listen. My brain tunes out of his rubbish and I just watch.
There he is, District 2. My heart jumps when I see him and I lean forward resting my elbows on my knees. I put my chin in my hands and sigh. Julia pats my back and I wait for him to come into a better view.
When I get a better view of him, I scoff. This isn't my Cato. He's all Capitolised, and the stupid part is, everyone who doesn't know him, will see him like this and think that's what he is like back home.
But it isn't. In District 2, he doesn't walk around with his chin up, and completely disregarding everything around him. The cheering crowds, screaming District 2, Clove who's standing next to him, keeps flicking her eyes to him, but he never responds.
This isn't him. I hope when he gets back, if he gets back, that he won't be this version of my boyfriend.
The District 2 chariot has stopped and now I can stare at him. He's still standing there. I feel like I did when I first saw him at training, butterflies despretely trying to burst through my skin in my stomach.
One thing that I can't help notice, is the District 1 girl, I'm pretty sure her name is Glimmer or something. She keeps turning her head to look at Cato and smirking to herself. I don't know why, but I feel jealous of her. She is flirting with my boyfriend. Flipping her long blonde curls over her shoulder when he looks her way and smiling like an idiot.
"Don't worry," Julia says, and I know it's to me.
"I'm not," I say and she smiles. "What? I'm not!"
"Okay," She says, throwing her hands up in defence. I shake my head and look back at the T.V. President Snow just finished making his speech, and is walking or waddling back to his chair.
The chariots move forward into the huge door opening, leading them out and tears spring to my eyes, when I realise that the games are just getting closer.
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Ripped - Hunger Games Fan Fiction
RomanceA Cato love story, from Emeralds POV. How would you react if your boyfriend, the only person you really love, gets taken away for the hunger games, would you volunteer, just so you can be with him? Or sit back and watch, and hope he'll come back? I...
