A Series of Clato One Shots and Short Stories

Watch your back District One!

Clove's POV

               We have definite instructions from our mentors to perform as if we don't know each other. Because if we act like acquaintances, it's a vulnerability. Even though I despise it, and I know that Cato does also, we obey. If that's what it takes to come out alive, then it's worth it, right?

                So when we arrive at training, we go our separate ways, with no more than a nod of the head. I automatically make my way to the knives, eager to take my position high in the tribute hierarchy. After I've embedded roughly ten blades into the mannequin opposite of me, I hear a shrill giggle. I spin around in curiosity. A pang of bitterness darts through my chest when I recognize the blonde District One girl. What was her name? Glitter? Shimmer? No wait...it was Glimmer. The stupid names that the people in district one give their children. Ugh. Anyhow, she's over near the swords, tittering tirelessly about something ludicrous, her mouth tugging into a manipulative smile as she chats with my...well, my...with Cato! I scowl, my fist clenching around the handle of my knife. Let's just say that I imagine that the target is Glimmer's face and throw my next blade with increased intensity, satisfied as it buries itself in the center with a thunk.

                   This new one-sided flirtationship proceeds endlessly until the last day of training when my final session of knife throwing is disrupted by someone tapping me on the shoulder. When I spin around, Glimmer's standing over me, her eyes pinning me down as I glare back up at her.

                   "What?" I snarl, virulence explicit in my voice.

                   "You're from District Two, right?" She questions, her eyes flickering to the number two on my sleeve.

                      "Clearly," I mutter, rolling my eyes at her ignorance.

                     "So you know Cato?"

                      "I guess..." I lie through my teeth, shrugging as if it isn't such a huge deal. 'Yes, I know him! I know him better than anybody else! I know what it's like to kiss him, to hold his hand...I know so damn well!' I chew my lip, disregarding the screaming in my head. "What does it matter?"

                        "So...does he have a girlfriend back at home? I mean, he's really good-looking..." She giggles, her high-pitched laugh making me want to force the point of my knife into her perfect face, painstakingly twisting and twisting it deeper into her skin until all that's left of the girl who is attempting to steal Cato is a distorted, nasty, gory, mess.

                       "Why don't you go ask him?" I murmur, returning to my beloved target, prepared to chuck every knife at the make-believe Glimmer, AKA the dummy.

                       I glimpse over my shoulder, a pit wrenching in my stomach as Glimmer taps Cato on the arm, catching his attention. I watch as she flirtatiously fiddles with a curl of her hair, her smile a deception, one of a serial killer, impersonating the role of a delightful girl with a crush on an older boy.

                     Cato's eyes flicker to me, and he notices my agitated expression.

                    Glimmer quickly notices that he is no longer listening to her nonsensical attempts at flirting, and she trails off, following his gaze, confusion scrawled all over her face.

                    I whip around, making it seem as if I'm concentrating on my knives when my mind is unquestionably somewhere else.

                   "Yes," I hear Cato's response just as I'm aiming my weapon. I'm startled by his statement, and the knife leaves my hand, clattering to the ground as it avoids the target altogether.