she threw the knives| cloves story

Chapter 3

Day 2 of training. I wake to Enobaria forcing me up. I don't tell her about how Cato kissed me yesterday, that would of been something I could tell my sisters. But i can't. Because they are back in District 2. With Junes raising Fi without me. I tie up my hair in a pony tail and walk to the elevator. I don't wait for Cato because I don't wanna talk to him, it just would have made things more awkward. I arrive at the knife throwing area and start throwing. The same as yesterday, I hit all the targets and I feel really proud of myself. I have my strategy and my weapon of choice so i might have a chance of winning. As I walk to the high ropes course I bump into someone. 'Sorry' I say as I look up to see who it was. The girl from 12. 'No my fault' she says, 'sorry'.  I walk to the ropes course and turn around and come back to the knife throwing station. 'What's your name?' I ask 'Katniss' she replys. And she turns away. 

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I return with Cato back from training this time. We don't talk the whole elevator ride. He just stares at me while I look at the door. When it arrives at the second floor, I walk straight to my room. I bury my face in a pillow. I know Katniss' name, my district partner kissed me, and I haven't spoken to my family in 5 days. I can't do this, I can't win. Cato will, he's gotta. He's strong and good with a sword, I just hope when he goes home that Junee doesn't kill him for killing me or leaving me to die. I hear a knock on my door 'It's open!'' I call out, my voice still shaky from crying. Cato walks in and shuts the door. 'Oh God' I say 'Are you gonna kiss me randomly again?' I'm wiping the tears from my eyes on the back of my hand. He smiles and sits on my bed. 'I actually came here to explain that' he says. He takes a deep breath. 'Ever since I was 9 , I had a crush on you' he starts. I look at him, no emotions or amazement, but my mind is in shock. 'I saw you with your Dad at the market, you were buying some tile for your bathroom.' He continues, 'I was at the stall next to you. I asked the stallsman "Who's that girl?" And he said "That's Clove Kentwell, the brick masons daughter." And after that I couldn't get you off my mind.' I'm speechless. Nobody has ever said anything like that to me. 'Then a year later my mom died.' His voice starts to crack 'Before she died, she told me that when I love a girl, I should go get her.' He looks at me with tears in his eyes. 'Cato-'

'So I'm here to tell you that I volunteered for the games to be with you, that's why nobody volunteered for you, I said to all of the girls in the district that if your name was  drawn to not volunteer. So that's why I volunteered for Remus, to be with you.' I couldn't believe it, he loves me? I didn't understand why. 'Thank you for being so honest' I say. I thought because he was being so honest with me, I should return the favour. 'You know yesterday was my first kiss?' I tell him. He blushes 'Woah, sorry Clove I-I didn't know.' I put my hand on his shoulder 'No don't be sorry, it was great' I say. He grins 'Really?' 

'Really' I giggle. 'I keep replaying it over and ov-'

He kissed me again, but harder. He held my waist as i put my hands on his face. This was the same magic I had yesterday, but today I had butterflies in my belly. He pulls away and smiles 'Goodbye, Kentwell' he says as he gets up off my bed. When he shuts my door the butterflies return, maybe I've liked Cato this whole time and I didn't even know.

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Today is my final day of training and my private session with the gamemakers. I'm so nervous because I'm really a novice when it comes to knife throwing. I just hope my hard work pays off. Cato is already there and he's laughing about something with Marvel. I wave to him and he waves back. I head to the knife throwing station and get started, but this time, my aim isn't as good. The knife falls on the floor in front of the mannequin. As I go to throw my next knife, I get a tap on the shoulder 'You should bend your elbows more' I turn to see Katniss behind me, I smile as I pass her a knife 'Show me' I tease. She throws much more elegantly than me. She holds it in her right hand and flicks her wrist. The knife blade right on the 'x' on the mannequins chest. 'Like that' she says kindly. I nod and do the same as she did. 'You got it!' She exclaims. As I am about to thank Katniss, I hear Cato shout my name. 'Coming!' I shout back. I nod a thanks to Katniss and find Cato with Glimmer and Marvel at the dagger station. 'What's up?' I ask innocently. Glimmer points to Katniss 'Who's she?' 'Her names Katniss, District 12' I say, and instantly regret it, I hope I haven't made her a target. 'What's she good at?' Asks Glimmer. 'I don't know, maybe archery?' I say. 'Look' says Cato. We all look to see Katniss shooting arrows with perfect accuracy. 'She's definitely gonna be a threat' says Marvel. 'She can't be' I say, covering my tracks from the earlier comment I made, 'she's from a poor district, she won't make it.' The rest of the career pack look at each other. 'She's right' says Marvel, 'generally 12s don't win.' But Cato looks at her with threatening eyes. 'I'll get her, just you watch.'

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All of the tributes are all packed in a room to wait for their individual training sessions with the game makers. Luckily Cato and I don't have wait very long because of our district number. 'Clove Kentwell, District 2' I hear over the speaker. I get up and Cato grabs my hand an squeezes it 'Good luck' he says. I squeeze his hand back and smile and let go. I'm guarded by 4 peacekeepers who show me to a door which opens to an empty training centre, and knives. Just for me. I grab 3 knives and face the gamemakers. 'Clove Kentwell, District 2' I shout. As I throw my first knife just like Katniss showed me, I hit the target. I hear gasps from the gamemakers and I smile to myself. I throw the second knife the same, and the third knife, I twist my body and launch my arm forward. The knife lands right in between the mannequins eyes. I hear thunderous applause from the gamemakers. I bow and leave the room grinning. They like me. I think I'm safe.

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I'm back at the apartment with Enobaria, Cato and Brutus and we are patiently awaiting the scores from the training sessions. As Ceaser Flickerman comes on, he reveals that Marvel got a 9. I forgot Glimmers score, but I think it was good. 'On to our district 2 tributes' says Ceaser 'Cato Hadley, a score of 10' Cato seems pretty happy with a ten, I hope I get better than a 5. 'Clove Kentwell, also received a 10' I scream, a ten?!? I hug Enobaria and thank her for her advice on the train, I turn to Cato who hugs me tight 'Congrats' he says. 'You too' I say. We sit down and watch the rest of the results. 'District 12, Peeta Mellark, a score of 8.' We don't say anything. 'And Katniss Everdeen, a score of 11'. The TV cuts of there. An 11? She must know her stuff. Cato is furious and head straight to his room and slams the door. It then hits me. I have another life to protect than my own, someone that needs to escape the bloodbath so Cato doesn't kill them. Only one sentence is on my mind. I must protect Katniss Everdeen.