You Are My Mockingjay- Watty's Finalist 2013

The "King" Returns

"Hey you alright?" Said a worried Katniss as her friend pushes through to sit back down back from where she once sat.

"Yeah I'm fine why?" As she hands her blue gatorade.

"I don't know for a minute there I thought maybe you were annoyed that Glimmer was talking with Cato."

Clove slightly looks at Katniss and looks away to take a sip of her water. "No, I'm fine I'm just tired is all."

The team had a wonderful victory by the end of the night. For there was only seconds left of the game to a 88-88 tied game. Everyone was up on their seats screaming shouting whatever it took to get them riled up. Peeta followed through with dribbling down the court half way until he was shadowed by two people. "Peeta over here!" Cato shouts from the right but Marvel too shouted out the samething at that sametime. Peeta had no more but 15 seconds left when he decided to do a trick play. As it's always been said left side is always the weak side so, Peeta turns around really quick to move to the right. But fakes it and throws the ball to Marvel where he shoots for the three point win. Screams and hollers came from all directions in that gym as if it was the championship game. Katniss and Clove could hardly contain their excitement and raced down to meet the boys.

It was a great way to celebrate their victory as the gang got together afterwards at the Districts Plate for dessert. At the diner they all ordered one big hot fudge sundae from rocky road, strawberry, mint chip and chocolate ice-cream, in addition to the bananas, chocolate syrup, and cherries that piled on top. "Man you guys are going kill me by eating this stuff." Cato said jokingly as he piled a huge spoonful in his mouth.

Clove tries to swallow a big bite herself as she embraces herself for a cold one. "Just take your blood test and you'll be fine." She said reassuringly. Cato looks up at her from across the table with a firm stare but instead of saying anything he just looked away. By then she couldn't eat another bite from both being full and irritated.

"Hey guys did you see that guy after the game talking trash about us? It was like so bad he almost was ready to punch his own coach out." Cato points at Marvel looking with a shocked face.

"Oh yeah that number 25 right? Yeah that guy was on something." Cato chuckles out loud.

After the gang finished their dessert they all headed back home. Clove had just arrived back and was lying on her bed when her phone went off. She had been resting on her back side when she clings to her phone and notices an unknown number which read: (205)345-8297. She hesitated for a minute to not answer, but after another ring or so she picks it up with caution. "Hello?" Clove says quietly.

"Clove is that you?"

Cloves sits up for the voice sounded vaguely familiar. "Who is this?" She question's the caller.

"It's me Clove, your dad." Clove slightly cups her right hand over her mouth where it barely touched her lips. "Dad?! Is that really you?" A faint laugh came from the other end.

"Yeah Peaches it's me. I've been meaning to talk to you for a long time and wasn't sure you still had your old phone number." Clove gets off her bed and starts to slowly pace her room listening to the man she hadn't heard from more then a couple of years. "So um hey I'm outside in front of your house do you mind coming out for a minute so we can talk?"

Clove freezes in the middle of her room. He's outside in front of my house? Cloves said timidly to herself who turned around to face her window. "Yeah so if you can come down stairs and meet me out in the yard that would be great."

Clove gazes out her window and sees her father standing beside a bush, not noticing that she was looking down at him. "Ok, just for a quick minute cause I know I shouldn't be out this late." Clove hangs up her phone and tosses it on her bed. Sneaking down the stairs trying not to make the slightest of a sound with the creeks that stairs make. Twisting the gold door handle she looks back at the upstairs making the tiniest squeak sounds from the door. Clove steps slowly off the two steps from her porch and looks for her father. "Dad, where are you?" She says as she made her way onto the lawn with her arms folding across from her.

"I'm over here." Said her father as he came out between a bush and a tree. Clove didn't put any expression on her face that she was thrilled to see him only that she was curious as to why he was there. Her father comes closer up to her and looks up and down to see how much she has changed since the last time he saw her.

"My have you grown you look just like your mother. Except she doesn't have that straight hair like you do and your eyes are more like mine." Said her father as he was only feet away.

She tries not to make too much eye contact for she was a bit nervous he had shown up. "What are you doing here dad? With a deep voice shuffling the clump of dirt on her Vans.

Her father opens his hand offensively. "Hey I just want to see you? I haven't seen you since you were what? For I thought it was high time I came to see you and catch up." Clove draws her attention to her fathers feet and casually looks up. From the looks of it he hadn't been doing so well as she thought he may have been. His jeans were all worn out frailing at the bottom, his shirt looked like it hadn't been washed in weeks and he had over grown stubbles of hair growing into a mustache.

"Well mom and I are doing just fine thank you." She says angrily.

"Easy now Clove, all I want is to get to know you again."

Her father touches her shoulder which she shoves off. "I don't believe you, every time you say that it's always cause you want something, so what is it you want?" She angles her head at him in annoyance.

"Time, I just want time with you. You can't imagine how I have longed waited to see you three!"

Cloves eyes perk up in speculation of what her father just said. "Three? Who's the third person your talking about dad? Are you thinking about Cato?"

Her father rapidly shakes his head in confusion. "Um yeah I mean the two of you, by the way how is Cato?"

Clove and her father move a little further away from the house and get closer to a tree. Just then some dogs from around the neighborhood started to bark hearing the sounds that they were making. "He's fine, were both in a literature class together and he's playing basketball with Peeta Mellark and Marvel Mason. We actually do a lot together along with Katniss Everdeen."

He lays his back on the trunk of the tree. "So I know it's getting late but can I just say can we sometime hangout? I really want to visit with you and hopefully try to make up what we've lost."

Clove turns herself around not truly wanting to answer. "I'll think about I but don't be surprised if I say no." Roughly she turns around to go back into the house.

But what her father says next surprises her. "Clove don't tell anyone I'm here."

Oddly enough Clove stops at the doorway and gives a shameful look as she twirls around.  WHY not?!" She almost shouts.

"Shhhhh! Honey don't wake up anyone ok? Listen I have my reasons I mean I want to mend things at a time first off I want to start with you." His voice sounded kind and innocent.

"But mom has a right to know that you want to talk with me. I mean I can't hide this from her, she doesn't deserve this sneakiness."

Her father looks down to his feet and sadly looks up. "Your right, I'll talk to her just promise no one else will know for it should just stay between the family.

"Good! Well I'm going in now, night." David pulls out his arms for a hug from Clove but she just looks at him and puts out her hand to shake it. "Night dad."

Walking back into the house and closing the door behind her the clock stroke eleven o'clock. It had been a long day for her where she barely made it back up the stairs to her bed room. But instead of going into her room right away she sneaks past hers and looks into her moms room. Her mom was sound asleep half on her right side who still had her reading glasses on. Clove tip toes to her mother and brushes her mothers soft hair ever so gently. Smiling softly at her mom she takes her hands slowly to her mothers reading glasses and sets them aside on her night stand. Softly her mother moans.

Clove takes a knee and bends down to her mom's bedside and takes her moms left hand gently squeezing it. Whispering as quietly as she could she talked to her mom about her thoughts with the experience that just happened outside. "Oh mom what are we going to do?" Within a few minutes staring at her moms soft breaths she too fell asleep on the side of the bed.