Coriolanus was sitting at a table in the back of the hob with Sejanus besides him as Aletta was on stage singing, she had told him, she had a surprise for her.

" Everyone's born as clean as a whistle as fresh as a daisy "

" and not a bit crazy staying that way's a hard row for hoeing ".

" as rough as briar like walking through fire ".

" This world, it's dark, This world, it's scary "

" I've taken some hits, so no wonder, I'm wary ".

" It's why I need you.........your as pure as the driven snow " Aletta smiled at Coriolanus as she sang, who looked at her with a loving gaze, no one had ever done something like this, he felt his eyes burn and felt around them and saw he was tearing up, he didn't know why, he never cried.

The boy looked to his side and hoped, they would stop and saw that Sejanus was walking away and he got up and followed him slowly as Aletta looked at him with a hurt look as he walked away and she continued to sing.

⎯

The covey were about to perform another song and Aletta quickly pulled Lucy Gray aside.

" I'm going to look for Coriolanus, can you without me "  Aletta asked.

" Yeah, of course....be careful " Lucy Gray smiled and Aletta nodded before jumping down the stage and went into the back room, where she saw Coriolanus wander off too.

" Hey, where did you—" Aletta started but Coriolanus quickly moved in front of her and pushed her back slightly as he stood in front of her protectively.

" You invite the whole town, Plinth? " Spruce glared at Aletta, who looked around confused.

" She's okay, Spruce.....she's joining us too " Billy Taupe added, Billy had always had a thing for Aletta that's why he was with Lucy Gray and he tried to hook up with Aletta once but that just resulted in a black eye, so he ran to the mayor's daughter, which resulted in another black eye.

" She's what " Mayfair scoffed.

" Quite down, Mayfair...I'll explain later " Billy Taupe replied.

" I think, I'm done listening to your explanations " Mayfair snapped ripping her hand out of his grip and looked at Aletta, who held onto Coriolanus's arm " She's not going anywhere and neither are you, My pa's gonna string you'll all up for this ".

Spruce pointed the gun at her but Billy Taupe stopped him.

" She'll get us all hung " Spruce scoffed as everyone protested.

" He's right " Aletta agreed.

" No, she won't, Spruce " Billy Taupe reassured " She's all talk no action ".

Mayfair smirked and looked at Aletta " What do you think, Aletta? Am I all talk, no action? Hey, how'd you enjoy the Capitol, by the way " she smirked at Aletta and turned and started to walk " See y'all at The Hanging Tree ".

Aletta let out a shaky breath at the revelation, she knew Mayfair hated her but not enough to kill her.

Coriolanus felt his blood boil at what the girl had said, what she had done to his girl and he grabbed one of the guns off of the table and shot Mayfair causing Aletta to gasp in shock as everyone watched Mayfair fall.

" Mayfair " Billy Taupe shouted as he ran to her.

" Coriolanus, what-what did you just do? " Aletta cried as he grabbed her.

" Well, you just shot the mayor's daughter, son " Spruce laughed.

" What did you do? " Aletta cried as she gripped onto Coriolanus.

" If you weren't a rebel before, you are now " Spruce added.

" You killed her " Billy Taupe glared.

" Quite now, Billy Taupe " Spruce glared.

Aletta began to hyperventilate and Coriolanus turned to her and grabbed the side of her face forcing her to look at him.

" Hey, baby.....you and me, we're going alright, no one's going to think this was us " Coriolanus reassured.

" You reckon, you're just gonna walk out of here free? " Billy Taupe scoffed and Coriolanus turned to him " Dump this on me, maybe "

" I said, pipe down " Spruce snapped aiming the gun at him threateningly.

" You got a big surprise coming, Capitol boy " Billy Taupe continued " If I'm gonna swing for this, you swing with me " Billy Taupe then ran at Coriolanus, who held Aletta but was shot by Spruce causing Aletta to cry even more.

" I didn't trust him, anyway " Spruce shrugged.

" Oh my god " Aletta sobbed stumbling into Coriolanus, who grabbed her face tight.

" Look at me, Look at me, Look at me.....You're going to go back on that stage and you're gonna sing, you're gonna sing like nothings wrong and I'm gonna find a way out of this, okay? " Coriolanus told her.

" Okay " Aletta nodded as she cried.

" Okay, I swear, I swear...neo go, go " Coriolanus leaned his forehead against her's before gently pushing her out and the girl cried as she ran out.

⎯

Aletta and the rest of the covey walked through the door, Lucy Gray sent them a look and they left for their rooms to give the girls some privacy.

Aletta let out a shaky breath as she walked and sat onto the couch putting her head into her hands and Lucy Gray sat next to her and placed a hand on Aletta's trembling arm causing her to flinch.

" What's wrong? " Lucy Gray asked, she had never seen Aletta like this.

" I can't tell you " Aletta sobbed as she lifted her head and looked at her sister.

" It's okay....but know, what ever happened, I'm going to protect you above anyone else " Lucy Gray grabbed Aletta's hand.

" It was Mayfair....she's got her father to pull my name at The Reaping " Aletta said.

" What? " Lucy Gray said in disbelief.

" And Coriolanus shot her and then Spruce shot Billy Taupe " Aletta continued.

" What? ".

" There going to find out, I was there " Aletta cried.

" It's okay.....everything's going to be okay " Lucy Gray pulled her into her arms and the girl broke down.

𝐀/𝐍:

𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞, 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤
𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟐 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝.

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬 𝐱𝐱

𝐏.𝐒 — 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.