The Selection

Chapter 2: Selection

I didn't know how long I blacked out nor if my family was okay but when my eyes did open, Madden was there. He was asleep in the chair caddy corner to my bed. I leaned up and checked my hands for blood but I had been washed off, I also noticed that I was no longer in my nightgown I wore last night but wore pajama pants and a long t shirt.

Madden's hand were on mine in a nano-second.

"You didn't-" I began, looking down and grabbing my shirt. Madden and I have secretly been dating for two years but I would never let him see what's under my clothes. I plan on keeping that hidden until marriage.

"Your dad changed you before he left," he finished my unanswered question, "Your mother is all right.." He assured me. He pulled his hands back, keeping his eyes off of mine.

"And Caroline?" I asked.

His eyes met mine but he didn't speak. I watched his body, guarded. His hands trembled and his knee bounced up and down like it did when was nervous. Obviously he doesn't want to tell me she's dead. Of course she is. Maybe I had delivered her too late, maybe I should have pulled on her to help the birthing process, maybe I should have gotten her to cry instead of staring at her stupidly.

I jumped up and my mattress let out a croak, "No. No she's okay." Only I knew she probably wasn't. I paced back and forth, shaking my head over and over.

"She's alive Ember," he began but I cut him off quickly.

"Oh well, why didn't you say so? Where is she? Downstairs? I have to see her," I said, striding past my bookcases towards my door.

"Ember," Maddens melancholy voice stopped me in my tracks, "she's in bad shape. The hospital is actually taking care of her. There was no other option unless she were to die.But there's a certain situation..."

"What situation?"

"Money, Ember. Your family doesn't have the money for what Caroline needs," he tells me. Realization hit. I'm a five, my dad has a job of a 6, me and my mother haven't been booked for an event in weeks. Of course we don't have the money. Caroline would need so much proper equipment and there was no way my family could afford it.

"They can't just let her die though," I said, scoffing. But they could. They could do whatever they damn well please, because they do have money. And they want more for what they offer. That's what everything came down to, your job and how much you make from it. It sunk in slowly at first and then hit me hard. I didn't like crying in front of people because i like to be looked at as strong, especially from Madden. In this case, strong wasn't in my vocabulary. Madden moved so quickly, I had barely gotten a tear out before his hands were on my face, holding me steady.

"We'll figure something out, Ember," he assures me sternly. He's trying to be optimistic but in reality even his family wouldn't be able to afford this if it were to happen to them. I slowly looked up from the floor. His hazel eyes entice me for a moment and I decide I want to forget my situation for the time being. I wrap my arms around the small of his back and pull him close to me. His forehead leans on mine and we seem to have a wordless conversation. He didn't say "I love you so much, I never want to see you hurt." And I didn't say back "If you don't want to see me hurt, take me away."

His lips turned up in a small smile before pressing his lips against mine but I wanted more. I wanted to be breathless, I wanted to think about nothing but his lips and his hands. I unwound my arms from behind his back and grabbed either side of his face, pushing him back until he was backed up against my bookcase filled with sheet music. A couple papers fell to the floor while a small moan escaped Madden's throat and it was music to my ears. He slightly pushed me away, hurting my ego.