STAMP OF APPROVAL - a selection story

"it's a funeral, after all"

L E V I

round twelve ||

april 23rd

[ 8:12 AM ]

"Oh, Levi." The door creaks open. Helena grins, looking a little too sly for eight o'clock in the morning. Her hair is half-hazardly pulled into a bun, strands messily peaking out around her face. Even with the deep shade of brown, she still looks like Charlotte to me. The same bright smile and big eyes. "Thank you for coming so early." The door opens fully, and she steps sideways so I can enter the room. "If you would like, you can take a seat on the sofa."

The sofa before me is a faded green color, and when I sit, I sink deep into it. I have to shift a few times to get comfortable, but then I realize I won't really be comfortable, not without knowing why I asked in this small room at Helena's request. She takes her own seat across from me, on a much smaller cushioned chair. She crosses her legs, and smiles at me.

I echo the expression, though not as ecstatically. "Am I allowed to ask what this is about?"

She nods. "You are."

I open my mouth to speak, but she looks a little too excited so she cuts me off.

"You are my very first interview of the day."

My brows furrow. "Interview?"

"Yes. I am interviewing all of the selected, who are left, and you are my first one."

I shift again. "I'm going to assume these are going to be questions to get to know us better." Her smile grows, and I continue, "Because you are Charlotte's sister, and therefore interested in her love life."

Abri would high five me for using the words love life.

Helana chuckles softly. "I am very interested in her love life, you are correct, Levi. And I feel in order to help her get down to the men who could truly be the one for her, I need to conduct my own interviews and get to know each of you one on one."

She brings out a notebook, setting it on her lap.

"Are you ready?"

I nod. "What do you want to know?"

"How is your relationship with your parents?"

I let out a dry laugh. "Getting right down to business, I see." I pause, watching her pen poised above the top of the page in her notebook. "Is this just between me and you?" I ask, truly wondering how I'm supposed to answer this question. If this question is any example of the rest of the questions, I'm going to have a hard time. Not even Charlotte knows everything. And Helena looks very curious and keen on knowing all about us.

How many more princesses am I about to keep things from?

"It is. I will not be sharing any particular details with Charlotte... unless, you know, I truly have to." And it's then I know Helena won't share unless she's sure Charlotte already knows. Which is, I'm assuming, what she's already thinking, asking these questions. She wants to get to know us on a different level but still know important things about us.

I lean back against the cushion. "I didn't really have a relationship with my father." Helena shifts at my sudden answer. Her pen is poised again. "He was an alcoholic who didn't treat any of us well." To put it lightly. "My mom was my best friend growing up. She had to be, if I really had to think about it, because it was just us against Dad." I lick my lips. Helena keeps writing. "He died when I was fourteen. My mom died about seven years ago." Tears prick at my eyes, and I'm not sure why. "It's just been me and Abri since then."