THERE WAS A SMALL STACK OF PARCHMENT PAPER ON SNOW'S DESK. A pen rested beside it. Pearl took a seat and so did Snow. She breathed heavily. He seemed to be over their second kiss much quicker than her.
Snow sat there neatly, his hands folded on the desk. He was relaxed, but also eager at the same time. Pearl could tell that nothing about this contract was going to be good.
Did she really have a choice in signing it? Could Pearl simply tell him no, or would he force her to obey his wishes no matter what? These terms could be psychotic coming from someone like him.
There were many words on the paper in neat handwriting.
"You said you would do anything to help your family, correct?"
Pearl nodded. "Anything."
He pushed it towards her. Pearl examined the paper with wide eyes. Before she even read the words, she knew she wouldn't want any of this.
I, _____ AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS PROPOSED BY PRESIDENT CORIOLANUS SNOW.
There was where Pearl would have to sign her name. Snow had paragraphs of conditions that she would have to follow if she signed this paper. She shivered reading some of them.
She would have to comply to his every demand, and appear whenever summoned at the Capitol.
Her green eyes scanned faster and faster.
Must obey any demands the President has.
In summary, Pearl would become Snow's possession. She would become his property and his property only.
Snow saw her facial expression, and Pearl knew that he was very aware of her immense doubt in this contract. Pearl wasn't willing to give up her life after she just fought for it in that arena.
"Any living loved one that you have will be personally granted unlimited protection by me and the Capitol."
Pearl shook her head. "Why do you want this? Why do you care so much about just one of your victors?"
Snow leaned forward. "I need to be in control. You are not just a victor, you are my victor. The first victor of the games I administrated, and also the first to rebel the Capitol."
Pearl's lips curled up in disgust "Stop saying that. Stop saying that I'm yours."
Snow's eyes drifted down towards the contract. He smirked the slightest. "The contract says otherwise. And you seem like you have no choice but to sign it."
Unfortunately, Snow was right. Pearl cared about her family more than she cared about herself. If the only way to save them was to make herself uncomfortable, it would be worth it.
Would Snow act much different from how he was now? He couldn't do much else. Pearl had to save them. She had to make a sacrifice for the greater good.
She picked up the pen in her shaky hands. Snow watched her intently. The pen moved slowly against the parchment, dread being spilled through ink.
I, PEARL BAZIN, AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS PROPOSED BY PRESIDENT CORIOLANUS SNOW.
Her name was on the paper. It was done. The deal was sealed. Pearl had just agreed to be anything Snow wanted her to be.
Snow suddenly grabbed her chin, her chest pressing against the desk. "I look forward to this, darling." He smirked and then spoke again in a low voice, "You can call me Coriolanus."
He aggressively let go as she fell back against her chair. Tears formed in Pearl's eyes. Doom filled her body. What had she done?
Pearl's heart rate grew as she remembered her sole purpose for signing the contract. Her family. She would see them again. She would feel the gentle love of her mother and hear the soft giggles of Marie.
"Where are they?"
"Who?"
Pearl crossed her arms. "Don't play dumb, Coriolanus."
It felt strange to call him by his first name, but it was his request. A part of the contract was listen to whatever he says.
Of course the rebellious Pearl Bazin was nowhere near wanting to do Snow's bidding, but if he was going to uphold his end of the contract, she would have to at least partially uphold hers.
Coriolanus's eyes sparked when he heard the sound of his name. It did sound nice rolling off her tongue.
"Oh, you mean your family..."
Pearl got up from the chair. "It's the only reason I'm here. How could you forget?!"
She knew he was just acting stupider than he truly was. Coriolanus just wanted to get under Pearl's skin.
"About that." Coriolanus tilted his head to the side a bit, moving closer to her.
Pearl was fearful. Snow had to keep his end of the deal, didn't he? She felt terrified for her family and her future.
"Where are they?" she repeated.
"They're gone. Just as I said. If I recall, I said any living family member that you have will be granted protection."
Pearl's heart sunk. The tears spilled. How could she be so foolish? Snow had tricked her and created the illusion that she would get her family back.
Her mother and Marie were really gone and now she knew it for sure. Pearl was alone in the world. She had no one left, and she had sold her life to the President for absolutely no reason. Pearl has no living family member to protect.
Before she knew it, Coriolanus was directly in front of her. Pearl's tears collided with his fingertips. She sobbed.
"I never lied to you in the contract," he whispered.
"You lied to me when you said they weren't dead."
Coriolanus sighed. "I have to get what I want somehow."
Pearl's hand slammed against his chest in anger. "You're sick! I don't want anything to do with you or the Capitol. You nauseate me."
Coriolanus caught her before she exited. "Are you sure you read through the contract carefully?"
Pearl scoffed. "Of course I did."
"Then you're going to stay right here."
Pearl showed her thoughts with a roll of her tear-stained eyes.
"Now you're going to let me do what I want."
Pearl's stomach twisted. Before Coriolanus could move a step further, the door opened. "This is the victor?" a guard asked.
Coriolanus stepped forward, his hand snaking around Pearl's waist. "Indeed."
"Is she ready to go?"
His hand continued to rub against her skin. "I suppose so."
"Coriolanus, where am I going?" she asked in a soft voice. Pearl was still in a state of shock.
He didn't answer. Pearl was dragged away once again. Maybe this was for the better, because she would be all Coriolanus's if they didn't come and take her.
But what if they were bringing her to the jabberjay room again? Pearl wasn't sure if she could handle being in there again, especially with the recent deaths of her family.
Pearl was brought into a luxurious room, that looked to be one of a games stylist. Rows of mirrors and vanities were aligned. A familiar blonde came into view.
She flew out of the guard's grasp. "Tigris!"
The guards just nodded at Tigris and left. Pearl hugged her so tight. Tigris smiled until she saw a teary-eyed Pearl.
"Honey, what's wrong?"
Pearl enjoyed the company of Coriolanus's cousin. Tigris was so different from him. She was so effortlessly sweet and filled Pearl with warmness.
"My family is gone. I belong to Coriolanus."
"Pearl, I'm so sorry. I tried to warn you, but it wasn't enough. I knew he would do something to hurt you."
Her eyes widened. "But what do you mean? You're calling him Coriolanus? And you belong to him?"
Pearl knew it sounded strange. Her belonging to another person. It wasn't something she felt was normal or ever needed. Was Snow's obsession so bad that he needed her to be only his?
"He tricked me into signing a contract. Now I have to do exactly what he wants."
Tigris was fuming. "There has to be something you or I can do."
"There's nothing left to do. I can't escape him."
An idea brewed in Tigris's mind. "Do you know about Lucy Gray?"
"Mhm. Not that much though."
"She escaped beyond the districts. Coriolanus may have killed her, or she may have escaped. What if you did that in your district?"
There was a lot of water beyond District 4, but there was also some woodland. She would have to leave everyone behind and live isolate her entire life. Pearl just wished things would go back to how they were before.
"I don't know, Tigris. He could catch me. I could die out there."
Tigris went to respond, but was interrupted by the harsh voice of a woman barging into the room. "Get her ready! What are you doing?"
"Get me ready for what?"
"Your public appearance for Capitol television."