STAMP OF APPROVAL - a selection story

no playing favorites

C H A R L O T T E

written by animationchic/aOK706

round five ||

January 31st

7am

"Are you insane? How are you going to fit twenty dates into just two weeks?" Audrey asks me, scrolling frantically through her blackberry. I'm sure she's mentally calculating how many meetings she needs to reschedule for me.

"Do you remember how the Selection was supposed to be like a vacation for me? Like you remember I'm not supposed to be taking as many meetings, right?" I ask her, arching my brow.

She flushes and nods. "Yes, but Charlotte we are so close to getting some of these initiatives through."

"I know." I match her sigh with one of my own. I tilt my head, looking at her, really looking at her. "Why don't you take my meetings?"

"What?" Audrey's eyes widen in fear. "No, I— I can't."

"Why not? You know where I stand with all of them," I tell her. The more I talk about this, the more I like it. "Plus it's your meticulous notes I refer to after every meeting anyway. I see no reason why you can't go in my stead."

"Your father will never allow me—"

"My father is the one pushing me to get to know these men quicker, to make my choice quicker. I can't do that without spending time with them. I can't spend time with them if I'm stuck in meetings all day and only have an hour here and there for the men. I just can't. So he will just have to deal with my proxy," I tell her, putting my hands on her shoulders, steadying her.

"Your proxy?" Audrey croaks and I grin.

"Audrey, you are so incredibly intelligent, it would be a waste if all you ever were is my assistant," I tell her and I mean it. Audrey is intelligent, much more than me. "I've been trying to figure out how we can move your position up, strengthen it for a while now, but I think I finally see the answer. You will be my proxy during the Selection and once it's over act as one of my most trusted advisors."

"A—advisor?" she asks and tears form in her eyes.

"If you want the position, of course," I amend, suddenly unsure if that would be something she would want.

"If I want it? Of course I do!" She grins, chuckling lightly in her way. But a moment later, her face falls. "But are you sure you want me? That I can do it?"

"I have never been more sure," I tell her confidently. "Aud, you have always been there for me. You articulate my ideas better than me half of the time anyways. You get it, you get what I'm going for. And you keep me aware and grounded. So yes, I want you."

"Thank you, Charlotte," Audrey says, her eyes watering with tears of gratitude.

"No thanks needed," I tell my friend as I hug her tightly. "You've earned it."

—

"Okay, but are we doing good thrift store outfits or bad ones?" Frankie asks me, narrowing his eyes at me.

I grin. "I guess you're just going to have to guess and find out."

"Challenge accepted." Frankie's grin matches my own and I can just tell I'm already in trouble.