His Choice (The Selection)

Chapter Two

"Did you get the form?" Lily asks as we walk through the garden. I nod. 

"I did. My mother is sure that I will get in and is insisting that it will help my father with his campaign and my brothers with getting internships," I tell her. She nods.

"My mother has been saying the same thing." Lily's family and my family are almost identical. Both of our fathers are politicians, our mothers stay at home all day or visit other rich house wives, and we have the same destiny: despite the classes we have taken, we'll be just like our mothers. "But I think I might actually sign up," she adds. I roll my eyes. Over course Lily would want to join. Everything is a fairy tale to her.

"You seriously are going to sign up for a chance to marry that spoiled little brat? He isn't even going to be king. Why can't he date the women from other countries," I tell her. She shrugs.

"He is an heir to the throne," she says. I roll my eyes.

"Yes, but in order for him to become the king, Queen Celia, King Flynn, and Princess Ash would have die," I reply. She nods.

"That's true but he is still in line for the throne," Lily says.

"But what is the point of even filling out the form? You and I both know that we will never fall in love with him," I tell her. She shrugs.

"I know that I most likely won't. . . But it would still be fun to go cause drama at the palace," she says. I laugh and shake my head.

"Are you saying that you're trying to steal some nice girl's chance at happily ever after in order to stir stuff up?" I ask. She nods. We both laugh and watch some lady running past with a stroller.

"I think that in the case that I get there and I don't like the prince, I will stay there for as long as possible to make things worse for the other girls," she says. I roll my eyes.

"And I believe this is why you are my best friend," I say. She looks over at me and gives me the puppy dog eyes. "What?" I ask.

"Fill out the form and if you get to go to the palace cause hell," she says. I raise my eyebrows.

"And what will I get out of it?" I ask. She shrugs.

"I don't know. . . Guys knocking on your door step saying 'Ember, Ember! We don't care if the prince doesn't like you! Marry me instead!' and possibly a ton of people's admiration," she says. I roll my eyes. "Your dad might not be as hard on you. . . Maybe even not try to force you into becoming a doctor," she points out. I sigh and shake my head.

"Why do I tell you everything?" I question. She grins at me.

"Because you love me," she replies. I laugh.

"Fine, I guess I'll sign up. .. And if I get picked I will cause hell at the palace," I promise. She squeals and starts jumping around. I roll my eyes. Some people get so excited over putting a name on a piece of paper.

§§§

"You're going to look perfect in this picture," Karigan promises. I roll my eyes.

"Try to make me look as terrible as possible. Maybe use the gray eye shadowto give me a black eye. Make my hair look like something lives in it," I say. She laughs and shakes her head.

"You are something else," Karigan comments. I look down at my application. Karigan, my maid, is one of my closest friends. While most people would tell their parents everything, I tell Karigan everything. She was the person who raised me.

"I try," I say. I point at the the application in front of me on my vanity. "What do I include for my skills?" I ask. Karigan looks away from brushing my hair and down at the application.

"You can speak French and Spanish," she comments. I nod and scribble that down.

"I think taking dance classes for the last twelve years should count as something as well," I say. She nods and goes back to brushing my hair. "And I ride horses. . . I need something else," I say as I look at the application. I watch Karigan's reflection nod in the mirror.

"How about hunting. When you go out with your father and brothers you normally kill the most," she says. I nod and scribble that down.

"And that is basically it. . . I think this should be fine," I say. She nods.

"Have you told your momma yet?" Karigan asks. I shake my head.

"No. Do you know how she would react? She would never let me dress like this," I say. I'm not dressing too fancy so I won't have a terrible image in the case that I am selected. I'm wearing a simple neutral toned top, which is actually much simpler than what I usually wear. My black hair hangs down around my face, setting off the bright blue color of my eyes.

"She definitely wouldn't approve of you wearing this. . . I'm surprised she even allowed you to have this in your closet," she says. I laugh and nod.

"I know what you mean," I reply.

§§§

"Ember!"a voice behind me yells. I recognize it almost immediately and groan. Karigan laughs but still smacks my arm. I put a fake smile on my face and turn around.

"Mrs. Dean! How are you?" I ask. She ushers her daughter, Stacy and Samantha, up to us. The twins say nothing, just stand there and smack their gum.

"I'm great! Hello, Keri," she says quickly to my maid.

"Her name is Karigan," I say, trying to correct a mistake she has made for years. She shrugs it off.

"Whatever dear. You're outfit is. . . interesting," she comments as she observes my outfit. I look at Stacy's and Samantha's. They having on matching outfits but in different colors. Samantha's is a blue dress with a green belt. Stacy's dress is pink with a purple belt. Both of them have elaborate up dos that must have taken hours and their makeup looks professionally done.

"Thank you. I was going for a natural look," I say. She makes a little noise and rolls her eyes.

"Why, dear, you'll never get selected like that," Mrs. Dean says. I almost roll my eyes. Of course she would think that. That's why my mother doesn't know I'm here.

"Oh, well. I guess that stinks," I reply. She nods.

"It's been lovely talking to you dear," she says, obviously done with me." I see Mrs. Wilson up there and I should probably go speak to her," she says. Once she is out of ear shot, I roll my eyes and turn to Karigan.

"I'm sorry she spoke to you like that. . . But how much do you want to bet she's only going to see Mrs. Wilson to skip in line," I tell her. She laughs and nods.

"Of course she is. I've been at all those tea parties with you and your mother to hear their opinions on that lady. They hate her," Karigan says. I nod.

"That is true," I say.

Alright, so, this still was not the most exciting chapter ever. Just wait a few more and I promise it will be a lot better. So, I hope you all like Ember so far but to be honest I feel like I haven't be quite true to her character yet... We'll just have to wait and see. 

Disclaimer: My brain hurts so I am just gonna quickly say that Kiera Cass owns The Selection, not me.