The Selection ✓

eleven - family of stubbornness

I wasn't sent home.

Apparently, the Prince was more optimistic than I thought he was, and could actually take criticisms, contrary to the popular stereotype created by the media. It was Tuesday, today. It marked my two-week stance in the palace, and I guess people were starting to have just about enough of each other.

As did I.

Given that there were no events my attendance was mandatory for, I found myself holed up in my room until my maids decided that enough was enough. They promptly pulled me out of bed, an hour after everyone (not really) had lunch, and told me to stop being an 'anorexic drama queen' and to get moving.

I laughed. "You wish I was anorexic."

"Well keep at your pace of avoiding all food, and all of human contact, and we'll see about that." Chantelle grinned, pushing me out of the door, "Now, enjoy yourself."

"You sound like my sister," I grumbled as I walked down to the dining hall, which by now, would be relatively empty. "No ignoring the Women's Room now."

Will was at the only person left at the Dining Hall when I had arrived, and as I made my way around the buffet, he waited for me, patiently. "Hello, Will." I greeted as formally as I could.

He chuckled. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"Just because you didn't see me chatting after the party, and this morning at breakfast, doesn't mean you haven't seen me in a while." 

"I heard you gave Lucas quite the speech last night. Tired you out?" Will joked, as I stuck my tongue out at him.

"He deserved it," I muttered, twirling a few strings of pasta from my plate into my fork. "Though I am surprised to still be here."

Will stuffed his face into a cupcake with blue frosting and edible candy balls, "Please, we're a family of stubbornness, and speeches like those are the only ones remembered."

I laugh. Will sure does know how to entertain a girl, especially when she's still in a pretty bad mood for doing a pretty stupid thing. What was I doing yelling at the prince, for a mistake that wasn't his? You're doing perfect, Holly, you really are.

"Women's room?" He asked as I stood up from the table and began to leave. 

My smile tightened, "Yes."

Pushing open the doors of the Women's Room was probably the heaviest thing I've ever had to push in my life, I don't even know how the other girls or even the Queen managed to weasel themselves through the doorway which was probably made of pure stone.

All eyes were on me as I entered, and I had stood awkwardly before I was ushered to a seat by my newly acquainted friend group. Genevieve and Denise sat on either side of me while Callista was perched onto a chair facing us three.

While the three of us were chatting amongst one another, a girl from Sarah's 'clique' would turn to face us once in a while, and stare at me in particular enviously. At first, I was wondering why they had become obsessed with us four, but it didn't take me long to come to a conclusion.

"I gather that the entire palace has heard of my outburst." I slip the line into our conversation veering the topic off the bravery level of the guards here, to - well, me.

"Many things have been circulating. Some say, you really gave him a piece of your mind and he walked away dejectedly, others guessed that he was planning to make it up to you. You should have seen it this morning. My god, it was crazy." Denise blabbered, as I stared at her with a horrified expression. "Either way," she continued, "It's positive for you, negative for competition."

"How did you get all that from breakfast?" I asked in exasperation, "Last I checked, no one barely talked or went to breakfast at the same time."

"Some girls here would probably die for gossip, I included, but, I think I graduated from gossip the day I left high school," Callista rolled her eyes, "Such babies."

I laughed, "No question there."

And soon enough, we had all burst into a flurry of giggles. So much that even the Queen gave us a tiny smirk from her magazine before turning to the next page. Sarah's group stared at us in annoyance.

So that's why everyone seemed to love the Women's room, Queen included.

***

Lucas probably wanted nothing to do with me. 

Hearing from the gossips that have now begun to infiltrate the very competition itself, he had apparently gone through more than enough dates to last him a lifetime in a week. In fact, he had managed to go on at least a date with every single girl by now, the bulk of which was completed in that given week.

And so, without much to do, I found myself hanging around my friends, and, Will, who had invited me to an extravagant tour of the palace. I suppose he was simply being nice, but I had more fun than I ever had.

"Do you want to see the rooftop, again?" He asked me while we were busy running through the halls like some crazy psychopaths.

"Why not," I shrugged. "Dinner's in an hour anyway."

Will led me back to a series of familiar staircases, and slowly, I could feel myself getting closer to the massive balcony stationed at the back of the palace, (it was done for the sake of privacy). He quickly slides the door open and led me through.

He grinned, "Dance with me?"

"To what?" I shook my head, "The sound of me rejecting you." 

"Very funny," He snorted, sending us both into a fit of laughter that would have probably continued into the lengths of time had we not been interrupted, by a person clearing their throat in the distance.

We weren't alone.

Though we were nowhere near each other, quite apart, actually, we both still sprang apart when we were faced with the slightest signs of human interaction. 

"Lucas." I cough, "We didn't see you there."

He snorted, "As if you could. You both were too obsessed with one another to notice." I look up defensively, but he waves me off and continues to speak, "And you, brother, please stop nabbing the girls part of the selection. There are thirty-five you can't have, please follow the rules otherwise."

"You should stop being so defensive, brother." Will remarked.

"Me, defensive? Is this a joke?" Lucas threw his hands up in irritation, "The one chance I have at love lies in the hands of thirty-five women I hardly know. You can have any girl in the population of three hundred thousand, and you have to choose one of the few in the thirty-five I'm beginning to actually enjoy hanging around with."

I felt like this would be a good time to intercept, "Um, thanks?"

He smiled at me, "Holly, what do you say? A re-do of our first date. Without all the unnecessary extras this time."

I smile, "Gladly." It's my cue to leave, so I turn around and return back into the palace awaiting Lucas' knock. For all I know the two are probably yelling at each other now. This would have to stop.

And soon I knew I'd have to make a choice

--

Hey!

So, are we at Team Lucas or Team Will?

I thought about making ships, but both mixed with Holly just sound weird, so if you have any suggestions, don't forget to comment them down below!

And while you're at it, press vote ;) It would mean a lot to me.

Soph