Clato: The Cost of a Broken Heart

Chapter 40

CLOVE

Roni is here. And he wants Elise back? It's incredibly hard to think through the blood lust. My heart pounds, blood thrumming through my veins. Ralae must die. Ralae must die but Roni is here. When will my life stop being so damn confusing?

"You have three seconds to convince me not to drive this knife through your throat," I snarl at Roni. His brown-sugared skin pales instantly. Dark eyes plead with me as he stammers. "Two seconds." My fingers grip the hilt of the knife.

"Wait, Clove," He hurt my best friend. Hurt her so badly she lay crying in my arms. "Just listen."

"One." I brace the knife to Roni's throat.

"I love her," he whispers, brown eyes terrified. "I love her." I let the knife slip. He means it. He really loves her.

"Get your sorry ass in here before I change my mind." I shove the knife in my pocket and stalk back into the room, not even bothering to check if Roni follows. He shuts the door and watches me like a lost puppy. Cato turns to face me, rather helpless on the emotional front. Blood drips steadily down his cheek and I give him a glare to let him know this whole Ralae thing is far from over.

Throwing myself on the couch, I sneer at Roni. "So? Start talking." He lurches forward, eyeing Cato warily. Roni sighs and wrings his hands.

"Look Clove, I know it was my fault we broke up. I dumped her months ago and she has every right to have moved on by now." His voice catches at the thought. "But I can't get her out of my head. And I know that's a real jerk move of me but I can't help how I feel. I was an idiot, an absolute idiot."

"Why did you do it?" Cato growls from behind me. For the first time I realize Cato cares about Elise too. He will protect her.

Roni faces his friend and runs a hand across his forehead. "I was scared. It was wonderful, everything was so great but, you know how the Meadows are. They adopt you, they love you, they treat you like their own kid. And that scared the shit out of me because I was so afraid to disappoint them. I didn't want to get invested and find out they hated me. I didn't want to be a part of their family only to lose it later on."

"You're a coward," Cato growls. I reach a hand up to grab his wrist in case he snaps and attacks Roni. Cato gentles at my touch.

"I know. I don't deserve her." Roni shakes his head miserably.

"No, you don't," I say, "but neither do I. That's the thing about Elise, she loves you even when you can't love yourself."

"Why is she mad at you?"

"It's a long story."

"We have plenty of time."

"No, right now we need to get started."

"On what?"

"Winning her back."

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CLOVE

Anna and Emile are on board. Everything is set. Now, we wait for Elise. It isn't anything big. I can't make a grand gesture in front of the whole district. But Roni and I have made her dinner. We've bought her presents. Most importantly, we've readied our apologies.

Elise walks in the door, takes one look at her family, Cato, Lisette, and I, and spins on her heel. "Elise, wait!" She doesn't listen. I gulp. This has to work.

She spins around and comes face to face with Roni, a bouquet of roses in his arms.

"Oh my god." She says. "Oh my god. Roni--what are you doing here?" She's too shocked to be angry.

"Elise," he says roughly, handing her the flowers, "I know this can't make up for me leaving you but I needed to see you. I need to tell you something." She stills, waiting. "I was a damn coward when I left you. And I know there isn't any reason why you should forgive me, but I want you to know that I love you. I have loved you since that day by the river when you told me I had good in my heart.

"I made the worst mistake of my life because I was afraid. I was afraid that things were moving too fast, or that your family would hate me. I was afraid that they would love me, but you would wake up one morning and decide you didn't need me, and I would not only lose you--but I would lose them too. You have no idea how lucky you are to have them. I wish I'd known, then, how lucky I was to be a part of this family, even for just a short time."

Elise is crying now. She tries to go to him but Roni stops her. "I still haven't earned you."

"Yes, you have," she sobs and kisses him. Roni crushes her against him and, like in the cheesy movies Cato and I make fun of, we all clap.

When they finally pull apart, Elise turns to me with tears in her eyes.

"My speech isn't as eloquent as Roni's," I sniffle. Elise brushes away a tear and smiles. "But here goes. I know I can't make up for all the time I spent lying to you. The truth is, I've never had a friend like you. I didn't know how to trust you. Cato and I--yes we are close--but we went through the Games together. We were forced into each other's lives, even if I'm happy we were. But you, you're the only real friend I've ever made. And I'm sorry it took me this long to realize what an awful friend I've been to you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Clove," she shrugs, wiping away more tears.

"Friends?" I plead.

She rushes forward to hug me, and, of course, I let her. "Forever," she whispers.

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CATO

The party at Elise's is in full swing. Her family, Lisette (who was reintroduced to Elise as Clove's sister, causing more tears) all chatter happily, eating food, playing games. The dining and living room are full.

But I find myself driving away from the party. Clove hunts me down on the back stairwell. She doesn't bother asking if I'm alright. We know each other better than that.

"You miss them, don't you, Scarlet and Brutus?"

"Yes." My voice shakes and I have to reach out and draw her close. My Clover, my rock. Our foreheads press together as I breathe her in.

"I miss her so much. I don't know how much longer I can take all this goddamn missing." She kisses my hair in response. I bite the inside of my cheek to hold back tears. We are quiet for a long while as Clove lets me put myself back together. A different stream of thoughts pops into my head. I sigh heavily.

"What are you thinking about?" Clove says, soft as a mouse.

"My family. I don't understand why I can't have this," I gesture to the happy people in the next room.

"You can, you can share it with me." She takes my hand, sitting beside me. Our shoulders brush. "And maybe one day. . .we could have this. Together." I hear the hesitation in her voice, the fear in her eyes that she has gone to far, presumed too much.

"It would be my great joy to have this with you. I want that, Clover. I want a future where we are together." She lays her head on my shoulder contentedly. But I can't help but hope Brutus fits into that future, too. That he will be alive for it.

A/N So sorry this took forever! Please comment and vote!