Aemilia POV
"C'mon girls. We're going home."
Cato grabbed my hand and started sprinting out of the training center. His soft blue eyes had gone cold with hatred toward our dad. He ran with a determination I had never seen before. Apparently, the father-son bond has been broken.
Valentina lets out a heavy sob and burries her face into Cato's shoulder. "Shh… It's okay Val. Everything's going to be okay." I try to reassure my younger sister, but she continues to sob. Even I don't know if it's going to be fine.
My life is over. My parents are splitting up. My brother may die soon. How will I survive? Either way, I must stay strong for Val. I repeat to myself in my head.
We've reached home. Cato opens the door and sets Val on her feet on the floor. "Keep her away from the kitchen at any cost," he said in a low voice. I nod. There are many things that will be said in the kitchen that I know Val is too young to hear, especially from her big brother that she looks up to.
I half walk half carry Val up the stairs. Her room is at the top, around the corner off the right. Gently, I tuck her into her bed and kiss her forehead.
"Milia?" Val's voice is clear but soft between the sobs.
"Yeah?" I reply, sitting on the edge of her bed.
"Is everything going to be okay?"
I stroke her hair and smile. "Don't worry, Val. Everything's gonna be fine. Cato will take care of everything. You need your sleep now. Goodnight."
I softly close the door and tiptoe down the stairs. Someone knocks on the door. Oh, great. Just what this family needs, a guest. Angrily, I yank open the door. "What do yo-"
The flower seller. She looked at me with her green eyes and pin straight blonde hair. "Is Antonious here?"
"Why? So you can take him away from his family to start a new one?" My voice surprised me. My voice sounded like snake venom laced with arsenic.
"Y-y-your father's div-v-vorce. It isn't f-f-final. It w-w-won't be. The courts w-w-won't ap-p-prove it."
"I take it then that you're here to say good-bye?" She nodded. "I'll tell him for you. It wouldn't be good for my brother to see you."
Her eyes flashed in recognition. Surely she would never forget a six foot four blonde walking away from the training center across from her both every day. She nodded and turned and quickly ran off into the night. I shut the door and bolted it tight. Spinning on my heal, I walked towards the kitchen door. There were angry, shouting voices behind the door. As I walked in, the angry shouting continued with my mother cowering behind a raving, defensive Cato and my father standing on the other side of the room.
"HEY!" I yelled. Six pairs of eyes flew towards me and a silence settled over the room. "Flower girl came by," I saw Cato begin to work up more rage. "but dad can't leave. The divorce will never finalize. The courts won't approve it."
My father is still registering the news when mom steps in. "Aemilia, Cato and I talked it over. We're leaving District two, whether your father is leaving or not. We're going to District twelve."
District Twelve.
My life is officially over.
