EVERMORE ⎯⎯⎯⎯ CORIOLANUS SNOW

xii. hospital room

-ˋˏ [ EVERMORE, ] ˎˊ-
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
❛ HOSPITAL ROOM. ❜

     SELAH SQUINTED AT THE BRIGHT LIGHTS. The sound of faint arguing filled the background and the air smelled of chemicals. She sat up quickly, her head spinning at the sudden movement. Though her eyesight had not yet adjusted to the lights, she could make out the figures of her parents standing in the corner of the room.

They seemed to be in a hushed argument. Her mother threw her hands up as she hissed something at her father. Selah didn't make a single sound, not yet wanting to alert them that she was awake. She tried her hardest to figure out what they were arguing about but they were too far away for her ears to pick up anything.

Movement from her right made the girls head snap over. Selah was surprised to see Coriolanus pushing himself up from his bed, wincing as he did so. He met her gaze after feeling her eyes burning into the side of his neck.

"Rise and shine," Selah said bluntly. Her head was pounding. Coriolanus only sent her a disgruntled huff in return.

"Oh, good you're awake." The shrill sound of her mother's voice floated through the empty hospital. The clicking of her heels as she paced the floor over to Selah only made the girl want to cut her ears off. Leslie sat on the end of her daughter's bed, clasping her hands together. "The doctor said you're all clear. Just inhaled a lot of smoke, that's all."

Selah nodded, mind flashing back to the way Coriolanus had dropped to the ground the mere second they had made it out of arena. She had been the one to drag him all the way into town, where her body had finally given out from exhaustion. Someone must've alerted the Capital of the two students unconscious on a random sidewalk.

Marco laid a soft hand on Selah's shoulder, "Now give Coriolanus a proper thank you. After all, he did save your life."

Selah's angered gaze drifted back onto the boy in the bed beside her. He was picking at the gauze wrapped around his waist, trying to pull it back to see the wound underneath it. Saved her life? No. She saved his and she'd be damned if she did it again. Her father knocked her shoulder, gesturing her to do it.

"Thank you, Coriolanus," She said through gritted teeth. It was better not to argue with her parents. Why would they believe her over Coriolanus anyways?

He smiled at her in a condescending manner. "Anytime, Selah."

     She wanted to bash his head in until he pleaded for her to stop.

     The door to the room bursted open, Sejanus and Tigris filing in. Tigris hurried over to Coriolanus with a worried face. She took his head in her hands carefully, looking over his face to make sure he didn't have any major cuts. All that was there were minor scratches and some bruising on his cheekbone.

"Is she okay?" Coriolanus asked Tigris. "Lucy Gray. Is she okay?" Selah clenched her fists as she listened to him express concern for his tribute. First he took her glory and now he was asking about Lucy Gray?

"She's alive," Tigris confirmed. Sejanus nodded behind her. "I'm just thankful you are, too."

Leslie clearing her throat made Selah's attention snap back to her parents beside her. "Well, I've talked for Highbottom and he while he isn't fond of the idea, he is allowing you to withdraw from the competition." Now it was Coriolanus' turn to listen in on the conversation next to him. "All you have to do is go tell him. He wouldn't let us do it since you're 18. Said we couldn't make that decision."

     Marco grunted, "You are to do it as soon as you're released here."

Coriolanus blinked. If Selah was to drop out of the completion his only alliance would be stripped away, and Lucy Gray would be on her own in that arena. He didn't know how far she would get with no help. Because it wasn't just company that Lucy Gray would be given, it was resources.

Selah's mind began to run rapidly. If she was old enough to make her own decision in this particular situation, then she would do what she wanted. Not what her parents wanted her to do. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she was about to say.

"No."

Leslie snapped her head, "What did you just say?" There was a snarl in her voice that almost made Selah want to take it all back and agree to her parents wishes. But she wasn't weak.

"I said no. If it is my decision then I will make it myself. You guys don't get to have a say. This is my life and my future." Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breaths. Never had Selah dared to speak the her parents that way and they themselves seemed to be stunned by it.

"You are way out of line, young lady," Marco fumed, pointing his finger close to her face. Selah remained stoic, not letting him scare her.

"No, you are. Stop trying to control my life."

Marco's face was now red with anger. He opened his mouth to scream back at her but the peering eyes from the bed over stopped him. Against his better judgement, he turned on his heels and stomped out of the room, not caring if his wife followed or not.

"You are to come straight home once you get released, do you understand?" Leslie asked with a harsh tone. "We will continue this conversation with your father later. Do not think you are out of this, Selah Jane."

     With one last look at her daughter, Leslie marched out of the room just as her husband had moments before. Selah rested back in bed, closing her eyes as she blew out a heavy breath.

     The three people to her right had been quiet for the past few seconds, none of them daring to utter a word about the argument that just took place in front of them.

     She looked over at them with a raised eyebrow. "What? Never seen a girl stand up to her parents?"

     "Jane?" Coriolanus asked in a teasing manner.

     Selah's eyes darkened. "Shut the hell up."

( ୨୧ OLIVIA SPEAKS, )
short filler