𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍, coriolanus snow ¹

vii. demerits

REIGN'S DISCHARGE FROM THE HOSPITAL WAS FAIRLY QUICK. She had been diagnosed with a very mild concussion that should be over within a few days at the most. Nothing to write home about in her opinion, but, of course, they still called her mother to inform Parla of her daughter's misfortune before she was whisked away by the Peacekeepers to the Academy.

The Klark girl was dropped off outside of the high biology lab that she had only ever visited once before. Satyria had almost guaranteed Reign's place in the next senior high biology class a year in advance, but the building was still foreign to her. It was rare to find anyone other than seniors around this area. Which was proved by the judgemental looks sent her way as she made her way over to the bulletin board.

There was a long list of twenty-four names in a table that she had never seen before, but it didn't take a Gamemaker to realise what it was for. '10th HUNGER GAMES MENTOR ASSIGNMENTS' was printed above the table on the paper for anyone still living in the Dark Days of Panem.

Reign was present for the reaping. She remembers the day clearly, but she still skimmed her eyes over each of the names. Until she got to district four's section.

DISTRICT 4
Boy                 | P̶e̶r̶s̶e̶p̶h̶o̶n̶e̶ P̶r̶i̶c̶e̶   ← Reign Klark
Girl                  | Festus Creed

Seeing her name felt surreal. Something about seeing written proof that she is now a mentor of her old brother figure in the Hunger Games that may sentence him to death sent shivers down her spine. Her last two days had been petrifying in a multitude of ways, but this was a feeling she wouldn't be able to shake off for a while - ever if she was as unlucky as she feels right now.

"Reign?" She turned around to find Coriolanus Snow once again. He stood outside of the door to the high biology lab that Reign had just been outside of.

"Oh, Coriolanus." Reign didn't know why she felt the need to add the 'Oh' . She wasn't surprised. She knew he would be here too. "How'd it go?" Her attempt at carrying a casual conversation seemed to fall flat when she noticed his anger.

"I told Dean Highbottom that it you didn't want to go into the cage. I told him it was all my idea and you just got caught in the crossfire." Coriolanus took a few steps forwards with his hands folded behind his back.

"Well, I didn't really want to go." Reign tried to add a laugh to the end, but it ended up feeling forced and out of place. "Did he give you a detention or something?"

"Or something." Coriolanus looked towards the bulletin board to the right of himself. "He gave me a demerit."

Reign's eyebrows raised at the news. "I'm assuming it's your first?"

"Yes," He clenched his jaw as if he was trying to hold himself back from saying something. "He wanted to give you one, but I persuaded him against it." Coriolanus took a breath before adding on another statement quickly. "I'm starting to feel like I shouldn't have, though."

"What?" Reign once again tried to fit in a laugh to diffuse the rising tension Coriolanus just made. "You regret it?"

"Yes." He gave a curt nod with the statement.

"It's your first demerit. It's not serious." Reign frowned with a shake of her head. "It's not like Dean Highbottom banished you to the districts to become a Peacekeeper."

"That's not the problem, Reign." He took three more steps towards her to come closer to the bulletin board. "I lied for you," Coriolanus raised his hand and pointed to Reign's name on the pinned up paper. "and you lied to me."

She glanced up to the table he was pointing at before trying to defend herself. "I never lied to you."

"You didn't tell me you were a mentor." Coriolanus' voice rose in volume slightly.