Galaxies | Cato Hadley

Chapter Nine

CLOVE FELL INTO A NIGHTMARE OF A CONVERSATION SHE HAD SHORTLY BEFORE SHE LEFT FOR THE MISSION. Her body twitched as her mind replayed the situation.

She was standing in front of Finch. Her eyes took in the details of her red hair. Her hazel eyes soon found the familiar blue belonging to Foxface, or Red, as she preferred.

"Trefoil, can we talk?"

"About what, Red? You've already broken my heart," Clove was bitter. She didn't want to be but she had every right to be. "I think you've done enough."

"About you leaving." Finch stopped her from walking away. "This mission. After what happened with Wren, I-I can't help but picture you being the next one. After seeing Peeta; what if that's you?" Finch took a step forward and Clove froze. "What if they take you too?"

"I don't have anything to come back to," Clove was harsh.

Finch went to place her hand on Clove's cheek but the brunette turned away.

"No, Finch. I gave you a chance and you chose them over me, so you don't get to touch me. You don't get to worry or be sad. You lost me." Clove took a step back. "You made you choice and now I'm making mine."

Finch recoiled into herself. She wanted to hide. She wanted to cry. She wanted to wrap her arms around Clove and kiss her head, but she couldn't. She only nodded, wordlessly.

"Just-Just be safe, please?" Finch asked quietly. "Come back in one piece."

Clove gave no response; not even a nod.

Finch inhaled deeply and gave a curt nod. The redhead left the brunette alone.

Clove rubbed her face.

"Jesus, Red you aren't making this easy."

Clove opened her eyes. Her breathing was rapid, her heart was heavy, and she looked around. Everyone else was asleep. Marvel and Cato were twitching, no doubt they were having nightmares from the Games.

Clove rubbed her eyes. Every now and then she'd get flashes of the Games. Dying. The pain of having her skull crushed so easily. The pain of having her heart broken so easily.

The aircraft hit some rough winds and felt bumpy. Clove shook in her seat as the carrier continued to move through the rough patch.

She felt her mind drift off, an image of a certain redhead filled her thoughts.

Should she give Finch another chance? Or would she die before she could get a chance to?

...

Wren wanted to climb across the table and strangle President Snow.

She would've if there wasn't a child in the room or peacekeepers lined up at every door with a gun in their hands.

"Mrs. Hadley, you've hardly touched your dinner," Snow said in an icy voice.

Wren cleared her throat. "I'm not very hungry."

"Well you should eat something, you're very skinny, my dear."

Wren gagged. With flared nostrils, she lifted her fork and stabbed the potato chunk closest to her picturing it being Snow's face. She ate quietly.

Cassia looked at her grandfather. "Grandpa-"

"Yes, dear?"

"How long is Wren going to be with us?" Her voice was soft yet there was a hint of fear laced in her tone.