Falling Snow

005

"Coriolanus was staring at you all lunch period." The words cause Livia to freeze in her place as she walks down the shiny halls of the university, Vipsania Sickle walking besides her clutching tightly to her book, wide smile present on her face and a blonde brow lifted in amusement.

"What a disgusting observation," Livia had of course noticed this behaviour from the blonde boy she was avoiding like the plague, it was enough to share a bedroom with him, she didn't need reminding of their conversation last night as she tried to focus.

"Livia when will your distain fade?" Vipsania pulls on her friends uniform and stops her from walking again, dragging her to the side so that they can whisper properly. Gossiping was one of Vipsania's favourite activities, ironically it was one of Livia's most hated.

"You've disliked Coriolanus since we were children and when we got to the university I fear your emotions only grew colder," she leans in closer as Livia tries her best not to roll her eyes.
Livia Cardew had made it public that she didn't like Coriolanus Snow, because otherwise she'd have to deal with her real feelings, the feelings she thought froze after the 10th games.

"Despite his past scandals he's a respectable man now.. and you have to admit he is quite handsome." A chill grew down the blonde girls spine as she imagined Vipsania giggling in Coriolanus's presence, drawing hearts in her notebook or drooling over his hair. It made her feel sick, love was a beautiful thing, her father and mother had assured her of this, but Livia was terrified of the emotion.

Livia had decided to be kinder to her fellow classmates, but she grew fearful of doing the same to Snow.

"Beauty doesn't defer stupidity."

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

A voice speaks behind the pair, surprising the girls as they turned cautiously. There's two options Livia could take in this situation, avoid eye contact awkwardly and face embarrassment rising in her chest, or hold her head high and pretend she meant every word she said. She'd quickly decided on the latter, eyes confidently locked with Snow's.

"May I have a moment to talk to Miss Cardew?" He directs his words towards Vipsania, who stands with her mouth ajaw, "in private."
The girl immediately flusters and grabs tightly on to her bag as she begins to shuffle away, "yes.. yes of course, um.. Goodbye Liv."

Livia tries to signal at Vipsania to stay, she uses every discrete method she can think of from the flick of her finger to a desperate stare, but alas her friend is set on leaving the pair alone, "goodbye.. Vip.." the blonde breathes out in defeat as she realises they are now alone together in an empty corridor.

"Livia." The echoing of her name against the empty white walls sound almost angelic.

"Coriolanus, I trust you'll make this quick."

He coughs almost diplomatically, "I've been informed by Strabo Plinth that we are to start looking at wedding venues effective immediately."

Livia blanks, "but I have class?"

The statement itself makes Coriolanus want to rip his hair from his skull, ever so difficult Livia Cardew. "Obviously he meant after classes." He spits.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." Livia comments before a flood of red rushes to her cheeks and the pair falls into silence. The blonde man blinks and with a stoic attitude, eyes locked with hers, simply comments, "I slept quite well actually."

The words themselves fluster Livia further, the idea of Coriolanus being so comfortable in her presence he gets a good nights rest. She can feel her mind start to overthink and shuts the voices down before they overlap into her reality.

"I'll meet you after classes at the university entrance, come alone."
He turns on his heel and begins to walk, but there's a question forming at the back of Livia's throat that she can't help to let spill.

"Is that why you were staring all lunch period?"

He pauses and leans his head to the right hand side, not taking the effort to fully turn around, "no."

A startling response, Livia only meant to tease the blonde, maybe as a demonstration of power over him, but as always she was losing simply by his unpredictable manners.

"Then why?"

He's turned slightly towards her now, eyebrows raised and smile cocky, "your hair looks nice. Am I not allowed to admire beauty?"

Butterflies rush through the blonde girls chest. Coriolanus Snow was known for his charm and she hated the idea of falling for his spells, but here she was, speechless at his words. She determined it was due to their surprising nature.

"You said so earlier yourself," The blonde boy speaks again and Livia furrows her brows at his words, "that you find me quite beautiful."

"I proceeded to call you stupid."

"Well we can't get everything right."

His smirk was clearer now as he waltzed away proudly, straightening the red rose in his pocket as his footsteps echoed further away from where Livia stood, now alone and very confused.

Had Coriolanus been flirting with her?
The idea made her skin crawl.

***

He'd kept his promise, ever the punctual man. He'd met her exactly after classes and waited on the front steps of the academy, many wondering eyes lingering as he stood staring at his watch as the girl he waited for waltzed down the steps.

"You're late."

"It's 3:05?"

"You're late by five minutes." He corrects, completely ignoring the whispers as the pair begins to walk together, the pair known to bicker, argue and feel only resentment towards eachother. This would be large gossip within the university tomorrow.

Livia watched as a group of girls walked past, a couple of them glaring her way and whispering something about daddy's money. Pure jealousy.
Livia always thought that when Snow cheated in the games his reputation would come crashing down, but now it seemed he was the most sort after suitor in the academy, apprentice to doctor Gaul, heir to the Plinth fortune.

It seemed only she still remembered the events of last year.

A large black car pulls up besides the entrance and as they near the end of the large set of stairs Snow signs a hand towards the car, ushering her towards it.
He almost lets Livia open the door and get in by herself, which she would much rather prefer, but with the watching eyes around them it's no wonder he rushes to her aid and opens the door like a true gentleman.

She sits herself inside on the cold leather seats, the freezing feeling rising itself up her legs as she shivers. "Dalton turn on the seat warmers why don't you?" Coriolanus acknowledges the driver with a nod of his head and the driver frantically apologises and presses some buttons.

Strange how such a large man can be scared of such a blonde.
Livia thinks to herself and stiffles a giggle, causing Coriolanus to turn his head slightly her way from his seat besides her, looking at her with curious eyes.
"What?"

"Oh nothing." A smirk on Livia Cardew's face, what a common occurrence.