- 𝐭𝐛𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐬 -
"Why are you here? Isn't it a little past your curfew?" Treech spat, avoiding Vera's gaze. Vera chuckled to herself before extending a sandwich to him.
"Maybe, but I wanted to make sure you got dinner first. Eat up, I'll come see yo...
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To say Vera Whitestone hated the Academy was a massive understatement. The classes were repetitive, the teachers were boring, and the students were entitled, know-it-alls. There was little Vera would miss about the school once she had finally graduated.
All she had to do was get through this one last assignment. And then, she'd finally be free.
-
"Well, don't you look ravishing today," Vera heard as she walked into the Academy.
Coriolanus Snow. One of the few things Vera was actually going to miss. Vera flashed the boy a smile before linking arms.
"Thank you, Coryo. That shirt looks particularly dashing on you as well," Vera complimented him as they walked into the main room. As the two reached their chairs, Vera tried her best to hold back her scowls. Today was Reaping Day, the day when one boy and girl from each district got chosen to fight to the death in an Arena for the Capitol's entertainment.
And Vera may have been one of the few people in the room who didn't enjoy it.
But this year, Vera would not only have to watch the reapings, she'd become a part of it with her final assignment: Mentor a tribute from the Hunger Games.
'Your job is to turn these tributes into spectacles, not survivors,' Highbottom had said when he assigned the final task.
Just the thought alone made Vera grimace. But, it was something she needed to do to graduate and hopefully, in the process, she could save someone's life. She'd just hoped her tribute could be a winner.
"What's got you so lost in thought," Coryo whispered in her ear, interrupting her thoughts.
"Nothing. I just don't have a good feeling about this," Vera replied, nervously playing with her hands.
"You'll be fine. You heard what Highbottom said, it's winning. You just need to make a show of your tribute," Arachne Crane cut in, causing Vera to scoff.
"These tributes aren't objects for us to toy with, Arachne. They're human. Just like us," Vera spat back, rolling her eyes at Arachne's statement. Arachne let out a hum before speaking again.
"So you're a District sympathizer. No wonder you're so fond of Sejanus."
Vera's jaw clenched at the mention of her friend, clenching her fist to control her anger.
"That's quite enough, Arachne. We don't need to make a big show when we already have the reaping," Festus Creed spoke, standing next to Vera with a soft smile, eyes not leaving her face. Vera rolled her eyes at her friend, folding her arms.
"Don't worry your pretty head, Festus. We were just playing. Weren't we, Vera?" Arachne taunted.
"If that's what you'd like to call it," Vera responded back, a fake smile plastered on her face.
