The Hunger Games: Entropy (A Clato Fanfiction: NTI Series, Book 2)

Chapter 46

CLOVE’S POV

The morning passes just like it does on any other day; nothing new or interesting happened. Leonard didn’t bother talking about what’s going on in the Capitol; he just went straight to work and took his sweet time with his job.

That’s fine with me, because I don’t even care about giving my prep team trouble anymore. They’ve probably had more than enough grief from me to last a lifetime.

“All done,” Leonard gushes, turning my chair around to face the mirror. “Impressed?”

I nod back at him in satisfaction.

“I see,” he responds non-chalantly. “Well, Miss Clove, if I may, this is the last time that we’re going to see each other for at least a few months.”

“Yeah,” I reply dispassionately. “What about it?”

“Well, I’m gonna miss you, darling,” he begins to tear up. “You were the most spunky and fun-loving out of all the tributes I got to work with, and-”

Before he starts crying, I stand up from my chair and throw my arms around him. He opens up to my embrace and begins sobbing on my shoulder.

I’m not hugging Leonard for myself. I’m hugging him because I don’t want him to have a nervous breakdown after I leave for a little while.

Then again, I might have a problem if he ever ends up in a psychiatric ward because of it. He’s not a bad guy. He did a fine job with some of the outfits I got to wear during the whole experience.

“Never mind that,” he pulls away and wipes his tears off his face. “That was completely unprofessional of me. I shouldn’t have-“

“No,” I try to re-assure him. “You did a great job and I’m glad that I got to work with you during the last few months.”

Leonard calms down and lets his breathing rate return to normal.

“Thanks again, Clove, for everything,” he musters up enough willpower to thank me.

“No, thank you, Leonard,” I return the sentiment. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“Alright then,” he encourages, “go get ‘em, little tiger. It’s all you now.”

Before I can exit the area and take my position backstage for the interview, I hear something behind me.

“Good luck, four-leafed Clover; you’ll need it,” Leonard calls. “May the odds be ever in your favor!”

As I step away from the prepping station and head towards my position, I start to feel more and more drained each second.

This is it: the nervous phase, the anxiety that I almost thought was gone for good. It’s back and it’s affecting me now more than ever.

It’s as if I’m all alone in the world, with nothing—no knives, to backup, no Cato, nothing.

I can’t help but picture the gruesome image of people I know and love being sentenced to the gallows. Even worse, I can almost see the rope dangling around my neck, slowly but surely draining whatever life I have left out of my veins.

CATO’S POV

Before I call quits and leave to take my position for the interview, Othea calls me back to the prepping station.

“Not so fast,” she scolds. “What’s the rush? You don’t have to leave just yet.”

“I want to get this thing done,” I reply blandly. “What’s not to rush?”