I Needed You

Chapter 2

Present Day

Today is reaping day. My mother laid out an outfit for me, it's grey, one of my favorite colors, but what color it is does not make up for the fact that its a dress. 
"You look like shit" My mom comments. 
"Well, I am your daughter." She snarls. 
"How did I end up with a bitch of a daughter like you." 
"Maybe God wanted to punish you for being such a whore." She gets up from her chair and bitch slaps me several times across my face. I don't even look fased. this has happened so many times I'm used to it.

The nice lady takes some of my blood to confirm my identity. Once she says next I go to join the 15 year olds. We wait while the District 2 escort, Delia, comes on stage.
"Welcome children! Today, as you know, we will select 1 brave girl, and 1 brave boy, for the honor, of representing District 2 in the annual Hunger Games! Unless of course, one of you children volunteer!" Delia giggles.
"Lets first watch this film, brought to you by the Capitol!" I look down at my feet, I've practically had this stupid thing memorized. Once it finishes, Delia says
"Lets switch it up, shall we? Today, we'll do gentlemen first!" She walks over to the bowl with the boys name. She picks one out and goes back to the microphone to read it out.
"Ryker Thorn!" Delia booms. 
"I volunteer as tribute!" A boy yells, I can't put my finger on his voice, he pushes forward. Surprisingly, nobody else volunteers. The boy walks up the stairs as we all watch. I can't recognize him just yet, but then again, I don't care. 
"Whats your name, young man?" Delia asks. 
"Cato Hadley." I look up in shock. 
"Well, how old are you, Cato Hadley?" He smirks
"16" This is my time to get revenge. Delia walks over to the girls bowl, just as she unwraps the paper and starts reading the name, an 18 year old, shouts that she was to volunteer. I realize who that is. It's the bitch Cato was cheating on me with, the bitch he was talking about in 8th grade. 
"I volunteer!" I yell, louder than her.
"Too late, shortie." She snarls. Without hesitation I punch her, she falls to the ground and I stamp her face, hop onto her torso straddling her, and return to beating her God be damned face. Once she lets out a soft moan of pain, but right before I get off the hoe, I punch her a few more times and rip some of her hair out. I get off her, and simply announce
"I volunteer as tribute." there look to be about 4 more kids that want to volunteer, but then again, I'd do the same thing to each and every one of them, without Delia telling me to, I walk up the stairs and up to the mic.

"Clove Kentwell, 15" she looks slightly disgusted and frightened. 
"Yes-yes, dear. Well, this year's tributes, Cato Hadley and Clove Kentwell!" 

Nobody comes to visit me and says goodbye. No surprise. Not even my trainer. I sit there until my District partner is finished with all his visits. I get on the train and I meet Brutus and Enobaria. 
"Well, if it isn't the girl that beat up another girl just to volunteer" Brutus chuckles
"Dear God Brutus, do you need to be such an asshole all the time. " Enobaria rolls her eyes. I laugh, Cato comes on the train.
"What's so funny?" he asks. This time it's me who rolls their eyes. 
"Nothing, anyway, sit down" Brutus grunts. We all sit down at the table,
"Do you guys specialize in any weapons?" Enobaria starts us off 
"I'm good with knives. The best" 
"Best is a little overkill, don't you think?" Cato snorts at me. "Anyway, I'm a sword guy."
"The sword boy is a little overkill, don't you think, blondie?" I reply innocently,
"So Clove, you're good with knives, Cato, you're good with swords?"
"And spears." Cato chimes in.
"I think you better stick to swords"
"Why?"
"Oh no reason, just the fact that your lovely girlfriend is so good at spears since she can throw a spear-like it's nothing. Wouldn't want to take some of the spotlights away from her" I say sarcastically
"Oh, I think she already got some of the spotlights, when you beat her to a pulp!" Cato says angrily, he starts to move towards me.
"Don't you wanna save it for the arena? Where you can slaughter me and not get in the tiniest bit of trouble?" I yell at him. He steps forward. I flip out the knife I keep in my boot.
"Never mind! Let's finish this right here, right now!"I lunge at him with my knife out, but Brutus holds me back. He flings my knife into the wall as I claw at his arms. He starts to move, and he opens a door, throws me inside and I hear a click. I run up the door to see if it's locked, eager to avenge my hurt. I can't get out. Instead of trying to pry my way out, I know they'll have to let me out eventually, so I look around the room, and realized this must be my bedroom. I fling myself on the bed and recall the events of what happened that day. I remember the girl shoving Cato up against a wall. I remember him trying to break his way into my house. I remember crying into my pillow, while my mom rubbed my back. I remember how to hurt I felt. I remember wanting to slit his throat. I fall asleep just like that, remembering my hatred for the boy I vow to kill. 

I wake up feeling strangely happy. I get dressed and go to see if my door is unlocked yet. It is. I walk into the dining car and see that Cato is already there, eating a muffin. My eyes lock on him, I let out a soft growl. I force my anger down and make myself sit down next to Enobaria.
"Good morning Clove" She nods at me. I let out a flat smile and look at what's on the table. I get a piece of bread, and some jam at least that's what Enobaria calls it. I spread it on the bread using a spoon and take a bite. The flavor explodes in my mouth, it is so sweet and tart, I love it. I go to make another one and I pick up the spoon. 
"Clove, it's much easier to use a butter knife" Enobaria hands me a very dull knife. I suddenly remember something. I get up.
"Wheres my knife?" I say frantically. Cato looks up at me for a second. "My knife! Where is it?" 
"What knife?" Enobaria asks
"The one from yesterday! The one Brutus threw into the wall!" My heart starts racing. 
"The one you were trying to slit my throat with?" Cato says.
"I wouldn't waste such a good knife on you. Now, where is it?" I demand. 
"Was it of any importance?" 
"Enobaria, I don't keep any other knife in my boot. So yes! This one is important" I run to the comfort car, where I lunged at Cato, there's a small slit in the wall but no knife sticks out of it. I scramble looking for it in the comfort, but there's nothing. I sink into the wall, and I hear Enobaria asking Cato what knife I'm talking about. Enobaria goes to ask Brutus after Cato said he didn't know. But he does. 

A half-hour passes by and Enobaria comes in and says
"Clove, Delia says that your knife was confiscated after you tried to attack Cato. It will be returned to you if you win the Games" 
"But it was my token" Enobaria sighs
"It wouldn't have passed inspection anyway." She pats me on the shoulder and leaves the car. Now I have another reason to win.