Never Lasting Love - A Clato love story

Clove's Fifteenth

Every second I spent with Clove flew by. Before I knew it she was fifteen and on the night of her birthday I planned to ask her to be my girlfriend. I don't know what took me so long... oh okay, she's been moulded into this weapon so she's scary when she gets mad and that's usually once a month if you get what I mean. Clove was her usual self on the morning of her birthday when she bounded up to me, a smile plastered onto her face.

"Guess what day it is!" She squealed. I shrugged playing dumb.

"Ummm, Christmas eve?" I groaned. "I haven't started blooming shopping yet!" She huffed and pointed to a 'Happy Birthday' badge pinned to the front of her freshly ironed training uniform. "Ohh, that day." I waited for her to look daggers at me before I revealed her present with a chuckle. "You thought I'd forget, bestie?" I pouted.

"Not for a second," She answered. I laughed and handed her the present. She took it with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Cato."

"You haven't opened it yet!" I chuckled. She laughed as she opened it. She pulled out the frame and photo of us both at her twelveth birthday party, her brown eyes watered which made them look like a muddy brown. She threw her arms around my neck and pulled me in for a hug. I wrapped my arms around her waist so I could sneakily pick her up. I lifted her off of the ground and carried her into an empty room. Clove, who was used to me doing this, stayed silent and pressed her face against my neck. I placed her back on her feet. "Is it bad for me to still want you after all the crap that guy put you through because I slipped up, Clovie?" She punched my arm.

"Don't call me that!" She glared at me. I rubbed where she hit me. "Yes, it is Cato."

"So you haven't changed your mind about us?" I asked. She shrugged. I grinned widely until she pressed a finger to my lips which wiped the grin off my face.

"Shh! Cato, I have to tell you something-"

"I love you, Clove." I blurted out.

"What?!"

"Huh? I didn't say anything." I coughed, trying to cover up my slip of the tounge.

"Oookay? Cato, my father has said that this year I'm to volunteer for the Hunger Games," She mumbled. I froze. I couldn't, no wouldn't, allow her to. At least not when there wasn't a chance of her coming home to her family. To me. Well if she was volunteering so was I. "Cato, we haven't- I haven't got the amount of time I want to be with you..."

"Then run with me, Clove." I said this without thinking. But I could see in her face that she was considering this. I took her hands in mine.

"They'd catch us, Cato..." She whispered, pulling one of her hands out of mine so she could cup my cheek with her hand. I shook my head and pressed my forehead against hers.

"No, they won't. I won't let them." I traced her bottom lip with my finger. She smirked and bit my finger. "Ouch!" I yelled and yanked my fingerout of her mouth before she could bite harder. She chuckled momentarily then sighed.

"I wish we could but I can't. I promised I would, Cato. Unlike you I don't go back on my promises." Clove poked my bicep to try to make light of what she said. I caught her hand mid-poke and rolled her fingers over mine. I leaned towards her. And what did she do? She turned her head towards the door and mumbled. "We should head back to training, Cato." I allowed her to let go of one hand but kept her other. She rolled her eyes and led me towards training. When we arrived at her station, as she called it, I let go of her hand and watched her.

"Fancy teaching me that, Clove?" I asked innocently. When in reality I was just looking for a reason to have her close. She nodded and told me how I should angle myself. I pretended I couldn't do it so she had to show and position me herself. I kept making her laugh by doing a bit of popping with my hips which made me miss everytime. But I didn't care, I knew that she was going to be a Tribute starting from tomorrow so I took every oppurtunity I could to make her laugh. My plan to ask her to be mine had been torn to pieces in front of my eyes. I knew that when she stepped into that arena that she wouldn't be coming home.