18 DAYS

Chapter 6: The Scores

Cato hadn't really been able to sleep for some time now. Laid on the soft silk cover of his bed, fully dressed and fully awake like he'd been for the past three hours, Cato lazily watches the smoke of the dawn covering the Capitol. When a flash of sun reaches the concrete seam, he jumps on his feet and rushes into the corridor.

Just like they talked about, he had been entertaining the romance with Glimmer. It wasn't clear if the mentors from One and Two had reached an agreement, but it was clear that the girl was in on it. She played the part beautifully.  But beside acting talents and descent bow skills she was as interesting as an Avox. Although, it wasn't the whole reason it had been a relief when training concluded. 

Clove and him have barely spoken in weeks...  He wasn't sure what the reason was but she had slowly been growing colder and colder toward him since the first day of training. When they were in the apartments she had started saying that they had to rest. Or that the mentors were too... present to talk. During the training, she explained that it was bad for their strategy to be seen together too much. He respected her decisions. But pretending that he didn't miss his warrior partner was something else. Cato was worrying she was closing in on herself because of the Games slowly approaching. 

He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let her go in on her own. That would make all of this utterly useless. Training over, Gamemakers day might be his last chances to talk to her in private. That thought was enough for him to finally build up the courage. 

He's almost there. But a couple of voices down the hall slows Cato down in his track toward Clove's room. It doesn't take long for him to realise who it is.

"So what do you gain from it? I'm not going to ask again.", slither Enobaria through her sharpened teeth.

"I told y-

- Don't give me that crap about taking out opponents."

Their is a small silence. Clothes rustle. He can imagines her fiddling with her clothes like she does when she can't get her hands on a knife. Cato hides being a wall. He'll feel bad about being sneaky later.

"Fine. Cato and I had a thing in school. It's over. But... I think getting him distracted by another girl is better for me. I don't want him to get in my way."

Another silence. Cato flinches.

"That's better. Get ready for the Gamemakers now."

Before the mentor's heels start clicking in his direction, Cato skitter's away like an ashamed stalker. A stalker who had heard enough for one lifetime.

*

All the tributes are packed into neat rows of hard steal benches. A couple of sliding doors placed behind them as imposing gates to hell waiting for the next parade of sinners. Or here, to Gamemakers and Seneca Crane waiting for anxious teenagers. For the next few hours, one by one each tribute from each district will have to show off their most impressive skill for a grade that could save a life.

And the wait is horrible. Especially after everything Cato had heard that morning. His knee bumps nervously with each second ticking on the foyer clock. Clove keeps side eying him, clearly annoyed. But he couldn't care less. The blond tribute thought that after their talk in the tunnels everything was clear between them. At default of being great. But after all that time ignoring him and what she had said today... He was right back to square one. Right back in the train when she told him that everything was over. Back to that feeling of falling. 

Each tributes goes in district order, girls first. One had finished fast - not surprising considering the skills Cato witnessed in the past few weeks. So it was Clove's turn now. She stands - giving him another look. He doesn't really know what expression is painted on her face. After putting on an arrogant show for the other tributes arriving earlier, he had kept his head in his hands.