Never Lasting Love - A Clato love story

Breif Encounter

The first day I saw her, Clove, I knew she was special. There was not one time that I ever stopped thinking about her. But I had to play it cool, I was Cato freaking Hades, the ladies man- oh god was I a player... the stories I could tell you- but I'm not going to get into that. I'm two years older than Clove so when she started het training I was thirteen and two years in. She looked over her shoulder at me when her instructor was telling them what to do. I must have started to stare at her because she chuckled and looked away. I coughed whilst smoothing my hand over my hair. I blinked repeatedly just to get her eyes out of my mind. I shook my head at my own thoughts and returned to shooting the dummies with a bow and arrow. Technically it was illegal to start training before the Games until you were picked or volunteered to play; but logically you needed to be prepared and ready for what was coming. I paused as I heard applause coming from where she was standing, so I turned around just as she threw another knife at the target and was astonished when it hit bullseye. I joined in with the applause with a smirk on my face as she looked at me and blushed brightly. Of course they sent her off to start training straight away, but held the rest of the newbies behinf to explain that what she did was raw talent and they were going to expand it so, if she were ever picked, she would stand a better chance of coming home, not as a corpse for her parents, but as a Victor. I glanced to the side and noticed her standing less than a foot away. I crept up behind her silently just as she madw the last shot before her knives ran low.

"Impressive for a newbie." I noted. She turned to face me.

"Not too bad yourself, junior." She commented. I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Junior? Hmm, funny and pretty. Well I have my work cut out for me here." I flexed my fingers until they clicked, which I thought fitted quite nicely with my words. But she just rolled her eyes.

"Not interested... sorry." She sighed. She sounded pretty fed up with people saying that, aged just eleven!

"Hey. Let's start afresh," I said, desperate not to have this conversation end. "I'm Cato Hades. And do you have a name newbie?" I looked at her until she smiled, which made her eyes light up.

"I'm Clove," She replied. I grinned and linked arms with her like we were a pair of eight year old best friends.

"So now you're my best friend. Which entitles you to my full protection, so if you ever get picked on or if you get annoyed by someone tell me and I'll sort them out." I told her. She laughed and smirked then made me skip with her! I enjoyed every minute, but tell her that and I'll... I'll... I'll do something bad. That was the very first time I met Clove and I loved her from the very start.