THIRTY-THREE

                                    

                                          
❝IT HURTS THE MOST WHEN YOU COME TOO CLOSE❞
LEWIS CAPALDI, DON'T GET ME WRONG



Coriolanus had been away from her reach for one full day when Valentina woke up on Sunday morning. Today marked day number two and she wished she hadn't made any plans but unfortunately, they were made before he left. He was meant to be there and the thought that the group of four changed to three was all Val needed for her waterworks to start.
The redhead spent the entirety of the previous day in her bedroom, only leaving to pick at her meals as she hadn't been hungry or to shower before bed. It was awful. Valentina was faced with the one thing she never wanted to experience - losing someone she was in love with. The very thing she had avoided doing yet here it was, being her demise. At least that's how it felt.
After getting ready and doing her daily morning routine for the first time in two days, taking longer than she normally would but making herself look presentable with a red, puffy face was a difficult task as she looked in the mirror and could see the damage of his departure. Throwing her makeup on the counter, she huffs and decides what she has come up with will need to do good enough. 
Skipping breakfast, the brokenhearted girl heads to the Capitol Gardens to meet her two friends - Sejanus and Clemensia. The fresh air of the small July breeze was welcomed as it soothed her, the coldness felt amazing on her swollen eyelids as she navigated the streets she grew up on. Val hoped they knew what happened - or had at least heard the rumours that were already floating in the Capitol air. It would make everything so much easier than having to tell them what happened.
Sure, Clemensia knew he cheated but she didn't know - at least from Valentina's knowledge - that he was shipped away for 'a while' to the Districts. It was quite ironic that it was District 8, Bobbin's district. 'Bobbin...' Valentina couldn't think of him. She couldn't do it, she wasn't going to let her go down the route of carrying more guilt. She needed the little sanity she had left, at least until Coryo returned.
Bobbin's death affected Valentina more than she thought it would. Even if his departure was inevitable, win or death, they did form a small friendship. His death was her failure. She was the reason someone died. That's how Valentina saw it, that's how she felt about it so she wouldn't let herself think about him. Not yet, not when her world just collapsed beneath her feet.
When the grey eyed girl got to their secluded spot in the Gardens, she sat down and watched the rippling water from the lake and muttered a small 'hi' to her friends, who immediately stopped their conversation to turn to the girl who had the answers they wanted.
The lack of Coriolanus and one glance to their friend was all they needed. No talking necessary. "Oh, Val." Clemensia comforted, bringing the redhead into a small hug while Sejanus gave her a sad smile.
"Can we not talk about it? I'm not ready." She asked, pulling away from the hug as she gave her friends a small smile, them nodding and reassuring that there would only be positive energy from them and that they were here for her when she was ready to talk.
Valentina couldn't be more thankful for her friends. They were everything to her - they were her family. She would be a mess, still in bed right now if it weren't for them, even if that's where she wished she could be, Val knew it wasn't healthy. She couldn't go back to those depressive years where she would barely eat or do anything.
"What are you two planning on doing now the games are over?" Valentina asks, laying down on the flowery grass beneath her as she soaks up some sun, the rays casting a warmth against her skin with the occasional breeze cooling her down.
Clemensia hummed, taking a sip of the water she brought with her, dehydrating from the long sleeved t-shirt she was forced to wear due to her snake-like skin. "Hope I get accepted into University." 
Sejanus sighed. "You've got good grades and your tribute placed third. You're getting in..." It was true, Clemmie had a higher chance of acceptance than Sejanus, the ex-mentor to a tribute who was practically dead before the games even began. Everyone knew Marcus ran and everyone saw his punishment - Sejanus was collateral damage.
Valentina sympathised with him, her tribute only placing two spots higher than his own. She had her own anxieties with University acceptance but that was two days ago. Now, she didn't care - she just wanted Coriolanus back. Even if she was accepted, he wouldn't be there. Their competitive essence would be missing.
Besides, having anxiety over University was pointless, Vaalentina knew that by the compliment paid by Dr. Gaul just as she was leaving Dean Highbottom's office those few days ago. "Congratulations on the spectacle you created." It had been circling around her mind. She did her part in the games and it still cost her guilt and a prize she had refused.
"I want to make a difference in the world, I wanna help people." He spoke nervously, looking away from the girls as if he was building himself up to tell them something as they waited on him expanding his comment; but it never came.
Valentina took the silence as a blessing, taking the moment to build up her own courage to tell her friends the words she uttered to Coriolanus. She didn't want to talk about him, that was true but this was huge... how could she not tell them? "I told Coryo I love him before he left." She whispered out before she could change her mind.
She almost thought they didn't hear her, considering repeating herself a little louder just before they flung their heads towards her. "What?!" They exclaimed in unison, Valentina gave them a small smile, their excitement contagious.
"What did he say?!" Clemensia asked, a wide smile plastered on her face. She had been told what happened by Valentina in between her breaks during the games, from her realisation to jealousy and was also filled in by Sejanus on what he knew from Coriolanus.
She filled them in on their night, leaving out all the steamy parts - only touching on the shared kiss between the two. Clemmie was very excited about that and Sejanus looked equally proud. In other circumstances, Valentina would, too, be excited and proud at how 'far' she has come with her feelings.
She didn't feel proud or excited. She felt deflated and hurt. "At least I know what could've been." She thought out loud, gaining smiles of sympathy. "Will be when he returns." She corrected hopefully with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as she sat up and looked towards Sejanus with a curious look. "What were you going to say?"
He sighed, moving to sit criss-cross while Valentina moved so they were sitting in a triangle. It felt more intimate, the aura changed around them and the girls just knew something important was about to be said. "I'm considering joining him in the Districts, to make a proper change."
"You'd make a lot of changes in the Districts, that's for sure!" Clemensia encouraged, squeezing the boy's knee while Valentina froze, reading his face to make sure he was serious.
Coriolanus and Sejanus in the Districts? 'Am I losing both my boys?' She didn't know how to react but by the way he was looking at her, worried and hoping at once she knew he wasn't looking for permission. Regardless if she wanted him to or not - he would do what he wanted. "I'd be so proud of you." She breathed out, pulling him to a hug.
She wanted to be happy for him but she knew he was leaving. Valentina knew her friend, his mind was made up and as much as she wanted him to stay, much like Coryo, that was not her choice to make. So, instead, she had to swallow her emotions and be what he needed - a supportive sister.
The rest of their bonding time was spent with the trio reminiscing on their past and making plans for the rest of the week, specifically planning their day around an upcoming party they were invited to by Festus Creed to jumpstart their fun few weeks before he returned to University and celebrating the end of the games.