Torn: Sequel to Ruthless

Chapter 15

Artemis

Dear Diary,

OMG, where do I even start? The drama just doesn't stop, and I'm living for it. Buckle up, because the tea today is hotter than the Capitol's weirdly extra fire fountains. You know me—your girl's always in the know, even when she shouldn't be. But hey, it's not like I can keep this stuff to myself. Sharing is caring, right?

Okay, okay, focus. Let's talk about Octavia. My bestie-slash-warrior queen-slash-crazy person. She's out there in the arena slaying (literally), but I can't stop thinking about two things. Firstly, why is the arena so ugly? I mean, could the Capitol have made it any uglier? If "tragic" were a landscape, that would be it. And don't get me started on those tacky tributes with no sense of style. Like, have you seen District 10's hair? Tragic.

 Secondly, I hate the fact that my bestie so focused on surviving, but deep down, I know she's still thinking about Kai. And don't even try to deny it, Octavia. That boy had you wrapped around his finger, and you were so obvious about it. But now he's dead. Yep. DEAD. Deal with it, girl. 

It still doesn't feel real. One minute, he's looking all broody and heroic, and the next? Boom. Gone. The Capitol is savage, and I'm not okay. Like, girl, how do you keep going? I'd be sobbing in a corner somewhere, but no, Octavia's out there channeling her inner sword-wielding goddess. She's incredible, but also... HOW?!

Okay, but let's move on to the juicy stuff because you know I can't resist. Cassia and Taylor. YES, Cassia! As in, President Snow's granddaughter! So, I'm watching the pre-arena interviews, right? And there they are, all the tributes sitting all prim and proper—until Cassia and Taylor hold hands! HOLD. HANDS. Like, casually, but also not casually at all. It wasn't just a handshake, Diary; it was a moment.

Do you know what this means? They're a thing! Or at least they want to be. I don't even care that they're not in the arena—this is Capitol-level gossip gold. I mean, Cassia is Snow's granddaughter! This is scandalous! Like, imagine the fallout if Snow found out she was even slightly interested in someone beneath her station. Heads would roll. Literally.

And Taylor? He looks so serious in the tribute parade and everything, but he actually smiled during the interview. SMILED. I'm telling you, something is happening here. And the Capitol is probably already buzzing with theories. What if they're plotting something together? Or maybe it's just love? Either way, I'm obsessed.

But back to Octavia, because obviously, she's the real star here. I know she's supposed to be pretending to like Apollo—ugh, my brother, why—but honestly, her acting skills are kind of on point. The whole star-crossed lovers thing might be a bit cliché, but it's working. The Capitol loves them together, and Apollo is eating it up. But we all know the truth: her heart was with Kai.

It's tragic, honestly. And knowing Octavia, she's probably blaming herself for his death. But she has to keep going. For him. For Seena. For Bark. (Okay, maybe not Bark, because let's face it, he's kind of a mess right now. Poor guy.)

Anyway, that's all for now, Diary. But don't worry, I'll keep my eyes and ears open. I always know the tea, and I'm always ready to spill it.

XOXO,
Artemis