DRESS, coriolanus snow

01, reaping day.

DRESS
( to achieve the plinth prize, the top students
must complete one last assignment. )
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AS THE 4TH of July rolled around, a sense of conundrum seemed to follow the air for the students in their final year of the Academy - a prestigious learning institution for the future leaders of Panem. As a reward for hard work and studies, the top student would receive a prize — the Plinth Prize — a cash reward enough to cover tuition for University. The Plinth Prize, by the one and only Strabo Plinth, the only man who seemed to gain good from the war. The Plinths were districts, originally from District 2 until after the war, when Strabo had made enough to move them to the Capitol. Of course, no one accepted them as one of their own, but everyone loved money. People who thought love conquered money were foolish, for what good was love when you hadn't a roof over your head or enough food to suffice you for the day?

That day, Charlotte couldn't eat. Not one bite. She mindlessly stirred her oatmeal, staring at the fruit bowl in front of her. For it was the Reaping, the day that two tributes from each district would be chosen to compete in the Hunger Games. The Games were undeniably brutal and whoever invented them lacked human empathy. But who continued them simply didn't have basic morals. In this case, it would be Dr. Volumnia Gaul. She's exactly the person you'd imagine to continue these Games, low-key psychotic and a little bit insane.

But it wasn't only the Reaping that had turned her stomach into knots. Today would've been the day that the Plinth Prize was revealed. It was usually given to the students who'd excel in the Academy. And until a week ago — it was obvious who the prize was really between. Charlotte Brielle Vanderbilt and Coriolanus Crassus Snow. Neither had ever failed a class, skipped a lesson or behaved immorally their whole lives. Their grades rivalled each other tremendously and so did they. It was no secret that Charlotte and Coriolanus hated each other to their core, and it was as if whoever won the prize would be determined the official winner of their game.

Though now it wasn't as simple. The students had been chosen to be mentors in the Hunger Games, for publicity purposes. I mean, what better than to get the Capitol youth involved in such barbaric activities. Deep down everyone knew the Hunger Games were wrong, and that's exactly why no one ever watched it anymore. Who would willingly watch children kill each other?

Lost in thought, she hadn't bothered to even look up at the time until her mother came barging into the dining room.

"Charlotte Brielle Vanderbilt! What on earth are you still doing here? With your food barely eaten as well! Get up, you'll be late!" she exclaimed, practically lifting her daughter off her chair and leading her to the doorway.

Brielle stopped her daughter at the mirror in the doorway. A large antique mirror with golden borders. She sighed and fixed her daughters hair, and clasped on a beautiful pearl necklace that matched the dainty pearl belt on her dress perfectly. On normal days, the students would wear their Academy uniforms but for today, students were required to dress fashionably but with the solemnity the occasion carried. Tigris had gotten a beautiful black dress for the occasion. The dress fit her perfectly, ending right above her ankles. It had a classy U-shaped neckline and the pearl belt right on her stomach. She paired her outfit with a pair of timeless white ballet-flat heels.

"Thank you, mom. I wouldn't know what to do without you." Charlotte smiled, kissing her mom on her cheek before leaving. She took the elevator all the way down to the lobby, where she saw a familiar brunette waiting for her.

"Juli!" she squealed as she ran up to her.

"Lottie! You're finally ready! I've been waiting for hours," she exaggerated, Charlotte could only roll her eyes, "Let's go, we'll be late."