𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗶𝗮 ♛ ꜱᴇᴊᴀɴᴜꜱ ᴘʟɪɴᴛʜ

♛𝗳𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻♛

Aurelia almost felt bad about washing the ash off her arms, but she could hardly walk into school with reminders painted on her skin of how she narrowly escaped the previous day with her life.  Being a Snow, she had always learned to suffer internally.  Nobody had any business knowing what she was going through if it didn't benefit her.  If it challenged your reputation, keep it inside.  And even worse, if it challenged the mental image people create of your family, keep it inside.

As she walked into the Academy, she was expecting the stares, the whispers she had come to know as her constant companions.  First for the media fiasco with Sejanus, second for the bombs, and third from just being a Snow.  People had watched her since she was old enough to leave the house, waiting for just one misstep.

Aurelia was determined to give them no such luxury.  She kept her head high, making sure their eyes were on her face and not on her feet.  She was walking with a slightly different step to hide her limp, and if anyone paid too much attention they would surely notice.  The bomb had gotten her hip just a little bit, from when she collapsed, but it would be okay in a few days.  The doctors had told her that if she just rested it, it would recover as normal.

She almost broke as she entered the class.  Seeing Sejanus sitting there looking so perfectly normal was such a relief to her mind.  As he turned to the sound of the door opening, she saw something different in his eyes.  Ignoring the small tugs from her brother and the glares from around the room, Aurelia went to sit next to him.

He smiled over at her in a way that was just so Sejanus that she nearly cried.  Offering back her own smile, she slid into the seat adjacent to his, muttering, "You okay?"

He shrugged.  "Fine.  How are you?"

"Oh, my hip hurts like a bitch, thanks for asking."

Sejanus just laughed, the same way he used to when they were eight.  Of everything about the boy that changed with the passing time, his laugh always stayed the same.  "It's okay, I could hardly notice.  Anything else?"

"Chronic lung damage.  Given twenty-four hours to live."  She stared at him, stone faced for a moment.

Aurelia then laughed at the look on Sejanus's face.  She had to say, "Kidding," before he knew it was only a joke.

"There was something super weird when I woke up though..." Aurelia tilted her head and smirked up at the boy next to her.

He raised an eyebrow.  "Yeah?"

"Yeah.  So I was covered in ash, from the bomb, but it was in all these little shapes on my arms.  Isn't that weird?"  She gained so much enjoyment from the way his face paled, avoiding her gaze.

"Oh yes, super weird," Sejanus muttered, acting as if he was searching for something in his notebook.

"Cut the crap, Sejanus, I know it was you."

Now his face went red, almost comparable to the Academy uniforms they were wearing.  "You don't know that..."

Aurelia raised her eyebrows.

The brown-eyed boy sighed.  "Okay, whatever.  You know I do that when I get nervous."

"Were you worried about me?" Aurelia grinned, placing a hand on her chest in false shock, but she was secretly thrilled.  She had waited for this for almost ten years.

"I thought you were dying on me there for a minute, Lia.  And in case you haven't noticed, you're literally my only friend.  Scratch that, you're the only person who even likes me, aside from probably my ma."

The blonde girl dropped her grin at those words, because she just didn't know what to say.  She couldn't tell him he was wrong, because, well, he was right.  Aurelia was his only friend, all of the entitled Academy brats had shunned him from the start because he wasn't "one of them."  She thought it was ridiculously prejudiced to judge an eight year old based on where he was from.  And deep down, in some twisted part of her mind, she hated all of them for the way they treated him.

Sensing her drifting away into her mind, Sejanus brought her back with a smile.  "Hey.  You doing the interviews later?"

Aurelia rested her head on the palm of her hand.  "Ugh, I completely forgot about those.  I really don't want to, but I feel like I'm doing Jessup wrong by not doing them.  No idea what we're going to do though.  Some show of strength, maybe?  Anything to get more money to help him in there, I guess."

Sejanus nodded.  "That could be good.  Even though he's from Twelve, I think everyone wants to bet on the strong guys, they normally win."

The blonde girl, sensing a moment of weakness about to cross her face, buried her face in her hands.  She felt a comforting hand on her shoulder, and leaned into the touch, keeping her head hidden.  It was instinct to hold her emotions in, but when it was impossible, hide them under any circumstances.

As the wave of almost-tears passed, she picked her head up, smoothed down her hair, and sat up in her chair.  Everyone else was too absorbed in their own conversations to notice her small moment of vulnerability, all except Sejanus.  He looked concerned for her, and she just mouthed later as the door to the classroom opened once more.

Dr. Gaul made a beeline for the rabbit cage in the center of the room, dropping carrots in one by one.  "Hippity hoppity, carrot or stick.  Everyone's dying and you're..."

"Feeling sick," muttered Sejanus from beside her.

The woman in the middle of the room raised her eyebrows and laughed, a crude bellowing sound.  "It's the compassionate one.  Where's your tribute boy, any clue?"

Sejanus answered, but it was drowned out by a rushing sound in Aurelia's ears that was eerily familiar.  As Dr. Gaul locked eyes with the blonde girl, it worsened.  Oh no, not here, she thought, feeling sicker by the minute.  The woman seemed to have an effect on the girl that made her feel so terrified she couldn't form a clear thought, and she seemed to notice too.  A small grin formed on her face as the discussion continued

The brown-eyed boy next to her was arguing with Gaul.  Aurelia wanted to scream, stop, you're making it worse, but she felt like she wasn't real.  She felt like she was drowning in a pit that just kept closing and shrinking and leaving her trapped and...

"Lia."

The noise stopped.

Oh, thank god for Sejanus Plinth.

♛

WHY DID I NOT WRITE FOR SO LONG IM SO SORRY

there's been a lot going on (personal stuff with my family) recently and it's been really tough for me to get through but i got another chapter out!

THE MOVIE WAS SO. GOOD. i was sobbing the whole way through i loved it so much and i simply was not okay after the ending.

if you can, GO SEE IT IN THEATERS. my one regret of being a teenager now is that i never got to see any of the original movies in theaters.  also CANT CATCH ME NOW BY OLIVIA RODRIGO IS EVERYTHING.

also i need to thank you all so much.  in chapter fourteen, i was thanking you all for almost 3k reads.  currently we are at 6.82k and this time last night i was at 4.9k.  this book has absolutely EXPLODED and i am so grateful for each and every one of you who reads this book.  its even outperforming my tewkesbury book which is absolute insanity.  you all are crazy but i love you all so so so SO much

i truly hope you're enjoying this book so far because it has become my absolute pride and joy in the past few months.  i love reading every single comment and engaging with all of you.  im so excited for where this story is going and i hope you are too!

QOTC: best moment of this book so far? (in your opinion)

also i feel like i need to mention since theres so many new readers, i'm sorry for how inconsistent i can be.  i really try to write for you guys but im in high school and most of my time is spent in homework and extracurriculars.  i promise i write every chance i get and i will honestly try to be more consistent.  i feel like i promise this every single chapter but this time im really determined

i love you all so much, take care of yourselves please.  also sorry for the long author's note i just feel like i have so much to be grateful for.  whether you celebrate thanksgiving in the upcoming week or not, im thankful for all of you <3

-jess