𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍.Cato Hadley

4.

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𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐞?
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Tomorrow is the day of the Victory tour. This means Cato and I have to go to all the Districts and see the faces of all the dead tributes from our Games. I won't be able to handle this.

He's supposed to arrive in an hour or two at District 12. My relationship with him is... weird. We are not together, but we must pretend in front of everyone that we are in love. These months we didn't have to pretend because we didn't see each other often, if not at all. Since Cato came to District 12, we haven't talked much.

I don't know whether to be mad at him or happy to see him again. I can't hide from Layla and the others that I feel betrayed because Cato only used me to win the Games. But the reason I feel this way is because I still have feelings for him and that's what makes me angry. I can't believe I believed him that all of this was true.

This boy doesn't even know what it's like to love someone. How could I be so stupid to think he might like me? Now the only thing that brings us closer is that we both went through the same thing. Nothing more.

"When will Cato arrive?" Gale interrupts my thoughts. He and I were hunting because I wanted to lighten up for a bit. I like my time with Gale, I feel free with him, and we're both very similar.

"After about an hour. I have to go talk to Haymitch." He must prepare me for what to say and how to behave with Cato. I have no desire to see either of them right now.

"Aren't you expected to look better?" He asks and I smile at him. Gale and I often poke fun at Capitol fashion. "I don't know, maybe if they put some kind of crown in your hair, you might look better." His hand starts to play with my braid and I look at him in wonder.

"Yeah, sure," I joke but still follow his hand.

"How long will you be gone?"

"Only a few weeks. Cato and I will quickly go home and forget about each other again." Gale is clear about my situation with Cato. I've told him a lot about what I'm thinking in recent months.

"Are you sure you can handle it? I wouldn't want that jerk anywhere near you, you know I don't like him," Gale says. I know he doesn't like Cato but he knows there's nothing he can do about it. I don't know why he should even say these things.

"Yes, it was all just an act after all," I say with a slight pain in my voice.

"Well, it was a good one."

"We did what we had to survive if we-"

My words are interrupted by something I didn't see coming. Gale grabs my face and places his lips on mine. I am shocked by the unexpected kiss and when he pulls away from my face I look at him in confusion. Why did he do that?