The Choosing

Chapter 19//: Royal balls and secrets

[E D I T E D]

♕✿~♕✿~Chapter 19//: Royal balls and secrets♕✿~♕✿~

"I can't believe this! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Please, calm down. This isn't because of you. It's more because of the...lack of anything between us."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

Rose, Addaline, and I grimace at each other as the loud voices of Katherine Jacos, Lindsey Laris, and Ahren reach all of the girls outside of the dining hall. Ahren was disqualifying them and they were definitely not pleased with this news.

Alexis flips her ash-blonde hair over her slender shoulder. "They are quite loud. They should know how to act like a lady. But, I guess not everyone can be so poised and mature like High Silver ladies," she comments with a light voice like she's talking about the weather. She pointedly looks at me while she says this and I know she's silently telling me I will never be on the same level as her.

I bristle but decide to ignore her. No need to prove her point by knocking her front teeth out.

We all continue to wait, shamelessly listening as the argument goes on. I fiddle with the ends of my shawl the maids had given me in the morning.

At that moment, the dining hall doors open and the two disqualified girls storm out, one in tears and the other one with a scowl on her blotchy face. Behind them, Ahren walks out with a tired look on his face. He catches my eye and beckons me to follow him as he walks towards the garden doors.

"I'll be back," I tell Rose and Addaline distractedly, following the direction in which Ahren had went.

I see him lounging by the garden doors and he sighs as I reach him. He puts out his arm and I take it, looping my own arm around his.

"What happened?" I ask him, though I know it is a stupid question. I just heard what happened. As if Ahren knows my thoughts, he looks at me with a scowl. I smile a bit at him, amused.

"Okay, that was a stupid question. What I meant to ask was what do you want to talk about?" I say quickly to try to save myself from the embarrassment.

Ahren stays silent for a bit, a war storming in his grey eyes. He finally turns to look at me and I'm a bit surprised to see worry in his eyes.

"Do you think I made a mistake, Madison?" He murmurs gently. I look at him, confused by his question. "A mistake about what?" I ask. "Do you think I made a mistake disqualifying Katherine and Lindsey?" Ahren clarifies.

I look at the orange-red trees around me as I think about Ahren's question. It was the middle of October, and autumn was all around us.

I realize Ahren is still waiting for an answer, looking at me with a frown. "Well," I start out uncertainly. "If you didn't feel a connection with them, you most likely made the right decision." I say this with carefulness. As Ahren's friend, I needed to give him the best advice possible.

He still looks troubled as we walk around the garden slowly. But his frown soon goes away, replaced by a small smile. "Love is so confusing, Madison," he tells me.

"Well, there's a saying my mother always told me. Love is when two people who care for each other get confused." Ahren looks at me thoughtfully. Then, he turns away to look at the shaking leaves.

"Your mother is definitely right. Love is such a confusing matter. It's difficult to express yourself correctly when you feel something for someone. When you want to say something, sometimes you can't because the most important things are the hardest to say," Ahren murmurs thoughtfully. I stare at him. Who knew he could be so philosophical?