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

Chapter 15

I ended up letting Rae read the letter that announced a spring party. I bit my lip and stood to walk to the library.

It was late and I just wore a very casual dress that was knee length and made of fine material.

"Sorry I was late." I whisper as I meet Alex by the staircase.

"Your fine." He promises and takes my hand. "Come on." He leads me down hallways that I couldn't possibly remember again if I were to try.

I don't know when we stop but I hear a door click and I'm instantly rushed inside it.

"Okay." Alex says. "This is my personal library and nobody is allowed in here. Not even a guard or maid so if the books are dusty, just ignore it."

"I need help first."

"With what?"

"I need to write my family. I haven't even tried yet and I feel terrible." I tell him. "You don't have to though." I say and sit on one of the comfy couches.

"Why not?" Alex shrugs and goes to the other side of the library to dig in a big desk. He comes back with a wide thin book and a small stack of paper and a pen. "What about a different one for each of your family members."

"Do the Eight's count?" I ask.

"If you want." He says and plops down beside of me. "Who first?"

"My dad." I say and he nods. "Say that I'm sorry for not writing like I promised. I hope you, Paisley, And Jason are settling in now. Have Lewis and Oliver moved in with their kids yet? If so how are they settling in? I hope maybe you've been able to get a little more work in now that I'm here if that's contributed to anything."

I pause unsure of what else to say. I'm sure I'm sure he'd want to hear more about the selection to know I was okay, but I don't really talk about boys to my dad. Especially while the one that I'm trying to steel his heart is writing it.

"I have a few friends, though some of the girls are just snobby. Don't hold this against me, Alex." I make sure to tell him that. "Um... Write back soon please, love you." I say.

"Okay who's next?" Alex asks while folding the letter into an envelope.

"Really you can't take this against me." I say. "Write to Henry."

"Hey Henry. I don't know how everything has settled with new house, but if your already there please settle in well. It means just as much that you and your family makes it into the house. How has your parent been too? Is your moms ankle feeling any better?" I remember she sprained her ankle a while before I left but I didn't know how it healed.

"Make sure Tayloe goes to school still and don't keep her away from the boys. I know how much it hurts to see her like that because of some stupid guy, but the only way she will get somewhere is if she marries up a caste or so." I sigh. "Good luck settling in."

"How old is he?"

I almost laugh but hold it in. "He's nineteen, but he's like a brother to me."

"Just asking." He holds his hands up in defense and I just laugh. I curl my legs up under me.

"Now Tayloe." I say. "Sorry for not writing sooner but everything's been so busy. I think you'd love all these dresses and shoes. I know you've never gotten any of the sort, but you'd love it. The maids are great too. It was kind of weird at first honestly, but very quickly they became one of my best friends in the palace. Then there is Raelle who has been one of the best. It's hard when your all competing for the same persons heart, but I hope he cares more about her than the others, because I don't know what I'll do if she goes home so soon.

"Other girls have been so reckless with their words." I remember Emerald who could've talked for ages. "I think if you were in this competition you'd have the best of time, but you wouldn't fall for the prince. He just isn't your type." Alex chuckles to himself but keeps writing about as quickly as I've ever seen anyone write.

"Hope everyone settles in nicely!" I end. Lewis and Oliver's letter was conjoined and only said stuff about settling in.

When I got to Paisley I smiled to myself for a minute before talking like there wasn't anyone in the room.

"How's your back doing? Hope Jason's been taking care of you lately since I can't be there. You would've loved all this food but it bothers my stomach. It's all so sweet and I normally can't handle it. You would look so much better in these dresses than I do too. Love you Paisley, I'll be home soon."

"How do you know you'll be home soon?" Alex asks and I just shrug.

"Let's write Jason's letter." I change the subject. I had to be going home soon, because I kept screwing up. "His will be the longest."

"Okay." Alex nods and pulls out another piece of paper after he puts Paisleys letter in an envelope.

"I've kept my promise for a while. The people here are different from where we live and most everybody is adapting to palace life better than me. The food is too sweet and I normally can't keep it down. The dresses seem like too much, but I kind of like feeling pretty for once. Watch Paisley too. Don't let her go out and try to steel anything until her back is completely heeled.

"I wish you could be here to consult in because I feel the world is a new blank sheet and I don't know what to do with it. But there's still the pages before it that I don't want to turn back to read. I can't stop thinking about him. He would've had so much fun running around the halls all day.

"How do you cope? I know I've asked you all of this before but I still need the advice. On another note the people here are strange. You'll never been anyone more self absorbed than a few of the people here. They're worse than the people at school were. At least they weren't mostly Twos or Threes like these girls. I want to write more but it's getting late. I miss you guys so much don't forget that."

"Okay." Alex says quietly. Maybe that was a bit too much. "Why haven't you told me you've had a hard time eating?"

I shrug leaning farther into the couch. "I'm just not very good at picking what I eat."

"Don't do that to yourself." Alex says. "Some of the Fives that have came have gained more weight in just the first week. Those things matter to me. I want you all to be healthy. I think if anything you've lost weight."

I try to survey my own body without making it awfully noticeable. I suppose I wasn't gaining any weight.

"I'm fine. Trust me." I say and scoot farther away from him. "I really do want to eat, I've just given up on it."

It isn't a big deal is it? I've always been underweight there can't be much wrong with it.

"Just try alright?" He says sliding closer to be laying one hand on mine.

"I'm going to be okay." I promise.

"Okay."