ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇʟᴏᴅʏ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɴᴏᴡꜰᴀʟʟ

𝚝𝚠𝚘

Coryo's hands shook as he reached out for the telephone, hidden behind one of the entrances to the boys' lavatory. He leaned forward against the rotary when an excited Tigris' shining face shone through the dimly lit passageway.

"Coryo! How was it? Did you-" she stopped, noticing her cousin's sullen face.

"Tigris... I-"

He could hear his Grandma'am's voice in the background, clamoring for attention as Tigris tried to speak calmly.

"What happened? Did one of your classmates..." she trailed off, looking back into the passageway, looking for confirmation.

He swept a hand over his mouth, before running a hand through his curls in shock and disbelief.

"No. I-I've been kicked out," he whispered the last word as if he could barely believe that part himself, "Dean Highbottom has issued it; I am being exiled."

"Exiled?" Grandma'am shrieked as if reverting to her fragile state during the war, "This is how it began-"

Her voice drowned out as Tigris began to speak again.

"Coryo, come home, please. Maybe this is all a misunderstanding, you would never do anyting to damage the Capitol-" she begged.

"They have... some sort of evidence. If I speak any more, I'm at risk for being denominated to exile from all of Panem."

"Who framed you?" his cousin demanded over the line, catching the attention of some exiting boys, who gave him a side glance and a wave, but they carried on their way.

"Crane." he murmured.

Simultaneously, the bell rang, issuing the release of his classmates. He paled, seeing Clemensia and Sejanus exiting from their Communications classroom, heading in the direction of the head office.

He hurriedly hung up, placing the phone haphazardly on its hook, and walked briskly in the other direction.

He passed by many familiar faces, but he had no obligation to greet them as he had before, instead bolting for the arched entrance of the Academy. His footsteps seemed to slow as he watched the statue of Justice come closer into view, and his need to run dwindled.

"Mr. Snow!"

He froze, hearing the voice of his Communications professor.

"Satyria!" he forced a smile, though he eyed the exit as though it was going to close any minute.

"I heard you missed my class before it even began," she winked playfully, "Ms. Dovecote told me of the morning announcements and explained your absence to the class, but I must say, it's a shock for you not to come back."

Glancing over his professor's shoulder, he grimaced as he heard the familiar limp of Sejanus' footsteps

"If you'll excuse me," he gently stepped to thw side, avoiding eye contact, "my cousin has called of an emergency at home."

"Yes, yes," Click waved him off with a gloved hand, "have a good rest of the day, Coriolanus-"

This time, the formalities escaped him as he leant forward to give her a hug. The gesture was met with a soft squeak of surprise by his alumni, but the received moment was warm as she returned the favor.

"Don't go getting too emotional now, Mr. Snow. You're still Capitol." she joked, which was met with hardnening of his gaze.

"Yes. Capitol." he murmured.