"somewhere in the haze - got a sense I've been betrayed"
Erica Smoronada is a capital darling, the only daughter to one of the most wealthiest families in Panem when she gets the results that she is pregnant with her ex boyfriends child. With her fa...
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A DAY LATER
The doctor had arrived at 4pm with a suitcase full of medicine and shots in the case of a problem. As I got ready to lay in a bed for hours, my father had him sign a timed NDA, he couldn't tell anyone about my pregnancy or the procedure until my child was born. My pregnancy was a secret until they were born.
Hours had passed, when my doctor woke me up from a deep sleep. "Did it go well?" I asked immediately. He placed his arm around my back to help me stand up. "Yes it went well, however you need to learn how to walk again in your new proportions. But don't worry, you'll be able to walk normally tomorrow when your stomach is back." He spoke. He walked me to the mirror so I could look at myself and the pills had worked. I had no bump except a big pain that I felt it in my stomach. "Am I supposed to be in pain?" I asked as he nodded. "Your child is tightly packed in your stomach, therefore it's kicking for more space." He explained as i nodded.
I wanted to tell my child that this was only for a day. So I hoped that they wouldn't give me a hard time in this day that I had to be in the public eye.
In the remaining hours left till the funeral, a stylist came over to tightly curl my hair, that way my long hair would fluff up to my shoulders. This decision was made in hopes that people would ask about my hair and appearance rather than my health and absence.
"You look beautiful." I heard these words from the corner of the room as I turned to look at Maxilian. I gave him a small smile, I understood that he was trying to be flirty but I didn't feel anything for him. "Thank you." I replied as the stylist fixed my dress, it was black with silver embroidered flowers from top to bottom. It was beautiful and it kind off freaked me out seeing a flat stomach rather than my big bump from these past few months.
"Are we ready?" My father asked, walking in as he buttoned his suit. "Yes." I replied, limping as I walked towards him. "Maxilian, can you hold her arm?" My father asked as Maxilian grabbed my arm immediately. Great, now I had to have him attached the whole night. My father walked with my mom as we reached the vehicle that would take us to the funeral hall. "Erica, Amanda, please talk to the other women in the funeral, we have to act natural." My father spoke as i nodded. "Oh please, all those women hate me and I hate them." My mother replied as she fixed her makeup in the mirror. "Just be nice." My father replied as my mother rolled her eyes. "Do you think Coriolanus will be there?" My mom asked as she powdered her makeup on the mirror. My heart dropped. I was so worried about my actual pregnancy that I forgot about Coriolanus and his presence. "Probably." I replied sighing. No one said anything else before we arrived.
As we entered the hall, I remembered that this was my first time being in public in months. As I walked around, I recognized some students from my class, they were all sad, hugging eachother as they looked at the casket in front of the podium. I couldn't approach the casket, it made me sad seeing her dead knowing that she wouldn't be able to talk or see again. "Are you alright?" My mother asked as she held my arm. I sighed in relief as I looked around "Yes, I'm glad that you got my arm before Maxilian." I replied as my mom chuckled. "You don't like him?" He asked as i tilted my head. "He's alright." I replied. I didn't want to tell her that he kissed me for the first time when I was crying and vulnerable. "I guess we should go say hi to these women." My mother suggested as we looked at the women in the corner. It was mainly the moms of many academy students, Livia's mom and so many more. We took a few steps forward as my mom interrupted their conversation.
"Hello ladies." My mother greeted as they all stopped to look at her. "Oh hello Amanda, how are you?" Marina spoke, she was the head mom out of all of them, her child had graduated the academy already and was now studying in the university. "Great, it's nice to see you all." My mother lied, giving the fakest smile ever. "As well, we were speaking about the plastic surgeries the new hospital is offering, we all want to get some." Marina replied as my mom nodded. "How are the prices?" My mother asked. "Oh, not cheap, you probably wouldn't be able to purchase the smallest one." Marina replied. Sting I looked at my mom, I couldn't wait to see how she was gonna respond. "It's ok, not all of us need them, however I understand you all do." My mom replied. STING The women's eyes widened as some gasped at my mom. "If you guys need some money, I'm sure MY husband, could spare some pocket change. He spends most of it on me." My mother finished as the women's faces turned pale. "Anyways, goodbye, nice seeing you all!" My mom spoke before blowing a kiss in the air before walking away. I followed her as I looked at the women.
"Wow." I whispered as my mom tugged on my arm. "Oh please they started it, if your father finds out tell him that you were there." She spoke as i nodded smiling. I admired how strong and carried she was. Those women hated my mom for many reasons, but the main ones were that 1: she was young and gorgeous. 2: she was married to my father, the man that they all wished they could have.
My mom walked me towards our seats, they were near the back in the corner so no one could see us. My father eventually found his seat as he sat next to my mother. "How were the women?" My father asked as I turned to look at my mom. "Oh, just delightful." My mother replied as my father turned to look at her. "Was I wrong for asking you to talk to them?" My father asked grinning as my mother nodded. "They started it as always." My mother replied. He laughed as he leaned in to give my mom a kiss on the lips before paying attention to the front. I admired their relationship, under the circumstances that she was his employee, their age gap, and the pregnancy, they loved eachother so much. The funeral ceremony started, I zoned out most of the time. Looking around as I scanned the room for familiar faces. I snapped back in as I heard the national anthem, however the voice was very familiar.
It was Coriolanus, standing on the podium as I glanced at him. I couldn't believe i was seeing him, it felt like forever. And it was true, how can you go from seeing a person everyday to not seeing them for months. "He didn't even say hi to you." My mother whispered into my ear. This felt like gaslighting, but she was right. This whole time I was speaking to academy students left and right, it definitely got back to him that I was present in this event.
