- 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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"Why do you think we were called here?" Vera mumbled to Coryo as the two walked into the high biology lab, fear evident in her voice.
Why would she be summoned to the Academy on a nonschool day? At night?
Coryo stayed silent for a moment, glancing toward the only other people in the room. Dr. Gaul and Dean Highbottom.
"I don't know, but I'm guessing we're about to find out."
"Oh, look. The Capitol's latest performers. Which one of you went hippity-hop right into the cage with their tribute, I wonder," Dr. Gaul sang, moving closer to the two. Vera went stiff as she approached. This lady was crazy.
"That would be me. I'm the one that fell into the cage," Coryo spoke up, lips stretching into a weak smile.
"And?"
"And landed on stage," Coryo finished, eyes shooting toward the ground.
"Exactly. See, Casca, this one took initiative. He understands what it means to entertain for the sake of the games," Dr. Gaul declared, turning toward Dean Highbottom with a smile.
"That or he's just showboating for a better grade. What exactly are the games for, Coriolanus," Dean Highbottom answered, eyes narrowing as he examined Coryo. Vera scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"Is that amusing to you, Vera," said Dean Highbottom, turning his attention toward the girl.
"I'd just like to know why I'm here. If you're just going to ask Coryo questions and try to bait him into saying something wrong," Vera replied, standing up a little taller as she said it. From the corner of her eye, Vera could see Dr. Gaul eyeing her before walking out of sight.
"I'll tell you why you're here, Vera. Both you and Coriolanus showed reckless behavior this morning. Coriolanus for entering the cage with the tributes and you for getting too close to your tribute and for starting a fight with a Peacekeeper. What both of you did could have harmed a student," Highbottom responded, eyes narrowing.
"What student?" Vera shot back.
"Yourselves. Each other," Highbottom answered back, "Each of you will receive a demerit for this behavior. Don't do something like this again or you risk expulsion."
With that, Vera and Coryo were dismissed.
-
"This is ridiculous, a demerit? For what? Making sure my tribute is fed and taken care of?" Vera complained as she made her way to the zoo with Coryo, carrying a few bottles of water and food in her bag.
"You probably shouldn't have yelled at a Peacekeeper," Coryo shot back, still shaken up from his talk with the Dean and Dr. Gaul.
"He deserved it. He threw a girl onto the ground," Vera argued with a scoff, before turning her attention to the monkey house. Outside of the fence stood Sejanus, a big bag by his side.
