Lillian Crane and her formidable adversary, Coriolanus Snow, epitomized brilliance within their academic and physical competitions, their prowess woven into the fabric of their existence.
However, Lillian's world takes an unexpected turn, stripping...
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Lillian and Coriolanus arrived at his apartment, his shoulder cut, and her arms bruised and cut. In the bathroom, Lillian carefully began cleaning his wounds.
Lillian called Dr. Gaul for guidance on stitching wounds. Despite Dr. Gaul's offer to visit her, they opted to stay due to time constraints. Dr. Gaul provided instructions and invited them to her office tomorrow, which Lillian accepted.
As Lillian started the stitches, she warned Coriolanus of potential pain. Throughout, occasional gasps of pain escaped the blonde. Lillian felt terrible, but was glad she could help.
Lillian completed the stitches and proceeded to clean Coriolanus's head; he must have fallen and hit it during their ordeal. Coriolanus tightened up his face in pain as Lillian wiped his head with the rubbing alcohol.
Coriolanus made eye contact with Lillian, and she fell silent, locking eyes with him. Slowly, they both started leaning in.
"What about Lucy Gray?" Lillian asked just before their lips met. "What about her?" he inquired, curiosity in his eyes. "I'm no Lucy Gray, Coryo. I saw you at the zoo, for the meeting and that night we went. I just didn't say anything," Lillian confessed. Coriolanus looked away, attempting to recall the events.
"Lillian, you don't have to worry, especially not about Lucy Gray; she's probably going to die anyway." He reassured, attempting to ease the girl's concerns. "Coryo, you can't say that. I see how she looks at you and how you look at her. There's something there." She insisted. He shook his head vigorously. "No, Lillian, there's not." he said, standing up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin this." Lillian apologized, feeling regretful for her assumption. Coriolanus walked over to Lillian, gently pinning her to the bed. "I know," he said walking to the door.
Lillian felt terrible, unsure why she had acted that way. Coriolanus walked out, encountering Tigris in her sewing room.
"They put us in the arena today," Coriolanus disclosed, prompting a gasp from Tigris. "Coryo, are you okay?" she inquired, concern etched across her face. He turned around to show his shoulder, saying, "I cut my shoulder, but Lillian stitched it up."
"Yeah, I heard Lillian was here. How is that going? How is she doing?" Tigris asked, expressing worry for the girl, understanding the pain of losing a best friend.
"We almost kissed, but she saw Lucy Gray and me at the zoo when we almost kissed. I got too angry, at her and myself, so I walked out," Coriolanus explained, causing Tigris to frown. "Why are you so angry, Coryo?" Tigris asked with a small laugh.
"I killed someone in the arena tonight. It made me feel powerful," Coriolanus admitted, making Tigris gasp. "Coryo, you can be good, you are good," she said, holding his face in her hands.
Meanwhile, Lillian, two rooms down in the sewing room, overheard him talking about the arena. She wasn't paying attention to the words before, consumed with calling herself stupid for messing things up with the boy. The thin walls and doors carried the conversation to her ears.
Lillian couldn't help but feel fear; hearing someone say that killing someone made them feel powerful is unsettling. However, she also harbored a belief that the last swing at Bobbin was unnecessary. He was down and alive; that final blow ended his life, even though he wasn't getting up anytime soon.
Coriolanus concluded his conversation with Tigris, returning to his room where he found Lillian sitting on the bed, wearing a stressed expression. "You okay?" he asked, looking at the distressed girl in front of him.
"Are you?" she responded, not even making eye contact. "I'm fine why?" He asked walking toward her. "I heard you talking to Tigris about the arena, I'm worried about you." Lillian said looking over at him. He looked down, unable to look the girl in the eyes.
"You're not a bad person, Coriolanus. You saved my life multiple times; without you, I'd probably be dead right now. I'm so lucky to have you in my life, even if we were competing against each other for the longest time." Lillian said, grabbing the boy's hand and pulling him onto the bed with her.
Coriolanus landed on top of Lillian, seizing the opportunity to kiss her unlike last time. The girl giggled quickly before reciprocating the kiss. The pair leaned down onto the bed, continuing their kiss.
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The following day, Lillian and Coriolanus entered the Hunger Games room, where the resonant voice of Juno Phipps, Bobbin's mentor, echoed discontent about the unfairness of not revealing what befell him. Lillian maintained a stoic poker face, exchanging a glance with Coriolanus that spoke volumes.
Coriolanus strode into the hall, with Lillian in tow. "If there's anyone you could trust, it would be me; you don't have to worry," she reassured him. "And you can trust me too," he replied, reentering the room.
Seated in their assigned places, students and their families observed as cameras panned over Marcus' and Bobbin's lifeless forms. An anxious energy hung in the air, manifesting in Coriolanus bouncing his foot on the floor. Lillian subtly intervened, gently halting his nervous rhythm. Catching Tigris' approving nod, she readied herself for what lay ahead.
With a gleam in his eye, Lucky announces a surprise for the 12 remaining mentors, leaping across his studio to join Sejanus and Strabo Plinth. Sejanus unveils the Plinth Prize, a scholarship offering a full ride to the University for the winning mentor.
Amidst celebration, the cameras return to the arena, and a realization dawns on Coriolanus: Sejanus was right about Strabo attempting to conceal his "outrageous" behavior with money. As the thought lingers, Coriolanus steels himself to stay focused on aiding Lucy Gray, determined not to be swayed by potential attempts to buy his silence.
