Choices

Surprise

I wake up tired from all the meetings my parents have been forcing me to go to. Most of them have been about the selection, but some have been about political issues or just more training for when I'm king.

I get ready for the day but half way into brushing my teeth I remember something. Today's my birthday.

"Jem!" I hear through my bathroom door, but before I can even spit out the tooth paste Kate comes in with Sam.

"Guys! Can't you wait," I say gripping the towel wrapped around my waist. "I haven't even finished brushing my teeth yet."

"Okay, okay, but hurry up. We're all waiting for you in mom and dad's room."

"I'll be there when I'm done getting ready," I say annoyed.

"Wow, grumpy much, good way to start your nineteenth birthday."

"Yeah, thanks to you," I mumble.

"Whatever, hurry up," she says while being tugged away by Samuel who always tries to avoid fights.

When the door closes I breath a loud sigh and shake my head. My sister can be annoying and have no boundaries, but deep down she always makes me happy with her big smiles and loud laughter.

I finish brushing my teeth and combing my hair. I reach for the door to go change but it opens by itself. Amanda walks in and I hold my breath as we make eye contact. I haven't been able to shake that dream I had about her for some reason. I felt so alone when I woke up from it and I realized that I might care for Amanda more than I thought. Do I care for her like that? Do I love her? I like her, I find her beautiful and kind, but does my affection for her go further? I haven't seen or talked to Amanda since I had the dream and that was about a week ago.

Her eyes widen as she looks down at the towel around me. She scoots past me without saying anything and sets some towels by the bath tub, where I always find them. She has a rag hanging from her apron and she reaches for it and then starts wiping down the shower door. I don't move from where I'm standing. I want to say something, but I don't know what to say. For the record this has never happened to me.

She turns her head to look at me after a minute or so of me standing there and not moving. Her amazing eyes stare at me, but I find something different about them. Her face shows the same tranquil expression she always has, the one that makes me forget all about the annoying day I had, but her eyes show worry or maybe nervousness. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

"Happy Birthday, Prince Jeremiah," she says finally after a while.

"Oh. Umm." I clear my throat. "Thank you," I say nodding my head. "I haven't seen you in a while," I continue, awkwardly. What is wrong with me today, I think to myself.

"I assumed, you were busy," she says turning back to her work.

"I was," I say with a shrug. "Meetings took up most of my afternoons and nights, but... I'm free tonight after the Report," I try to say casually like I used to, but for some reason it just sounds weird.

She stops cleaning and I see her bite her lip. She looks nervous again. Great, I should have never asked. I have to admit, I used to not care what she felt, but recently it's been different.

She doesn't say anything for a few seconds and I think she is going to say no, which would be a first, but then she looks at me and nods.

I nod slowly and look down at my feet. "I'll see you later then," I say, before leaving.

"Yeah," she says quietly.

"Okay."

I open the door and walk out. The two other maids that help me, Susan and Michelle see me and giggle. I smile at them before walking into my closet. I'm used to seeing girls giggle in my presence, and my maids have seen me in a towel before so it doesn't bother me.

I change quickly realizing how long I'm taking and leave. I walk to my parents room and when I open it I am greeting with very loud welcome.

"My baby is nineteen," my mom says with tears in her eyes. Funny how I drove her crazy half her life.

"Hi, mom," I say smiling as I walk over to her and give her a tight hug.

"How does it feel," Kate asks me.

"To be nineteen, nothing different."

"Oh," she says and I laugh. I hug my sister and my brother as they give me my presents.

"Happy birthday," my dad says and I smile.

"Thanks dad," I say hugging him. My dad and mom give me a present and I thank them.

"You guys know I love you all right?" I say.

"We know," my mom says smiling.

After opening my gifts we go down to the dining room and eat breakfast and I spend my day with my family. Mom's family comes and spends some time with us and dad's family calls me to wish me a happy birthday because they can't fly over here.

Soon it's time for the Report and my family and I walk to the studio room. Today Gavril is going to announce the Selection and my dad is going to talk about some other political and economical things going on in Illea.

I make myself comfortable next to my father and wait for the camera crew to announce thirty more seconds, when they do mom takes a seat. While I was sitting, bored she was busy talking to Gavril and the maids. I like how nice my mom is to the staff in the palace. It made me want a wife as kindhearted as her.

"Were in five, four, three, two..." the camera man announces and when pointing Gavril starts talking.

"Welcome, welcome to this week's Report, we have some very special news to share with you today. First off though, I am happy to announce that it is Prince Jeremiah's birthday today. Happy birthday!" Gavril says happily and I smile and wave to the camera pointing at me.

"Do you have any words for us?" Gavril asks me and I nod before turning back to the camera.

"Yes, today was great I spent the whole day with my amazing family and I really couldn't have asked for anything better."

"How wonderful," Gavril says with his big smile. "Now, as many of the girls may already know Prince Jeremiah will be having his selection. I'm sure most girls have already received their form and are filling it out right this second, how does all of this make you feel, Prince Jeremiah?"

"Well, I am happy to be able to follow in my father's footsteps, hopefully I can choose someone as amazing as my mother."

The crowed makes an "aw" sound and I smile. I look over at my parents and they smile proudly. My mom blows me a kiss and I pretend to catch it, chuckling. Apparently the camera catches that because everyone "awes" and laughs. I feel myself blush slightly but I don't want to hide the loving and funny relationship I have with my family.

Gavril talks some more and then dad talks as well, saying some words about my selection and then continuing on the overall news.

Soon, the Report is over and I am happy that I finally get to leave. I am excited to spend some time with Amanda. I genuinely want to.

I walk upstairs to the second floor and climb the stairs to the third floor. I make my way down the hallway when I hear some whispers and stop. The whispers are coming from one of the rooms. The door is opened, just a crack. I'm usually not so curious, only when it's about something I care about, but for some reason I stay. I walk silently to the door and look inside. I see one of my maids, Michelle and some other maid. What are they doing here? They're technically only supposed to be in the places they are assigned to clean, and I know for a fact that Michelle's is not here. I'm about to walk in and say something when I hear Amanda's name. Amanda? Why are they talking about her? Curiosity taking over and I don't move.

"What about Amanda," she says.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone, I'm technically not supposed to know either," Michelle says.

The maid nods and I see Michelle take a breath. "Amanda's pregnant."