Five showers.
Five showers and I still feel completely and utterly disgusting.
I scrub at my skin for so long its raw, red, and sore. I sit on the floor of the shower, the water spraying down on my face, my eyes shut and my mind a blur.
The only thing I could seem to think about was the sick grin on the purple haired man's face when I arrived at his home earlier this evening. His name was Flynn Plat, and he was as disgusting visually as his insides were.
His home was lavish, dripping in expensive items and new technology. A capitol car took me there right when I got off the train.
And the way he touched you, almost taunting you, knowing you didn't want to be there.
He owned you.
The president owns you.
I shook my head, fluttering my eyes open before standing up and shutting the water off.
I quickly climbed out of the shower; grabbing a towel off the rack and slipping it around my body, before making my way back out into the bedroom of my apartment.
The president had graciously paid for it.
What a giver.
I didn't bother slipping into some form of pajamas, simply sitting down on the edge of my bed and crossing one leg over the other. I folded my hands in my lap, staring down at them as my thumbs twiddled about.
It's over now, Aria.
It's over.
I tilted my head back up; glancing at the clock on the wall that stated it was three in the morning. My eyes trailed over to look out at the Capitol, which was lit up still bustling even at this late hour.
I closed my eyes, lying back on the bed, sighing loudly. "Go to sleep, Aria." I told myself, staring up at the boring staccato ceiling. I slowly fluttered my eyes shut, only to snap them back open when his sick smile filled my mind again.
I had a feeling that would be happening a lot.
[-]
"You look tired." Nyall said evenly, his hands folded on top of the table, his piercing eyes staring at me.
"I didn't sleep much last night." I replied, not looking into his eyes, instead staring down into my lap. I was dressed comfortably, in a pair of black leggings, an oversized gray long sleeve sweater and a pair of black lace up boots.
My hair was in a messy side braid, something Nyall was now untying and beginning to do more properly. "And why is that?" He asked, his nimble fingers working their way through my messy locks, taming them into a structured form.
"No reason." I lied, finally looking up at his eyes. He stopped his actions, looking over at me for a moment, his eyes boring into mine, before he continued on with my braid. He knew I was lying, but simply said, "I see."
I knew this wasn't the end of the conversation. Nyall may be a reserved person, but when he knows something is wrong, he pursues it.
And something is defiantly wrong.
The sound of clacking heels brought me out of my daze, looking up to see Belladonna, wig tilting ever so slightly to the side as she hurried towards us, a magazine in her hand, a large purse in the other.
"Arianna! Oh darling! I've missed you!" Belladonna squealed, pulling me up out of my chair and into a tighter than necessary embrace, possibly breaking a few bones. I gently patted her back, saying, "I missed you too, Belladonna."
She finally released me after a few moments, allowing me to sit back down in my chair, a slight breeze giving me a chill. We were sat outside of a small restaurant in the middle of the Capitol, Belladonna's favorite place to eat, apparently.
Probably because District Escorts and Gamemaker's photos were plastered all over the walls.
Including pictures of Belladonna herself.
A rather large picture, in fact.
They must love her here.
Nyall mumbled something rude about her, starting my braid over as she had completely ruined it by yanking me from his grasp. "How are you?" I asked politely, only to receive a completely undistinguishable answer. She spoke so quickly; I could barely make out the words ' good ' and ' dashing '.
I chose to nod, rather than to ask her to say it all over again. I already had a headache, and the nosy Capitol people practically falling out of their chairs to hear our conversation wasn't helping with my less than desirable mood. Nyall finally finished my braid, tying it off, before giving my shoulder a pat and settling into his chair.
"Thank you." I said to him, smiling softly, earning a quirk up of one of his lips, before he went back to his impassive face, glancing over at Belladonna, who was bouncing up and down in her chair. "Is something wrong with you?" Nyall asked boredly, earning a smack on the arm from me.
"That wasn't very nice." I mumbled to him, Belladonna seeming to have missed the insult completely. "Everything's wonderful." She said with a cheeky smile, glancing over my shoulder, waving wildly, her smile only getting wider.
Nyall and I both turned in the direction she was waving, my hands getting clammy and the color draining from my face, quickly turning back around towards the table.
Nyall grumbled something along the lines of ' you have got to be kidding me ', before two presences joined us at the table. "Bertlynn!" Belladonna jeered loudly, placing a sloppy kiss on the man's cheek.
His face turned a bright red, letting out a chuckle as he gave me a simple smile, not bothering to properly say hello. I gave him a nod, before looking back down at the table, finding sudden interest in the pattern on it.
Nyall gave my knee a light comforting squeeze, making me look over at him and return with a weak smile.
You can do this, Aria.
You don't feel anything towards him anymore, remember?
So what if Belladonna blatantly invited him to lunch?
It shouldn't bother you.
It doesn't bother you.
"Oh, here Cato, sit here! Beside Aria!"
I shot a glare at Belladonna across the table, who looked at me with innocent eyes, batting her pink eyelashes. I didn't look over as Cato took the chair beside mine, all of us seeming to enter an awkward silence.
Neither Cato nor I bothered saying hello to each other, but Belladonna was happy chatting away enough for the both of us.
I could hear the shutters of a couple of cameras going off, people obviously fascinated by seeing Cato and I together. I continued to stare down at the table, drawing shapes on it with my finger.
"Well, Cato! I'd ask how things are in your District, although it seems your never there!" Belladonna said, letting out an airy laugh. I tensed up a bit, Cato awkwardly chuckling beside me.
"Excuse me." I say, standing and pushing my chair back, before glancing up at the table. "I'm just running to restroom." I state quickly, before turning and heading inside the restaurant
.Smooth Aria.
Real smooth.
I mentally smacked myself while I stood in the empty bathroom for a few moments, just so I wouldn't look like a complete wacko.
Too late.
I turned towards the mirror, playing with my braid a bit, my eyes inspecting every inch of my face. I frowned a bit, seeing my under eyes were a bit dark from not sleeping last night.
Great.
Everyone can tell I'm a mess.
I ran some cold water from the tap, patting a bit under my eyes to sooth the skin a bit, them only lightening a tad. I figured I had been in here long enough, and took a deep breath before exiting the bathroom, making my way back outside.
You can face them.
It's just Cato.
He's nothing new to you.
You don't care if he's here.
As I exited the doors of the restaurant to come back outside, I stopped walking, my eyes glued to the scene before me. Bertlynn and Belladonna were smiling and chatting happily, Nyall sitting beside them with a bored look on his face.
Across from them, was Cato, who held a small grin on his lips, his arm draped across the shoulders of the beautiful golden haired girl from all the magazines shipped to my house.
You do care if she's here.
Valencia was smiling and chatting away with the pair across from them, dressed in a simple gold dress ending mid thigh with long sleeves, and fuzzy white boots. No one else could pull it off but her.
Suddenly, I didn't feel so well.
"Aria? You okay dear? You look a bit peaky." Belladonna said, bringing everyone's attention at the table to turn towards me. I stood awkwardly a few feet away, my face drained of some of its color, surely, my hands gripping the sides of my sweater tight in my fists.
"Um, actually I don't feel to well." I blurt out quickly, stepping only a hair closer. I could practically feel Cato's eyes glued to my face, but I didn't look at him.
I couldn't look at him.
"I think I may head home." I say, glancing over at Nyall. He nodded, standing. "I actually should get going too." He said, earning a frown from Belladonna.
"You're both leaving? But we've only just all gotten here!" She said, pouting out her bottom lip, and batting her eyelashes rapidly.
"I promise I'll make it up to you, Belladonna. I just really, really don't feel well." I said, folding my arms across my chest as Nyall slipped his jacket on.
"Well, if you're really that sick. I suppose I'll see you tomorrow anyway, for the interviews with Caesar." She trailed off, still holding that small pout on her face.
"I am and you will, enjoy your lunch everyone." I said quickly, taking Nyall's arm that was held out for me to hold, the both of us quickly walking away.
Smooth, Aria.
They'll totally buy that.
Cato defiantly won't figure out that you just didn't want to be around his girlfriend.
Nope.
"So are you going to tell me why you were at Flynn Plat's house last night?"
I turned my head to the side, looking up at Nyall. He wasn't looking at me; he was staring straight ahead as we walked.
How did he know I was there?
"How did yo-"
"That's not important." He said, cutting me off effectively, turning his head to look at me now. His eyes bored down into mine for a moment, when we stopped walking, his arms holding onto my shoulders so I couldn't walk away.
I didn't have an answer for him, not one I could tell him, anyway. Not when any random citizen could hear. "I can't tell you, not here." I said softly, glancing down at the ground, hearing him sigh softly.
"Come on then, let's go." He tugged my arm along, leading me down the crowded streets towards my apartment. How he knew where it was located was beyond me, but then again, Nyall knew a lot of things.
And I'm pretty sure one of them is why I was at Flynn Plat's home last night.
I think he just hopes he isn't right.
I wish I he wasn't.
[-]
"It's lovely to see you as always, Aria." Caesar said, shaking my hand firmly in his, flashing me one of those infamous bright smiles. I put the best smile I could muster on my face, releasing his hand and sitting down on the plush sofa that was set up for the interview.
We were in some sort of studio, and cameras were pointed at me from just about every angle. To say it was nerve wracking was a bit of an understatement.
Nyall came over, squatting in front of me to brush some more blush onto my cheeks, saying, "You look like you didn't sleep last night."
I let my eyes move onto his, saying "That's because I didn't." His eyes looked into mine, and for a brief second I saw a flash of sympathy, his hand coming up to caress my cheek as he pressed a kiss to my forehead, standing.
I had told him last night, about everything, although he basically had said he already knew. Apparently, he had heard two of the President's men snickering about the manner.
That made me want to vomit.
"Stop playing with your hair." He said, his voice and face back to impassive as he swatted my hand away from the braid he had done. I was dressed in a simple pair of beige dress pants and a white v-neck with elbow length sleeves, it coming off somewhat shiny.
"I'm anxious." I said, looking up at him, folding my hands in my lap to try and keep myself from messing up my appearance. He raised his eyebrows for a moment, saying "Why? Because Cato is coming?"
Cato is coming?
What?
I stared up at him, not speaking for a moment, before he sighed and spoke again. "You didn't know he was being interviewed as well, did you?"
I groaned a bit, leaning forward and covering my face with my hands, squeezing my eyes shut. As if I already wasn't anxious enough.
I could hear the doors to the room slam open, laughter floating in, making me lift my head to look at the happy couple that was walking through the doors. Cato's arms were slung around Valencia's waist, her lips attached to his.
It felt like I got stabbed in the chest.
I tore my eyes away from the pair and focused on my lap, Nyall patting the top of my head and leaning down to press a kiss to my cheek once more. "Be strong, it'll be over with soon enough."
I nodded, although I felt like basically the opposite of strong, if anything. Nyall walked off, someone shouting that we only had about thirty seconds before we went on air.
Cato must have detached himself from Valencia, because I felt the couch cushions sink in slightly beside me. I glanced up from my lap and over at him, realizing his eyes were already glued to my face.
I quickly looked away and at the camera, sitting up properly again. Caesar sat down on the chair slightly angled towards us, a camera panning over all three of us as he started his introduction.
"Aria, Cato, you're both looking well! I'm happy to see you two are both here with me!" Caesar said, Cato chuckling fakely beside me, while I put a weak smile on my lips.
Focus, Aria.
"So, Aria, tell us a bit about how you're doing. How is District Three?" Caesar said, bringing everyone's eyes to me. I felt uncomfortable with Cato's gaze burning into the side of my face, but kept a smile on my face and focused on Caesar.
"District Three is good, and I'm well thank you. I've just been enjoying some downtime back home, spending time with my friends, and working on my talent."
Lies.
"Oh right, your talent is drawing, correct?" Caesar said, folding his legs and propping his elbow on one of them, resting his chin in his hand.
"Yes, it's always been a passion of mine." I said, just like I was told to say by the prompt the President had sent over for me.
Lies.
"That's wonderful. Well I've seen a few of them and I must say, you are truly talented!"
"Thank you Caesar, it means a lot." I said, keeping the fake smile in place as he moved his eyes over to Cato, everyone once again focusing on him as he blubbered on about his talent and District Two.
I, however, zoned out, glancing behind the cameras at the people watching us. Valencia was watching Cato with stars in her eyes, not paying any attention to me at all.
I obviously wasn't any of her concern.
Nyall was standing near her side, but his eyes weren't on Cato, or me for that matter. They were narrowed and focused on something across the room. I frowned ever so slightly, following his gaze.
My face drained of color, my throat tightening within a few seconds as a chill ran up my spine, my eyes landing on the hideous head of purple hair that had been clogging up my ability to sleep.
Flynn Platt.
That sick smile was one his lips, his eyes wandering over my body a few times before he realized I was looking at him. He grinned a bit more, making me look away and scoot a bit closer to Cato.
Our legs brushed, his eyes never leaving Caesar as he continued to talk. His arm did slip off of the back of the couch, however, and slide downwards. He flattened his palm against my lower back, rubbing very small, discrete circles.
While the action was beyond confusing, it was helping me feel a bit less petrified.
Even if he probably doesn't realize he's doing it.
"Well, It's lovely to hear you are both doing so well! And it's lovely to see the two of you are still such close friends." Caesar said, Cato's arm slipping off my back up onto my shoulder, pulling me into his side a bit as I forced another large smile on my lips, one already on Cato's.
"We are, Caesar." Cato's deep voice said, sounding genuine. It made me look over and up at him, confused as to when he became such a good liar.
Well he was a career, idiot.
"That's wonderful, because we have a surprise for you two, straight from the president himself." Caesar said, grinning as he paused, probably to build the tension.
I, however, could feel my gut sinking, as the president had already made my life a utter and complete mess at the moment. Neither of us spoke, waiting for Caesar to tell us what we had gotten from the ' gracious ' president.
"Since the two of you both love the Capitol, and each other so much, President Snow felt having you in two different Districts was just cruel. So, he has gotten the two of you a home, right here in the Capitol to share!"
Live with Cato?
While he's dating someone?
While I'm in a terrible deal with the President to keep Cato out of harm?
What could possibly go wrong?
[-]
….Hi. Please don't kill me for taking so terribly long(x
I hit a wall guys, but I finally climbed it! Yay! :D This chapter is in my opinion, not all that great, but I think you will all like the upcoming chapters.
Lemme just give you a hint that it will have lots of Caria action, who knows, maybe those secret feelings will come out ;)
Any readers who are also readers of Scars, I'm gonna do my best to update that tomorrow(:
Thanks guys! Review review review!
Becaa(: