Not The Plan

Chapter Five: Sick Day

When Clove woke up the next morning she felt sicker than she had all week. She could hardly move and made no effort to get up when Enobaria called for her and Cato. She heard some mumbling before Enobaria came into her room, staring her down.

"Come on sleepyhead." Enobaria said with an eye roll "Cato's waiting for you."

"I don't feel good," Clove mumbled out, her eyes welling with tears. Clove never cried, not when she got reaped, never when she got hurt, not even when her trainers would berate her for hours on end. Enobaria closed the door softly, telling Brutus and Cato to head down on their own.

"What's wrong?" Enobaria asked quietly, sitting down on Clove's bed.

"I feel so nauseous." Clove hiccuped through tears.

"You stay here today." Enobaria said, stroking her hair softly "I have a few meetings to go to but I'll try to pick up some prenatal vitamins for you."

"Thanks," Clove said, letting herself close her eyes and fall back to sleep. When she woke up Enobaria was back, sitting in her room with two bottles of pills in her hand.

"I brought you some vitamins to help with the baby and some anti-nausea." Enobaria said handing her both bottles "I also made some scrambled eggs, they're good for morning sickness."

"Thank you," Clove said gratefully.

"I have to meet up with Brutus but Johanna is going to stop by."

"I like Johanna." Clove said with a sleepy smile "She kicked Cato out of the bathroom when he was yelling at me."

"Johanna's one of a kind." Enobaria said with a small laugh "I'll see you later Clove." Clove took one of the anti-nausea pills before eating the eggs, hopeful that for one meal he wouldn't throw up afterward. She inspected the prenatal vitamin bottle, curious as to why Enobaria's name was prescribed to it. Did Enobaria have kids of her own? The cutthroat deadly Hunger Games winner? But even past the cruel front she put up Clove could see her as a Mother, especially with the way she'd treated Clove the past few days. Her kids would be gorgeous. Clove wondered that if she won she'd get to experience that one day. Her and her baby. But she knew it could never be the same without Cato. Her thoughts were cut short by the dinging noise of the elevator, and footsteps echoing down the halls. Johanna poked her head through Clove's door, checking to see if she was awake before coming in.

"How are you doing kiddo?" Johanna asked, taking a seat on the armchair next to her bed.

"I'm alright." Clove lied when in reality she was feeling terrible. She knew Johanna could see right through that but she didn't want to cry in front of anybody else, not today.

"I brought you my Mom's famous chicken noodle soup." Johanna said with a proud smile "She made it whenever one of my brothers or me was sick and it always made us feel better."

"Thanks." Clove said, accepting a bowl from Johanna "Are you close with your Mother?" Clove asked curiously but realized her mistake when Johanna's face darkened.

"My family died." Johanna said in a low voice "A fire wiped them out right after my games."

"That's terrible." Clove said with a gasp "What a tragedy."

"Tradegy's are reserved for horrible mistakes." Johanna ground out "This was not a mistake." Clove stayed silent, her mind reeling as Johanna searched the room for hidden cameras before speaking. "I'm telling you this now and it's something I don't even tell my own tributes." Johanna said, barely above a whisper "So you can't tell anyone not even you're precious boyfriend alright?" Clove nodded, not even bothering to correct Johanna on calling Cato her boyfriend. "When you win the Hunger Games." Johanna said "And if you are what Snow deems to be attractive he will sell you."

"Sell you?" Clove echoed worriedly.

"Basically let anyone in the capitol sleep with you for a price." Johanna said dryly "Steal any dignity you have left."

"Oh my god," Clove said, her eyes wide with fear.

"Some tributes get away with not being sold." Johanna said,, "Like how no one wanted to sleep with Annie Cresta the victor from the 70th Hunger Games because she was deemed 'crazy' after a panic attack she had." Clove nodded thoughtfully, staying quiet. "After I won, Snow immediately tried to sell me, and Finnick tried to warn me but it was too late." Johanna said softly "I rebelled, I was defiant and it's how I still am, Johanna the bitch." She said with an angry laugh "So he killed my entire family just for that."

"Would he do that to me?" Clove asked softly "If I win."

"Probably." Johanna said honestly "But change is coming Clove, I feel a revolution starting."

"A revolution?" Clove questioned. Johanna nodded

"I don't think people are going to be praising Snow much longer." They sat in silence for a few minutes, Clove drinking in the information. "I have to run." Johanna said, standing up "But if you need anything just let me know, honestly."

 "Thanks, Johanna," Clove said as she left, her mind still stuck on all Johanna had told her. She wasn't left alone for too long before her bedroom door swung open again, Cato standing there with a raised eyebrow.

"Where were you today?" He questioned, his voice dangerously calm for Clove's liking. Cato was the type of person who had a quick temper, always jumping to conclusions.

"Enobaria told me not to go train," Clove said slowly, keeping her gaze locked on his.

"And why would she do that?" Cato asked, his eyes searching her room for any clue as to why she didn't go to training, and Clove thanked god that she had hidden the prenatal vitamins.

"I believe that's between Enobaria and I," Clove said firmly, refusing to let him berate her anymore. Instead of getting angrier like she'd expected Cato's eyes softened, and he took a seat on her bed, running his hands through the soft fabric of the sheets. Clove's eyes begged to droop closed but she fought to keep them open, her eyes glued to Cato. "How was training?" She finally asked tiredly.

"It was fine." Cato said softly "I think you're right about 12." Clove smiled cockily

"I know I'm right." Cato smiled back

"I'm just about ready to kill Marvel and Glimmer."

"Marvel's not bad," Clove said, defending him.

"Yeah right." Cato said, "You only think that because he's in love with you."

"He is not in love with me!" Clove said "And besides Glimmer is all over you."

"She's annoying as hell." Cato admitted, "But at least she'll be easy to get rid of." Clove thought it was funny, well not actually funny, but almost ironic that these kids were no different than the kids she'd grown up with, yet they were all about to kill each other.

"Would you kill me?" Clove asked Cato, catching him off guard.

 "What!" Cato exclaimed. "If it was the two of us left would you kill me?" Clove asked, bracing herself for the answer.

"I don't think I could," Cato admitted.

"I don't think I could either," Clove said softly. They stayed in content silence, Clove fighting sleep.

"Go to sleep Clover." Cato said quietly "You look exhausted."

"Stay with me?" Clove asked, right before her eyes fluttered shut.

"Always," Cato murmured, climbing in beside her and holding her to his chest.