Coriolanus wasn't kind to her exactly. But he wasn't being mean
And him not being mean was a win to Liville.
She'd officially finished week one of being his class partner. Their first project together had been turned in, with Coriolanus taking her ideas into account. He had to be more impressed with her now, Liville convinced herself. He wasn't the type to risk a bad grade to pity someone's feelings, she could tell that about him already. Using her work meant he respected it, actually thought it was good.
Coriolanus was so particular about everything that not insulting her ideas was more of a compliment to her than he probably wanted it to be.
Walking to school with Sejanus that next Monday, she listened to him rave about how fun dinner with Coriolanus had been. Though a few days had already passed since the Snow's joined them for a meal, it was still fresh in Sejanus's mind. Because Sejanus wasn't used to interacting with friends outside of school, he was still reveling in it.
"I can't believe I haven't had him over before," Sejanus said excitedly. "Thank you for suggesting it, Liv. It was fun." He walked closer to her. "Looks like life's better with you already," he laughed, a tinge of nervousness behind his voice as he made such a bold complement.
But she didn't notice his nerve, or the genuinity of the compliment. She thought he was playing around with her so she laughed back to say, "Isn't everyone's?"
Sejanus smiled at her quick response. "Oh, I'm sure."
Liville liked bantering with Sejanus. She liked how she was realizing she didn't have to worry about what to say in front of him. Growing up, she was taught to bite her tongue in almost every social situation. Do not speak unless spoken to, her mother insisted it was a rule every woman must learn if they expect to marry into a high class family.
When she used to write back and forth to Sejanus, she felt like it was the first time ever she could openly express some of her opinions.
He would write back that she humored him. And him saying that is what made her realize she liked making him laugh.
Sejanus had such a wonderful laugh, in Liville's opinion.
But Liville also felt comfortable asking him about things she knew were none of her business, like the school gossip. He seemed to be a bit of his gossip as well, she'd learned. She walked closer to him and asked, "I'm not prying exactly, but what is Coriolanus's deal? He lives with his grandmother and cousin, so he has no other family?"
Sejanus just shook his head. "His parents were killed in the war."
An unexpected ache hit her heart. "He would've had to have been, what, eight?"
"Yes. The same age I was when I moved here to the Capitol."
"To lose your parents at eight...how horrid," she breathed.
Again, his rude behavior and apparent lack of emotion began to make more sense to her.
"I never see him hanging out with anyone," Liville mentioned. "Who else is he friends with?"
"Um..." Sejanus thought. "I don't...think he does hang out with anyone else. He gets along with people, I know that. But I don't really see him with anyone either. He's mostly focusing on school work." Sejanus then made sure to tell her, "You know, you don't have to stress about the end of the year scholarship. My father will pay your tuition if you choose to go to university."
She was impressed, and slightly surprised by the offer. "Really?"
"Do you want to go to university with me?"
