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

Chapter 42

And here it goes. I walk with Alex back into the room with my arm hooked in his.

"I'll let you meet my dad first." I tell him. He nods and I can see how nervous he was I just laughed. "Hey dad." I tell him and hug him. "This is Alex. Alex this is my dad and Louis. My dads new wife."

"Nice to meet both of you. " Alex says and shakes both their hands.

That conversation blew by without much thought. I then walked over to Tayloe and Henry who's didn't say much either. Then I go over to Jason, Paisley, and Addy.

"Alex this is Jason, my older brother, And Paisley, my little sister."

"Nice to meet both of you." Alex nods. Paisley comes over beside of me and hugs up to my side. "Do you care if we talk? Outside?" Alex looks at Jason.

"Sure." He says. Before Alex leaves he kisses the side of my head and I smile as he walks by. Probably not the smartest move with my brother there, but it still made me feel safer.

"Charlie!" Paisley said pulling on my arm. I looked down at her. "He kissed you!" I smile and hug her.

"Yes he did." I laugh watching them walk off. Jason was skinnier, but taller than Alex. Just by a little. I watch them walk away and scare myself at the thought. What could he possibly be talking to him about?

•••

Later that day I got ready in my room with Paisley and Payton. I offered to let Louis and Tayloe come too but they didn't want to crowd the place. So I talked to Payton and asked her about Jason's engagement.

It wasn't anything romantic just a talk about whether they could do it. He couldn't afford the ring he wanted but did get but he's saving up.

My maids and the extra maids who came to my room to help with Paisley and Peyton, worked fast and we were ready early. Alex arranged a picnic with all of the families. It seemed nice.

"So has he kissed you yet? Like... on the lips?" Paisley asks me.

"Well..." id never had to talk about things like this before I guess. So it was weird. "Yeah."

"Do you think you're going to be the princess!?" Paisley shrieks. Peyton and I both laugh.

"Don't get your hopes too high, Paisley." I tell her.

"Are you?" She asks me. Maybe. Maybe I was. Maybe I tricked myself into thinking he cared more than he did.

"Nah, I'm okay baby." I say and hug her.

"Ladies it's time to go. The picnic should start soon but you might get to go early and see if The Prince is there." Tailor tells me.

"Thank you guys." I tell them and lead Paisley and Peyton out to the gardens. The only other family there is Catastrophe's. Alex talks to her mom while Catastrophe hung onto his arm. She had two younger brothers that sat very calmly, unlike other kids their age.

Before we walked out, the rest of my family met us downstairs. We walked out together. Immediately, Alex walked over to me apologizing to Catastrophe.

"Do you think we could talk?" He asks me. I breathe outward and almost forget to breathe back in. He seemed weird and not as happy as I would've thought.

"Uh.. yeah sure." I say. Why did I stutter? I don't stutter. Like ever.

He hooks his arm with mine and walks me away from everyone. He wasn't smiling And his eyes were dull.

"What's wrong?" I ask quietly.

"Why was this in your room? With this paper in it? This is stuff- it's fiction?" Alex asks. My eyes widen at the sight of the book that Addy had hid away in my room.

"Addy can't know you found this." I breathe after a minute.

"Just what is it? I won't tell her I saw it." He promises. I could tell he was mad but he tried to hide it from me.

"It's real Alex. It's not fiction. It's on the ceilings." I tell him.

"What?"

"The patterns on the ceiling. Have you never wondered what they were? All the pictures? Some are awful." I shake my head.

"Those are just comics. Someone was bored."

"No they aren't. Everything is in the books. Have you ever wondered about the history of Illèa before the history books reach?" I ask him.

"Char, this is crazy. There wasn't even anything before that. You don't just lose history!" He puts two hands on my shoulders while he talked.

"Stop patronizing me! I know what I'm talking about it starts in 1607 and everything is in the books." I tell him. Why wouldn't he believe me? "And no they haven't lost the history they just hid it."

"Char–"

"Stop! I'm not stupid just listen. You can look on the ceiling and then find it in the books. Things we've never heard. Have you ever heard of anything before 3000?" I ask.

"No." Alex answers stepping back.

"But there's so much more. Why won't you believe me?" I ask stepping back and folding my arms.

"What about we talk about this later? Okay? I believe you we just need to wait till later." He says pulling me back to him and kissing me lightly.

"Okay." I say. He walks me back over to the rest of my family and helps us find our seats at the long table they've set up for us all. My family took up mostly the end of the table using up both sides. Payton sat beside of me and Jason sat in front.

I didn't realize till everybody was there that Alex planned it so he sat beside me at the edge of the table. Or maybe It was coincidence.

"Thank everyone for coming and staying for the next couple days I'm happy you could all make it." Alex says standing behind his seat. "Now I won't waste anytime. Enjoy!"

I run my hands over my dress. It a blush color with silky off shoulder sleeves and silver jewels on the sleeve and bodice.

"Did I forget to tell you you're beautiful today?" Alex whispers.

"Thanks." I whisper back and smile.

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Sorry guys! Got a puppy recently and I've had to watch him everyday from before I go to school to immediately when I come home. I try to write when he's sleeping though, so I'll still try. Thanks for reading!