Origins of a White Rose: A Hunger Games FanFic

Chapter 2

"Miss Cassia is here," the assistant said into the phone.

I threw open the grand doors to the office, striding in with a fake confidence.

You never knew which side of Cori you were going to get. It usually depended on the political climate of Panem on that particular day.

The young man behind the desk stood up.

"Cassie," he said, opening his arms wide. I put on a smile and walked straight into his arms. He hugged me tight.

"It's been too long," he said, pushing a stray strand of my hair aside.

"I saw you last night," I said.

"Exactly," he said.

I sat on the edge of his desk, my legs crossed beneath the short gold dress I was wearing. It had a poofy skirt, per my style, and no sleeves, thick straps.

"What have you been up to?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said, sitting back in the chair. "And I mean nothing. Nothing is happening. The country is on auto-pilot right now."

"No problems?" I asked. I propped my heels up on his leg. "Then we should celebrate."

"Celebrate?"

"Host a party!" I said.

"You're leaving tonight," Cori said. He sighed. "When will you be back?"

I dropped my feet back down to the ground, kneeling beside him. The conversation had gone from flirtaious to serious in an instant.

I had to find some way to appease him. I placed my hand on top of his, where it rested on the desk.

"You can always come visit," I said.

"I can't leave the Capitol, Cassie. That's ridiculous," he said.

I put my other hand on his freshly-shaven cheek.

"It's only a month, dearest," I said.

"A lot can happen in a month," he said.

"Maybe I can return in two weeks," I said, giving into him. "But I'll have to return a week later. Unless you're willing to get me out of mentor-duties."

"I can't make exceptions for you," he said.

"Why ever not?" I said.

"Because no one is supposed to know we're even seeing each other. You know that," he said. I stood up, withdrawing my hands.

"Are we having lunch?" I asked. Cori stood up.

"Right," he said. He pressed a button on his phone. "Lunch please. In the garden."

He offered me his hand and I took it.

There was a sense of security in knowing that you had the President wrapped around your little finger. Cori's adoration for me was probably the only reason I hadn't spiraled completely out of control in the aftermath of the 22nd Hunger Games.

But if I ever did anything to lose his favor, everyone I loved would be in danger. It wouldn't be the first time a President had done it.

Cori was the second President of Panem, having inherited the title from his father. He had come into office only a month before my Reaping. After I had won the Games and done my Victory Tour, I had spent quite a bit of time in the Capitol doing modeling work. I caught his attention. He promised me anything my heart desired the first time we spoke. But it was a scandalous relationship. The President was supposed to have a fine wife born and bred in the Capitol, not one from the Districts.

"What are you thinking about, Cassia?"

I set my spoon down.

"You, dearest," I said. His hand slid across the table, picking mine up.

"What about me?" His dark brown eyes seemed to sparkle.

"How I should like to marry you, Coriolanus Snow," I said. That took him aback.

"Cassia-"

"Oh come on," I said, keeping my voice low. "You're the President. You could do whatever you'd like."

"You don't want to marry me," he said, shaking his head.

"Why not?"

He just continued shaking his head.

"You can't even answer the question— Cori!"

"I do love you," he said.

"And I love you," I said.

I really did. I was terrified of him but I still loved him.

"Don't you have a future back in District 1?" he asked. He began drawing circles on my palm.

"If you call living in the Victor's Village a future," I scoffed.

"I will have to consult—"

"Oh, Cori!" I cried. I jumped out of my chair, rushing over to hug him. I sat on his lap, draping my legs over the side of his garden chair. I could almost feel the servants' stares piercing through my skin. "You mean it?"

"I'll have to consult some secretaries and make sure it's legal—"

"And if it's not, you'll make it legal," I said, making my voice firm.

"I'll do my best," he said.

"I'm afraid I still have to go," I said, running my fingers through his hair. Today, his black hair was messy.

"If you insist on going, then I must insist that you return in two weeks," he said. "Before the Games begin. It's going to be crazy while they're going on. For the both of us."

I flinched at the mention of the Games.

He would never understand how much fear those Games had instilled in me. I never tried to describe it to him either. The Games were tradition and I could see no way of stopping them.

"Alright," I said, putting a smile back on my face. "I should get going. I haven't packed yet."

He put a gentle hand on my cheek.

"My beautiful Cassia," he whispered.

My eyes fluttered shut as his lips met mine.

Our break from the world and all it's troubles only lasted a few seconds before a servant coughed rather obnoxiously.

Cori pulled away.

"I hate to see you go," he said.

"Then walk me to the door," I said, jumping off his lap. My skirt rocked back and forth as I walked towards the door. I felt Cori's hand at my back as we entered.

"I had a visitor today," I said.

That was another thing about seeing Cori. He knew all about my private life; who saw me, who I saw, and who I contacted. There was no point in hiding anything from him. Especially Pax.

"Oh?"

"Yes. An old friend," I said. "From the districts."

"Who is this friend?"

"His name is Pax," I said. "I'm sure you'll meet him soon enough. He's apparently a candidate for being your secretary."

"Is he worthy of being my secretary?" Cori said, raising a silly eyebrow.

"That's up to you to decide, Mr. President," I said. We had reached the front doors which had been opened, like all other doors in the mansion, by the silent staff. A car was waiting for me.

"Two weeks, Cassia," he said. His hand was still at my back.

"I understand," I said. His tie caught my eyes. It was crooked. I began straightening it.

"I can't wait," he said. I kissed him one last time before escaping out the front doors.