Royal (A Selection Fan Fiction) (Book One in my Selection Series)

Chapter 13

I did think the prince showed a liking to Indigo which worried me. She was pretty, but a different type of pretty. She couldn't pass off the "innocent look" that I could pull off with my soft features. But she was more sharp, with pointed cheekbones and a slightly pointed nose.

"What do you think your going to wear?" She asks me as we both go up to our rooms. She also pulled off a very sophisticated look with her hair in a near bun with a navy dress, but both of us were going to change.

"I don't know, but I'm sure my maids have already got a dress stitched up." I say smiling. It was fake of course. Who could in my position?

"Good luck today." She looked tense. Did she think of me as much competition? I didn't think if myself as much of a competition honestly.

"You too." I nod and turn into my room. "Did you guys hear?" I ask.

"We are completely prepared miss. We've got the perfect dress let's start on your hair.

As they work on my hair and makeup we talk about the date.

"Have you ever seen a selection like this before? He's playing some sort of game." I shake my head.

"No I haven't seen anything of the sort. But be careful what you say in public like that miss! The public will turn it against you. Think you aren't taking any of this serious." Tailor tells me in a stern voice.

"But I really do. I have to. My family needs the money." I whisper. "Don't tell anyone I said that though."

"We won't miss." Summer says continuing to curl my hair. "Okay. So we are going to put this clip in your hair." She says holding up a cloud to my face.

"It's called a banana clip. It gives you a beautiful cascading ponytail. Is that alright?" Wendy continues for Summer.

"If you think it'll look alright then I trust you." I see Wendy beam with pride and star pulling pieces of my hair into the clip. I feel it snap.

"Okay let's get you in this dress." Tailor tells me. Before I have time to look in the mirror, I was whipped into my room and slid into my dress.

"It's semi-casual, but it isn't a super fancy dinner or anything like that." Summer shrugs.

"No it's beautiful." I shake my head. It is simple, but I like it also. The top is made out of black lace and only has inch wide straps.

The bottom is made of floral, silky materials and flows out. Most of the flowers are different shades of pink.

"Thank you ladies." I say beamingly. "Now I'm even more confident about my date." I hear my maids giggle as I walk out. Right outside my door was Indigo in a dress that looks like a thick ribbon wrapped around her torso and the rest falls gracefully behind her.

"I was going to see if you wanted to walk down with me?" She asks.

"Why not?" I say trying to be cheerful. "Your dress is gorgeous." I comment.

"I like it too." She says simply. The rest of the walk to the gardens is quiet and tense.

"Good evening ladies." Alex says, already in the garden.

"Your Majesty." We say in sync and curtsy, hers a bit deeper than mine.

"Follow me." He says. "So how are the both of you handling the palace life?"

It was too much. I've ate too much, and puked nearly all of it up. I should be enjoying the food, I know. But nothing seems to stay down.

"The food is magnificent." Indigo says. I try and dig through my mind to remember what caste she as from. Maybe Four? Five even? "You don't seem to eat much do you, Charlie?" She says causing me to freeze.

"I'd rather not. It's a bit too much, sometimes. I'm still getting used to it all." I say smiling timidly. I didn't know what I should do to change her mind.

"You were a Six right?" Alex asks. Of course i was. He'd asked me this a million times.

"Yes. I'm the Six." I nod. He looks at me and I can't remember if I'd told him about my lifestyle. That night had been quite confusing. "We were well off though. There were lots of Six's who weren't as well off as we were. Not saying I was rich but we all made it." Even if we didn't. The memories seemed to haunt me.

"You alright, Charlie?" I think it was Indigo that said it.

"Yep. I'm fine." I shake out my brain and curse myself out. "Just thinking how much my little sister would've enjoyed this."

Of course I had Paisley in my mind but I also had Tyler. Tyler's innocence.

"She'd have loved the food here. She's always had a sweet tooth." I smile keeping my head down.

"Here we are!" Alex exclaims. It was a spread out blanket under a tall tree.

While Alex walks forward I steal a glance at Indigo. She seems so tense and it almost makes me pity her. I can't loose now though. My families gotten two payments so far, but I haven't written them once. I feel horrible.

"Well come sit down." Alex says. Indigo looks at me warily and we both sit on the blanket. My dress was so hard to sit in so I just let it lay all around me like a bed of flowers.

"You two both seem rather quiet." He says leaning against the tree.

I see Indigo holding in a laughter and she mouths, Women's Room. I'm sure my entire face turns blood red.

"I suppose your not wrong." I say to Indigo.

"If you were wondering, my mother still hasn't told me what went down in the Women's Room." Alex says like he thought he might get answers today.

I look at Indigo who seems to be considering the offer.

"Don't you dare." I whisper to her.

"I don't have the guts, Charlie." She says honestly. Indigo seems ashamed to have even considered it.

I almost laugh aloud remembering it. I felt so silly, but the Queen had liked how I stood up to them all.

"How are you on terms with each other?" Alex asks knowing he wouldn't get an answer.

"I wouldn't say bad but honestly I haven't talked to her much." I say. "But our meetings have been a lot calmer than some others."

"What about the other girls?"

"They're okay." I answer. "Some of them are from higher caste family's and don't know what it's like with some things in their life."

"I know I'm just a Four, but I can agree." She says.

"Well I'm a One. Are you including me?" Alex asks.

"Are you bragging or just genuinely asking?" I ask. I'm sure Indigo would be super surprised if I was the one who got to stay.

"Just asking." Alex asks.

"Then I don't know." I shrug. "I haven't actually got to know you yet."

"You've got some real guts." Indigo whispers beside of me.

"I respect that."