Author's Note:
Thank you for the follows, faves, and reviews.
Here's the next part. Now the plot starts to thicken...
Enjoy!
Chapter 6:
It's been too long since June's been to the spa. She forgot how relaxing it is. And maybe what makes it even better is that Coriolanus is paying for it. That June can have all the treatments her little heart desires and he's footing the bill.
"It's good to see you here again. What happened, did Coriolanus and you get into a lovers spat and he cut off your spa allowance?" The esthetician asked, applying a much needed cleansing jelly mask to June's face as she laid down on the comfortable bed like table.
"He's not my lover, Adara. He's actually my boss now, plus he's engaged to Livia Cardew." Jume pointed out to her beloved skin goddess, the best esthetician in Capitol City.
"Oh please." The violet and blonde streaked young lady loudly cackled. "Nobody believes that shame for a lousy minute."
"What? But they look-" June starts to say only for Adara to cut her off with, "Coriolanus looks absolutely miserable next to her in pictures. He seriously looks like he's going to strangle her." Shaking her head and applying more of the thick vitalizing goop on the raven-haires girl's face, she adds, "And that blonde shrew might look sweet and smiley next to him but she bad mouths him every chance she gets. Some things she's said has even gone viral on Pan-Tok, Pan-Tube, and Pan-X. She even shit talked him while a bit tipsy on her friend's Pangram Live stream."
"I didn't know this. Why didn't I know this?"
"Probably since the aspiring Senator Snow doesn't have social media and you only have a Panbook- that you haven't been on in like over a month."
"Fuck! So she's dragging his name in the mud via social media?!"
"Yes." Adara confirms while finishing applying June's facial mask treatment. "And practically all of Panem hates her." She informed Junw while putting cucumbers on her eyes for a finishing touch.
Sitting down in the stool next to her bed Adara, who was a friend of sorts to June, says, "Livia's worse than her older brother and Livinius is always getting into shenanigans with the two Capitol losers: Odysseus Odair, the pretty boy that drinks too much, and Hector Heavensbee, the stoned cousin of Hilarious Heavensbee."
"Wait, what? How do you know this?"
"Social media, duh." The blonde-violet girl rolled her eyes at hee client, even if she couldn't see them since her grey eyes are closed with little cucumbers on them. "Girl, you're too young not to be on social media." Adara seriously told June. "Listen up, after we're done with your mask we'll do your manicure then your pedicure. And after that you're signing up for all the social media accounts."
"Yes, I think it's overdue for me to have more social media then Panbook." June told her, a calculating smile hinting her lips.
Oh June's going to be creating social media accounts, but solely for the purpose of finding out what damage Livia Cardew's doing to Coriolanus' image. Once she finds out, she'll have to tell him and then come up with a plan to address it.
June's hairstylist, Fabian, was currently with another client so she's scrolling on her phone; looking at all the crazy shit that Livia Cardew's been posting on Pangram, while sitting in the lobby of the high end salon. Oh God, she's such a stick up bitch. Such a shrew. She seriously posted a picture of a bubble tea while complaining that they're wasn't enough bubbles in the tea.
Oh hell…
The receptionist was sitting at the front desk, flipping thru a rag mag whenever she gasped. Whatever she saw must be shocking.
Flipping the magazine in half, she held it up to June and said in a scandalous tone, "That farce of a political pony show going on between your Coriolanus and Livia Cardew's going to ruin his reputation." Waving the magazine in the are, she told her, "Look, paparazzi's got some pictures of her drunk and stumbling on the sidewalk. The accompanying article says the picture were taken while she was ranting to her socialite friends about how her fiance's a freak in bed that scoffs at her purity ring, asked if he could stick it up her ass to keep her virginity intact, and she even said that Coriolanus has a thing for dirty district women; chased that former singing victor all those years ago just to screw around with her before his fall semester of University."
"What?!" June loudly exclaimed, jumping out of her seat and rushing over to the reception desk to grab that trash gossip magazine from Xandra. "Oh Andraste's tit, let me see that!" June curses, snatching up the magazine that's freely offered to her.
As June's Seam grey eyes look at the damning pictures and read the article, the receptionist tells her, "That's one of the magazine's that get delivered all over Panem; even the Districts get it. Particularly the PK bases as I understand."
"Shit…" June mutters under her breath. She feels both pissed and lightheaded at the sudden revelation of what Livia Cardew's actions mean for Coriolanus' Senate run.
Damnit…
And it was that moment that Fabian's client left and the stylist with perfectly feathered hair came up to the raven-haires girl. "June, it's been too long." The hairstylist greeted June with a kiss to the cheek, which she returned in kind. Leading her back to his work station, he asked, "It's been over a month since you've had your hair done. Did Coriolanus not like my work last time?"
"No, Fabian." June shook her head. "We just got into a spat, so we weren't talking " She explains, taking your place in the salon chair.
"I hope you worked everything out since he called to fit you in; is picking up the tab like always too." Fabian told June while placing a colorful smock around her.
"We worked things out as best as we could considering I'm his new assistant now. I'm his new campaign manager too."
"Oh that's wonderful. Now if only we could toss that horrible Livia into that toxic sludge river over in 8 then everything'll be perfect."
"Fabian, that's horrible."
"Yes, but you know it's true. Now, what're we doing with your hair today? Blow out, keratin treatments?"
"I want an entire new look." June told her hairstylist.
"Ooo, new look for a new era." Fabian clapped happily.
"I want hair that says I'm a bad boss bitch." She smirked.
"Oh, honey, I know exactly what you need. Just leave it to me." Fabian told June before hurrying off to the supply room to grab some supplies to make June's hair new and to die for.
June's hairstylist was going to give her new hair that'll be the envy of everyone in the Capitol. Her new hairstyle will even have Coriolanus down on his knees, begging June to take him back. Oh, Fabian knows that what he has planned cut and color wise for June's hair's going to drive Coriolanus up the wall with desire. That he's going to be going crazy when he sees June.
The hairstylist views it as his personal mission to make sure that his best client stays with the only man in the Capitol that encourages his girl to routinely get her hair done. Most men aren't so generous like that when it comes to expensive salon visits every handful of weeks.
After her getting your hair done, Jume went home and drowned herself in endless social media posts across various platforms for Livia Cardew. It seems like some were worse then others, but none of them were any good for June's best friend. As long as he's connected to her, well, his campaign's going to tank.
June saw that Festus and Persephone weren't following Livia on social media. The newlyweds, whose wedding Coriolanus dragged June to a few months prior, seemed to have either never added her, stopped following her, or blocked her from their accounts. June also saw that the couple had started to follow her on the social media accounts that she created earlier in the day with Adara in the spa.
When June's done scrolling thru Livia Cardew's accounts, she decides to call Coryo to tell him all about what she uncovered. After three rings he answers his phone with a professional, "Head Gamemaker Snow speaking, to whom am I speaking with?", before he realizes it's you
"It's me, June." June tell hims as she pops up on the phone's video screen. "I thought you would've programmed my new number from my application into your phone." She chuckles while sitting up straighter on her sofa.
"I didn't even notice it, I just hit accept hire after after looking over your education and work history."
"Oh." June simply nods.
Before she could even tell Coriolanus why she's calling, he gives her a dazzling smile paired with the compliment of, "I like what you've done with your hair. The new cut and color suits you, my darling rose."
Fabian was right, the hairstyle and color he gave June was going to drive Coriolanus wild. How did he know, who knows? But right now Coryo's baby blues are flashing with interest and mirth; they're locked onto June's face- he's in absolute awe of her new ashey baylage and side parted hair that was cut in soft layers.
A lopsided grin appeared on the platinum blonde's lush lips as he suggests, "Why don't I take you out to dinner to celebrate hiring you as both the Head Assistant Gamemaker and my Campaign Manager?"
"Don't forget your PR Liaison as well, Aspiring Senator Snow." June teased Coryo, who still hasn't styled his platinum curls yet. "Oh, I did some digging while waiting for my appointment at the salon and found out why your campaign's tanking."
"Well, what did you uncover, my darling?" Coriolanus asks, leaning back in his sitting chair. The one in his living room to be exact.
"The problem isn't you, but it's your fiance: Livia Cardew. Everyone hates her."
"That doesn't surprise me; I hate the shrew too." The imposing blonde man, who's been June's best friend for nearly 2 decades, chuckled.
Shaking her head, Jume sadly sighs, "Well, I think she hates you more than you hate her considering she's posting a lot of hate about you."
Coriolanus arched a perfectly shaped brow at June's words, causing her to tell him the blunt truth of her discoveries. "She's spewing shitty remarks here and there; not to mention ranting about you on her friend's Pangram Live." June takes a tiny breath, only to sigh and tell him the most damning information of all. "Oh and then there's a story and some pap pics in a very popular and well circulated rag mag that has her stumbling drunk and ranting to her friends about you wanting to stick it up her ass cause she's wearing a purity; how you have a sexual attraction to district girls too."
"Fucking hell…" Coriolanus groans, raking his large hands thru his platinum curls- a nervous habit of his. "That's very damning for my campaign."
"Yes," June nods in agreement, "it is."
"Well, I've been wanting out of the engagement and I've found a way to end it without looking like the bag guy." Coriolanus told June, his lips in a thin pressed line. "But I can't tell you until we're alone in my car, it's not something I want to talk about over the phone."
A few hours later June finds herself alone in a sleek, black sedan with Coriolanus behind the driver's seat. Since it's early spring, he's in a light grey suit with a wine hued waistcoat. It pairs lovely and really makes both his platinum hair, whose curls he just lightly gelled to keep from being messy, and his cerulean eyes pop.
"You look beautiful, baby." Coriolanus smiles, looking between June and the road, as he pulls out of the parking garage.
"Thank you, but flattery'll get you nowhere. You already complimented me on my dress when you picked me up, no need to do it again."
"And only you, my darling rose, has the audacity to get your feathers ruffled over receiving multiple compliments from your lover."
"My lover?" June scoffs sardonicly, rolling her perfectly made up Seam grey eyes.
"Whether you want to admit it or not, it's what we are, June." Coriolanus tells her, his baritone a bit softer then usual, as his hand slides off the clutch and onto her thigh- a thigh that's covered by the peachy pink skirt of June's dress. A dress that was designed for her by Tigris, that had small white roses randomly embroidered on it.
Pushing his large hand off of her thigh, June gives him a leveling look and states in a solid tone, "I thought that we're childhood best friends, who had a situationship that got a bit messy, but decided to work together for your political dreams."
"We're working on our political ambitions. Don't forget, I did promise to make you my First Lady." The platinum man with looks rivaling that of the gods themselves had the balls to tell the object of his obsession, all the while taking her hand in his. With a smirk, he changed the subject by giving June his opinion on her manicure. "I quite prefer your nails long and red, baby. They look much better then the short French tips you were wearing during our month long absence from each other."
Of course Coriolanus prefers long red stiletto nails on June over the short square French tips. Man sure does love red. She's not even surprised about that.
June doesn't make a comment about him liking her nails, but she does comment on his little making you his First Lady remark. "Last time I checked, Head Gamemaker Snow, the First Lady's married to the President and you're engaged to Livia Cardew." After the little reminder of his reality, June decides to twist the knife in his heart and hurt his ego (because he broke her heart) by adding in, "Oh, and right now I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man on earth."
Coriolanus' Adam's apple felt thick and stuck in the hollow of his throat as a reaction to hearing June's cruel words. He knows deep down in is black, dead, shriveled up heart why she said that. That she's trying to hurt him because he broke her heart; his promise to her.
Except he's doing his best to right his wrong; to ensure that he keeps his promise to June.
Coriolanus' Adam's apple bobs up and down as he swallows down the thickness trapped in his throat. Looking between June and the road as he weaves in and out of traffic lanes, he reveals, "I'm going to get out of my arranged engagement by framing the Cardew's for bank fraud."
"What?" June blurts out, finding his idea to be a bit brash. "Can't you just call off the engagement because of irreconcilable differences?"
"No, baby," Coriolanus shook his head, "I can't just break it off due to irreconcilable differences." He quickly switched lanes again, cutting off a car and getting honked at. "Livia's being a frigid shrew and dragging my name in the mud; how do you think me dropping her like a hot potato'll make me look? Hmm, how would it look for my campaign?"
Turning her head to give him an incredulous look, June asks, "So, what, you're going to destroy the family that runs the Capitol United Bank to effortly break off an arranged engagement and to gain sympathy votes for your campaign?"
"Yes." The icy eyed man smiles widely, like a maniac. "It's a flawless plan, June. I trust that as my right hand woman and future First Lady that I have your complete support with this."
Honestly, it might sound horrible, but June didn't give a shit about Livia Cardew or her family. If Coriolanus had to destroy the top banking family in the country to end his engagement and save his campaign then so be it.
"You just do whatever you have to do to and when it's done I'll make sure that you come out smelling like a rose in the media." June told the man next to her as he pulled over, without using his blinkers, into the entrance of the restaurant he's taking her to.
The Capitol Grille.
"Good." Coriolanus nods while getting into the line for valet parking. "Tomorrow we need to start switching our banking accounts to the Capitol One Bank."
June's been to The Capitol Grille a few times with Coryo, so when the maitre d greets them with a smile and ushers them to a cozy table for two, while making the other patrons in line ahead of them wait, she's not surprised.
Coriolanus, like always, orders a bottle of the best wine and some glasses of water for them. He also orders the go to appetizer for when they dine out at The Capitol Grille: shrimp cocktail. He also orders the usual entree for them as well: the chef's suggestion of the sliced filet mignon topped onions and wild mushrooms with cream spinach and au gratin potatoes. Oh, and for dessert he ordered the infamous Capitol made cheesecake the restaurant's known for.
June didn't mind him doing the ordering since they always got the same thing every time he took her out to eat at The Capitol Grille. She'd be shocked if Coriolanus didn't insist on ordering, truth be told.
The waiter delivered both their glasses of water, wine, and the large shrimp cocktail to share all on one tray. Once he finishes delivering the items and pouring the wine, he assured Coriolanus and June that their food would be out shortly and left.
Coriolanus is fixing June up a small plate of shrimp cocktail and engaging in small talk with her about her upcoming job as his right hand woman in the Citadel whenever Odysseus' voice reaches June's ear from nearby as he smiles disparagingly. "I see it didn't take you too long to move on, sweetheart. But I didn't think you'd be moving on with Satan, or is he who you've been cheating with?"
"Oh, Odysseus Odair, I wish I could say seeing you while out celebrating June's new job as my assistant is a pleasant surprise, but then I'd be lying and I make it my utmost priority not to lie to or around my childhood best friend." Coriolanus said in a very cool, calm, and collective way that has just enough zing to bite.
"Your what?" The bronze haired man asked, his voice hitched up in shock.
"I told you that I attended the Academy, Odysseus. Maybe you should've believed me instead of insisting I wasn't on the same level as you and Coryo." June told her neighbor and new ex while gesturing between him and Coryo with her hand.
"He what?" Coriolanus blinked his eyes slowly, like an offended cat. It reminded June of a cat she had as a child. Looking at June, he said with so much disdain in his deep baritone, "That manwhore insulted you by insisting you weren't good enough to attend the Academy?"
"Coryo, let it go." June told him in a whisper hiss while Odysseus' sea-green eyes bounced between her and the platinum blonde man she's dining with very suspiciously.
"I will not let it go, darling. He insulted you." Coriolanus whisper hissed back.
Well, looks like chivalry's not dead at all.
"I have a business meeting I need to attend, June, but I'll call you later so we can talk things out." Odysseus told June before booking it away from her table (since he didn't want to be around Coriolanus) and towards the table his father Posieden Odair, Mr. Larimer (a wealthy politician and investor) and Mr. Hearst (a wealthy newspaper mogul) was sitting at; waiting for him.
"You better not answer your phone when he calls." Coriolanus tells June while making himself a small plate of shrimp cocktail with jerky, aggravated movements.
Grabbing a piece of shrimp from her plate and dipping it into the red cocktail sauce, June tells him, "I'll answer it if I want to, Coriolanus. My relationship's none of your business."
Tossing the serving spoon back into the middle of the extravagant crystal serving bowl, causing some of the red sauce to splash up, Coriolanus face skewed up as he watched June eat her piece of shrimp. Taking his and dipping it into the sauce, he darkly chuckled, "I see you're going to play little minx and punish me for my arrangement by having a fling with the sluttiest man in all of Capitol City."
"What's good for the goose's good for the gander." Jume simply smirks, causing the man sitting across from her to nearly choke on his shrimp.
And then, as he's coughing and trying not to die from shrimp going down the wrong windpipe, Odysseus loudly tells somebody at his table to 'Shut the hell up!' before storming away from the table, right past June's, and out of the restaurant.
Hmm…
June wonders what happened at his table.
Coriolanus Snow, ever the gentleman, used his pristine white cloth napkin to spit his piece of shrimp that nearly made him choke and die. Folding his napkin and placing it back on his lap, he seriously told June, "He's a spoiled brat; I hope you get seeing him to punish me out of your system real fast because I don't like sharing what's mine, June."
"Last time I checked I didn't belong to you." June smugly retorted while eating another piece of your shrimp cocktail.
Coriolanus leaned in close, nearly crossing the table, and declared in a low, dark timbre, "You've always been mine, baby. And, as you know, I'm going to ruin a family just to make you my wife; First Lady."