x
It's Johanna's birthday, therefore, I and our group of friends are sprawled out on sleeping bags on the floor of Johanna's room. Johanna being the daredevil that she is insisted that we play truth or dare. So here I am, in the line of fire.
"Truth or dare...Clove?" Johanna asks, her eyes gleaming as she gives me a mischievous smile.
"Knowing you Jo, I'm gonna play it safe with truth," I answer, nibbling on a piece of pizza.
Glimmer giggles. "Oh sweetie, it's funny that you think you're safe."
Katniss and Annie give me looks of sympathy.
Johanna cracks her knuckles. "Tell us, honestly if you like Cato and give us a detailed description as to why."
I feel my cheeks heat up. "Ummm...never mind. I pick dare."
Johanna laughs evilly. "Then I dare you to tell us."
"Fine! I guess I might have a teeny, tiny crush on him, maybe..." I blurt out, my cheeks bright pink.
"Now tell us why..." Finch egged on.
"Um...for one, he's nice, especially to me. He's punny, which can be annoying, but also kinda cute. He got me out of trouble with a teacher once, which he didn't have to do, but he did it anyway. He has a nice smile, that's probably one of my favorite features of his. He's also pretty fun to be around and overall a pretty great guy." I take a breath. "There, are you happy now?"
"Yep." Finch answers, "here you go, Jo." She hands over her phone.
"Wait, no...you didn't..." I start, my eyes widening.
"What? Videotape every word you said? We did." Jo laughs, typing into her phone. "Let's see...Cato Hadley..."
"No! You can't send that to him!" I lunge at the phone, but Glimmer catches my wrist and tugs me backward, causing me to fall over onto Katniss's pillow. I hear a ding and Jo looks at me triumphantly.
"Sent."
I shove my face into my pillow. "I'm doomed..."
"Aren't they the worst? They did stuff like this to me and Annie with Peeta and Finnick." Katniss says, coming to sit next to me.
"Did you complain when they asked you guys out?" Glimmer asks, smirking.
"Well...no..." Annie adds.
We all jump when my phone rings with the all too familiar ringtone of a song both me and Cato love, birds, by Imagine dragons. Everybody jumps.
Glimmer snatches my phone. "Oh my God Clove! He's FaceTiming you!" She shrieks.
"Don't you dare answer it..." it's too late, by the time I've finished my plea, she has already answered.
"Hiiiiii Cato!" She and Finch squeal.
"Hey...is Clove there?" He asks, sounding confused. I shove my face even deeper into the pillow.
"Here she is..." Jo wrestles the pillow away from my face and shoves the phone into my hand.
My face turns crimson. "Hi..."
"Hi." He smiles.
"So...about that video...I'm sorry, my stupid friend sent it..."
"Wait...what video?"
I cock my head to the side in confusion. "The one where I admitted that I liked you..." I trail off at the look on Johanna's face. "Wait...it was a prank! Johanna Eloise Mason, I will kill you!"
She sticks her tongue out at me. "Sorry, not sorry."
I turn back to my phone, my cheeks red. "So..."
"So...I'll be over in five so we can talk..." Cato hangs up. I turn to Johanna and jump at her. She shoves me into Annie.
"Technically...you aren't allowed to kill me on my birthday." She taunts.
"Do I look like I care?!" I shout at her. Glimmer starts to giggle. I turn to her. "This isn't funny! What if I just completely made a fool out of myself and he comes and blows off our friendship because of some stupid prank!"
We're interrupted by Mrs. Mason opening the door with my blonde crush. "Cato's here."
All of my friends freeze. Katniss gets up. "Hey Jo, Finch, Glim...me and Annie want popcorn, right?" Annie nods. "Let's go get some...from the kitchen..." She emphasizes the last few words. They all get up and leave.
"Listen, Cato...I'm sorry..." I'm cut off by him pressing his lips into mine. At first, I'm shocked and pull away. He looks reproachful. Then my lips are on his again, causing him to wrap an arm around my waist. My arms find their way around his neck as he kisses me with even more vigor. We pull away, our lips lingering millimeters away as we press our foreheads together. I smile.
"That was nice." I laugh, looking into his blue eyes.
"You're not a bad kisser." He tantalizes, tracing his finger along my jaw in a slow teasing way.
"You're not too bad yourself," I answer with a slight uncharacteristic giggle.
That's when the door flies open and my friends fall through. I smirk at their piled-up condition. Johanna is sprawled uncomfortably on the bottom with Glimmer and Finch are practically twisted into pretzels on top of her. Annie and Katniss take great care in stepping over them, heaping bowls of popcorn in their hands.
"This is just shameful." I shake my head at their position.
"Are you going to tell us what just happened?" Glimmer demands, her voice strained in an effort to untangle herself.
"Well...I mean...should I? Because you did try to sabotage my love life." I send them a glare. "You know what? I'll tell Annie and Katniss, but not you."
"But it worked! He kissed you!" Finch blurts out, receiving a whack from Johanna. "Not that we were eavesdropping or anything..."
"Just shut up Finch!" Glimmer shrieks.
"Will I have to put up with this if I ask you out?" Cato asks me in a taunting manner, draping his arms around my shoulders from behind.
"Yup," I answer, looking up at him with a smirk.
"You're worth it though." He whispers in my ear, laying a lingering kiss that's as light as feathers on my jaw.
Glimmer gapes at the two of us.
"Should we...leave?" Katniss asks, looking flustered.
"No!" I answer quickly, my cheeks flooding with color.
"You know what? I should just get on with my question...." Cato pronounces, turning to face me. "Clover, will you be my girlfriend?"
I turn shy. "Really? But...why would you want me? Out of all the people out there, me? I'm not even that pretty..."
"Stop. I hate when you do this Clove." Cato asserts, placing his hands on my shoulders and forcing me to look at him. "Stop doubting yourself. I like you because you're you. And you need to learn that you are perfect the way you are. You're beautiful, you're funny, you're nice, you're perfect. Please don't ever doubt yourself again."
"Thank you." I give a smile, leaning forward to rest my forehead on his shoulder. I take a deep breath. He probably doesn't know how much I needed that. After looking in the mirror every morning and turning away in disgust. After nights where I've cried because I wish I could look different. Wishing I had Glimmer's popularity, Johanna's muscular build, Finch's smarts, Katniss's height, and Annie's unconditional affection for everyone. I've never been happy with myself. And to hear the words I've been craving forever come out of Cato's mouth means the world to me.
"Are you alright?" He asks, his voice quiet, his breath tickling my ear. I take a breath and nod, pulling back.
"I am now."
ns 15.158.61.51da2
