Corruption of Ambition | Sejanus Plinth

Twenty one

It took Riyana nearly an hour to realize no one would be coming for her. She sat in the same seat, staring out the glass windows, not able to process a single thought- she wasn't sure if her mind was racing too fast or just empty. Her gaze only left the window when a peacekeeper from earlier stepped in front of her line of vision.

"Hey kid, I can give you a ride home if you need." He offered.

Riyana didn't answer and he began rocking on the ball of his feet and brought his right arm up to scratch the back of his neck. Riyana realized he was not leaving without her dismissal.

"No." She inhaled through her nose and out through her barely parted lips. "Thank you."

She thought for a moment he might interject but another peacekeeper came walking in, tugging him by the arm, and his feet unplanted from the ground with little resistance.

She decided that in order to be back on the street, she would have to clean up her appearance. The dress would stay ripped, but that could be excused as a drunken tumble as long as no one saw the bandaging underneath. When she stood in front of the mirror in the only bathroom in the lobby, she realized it was much more than a ripped up dress.

Her eyes were glassy and her bottom eyelashes clumped together with a salty residue from her tears. She had been completely unaware of her crying and hoped it had started after the peacekeepers had trotted away; her chapped nostrils would be evidence against this wishful thinking. She turned on the faucet and let the splashing water distract her from the ringing in her ears as she held her wrist underneath the cold water.

She stood there until her veins, so noticeable in this fluorescent light, spread the cooled blood to her entire body. She would've stayed longer if the door did not slam open with a force that made her startle and reflexively pull her arms towards her chest.

Coriolanus walked in and only regarded her momentarily before entering the stall. She considered turning off the water and leaving the building right then. His presence gave a familiar comfort though, so she stayed and splashed her face with the water until she heard the toilet flush and the stall door open.

"You look rough." Coriolanus said, staring at her reflection as he washed his hands.

Riyana smiled weakly. "You too Snow."

Coriolanus mimicked her half hearted smile and began drying his hands with a paper towel.

"He's an idiot." Coriolanus said.

Riyana followed him out of the restroom.

"Don't call him that." Riyana said. She did not know why she was being defensive, she herself would probably knock Sejanus out for his impulsivity and recklessness.

Coriolanus rolled his eyes and she barely caught it. "Just because he's your boyfriend-"

"He's not my boyfriend!" She knew immediately she said it too quickly.

"Whatever." Coriolanus said shortly, his pronunciation was less refined than usual. It looked almost animated the way his expression changed from distaste to friendly concern when he turned back towards her. "Can I walk you home?"

Riyana would've said yes if it wasn't for the way her stomach dropped at watching him put on a front talking to her. She was not going home anyway, though her place of rest tonight still was seemingly undecided. For a moment, she considered asking him if she could stay the night, but maybe it was because of the switch in emotions or the red tint staining his hands, she was scared of him.

"Oh I couldn't, go home get your rest, Lucy Gray will need you in the morning."

Coriolanus did not play into the polite back and forth objection. Lucy Gray was part of it all now, in comparison his childhood friend, really nothing more than a familial obligation, was of no importance to him.