Hunger Games The Only Hope For Me Is You

**The Only Hope For Me Is You**

**Cato**

Every night since the accident it's been the same dream, constantly replaying over and over in my head. Reminding me of my loss, my suffering. Tormenting me about my sins.

_"Cato! Look out!" Braden shouts. I turn my eyes back to the road a second too late and the car goes straight into the road barrier. The wood snaps and my car spins out of control. I clutch the wheel, desperate to set us back on track but it's stuck. Braden's eyes are wide and terrified and he clutches his belt tightly like there is no tomorrow. The front of the car crashes into a tree as we finally stop. Braden sighs in relief and I let out a nervous laugh. We think it's all over. But it's far from it. _

_We hear the crack first. And then, everything goes in slow-motion, a tree branch collapses on top of the car, smashing through the window. Glass shatters around me and my brother. This is it, I think. I'm going to die. I hear Braden let out a scream and I catch a glimpse of blood. I scream his name over and over, but he never answers. He sits there, motionless. His blue eyes change from open to shut rapidly. His tanned face covered in crimson nectar. I cry out when I see the gaping wound in his chest and I notice the tree branch sticking out.  
_

_I can hear the sirens in the distance, someone has found us. I struggle to get to Braden. Even though he is next to me it feels like he is far away. A pain flows through my chest rapidly. I can feel blood ooze down my chest but I don't care. I hear people who witnessed the crash shouting but I don't reply. All I can think about is Braden, my innocent little brother. More blood comes from his wound and I feel hopeless. Deep down I know it's fatal but I don't want to admit it to myself. I can't admit it to myself._

_The ambulances and fire engines arrive. I can see them getting the equipment needed to get us out. The paramedics load up stretchers. My voice is still screaming for Braden, it is laced with tears. The door is removed from my side and the paramedics grab my arms. One of them cuts my seat belt and they pull me out the car. I don't see any of them helping Braden. _

_"Please!" I beg as they put me in a stretcher. "Please, get Braden. He's my brother, Make sure he is okay!"_

_One of the paramedics puts a hand on my shoulder. "Son, your brother is dead."_

I sit up in a cold sweat. My chest rises and falls quickly, like it always does. My eyes scan the room, the thing I have gotten used to for the past year and a half. I have had to look after myself after I was sent to juvenile.

There is a knock on my cell door before it is opened. I sit against the wall when my lawyer, Boggs, walks in.

"Cato." He addresses me. "Today's the day." I give him a confused look.

"The day for what?" I ask him, wrapping my arms around my legs. He looks at me seriously.

"You're getting released today." He tells me. "Is anyone coming to pick you up?" I shake my head.

"No, I doubt my dad will let my mom come." I tell him, a look of sadness covering my face. My dad blames me for Braden's death since I was the one driving the car. My mom, she doesn't blame me. She can forgive anyone, no matter what they have done.

"Well I guess I'll have to take you." Boggs says. "Pack your things. We're leaving in an hour."

* * *

Boggs pulls up to my house. "You know, Cato, you're not a bad kid. I hope not to see you in juvenile again." He tells me. I role my eyes.

"It's not like I wanted to be in there." I mutter. He looks at me sternly.

"Cato, that was a serious thing you were in for. Murder is serious." I glare at him openly.

"I didn't kill anyone." I hiss. Boggs sighs.

"Cato, you were under the influence of alcohol whilst driving and you crashed the car." He tells me. "You still have another trial in a few weeks."

"What for?" I ask. "I was sent down for a year and a half, isn't that punishment enough?" Boggs shakes his head.

"It's more complicated than that." He tries to explain.

"Whatever." I mumble, unbuckling my seat belt and grabbing my bag from the back. "Later." He tries to stop me but I leave the car before he has the chance.

When I walk up to my house the first thing I notice is the light on in Braden's bedroom. I sigh and knock on the door.

"Mom!" I shout and I see her face pop up in my brother's window. Her face lights up and I hear footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Cato!" She opens the door and flings herself into my arms like a child. I hug her tightly, afraid to let go. Afraid that I will never see her again. Afraid that I will loose her.

"I've been so worried!" She pulls back and examines me. "You didn't contact once!"

"I'm sorry. The security was strict." I tell her. I see tears well up in her eyes.

"I'm just glad to see you home!" She hugs me again. "I thought I had lost you too..."

I literally feel a piece of my heart break. "I'm here, mom. You're not gonna loose me." I say softly. She nods and wipes her eyes.

"Of course you're not. You're my Cato. You're strong." She sniffs.

"Why don't you sit down?" I say to her gently. "I'll make you a cup of coffee. Strong, just how you like it." She nods and walks back into the house. I follow her and walk into the kitchen. My ears pick up the sound of my mom's singing. My dad used to say she had the voice of an angel. Speaking of my dad, U turn to mom.

"Hey mom, where's dad?" I ask, grabbing two cups from the cupboard. In the corner of my eye I see her tense.

"Oh, we had an... Erm... We had a disagreement." She stuttered. "And we decided it would be best if he moved out."

In my mind I am happy, ecstatic even. It means I don't have to feel his anger. I put on a sad face for my mom.

"I'm sorry." I tell her softly. "It couldn't of been easy." She looks up at me with her dark green eyes, the same Braden had. I notice they are glistening with tears.

"He was cheating." She whispers. "I found him in Braden's bed with another woman." I can feel my blood boil. I can feel my self start to shake with anger. Not only did he cheat on my mother but he did it in my deceased brothers bed!

"Where is he now?" I try to ask calmly but I can easily detect the anger in my voice. Mom puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't go after him. He doesn't know you have gotten out of juvenile and I don't think he would be too happy to see you." She tells me. Her touch feels comforting and I feel relief wash over me. I nod and pass her the coffee before sitting down.

"At least you're all right." I smile. She smiles back and nods.

"I'm not the one you should be concerned about." Mom says. "You're the one who just got out of juvenile."

"And I'd like to forget that." I snap. My mom looks down at her cup of coffee innocently and I instantly feel bad.

"Mom, I'm sorry." I sigh. "I'm just not used to having you back." She nods slowly.

"I understand, I won't mention it again. I'm sorry." She apologises. Her eyes still hold tears and I hug her tight. Her thin arms wrap around my waist and all I can think about is how happy I am to be back home.

* * *

**Clove**

My mom drives up the driveway of a large, modern building. She turns off the engine and looks at me. I ignore her, just listening to the music playing through my headphones.

"Well, here we are." I vaguely hear her say. She notices that I'm not listening and pulls one of the headphones out of my ear. I give her a glare and carry on not listening to her.

"Clove." My mom sighs. "I know you didn't want to move-"

"Yeah but it doesn't matter what I want does it." I snap. I hear a cry from the back of the car and I realise that one of my younger twin siblings, Caleb and Callie, must of woken up. Bless them, they're only 1.

"Don't be like this." Mom tries to reason, whilst unstrapping Caleb from his car seat and holding him. I pull my other headphone out of my ear and turn to face her.

"How can I not be angry?" I ask her, glaring. "You made me move half way across the country for some stupid job. I had to leave all of my friends back in LA and you expect me to forgive you like that." I snap my fingers. Caleb giggles at the noise.

"This job could earn us more money." She tells me. I roll my eyes.

"You could of just got a job still in LA." I grumble. She glares at me.

"Clove stop sulking. We have a new house, I have a new job, you have a new school." She says sternly. "This is our new life." Mom then unbuckles her seatbelt and gets out of the car, carrying Caleb and leaving me on my own to think and to look after Callie.

* * *

_"Clove, honey." My mom says to me gently. "You might wanna sit down. I've got some news for you."_

_I give her a strange look but do as she says. I sit down on the sofa, crossing my legs. "What?" I ask. I hear her sigh._

_"You're not going to like it." She tells me. I furrow my eyebrows._

_"What?" I say more forcefully. She pushes her hair behind her ears and begins to speak._

_"I've got a new job." She says. I shrug._

_"What's wrong with that?" I ask._

_"You didn't let me finish." She sits up straighter. "I've got a new job, in New York." Everything goes silent, you could probably hear a pin drop._

_"What?" I ask, not believing what I'm hearing. "New York?"_

_"Look, Clove, I know it's a shock." She says soothingly. She stretches a hand out to take my own but I push her away._

_"You expect me to move to New York just for some stupid job?" I shout. "I have a life here! Friends, a boyfriend! You expect me to leave all this behind?"_

_"Clove, just listen-" Mom starts._

_"No!" I don't give her chance to finish speaking before I'm running upstairs in a fit of tears._

_"Hello?" I speak into the phone, my voice quivering._

_"Clove, hey!" Greets my boyfriend, Jesse. He sounds happy, I can note that in his voice._

_"I-I have something to tell you." I say quietly. By now Jesse must of been able to detect the sadness in the way I speak._

_"Clovie?" He calls me by my nickname. "Clovie, what's wrong?" I swallow before speaking._

_"I'm moving." I say barely above a whisper. "I'm moving to New York." Jesse doesn't speak for a few seconds._

_"Oh." I hear him say sadly._

_"I don't want to!" I say desperately. "I really don't want to."_

_"It's okay." He reassures me. I give a sigh of relief. "Listen, Clove, I've... I've gotta go. I'll see you before you leave." Jesse then hangs up the phone._

_He never did see me before I left._

_"Oh, Clove! I'll miss you!" My best friend, Gwen, cries. She hugs me tight and I feel her tears seep into the material of my shirt. My cousin, Gemma, joins in._

_"I'll keep in touch." I promise, pulling back. Gemma pulls a smile._

_"Yeah, I better hope so, cuz." She chuckles, hugging me again. "Capitol High won't be the same without you."_

_"I'll miss you guys." I say honestly. I can see Gemma's eyes filled with tears. "Can you do something for me?" Gwen nods._

_"Anything." She smiles. I hand her a letter._

_"Could you give this to Jesse?" I ask. "He hasn't been to see me and I'd like him to have this."_

_"Of course I will." Gwen nods. "I'll make sure he gets it." I smile and turn around to see my mom strapping the twins into their car seats. She beckons me to her._

_"Well, I guess this is goodbye." I say. The two girls hug me again and I hug them back tighter than I ever have before._

_"Call me when you get there." Gemma says sternly. I nod and walk over to the car._

_"Bye." I shout, wiping my eyes free of tears. They wave._

_"Bye, Clo." They say in sync. I sit in the front of the car, not daring to look back. I am leaving everything behind and I will never be coming back._

* * *

_**Chapter 1 done!**  
_

_**Links to outfits:**_

_** cgi/set?id=111733054- Clove's outfit when she arrives at her new home.**_

_** cgi/set?id=111734418- Clove's outfit when she finds out she is moving.**_


End file.

Hunger Games, Drama, Romance