𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 - {𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨}

Chapter Twenty

A/N!!

there will be some smut in this chapter. its not going too far but !!READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

*Cato's POV*

As soon as I leave Cloves hospital room I catch up to Lory.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing. I'm fine." She replies.

"You sure?" I ask.

"Yes Cato, I'm sure."

I put my arm around her and give her a kiss. "If you say so."

"Hey, do you want to come over with me? My family will be gone." She asks.

"Sure." I reply.

We get into her car and drive to her house. When we arrive she gives me a small tour. It's a pretty big house, actually.

"Well what do you want to do?" I ask knowing the answer.

"I was thinking we could go to my room." She says innocently.

"Alright." I follow her up the steps.

She follows me inside and locks the door. I grab her waist and start kissing her. She puts her arms around my neck and kisses me back.

"Cato." She says in between.

"Mm?"

"H-how many girls have you fucked before?" Lory asks.

"I don't tell." I say grinning.

She kisses me and we start making our way over to my bed. I'm about to take my shirt off when she stops me.

"What?" I ask.

"Cato, this just all feels wrong.." She confesses.

I have a nagging feeling she's right.

"What about it?" I say looking directly into her eyes.

"I've seen the way you look at Clove. You've never looked at me like that. And I know you won't ever look at me like that." She says.

"But I chose you." I say.

"Cato, I know you love her."

Four months have passed since Lory and I broke up. I still can't gather the courage to go visit Clove. Part of me feels guilty for that. I keep getting calls from Brutus and Enobaria telling me how she's not mentally stable and she needs me.

I gave back into drinking and smoking. I tried to go clean, but seeing Clove in pain in real life and in nightmares is too much. She's too precious and fragile..

I don't have to muster up the courage to visit her, though, because she comes to me.

I open the door to see a healthier but sickly looking girl staring directly at me.

"Cato.." Her voice is raspy.

I don't say anything. I just pull her into a hug.

When we finally break apart she looks at the ground. "They released me from the hospital a few days ago. But I couldn't go back home so I figured I could come here.." She trails off.

"Of course you can Clover. Come inside." I say softly.

I have made an effort to clean my house, but the bottles and stench is still there. I can tell it's bothering her but she tries not to show it.

"I'm sorry about the mess. I've had an addiction." I explain quietly.

"It's fine." She replies.

"Here come upstairs. It's cleaner up there." I suggest. She nods and follows my lead.

"There are a lot of rooms so you can pick any. I usually sleep downstairs so take mine if you want." I tell her.

She ends up picking the one next to mine.

"It's starting to get late. I'm going to sleep now. You can find something in the fridge to eat." I tell her.

"It's fine. I'm not hungry." She says quietly.

"Right. Okay.. goodnight I guess." I go downstairs and grab a bottle from my fridge. I lay down on my couch and gulp it down.

I'm drifting off into sleep when I hear screams coming from upstairs. I'm instantly awake. I bolt up the stairs and burst through Cloves door.

"Clove are you okay?" I ask. By the way she's breathing, I can tell she's hyperventilating.

"I'm fine, it was just a nightmare." She says.

I make my way over to her and wrap my arms around her. She starts calming down slowly.

"Do you want a beer?" I ask.

"I don't drink." She replies.

"Come on Clove. We're all doing things we'd never thought we would do. You can just have one bottle." I say.

She gives in. "Fine."

We make out way downstairs into the kitchen. I pass her a bottle and take myself a second one. We sit in the living room facing each other and just drink.

"What was it like? In the hospital." I ask.

"Well, they think I'm a mental patient, but had the sense to release me before I actually went insane." She replies.

I laugh at the idea.

"What have you been doing these past months?" She asks me.

"Honestly, nothing. I gave up on teaching kids. They're impossible." I say.

She smirks and finishes off the rest of her bottle. "That was good." She wipes her mouth with her sleeve. "Can I get some more?"

"Finish mine." I hand it to her.

She gulps down the tiny bit. "More." She slurs.

"No Clover. Maybe tomorrow. Let's get you to bed."

I help her up the stairs and into her bed. I'm about to leave when she catches my arm. "Will you stay?" She asks.

I look into her green eyes, glowing from the moonlight through the curtains.

"Of course." I say and climb in next to her.