The Scent of Roses || Coriolanus Snow

Chapter VIII

Your breath ran stagnant as the man Doctor Gaul, referred to as Coriolanus, walked around the corner.

He was gorgeous, ethereal. The way he carried himself screamed confidence, maybe even cockiness. His jaw was cut so sharply you worried it would slice through his skin, and his lips looked pale and soft. His brows were full and unapologetic and rested seductively. He was wearing a dark red suit, some might consider it maroon, and his bleach blonde hair was clean cut, with an elegant curl lain across his forehead. His eyes were a piercing blue, like the sky on a perfect summer's day. The only parts of him showing beneath those layers were his face and hands, but his skin was visibly white as snow.

Doctor Gaul led him over to you, gesturing to a chair nearby for him to grab. Her dismay at his arrival unexpectedly resulted in her refusing to get it for him.

He slid the chair next to yours, and as he sat down, the edge of his trench coat brushed against your knee. The touch of the fabric sent shivers down your spine. He hadn't looked at you yet, but you had been staring at him for too long. You returned your gaze to Doctor Gaul, who looked at you somewhat puzzled.

"Now, my apologies for Mr. Snow interrupting us so unexpectedly," Doctor Gaul said, shooting him a glare. "Where were we?"

You gulped, feeling his eyes on you now, studying your every move and feature. "Um... We had just discussed changing the interviews." You said nervously. It was one thing to speak in front of Doctor Gaul. But, now, to speak in front of this stranger, Coriolanus, that was a whole other realm you didn't dare venture into. He was too perfect to sit in a room next to you. You now prayed he wasn't the intern that spoke of you to Doctor Gaul or that would make things much more difficult.

Coriolanus piqued his interest at that last comment made. "What suggestions did she make to the interview process?" He asked politely, showing genuine intrigue in your remarks. 

Doctor Gaul shot him another glare in annoyance, not too keen on his interruption. "Oh, come on, Doctor. If I'm going to listen in on everything else, I'd like to hear what was said before my arrival."

She slid the notebook across the table to him, throwing the pen messily at him, but it did mean she welcomed any critiques. He scanned the paper, his eyes widening with every word. Finally, he finished, letting out a small laugh in shock as he turned to you.

"This is incredible," he said, still with shock across his face. "I've been waiting for someone else to see the appeal in changes like this."

You smiled and nodded to him, unsure if you should thank him. He handed the notebook and pen back to Doctor Gaul much more politely than she had to him. She offered him a passing glance as she delicately wrapped her hand around the pen, her brain racking for the next question.

"Now, your experience with the mentorship program, did you find it to be enjoyable?" Doctor Gaul asked flatly, her eyes lifting to meet yours as she awaited a response.

Shit. You felt your heart drop into the pit of your stomach, a burning feeling swarming your entire body, chasing your courage up and down your spine. This had to be another one of her tests. She had sensed your discomfort with the games and your resentment of the Capital for creating such a thing. Had she seen what happened on the platform between you and Garnett? Had she planted a camera inside your apartment without you knowing and witnessed your extreme turmoil over the lack of humanity? You took a deep breath, trying to compose yourself, hoping you wouldn't say the wrong thing and end up tossed in that birdcage.

"I felt like I wasn't of much help to Garnett because I have never been a player in these games, nor will I ever be," you opened your mouth, and the words kept spilling, worrying you beyond belief as to what you'd say next. "I have never fought someone in hand-to-hand combat before, had to hide to save my life, or gone days without food or water."