Chapter 2: An Interesting Meeting
A/N Hey readers! I'm sorry; I haven't posted any chapters for nearly a month. I know, I'm an awful person! Please, forgive me. I hope the longer chapter will make up for it. Enjoy!
In the silent streets of the Capitol, a young man was fleeing his house. It was almost three in the morning, but Coriolanus kept running. He turned the corner and stopped at a park. He froze, and took a few shaky breaths to steady himself. Suddenly, he started thrashing around - pulling weeds off the ground, throwing sand everywhere, kicking and shouting obscenities at the air. Finally, he collapsed on a bench and stayed still for awhile.
"Well, this is what I call a tantrum", said a voice hidden in the trees.
Surprised, Coriolanus almost fell of his seat. He quickly recovered himself. "Come and show yourself!" he told the stranger.
"Usually, youngsters are asked to be polite to adults", the voice answered, slowly coming out of concealment.
The stranger was hunched like an old lady. Actually - Coriolanus realized - she was an old lady. She seemed to be wearing tattered clothes, although the lack of light might have been playing a trick on the boy's eyes. There wasn't much to notice about the woman, except for her wrinkles and her piercing blue eyes.
"Who are you anyway?" the boy asked with a defiant glare.
"Being rude to me won't bring you answers, young man", pointed out the old lady.
With lots of effort, Coriolanus finally calmed down. "Sorry", he told her.
"I accept your apologies. Now, to answer your question, my name is Aquila Wallace. I believe you are Coriolanus Snow?"
"How do you know who I am?" blurted out the boy.
"Let's say I was very close to your parents." clarified Aquila.
"My parents?" Mentioning them immediately dragged Coriolanus's attention. He didn't remember much about his genitors. Sometimes though, he could still see his father's smile, and if he had no memories to hang onto, he fidgeted with his mother's necklace, which he always kept in his pocket.
"Have your adoptive parents ever explained you what happened the day your biological mother and father died?" questioned the old lady.
"No," replied the teenager. "Every time I tried to approach the subject, they scolded me. Do you know what went on then?"
"Yes, I do. May I sit to tell you the story?" Coriolanus nodded his assent, impatient to learn more about his parents.
"The Dark Days were coming to an end, and the districts were losing the war. Thus, they became very desperate. One afternoon, they invaded the Capitol. Unfortunately, your parents and you were strolling in this very park at that precise moment."
Aquila recounted to Coriolanus how the rebels attacked the citizens, how his parents tried to run away home, how they were cruelly murdered right before the Peacekeepers arrival. When the story was over, she paused and waited for the boy's reaction.
"So that's how I became an orphan", said Coriolanus with a sigh. "What happened afterwards? How did I end up being adopted by my horrible current guardians?"
"In their will, your parents left you the manor and many riches. But since you were so young, whoever would take you in would be responsible for all the goods you inherited." That was the reason Coriolanus's adoptive parents tolerated him all those years; wealth. Aquila lowered her gaze in an expression Coriolanus couldn't read. Was it thinking, sadness, or pity? No, she almost looked like she felt… guilty. The thought made the boy really uncomfortable.
"The sun is rising", stated Aquila. Coriolanus hadn't even realized how long they had been talking. "As much as I know you hate the idea, you should get back to your adoptive parents'. Especially since you have school this morning."
"I don't want to go back there", protested the boy. "Besides, why do you care if I go back or not?"
"Didn't you understand what I told you earlier? I was a… friend of your parents'." Coriolanus couldn't help but notice Aquila's hesitation before using the word friend. She was definitely hiding something.
Coriolanus really didn't want to return at the mansion, but he decided to go anyway. If Aquila really had been a friend of his parents, he had to listen to her. He owed it to them.
Without haste, Coriolanus got up and made towards the way he came by. He took a few steps, but then he turned around to face Aquila. "Will I ever see you again?" he asked her, hoping they would meet soon.
"When the time is right, young one. When the time is right."
A/N Ta-da! End of chapter 2! This is the length I was aiming for, and I believe it's better than in the previous entries. What did you guys think? Comment in the reviews, it really encourages me to write more. Also, this is my first fanfiction, so I could use a little help. All suggestions are welcomed. I'm still thinking about the upcoming chapter, but I won't let a month-long gap between the two publications this time. Be patient though! Have a good day/night!