𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 • 𝐂. 𝐒𝐍𝐎𝐖

FOUR

"Miss Vespertine, what have I told you about the dress code?" Dean highbottom says as soon as Coriolanus and I finally enter the classroom. "I've got my skirt on." I shrug but he simply points at the door and I nod. I liked to think Dean Highbottom liked my reimagined uniforms, even though he'd always make me change, I had a feeling that one of these days he'd ask me to redesign our uniforms.

I always kept a spare uniform in my locker at the academy because of how often they'd make me change. By the time I'm changed and back into the classroom the air is very tense? Whatever it is I'm not liking the atmosphere at all. "What's going on?" I whisper over to Sejanus after taking my seat beside him. He looks at me but doesn't answer. "Sejanus? Are you okay?" Even though I'm whispering Highbottom somehow hears me. "Miss Vespertine please focus on your work before I'm forced to give you any more demerits."

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"Please don't say you're making this a habit." I hum as I look up to see Coriolanus place his tray opposite mine once more. "You love my company." He shrugs with an easy going smile which makes my heart skip a beat. I shake my head, "I think you got the roles reversed there Coryo." I watch him shrug, "maybe I do." My stomach flutters this time and I don't know what to say to him.

"So Lucy Gray? It seems like you made a good impression." I watch him inflate at the simple compliment. "What about you and Reaper? Was he just as cold?" I nod with a sigh, "I told him that I would help him but we both know that there's not much we can do for the tributes. It's not as thought we can help once they're in the arena." Coriolanus's eyes light up. "When you were changing I proposed an idea to Doctor Gaul, a way for us to send food and gifts to the tributes." I beam over at the boy before me. "You did? That's amazing Coriolanus." He matches my smile, "for now I'll take her my lunch." He shrugs as though it were no big deal.

I knew it were a big deal to him, he must be starving right now.

"Hey why don't you come over to mine after school, we can make them some proper food, something more filling than this." I say as I watch him discreetly place some of the crackers onto a napkin on his lap. He looks at me blankly for a moment before he nods. "You tryna fatten that poor girl up so you can finally start taking bets?" My brows draw together once Sejanus joins us. What bets was he talking about?

I look up at my best friend in concern, I could see how hard this was hitting him and I had no idea if there was any way that I could help. "You think they'll give those kids a scrap if we don't give them a reason to do it? How do you think your tribute will have a chance if he can't eat?" Coriolanus counters making Sejanus sit down beside me. I was still confused on what they were talking about.

"He was my classmate, back in two." Sejanus reveals making me reach for his hand. "It's not your fault he's here." I can't tell if Coriolanus is trying to be comforting, "see I know. I'm so blameless I'm choking on it." There's a silence for a moment and all I can do is run my thumb across the back of Sejanus's hand. "My father bought him for me you know, at the reaping." Coriolanus looks down and I feel Sejanus's pain as though it were my own. "Just so he could show me that I could never go back to two. But being Capitol is going to kill me." I couldn't imagine how difficult this must be, how to feel as though you had no place, no real home.

"So do something about it."

I excuse myself from the table once I spot my brother in the doorway of the cafeteria. "Crass? What are you doing here?" I'm taken off guard once he pulls me into a hug. "Are you okay?" He's checking me over and I'm confused by the reaction. "I'm fine what's going on?" He shakes his head, "what were you thinking? Getting into the cage with the tributes, what if they hurt you?" Oh right, I almost forgot about that. "I'm fine, have you seen mother and father? Did they see me?" Of course they have but I can still hope.

"I've not seen them yet, I came straight here to make sure you were okay." I nod and give him a light hug, "I'm fine big brother, don't worry about me so much." He chuckles, "if only it were that easy. I'll let you get back on with school just try to stay out of trouble."

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At the end of the day I find Coriolanus waiting for me at Academy doors. "Hey, you ready to get your cooking on." I question making his brow quirk slightly. "We're going to be doing the cooking?" I nod as I begin descending the steps not waiting to see if he was following. "I prefer cooking myself, my mom always gets chef to prepare all the foods I hate." I shrug looking out for our usual driver who'd be waiting for me. "She's mad at me, she didn't send the car." I mumble still not turning to face Coriolanus, "do you mind walking?" I ask him trying to keep my voice steady, to pretend my mother's annoyance with me wasn't weighing my mind down.

"A walk would be nice in this lovely weather." I can't tell if this is his fake charm but I'm appreciative nonetheless and so I simply smile over at him before we begin on our walk.

Luckily my house isn't too far from the academy and so we get there fairly quickly. Coriolanus has been to my house before. Back before the war at least, our parents had been close although I'm not sure how much of that he remembered.

"I'm just going to quickly change out of my uniform, you can wait in here till I come back down." I tell him as I lead him into our lavish sitting room. "I promise I won't be long." He doesn't say anything, that's because he's too busy taking in the decor. I leave him be and soon as I'm out the door I see my mother.

"Oh hey mom, how was-" my words are interrupted by her hand hitting my cheek. Heat rushes to my cheek as it throbs and she begins shouting at me. "You stupid girl! Is it not enough for you to embarrass us at the academy? Did you really need to go and flaunt yourself for the whole country to see? Getting in that cage with those animals you're just as disgusting as they are." I can't look up, humiliation is burning in my eyes especially once I remember Coriolanus is just behind the door we're stood so close to. "I don't know what I did to deserve a daughter like you but hasn't it been punishment enough? I can't take much more. You were a mistake Blaze, a mistake I regret more and more each day." I'm trying my best to keep my pain from showing itself but it proves harder as she just keeps going.